How are increases in greenhouse gases connected to our local phenomenon?

The main role of this lesson is to provide an opportunity to synthesize ideas to connect changes in GHG concentrations, rising temperatures, and their local anchoring phenomenon. It provides a midpoint assessment opportunity to gauge how well students are making these connections. This lesson also marks a transition point in the unit where students have figured out the causes of rising air temperature. After this lesson, students will transition to investigating solutions and how they work.

What We Do: 

• Develop a cause-and-effect diagram and an explanation to connect GHG concentrations in the atmosphere and their local anchoring phenomenon. 

• Examine headlines from all over the world to think about how a change in GHGs might explain those impacts too.

  
  

What We Figure Out:

• Increasing GHGs in the atmosphere are increasing air temperature, and small rises in air temperature can have large impacts on ecosystems and society.

• These relatively small increases in GHGs and air temperature are leading to large changes in communities around the world.

Lesson in Action

Two teachers, Enya and Tiffany, demonstrate how they help students navigate between lessons to maintain coherence for students. Maintaining coherence involves students looking back at what we figured out and looking ahead at what we're doing next and why.

Examples of Student Work

The following are example Cause and Effect diagrams linking together the increase in greenhouse gases to the local anchoring phenomenon of an increase in the duration and intensity of allergy season in Michigan. Click on each image to enlarge.

The following is are examples of written explanations, with peer feedback, of how rising greenhouse gases cause the air temperature to increase, and why increasing air temperature are related to the local phenomenon the student has been investigating. Click on each image to enlarge.