Joseph Murray
Climate Change Debate Class Wiki
Purpose:
Use a 5-E Learning Model to have students investigate the global climate change debate over the years. The 5-E Learning Model has the students engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. Upon completion of the lesson, students will be able to restate the science behind and modern history of global climate change.
SOLs:
ES.1 The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
b) technologies, including computers, probeware, and geospatial technologies, are used to
collect, analyze, and report data and to demonstrate concepts and simulate experimental conditions;
ES.11 The student will investigate and understand the origin and evolution of the atmosphere and the interrelationship of geologic processes, biologic processes, and human activities on its composition and dynamics. Key concepts include
d) potential changes to the atmosphere and climate due to human, biologic, and
geologic activity.
ES.12 The student will investigate and understand that energy transfer between the sun and Earth and its atmosphere drives weather and climate on Earth. Key concepts include
a) observation and collection of weather data;
b) prediction of weather patterns;
c) severe weather occurrences, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and major storms; and
d) weather phenomena and the factors that affect climate including radiation,
conduction, and convection.
Materials and Resources:
SmartBoard / ComputersActivity Sheet / Writing Utensil
Safety / Accommodations:
I have considered all safety concerns, and there no necessary safety steps needed in this activity. Students will have to have Students will be placed in groups to accommodate the needs of everyone in the class.
Procedure [2x 90min class]:
1. Engage [15mins (Day 1)]:
Class will begin with “History of Climate Change in the Media” video off of YouTube [ A discussion on climate change will follow the video.
2. Explore [705mins (Day 1) + 30mins (Day 2)]:
I will instruct the students on the upcoming assignment, which involves makings a class wiki on weebly.com. I will do a quick tutorial on how to use weebly.com and ask for questions. Next students will be placed into 6 groups of 3 or 4. The 6 groups will be assigned a single time periodfrom the climate change video to make a wiki page on. These periods include: The Little Ice Age, The Dust Bowl, The Ice Age Scare of the 1970s, Global Warming 1988-2004, Global Warming 2005-2009 and Climate Change 2009-Today. Each group will be expected to use digital sources to researchon the science, climate data, media portrayal, and if possible the public opinion of the assigned time period. In addition to those requirements, the groups will have to make sure they answer 3-4 questions on their wiki page. Groups will have to appropriately cite all findings. During this time, I will make sure every student is on task and answer any questions.
3. Explain [30mins (Day2)]:
Once the class’s wiki pages go live,each student will receive an activity sheet of questions on each time period (see attachment). The students will use the wiki to answer all the questions. At the end of the activity sheet, students will peer assess their classmates’ wiki page. During this time, I will be doing the activity sheet myself to assure the groups covered all questions on their wikis.
4. Expand [30mins (Day 2)]:
With the remaining time left in class, the students will carry on a mock debate. Each wiki group will be randomly assigned a side of the climate change debate. The students will have to defend their assigned side, while respectfully confronting other groups. I will moderate the debates and provide guidelines of what civil scientific debates may be like.
5. Evaluate
The entire assignment is worth 10 points. 5 of the points come from the activity sheet, whereas 5 points comes from an average of the peer evaluations (rubric provided at the end of the activity sheet).
Class Wiki on Climate Change Activity SheetPoints / Criteria / Evidence
5 / The student fully understands the history, the science, and the way the media portrays climate change. / Completed assignment with less than 2 incorrect answers.
4 / The student understands the history, the science, and the way the media portrays climate change. / Completed assignment with 3 to 4 incorrect answers.
3 / The student partially understands the history, the science, and the way the media portrays climate change. / Completed assignment with 5 to 6 errors.
1 - 2 / The student doesn’t understand but realizes the significance of the history, the science, and the way the media portrays climate change. / Completed assignment with greater than 6 errors.
0 / The student doesn’t understand or realize the significance of the history, the science, and the way the media portrays climate change. / Did not complete the assignment.
Climate Change is Wiki-diculous
Instructions: Please answer questions as best as possible. If information is not present please write “no information.” Complete sentences are NOT required.
