Erin Neidt Michael Marzano Elizabeth Raife Karen Tekverk Image source:

Target Learning Goal 4. The Physical Setting; B. The Earth The Earth’s climates have changed in the past, are currently changing, and are expected to change in the future, primarily due to changes in the amount of light reaching places on the Earth and the composition of the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels in the last century has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which has contributed to Earth’s warming. 4B/H6** (SFAA) ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Weather and climate are shaped by complex interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions can drive changes that occur over multiple time scales – from days, weeks, and months for weather to years, decades, centuries, and beyond for climate. ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Global climate change, shown to be driven by both natural phenomena and by human activities, could have large consequences for all of Earth’s surface systems, including the biosphere. We will focus specifically on the first portion of 4B/H6: “The Earth’s climates have changed in the past, are currently changing, and are expected to change in the future”. While compact, this sentence fragment encompasses a wealth of scientific concepts that are further articulated by the selected portions of learning goals ESS2.D and ESS3.D above.

Unpacking the Learning Goal We are striving to connect conceptual understanding of what climate is, how weather and climate relate (how patterns of weather events are used to study climate change), and indications and causes of global climate change. We have uncovered the complexity of studying climate - that patterns of weather events, changes in ecosystems, the ocean, the gases in the atmosphere, trends in temperature and precipitation (not to mention specific techniques like pollen or ice core samples) - are all ways scientists study climate change. Definition of ClimateThe Climate SystemThe Controls of Climate Greenhouse Gases and the Greenhouse Effect Recent Warming and Connection to Climate Change

…or how one decade is much drier than normal. What is Climate Variability? Climate variability: refers to variations in the climate of a location on time scales of seasons to decades Explains how one winter can be cold and snowy, while the next is milder… Figure courtesy of Illinois State Climate OfficeFigure courtesy of Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program Annual Precipitation for Illinois Unpacking the Learning Goal

What is Climate Change? Climate change: refers to a long-term and persistent shift in the statistics of weather (averages and extremes) (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois) Unpacking the Learning Goal

Students were presented with the following images: Analysis of Prior Conceptions

Student interviews reveal confusion in distinguishing between: Natural processes that produce climate change on Earth (past climate change thousands to millions of years ago) Variations in solar activity Slow orbital changes (Milankovitch Cycles) Large volcanic eruptions Analysis of Prior Conceptions and …

…human influences on the climate system. Addition of heat trapping gases to the atmosphere Change in land cover Urbanization, Deforestation, Desertification Analysis of Prior Conceptions

Climate is mentioned only once during the student interviews. However, global warming is a concept mentioned by almost every student. Analysis of Prior Conceptions This may be a potential obstacle during our focus on climate change over time. However, this phenomenon will be studied in more detail in subsequent lessons.

Analysis of Prior Conceptions Students understanding of the following phenomenon and how they provide evidence of climate change is limited but developing: atmosphere and clouds, greenhouse gases, volcanoes, and reflection.

Weather is… The day-to-day changes in the atmosphere Characterized by the temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure, clouds, and other weather elements Beyond a week or two individual weather systems are unpredictable Candidate Phenomena Weather is a recognizable everyday phenomenon that students will be able to identify with.

Climate is… The average long-term weather for a specific location 4.9” in August Candidate Phenomena Use of local data will help make this concept meaningful to students.

Climate is… Also defined by the type, frequency, and intensity of extreme weather events like… Heat waves FloodsDrought Storms Cold waves Candidate Phenomena Extreme weather events provide evidence for global climate change.

What Controls the Climate of a Location? Why do some climates have a large annual temperature range while others do not? Why do some climates receive more precipitation or snowfall than others? Questions to build off prior conceptions…

What Is the Climate System? Earth’s climate is regulated by complex interactions among components of the Earth system SunAtmosphereLandIce Plants & Animals PeopleOceanClouds Questions to build off prior conceptions…

So, what’s the big deal if temperatures increase by a few degrees? An increase in temperature can impact other parts of the climate system… Precipitation Water temperatures Lake levels Ice cover Ocean currents Melting glaciers Sea level Ocean acidity Ecosystems Questions to build off prior conceptions…

Pedagogical Approach Strand 1: Understanding Scientific Explanations Just as we did in the student prior conception interviews – we plan to prompt the class using visuals of phenomenon related to climate change to uncover class-wide prior conceptions. A class discussion using a KWL (know, want to know, learn) chart will follow the viewing of the visuals.

Jigsaw Evidence for Climate Change Working in groups – students can choose from the following potential topics to investigate: Pedagogical Approach Strand 2: Generating Scientific Evidence Presenting to the class allows scientific analysis of their found data and inclusion of evidence for their conclusion. atmospheric changes in temperature and composition, measuring glacial retreat, ice core data, human production of emissions. Students will also choose how they will present their findings: ~ poster ~ PowerPoint presentation ~ play ~ comic book

Pedagogical Approach Strand 3: Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge Any modifications will be agreed upon by the entire class, cited in student research and projects, and displayed for everyone to comment or edit.

Students will choose their own projects according to personal interest, allowing more engagement in the research, development, and presentation of material. They will become the experts in that selected field of climate change evidence. Pedagogical Approach Strand 4: Participating Productively in Science The group and class discussions that will result from these projects will be based on data and evidence and will produce a more accurate class hypothesis for the past, present, and future of climate change on Earth.