Perspectives on Ocean Science: Keeling Lecture - Climate Change, The Evidence and Our Options

In this Second Annual Keeling Lecture from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Lonnie G. Thompson, distinguished professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University and recipient of both the National Medal of Science and the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, provides insight into the convincing evidence of climate change provided by glaciers and polar ice-caps, and the implications that inaction in the face of this rapid change will have on societies on a global scale. (58 minutes)

Material Type: Lecture

Perspectives on Ocean Science: Keeling Lecture - Climate Change and the Forests of the West

Dr. Steve Running, a Regents Professor in the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana, discusses the paradox of why forests in the West are growing faster while simultaneously suffering from higher die-off rates. Running is a member of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and was the lead author on a 2007 report analyzing North AmericaŐs contribution to atmospheric carbon dioxide and its impacts on the global climate. (58 minutes)

Material Type: Lecture

Perspectives on Ocean Science: Rapid Climate Change

Is climate variability affected by the ongoing addition of greenhouse gasses to Earth's atmosphere? Join Dr. Chris Charles as he explains how geological archives are shedding new light on the human impact on climate. (52 minutes)

Material Type: Lecture

Perspectives on Ocean Science: The Oceans and Global Warming - 50 Years of Climate Change Research at SIO

Carbon dioxide has been steadily increasing in the Earth's atmosphere since the industrial rEvolution. Join Dr. Tim Lueker as he describes the history of atmospheric carbon dioxide research and the role the ocean plays in global warming. Learn how Dr. Lueker and others gather data that allow them to assess these important changes in the state of our atmosphere and ocean. (54 minutes)

Material Type: Lecture

Predicting the Effects of Climate Change on Soil Loss

In this activity, students investigate soil erosion and how a changing climate could influence erosion rates in agricultural areas. This activity is part of a larger InTeGrate module called Growing Concern.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: H. Scherer, INTEGRATE Project, SERC, Carleton College, M. Murphy, S. Fortner

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About The Health Impacts of Climate Change?

This 10-question quiz covers some of the major impacts to human health caused by climate change.

Material Type: Simulation

Author: EPA

Responding to Climate Change

This is the ninth and final lesson in a series of lessons about climate change. This lesson focuses on the various activities that humans can do to mitigate the effects of climate change. This includes information on current and predicted CO2 emission scenarios across the globe, alternative energy sources, and how people are currently responding to climate change. Importantly, this lesson is motivating in showing students that they can make a difference.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: King's Centre for Visualization in Science

San Juan Bay Estuary

Puerto Rico's San Juan Bay Estuary faces multiple threats, including heavy use by urban populations and impacts of climate change. A workbook from the EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries program helped them catalog, prioritize, and address their climate risks.

Material Type: Case Study

Science for a Hungry World: Agriculture and Climate Change

This NASA video explores the relationship between climate and agriculture. The video discusses the variability of climate impacts in different regions, as well as the effects of population growth and higher demands for food in areas that already struggle to supply food for the people. The video highlights the need for accurate, continuous, and accessible data and computer models from NASA satellites to track and predict the challenges farmers face as they adjust to a changing climate.

Author: NASA

Sentinel-2 10-Meter Land Use/Land Cover: Exploring change in the new 2017–2021 time-series

The Sentinel-2 10m Land Use/Land Cover time-series is live on ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World! This map provides an annual assessment of yearly global land cover from 2017–2021, in 9 different land cover classes, at 10-meter resolution. The new time-series animates the natural and anthropogenic processes that continue to transform our planet's landscapes and resources, giving researchers, planners, and the GIS community the information they need to make critical future decisions.

Material Type: Data Set, Reading

Author: Craig McCabe

Shrinking Glaciers: A Chronology of Climate Change

This video features scientists in New Zealand's Southern Alps, examining samples from the rocky landscape once dominated by glaciers. Their research, combined with other climate records, has revealed a link between glacial retreat and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the air.

Author: American Museum of Natural History

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Prepares for Climate Change Impacts

From changes in traditional foods to concerns of displacement from rising seas, this coastal community in the Pacific Northwest is assessing potential impacts to make decisions for their future.

