This visualization shows static and animated images of changes in Arctic sea ice 1984-2016.

See the many birds that spend their summer in the Arctic in this video segment from Nature.

Arctic Tern MigrationThe Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) makes an incredible migration each year. These small birds travel distances of more than 50,000 miles, from pole to pole, crossing through temperate and tropical regions along the way. Scientist Carsten Egevang used geo-locator tags to track some of these terns, and he shares their story with us in this Google Earth tour video.Grade/Age level Grades 5-8 (ages 10-14)Activity: Students watch a video about Arctic Tern migration and answer the comprehension questions. After the video, the class will discuss their answers as a group. Extenstion dicussion questions are available.Objectives:After watching the video, students will be able to:Describe how scientists designed a study to answer a question about arctic terns’ migration patterns and how technology was used.Demonstrate an understanding of the migration of Arctic Terns and the factors that influenced their migration.Infer the impact that the findings of these migration patterns may have on other areas of science and future studies.Image Credit: Tim Bowman, BioLib.cz. Public Domain.

This video segment from Wild Europe: "Wild Arctic" explores the struggle for survival in one of Earth's most extreme environments.

In this audio slideshow, an ecologist from the University of Florida describes the radiocarbon dating technique that scientists use to determine the amount of carbon within the permafrost of the Arctic tundra. Understanding the rate of carbon released as permafrost thaws is necessary to understand how this positive feedback mechanism is contributing to climate change that may further increase global surface temperatures.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn some of the impacts climate change is having on the Arctic, hear youth perspectives about the impacts of climate change, and write their own personal climate stories.

SCIENTIST NOTES: Students are instructed in this lesson on the effects of climate change on the Arctic region. Temperature increases are hastening the melting of permafrost, glaciers, and sea level rise. This has an effect on the polar ecosystems and human populations. The contrast between how climate change affects the northern and southern regions of the Arctic is also covered in the lesson, along with suggestions for how students may learn and share their experiences to promote climate action. This lesson passed our science review process after all the materials were fact-checked.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson can be used in any middle school writing class and tailored to the specific skills the class is working on.
-This lesson helps students connect climate change to people.
-This lesson highlights a local community in the Arctic and demonstrates the impact storytelling can have.
-This lesson encourages students to participate in the writing process, including the planning and publishing stages.
-This lesson allows teachers to integrate skills specific to their students.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-The Inquire section gallery walk is about the student-made infographics from the previous lesson. Alternatively, teachers can use the infographics from the Teacher Slideshow.
-Students should understand the basics of writing a story. This includes, but is not limited to, characters, setting, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
-When teaching this lesson teachers should have a baseline understanding of how climate change works and understand some of the impacts in the Arctic.
-In this lesson the term, “story” is consistently used, despite one of the primary standards referring to the term, “narrative.” If students ask to clarify the difference, one way a middle school ELA teacher can differentiate personal narratives from stories is that a personal narrative is a true story whereas a story can be fictionalized.
-For their writing, students will need a basic understanding of the ways climate change is affecting their own communities.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-The final draft of the writing can be used as a summative assessment for this lesson.
-It may be helpful to share a map and show where the Arctic is located if students are unfamiliar.
-Students may need more specific and individual guidance when planning out their writing. Rubrics can be customized for individual students and their learning goals.
-Teachers can give students more time for writing the personal climate story.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson introduces students to the impacts of climate change on the Arctic.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson demonstrates the impacts of climate change on the Arctic region and thus provides a background for students to reflect on the causal relationship between temperature changes and ice melting, glaciers, permafrost, and sea level rise. Accordingly, this lesson is interactive, properly cited, and has passed our science credibility.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson situates the Arctic globally and introduces students to people who call the Arctic home, including youth.
-Alongside climate change, students learn about infographics as a way to understand and share information.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-For the game “Is It an Infographic?” game, teachers should present the Teacher Slideshow in slideshow mode to conceal the answer at first glance.
-When teaching this lesson, teachers should have a baseline understanding of how climate change works. This short interactive course offers easy-to-understand information on the basics of climate change.
-Teachers will need to plan ahead for the gallery walk.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-If teachers would like to spend more time on the infographic, both in teaching about infographics as a way to share information and on how to create an infographic, this website is an excellent resource.
-Infographic creation could be digital, adding technology skills to the outcomes, if students have access to technology and the appropriate software.

