This unit consists of five activities, all of which focus on the response of plant life-cycle events to climate change. Students participate in discussions, field observations, data collection and analyses, plant identification, seed dispersal... (View More) comparisons, and graphing and analyses of plant phenology (timing of life-cycle events). Project BudBurst, a citizen science project which studies the impact of climate change on phenology, is integrated into this unit. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)

This unit consists of four activities. Students begin by examining temperature cycles (current, recent and historical) then add in factors such as carbon dioxide, precipitation and cloud cover to discover regional and global differences in the... (View More) effects of climate change. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)

This unit consists of two parts, each with several activities which require students to participate in investigations, discussions, computer data analysis, role-playing, and research. In Part 1, students examine the roles of Earth's energy balance... (View More) and the greenhouse effect in creating and affecting climate. Part 2 focuses on the biosphere as a system. Students examine the interactions of organisms, the effects of climate change on food webs, and the importance to humans of a healthy, intact ecosystem. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)

Using the 5E instructional model, students discover the value of using color maps to visualize data. The activity requires students to create a color map of the ozone hole from Dobson data values derived from the Aura satellite. Students then... (View More) interpret that map and compare and evaluate different color scales. Note that this is the Spanish version of Exploring Color Maps: Using Stratospheric Ozone Data. (View Less)

Through the use of the 5E instructional model, students discover the value of using color maps to visualize data. The activity requires students to create a color map of the ozone hole from Dobson data values derived from the Aura satellite.... (View More) Students then interpret that map and compare and evaluate different color scales. (View Less)

Unit two of the "Carbon Connections: The Carbon Cycle and the Science of Climate" curriculum examines the role of carbon and the carbon cycle in current climate. Students discover how carbon in Earth's system is monitored and also investigate the... (View More) roles of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and humans in the carbon cycle and climate. The unit contains five lessons entitled: Moving Carbon, Exploring Limits, The Breathing Biosphere, Carbon Cycling, and Earth Takes a Breath. Each of the five lessons includes focus questions, hands-on activities, virtual field trips, and interactive models. (View Less)

Unit one of the "Carbon Connections: The Carbon Cycle and the Science of Climate" curriculum introduces the role of carbon (as carbon dioxide) as an atmospheric indicator. Students examine the impact of geologic and climatic history on current... (View More) climate by using computer models, measurements and the geologic record of past climate indicators. The unit contains five lessons entitled: Carbon Fizz, Carbon from the Past, Carbon Forcing, Global Connections, and Core Connections. Each of the five lessons includes focus questions, hands-on activities, virtual field trips, and interactive models. (View Less)

Unit three of the "Carbon Connections: The Carbon Cycle and the Science of Climate" curriculum examines the role of carbon and the carbon cycle in future climate. Students discover how scientists determine Earth's average temperature and the role of... (View More) climate models in understanding the size of some forcings on temperature. Students are challenged to reduce their electrical energy usage and to critically evaluate claims about carbon and climate. The unit contains five lessons entitled: Your Temperature Connections, Testing Forcings, Future Forcings, It Starts at Home, and Climate Claims. Each of the five lessons includes focus questions, hands-on activities, virtual field trips, and interactive models. (View Less)