Climate Change Education Across the Curricula, Across the Globe

Climate Change Education Across the Curricula

Tag: Climate Variability Record

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Polynomial Differentiation Using Temperature Data

Posted by on in Mathematics and Statistics

A classroom/ laboratory activity titled, ‘Global Average Temperature’ from Sustainability Math by Thomas J. Pfaff, Ithaca College, USA, to teach derivatives and polynomial differentiation using global average temperature data. This classroom/laboratory activity uses NASA’s data of  global annual mean surface air temperature from 1950 to 2018. 

This data is provided in an Excel spreadsheet in the activity. It also includes a Word document with detailed instructions.  It further includes questions that you may wish to use in your classroom to explain mathematical functions and methods and to initiate a discussion on the increase in global annual mean surface temperature due to anthropogenically forced global warming.

Students will learn about derivatives and differentiation. They will also understand function composition and tangent line problems. They will further learn how to apply polynomial differentiation to predict changes in global average temperatures from a given dataset.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What are derivatives and tangent line equations?
  2. Using an example, describe polynomial differentiation.
  3. What is the rate of change of global average temperatures?
  4. Predict the global average temperatures for 2030, 2050, and 2100.

About the Tool

Tool NameGlobal Average Temperature
DisciplineMathematic and Statistics 
Topic(s) in DisciplineDerivatives, Tangent Lines, Differentiation, Differentiation Rules, Function Composition, Polynomial Differentiation
Climate TopicClimate and the Atmosphere, Climate Variability Record
Type of toolClassroom/Laboratory Activity
Grade LevelHigh School, Undergraduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byThomas J. Pfaff
Hosted atSustainability Math 
Linkhttp://sustainabilitymath.org/calculus-materials/
AccessOnline, Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Teaching Polynomial Differentiation with Arctic Sea Ice Data

Posted by on in Mathematics and Statistics

A classroom/ laboratory activity titled, ‘Arctic Sea Ice’ from Sustainability Math by Thomas J. Pfaff, Ithaca College, USA, to teach introductory derivatives, polynomial differentiation, and the application of derivatives. This hands-on computer-based classroom activity consists of datasets of Arctic Ice Data (1980-2017). 

This classroom activity includes three datasets of the extent of Arctic Sea Ice linked from NSIDC’s observations from 1980 to 2017. This data is provided in an Excel spreadsheet. The classroom activity also includes a Word document that contains directions on how to use different mathematical methods on the data provided.

Students will be able to apply their understanding of sixth degree polynomial differentiation, maxima/minima values, finding roots and inflection points through the use of datasets from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). They will further be able to initiate a discussion on the decrease in extent of Arctic Sea Ice due to the Ice Albedo Feedback and anthropogenically forced Global Warming through the links provided in the tool.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. Using an example, describe polynomial differentiation.
  2. Has the speed of melting of Arctic Sea Ice changed from 1980- 2017?
  3. Discuss the Ice Albedo Feedback and Global Warming to explain the differences in rates of melting of and extent of Arctic Sea Ice over the past four decades.

About the Tool

Tool NameArctic Sea Ice
DisciplineMathematic and Statistics 
Topic(s) in DisciplineDerivatives, Polynomial Differentiation, Function Graph, Extrema, Concavity, Roots, Inflection Points, Albedo Feedback, Global Warming
Climate TopicClimate and the Cryosphere; Climate Variability Record
Type of toolClassroom/Laboratory Activity
Grade LevelHigh School, Undergraduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byThomas J. Pfaff
Hosted atSustainability Math 
Linkhttp://sustainabilitymath.org/calculus-materials/
AccessOnline, Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Using Isotopes to Measure Temperatures

Posted by on in Earth Sciences

A classroom/ laboratory activity titled, ‘From Isotopes to Temperature: Working With A Temperature Equation’ from Starting Point by Dorien McGee, University of South Florida, USA, that uses oxygen isotopic data from corals and sea water as a proxy for determining ocean temperatures.

This activity includes isotope and ocean temperature data in an Excel spreadsheet and a PowerPoint Presentation with detailed instructions and equations. It further includes questions that you may wish to use in your classroom to introduce different oxygen isotopes, methods of data collection and how isotopic data can be used to reconstruct average ocean temperatures.

Students will learn basic concepts in both Chemistry and Earth Sciences related to isotopes, isotopic ratios, and the temperature equation. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. Define ‘isotopes’.
  2. What can the ratio of oxygen isotopes found in corals tell us about the ocean temperature on a geological timescale?
  3. What does the correlation coefficient between oxygen isotopes and current ocean temperature tell us about the efficiency of using corals for statistical analysis?

About the Tool

Tool NameFrom Isotopes to Temperature: Working With A Temperature Equation
DisciplineChemistry, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineIsotopes, Oxygen Isotopes, SMOW, Isotopic Ratios, δ18O, Correlation, Regression, Oceanography, Paleontology, Marine Geology
Climate TopicClimate and the Hydrosphere, Climate Variability Record
Type of toolClassroom/Laboratory Activity
Grade LevelUndergraduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byDorien McGee, University of South Florida, USA
Hosted atStarting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience
LinkLink
AccessOnline, Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video Micro-lecture: Climate Change and Human Evolution

Posted by on in Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences

A video lecture by Raghu Murtugudde​, University of Maryland, on the impacts of climate change on human evolution and early civilizations. This video lecture is part 1 of a 3-part lecture series titled ‘Climate Change on Historic Timescales’ of a MOOC. This  MOOC is titled ‘Climate Change’ and has been developed by the National Resource Centre on Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India.

Students will learn how climate change possibly impacted speciation, bipedalism, evolution of brain size, cultural evolution and the appearance and disappearance of certain ancient civilizations. They will also learn about the impact of various glacial and interglacial periods, East-African aridification, and changes in sea surface temperature and rainfall on human evolution and history during the Pleistocene. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. How has climate change potentially impacted our evolution from apes to Homo sapiens?
  2. Explain the relationship between plate tectonics, El Nino patterns and human evolution.
  3. Discuss examples of species extinction by early human in Africa and Australia. 

About the Tool

Tool NameW04 C03 P05 L01 Climate Change on Historical Timescales Lecture 01
DisciplineBiological Sciences, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineHuman Evolution, Anthropology, Human History, Early Civilizations, Bipedalism,  East-African Aridification
Climate TopicClimate and the Anthroposphere, Climate and Biosphere, Climate Variability Record
Type of toolVideo (42 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byNational Resource Centre (NRC) on Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
Hosted atIISER Pune Channel on YouTube
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Data Visualization of GHG Emissions

Posted by on in Environmental Sciences, General

CAIT Climate Data Explorer by World Resources Institute (WRI) showcases the world’s top greenhouse gas-emitting countries with the latest global data available till the year 2013. This interactive chart can be used to explore it by country and by economic sector, showing how the top emitters have changed in recent years.

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Tool Name World’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions
DisciplineEnvironmental Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineGreenhouse gas emissions
Climate TopicClimate variability record, The Greenhouse Effect
Type of ToolData Visualization
Grade LevelHigh school, Undergraduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation 
Developed byGraphic by Johannes Friedrich based on work by Duncan Clark, Kiln, Mike Bostock and Jason Davies, Jamie Cotta.
Data by the World Resources Institute (WRI)
Hosted atCAIT Climate Data Explorer
Link https://www.wri.org/blog/2017/04/interactive-chart-explains-worlds-top-10-emitters-and-how-theyve-changed
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic