Corgi Global Climate Change
Overview
In this unit, students will explore how natural processes and human activities have impacted global temperatures, as well as explore how humans can adapt to reduce their impact on global climate change for the future.
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Unit & Lesson Plans
Global Climate Change
Subject: Science
Grade level: Middle School
Guides: Comparison, Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER), Cause & Effect, Question Exploration
Standards: NGSS, Common Core - ELA
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Unit & Lesson Plans for the Corgi application!
The units and lessons that follow are intended to be used in conjunction with Corgi, a free, digital tool developed with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Each unit is aligned to national and/or state standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards or the Common Core Standards.
Each lesson utilizes the 5E Instructional Model to guide implementation.
Table of Contents
What is included in this Unit?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 1: Natural Processes & Human Activities Affect Global Temperatures
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 2: Human Activities Cause Global Warming
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 3: Human Activities Leading to Global Warming
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 4: Humans Can Slow Down Climate Change
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Unit Plan
Unit Synopsis
In this 4-lesson unit, students will explore how natural processes and human activities have impacted global temperatures, as well as explore how humans can adapt to reduce their impact of global climate change for the future.
Learning Goal
Students will ask questions to clarify evidence used to understand the relationship between natural processes (e.g. as the tilt of the earth, Earth’s orbit) and human activities that have increased and decreased the temperature over the past century. They will also understand that human activities are the dominant cause of global warming, but recognize that humans can adapt their behavior to slow down climate change for the future.
Main Ideas
- Natural processes and human activities have both impacted global temperatures over the last century, but human activities have increased global temperature by more than one degree.
- Human activities are the dominant cause of global warming.
- Human activities add carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, known collectively as greenhouse gases, to the Earth which trap heat from the sun causing global temperature to increase.
- Humans can adapt to the impacts of global climate change and reduce global climate change in the future.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ESS3-5. Students who demonstrate understanding can ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
ESS3.D: Globally Climate Change
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 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.
Common Core State Standards:
ELA/Literacy - SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
What is included in this Unit?
Several key pieces are included to help you build your own unit or support a unit you have already created.
Each lesson in this unit contains:
- Essential question for students
- Key Terms
- Resources
- Lesson narrative that follows the 5E model of science instruction
- Corgi guide
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) suggestions
This unit includes a step by step scaffolding that follows the 5E model of science instruction. Please note that we do our best to maintain correct links to resources and materials. If a specific link is no longer working, please don't hesitate to contact us at corgi@cast.org.
Lesson Plans
| Lesson 1 | Natural Processes & Human Activities Affect Global Temperatures | Comparison Guide |
| Lesson 2 | Human Activities Impact Climate Change | Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Guide |
| Lesson 3 | Human Activities Contributing to Global Warming | Cause & Effect Guide |
| Lesson 4 | Humans Can Reduce Their Impact On Climate Change | Question Exploration Guide |
Methods of Assessment
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that guides the design of inclusive, accessible, and challenging learning environments. The framework is grounded in three principles:
- Design multiple means of engagement
- Design multiple means of representation
- Design multiple means of action and expression
CAST’s UDL Guidelines were developed to support practitioners to apply these three principles to practice.
While this unit was not explicitly designed through a UDL lens, UDL can be used as a tool to reduce existing barriers and increase access to the unit learning goal as well as to individual lesson goals. Below is an overview of how UDL might be applied to this unit. We’ll also offer more specific ideas for applying UDL at the end of each of the lessons associated with this unit.
Anticipate Potential Barriers
The UDL framework can support educators to reframe their understanding of barriers: from locating barriers within individual students to locating barriers within the design of the learning environment. Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the unit. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Are there barriers to engagement? (connection to students’ lives, location, grouping, noise level, etc.)
The design of the unit/lessons may need to do more to spark students’ curiosity based on their unique interests, goals, and contexts. The design may need to better emphasize why the topics are meaningful and important to explore. The design may also need to more fully support students to make connections to their own lives, communities, and questions they care about.
Are there barriers to the representation of content? (oral, written, etc.)
These lessons consist of multimedia presentations with text, graphics, videos, and infographics. Some videos may need captions, or some captions don’t turn on automatically. The videos may also need a written transcript so students can follow along for key ideas, vocabulary, and note-taking. Further, the content shares mathematical and scientific notation and complex mathematical relationships that may also act as barriers to students engaging with the ideas. Finally, several of the lessons contain non-interactive PDFs that do not allow students to highlight or make comments.
Additionally, this unit in particular relies heavily on skills used in reading and interpreting graphs, and these skills may present barriers for some students.
Are there barriers to action and expression? (writing, speaking, planning, etc.)
