Activity Title: Can Global Warming cause Global Cooling?
Background Materials
page last edited May 9, 2007

Unit Goals I Background I Essential Questions I Activity Summary I Outcomes I Standards I Pre -Requisite Knowledge I Lesson Plan I Assessment I Teacher Resources I Global Warming Links I Arctic Home Page

Climate Change Unit Goals: (Broader Unit)

The goal of the climate change unit is to have students use the “harbingers and fingerprints” (from climate hot map) of environmental change to “discover” climate change effects on earth systems. It is this process of pattern recognition which has lead to further investigation of our climate’s past and future. I propose giving each team of 3-5 students a newspaper or magazine article about climate change to begin the project.

Following this introduction, assist the students in locating their earth system’s data set to investigate with GIS. Examples of systems could include, but are not limited to; ocean currents, Arctic change, West Nile virus and other disease patterns, wildfire and drought patterns, vegetative changes and sea level rise. Over the course of the unit, students will collect further evidence and map that evidence with GIS. Additionally, each group will perform experiments and simulations. As a culminating product of their work, each student team will document their conclusions in order to present to their findings to their colleagues and classmates. The intention of the project is to be dynamic and to raise questions that promote dialogue and controversy amongst the students.

Resources for the project will include websites, library texts magazines and relevant research articles.

Overarching and Enduring Understandings Addressed in Climate Change Unit:

Natural Cycles of Planetary Change
Change is Detection through Pattern recognition
Interlocking relationship between the Earth's Systems

Overarching Questions Addressed in Greenland Melting unit:

What are the results of global warming?
Can the triggers of the Little Ice Age happen again?
What are the methods that scientists use to study Earth processes?
What are the harbingers and fingerprints of global processes?
What are the drivers of climate?
How are glaciers and ocean currents related?

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Greenland Ice Sheet and Oceanic Currents Activity Summary

This 3 - 7 day activity set uses GIS and other media to explore a critical area of climate change research glacial melting and its potential impact on the ocean currents. Evidence shows increased melting of glaciers in Greenland. The addition of fresh water to the North Atlantic threatens to alter the ocean’s salinity in the North Atlantic region. The North Atlantic is also home to a key area of the oceanic conveyor belt, where colder, denser water sinks and initiates the conveyor. Given the role that salinity plays in maintaining the oceanic conveyor belt, a decrease in salinity due to the addition of fresh water (which is less dense) threatens to slow or shut down the Oceanic Conveyor Belt. If the conveyor shuts down, it will no longer bring warm ocean waters from the south to areas of Northern Europe. Since the ocean plays an important role in the local climate balance, this could lead to a dramatic drop in local temperatures for Northern Europe.

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Students who complete this project will know (knowledge) and be able to do (skills):

Lesson Title: Is Greenland Melting? Exercise Day 1, part A

A. Content Knowledge:

1. What are the causes and effects of recent glacial melt in Greenland? summary article

B. Data Analysis Skills: How is change tracked over time?

Interpretation of GIS representation skills
1. Pattern of melt extents
2. Pattern of glacial velocity
3. Understanding of projections

Database and database-oriented analysis skills
1. Subtraction of melt extents at different times to see net change
2. Examine change intervals to see rate of change
3. Interpretion of graphs of melt extent

C. My World GIS Skills

1. Use of measurement tool to measure retreat
2. Use of selection tool to choose fastest moving area of glacier at 2000m contour
3. Analyze mode to do subtraction of layers/fields to see net change
4. Use of links to view images of research life.
5. Use of re-project and re-center views to move around the map

Lesson Title: What is happening to the Salinity In the North - Atlantic? Exercise Day 1, part B

A. Content Knowledge: North Atlantic Salinity is Changing. summary article

Process of the change in salinity

i. Greenland melt is pumping fresh water into ocean
ii.Fresh water is decreasing salinity
iii.Decreased salinity will decrease density
iv. Decreased density means water will no longer sinks
v. If water no longer sinks, the conveyor shuts down

B. Data Analysis Skills : Examine salinity changes over time

Interpretation of GIS representation skill
1. Observe salinity changes in the North Atlantic

Database and database-oriented analysis
1. Make selections and contours of salinity
2. Calculate statistics on salinity to determine low, mean and high salinity ranges
3. Use of graphs to show changes in salinity

C. My World GIS Skills:

1. Use of vertical profile of salinity vs. location
2. Use of analyze mode to do subtraction of layers/fields to see net change
3. Use of links to see the pictures of research life and graphs
4. Use of re-project and re-center views


