Climate change webquest 1 PDF

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Name _______________________

Date: _____________

Climate Change WebQuest (**Not Sponsored by NASA) Learning Goals: √ √ √

I can describe the major contributing factors of climate change. I can use appropriate terminology related to climate change. I can identify and describe indicators of global climate change.

Part 1: To begin this computer activity, go to NASA’s ‘Striking a Solar Balance’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTUJI-O6VvY Answer the following questions: 1. What percent of the sun’s rays are absorbed by the earth?

2. What percent is reflected back out into space?

3. What two things must be in balance for temperatures to remain constant on earth?

4. What do greenhouse gases do?

5. What is TIM? Why is this research important?

Part 2: Read the following NASA article and fill in the blanks: https://climate.nasa.gov/resources/global-warming-vs-climate-change/ 1. Weather refers to ________________ conditions___________ that occur locally over ______________________ of time- from minutes to hours to days. Familiar examples of weather are: 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 2. Climate refers to ______________________ regional or even global _________________________________, humidity and rainfall patterns over _____________________, ______________________ or ________________. 3. Global warming is the long-term _________________ of Earth’s _______________ _______________ observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to _____________________________, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heattrapping _____________________________ levels in Earth’s atmosphere.

4. Global warming is most commonly measured as the ________________________ in Earth’s global surface _________________________.

5. Since the pre-industrial period, ____________ activities are estimated to have increased Earth’s global average temperature by about _______________________. 6. Climate change is a _______________________ change in the _______________ weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. 7. Scientists use observations from the_______________, _____________ and ______________, along with theoretical models, to monitor and study past, present and future climate change. 8. Climate _____________________ provide evidence of climate change key indicators, such as __________________________ and ____________________ temperature increases; rising ___________________; ice _______________ at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers; frequency and severity changes in extreme weather such as ____________________, heatwaves, wildfires, ______________, floods and _____________________; and cloud and vegetation cover changes.

Classify the scenarios below based on the following chart: Weather

Climate

A) Yesterday, Toronto’s temperature was 14°C. B) Deserts are very dry because they receive very little rainfall on average. C) In the 1960s and 1970s, Toronto received much more snow than it currently does. D) Living near a mountain range can affect how much rainfall an area receives. E) I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow; I have soccer practice. F) If we don’t wear sunscreen in the summer, we could get a sunburn… It’s so hot and sunny! G) To find out how warm it’s going to be, I check the weather App on my phone. H) Chicago’s nickname, “The Windy City” is well earned as it is generally very windy there. I) When it rained last Saturday, it really put me in a bad mood. J) “I swear it is always raining in London! I’ve lived here for 30 years and I wear my wellies every day!” K) L.A. winter is like a Toronto summer. L) “It was raining last night, and this morning the rain froze into ice and I slipped fell on my way to school!” Check for understanding: • (partner check first) Part 3. Earth’s temperature and how we measure it found at can be found at http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a010500/a010530/index.html, learn what global temperatures have changed.

List 3 tools NASA uses to identify climate changes: 1. 2. 3.

Part 4: There are a variety of definitions posted around the classroom. Your task is to find the definition for climate zone and answer the following questions. Define “Climate Zone”. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Below is a figure from your textbook depicting climate zones around the world.

What trend do you see in around the Equator? The Arctic Circles? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What climate zone(s) is Canada in? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Name two countries in the same climate zone. 1. 2. Part 5: The climate change machine uses ‘flash’ to show how certain parameters have changed. Use the following link to fill in the blanks: http://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/climate-time-machine/ What does a climate indicator mean? __________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

What are 4 of Earth’s key climate change indicators? 4. 5. 6. 7. Sea Ice What does ‘perennial’ ice cover mean? ________________________________________________________________________ How has the ‘perennial’ arctic sea ice changed since the 1980’s? How do they know? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

What does less sea ice formation in the Arctic mean for sea levels globally? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Sea Level Play the simulation. What do the red parts represent?

