“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
"An Inconvenient Truth-A Global Warning"—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
The film—“An Inconvenient Truth-A Global Warning” is a useful resource for the learning and teaching of
geography concepts, like greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change, that are included in various
geography curricula of Hong Kong. The table below serves as a guide for geography teachers to explore how
different scenes in the film can be used to enrich their geography lessons related to climate change.
The film can be used in the learning and teaching of the following geography curricula:

Secondary 1-3 Geography Curriculum (1998)
“Weather and Climate—do they matter?”

Secondary 4-5 Geography Curriculum (2003)
“Climatic Anomalies”

Secondary 4-6 Geography Curriculum (2007)
“Global Warming—Is it fact or fiction?”
1
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
Scene
number/
chapter
3
4
5
6
7
Scene
Description
Basic science
of global
warming
(1 minute)
2
Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
S4-5 Geography Curriculum
S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998)
(CDC, 2003)
(CDC, 2007)
Scene 3 of the film introduces the key concepts of heat budget and provides a brief explanation on what “natural” greenhouse
effect is and how human activities enhance the greenhouse effect. It can be used to support the learning and teaching of the
following key questions in various geography curricula:
“What is greenhouse effect?”
“What is global warming”
“What are the possible human causes of
[Scene 3 can only be used as an
global warming?” and “To what extent is
introduction to related concepts in the
global warming therefore a natural
curriculum and teachers should provide
process?”
additional information to students.]
[Scene 3 can only be used as an introduction
to related concepts in the curriculum and
teachers should provide additional
information to students.]
Global
warming
cartoon
(2 minutes)
Professor
Revelle
(2 minutes)
This cartoon provides a humorous introduction to greenhouse effect and global warming. It is especially good to be used as a
motivational activity at the start of a global warming lesson for geography students to grasp the concepts for the first time.
CO2 measure
since 1958
(2 minutes)
Glaciers
Recede
(2 minutes)
Scene 6 shows the rising trend of CO2 levels. Teachers may use this scene, as well as Scenes 8 and 9, to help their students to
understand how global warming is related to the rising trend of CO2 levels.
Scene 5 shows how data related to CO2 levels is collected. Senior secondary geography
courses focus more on the causes and impacts of global warming. Scene 5 provides
additional information for those more capable students who are interested to know more
about global warming.
- Scene 7 shows evidence of receding and melting glaciers in different parts of the world.
- Scenes 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21 are all about the impact of global warming and climate change (both observed and
predicted) in different parts of the world. They can be played sequentially to provide students with an overview of the problem.
The following are the related enquiry questions in different geography curricula:
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
Scene
number/
chapter
Scene
Description
Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S4-5 Geography Curriculum
S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 2003)
(CDC, 2007)
“What is global warming? In what ways
“What will be the impact of global
are Hong Kong and China affected by
warming? How will it affect our lives?”
global warming?”
Scene 8 is more suitable for senior secondary geography students to understand the
correlation between temperature and CO2 concentrations and provides additional
evidence for the issues raised in Scene 9.
Scene 9 shows the link between the rising trends of CO2 levels and world temperature. Teachers may use this scene, together with
Scenes 6 and 8, to help their students to understand that our world is getting warmer and global warming is related to the rising
trend of CO2.
This part is especially relevant to the The information in this part can be used as The information in this part can be used as
enquiry questions “Is the world
background information for the discussion background information for the discussion
getting warmer and warmer?” and
of some geographical questions in the
of some geographical questions in the
“What are its (greenhouse effect)
curriculum, like “What are the causes of
curriculum, such as “Is our Earth getting
major causes?” in the curriculum.
global warming? Are industrialized
warmer? What evidence is there?”, “Is
countries the only ones to blame? What is global warming really happening? Is it just
the role of the individual in causing global a long-term fluctuation of temperature, or is
warming?”.
our Earth really heating up?” and “What are
the possible human causes of global
warming? What is the role of human
activities in this?”.
This scene shows the temperature in different parts of the world is rising and heat waves will become much more common.
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998)
“What will be the impact of
greenhouse effect?”
8
Ice Cores
(2 minutes)
9
CO2 Levels
Back
650,000
Years
(4 minutes)
11
Rising
Temperatures
(2 minutes)
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Hurricanes
This scene shows how global warming is linked to the increase in intensity and duration of hurricanes and typhoons in different
(4 minutes)
parts of the world. Brazil, where there was no hurricane in the past, was hit by a hurricane in 2004.
12
14
Precipitation
and
3
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Scene 14 shows how global warming leads to changing amount of precipitation and evaporation (and related floods and droughts)
