THE ENVIRONMENT - CLIMATE CHANGE

FOCUS QUESTION

How do environmental problems affect  us?

SPECIFIC OBJS.

1. Formulate a simple working definition of climate change.

2. Use evidence from everyday local/regional/international situations to explain the effects of climate change on humans.

3. Show concern for the impact of environmental problems.

CONTENT SUMMARY

Conserving the environment means trying to preserve natural resources so they will be around in the future. The activities of people may affect the environment in good and bad ways. Human activities have caused serious environmental problems which have changed the earth and its climate, and have impacted the health of many living things.  Climate change is a change in earth’s overall average weather.   

What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to significant, long-term changes in the global climate.

ENGAGE

Listen this rap video entitled – Take Aim AT Climate Change, then try to provide me with a simple working definition of climate change.

Look at the chart below and try to make some statements as to what it is depicting.

EXPLORE

Listen to the video clip as it explains what climate change is. Please listen attentively and take your notes.

Video clip: Climate change

Below are some effects of climate change. Did you hear any of these explained in the video clip?

What can we do as citizens to help save our planet? Let's discuss. What suggestions were given in the very first video (Take Aim It's Climate Change). You can make notes from or discussions.

EXPLAIN

Explain what climate change is.

How do humans contribute to climate change?

What are the effects of climate change?

How can we alleviate the effects of climate change?

You may use the Bubble Maps below to write in your answers.

 

Climate change is__________________

 

EXTEND/ELABORATE

Brian was reading the Newspaper when he came upon the article below that says "Human fingerprints are all over our climate". He immediately called you and asked you to explain the meaning of how human fingerprints could be cited as being all over the climate. Explain to Brian what you think the article is trying to reveal.

Video clip on climate change for more information.

More information on climate change.

Do research on what humans can do to further alleviate climate change.

EVALUATE

1. Your friends at Kings Primary are unaware of what climate change is and its effects. Your class teacher has given you the okay to share the information you have learnt with them in a creative way. In your groups, prepare the information using a medium of your choice, to educate your friends. Be sure to include the meaning of climate change, the causes and the effects.

2.  Use a [ü] to show which of the following would least contribute to climate change.

Activities	ü
Riding a bicycle to school everyday
Smoking a cigarette daily
Flying to the U.S.A. every summer
Using slash and burn to clear my land for farming

(a)    Justify your answer for your answer to the question above. ______________________

1.

              3.  The following are statements about climate change. State with a [ü] if you agree or disagree with each statement..

Statements	Agree	Disagree
Global warming can cause climate change
Hurricanes will not be violent due to climate change
With an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, temperature will fall

             4. Complete the table below.

                  

Global Issues	Effects
Deforestation
Air pollution
Acid rain
Slash and burn

4     5. Using your knowledge of cause and effects, write these words in the proper sequence.

      Loss of beaches,      Rise in ocean,     Melting ice caps,       Global warming,     Erosion

               1                              2                                3                             4                         5

     6.       A student did a study on some islands in the Caribbean to find out the effects of climate change in their country. After 5 weeks, the student recorded the following results.

Country	Temperature experienced in degree Celsius	Effects due to climate change
B	50	Moderate weather conditions
C	80	Severe drought, violent hurricanes
D	60	Moderate rainfall throughout the year
E	75	Snow storm, loss of ground provisions

Indicate using a [ü] whether the following statements are supported or not supported by the investigation.

STATEMENTS	SUPPORTED	NOT SUPPORTED
Country C is the least affected by climate change
Country B experienced the coolest temperatures
The hotter the temperature, the more likely it is to experience storms or hurricanes
Low temperatures can cause severe hurricanes
For hurricanes to develop, they depend on low temperatures.

 7.The choices below describe effects of human activities or climate change. From the choices given, circle one letter in each space so that the resulting paragraph is correct.

CHOICES:

A         rising sea levels and the resulting loss of beaches

B         increased flooding in low lying communities

C         rising carbon dioxide levels and a resulting temperature change

D         death or illness in animals that depend on the river

Often times fertilizers used on farms can get washed into nearby rivers. This can have a severe effect on the environment as it can result in   A   B    C   D. The environment can also be harmed when communities and roads are built on hillsides, as this may cause    A    B    C   D. As lobal temperatures continue to increase,   A   B   C   D can be observed in many locations around the world

8. Examine the chart below and answer the questions that follow.

(A) Which statement is correct?

   (i) Temperatures were lower in the first three years.

  (ii)  Temperatures were higher in the first three years.

(B) One possible cause for the temperature increase could be?

  (i) afforestation

  (ii) increased carbon dioxide in the environment

  (iii) increased use of wind turbines to generate electricity