Initial Publication Date: October 24, 2018

Investigating Earth's climate and human impacts

This investigation was compiled by Joe Behnke, Danielle DeRousse, and Kendra Robinson-Harding, participants in a 2018 workshop entitled Connecting Earth science and sustainability to teach the NGSS, and edited by Anne Egger

Students are expected not only to be able to develop and use models of Earth's climate system that illustrate feedbacks within the system, but also to evaluate the impact that humans are having on the climate system and consider design solutions that might mitigate those impacts.

The investigation described here is intended for a 9th-grade science class, and should take about three weeks. The steps in the investigation are illustrated in the diagram, showing the science and engineering practices that the student engage in along with major cross-cutting concepts and core ideas that will be developed. The steps are described in more detail in the table below.

The investigation will help students make progress towards three performance expectations:

  • HS-ESS2-2: Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems
  • HS-ESS3-4: Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems
  • HS-ESS3-6: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Assessment

Each step provides opportunities for formative assessment as the instructor elicits student thinking; the final step provides an opportunity for a summative assessment.


StepWhat students are doingWhat the instructor is doingInTeGrate module and unit
1

Students calculate their carbon footprint and ask questions about their impact on climate.

SEP 1: Asking questions and defining problems

Instructor assigns the footprint calculator to students early—ahead of class time—so they can get answers from their parents. In class, the instructor creates groups in which students share and compare their carbon footprints.EPA's Household Carbon Footprint Calculator
2

Students develop an initial model that illustrates the system that controls Earth's temperature.

SEP 2: Developing and using models

Instructor asks students questions to generate discussion about what they know about how Earth's temperature is maintained, and provides the worksheet for the pre-assessment.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 1: Energy, Space, and Earth's Effective Temperature, Pre-assessment
3

Students work in small groups to construct graphs of global average temperatures over a decade, draw best fit lines, and compare the graphs to solar irradiance data.

SEP 4: Analyzing and interpreting data

Instructor develops groups (each group graphs a different decade of data), helps students draw best fit lines, then facilitates sharing of graphed data and discussion about the results.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 1: Energy, Space, and Earth's Effective Temperature, Parts 1 and 2
4

Students make qualitative claims claims about how changes in Earth's temperature may have impacted in the natural world and humanity.

SEP 6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Instructor facilitates the development and refinement of students' claims through discussion.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 1: Energy, Space, and Earth's Effective Temperature, Homework assignment questions 4-8
5

Students develop a model to illustrate the relationships in the carbon cycle and use the model to predict phenomena.

SEP 2: Developing and using models

Instructor creates student groups and steps students through building a conceptual model.Changing Biosphere, Unit 3: The Interconnected Nature of the Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere, In-class activity
6

Students analyze and interpret graphical data of solar irradiance to make claims about properties of the atmosphere.

SEP 4: Analyzing and interpreting data

Instructor facilitates a guided discussion.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 2: Earth's Atmosphere and Its Influence on Temperature, Part 1
7

Students analyze and interpret graphical data of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to make claims about patterns, trends, and causes.

SEP 4: Analyzing and interpreting data

Instructor provides data displays and guiding questions.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 2: Earth's Atmosphere and Its Influence on Temperature, Part 2
8

Students revise their initial model (step 2) on the basis of new information and use it predictively.

SEP 2: Developing and using models

Instructor prompts students to revisit their models and then asks them to make a prediction using their revised model.Earth's Thermostat, Unit 2: Earth's Atmosphere and Its Influence on Temperature, slide 11 and slide 22
9

Students apply their understanding about how Earth's temperature changes to ask questions about the impacts of climate change on glaciers. They explore a simulation and develop testable questions.

SEP 1: Asking questions and defining problems

Instructor allows students to explore the PhET simulation, guiding their observations with questions about flow velocity and the deposition of rocky debris. Instructor then helps students identify the manipulated and responding variables, and facilitates discussion to help students develop testable questions that can be investigated using the PhET simulation.PhET interactive simulation of glaciers
10

Students work in groups to design investigations around their testable questions to manipulate variables and collect data using the PhET simulation.

SEP 3: Planning and carrying out investigations

Instructor facilitates student-driven investigations and then leads a discussion where students share results and make claims about the relationship between the amount of snowfall and the movement and thickness of glaciers and the relationship between the average temperature and the movement and the thickness of glaciers.PhET interactive simulation of glaciers
11

Students analyze reflectivity data from the Greenland ice sheet to make claims about how and why the ice sheet is changing over time, drawing on their understanding from the PhET investigation.

SEP 4: Analyzing and interpreting data

Instructor provides data sets and handouts and supports students in graphing and interpreting data.Climate of Change, Case Study 4.1: Reflecting on What is Happening to Greenland's Ice
12

Students apply the scientific idea of feedback to the relationship between ice sheets and albedo.

SEP 6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Instructor introduces the concept of feedback using through discussion around student responses to Q16 in the student handout.Climate of Change, Case Study 4.1: Reflecting on What is Happening to Greenland's Ice
13

Students critically read research findings on impacts of climate change to determine the central conclusions and summarize the evidence.

SEP 8: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Instructor gives questions 1-3 of climate literacy pre-assessment, creates student groups, assigns readings, leads students in a gallery walk to discuss findings, and provides questions 4-6 of pre-assessment to help students summarize findings.Regulating Carbon Emissions, Unit 1: Evidence and Impacts of Climate Change
14

Students read about and evaluate two potential solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change: a carbon tax and a cap-and-trade program.

SEP 8: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Instructor provides resources to students to read and answer questions about the main ideas.Regulating Carbon Emissions, Unit 6: Carbon Emissions Game and The Supply and Demand Game – Carbon Tax & Cap and Trade
15

Students act as traders in a game-based scenario to model the effects of a carbon tax and a cap-and-trade program.

SEP 2: Developing and using models

Instructor facilitates the supply and demand game; at the end of the game, the instructor leads a discussion around the questions: what role do cap-and-trade and a carbon tax serve? Why did we create them? What problem are they addressing? What data do we have that this is working?The Supply and Demand Game – Carbon Tax & Cap and Trade
16

Students assess their own climate personality and consider the economic impact of climate change.

SEP 8: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Instructor provides handout for students to complete and reflect on their own impact; shows slide 9 of images to prompt discussion about the economic impacts of climate change.Climate of Change, unit 6: Adapting to a changing world, Preparation activity
17

Summative assessment:
Students conduct research on a topic related to climate change mitigation. They present oral or written arguments based on data and evidence that address the real-world problem of local to regional climate change.

SEP 7: Engaging in argument from evidence

Instructor provides suggestions for project topics and facilitates presentation and feedback process.Climate of Change, Unit 6: Adapting to a changing world provides some suggestions; additional resources include both the National Climate Assessment and regional climate assessments.