Lesson Plans and Activities:
Climate and Mummification ( 6-12) – Tim Lehman – 12.2
Compare and Contrast, Fact versus Fiction: Global Climate Change
Defining Poverty: Using Africa as an Example – Orvil Schlatter – 12.2
Egypt: Climate Ideas (3-12) Power Point
Gang of Fourteen (6-12) – a lesson plan about understanding the world’s climate distribution and patterns.
Data for students to make Climographs
Immigration Unit – Phil Leswing – standards 3, 5, 8, and 12
Paleo-Climatology: Analyzing Ice Cores – 12.2
“Play Dough” African Climates – Mary Jane Smith – 12.1
Put it all Together – Jill Grimes – standard 12 – Lesson 5 of 5. See the Resources section for a list of all five lessons (Thinking Geographically)
The Technology of Mars Exploration (National Geographic)
Tree Rings and Climate Change – 12.2
The Vikings of Greenland (6-12) – Tim Lehman – 12.2
Questions to Ponder Handout
Summary Handout
Volcano Hazards: Describing a Dangerous Mix (National Geographic – past, present and future change that volcanos impart)
Global Climate Change: A changing climate is a fact of life! Teaching the concept can feel overwhelming. As K-12 educators, our task is to prepare students to be engaged adults who are able to access and analyze a variety of information, then, develop a logical and educated conclusion that will help to answer a question or solve a problem. Discussing climate change, with all of the extremes of information, presents a unique opportunity to truly prepare students to analyze facts and develop personal conclusions (their own conclusions – not ours).
An Approach to Assessing Agricultural Crop Adaptation – a 37 slide (5,740 KB) Power Point by Dr. Greg Gaston and Dr. Matt Wilson of the University of North Alabama looking at various climate change indicators in relation to crop adaptations. NCGE 2008
Climate Change and Variation: A Primer for Teachers offers an overview of global climate change. The book is a chapter book, and each chapter addresses an aspect of climate change (vegetation, satellite imagery, media, historical figures, urban heat island…) to enable you to better understand the topic. Order from the NCGE (National Council for Geographic Education) at www.ncge.org, Order Number: BP 149, by following the Publications links. Cost for the soft-bound book, 8.5″ x 11″, is $24.95 each. A companion book incorporating a variety of classroom activities for grades K-16 is listed below. NCGE Climate Change Series Volume I.
Climate Change and Variation: Lesson Plans, Data Sets, Experiments and Activities offers a variety of classroom curriculum for educators. Order from the NCGE (National Council for Geographic Education) at www.ncge.org, by following the Publications links. Cost for the secured PDF is $12.00 each. A companion book incorporating content addressing various aspects of climate change is listed above. NCGE Climate Change Series Volume II.
Climatic Change and Food Production: A Farmer’s Perspective – a 26 slide (91,886 KB) Power Point by Dr. Kay Ann Weller of the University of Northern Iowa talks with area farmers about their experiences and perspectives of climate change. NCGE 2008
Climate Change Science Compendium 2009 – from the United Nations Environment Program, a series of chapters addressing various facets of climate change: Earth systems, ice, oceans, ecosystems, management. Dowload or order hard-copy.
Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), a part of the National Science Digital Library provides a reviewed collection of education resources about teaching and understanding the climate. Dedicated to middle school through undergraduate classrooms.
PDF files from a Workshop on the Consequences of Global Change for Alaska and the Bering Sea Region provide background information and projections from a diverse array of scientists and researchers.
Facing the Future has published two, two-week curriculum units (one for middle school and one for high school) designed to help students better understand climate change. Climate Change: Connections and Solutions is availale as a free download thanks to Hewlett-Packard.
A website by Extreme Ice Survey provides beautiful ice and glacial imagery and information about climate change from their perspective.
Food Security in an Insecure World: Potential Outcomes of Global Climate Change for US Food Assistance Institutions – a 15 slide (2,962 KB) Power Point by Dr. Ann Myatt James of Penn State University and Dawn Drake of the University of Tennessee researching the supply, distribution, and resources of food provisioning in relation to climate change. Dawn is the first to study cow mastitis in relation to temperature increases. NCGE 2008
Global Climate Change – A Suggested Resources list put together by a variety of Indiana K-12 educators as a starting point for those of you wanting to teach the topic but do not know “where” to begin. The list incorporates a variety of mediums and the diversity of perspectives that GCC brings forth. K-12 educators have a responsibility (often times liability) to facilitate learning by presenting a diverse range of information and encouraging students to develop their own perspectives (not ours). This list is a beginning!
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, a clearing-house of oceanography resources as it relates to the Gulf of Mexico.
Another quick list to begin understanding global climate change better and to begin classroom teaching of weather, climate, and climate change, visit the Earth Sciences Sites of the Week (scroll down to 8 December 2007, then scroll down until you find the ATMOSPHERE links), a plethora of ideas, resources, and linkages that will help with any science/technology issues you may have. Earth Sciences Sites of the Week from 1999 throug 2006 are archived at Central Michigan University. THANK YOU to Mark Francek for his years of hard work and dedication!
