CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
Globalization: Climate Change, Who Should Take
Action?
Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students will critically consider the causes and impacts of climate
change in Canada’s North. Students will debate what action should be taken in
light of the global nature of the causes. The key critical question is: To what
extent should action be taken on climate change without global support?
Grade Levels: 10 to 12
Time Required: Two 60 minute classes
Curriculum Connection:
Northwest Territories Social Studies 10-1 and 10-2
Links to Canadian National Standards for Geography:
Essential Element #5: Environment and Society
 Global effects on the human environment by changes in the physical
environment
 Environmental issues: Climate change
Geographic Skill #4: Analyzing Geographic Information
 Make inferences and draw conclusions from maps and other geographic
representations.
Link to the Canadian Atlas Online (CAOL)
Climate change:
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&lang=En
Additional Resources, Materials, and Equipment Required:
Student Handout: Climate Change Statements
Student Internet Access
Climate Change Predictions
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/climatechange
Printed signs to post in each of the four corners of classroom: “Strongly Agree”,
“Agree”, “Disagree”, and “Strongly Disagree”
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
Climate Change Information:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/overview_affect-e.html
http://www.climatechangenorth.ca/
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/
http://climate.pembina.org/
Kyoto Protocol Information:
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/kyoto-e.html
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/Kyoto/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/208824
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3143798.stm
Main Objective:
Students will consider who should take action and what action should be taken to
address climate change given that it is a global issue.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:




Describe the possible impacts of climate change on northern communities.
Identify the cause of climate change.
Make inferences of impacts of climate change using maps of climate
change predictions.
Analyze the impacts of actions and policies with globalization on the
environment.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
The Lesson:
Introduction
Teacher Activity
Student Activity
Have students brainstorm ideas to answer: “What is
climate change?” (e.g. changes in the world’s
temperature, and weather patterns) “What are the
causes?” (e.g. release of human-made greenhouse
gases like carbon dioxide) and “What are the impacts
of climate change on the Arctic?” (e.g. melting of sea
ice, melting of permafrost, impacts on wildlife and
vegetation).
Students to share their current
knowledge regarding climate
change.
As a class or individually, have students read and
view the Canadian Atlas Online: Explore Themes:
The Issues: Climate Change at:
http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx
?id=climate&sub=climate_basics_introduction&lang=
En
Encourage students to pay particular attention to
information related to the north.
Students are to work through
Canadian Atlas Online Climate
Change presentation.
Have students add to the earlier ideas listed through
the brainstorming activity regarding climate change.
Students will share more
information regarding climate
change.
Inform the students that they will be considering the
predicted changes due to climate change and the
global effort to reduce the effects.
Climate change will affect the regions of Canada and
the rest of the world differently. Consider the
predictions of changes in temperature and
precipitation that are shown on the maps at:
Students will examine maps of
predictions of changing climate
over the next one hundred years.
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/climatechange.
Ask the students to look at the maps and determine
which regions of the country and world seem to be
most impacted by climate change according to the
information provided in the predictions. As well, have
students make predictions about other areas, like
areas of drought and areas of flooding.
Discuss how these change effects could impact the
arctic. Consider affects on the ice, land, wildlife and
peoples. Discuss the importance of permafrost in
respect to roads, airstrips and providing a solid
foundation to buildings and pipelines in the north.
(Consider discussing how most buildings are built off
the ground in order to preserve the permafrost.)
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
Students will make predictions of
how climate change can affect the
north.
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Lesson Development
CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
In groups, have students make a T-chart describing
the negative and positive impacts of climate change
on the north. (Examples: Negatives: shorter ice road
seasons, dangerous ice conditions, landslides,
building shifting, deteriorating airstrips, decrease of
wildlife such as polar bears. Positive: longer periods
of open water for boating and transportation, warmer
winters, etc.)
Students will work in a group to
produce a T-chart on the negative
and positive impacts of climate
change.
Have students share and discuss their T-charts with
the rest of the class. Discuss the similarities and
differences in the student lists. Have the students
decide if the total impact of climate change is
negative or a positive.
