MS - ESS3.D (0) - Human Activities and Global Climate Change - FINAL (CLF 2/28/2014)

Module: Human Activities and Global Climate Change

DCI: ESS3.D (0) Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

PE: MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

[Clarification Statement: Examples of factors include human activities (such as fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural activity) and natural processes (such as changes in incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity). Examples of evidence can include tables, graphs, and maps of global and regional temperatures, atmospheric levels of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the rates of human activities. Emphasis is on the major role that human activities play in causing the rise in global temperatures.]

The ideas are: 

- Human activities are contributing factors in the current rise in Earth's mean surface temperature

- One human activity that contributes to this rise in temperature is the release of greenhouse gases as fossil fuels are burned

- Reducing the level of climate change depends on an understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding human behavior and applying that knowledge wisely. 

- Reducing human vulnerability to the effects of climate change depends on an understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding human behavior and applying that knowledge wisely. 

We can't really have kids ask questions on a multiple choice test, we will have to ask all of the questions :) But, we can ask about evidence of a rise in global temperatures or even evidence of factors that contribute to a rise in global temperatures.  We can also squeeze several questions out of the DCI, which types of activities contribute to a rise in global temperature, as more and more fossil fuels are burned as a result of human activity, we can expect to see which of the following changes, etc. 

Possible Question Starters

"A steady increase in global temperature has been recorded between 1900 and today.  Before concluding that this rise in temperature is the result of the increased burning of fossil fuels since that same time, which of the following questions would have to be answered?"

correct answer - what, if any, temperature rise was occurring prior to 1900

incorrect answer - what is the CO2 content in one metric ton of fossil fuels