Research project to consider how projected climate change will impact a region of interest to the student

This activity was developed for the Teaching About Earth's Climate Using Data and Numerical Models workshop, held in October 2011.

Susan Kaspari

Central Washington University

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This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection

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This page first made public: Aug 29, 2011

Summary

Students consult the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chapters on climate projections and the primary scientific literature to write a research paper and present their results to the class focused on how projected changes in climate will affect an area or something that is of interest to them. The project is intended to better characterize to the students what climate change could mean to them, as most find a warming of x degrees (and other changes in climate) to be abstract.

Global change modeling, Impacts of climate change, Climate Change, ...(more) | College Upper (15-16), Graduate/Professional | Local Issues

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Topics

Global change modeling, Impacts of climate change, Climate Change, Health Sciences, Natural Hazards, Ecosystems, Health Sciences, Natural Hazards, Ecosystems, Health Sciences, Natural Hazards, Ecosystems, Health Sciences, Natural Hazards, Ecosystems

Grade Level

College Upper (15-16), Graduate/Professional

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

Local Issues: Providing students with experiences that draw on local needs and conditions demonstrates relevance and highlights opportunities close to home.

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Context

Audience

Upper level undergraduate or graduate in climate related course

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Familiarity with how climate is projected to change by 2100 AD.

How the activity is situated in the course

Culminating research project and presentation

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Projected changes in climate (e.g., a 4°C temperature increase) is abstract to most students. By conducting individual research projects, students gain a more concrete understanding of how projected climate change will affect something of interest to them.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Students synthesize how projected climate change will affect their chosen topic of interest, and in some cases evaluate how the impacts of projected climate change can be mitigated.

Other skills goals for this activity

Students gain experience writing a scientific style research paper and orally present their results

Description of the activity/assignment

Detailed information is provided in activity description/assignment and an example lab handout that assisted students in conducting their research.

Initial guidelines given to students:

Choose a location (where you are from, a place that is of interest to you) and investigate how projected changes in climate will affect that area. What are the expected changes in temperature, precipitation, storms, droughts, sea level, seasonality, etc? How will this affect the habitat of the area (for humans, animals, and plants)? How will this affect the local economy? What actions can the people that live in this area take to lessen the impacts of changing climate? Students write a scientific style paper on their findings, and present their research to the class in ~10 minute oral presentations (alternatively a poster session could be used).