Consider are the pros and cons of children performing for TV and in other competitive performing environments. Learning Objectives:Students will read articles with opposing view points and find main ideas and details from each text.Students will take a stance on an arguementive issue and produce a piece of writing to include evidence from the text. 

Consider are the pros and cons of children performing for TV and in other competitive performing environments.

Students learn that dams do not last forever. Similar to other human-made structures, such as roads and bridges, dams require regular maintenance and have a finite lifespan. Many dams built during the 1930-70s, an era of intensive dam construction, have an expected life of 50-100 years. Due to inadequate maintenance and/or for environmental reasons, some of these dams will fail or be removed in the next 50 years. The engineers with Splash Engineering have an ethical obligation to remind Thirsty County of the maintenance and lifespan concerns associated with its dam.

In this short video, host Dr. Ryan interviews graduate student Amy Steiker at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research about her research, using isotopes of nitrous oxide, connecting human activity to greenhouse gas emissions.

In this lesson, students investigate whether other parts of the world are changing and getting hotter just like Colorado.

This video segment adapted from NOVA features a variety of scientific perspectives on the age old question, "Are we alone in the universe?" Animations make vivid the improbability that we could intercept a radio wave signaling extra terrestrial intelligence.

The year is 2032 and your class has successfully achieved a manned mission to Mars! After several explorations of the Red Planet, one question is still being debated: "Is there life on Mars?" The class is challenged with the task of establishing criteria to help look for signs of life. Student explorers conduct a scientific experiment in which they evaluate three "Martian" soil samples and determine if any contain life.

This lesson explores the similarities between how a human being moves/walks and how a robot moves. This allows students to see the human body as a system, i.e., from the perspective of an engineer. It shows how movement results from (i) decision making, i.e., deciding to walk and move, and (ii) implementing the decision by conveying the decision to the muscle (human) or motor (robot).

This lesson deals with human growth and our consumption of land resources. This lesson can be used in conjunction with other Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? lessons, although this should be first since it has the video of population growth. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

In this lesson children will investigate 6 major pollutants in our world and how they can be eliminated or limited. This lesson is a continuation of the other Are We Our Own Worst Enemy ? lesson plans. It can stand on its own but if you haven't taught the others you may want to show the World Population Over Time video before starting this lesson. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students discover how climate change could be making extreme winter weather worse.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This is a great lesson that explains key drivers of winter storms. Students will learn about the polar vortex and lake effect snow and how they influence the jet stream, air circulation, and polar and mid-latitude climates. The cascading effect is worrisome, especially in vulnerable communities. The class activity will inspire students to communicate ways communities could respond to these weather events. The videos, materials, charts, and datasets embedded in the lesson were fact-checked, and this lesson has passed our science review process.

POSITIVES:
-Connecting climate change and extreme winter weather can feel counterintuitive, which will challenge students' critical thinking skills.
-The lesson provides many opportunities for students to share ideas with their peers.
-This lesson can be taught in an environmental science class.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Advertisements may play before some of the videos.
-Students should be familiar with climate change, the difference between weather and climate, and the various types of extreme weather.
-Teachers should make it clear that on average, global temperatures are rising even if there is sometimes more extreme cold and snowy weather.
-Teachers should make sure students understand that this lesson is not about if anthropogenic climate change is real. Instead, this lesson is looking at the specific connections between climate change and the polar vortex and lake effect snow.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-For students who may need more support in the Investigate section, classes can create their explanations of the polar vortex and lake effect snow together.
-This lesson could be split over two class periods. In the first class, students would complete the Inquire section and the first half of the Investigate section about the polar vortex. In the second class, students would complete the second half of the Investigate section about lake effect snow and the Inspire section.

Poster showing text bordered by flags, bunting, an eagle, and smoking cannons. No. 10-A.

This activity engages students in learning about ways to become energy efficient consumers. Students examine how different countries and regions around the world use energy over time, as reflected in night light levels. They then track their own energy use, identify ways to reduce their individual energy consumption, and explore how community choices impact the carbon footprint.