Climate Change Unit Opening

Open Ended

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

1. What is happening to the climate and why is it occuring?

2. What effects could a changing climate have on humans, other species, and the natural environment?

Discuss your answers as a group

Table groups

Everyone gets the opportunity to speak free from judgement and/or criticism.

Positive comments and serious questions only.

Be ready to share your group's response to one of the questions (your choice)-Pick a speaker

Video

Why is 1.5 degrees such a big deal?

Watch the video on the board, then respond to the prompt.

If absent, watch the video using this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FawSxPJsloQ

What do scientists think is causing the change in climate?

Article from Cornell University

Read the article and respond to the questions on your note sheets.

Article: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2021/10/more-999-studies-agree-humans-are-causing-climate-change

Multiple Choice

99.9% of the studies agreed that

• Climate change is not occuring

• Humans are causing climate change

• Natural factors are causing climate change

• None of these

So, scientists agree

What about the general population?

16% of adults don't think climate change is happening at all
30% of adults think it is happening, but not due to human activities
Almost 40% of adults think it is nothing to worry about

Who cares what people think?

How might lingering skepticism about climate change affect how we are able to respond to it?

What is the current trend?

View this New York Times Interactive

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/10/25/climate/world-climate-pledges-cop26.html

If it is behind a paywall, you can view these slides with screenshots from the interactive: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zeOMeuFiYwOKM7c9jbXRG35SXwvJmf1zQYTiuChQByw/edit?usp=sharing

Exit Ticket

Answer the question on the next slide.

Open Ended

What do you think that we, as citizens, can do to address skepticism about climate change? What do we need to know in order to do it?