While the Corgi guides embed multiple options for students to share their ideas (text, images, and speech-to-text), it is important to anticipate barriers to students being able to express their ideas in other associated activities.
Address Learner Variability
Here we brainstorm ways to address the potential barriers described above. Again, please note that these approaches to reducing barriers and increasing access to the learning goals are just examples to get you thinking. We know that every context is unique.
How will you address barriers to engagement?
The Engagement Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to engagement:
- Are there options for choice, relevancy, and minimizing distractions?
- Are there options for sustaining effort and persistence?
- Are there options for supporting and developing self-regulation and self-assessment?
Barriers to learners’ engagement and multiple pathways to engage students will be addressed through the supplementary resources, survey questions, and videos throughout each lesson.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around supporting students to find meaning and relevance, consider creating spaces for students to make connections to their own lives, their communities, and issues that they care about. For example, students could be encouraged to share an article from a local newspaper about issues affecting the community.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to engagement that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to representation?
The Representation Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to representation:
- Are there options for audio/visual/display of info?
- Are there options to access language, math, and symbols?
- Are there options to build background knowledge, construct meaning, and generate new understandings?
With regard to captions that don’t turn on automatically, support students to learn how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around the lack of captions and transcripts, consider transcribing tools like Otter.ai, rev, and Express Scribe. Further, a free screen reader such as TextHelp Read & Write, ChromeVox, or NVDA can assist students with online articles. Finally, to reduce the barriers associated with non-interactive PDFs, consider free PDF tools such as Bit.ai and Jotform.
Further, to reduce barriers associated with reading and interpreting graphs, consider embedding activities that offer scaffolded materials and feedback. Example activities include Graphing Climate Change or Climate Impacts Graph Matching | Center for Science Education.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to representation that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to action and expression?
The Action and Expression Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to acting on ideas and communicating:
- Are there options for physical action?
- Are there options for multiple communication tools?
- Are there options for varying levels of support?
- Are there options for goal setting, strategy development, and self-monitoring?
The Action and Expression Guidelines can offer ideas for embedding varied ways for learners to communicate ideas, share understandings, and work toward goals in the associated activities throughout this unit.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around physical action and physical space, consider encouraging learners to find learning spaces that work best for them (e.g. a quiet space, a space with natural lighting, etc.) and spaces that offer room to move or stand.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to action and expression that may emerge throughout this unit.
Review the following link for a complete interactive overview of the UDL Guidelines.
Lesson 1: Natural Processes & Human Activities Affect Global Temperatures
Essential Question
How have natural processes and human activities impacted global temperatures over the last century?
Key Terms
Fossil fuels
Global temperature
Natural processes
Human activities
Global climate change
Greenhouse gases
Resources
Video: Understanding Natural Climate Cycles
Website: Lesson Plan | The Heat is On: Cause and Effect and Climate
Website: The Climate Time Machine
Video: What’s REALLY Warming the Earth?
Video: Global Warming Song
Handout: Global Surface Temperature.pdf
Sample Corgi Guide: Comparison - Natural Processes & Human Activities Affect Global Temperatures (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Comparison Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Comparison Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What do you know about natural processes impacting global temperature change?
- What do you know about human activities impacting global temperature change?
The instructor shares the video, Understanding Natural Climate Cycleswith the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Steps 3 and 4 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Use supplemental articles, online simulations or experiments, jigsaw routines, visual thinking routines, etc. to explore.
Each student visits the Lesson Plan | The Heat is On: Cause and Effect and Climate website and explores the lesson. The lesson will help students distinguish between correlation and causation within the context of global climate change.
Next, the instructor invites students to playfully interact with The Climate Time Machine that helps students understand and view how climate indicators are changing over time.
After the activities, the instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of the differences between how natural processes and human activities have impacted global temperatures, the instructor has the students watch an explanation: What’s REALLY Warming the Earth?
To further enhance students’ understanding of the differences have students review the graph in the handout, Global Surface Temperature.pdf and post the following inquiries for students to explore:
- Describe the pattern of change in global surface temperature caused by natural processes.
- Identify the pattern of change in global surface temperature caused by human activities.
- Describe the observed pattern of change in global surface temperature.
The instructor directs students to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Comparison’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: Graphing data and interpreting information from graphs often present barriers for students.
- Addressing the barrier: Some suggested sites to engage in graphing skills and interpreting are Climate Impacts Graph Matching | Center for Science Education or Graphing Climate Change.
Lesson 2: Human Activities Cause Global Warming
Essential Question
How has human activity impacted climate change?
Key Terms
Greenhouse gases
Global climate change
Resources
Video: "It's Us"
Website: Automotive Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect
Video: How Humans Cause Climate Change
Website: Scientific consensus: Earth's climate is warming
Sample Corgi Guide: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning - Human Activities Cause Global Warming (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What do you know about greenhouse gases?
