This Tinkercast resource includes a "Wow in the World" podcast episode explaining the greenhouse effect, past instances of climate change, and how to keep the Earth from getting too hot.
The resource also has other related materials, such as student worksheets, a create-your-own experiment and design challenge activity, and a guided compost experiment.
The podcast episode ends with a hopeful picture of the future, calling students to action to become climate heroes.
Students will love the humor and the use of time travel to explain past instances of naturally occurring climate change.
Prerequisites
Teachers will need a glass jar, soil, and organic materials for the guided experiment. Teachers may want enough of these materials for each student to have their own compost jar.
Differentiation & Implementation
After listening to the podcast episode, teachers can ask students to list the ways they can help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Teachers can listen for students to bring up composting and highlight this solution to transition into the guided experiment.
Before collecting food waste for their compost jars, students can use this game to test their knowledge about what they can and cannot compost.
Teachers may want to print out the worksheets for young students so they have a physical copy to work with.
Some students may benefit from a visual demonstration of the greenhouse effect. Teachers can use this activity to model the greenhouse effect.