In this media literacy activity, students will read two articles about geoengineering and decipher the messaging and intention behind each article.
Students will learn that geoengineering projects could help to reduce global warming; however, geoengineering techniques come with several environmental, political, and societal risks.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The lesson plan provides discussion questions for social studies, science, English language arts, and media literacy classes.
The lesson plan and student handout can be downloaded and used offline.
Additional Prerequisites
Teachers should review the How to Use Materials section associated with this activity.
Teachers need to create a free Project Look Sharp account to access the materials.
Differentiation
Economics classes could analyze the economic impact of geoengineering.
After reading and discussing the articles, the class could debate geoengineering as a solution for stopping or slowing climate change.
Science classes could research recent newspaper articles on geoengineering to compare the points raised.
Scientist Notes
This resource will deepen students' knowledge of the underlying social, political, and environmental impact of using geoengineering technologies to solve complex climate issues in the Earth-atmospheric-ocean systems. The resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science and Engineering
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
HS-ESS2-4 Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth’s systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
Social Studies
Geography
Geography 2 (F2): Students understand geographic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities, by summarizing and interpreting the relationship between geographic features and cultures of Maine Native Americans, and historical and recent immigrant groups in Maine, the United States, and the world.
Personal Finance & Economics
Global Connections (F2): Students understand economic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities, by analyzing how resource distribution effects wealth, poverty, and other economic factors.