Lesson Title: Examining the Ocean Conveyor at the Surface and at Depth Day 2, part A

A. Content Knowledge:
Understand how the freshening of the North Atlantic is threatening climate.summary article

Process of Conveyor distributing heat :

i. Conveyor is drawn N and follows surface currents due to changes in salinity
ii. As conveyor moves N it looses energy due to radiative cooling.
iii. In the North Atlantic, colder temperatures increase density
iv. Colder temperatures cause ice, which increases salinity by removing fresh water, thus increasing density
v. Increased density causes water to sink, initiating the conveyor


B. Data Analysis Skills:

Interpretation of GIS representations
1. Comparison of Conveyor to Gyres – add the wind vectors, discuss Coriolis Effect
2. Direction and varying depth of conveyor

Database and database-oriented analysis
1. Role of Temp/Phase Change/Density change in Density Currents

C. My World GIS Skills:

1. Changing the percent of transparency of a layer
2. Use of re-center projection tool
3. Vertical profile of Salinity vs. location


Lesson Title: Examine the Role of Oceans in Climate Day 2, part B

A. Content Knowledge:
Temperatures vary by proximity to Oceans; Oceans play an important role in the North Atlantic climate. summary article

B. Data Analysis Skills:

Interpretation of GIS representations
1. Examine visual patterns in temperature variation near coasts and by latitude
 2. Add Latitude and Longitude layers to help compare land temperatures

Database and database-oriented analysis
1. Make selections of temp by high and low latitudes
2. Calculate statistics and compare mean temperature values for specific selections.


C. My World GIS Skills:

1. Making selections
2. Using pointer tool and legends to identify specific values on map
3. Adding a new layer (i.e.Lat Long layer—see above)
4. Use of re-center projection tool

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National and State Standards

National Content Standards Grades 9-12

Content Standard A - Science as Inquiry
Use Technology and Mathematics to improve investigations
Formulate and Revise Scientific Explanations using logic and Evidence
Recognize and Analyze Alternative Explanations and Models

Content Standard D – Earth and Space Science
Energy in the Earth System
Content Standard F – Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Natural and Human-Induced Hazards
Science and Technology in Local, National and Global Challenges

Content Standard G – History and Nature of Science
Science as a Human Endeavor
Nature of Scientific Knowledge
Historical Perspectives


California State Standards Grades 9-12

Earth Science
Standard 5. Heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere by the sun drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents.

As a basis for understanding this concept:
d. Students know properties of ocean water, such as temperature and salinity, can be used to explain the layered structure of the oceans, the generation of horizontal and vertical ocean currents, and the geographic distribution of marine organisms.


Standard 6. Climate is the long-term average of a region’s weather and depends on many factors.

As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy into and out of the atmosphere.
b. Students know the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to large bodies of water and cold or warm ocean currents.
c. Students know how Earth’s climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth’s geography, atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement.
d.* Students know how computer models are used to predict the effects of the increase in greenhouse gases on climate for the planet as a whole and for specific regions.

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Prerequisite Knowledge for Students:

Oceanography

Ocean surface currents are wind-driven
Warm currents move away from the equator and cold currents away from the poles
Currents move in response to the Coriolis Effect and land-mass deflection to produce gyres in the Northern Hemisphere warm currents are on the west side of the ocean basins (or east side of the continents)
Ocean currents have an impact on the climate of the areas through which they flow
Density currents are produced by high salinity, or cold temperatures
Oceans exchange heat with the atmosphere

Glaciology

Glaciers move due to gravity
Glaciers are a result of the combination of accumulation and abalation
Glacial retreat is due to increased movement brought on by melt
Glaciers move more rapidly when they have a layer of melt water to lubricate the bedrock underneath them


Atmospheric Science

Global warming is a result of the increase of greenhouse gases
As glaciers melt their albedo drops increasing their melting rate and increasing the feedback loop – more heat is absorbed
The atmosphere interacts with the ocean in many ways, wind, moisture and temperature transfer

Science Background Materials

This page has links to reading and other teacher resource materials

This page has links to global warming materials

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Lesson Outline:
Engage:

Possible Hooks (a few choices)

1. Begin by showing students the BBC news clips from David Shukman's May 19th and 20th, 2005 reports.

2. Begin with the question what is climate?

Climate and Biome Activities
http://www.pcds.org/share/arctic/arctic_lessons/climate/esposter.htm
http://www.pcds.org/share/arctic/arctic_lessons/climate/teachernotesclimate.htm


3. Show the first 24 minutes of the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” about climate change.
Ask what do you think is true and what is impossible?

