Clarkson University and NYSERDA Present:
Project-Based Global Climate Change Education
Curriculum Workshop
http://www.clarkson.edu/highschool/Climate_Change_Education/index.html
Learn New Project-Based Units for your Classroom Using NASA Climate Data
2011 One-week Summer Workshop
Monday – Friday: August 8-12
Clarkson University, Potsdam NY
Workshop Objectives:
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Increase teachers’ climate change literacy
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Improve teachers’ skills at locating, accessing, and using NASA (and other federal agency) resources related
to earth science and climate change.
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Learn new hands-on activities and project/inquiry based learning experiences for teachers to use in their
middle or high school classrooms.
Specific Learning Objectives:
At the end of the workshop, teacher participants will be able to:
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Describe the primary components of the earth’s energy balance and identify phenomena that are impacted
by human activities;
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Identify the cause of our current climate change, including the various positive and negative feedback
mechanisms;
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Download data or graphics from suitable databases (including NASA resources) and use the information to
answer a specific inquiry or hypothesis regarding changes in the earth’s historical and predicted function
due to climate change;
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Understand the role, value and technologies associated with NASA’s earth observation missions that enable
monitoring, analysis and prediction of climate changes; and,
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Learn and implement a project-based unit(s) on climate change for their own classrooms using materials
from the institute and NASA resources.
Basic concepts included:
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Basic climate science (radiation/energy budget, greenhouse effect
Extent of climate changes to date (climate indicators – NYS and global)
Climate data acquisition – methods, uncertainties
Sources and quantities of GHG emissions (personal/global)
Predicted future changes in our climate
o emission scenarios
o climate models
o predictions of climate indicators
o suggested “acceptable” levels of change (e.g., 350 ppm, 2°C)
Mitigation measures (personal choice/global implementation)
Climate literacy and politics
Schedule for August Teacher Workshop (All in Petersen Board Room, Snell 330 unless otherwise noted)
Mon. (8/8) AM
8-8:30
8:30 start
~10:00
~12:00
Monday (8/8)
PM
12:45
~ 2:50
4:30 end
Tues. AM (8/9)
8-8:30
8:30 Start
~9:50
~12:00
Tuesday (8/9)
PM
12:45
~2:00
4:30 end
6:00
Goal: People, workshop and general topic introduced to set the stage for the week
Arrive, get settled, light breakfast available
Introductions – staff, participants, CU/NYSERDA, workshop goals and expectations, logistics
What do you know about climate change? Carousel activity
Documented extent of climate changes – global/climate indicators (video – 2°C warming)
10 minute Break
Historical and Projected Extent of Climate Changes – NYS Perspective
Intro to changes in the polar ice cap and polar ice activities
Lunch (Student Center – Java City)
Goal: Learn how to access and use weather station data for climate investigations
Overview of sources of earth science/climate data (weather stations, satellites)
Tutorials – accessing weather station data (NASA GISS, USHCN) and using excel for plotting and
Break
Presentation (peer-to-peer) of project in Laura Tedesco’s class and discussion of where/how climate fits into curriculum
and range of standards it can be used to address
Early-week check and teacher reflection time
Goal – increase depth of knowledge and understanding of our climate and greenhouse effect
Arrive, get settled, light breakfast available
Basic climate science interspersed with internet learning tools (greenhouse effect, molecular adsorption, radiation/Earth’s
energy balance)
Modeling our climate (brief overview of process and inputs)
Break
Tutorial – Using the NE climate change web site for access to data and predictions
Introduction to organization and scope of our project modules
Introduction of impacts of CC to NYS agricultural system and ecosystems
Lunch (Student Center – Java City)
Goal: Explore the extent of climate change impacts in New York State
Guest Speaker and Discussion– Lesley Patrick, NYSERDA, Implications of Climate Change on Coastal Zones
Break
Introduce and Complete one of projects
 Apple orchard design
 Amphibians
 Lake Champlain Ice
Regroup/discuss – project feasibility and fit in the classroom
Group dinner – Adirondack Lodge
Wed. AM (8/10)
8-8:30
8:30 start
~10:45
~12:00
Wed. (8/10) PM
12:45
end 4:30
Thurs. AM (8/11)
8-8:30
8:30 start
~12:00
Thurs. PM
12:45
End 4:30
Friday
8-8:30
8:30 start
~11:30
12:15
3:00
Goal – increase depth of knowledge and understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and personal choices
Arrive, get settled, light breakfast available
Energy and GHG emissions (which gases, from where, how much)
Complete Power Profiler project
Complete - Google Earth/personal choice projects (GE intro as needed) (Dream Vacation (HS); Food miles (MS))
Break
Teacher group discussion time (MS/earth/Env+bio) – integrating CC into curriculum
Intro to NYSERDA Energy Smart students/schools programs
Activity showcase – other related activities and resources displayed for teacher exploration and discussion
Lunch (Student Center – Java City)
Goal: Explore connections between individual and societal choices/lifestyles and projected future climate
Introduction to project and IPCC DDC tutorial
Complete and debrief project – Climate Connections
Mid-week check and teacher reflection time
Goal – Understand concepts and explore the extent of mitigation efforts required to limit climate changes
Arrive, get settled, light breakfast available
Overview – mitigation efforts, wedges concept, various climate goals (80x50, 350 ppm, 2°C)
Introduce, complete and debrief – Mitigation project (needs better name)
Teacher group discussion time (MS/earth/Env+bio)
Lunch (Student Center – Java City)
Goal: Increase awareness and understanding of climate policies and role of education in increasing climate literacy
Climate Literacy – What it is, what people know; include 6 America’s survey and discussion
Sample lesson – Introducing climate change (Drew Calderwood models his first lesson)
Break
Presentation (peer-to-peer) – integrating climate change and policy issues into classroom
Teacher reflect and planning time (individual or in small groups)
Goal – Transition – Workshop to classroom
Arrive, get settled, light breakfast available
Phil Hopke – Policy and future directions for climate science
Logistics and Expectations for integrating projects into classroom, assessment expectations
Review materials available (ours, other resources)
Teacher work time
Lunch (Student Center – Java City)
Teacher present (briefly) and share their ideas for implementation, needs, concerns, etc.
Next steps – disseminating materials – discussion of STANYS conference (2011, 2012), 1-d workshop needs
Post workshop surveys and evaluation forms
Wrap up and depart