I chose a lesson plan about global warming because it is an
extremely important topic that more often than not is completely misunderstood.
Many students and adults alike, think global warming data is exaggerated and skewed,
and researching the subject is just another thing the government throws money
at. Unfortunately, the fact of the
matter is global warming is a serious problem; the increase of temperatures and
green house gasses is increasing exponentially every day. It is important to
educate students about the overall affects of global warming and the steps we
can take to slow the process.
Although
this lesson was not in complete alignment with Strand F: Climate and Weather,
the topic was pertinent because it encompasses earth’s weather and climate
systems, as well as complex interactions between land, ocean, ice, and
atmosphere. Students use technology like the online” E-Sheet” to explore the
different methods scientists use to collect data, i.e. satellite observation,
instrumental records, historical records, and proxy data. I ask my students to
do 2 online research assignments for homework that will also help aid in their
understanding of the lesson, as well as an essay where students will exemplify
their knowledge of the content; this will be used as my form of assessment.
Internet
technology is specifically important for this lesson, because students are
required to research during many of its components. As you can see from the
Google Spreadsheet, I also added a the use of PowerPoint presentation because
it helps keep the subject matter organized and concise - this is especially
important in the sciences, where an abundance of data and facts can be simply
overwhelming. The online E-Sheet is also very important for this lesson plan,
because it give the students the background knowledge before we go into more
complex details.
Google Spreadsheet Link: "Abrupt Climate Change" Grades 9-12 Earth Science
Kaitlin,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great concept to find a lesson plan about. I do not know very much about global warming but it is good that there are lessons out there that take the topic's ideas and research, and applies technology to it. I would have never thought about using satellite observation and proxy data within a classroom setting, probably because it is so outside the box. One would think that we would only use those tools in the real world within out careers. But it is good to integrate it sooner in students lives because it incorporates the very important idea of meaningful information that students can relate to their lives. Nice lesson plan!
Kevin, yes isn't it amazing that we can now access satelite and proxy data in science classrooms today. It is important for students to be exposed to the raw data early so they can fully learn to interperate and understand it by the time they reach college and higher education. Although my plan is geared toward high schools students, beause the information is so accessable via websites and online forums you can easily modify this topic and gear it toward a younger audience. LIke you said it is a great topic because its current and organic. Students can make connections to it and absolutely relate globbal warming to their everyday lives.
DeleteGreat plan, Kaitlin! It is unfortunate that there aren't any standards that steer kids towards holding specific understandings about the state of affairs with global warming and the debates surrounding it. I love how the lesson plan ties in the standards under the umbrella of the global warming theme - it'd be interesting to see how this could be set up alongside history and English classes, this is a great topic for a cross-curricular approach!
ReplyDeleteWhile it is unfortunate that our standards don't steer our students to take a particular stand on such a controversial topic, I believe it is our job as teachers to help our students arrive at their own opinions -especially when covering topics as controversial as Global warming. Although the scientific consensus is that global warming is in fact a real problem, there are still some skeptics that linger and try to manipulate data for their own personal purposes (usually money motivated).
DeleteLike you, I would also be very interested in teaming up with colleagues from other departments and creating a cross curricular lesson. Global warming and its effects evoke so much emotion out of people and beautiful literature and artwork has been born out of the topic.