See links for background on this page: http://nsidc.org/news/press/day_after/links.html


4. Show NOVA Warnings from the Ice, NOVA Science Now Fastest Glacier or Scientific American Frontiers XV: Hot Planet - Cold Comfort

5. Read one of the following articles with students

Explore:

Lesson Plans are written for this lesson utilizing 3 different software types. There is also one version that can be done with out any technology.
All lessons include documents, project files and teacher support materials. please send any feedback to betsy.youngman@pcds.org

Complete lesson sets: (updated May 11th, 2007)

My World Version complete teacher documentation, project files and data. (large zip file)
Software downloads and more information about MyWorld can be found at http://www.worldwatcher.northwestern.edu/software.htm


Arcview 3.x Version, complete teacher documentation, project and data.


ArcGIS Version of this lesson, note the instructions have not yet been written. (use the arcView 3.x version above)

mxd file I data (zipped) I media (zipped)

Paper and Pencil

Overview I Teacher Prep I Activity 1A I Activity 1B I Activity 2

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Extend:

1. Complete hands-on inquiry in the science lab

Possible lab activities
o Ice melt rates http://www.pcds.org/share/sci8/labs/ice_melt.htm
o Albedo - NOVA science site - http://www.pbs.org/saf/1505/teaching/menu.htm
o Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases - EPA site


2. Complete additional map editing

Add glacial edge photos from this link:
Draw on the 2000m line, 2500m line, 3000m lines from this link
Use excel and GIS to add addtional datasets to the map
Use space shuttle images from EarthKam


3. Discuss the Past, Present and Future of the Earth's Climate

A. Past: How has our Climate Changed in the Past and what Effects did this change have on Civilization?

Historical references and Literature:
Read: The Little Ice Age – How Climate Changed European History or the Long Summer (books) by Brian Fagan
View the History Channel video - Little Ice Age: Big Chill
Visit the Secrets of the Ice web site – see how climate has changed in Antarctica
Read Richard Alley's Two Mile Ice time Machine (book)
Read the New Yorker article the Climate of Man - part II,by Elizabeth Kolbert http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/050502fa_fact3


B. Present: What is it like doing the research?

1. Read: Article from NY times on life at Summit camp
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/18/science/sciencespecialreport/19revk.html?ex=1112504400&en=cf1b9dc3aa4519d0&ei=5070
2. Read scientists and teachers journals from the TEA web site
http://tea.rice.edu
3. Research what world events took place in 1992 (Pinatubo) and how that effected solar radiation and global temperature.
4. Watch the movies on Summit Summer 99 and 01
5. Read the New Yorker article the Climate of Man - part I, by Elizabeth Kolbert http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/050425fa_fact3

C. Future: What will the future Bring?

1 . Read the New Yorker article the Climate of Man - part III, by Elizabeth Kolbert http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/050509fa_fact3

2. Use the web based GIS data Climate Change Scenarios from the NCAR page http://www.gisclimate.org
to construct climate scenarios from the past and future.

3. Climate Prediction http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/index.html

4. Read about the predicted effects of climate change on other ecosystems and resources:

o Pew charitable trust site: impacts on the United States. http://www.pewclimate.org/
o IPCC report - http://www.ipcc.ch/
o Arctic http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/
o National Wildlife Federation: http://www.nwf.org/globalwarming/
o EPA global change tool kit
o http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterPublicationsOutreachMaterialORWKit.html
o http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org/pages/glaciers.html

5. Discuss how we can stop or slow Climate Change:

Add temperature vs. CO2 and CH4 graphs from IPCC – look for parallel trends http://www.vitalgraphics.net/climate2.cfm
Kyoto Protocols map - http://vitalgraphics.grida.no/kyoto/
Talk about sustainable alternatives: http://www.sustainablealternatives.net/
Carbon sequestration http://www.bigskyco2.org/GIS.htm

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Assessment - Evidence of Understanding

Informal Checks - Observe students while they are working:

Observation and Dialogues

Tests and Quizzes

Academic Prompts

Can students...

Performance Tasks

Ask students to create their own maps to educate others.

Why should we know about global change? Write an essay or make a movie to explain.