1. Name_____________Block____ Date________ Global Warming: Fact or Fiction?

2. Lesson Questions What is global warming? Is global warming real? What may be causing global warming? What can be done to prevent global warming? Do you believe global warming is real? Why or why not?

3. Lesson Objectives Before Lesson (check yes or no) After Lesson (check yes or no) _____ Yes ______No “I can explain what global warming is.”_____ Yes ______No “ I can list the causes of global warming.”_____ Yes ______No “I can explain what many scientists think is the cause of global warming.” _____ Yes ______No “I can explain what scientists think can be done to prevent global warming.” _____ Yes ______No “I can explain why I think global warming is real (or isn’t real).” _____ Yes ______No

4. Read about it…… and highlight the ways climate can change Vocabulary Climate - the average of weather conditions over a long time Global Warming- average temperature increasing at the Earth’s surface Theory- a belief that has not fully been proven ********************************************************* Weather and Climate Weather is all the conditions in one place at one time. Weather can change from day to day. Climate is the average of weather conditions over a long time. Climate includes the average amount of rain, the average temperature, and how much it changes in a year. Mountains Affect Climate Mountains may have different climates than the low areas near them. Higher land (land at higher altitudes) is cooler than the lower land around (land at lower altitude). The opposite sides of a mountain can also have different climates. In the United States, the west side of the Sierra Madre Mountains is wet. But the east side of the mountains has a dry climate. This is because the air does not have as much moisture in it when it reaches the east side. Oceans Affect Climate Ocean currents can also make a climate warmer or cooler. Big currents carry warm water north. When the warm water evaporates, it can warm the air and make the climate warmer. Cool currents can also bring cool air and cool climates. Past Climates Climates do change. In the 1600s the climate of North America and Europe were much colder and wetter than they are now. This time is called the Little Ice Age. Climates have changed many times. Climates can change quickly or slowly. Scientists study fossils to learn about climates from long ago. If a plant fossil looks like a modern plant, scientists guess the two plants need the same climate. If the modern plant needs water and the plant fossil was found in a desert, scientists guess the climate might have changed. How Climates Change Many things can cause a climate to change. The Little Ice Age may have been caused by the Sun making less energy. An erupting volcano can cause a sudden climate change. This is because the volcano releases materials into the atmosphere that block or reflect sunlight. The climate then becomes cooler. Scientists do not always agree on why a climate changed. Some scientists believe that warmer climates may be caused by carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor in the atmosphere. This is called theory of global warming. According to the theory, human actions like burning coal and using gasoline releases substances into the air causing temperatures to rise. Not everyone agrees global warming is real. What do you think?

5. Examples of Climate ChangeWhat is global warming? As you go higher up a mountain, the temperatures go up. The side of a mountain closer to water has a wet climate. Warm ocean currents bring warm temperatures to land, and Cool ocean currents bring cool temperatures to land. Volcanic eruptions can block sunlight and cause temperatures to cool. Global Warming is a theory, or belief, that the temperatures of the Earth’s surface are rising. Many scientists believe that too much carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor have entered the earth’s atmosphere causing temperatures to rise.

6. Today’s Problem Is global warming…… FACT (real) Or Fiction (not real)?

7. Watch the NASA Video Clip on Climate Change Fill in the Blanks while watching the video: According to NASA, 2000-2009 was the warmest decade on record. NASA Scientists believe the average local temperatures are rising. This rise in the Earth’s temperatures is known as Global Warming. Possible NATURAL CAUSES of Global WARMING include: variations in solar activity, fluctuations (changes) in ocean currents, and volcanic eruptions However, NASA Scientists believe the dominant factor causing temperatures to rise is the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere may keep the planet from warming too quickly. http://climatekids.nasa.gov/time-machine/http://climatekids.nasa.gov/time-machine/ (slider) http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=ROZJmX73FF4

8. Write a HYPOTHESIS Based on your research……. I think global warming is ______________ choose fact or fiction because___________________________.

9. Your Group’s Task…… The job of your group is to work together to gather evidence about global warming. You will be gathering evidence about the following questions: What is global warming? What evidence makes some scientists believe there is global warming? What do most scientists think may be causing global warming? What can be done to prevent global warming? Why do some scientists believe global warming isn’t real? You will work collaboratively as a group gathering evidence TOGETHER using the websites at the TOP OF OUR CLASSROOM WEBPAGE. Your evidence will be recorded on the following pages. Your evidence is your data.

10. Work together with your group to answer the following questions. Use the websites at the top of the Classroom Homepage to answer the questions on the next 3 pages 1. Explain what global warming is in your own words. Global warming is ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 2.What evidence makes some scientists believe that the Earth is getting warmer? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

11. 3. What do most scientists think may be causing global warming? (Be specific. Give as many causes as you can.) _____________________________________________ 4.What do many scientists believe can be done to prevent global warming? _____________________________________________

12. 5. Why do some scientists believe global warming isn’t real? _____________________________________________________________________________

13. AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED THE 5 QUESTIONS ABOVE, WRITE TWO MORE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING BELOW. Then work with your group to see if you can find the answers online. Question1:_______________________________ _______________________________________ What did you find out about your question # 1? Question 2: ______________________________ _______________________________________ What did you find out about your question # 2?

14. Conclusion: So what do YOU think? Write a conclusion that explains if you think global warming is real (fact) or not real (fiction). There is no right or wrong answer. Give your opinion and back it up with facts from today’s lesson. Include each of the following: Tell what global warming is Tell what evidence scientists give to support their opinion that global warming is happening Tell what scientists think is causing global warming Tell why some scientists do not believe in global warming Give your opinion: do you think global warming is fact or fiction Explain your opinion using information from the article, video, and the data you gathered with your group. What do scientists believe can be done to prevent global warming?

15. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

18. Lesson Objectives Before Lesson (check yes or no) After Lesson (check yes or no) _____ Yes ______No “I can explain what global warming is.”_____ Yes ______No “ I can list the causes of global warming.”_____ Yes ______No “I can explain what many scientists think is the cause of global warming.” _____ Yes ______No “I can explain what scientists think can be done to prevent global warming.” _____ Yes ______No “I can explain why I think global warming is real (or isn’t real).” _____ Yes ______No

19. Exit Ticket for Today’s Lesson Explain what you have learning about global warming in class today: What is global warming? What do Scientists think causes global warming? Do you agree with global warming so far? Why or why not? ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ____________________________________________