This interactive resource provides four different climate conditions to explore: Arctic Sea Ice over time, predicted Sea Level Rise in four different coastal areas, Carbon Dioxide Concentrations over time, and Global Average Temperature over time.
Each option includes a time-series map using data that is updated regularly and a description of the data presented.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Students can see actual satellite images or maps with data showing how our planet has changed or how it could change in the future.
The animations are brief but engaging.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with reading global maps.
Access to the Internet is required to access the information.
Differentiation
This resource could be incorporated into a variety of lessons in history, geography, or social studies classes to discuss the varying effects of climate change in different parts of the world and how those effects have changed or affected humans through time.
Students could work in groups or individually to explore the various tools.
Science classes can use this resource to quickly show global changes in recent history and to help students visualize the impact of sea level rise on various coastlines.
Social studies classes could discuss how these changes are affecting communities around the world and what measures could be taken in cities and rural communities to respond.
Scientist Notes
This resource visualizes real-time data on the rate of melting sea ice near Greenland from satellite images. This is caused by climate change, resulting in sea level rise and inundating low-land and coastal areas. The resource connects students to the causal factors influencing the climate. It is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science and Engineering
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
4-ESS2-2 Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
Social Studies
Geography
Geography 1: Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world by communicating their findings by creating visual representations of the world, showing a basic understanding of the geographic grid, including the equator and prime meridian.
