Science Partnership for Global Change Education
In-class activities
Human Climate Change Causes
1. Although carbon dioxide is a key component to the atmosphere, its rising concentrations are causing increasing atmospheric temperatures. These activities lead students through the idea that carbon in the atmosphere is part of the natural carbon cycle, but by burning fossil fuels (coal) we are speeding up part of that carbon cycle and also increasing atmospheric temperatures.
This first hands-on activity explores how carbon naturally resides in the atmosphere and helps plants grow through photosynthesis. It also helps students understand why carbon dioxide levels fluctuate throughout the growing season due to photosynthetic activity.
2. In this hands-on activity students will connect burning of coal to carbon emissions. Students examine various peat and coal samples placing them in order of geologic maturity using their observational skills. Visually the student will notice that with increased heat and pressure the samples become denser and more carbon-rich.
3. In this data-driven jigsaw activity students each plot one year of CO2 data, then place their graphs together creating a continuous CO2 graph. The compiled graphs visually highlight the steady increase in CO2 and the seasonal fluctuations.
4. This hands-on activity models the greenhouse effect, showing that an atmosphere with more carbon dioxide will heat up more than one with less. Students will take temperature measurements of two different bottles (one with air and one with more CO2 in it) over the course of 10 minutes, then plot their results.