Teaching Notes

Example Output

The final product of this chapter is a set of graphs that facilitate comparison of climate change predicted for various states:

Grade Level

College undergraduates and accelerated high school students.

Learning Goals

After completing this chapter, users will be able to:

Search for, request, and download data from EOS-WEBSTER.
Manipulate data in a spreadsheet to produce graphs.
Analyze graphs to interpret differences in predicted climate change.
Compare multiple sets of time series data.
Gain familiarity with the lexicon of climate research.

Rationale

This chapter gives students an awareness that regional differences in climate change projections over the next century do exist and thus will likely require different mitigations strategies in response to these changes. Students also learn what climate changes are forecasted for their state and what actions their state has taken or is taking to address these changes.

The analysis tool used to explore these climate projections is Microsoft Excel and some familiarity with Excel is assumed. While the spreadsheet data manipulations required may be somewhat tedious, the Excel techniques used in this chapter, replacing data within a spreadsheet and averaging columns or rows of data, are commonly used functions in business, accounting and finance, sales and marketing, science, engineering, and health care. Most students will need at least a rudimentary understanding of spreadsheet operations in whatever vocation they choose to pursue.

Background Information

Global Warming References:
NASA's Earth Observatory has a multi-page Fact Sheet on Global Warming
The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a comprehensive Climate Change site.

Instructional Strategies

This chapter uses scientific model data and students should understand the inherent limitations and uncertainties of computer models before working through the chapter. (A brief discussion is provided in the case study page.)

It may be advantageous to have students work in small groups with each group assigned a particular state or US region. This would facilitate a greater coverage of the entire United States and students less familiar with the software used in the chapter could be teamed with more experienced computer users.

Learning Contexts

This activity can be used in any unit on climate change. It could also serve as an application level activity on using modeled scientific data to predict future conditions. Analyzing the variability in climate change among regions can help students understand global climate change on a smaller scale.

Science Standards

The following National Science Education Standards are supported by this chapter:

8ASI1.3 Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. The use of tools and techniques, including mathematics, will be guided by the question asked and the investigations students design. The use of computers for the collection, summary, and display of evidence is part of this standard. Students should be able to access, gather, store, retrieve, and organize data, using hardware and software designed for these purposes.

12ASI1.3 Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications. A variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, should be an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection, analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results.

12ASI2.3 Scientists rely on technology to enhance the gathering and manipulation of data. New techniques and tools provide new evidence to guide inquiry and new methods to gather data, thereby contributing to the advance of science. The accuracy and precision of the data, and therefore the quality of the exploration, depends on the technology used.

Other Standards

Unifying Concepts and Processes—Change, constancy, and measurement

Time Required

Completion of this activity requires approximately four 45 min class periods.

Introduction to EOS-WEBSTER and selection of data. [45 minutes]
Download, decompress, and rename data for California and Minnesota. [45 minutes]
Import data into spreadsheets, calculate and graph averages for these two states. Discuss questions. [45 minutes]
Order data for any other state, analyze these data and compare to Minnesota and California. Discuss questions.[45 minutes]

Other Resources

New Climate Change Data!

Climate change projections for the 21st century produced by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (2007) are now available from EOS-WEBSTER.

Climate Change Graphics

All the climate change graphics used in this chapter are available from the EOS-WEBSTER Teacher's Page.

Global Climate Change

Dr. Carolyn Lowe's Earth Science for Educators class at Northern Michigan University used this EET chapter for a project on climate change. Each student selected a state and obtained the climatological data for that state for the years 2000 through 2100. The students compiled their results and analysis on a website: NMU MSED Climate Project.

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