Material Type: Case Study

Systems For Survival: The Effects of Climate Change in Connecticut

This unit is designed to help 4th grade students foster an understanding of the effects climate change in Connecticut. Students will learn about specific species native to Connecticut, that depend on salt marshes, that are experiencing heavier precipitation and loss of habitat due to the changing climate. The unit focuses on these main questions: How is climate change and the greenhouse effect related? What is happening to the animals on our coastline? Why is there so much flooding occurring in my neighborhood? Students will explore and research species in Connecticut who’s survival has been negatively impacted by climate change, specifically the rise in sea level.

Material Type: Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

PEI SOLS HS: Regenerative Agriculture (Eastern Washington)

Students will be learning about the practices of regenerative agriculture and how regenerative agriculture is a solution to climate change. Embedded in the storyline are scientific concepts relating to carbon cycling and soil microbial activity. The storyline culminates with students creating an infographic that is intended for educating the community about regenerative agricultural practices. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Hattie Osborne, Pacific Education Institute

LCC Astronomy OER

This collection includes resources for teaching college-level introductory astronomy courses. The resources include interactive lecture slides, class activities, and projects. Topics include solar system astronomy, stellar astronomy, and galaxies and cosmology. Sample schedules are included for a sequence of three 10-week courses.This collection was created by Andrea Goering (goeringa@lanecc.edu) and Richard Wagner (wagnerr@lanecc.edu), instructors of physics and astronomy at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Development of these resources was funded through LCC's OER Initiative (https://inside.lanecc.edu/oer).

Material Type: Full Course

Authors: Andrea Goering, Richard Wagner

PEI SOLS HS Fire: Forest Management

The students will be introduced to a historical account of global climate change and the human events that may have impacted those changes. Fire has been used by humans throughout history to modify their environment, particularly forests, for human benefit. Over time, the management of forests has changed and the result is an increase in catastrophic wildfires. This storyline explores the use of fire as a forest management tool to improve the health of forests thereby decreasing the incidence of catastrophic fires and the role fire plays in climate change. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Hattie Osborne, Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS HS: Food Waste

Food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas. Wasted food and the resources to produce that food are responsible for approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this storyline, students learn about the resources required to produce food through following the carbon cycle and discover how food waste contributes to climate change. They will also learn the farm to table transport chain as well as how to conduct a food waste assessment. Finally, the students will research solutions to the problem of food waste and, as a final project, present one solution that they have thoroughly researched that can be applicable to their community. For CTE teachers, this storyline provides the basic knowledge needed to develop a deep understanding of WHY reducing food waste is an important solution to climate change. There are several potential extensions that Family Consumer Science teachers can utilize as well as Ag teachers and even Business teachers. There is a partial list at the end of the learning progressions. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Hattie Osborne, Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS HS Forests: Carbon Sequestration

The goal of the high school carbon sequestration in forests storyline is to build on the science of carbon sequestration from the middle school storyline. In this storyline, carbon sequestration refers to the removal of carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Carbon storage refers to the amount of carbon bound up in woody material above and below ground. High school students will develop an understanding of the variables and considerations that arise from managing forests for different purposes including carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services. 

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Hattie Osborne, Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS High School Renewable Energy: Solar

Solar energy in the form of light is available to organisms on Earth in abundance. Natural systems and other organisms have structures that function in ways to manage the interaction with and use of this energy. Using these natural examples, humans have (in the past) and continue to design and construct homes which manage solar energy in passive and active ways to reduce the need for energy from other sources. In this storyline, students will explore passive and active solar energy management through examples in the natural world. Students will use knowledge gained to design a building that maximizes the free and abundant energy gifts of the sun.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Author: Pacific Education Institute

PEI SOLS High School Coastal Hazards: Sea Level Rise

As the climate is changing, one of the many consequences is sea level rise, which is not a standalone factor, but is closely related to erosion and extreme weather/storm conditions. The majority of coastal houses, recreational parks, and other coastal buildings were built as sturdy but stagnant structures that do not adjust well to the changing elements. Coastal homes have been collapsing into the ocean and restaurants have been destroyed by storm waves. The economic damage has been accumulating. In this storyline, students will explore the reasons behind sea level rise looking at thermal expansion, glacial ice melt, and sea ice melt. Students will examine real scenarios of coastal damage in Washington state and evaluate current city and tribal resilience plans. Finally, students will evaluate the constraints of existing challenges and propose strategies for solving these challenges.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Authors: Pacific Education Institute, Washington OSPI OER Project