Michigan Department of Education
Technology-Enhanced Lesson Plan 2007
Lesson Title: The Greenhouse Effect (Lesson 2 of 3)
Created by: Tanisha Brooks
Lesson Abstract: This lesson is designed to introduce greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect. It also highlights on the impact that humans can have on the environment.
Subject Area: Biology
Grade Level: 9 – 12th
Unit Title: Human Impact on the Environment (Lesson 2 of 3)
Michigan Educational Technology Standards Connection:
Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools
1. Students will use a variety of technology resources (e.g., educational software, simulations, models) for problem solving and independent learning.
3. Students will formulate a research question or hypothesis, then use appropriate information and communication technology resources to collect relevant information, analyze the findings, and report the results to multiple audiences.
Technology communication tools
3. Students will use a variety of media and formats to design, develop, publish, and present products (e.g., presentations, newsletters, and websites) to communicate original ideas to multiple audiences
Michigan High School Content Expectations Connection:
B.3.4x Human Impact
B3.4d Describe the greenhouse effect and list possible causes.
Estimated time required to complete lesson or unit: 2 class periods
Instructional resources:
Background info from: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7h.html
A number of gases are involved in the human caused enhancement of the greenhouse effect (see Table 7h-1 below). These gases include: carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); chlorofluorocarbons (CFxClx); and tropospheric ozone (O3). Of these gases, the single most important gas is carbon dioxide which accounts for about 55% of the change in the intensity of the Earth's greenhouse effect. The contributions of the other gases are 25% for chlorofluorocarbons, 15% for methane, and 5% for nitrous oxide. Ozone's contribution to the enhancement of greenhouse effect is still yet to be quantified.
The greenhouse effect causes the atmosphere to trap more heat energy at the Earth's surface and within the atmosphere by absorbing and re-emitting longwave energy. Of the longwave energy emitted back to space, 90% is intercepted and absorbed by greenhouse gases. Without the greenhouse effect the Earth's average global temperature would be -18° Celsius, rather than the present 15° Celsius. In the last few centuries, the activities of humans have directly or indirectly caused the concentration of the major greenhouse gases to increase. Scientists predict that this increase may enhance the greenhouse effect making the planet warmer. Some experts estimate that the Earth's average global temperature has already increased by 0.3 to 0.6° Celsius, since the beginning of this century, because of this enhancement. Predictions of future climates indicate that by the middle of the next century the Earth's global temperature may be 1 to 3° Celsius higher than today.
***The information from this website can be adapted and condensed based on need and readability level for your students. Included in the site is also a breakdown of each of the greenhouse gases and how they contribute to the greenhouse effect. I would not recommend you use this as a reading assignment but as a supplement to your lecture.
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/glossary/glossary_greenhouse_gas.html
Glossary : Greenhouse Gas
A gaseous component of the atmosphere contributing to the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are transparent to certain wavelengths of the sun's radiant energy, allowing them to penetrate deep into the atmosphere or all the way into the Earth's surface. Greenhouse gases and clouds prevent some of the infrared radiation from escaping, trapping the heat near the Earth's surface where it warms the lower atmosphere. Alteration of this natural barrier of atmospheric gases can raise or lower the mean global temperature of the Earth.
Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chloroflurocarbons, and water vapor. Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have significant natural and human sources while only industries produce chloroflurocarbons. Water vapor has the largest greenhouse effect, but its concentration in the troposphere is determined within the climate system. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Water vapor will increase in response to global warming, which in turn may further enhance global warming.
Courtesy of NASA
Prior required technology skills:
Students should have basic word processing skills, be able to search for graphic images and print or import them into a document, if making a brochure, students should have minimal knowledge of Microsoft publisher or something similar.
Sequence of Activities:
Introduction: Enter into discussion with students about how the biosphere is like a greenhouse. Have students recall and reinforce learning from the previous day’s lesson.
1. Students will watch a video from www.brainpop.com “Greenhouse Effect”. This video reinforces learning from the previous day and also leads into the effects of greenhouse gases on the earth. After the video students can take a quiz as a whole class OR take it online and you will get the results via email OR you may print the quiz and have them take it. *It is good to play the video 1 -2 times so that all students have a chance to grasp the concepts presented. *If you decide to print quizzes, collect them and use brainpop to do an oral quiz or have students correct each other’s papers so that you can go over each question and check for understanding.
