Human Impacts on Climate Change: What will happen and what can we do about it?
In this lesson, students explore how human activities will continue to impact Antarctic ice, discuss human contributions to climate change, and investigate what we can do to stop/reverse these negative effects.
Context for Use
This is the fifth lesson of a five-part curriculum about Antarctic physical environments and ecosystems.
An iceberg floating in Antarctica's McMurdo Sound.
Photo credit: NASA
Goals Header
What Students Will Do
- Understand the models/scenarios of human activities and their potential impact on climate change (through ice melt)
- Recognize their own activities that increase greenhouse emissions and contribute to global warming
- Develop a list of efforts that students could make in different parts of their lives to help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
Teaching Materials
Description
Part 1 – Future Impacts (25 minutes) Understanding models for future climate change
Students will learn about the importance of Antarctic ice shelves as the climate warms and study two models/scenarios of human activities and fossil fuel emissions.
Part 2 Human Influence (35 minutes) How can we change our current behaviors to have a more positive impact on the future of the Earth’s climate?
Ending on a comprehensive but also empowering note, this section explores how humans cause climate change and what humans can do to stop/reverse these effects.
