This video segment adapted from Interactive NOVA profiles two scientists who were surprised in 1984 to discover a hole in our atmosphere's ozone layer as big as the United States.

This is one component of the Source to Sink Mini Lesson Set
This module is part of a larger set of mini-lessons that explores the variations in water and particulate mass flux from rivers that result from changing climate patterns and human activity in the Holocene. Long-period variations in runoff will be explored in this module on the Holocene Climatic Optimum, when intensification of the Southwest monsoon affected massively increased river discharge in South Asia. The exercise will detail the operation of the Asian monsoon and interpret stratigraphic evidence for increased sediment discharge during the Holocene Climatic Optimum using the Ganges-Brahmaputra as an example.

In this activity, students take a Home Energy Quiz to identify improvements that could make their homes more energy-efficient.

Students learn about some of the different climate zones in China and consider what would be appropriate design, construction and materials for houses in those areas. This prepares them to conduct the associated activity(ies) in which they design, build and test small model homes for three different climate zones.

The NOAA Ocean Service Education lab requires students create and manipulate solutions simulating different ocean water characteristics in order to recognize that the effects of salinity and temperature are the drivers of thermohaline circulation.

A regional conservation partnership in Massachusetts needed to update their approach to evaluating land acquisitions. Adding the complexity of climate change to their map helped resolve their vision.

Students observe demonstrations, and build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect and the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming.

The first part of the project asked students to locate a peer-reviewed scientific research article found in the bibliography of the 2007 IPCC Working Group II Report. A librarian gave a 30 minute presentation in class on how to locate scholarly journals, government documents, and other materials using the JMU library website. Each student turned in a worksheet on which they listed their resource, provided a brief explanation of the methods and results of the research, and why they chose this paper. Each student was then asked to write a newsletter article that communicated results from a peer-reviewed climate change study in an understandable, interesting way to their fellow students and the general public. Students shared the content of their newsletter articles in small groups in class on the due date.

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Students brainstorm and discuss the different types of materials used to build houses in various climates. They build small models of houses and test them in different climates.

This informational explores how and why igloos are built and how ice can act as an insulator. It asks if igloo building will continue with climate change. It is written at a reading level appropriate for second through third grade. It is a full-color pdf file that can be printed, cut, and folded to form a 2 1/8" by 2 3/4" book. It contains color photographs and illustrations.

This informational text explores how and why igloos are built and how ice can act as an insulator. It asks if igloo building will end with climate change. It is written at a reading level appropriate for Kindergarten through first grade. It is a full-color pdf file that can be printed, cut, and folded to form a 2 1/8" by 2 3/4" book. It contains color photographs and illustrations.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students think about their ideal farm and look at case studies from around the world to investigate farmers' responses to the impact of climate change on food production.

SCIENTIST NOTES: With different case studies, this lesson introduces students to the concept of climate-smart agriculture. In this light, they will be able to model innovative techniques to achieve a sustainable food system in their local communities and beyond. All materials have been rigorously fact-checked, and this lesson is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-Students get to be creative with their designs of a sustainable farm.
-Students learn about sustainable farming and solutions-based thinking for a growing population with limited resources in a changing climate.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 4 of 6 in our 6th-8th grade Climate Change, Food Production, and Food Security unit.
-Students should understand that different regions will respond to climate change differently based on how they experience the impacts of climate change.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Teachers can assign the Teacher Slideshow and Student Document on Google Classroom and students can submit their work independently.
-Teachers can group students for the guided research questions and assign them level-appropriate resources.
-Teachers can eliminate case study options if the options are overwhelming.
-Teachers can review the Teacher Slideshow as a class and answer the questions as a whole group assignment.

Calculation of a carbon footprint resulting from common breakfast choices illustrates the importance of contextualization.

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SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn how to analyze characters in stories, reread Why Is Coco Orange?, and complete a journal entry.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson lets students learn about air quality, how to analyze characters in a story, and how to tell a story about the impact of air quality on human health. This lesson has passed the science review process and is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson allows students to explore their own personality traits and relate them to the characters in the story.
-This lesson shows students the best ways to support their classmates who have asthma.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Students should be familiar with the vocabulary in the story. You can use the vocabulary words slideshow with your students to review the words or play games with the words.
-Analyzing the characters in Inside Out is an easy way for students to begin practicing character analysis.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-You can choose to read the book aloud to your students, watch the video read aloud as a class, or have students read the story independently or in groups.
-You could print the vocabulary cards for students who need to refer to them during the read aloud.
-Students could read their journal entries to the class after they have finished. Some students may want to share their own journeys with asthma or how they are supporting friends and family with asthma.
-Students who finish early could conduct more research on ozone and its impact on the respiratory system.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson explores education as a climate change solution and guides students to create their own education project as a means of informing and inspiring positive change.

