Loading StandardsIn this lesson, students examine the issue of global warming. First they identify some of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming -- in particular, carbon dioxide -- and the role humans play in their production. Then students record their activities for an entire twenty-four-hour period. Finally, in the second part of the lesson, students analyze their list of activities and calculate how much carbon dioxide all the machines they use produce in one day.
1. Write the following questions on the board, or create a worksheet of the questions for students to complete. Tell students that these are the questions they will need to answer after they watch the video Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect.
2. Show the video Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect. You may need to show it several times in order for students to get all of the information they need. Have students jot down the answers to the questions.
Teaching Tip: If time is short, divide the class into groups and assign each group one question to answer. Then have groups share their answers with the class.
3. As a class, discuss the answers to the questions above.
4. Assign the following activity for homework: Ask students to keep track of all of their daily activities for one twenty-four-hour period, that is, from the time they wake up tomorrow morning until the time they wake up the following day. They should include how much time they spent on each activity or distance traveled. Have them bring this list to class.
Teaching Tip: You may wish to brainstorm a list of likely activities with students before assigning the homework (for example, used a blow dryer - ten minutes; showered - 15 minutes; made toast - two minutes; drove a car three miles to school; walked three blocks to school; watched television - 3 hours ...). In this way, students will know what kinds of items to list and can get a head start on the assignment.
5. Ask students to share their list of daily activities with each other. Then ask them which activities use electricity or fossil fuels. Have them place a check mark next to all of the activities that use energy.
6. Review the relationship between energy usage and the production of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas. Ask students if they think their activities produced a lot of carbon dioxide. Tell them that they are going to try and figure out exactly how much carbon dioxide they used to run appliances and machinery in one day.
7. Show the video Snapshot of US Energy Use. This video has some important statistics that students will need in order to perform their calculations. (Students may need to view this video more than once to get all of the information.) Some important numbers to jot down include the following:
8. Using the information from the video and the Web activity, Your Carbon Diet, have students calculate how much carbon dioxide their daily activities produce. The activity provides additional energy consumption information for other appliances and modes of transportation.
Teaching Tip: If your classroom doesn't have Internet access, you will need to either schedule time in your school's computer lab or visit the Web site yourself and prepare a one-page summary of the energy usage numbers for your students.
9. After students complete this part of the activity, have them share their results with the class. Discuss what surprised them about their "carbon diet."
10. Add up the total amount of carbon dioxide produced by the class. Discuss the results.
11. If time permits, determine how much carbon dioxide the entire school produces in one day, based on the class data. Discuss the results.
12. As a final assignment, let students choose one of the following:
It is very important that students feel they can make a positive contribution to the environment. Following this activity, students can research alternative energy sources that do not contribute to global warming.
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