TROP ICSU : Climate Change Education Across the Curriculum
Climate Change Education Across the Curriculum
A reading that shows that climate change can be a selective pressure in natural selection. It explains how the selection of a character that provides an adaptive advantage in a changed environment, leads to the ‘evolutionary rescue’ of a species.
A video that shows that climate change can be a selective pressure in natural selection that can lead to the ‘evolutionary rescue’ of a species.
A classroom/laboratory activity that shows how to measure the rate of photosynthesis and its changes under different conditions including high concentrations of carbon dioxide, a potential contributor to climate change.
A classroom/laboratory activity to examine and analyze squirrel species distribution and habitat data (from the USA) over time, and to interpret the possible relationship between climate change and changes in biodiversity.
A classroom/laboratory activity to analyze the distribution of beetle, mammal, and plant species (for datasets from North America) in the past (based on fossil records), determine whether the same species exist today, and compare the past and present geographic ranges and ecosystems of these species.
A classroom/laboratory activity to explore the possible role of climate-related environmental factors in the timing of leaf-out in plants (specifically, red maple leaf-out in New England).
A set of resources to understand the link between periodic life-cycle events in plants and animals (such as flowering, leaf-out, and migration), and climate change.
A reading that introduces the topic of phenology, its significance, and the link between plant phenology and climate.
A video that explains the impact of climate change on the habitat and population of a species (specifically, the American Pika) and explores whether this species could be used as an indicator of climate change.
| A model/simulator to explore the Gaia hypothesis and the concepts of albedo and hysteresis through the example of daisies (living organisms) and their interaction with temperature (climatic factor). |
A teaching module to learn about the impacts of climate change on human health, and to discuss climate adaptation and mitigation measures that would reduce these health-related risks.
This short audio podcast discusses shifts in bird migration patterns due to climate change. It discusses bird species native to Wisconsin and changes in their migratory patterns.
An article from National Geographic about how climate change may pose a risk of extinction to more than half of North American birds (also includes visuals of the data from National Audubon Society for some bird species).