Global Climate Change – a Power Point developed by Drs. Richard and Mary Snow of Embery Riddle University. Richard and Mary have led the way in developing appropriate physical geography activities to better understand the dynamics of the planet and the Solar System, the impact that humans have had, and possibilities for the future.This PP introduces some of the basics behind the Earth and Sun relationship, the physical make-up of the planet, and the discoveries in climate change. NCGE 2007
Global Warming 101: National Geographic video short, visuals, and links
Historical Oil and Natural Gas Exploration and Production in the United States via the USGS provides spatial data addressing the topic.
Indiana State Climatology. A website with current weather, historic climate data and future climate projections. www.agry.purdue.edu/climate. For individual questions or requests for data, contact iclimate@purdue.edu.
JOURNEY TO THE PLANET EARTH – a new video series about the planet on which we live. From Public Broadcasting Stations. There is an “Educational Resources” link that a photo gallery, action kit, episode guides, teacher guides, and more.
Mapping the Shifting Agroclimatic Parameters and Agricultural Regions of North America, A.D., 2100 – an eleven slide (7,377 KB) Power Point by Dr. Bill Dando and Bharath Ganeesh-Babu of Valparaiso University addressing shifting agricultural regions as a result of climate shifts. NCGE 2008
Mesa Verde Migrations; an article by Tim Kohler and colleagues in American Scientist, 2008, 96(2), pages 146-153. Discussions about the reasons the early Puebloans left the Mesa Verde area: possible overpopulation, strain on resources, and climate change. To obtain the full article, you must purchase the issue for approximately $6.95 from American Scientist. Visit the website.
NOAA National Climatic Data Center – information about climate data and research
National Science Foundation’s 2009 Global Climate Change Report, Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change Around the World, is available via the Internet. For a copy of the Report (PDF) or a link to narrrations and images influencing climate change, visit the web link.
The National Science Teachers Association, in conjunction with the California Science Teachers Association and the United Educators of San Francisco, sponsored a Town Hall addressing Communicating and Learning About Global Climate Change. Materials from the workshop are available via streaming video, Power Point, or PDFs. A variety of individuals shared their perspectives.
Preserving Our Planet: National Geographic short videos, researchers, suggestions, visuals.
Six Degrees Could Change the World: a National Geographic web site.
Teach the Earth – Climate Change and Global Warming, a SERC portal sponsored by the NSF and NSDL, provides links to related sub-topics: workshops, data-sets, visualizations…
Wind Energy and Geography: The Oklahoma Story – a 63 slide (17,700m KB) Power Point by Dr. Steve Stadler of Oklahoma State University and Dr. Scott Greene of the University of Oklahoma. NCGE 2008
World Climate Index – an easy-to-read and use data and graph visual depicting global climate trends for major locations.
Accessable Fresh Water Issues:
Flow: For Love of Water, a 2008 video that is 1 hour and 23 minutes long looks at the bottled water industry. Available via Hulu movies athttp://www.hulu.com/watch/233816/flow-for-love-of-water.
Tapped, a 2009 video that is 1 hour and 15 minutes long analyzes the bottled water industry from a variety of perspectives. Limited commercials. Available via Hulu movies at http://www.hulu.com/watch/192680/tapped?c=News-and-Information/Documentary-and-Biography.
Other Materials:
The Association of American Geographers has launched a new website entitled Geography & Human Rights Clearinghouse and Forum, available at: http://aag.org/geography_and_human_rights/index.htm. The website includes a bibliography on Geography and Human Rights research, as well as links to numerous NGOs, research centers, and scientific associations that focus on human rights issues, often while drawing upon geographic methods or technologies.
Geography of Poverty: Case Study: Moçambique (Power Point by Dr. Rick Bein, IUPUI Department of Geography)
National Geographic’s Genographic Project – Mapping human DNA
PBS has available on-line information about Global Connections, historic and geographic change on the human and physical world focusing on Liberia and the Middle East. Maps, timelines, and educator resources are provided.
Global Exchange, an organization devoted to fair labor, fair trade, and humanitarian policies, has an on-line web site with interesting information about fair trade businesse, child labor, immigration and MUCH more. Immigration Policy is one link via the site that provides information about immigration to the United States from Mexico.
The Jason Project, downloadable student edition curriculum — Operation: Monster Storms, Operation: Resilient Planet, and Operation: Infinate Potential. The curriculum materials for students are available free via computer download; lots of color and imagery. Focus on the Earth’s weather systems, ecology systems, and energy systems. Appropriate for high school, upper middle school. Plus, provides lots of facts, visuals, and ideas. Indicators 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, and 12.1.
Times-Picayune of New Orleans – The Rise and Disappearance of Southwest Louisiana a good on-line series of videos depicting the changing landscape over time in southwestern Louisiana. Requires a Flash 8 Player or later version.
An article from the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, The Role of Trade Measures in Environmental Policy, is one of thousands indicative of the future changes in global trade (economics) as the focus on climate change influences everything and public awareness shifts toward sustainable development.
Tracking the Oil Spill – WW.com provides a daily progress report about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Maps, written information, possible clean-up solutions, and possible causes. A good approach to aid students in 21st century geographic literacy applications. Global change regarding energy production, consumption, and planning for the future.The USGS provides imagery from satellites and from the International Space Station documenting the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Transportation and the Environment (Power Point by Dr. Bill Black, IU Department of Geography)