****Brain Pop is a site that needs a personal or site license however, it will allow you two free visits per day OR a 14 day free trial. It is cartoon based but all students love it! It really goes to the point and reinforces OR makes for a good lead-in to a lesson. At times it offers other support such as crossword puzzles, ect. This is also good for your visual students because it takes them outside of the mundane bookwork or lecture.
2. After the video, using the overhead, have students take notes on the various greenhouse gases and the impact that they have on the earth and the greenhouse effect. Also brainstorm a list of things humans could be doing to increase these glasses, include this in the student’s notes.
* This provides support for students and gives them a break from deciphering importance and relevance of information while note-taking.
3. This lesson should be a good seg way into the next lesson: Global Warming
*UDL Modifications:
· Provide multiple examples
· Highlight critical features
· Offer choices of learning context
Assessments:
· Pre-Assessment: None
o Scoring Criteria:
· Post-Assessment: See questions below
o Scoring Criteria:
Technology (hardware/software):
Computer or laptop
LCD Panel
Printer
Overhead projector
Key Vocabulary:
Greenhouse gases
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Global Warming
Application Beyond School:
Students will be able to understand that the greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process and that humans can do their part to make sure that the environmental temperatures remain stable.
UDL Connections (insert in sections where applicable)
Teacher Reflection and Notes:
Table 7h-1: Gases involved in the Greenhouse Effect: past and present concentration and sources.
Greenhouse Gas / Concentration1750 / Concentration
2003 / Percent Change / Natural and Anthropogenic Sources
Carbon Dioxide / 280 ppm / 376 ppm / 34% / Organic decay; Forest fires; Volcanoes; Burning fossil fuels; Deforestation; Land-use change
Methane / 0.71 ppm / 1.79 ppm / 152% / Wetlands; Organic decay; Termites; Natural gas & oil extraction; Biomass burning; Rice cultivation; Cattle; Refuse landfills
Nitrous Oxide / 270 ppb / 319 ppb / 18% / Forests; Grasslands; Oceans; Soils; Soil cultivation; Fertilizers; Biomass burning; Burning of fossil fuels
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) / 0 / 880 ppt / Not Applicable / Refrigerators; Aerosol spray propellants; Cleaning solvents
Ozone / Unknown / Varies with latitude and altitude in the atmosphere / Global levels have generally decreased in the stratosphere and increased near the Earth's surface / Created naturally by the action of sunlight on molecular oxygen and artificially through photochemical smog production
Sample Post-test Quiz for The greenhouse effect.
Vocabulary
1. Define the following terms:
a. greenhouse effect
b. biosphere
c. greenhouse gas
Multiple Choice
2. Which greenhouse gas is most abundant in the earth?
a. carbon dioxide
b. water vapor
c. nitrous oxide
d. CFC’s
3. What would happen to the earth without the greenhouse effect?
a. All of the earth’s water would evaporate.
b. The moon would crash into the earth.
c. The earth would be uninhabitable.
d. The Sun would burn out.
4. Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas
a. methane
b. hydrogen
c. carbon dioxide
d. ozone
5. How can we keep the earth’s natural greenhouse on track?
a. Cut a hole in the ozone layer.
b. Nothing
c. Cut down more trees.
d. Reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we put into the air.
Essay Questions
6. Are greenhouse gases increasing? Explain
7. Is the greenhouse effect affecting our climate? Yes or No, Explain.
8. Draw a model of the greenhouse effect that shows what is taking place on the earth.
9. Explain how the earth is like a greenhouse.
Answers to the test
1. answers may vary based upon the scientific definition given for the term.
2. b
3. c
4. b
5. d
6. Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases).
7. Yes, without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). So, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect.
8. Answers may vary. Here is typical drawing of the greenhouse effect:
http://middle.nettrekker.com
keyword= greenhouse effect (image search)
http://middle.nettrekker.com
keyword= greenhouse effect (image search)
9. Answers may vary depending on how the lesson was taught. Possible answers may include: Greenhouses work by trapping heat from the sun. The glass panels of the greenhouse let in light but keep heat from escaping. This causes the greenhouse to heat up, much like the inside of a car parked in sunlight, and keeps the plants warm enough to live in the winter.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere behave much like the glass panes in a greenhouse. Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, passing through the blanket of greenhouse gases. As it reaches the Earth's surface, land, water, and biosphere absorb the sunlight’s energy. Once absorbed, this energy is sent back into the atmosphere. Some of the energy passes back into space, but much of it remains trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases, causing our world to heat up. http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/greenhouse.html
Greenhouse Lesson - Page 3