SCIENTIST NOTES: Education is a key solution to the global climate crisis. This lesson inspires students to understand how education can change peoples' behavior towards reducing their carbon footprint. It also contains activities and videos to build students' capacity to educate and lead in climate conversation and action. This lesson has passed our science credibility process and is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-Students reflect on their own education and how education can be impactful.
-Students create their own education project to inspire change in their community.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Project Drawdown connects educating girls and family planning. Education and empowerment of girls and women is a very impactful climate solution.
-The Investigate section activity should be judgment-free.
-The embedded videos in the Investigate section in the Teacher Slideshow have been automatically formatted to play the most important parts of the videos.
-Students should be able to complete their outlines and some research in the lesson plan’s allotted time, but additional time may be needed for students to conduct their education projects.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Students can write their answers to the education questions in the Inquire section as a "Do Now."
-Teachers can assign a student to use a calculator to find the class percentages during the Investigate section survey questions.
-Teachers can change the wording of the survey questions in the Investigate section to relate best to their specific class.
-Teachers can use a thumbs up or thumbs down system to survey the class and ensure total buy-in.
-Teachers can give students more time to explore beef, food waste, and renewable energy during the activity in the Investigate section.
-Students can turn and talk to discuss learning during the Investigate section videos and readings.
-Education projects can be done in groups, individually, or as a whole class project.

Students utilize ice core data to develop a simple climate model, test it and then analyze, through reading IPCC materials, what other variables might need to be included in a model that more accurately predicts climate response to forcings. They are then asked to reflect on the use of models in scientific inquiry and on climate skeptics view of climate models.

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SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students reflect on their personal energy use, make a bar graph to analyze data from the class, and create a conservation poster for display.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson is suitable to build the capacity of students to understand energy sources and what they can power, to compute and audit their daily energy consumption, to share their energy footprint in group activities, and to raise awareness on energy consumption to a wide audience by creating a conservation poster. This lesson has passed our science review process and is recommended for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson includes using a spreadsheet to create a bar graph. This may be the first time students learn this skill.
-Creating a conservation poster is a great way for students to feel empowered to take immediate climate action.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 2 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-When you are collecting data for the spreadsheets and graphs, some students may respond that they spent 1,440 minutes using energy (which is the total amount of minutes in a day) due to use of electricity for refrigerators or the heating and cooling of their homes. Although true, having multiple data points of 1,440 minutes is not useful. Have them come up with a lower estimate.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Some students may have difficulty with data entry when adding numbers to their spreadsheet. It may be best to create groups of students so they can check each other's progress to make sure it is correct.
-It may be best to allow students to create conservation posters individually or with a partner.
-Some students may want to create conservation posters using digital tools like Canva or Adobe Spark.

In this design challenge lesson students explore the Denver Public School District’s solid waste plan and discuss how their school can save or decrease emissions by reducing solid waste at our school.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students advocate for renewable energy in their schools and communities.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson introduces students to understand the importance of renewable energy and how they can advocate for energy and climate justice in their community. All materials embedded in the lesson are thoroughly sourced. Accordingly, this lesson is recommended for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-Students transform into activists in this final lesson in the unit.
-Students are able to engage with community stakeholders outside of the classroom.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 6 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-It may be difficult to figure out how much renewable energy exists in your community or how much of your local electrical grid is powered by renewable energy. Your students could explore this interactive map from the EPA showing all energy infrastructure and resources.
-If you or your students do not know how to focus your activism, you can advocate for rooftop solar panels on your school if it makes sense.
-Support your students appropriately if they would like to take this project to the next level. Perhaps they could continue their activism before school, at recess, or after school. It may be nice to ask some of your fellow teachers to also support their efforts.
-This lesson plan might lead to the founding of a student activism group!

DIFFERENTIATION:
-There are many options for differentiation in this unit. Students can work individually or in groups as they design their own activism.
-Quieter students may want to write a letter to share their thoughts.
-More extroverted students may want to deliver a speech to a school or community leader or sit down with them for a one-on-one discussion.

This lesson provides guidance for students to create and practice a presentation about design challenge results that they developed in the previous unit lessons and how to present it to the school administration.