________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What areas are most effected by the rising sea level? 1 meter: 3 meters: 6 meters:

For the sea level rise, is this what has happened, or what MIGHT happen? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What would happen to the east coast and gulf coast if Greenland melts? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Pause the simulation. Keep the internet tab open. Open a new tab and watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=46&v=msnOHuPep9I Answer the questions below about the video: 1. What does water do when it is heated?

2. What % of heat is being trapped by the earth?

3. What are two reasons why sea levels are rising?

4. How many people in the United States live 1-4 feet from the shore? 5. What does rising sea levels mean for their homes?

6. How does rising sea levels impact the fresh water we drink?

Once you have answered the questions about this video, return to the Climate Time Machine (Part 4). Carbon Dioxide What do the yellow-to-red regions indicate? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

What do blue-to-green regions indicate? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Over time, what changes do you observe in the global concentration of CO2? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Average Global Temperature What colour indicates hotter than average temperatures? ________________________________________________________________________ What colour indicates colder than average temperatures? ________________________________________________________________________

What colour indicates average temperatures? ________________________________________________________________________

Estimate the value of the temperatures for Canada for these years: 1900_______ 1907 _______ 1924 _______ 1935 _______ 1970 _______ 1991 _______ 2005 _______ Using the slider, identify the areas of the planet that have had the greatest increase in temperature for the past 20 years: ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ From your own understandings, why might this area show the greatest change? ________________________________________________________________________________

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Check for understanding: • (partner check first)

Part 6: There are a variety of definitions posted around the classroom. Your task is to find the definition for ‘Natural climate change’ and ‘anthropogenic’ and answer the following questions. 1. Define natural climate change ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

2. Define anthropogenic ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

The following graph depicts long-term temperature estimates for the past 400 000 years.

1. Describe the graph. What is the data demonstrating? ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ What factors might be contributing to the natural heating and cooling of the planet? List the factors and describe how they influence the Earth’s climate. There are posters around the science hallway that can help you answer this question. (6 factors)

What does “anthropogenic climate change” mean? ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Watch the following video and answer the questions below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=63&v=sKDWW9WlPSc

1. According to the graph, what is causing global warming? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. From your own knowledge, what might be causing this change? ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Part 7: There are a variety of definitions posted around the classroom. Your task is to find the definition for ‘bioclimate profile’ and answer the following questions.

1. Define bioclimate profile: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Follow the link to examine the projected temperature increase of the Earth (graph): https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperatureprojections -

You can interact with the graph, zooming in and out

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You can zoom out to examine the recorded temperatures in human history, and compare the recorded temperature with 3 similar temperature projections

2. Based on the graph, what is the highest projected temperature? What year will this temperature increase occur? ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 3. Scroll to find 2019. What is the estimated temperature increase? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 4. What does the temperature increase in 2019 mean for us? Use the following NASA article to support your point. https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2458/why-a-half-degree-temperature-rise-isa-big-deal/

Check for understanding: • (partner check first)

Part 10: Calculate your Ecological Footprint according to the estimate by the Global Footprint Network! Use this link to begin: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/. 1. To start, click on “Take the First Step”

2. Log in with an email. 3. Answer the questions, and answer the “add details to improve accuracy” section. 4. If you are unsure of an answer, estimate to the best of your abilities. For the question about locally grown food, if you don’t know, estimate 60% (this is the estimate made by the government of Ontario on the % of locally grown food available in grocery stores). After completing the quiz, answer the following questions: How many earths would you need to sustain your lifestyle? (draw!)

What is an overshoot day? _______________________________________________________________ When is your overshoot day? _____________________________________________________________ List 3 things that you think you can do to decrease your ecological footprint, according to the Global Footprint Network: 1. ___________________________________ 2. ___________________________________ 3. ___________________________________ Check for understanding: •

Quiz Review: List all of the key terms from this WebQuest in the space below. Define each term.

Now, compare the list you generated with a partner. Note any differences in your lists. Fill in any terms you may have missed in the space below. Use these definitions to review for the quiz!! Quiz:...