Students will share and discuss
their T-charts.
Remind the class that climate change is due to the
release of greenhouse gases as a result of human
action. It does not matter if the greenhouse gases
were produced in Northwest Territories, United
States, or China. Any and all gases produced impact
the entire globe.
Students will reflect on global
nature of greenhouse gas
emissions being a global issue.
Provide an overview of the Kyoto Protocol. The 1997
Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement
signed by about 180 countries. The intent of the
agreement is to mandate a significant reduction in
the emission of greenhouse gases, the cause of
climate change.
Students are to appreciate that an
agreement to reduce greenhouse
gases has been reached by many
countries.
Provide the students with Student Handout: Climate
Change Statements. Allow the students time to
consider each statement. They need to decide if
they strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly
disagree with each statement. Provide in-class time
or assign out-of-class time for students to do
additional research to find additional information to
support their position.
Students will review and research
the statements on the Student
Handout: Climate Change
Statements and make a decision
on how they feel on regarding
each statement.
“Four Corners Activity”
After students have had time individually to consider
the statements, have the class complete the following
activity for each statement.
1. Place a sign in each of the four corners of the
room. Either “Strongly Agree”, “Agree”, “Disagree”,
and “Strongly Disagree”.
2. Read the statement and have students stand in
the corner that represents their opinion. This is called
“Voting With Your Feet”.
Students will participate in the
Four Corners activity. Students
will:
 Take a position and
support the position with
evidence.
 Work cooperatively to
create a position
statement.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
Conclusion
3. Give the corner groups about 3 minutes to discuss
how they made their decision. The group should also
discuss ways to persuade others of the correctness
of their opinion. Have each group choose a
representative from the corner group to act as a
commissioner. This commissioner will travel to
another corner group with the intent to persuade
these members to move to their corner.
4. Give the class about 5 minutes to have the
commissioner to go to other groups to persuade
them to change their minds and move groups.
5. At the end of 5 minutes, take a recount to
determine if any members have changed groups.
6. Have each group present to the whole class their
position and related justification for this position.
7. Repeat the “Vote with Your Feet” activity for each
of the Climate Change Statements. Encourage
different students to act commissioners for each
statement.
Note: It may be important to reinforce to the class
that there is no right or wrong response to each
statement, however they should be able to justify
their choice.
Discuss actions that can be taken in the students’
everyday lives that would reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Students will identify actions that
can be taken in their everyday
lives to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
Proceed to one of the Extension Activities (optional).
Lesson Extension:
Have students write letters to local, territorial or federal leaders to state their
opinion regarding the issue of climate change.
Have students write an argumentative paper on what action Canada should take
in the global community with regards to climate change.
Assessment of Student Learning:
Observe students participation in class and group discussions. Encourage all
students to share opinions in four corner’s activity.
Have students write a response supporting their position on at least one of the
statements from the activity.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
Student Handout
Climate Change Statements
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
For each of the statements, decide what level you agree or disagree with each
statement.
Statement/ Notes
Canada must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
at any cost.
Notes:
The NWT should work towards reducing its
greenhouse gas emissions regardless of what
other regions of the country are doing.
Notes:
Canada should only reduce greenhouse gas
emissions if the majority of the world’s country
does the same.
Notes:
Our community should reduce its greenhouse gas
emissions regardless of the NWT’s position.
Notes:
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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CANADIAN NORTH – LIFE AND LAND
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – SECONDARY
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Statement/ Notes
Greenhouse gas emissions should only be reduced
if it does not hurt Canada’s economy.
Notes:
Since the United States is the largest emitter of
greenhouse gases in the world, there is no reason
to take action until the US starts to reduce their
outputs.
Notes:
Research suggestions:
Climate Change Information:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/overview_affect-e.html
http://www.climatechangenorth.ca/
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/
http://climate.pembina.org/
Kyoto Protocol Information:
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/kyoto-e.html
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/Kyoto/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Country:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/208824
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3143798.stm
Canadian Council for Geographic Education
www.ccge.org
Canadian Polar Commission
www.polarcom.gc.ca
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