1. State of the Earth

2. Visit: http://video. nationalgeographic
Choose “Final report: State of the Earth” video to watch (which should begin to play right away)

3. Evidence of a Changing Climate
Scientists believe that the earth’s climate is changing and this change is being caused by human activity
Most changes that are occurring have not happened for thousands of years
For example: ice that has been frozen on earth for thousands of years is now melting
Changes like this are symptoms of global changes in the Earth’s climate
Scientists analyze and measure these symptoms of climate change

4. Rising Temperatures
One of the main ways scientists can tell that the climate is changing is by studying past temperature records
These historic records show that the averages temperature goes up and down from year to year but also shows long term trends
The long term trends shows increases in the overall global temperature with some areas increasing more rapidly than others

5. Melting Glaciers, Ice sheets and Sea ice
As global temperatures rise, the average size of glacier ice decreases
Nearly half the people around the world depend on glacier ice melting to supply their freshwater
If these melt, serious freshwater shortages could occur around the world

7. Ice sheets
Ice sheets covering Greenland and Antarctica are also melting
Compared with 15 years ago, twice as much of Greenland’s surface ice is melting
In Antarctica, snow is melting much further inland and at higher altitudes then previous recorded

8. Greenland Ice Sheet

9. Sea ice Arctic sea ice is also disappearing
More and more sea ice is melting during the summer
Scientists estimate that the Arctic could be entirely ice-free in the summer within a few years

10. Sea Ice Melting

11. Rising Sea Levels
Global sea levels has risen significantly over the past 120 years
Since 1993, the sea level has been rising almost twice as fast in the past 30 years
Small increases in sea level can result in floods in low-lying countries

12. Causes of Rising Sea levels
When glaciers and ice sheets melt, the water runs into the oceans
If the Greenland Ice sheet melted completely the global sea level would raise 7 m
Another cause of rising sea levels is due to thermal expansion
Thermal expansion is when the volume of water increases slightly when the temperature rises

13. Other signs of Climate Change
Choose one of the following topics to research
Changes in Severe Weather
Changes in Precipitation Patterns
Changes in Seasons
Changes in Ecosystems

14. Research Questions http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/Impacts/
For your chosen topic, identify past and present conditions
Predict what will occur if these trends continue
Use the following websites for research:

15. Research Presentation
Summarize your findings in an clear, precise paragraph.
INCLUDE references!!!!

16. Summary
Most of the changes that we are currently seeing in the climate system have not happened for thousands of years
Earth’s average temperature has been rising steadily for the past 50 years and overall for the past 100 years
The extent of Earth’s glaciers, sea ice, and ice sheets has decreased over the past few decades
The rate of sea level rise is increasing
Temperature and precipitation patterns are changing as well as the distribution of many plant and animal species

17. http://video. nationalgeographic