The instructor shares the video, "It's Us" with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
The instructor invites students to complete the lesson at Automotive Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect that helps students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of human activities on global warming, the instructor has the students watch a video, How Humans Cause Climate Change.
To further enhance students’ understanding of global warming, have students read the article, Scientific consensus: Earth's climate is warming.
The instructor directs students to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Claim, Evidence, Reasoning’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: Visualizing and synthesizing the concept of human impact on global climate change can feel abstract and may present barriers for some students.
- Addressing the barrier: Simulations are a great way to help students explore impacts, make connections, and draw conclusions on global climate change. Games and Simulations | Center for Science Education is a resource site with helpful simulations that allow students to observe climate change. Suggested simulations for this lesson: Climate Sensitivity Calculator, The Very Simple Climate Model, Energy Choices and Climate Change, and Ruler of the World.
Lesson 3: Human Activities Leading to Global Warming
Essential Question
How has human activity impacted climate change?
Key Terms
Global climate change
Greenhouse effect
Fossil fuels
Resources
Video: What human activities contribute to climate change?
Website: ‘Greenhouse Atmosphere: Let's Heat Things Up!’
Website: Greenhouse Gases | A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA
Sample Corgi Guide: Cause & Effect - Climate Change (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Cause & Effect Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Cause & Effect Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and the key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor shares the video, What human activities contribute to climate change?with the class.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion about greenhouse gases that come from human activities and how that contributes to climate change using the prompts:
- Have students brainstorm and share signs of climate change in their neighborhood, town, city, and state.
- How do human activities affect greenhouse gases?
- How do human activities affect climate change?
- Can humans improve their environment, and if so how?
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3-4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
The instructor invites students to complete the activities in the lesson plan on ‘Greenhouse Atmosphere: Let's Heat Things Up!’ that helps students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the lesson and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of the causes of climate change, the instructor asks the students to read the information on Greenhouse Gases | A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA. To further enhance students’ understanding, direct them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 discuss the cause and effects of climate change.
The instructor directs students to complete Steps 4-8 of the Corgi Guide, ‘Cause & Effect’ with their new understanding.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: Visualizing and synthesizing the concept of human impact on global climate change can feel abstract and may present barriers for some students.
- Addressing the barrier: Simulations are a great way to help students explore impacts, make connections, and draw conclusions on global climate change. Games and Simulations | Center for Science Education is a resource site with helpful simulations that allow students to observe climate change. Suggested simulations for this lesson: Climate Sensitivity Calculator, The Very Simple Climate Model, Energy Choices and Climate Change, and Ruler of the World.
Lesson 4: Humans Can Slow Down Climate Change
Essential Question
How can humans address/reduce the impacts of climate change?
Key Terms
Global climate change
Emissions
Greenhouse gases
Resources
Video: Causes and Effects of Climate Change | National Geographic
Video:Will Climate Change Stop If We Stop Emitting Carbon Tomorrow? | Hot Mess 🌎
Website: Global Warming Solutions: Prepare for Impacts | Union of Concerned Scientists
Website: What can we do to slow or stop global warming? | NOAA Climate.gov
Sample Corgi Guide: Question Exploration Guide - Slow Down Climate Change (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Question Exploration Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Question Exploration Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What can humans do now to slow down global climate change?
- What can humans do in the future to slow down global climate change?
- What can humans do to reduce greenhouse gasses and how does this impact climate change?
- How long will it take to notice the effects of humans' efforts to slow down climate change?
The instructor shares the video,Causes and Effects of Climate Change | National Geographic with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Use supplemental articles, online simulations or experiments, jigsaw routines, visual thinking routines, etc. to explore.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of how our actions now and in the future impact climate change, the instructor shows, Will Climate Change Stop If We Stop Emitting Carbon Tomorrow? | Hot Mess 🌎and posts the following inquiries for students to independently explore:
- How can stopping carbon emissions now help with climate change?
- What can we do to slow down global warming at the individual level?
- What effect does livestock have on climate change?
- How does climate change effect human health and wellness?
To further enhance students’ understanding of global climate change, have students read the articles, Global Warming Solutions: Prepare for Impacts | Union of Concerned Scientists and What can we do to slow or stop global warming? | NOAA Climate.gov and direct them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 to complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Question Exploration’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: In this lesson, students are asked to create a Corgi Question Exploration Guide. The process of creating and developing supporting questions in the guide may be unfamiliar and may pose barriers for some students.
- Addressing the barrier: In order to support students in creating and developing supporting questions, educators may want to teach a “mini-lesson” that addresses these skills. A suggested resource is The 5 Features of Science Inquiry: What Questions Do You Have? | Edutopia.