The Little Ice Age:
1. How long did the Little Ice Age last?
2. Where did the Little Ice Age take place?
3. What did the people of the time believe caused this?
4. What do modern day scientists believe caused it?
The Dust Bowl Era:
1. What years did the Dust Bowl take place?
2. What happened during the Dust Bowl?
3. Did people believe this happened naturally or was man-made?
The Ice Age Scares:
1. When did the Ice Age Scares happen?
2. What sparked the scares?
3. What was so historically significant about this event?
4. What science (if any) backed up this scare?
Global Warming 1988-2004:
1. What political event occurred in 1988?
2. How did the media portray global warming during these years?
3. What do scientists believe is fueling global warming?
Global Warming 2005-2009:
1. What major events occurred in 2005?
2. Is “global warming” the best word to describe this phenomena? Why?
3. How did the media portray global warming during these years?
4. What is one more important fact you can take away from this time?
Climate Change 2009-Today:
1. What major event(s) forced climate change out of the spotlight?
2. Has the science community changed their perspective on climate change?
3. Where do you see the Climate Change Debate going in the next 10 years?
Wiki Peer Evaluations:
Give 0, ½, or 1 point for… Creativity (ex. images, setup, videos, etc.)
Accurately Cited
History of the Period (did they place it in context of the times?)
Science of the Period (what advances in science were happening?)
The perception of the time (how did the general public/media feel?)
Peer Evaluation RubricThe Little Ice Age / The Dust Bowl / Ice Age Scare / Global Warming 1988-2004 / Global Warming 2005-2009 / Climate Change 2009+
Creativity
Accurately Cited
History of Period
Science of Period
Perception of Time
Reflection
My history of science lesson plan covers multiple National Science Teachers Associations’ standards within assessment 8. Assessment 8 is the candidate’s knowledge on the contextual content of science. The standards I covered are the nature of science, teaching with inquiry, presenting issues, and relating science within the community.
Standard 2a within assessment 8 states that the teacher understands the historical and cultural development of science and the evolution of knowledge in their discipline. I met this standard in my lesson through requiring students to look in how the climate change debate fits in the context of certain time periods. Standard 2b within assessment 8 states that the teacher mush understand the philosophical tenets, assumptions, goals, and values that distinguish science from technology and other ways of knowing the world. I believe I have accomplished this goal by presenting the political significance of the climate change debate. Students will be able to see how this significance has impacted many technological advances and political actions.
The next standard involves inquiry and states that teachers must demonstrate that they understand the process, tenets, and assumptions of multiple methods of inquiry leading to scientific knowledge. Through designing and implementing a 5-E model, I was able to incorporate inquiry-based activities. Particularly the mock debate will require students to answer questions on hypothetical scenarios with solutions much more elaborate than yes or no. The students will also be able to put themselves in the shoes of other people to hopefully get a well-rounded perspective on the climate change debate.
Standard 4a in assessment 8 states that teachers of science must show that they understand socially important issues related to science and technology in their field of licensure, as well as processes used to analyze and make decisions on such issues. Climate change is a very sensitive social issue to many and was covered extensively in my research paper. I will present to my students the importance the media and advances in technology have had on creating climate change into a controversial issue. Also, students will research on how the economic, environmental, and political perspective of climate change has shaped the many decisions made on the climate change debate.
Finally, the last standard involves science in the community. This standard, 7a, states that teachers must indentify ways to relate science to the community, involve stakeholders, and use community resources to promote the learning of science. I accomplish this standard by presenting climate change as an issue of the global community. Students will see how everyone everywhere is contributing possibly positively or negatively to the climate change debate. However, the wiki assignment places emphasis on the climate change debate within the United States, so students will receive a more in-depth lesson on how their national community has handled it. Wrapping up the lesson with a mock debate will present the many stakeholders involved and their perspectives on the issue.
Through completion of the History of Science lesson plan assignment I learned the significance of including historical references in lessons. When students make connections to the past and to their local community, they gain a greater appreciation for the content taught. Students are also able to put science in context with many historical events and make predictions on future scientific advancements. There is no doubt that this kind of learning is extremely important in the sciences but especially on the issue of climate change.