Muddiest point When students first arrive and I am handing back quiz answer sheets, student write down the one or two concepts from the chapter homework reading that they found most confusing. While they take the TEAM quiz, I read over those and make sure I cover these concepts when we review the quiz questions. Sometimes I write specific comments on the pages and hand them back (just a few per class) to give the student a personal response.

Guiding Q Point out that the guiding questions will help the student as he or she reads through the chapter and are meant to be answered! This helps the student focus in on the important environmental science topics within the chapter.

Reading readiness quiz Individual quiz – questions are shown on a PP slide, one at a time and the class is given about 1 minute per question to record an answer on their answer sheet. I step back through each question once at the end and then take up the answer sheets. Students with accommodations for test taking have the option of starting earlier and having their own hard copy of the quiz but they still record their answers on the answer sheet and join their TEAM for the team quiz.

1. Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees? This means that temperatures are increasing all around the globe, not just in a few areas. Weather changes of a few degrees rarely happen so it is not something we worry about. Even a slight increase in average global temperatures means we should have more weather extremes that can cause problems. Climate has never changed in the past so if it is changing now by even just a few degrees we know something is wrong.

2. How are ice cores used in climate science? They are used to cool areas that are warming too quickly. Excess CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere can be stored there. Scientists set out ice cores and monitor how quickly they melt to get an estimate of the effects of climate change. Bubbles trapped in the ice reveal clues about the atmosphere at the time each bubble formed.

3. What is the evidence in the North Woods of Minnesota that suggest climate is changing? The range of some trees is moving northward. Deer have left the area. Fewer fires are occurring in what is naturally a fire adapted ecosystem. Prairie has replaced the forest along its northern edge.

4. Global warming is expected to cause sea level to rise due to erosion of coastlines the thawing of the permafrost the increased flow rate of rivers that will take more water to the oceans of the world melting glacier and land-based ice and the thermal expansion of water as it warms

5. One of the paths we must follow to address global warming is called mitigation. This is referring to: Things that we can do to lessen the potential for future warming International agreements to provide money to help poorer nations cope with the change Taking steps to adjust to the warming that we have already experienced Making preparations to deal with inevitable warming that will come

Team quiz Students circle up and form their TEAMs and retake the quiz. They agree on one answer per question after discussion and record that on a TEAM answer sheet. When a TEAM is finished, they hold up their answer sheet and quiz and I come around and pick it up. Once I have all the answer sheets, we go over the questions, one at a time. TEAMS have one set of colored index cards labeled A,B,C and D. I read the stem of the 1st question and on the count of 1,2,3…, one member of each TEAM holds up the colored card that corresponds to their answer at the same time. We can all see at a glance if everyone agrees on the answer. If it is correct we discuss it briefly. If all were wrong, I’d ask questions to uncover why they all chose the wrong question. Usually, all are correct or there are 2 answers shown. I’ll ask one of the TEAMS who chose the less popular answer minority answer to explain their choice. I try to find something positive to say --- perhaps their logic is good but their premise is wrong, or perhaps they have stumbled on a common misconception. I let members of the other TEAMS explain their answer as well and eventually reveal who is correct. After we have a correct answer I show a PP slide with the appropriate Infographic(s) from the chapter and elaborate a bit – point out key concepts or misconceptions – this constitutes the “lecture”. This is an important part for those students who need more structure to class but it doesn’t take long and is not a formal lecture. I encourage them to take notes in their book or notebook on the points I make here. We then move on to the next question. The individual and TEAM quiz and discussion takes about 30-45 minutes (longer if more instruction is given).

1. Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees? This means that temperatures are increasing all around the globe, not just in a few areas. Weather changes of a few degrees rarely happen so it is not something we worry about. Even a slight increase in average global temperatures means we should have more weather extremes that can cause problems. Climate has never changed in the past so if it is changing now by even just a few degrees we know something is wrong.

Global Warming – how it happens

2. How are ice cores used in climate science? They are used to cool areas that are warming too quickly. Excess CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere can be stored there. Scientists set out ice cores and monitor how quickly they melt to get an estimate of the effects of climate change. Bubbles trapped in the ice reveal clues about the atmosphere at the time each bubble formed.

Climate Change Connection (Krulwich)

Is Global Warming True?

3. What is the evidence in the North Woods of Minnesota that suggest climate is changing? The range of some trees is moving northward. Deer have left the area. Fewer fires are occurring in what is naturally a fire adapted ecosystem. Prairie has replaced the forest along its northern edge.

WHAT EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT CLIMATE IS ACTUALLY CHANGING?

Climate change effects – Sea Ice

Albedo is another factor that influences climate by influencing how much solar radiation is reflected away and how much remains behind. Some of our actions and some of the changes we are experiencing will aggravate warming.

Positive feedback loops can speed warming.

4. Global warming is expected to cause sea level to rise due to erosion of coastlines the thawing of the permafrost the increased flow rate of rivers that will take more water to the oceans of the world melting glacier and land-based ice and the thermal expansion of water as it warms

Climate change effects -- hurricanes

5. One of the paths we must follow to address global warming is called mitigation. This is referring to: Things that we can do to lessen the potential for future warming International agreements to provide money to help poorer nations cope with the change Taking steps to adjust to the warming that we have already experienced Making preparations to deal with inevitable warming that will come

How it All Ends

This unfortunately has become a political issue rather than just a scientific one and that muddies the waters when we are trying to figure out what to do – reduce your own footprint but stay educated on the issue and urge your leaders to do what you think is needed.