What
is the focus of this module? The
"Global Climate Change" module is an inquiry-based science
project that uses the interactive technologies of the internet and
the Earth system science approach to delve into the relationship
between atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and agriculture.
This module supports the National Science Education Standards.
This module focuses on
the increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and its
effects on the various spheres of the Earth. More specifically,
students will predict how these effects may impact the growth of
hard-red winter wheat in Kansas 50 years in the future.
What
are the students' procedures for conducting this module? By
following the steps outlined in the Protocol below, the students
should generate the information necessary to make predictions about
the increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and its
effects on the various spheres of the earth. More specifically,
students will predict how these effects could impact the growth
of hard-red winter wheat in Kansas 50 years in the future
Protocol: First,
the students will perform an Earth system science analysis. Then
they will make predictions based on the results of their ESS analysis
concerning the growth of hard-red winter wheat in Kansas 50 years
in the future.
Following the steps
below will help them accomplish their tasks.
Step
1 Examine prior knowledge.
Step 2 List what you don't
know.
Step 3 Gather information
needed to complete the ESS analysis.
Step 4 Present your findings.
A Comprehensive
Sample of ESS Protocol includes an ESS analysis of the increasing
atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and its effects on Earth's
various spheres. It also includes predictions, based on the results
of the ESS analysis, concerning the growth of hard-red winter wheat
in Kansas 50 years in the future. This comprehensive sample contains
a broad spectrum of potential impacts of the event on Earth's spheres
and the subsequent feedback and potential interactions that might
result. Most students will not present this much information. In
addition, although it is comprehensive, it is not necessarily complete.
The students may provide an ESS analysis with explanations of their
predictions regarding the growth of hard-red winter wheat in Kansas
50 years in the future that are not listed in the sample.
What
are the teacher's procedures for conducting this module?
The
"Global Climate Change" Module is based upon Earth system
science (ESS) thinking and Problem Based-Learning (PBL) pedagogy.
The students are asked to examine the potential impacts of increasing
concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide on the various spheres
of the Earth and the subsequent feedback and potential interactions
that might result. Rather than formulating right or wrong answers,
the students should be able to provide an ESS analysis that explains
their predictions regarding how these effects may impact the growth
of hard-red winter wheat in Kansas 50 years in the future
This module can be used
by students independently or as a class using a number of teaching
strategies:
- independent research
- guided inquiries
- cooperative group
learning
- open ended inquiries
You can find information
about how to organize "jigsaw"
cooperative group learning within this module.
What
science content and issues will students encounter as they work
through the module? The
students will research changes in the atmospheric concentration
of carbon dioxide and how such changes may impact hard-red winter
wheat yield by examining some of the following questions:
- How have human activities
contributed to greatly increasing atmospheric concentrations of
carbon dioxide?
- How does the atmospheric
concentration of carbon dioxide affect the climate?
- How do carbon dioxide,
nutrients, and climate variables such as temperature and precipitation
affect wheat growth?
The students may also
examine other historical causes of global climate change. Climatologists--scientists
who study climate--have found evidence to suggest that the following
factors may have been responsible for a majority of past (and present)
climate changes on the Earth:
How
is remote sensing used in this module?
Students
are introduced to the concept of remote sensing and its application
in meteorology (the study of weather) and agriculture. Students
will be able to examine satellite and RADAR images of clouds and
rain. They will also be able to examine "greenness" images
that display the distribution of vegetation, such as crops, at various
times throughout the year.
In addition, students
will learn about climate modeling. They will learn how climatologists
study current weather patterns and concentrations of atmospheric
gases to make predictions of future weather patterns and atmospheric
conditions.
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