in different parts of the world.
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
Scene
number/
chapter
16
Scene
Description
Evaporation
(2 minutes)
The Arctic
(4 minutes)
17
The Ocean
Conveyor
(3 minutes)
19
Troubling
Signs
(3 minutes)
20
Antarctica
(3 minutes)
21
Sea Level
Rise
(4 minutes)
China
(2 minutes)
22
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998)
4
Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S4-5 Geography Curriculum
S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 2003)
(CDC, 2007)
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
The scene shows how global warming leads to the shooting up of temperature in the Arctic, and then accelerating the melting of
ice here.
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
This part introduces how heat is transferred in the world with ocean currents and how
global warming affects the temperature in different parts of the world.
In the S4-5 curriculum, this part can be
In the S4-6 curriculum, this part can be used
used to teach geographical concepts, like
in the discussion of a question—“What are
“global distribution pattern of
the factors that influence the global
temperature” in the theme “Climate”. It
temperature distribution pattern?”.
can also be used to explain why areas of
similar latitudes may have climatic
variations.
Scene 19 shows the impact of global warming on ecosystems, food webs and biodiversity. Information on the bleaching of corals
and spreading of diseases (impact on human health) is included and is good for conducting related discussion for students.
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Scene 20 shows the impact of global warming on Antarctica.
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
This scene explains the relationships between global warming and the rising sea level in the world as well as the impact of
flooding to low-lying coastal regions (where many major cities in the world are located).
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Refer to Scene 7
Scene 22 uses China as an example to show how energy needs and human activities may
lead to environmental change. Together with Scenes 23 and 24, it provides additional
information for senior secondary geography students to enquire more about the causes of
global warming.
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
Scene
number/
chapter
23
24
26
27
28
30
31
32
Scene
Description
5
Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
S4-5 Geography Curriculum
S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998)
(CDC, 2003)
(CDC, 2007)
Population
These two scenes discuss how the consequences of human activities, such as population explosion and scientific and
Explosion
technological revolution, enhance the impact of global warming. They are relevant to the following parts of the geography
(2 minutes)
curricula:
Old habits
“What is greenhouse effect? What are “What are the causes of global warming?
“What are the possible human causes of
and new
its major causes?”
Are industrialized countries the only ones global warming?” and “What is the role of
technology
to blame? What is the role of the
human activities in this (global warming)?”
(2 minutes)
individual in causing global warming?”
Is there a
- These two scenes are more suitable for senior secondary geography students to know
controversy?
more about the controversy surrounding the reporting of the facts about climate
(2 minutes)
change. They provide opportunities for students to compare scientific and media
Science
reporting and recognise bias in data analysis.
Fraud
- They can be used to help S4-6 students to understand more about “Why do some
(2 minutes)
people argue that “global warming” is fact while others say it is fiction?”
Balancing
These scenes can be used as an introduction for discussing how the negative impact of global warming can be alleviated. Besides,
the economy they can also be used to introduce concepts of sustainable development in S4-5 Geography Curriculum (Issue: “Sustainable
and
City”) and S4-6 Geography Curriculum (Issue: “Building a Sustainable City—Are environmental conservation and urban
environment development mutually exclusive?”).
(2 minutes)
They are related to the enquiry
They are related to several enquiry
They are good for the discussion of the
The solutions question “What can we do?” in the
questions in the curriculum, including
question “What can be done about it (global
are in our
warming)?” in the curriculum.
issue “Weather and Climate—do they “What can be done to alleviate this
hands
problem
(global
warming)?”,
“Why
are
matter?”.
(2 minutes)
some countries so reluctant to cooperate
Are we
in combating the problem?” and “How
capable of
can we do?”
doing great
things?
(2 minutes)
Our only
home
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
Scene
number/
chapter
Scene
Description
(6 minutes)
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998)
Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S4-5 Geography Curriculum
S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 2003)
(CDC, 2007)
6
“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
7
Further Reference
An Inconvenient Truth: A Global Warning—A Study Guide (produced by Australian Teachers of Media Inc.)
[The Study Guide can be downloaded from the following websites:
http://www.aninconvenienttruth.com.au/ OR http://www.metromagazine.com.au]
Choose “Study Guide(s)” once you enter one of the above websites to download the guide. It is an excellent resource for the learning and
teaching of geographical topics like “greenhouse effect”, “global warming” and “climate change” together with the film. The Guide includes
some suggested learning activities, guiding questions and explanation about the content of the film.