A2 Science in Society 3.4
Responding to global climate change
The topic of Climate change is a pressing contemporary policy problem. The topic is explored under four main headings:

the evidence that scientists have gathered from a variety of sources to show how climate has changed in the past
and why current changes provide evidence for the impact of human activities

the way that scientists have developed dynamic models to see how well the science can account for past changes in
climate and to make projections about the future

the impacts of climate change and their implications for the natural environment and human society.

policy responses to climate change across the world taking into account economic as well as technical issues and
exploring whether or not it is appropriate to adopt a precautionary approach.
In this topic the science explanations are used to show how it is that human activities can change the climate globally.
The key ideas are:

the cycling of elements between the Earth’s spheres

the natural and human-induced processes that affect the carbon cycle such as the burning of fossil fuels

the properties of electromagnetic radiation and the interactions of the radiations from the Sun and the Earth’s
surface on the atmosphere.
There are four main areas of how science works covered in this topic:

the way in which scientific explanations develop and are tested

the use of dynamic models to test explanations and make predictions

the collaborative nature of international science, and the validation of scientific explanations leading to consensus

evidence-based policy making under conditions of uncertainty.
This scheme of work is divided into ten 2-hour sessions. This can easily be reorganized to match other timetables for the
course. In some session there are more suggested resources than could be completed in the time. This offers choice for
teachers to match the needs of their students.
The references below to How Science Works (HSW) and to Science Explanations (SE) use the code letters found in
sections 3.5 and 3.6 of the specification.
Focus of session
Suggested activities
Climate change
1
News items and topical stories about climate
change. Impacts on people and the environment
around the world
(HSW Fb, Ha, Hh)
Activity: Climate change in the news
Activity: Living with climate change
Explaining and modelling climate change
2
3
Greenhouse science, radiation and the
greenhouse effect using PowerPoint presentations
to explain key terms and ideas
(SE: Na, Nb, Nc, Nd, Ne, Nf, Ob)
Dynamic modelling, including the role of
feedbacks, through manipulation of very simple
models
(HSW Da, Db, Dc, Dd, De, Ob)
Presentation: Climate science
Presentation: Earth’s energy budget (CPDN)
Textbook p. 99-108 (and p 77) following the
presentations students answer the questions in the
related section of the textbook.
Activity: Dynamic modelling investigating some simple
models using excel
Activity: A simple climate model (CPDN) using excel
to find an equilibrium temperature when variables are
changed
4
Modelling climate change
Testing models
The use of scenarios
(HSW Da, Db, Dc, Dd, De, Df, He)
Textbook p. 117-122
Activity: climateprediction.net results so far (CPDN) to
investigate climate sensitivity
Activity: Greenhouse gas emissions forecasts (CPDN)
the use of the model to predict the outcomes of
different scenarios
Questions and discussion on data from models
5
6
Investigating the past through proxy records.
Examining the evidence. Using the data to test
models and make projections.
(HSW Cc, Cd, Ce, Cf, Ch Da, Db, De, Df)
PowerPoint presentation Investigating past climates
and
Activity: Clues from the past
Textbook p. 109-117
The science of the carbon cycle, feedbacks and
climate forcing
(SE Ma, Mb, Mc, Md, Na, Nb, Nd, Ne, Nf)
Activity: Why is carbon dioxide so important? (CPDN)
(Note: this might be omitted or done as homework)
Case study – covering the use of computer
models to explain changes to the climate in a
particular region.
(SE Mb, Nc, Nd, Ne, Ob)
(HSW Bd, Cd, Da, Db, Dc, De, Df, Ea, Eb, Ec, Ed,
Ee, Ef, Eg, Fd)
Power Point presentation Feedback and forcing
discussion of questions in presentation and in
textbook p. 102-107
Case study – Why is the Arctic warming so fast?
Responding to climate change
7
Impacts and their consequences
Characteristics of media reporting of the issues.
(HSW Fb, Gf, He, Hf)
Activity: Climate change impacts independent
research and presentation of findings
Textbook p. 125-130
8
Start problem-based learning task – local and
regional responses to climate change
(HSW: Gf, Hb, Hd, He, Hf)
PBL - The climate change challenge
9
Responses to climate change from economists
and politicians.
The role of international agreements and of
economic factors in policy making
(HSW Fa, Gf, Hb, Hd, He, Hf)
Textbook p. 130-134
Presentation: Political responses to climate change
Activity: A debate on the issues watching video and
analysing the arguments
Activity: International decision-making
10
Complete problem-based learning task
PBL - The climate change challenge
Question covering some key ideas in the topic.
(SE Ma, Mb, Mc, Md, Na, Nb, Nc, Nd, Ne, Ob)
(HSW Ad, Ag, Db, Df, Fa, Hb, He)
Exam style question: Emissions scenarios
July, 2011