Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
ROOF-TOP GARDENS AND CLIMATE CHANGE&
THE WORLD
NOTE
This lesson is designed to follow Cluster 4: Weather Dynamics. It engages students in researching and
presenting the benefits of creating a roof top garden for a school. It highlights local, global, economic,
environmental and social impacts. It is also intended to create awareness of a personal action that
students can take to make a change in regards to climate change, which, when done by many people,
will help to slow down the effects of global warming on people’s access to life, liberty and security of
persons.
GRADE LEVEL: 10
SUBJECT AREA: SCIENCE
CURRICULAR OBJECTIVE:
S2-0-4d Use various methods for anticipating the impacts of different options.
HUMAN RIGHTS OBJECTIVE:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the effect of climate change on universal access to the
right to life, liberty and security of persons (Article 3).
MATERIALS NEEDED:




Included Resources
o Roof Top Garden project
o Listening Guide to podcast
o Photos of roof top gardens in Toronto
Podcast or podcast script
Large papers with the following labels
 Climate change- scientific causes
 Climate change- societal consequences
 Climate change- economic consequences
 Climate change- environmental consequences
Why Have a Green Roof information http://www.zincogreenroof.com/EN/benefits/index.php (print out both ecological and economical)
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World

ESRI Canada's Garden in the Sky video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25mkIMF47w
ACTIVATING
1. Divide the class into four groups. Give each group a paper and give them five minutes to
write down as much as they can remember from what they have learned. Display the
following phrases if students are stuck: heat transfer, hydrosphere and atmosphere
composition, earth’s radiation budget, severe weather causes and effects, climate
change. (Each of these topics is covered in a previous learning outcome of the unit.)
2. Have someone from each group present their ideas and solicit class input for more. The
intent is to review prior learning.
3. Display photos of roof top gardens. What are these? How could this relate to our
discussion of climate change?
ACQUIRING
1. Watch the ESRI Canada's Garden in the Sky video.
2. Listen to the following podcast and hand out listening guide (included).
http://portal.acs.org/preview/appmanager/corg/memberapp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_AR
TICLEMAIN&node_id=2102&content_id=CNBP_023199&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1
APPLYING
1. Changing groups around, place students in four groups again. Although each group will
2.
3.
4.
5.
be given the same scenario, they will focus their argument differently.
Hand out Roof Top Project Sheet.
Create a timeline for the project based on how thorough you want them to be and how
much class time is available.
After students have had time to work on their research and presentation, have students
present their information. If desired, the included rubric can be used to assess their
work.
If possible, arrange for the principal (or school board member, etc.) to come and listen
to presentations, ask questions and provide feedback to the students.
Grade 10
Science
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
ROOF-TOP GARDEN PROJECT
Your school is planning to undergo major renovations and repairs to the roof.
As a class, you will come up with a presentation on why the school should
consider creating a roof top garden rather than going the tradition route. Your
audience will be the principal.
o Group 1: You will research and present on the causes of climate
change. Make sure you have solid arguments showing that climate
change is caused by both natural and human causes and can
therefore be influenced by human actions
o Group 2: You will present on the broad, worldwide impacts of
climate change. How does climate change effect farmers who
depend on predictable weather patterns to know when to plant
crops? How does climate change impact people who experience
extreme weather conditions due to climate change? How does
climate change impact people’s right to life, liberty and freedom?
o Group 3: What are the economic consequences (positive and
negative) of the proposed roof top garden?
o Group 4: What are the environmental impacts (positive and
negative) of the proposed roof top garden?
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
PHOTOS
Rooftop Garden MEC Toronto
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Science
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
LISTENING GUIDE – PODCAST - GREEN ROOFS
1. How do green roofs help fight global climate change?
2. How does a green roof work?
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
3. If an urban area with a population of approximately 1 000 000 used green roofing, how
much carbon dioxide could be captured?
4. What other benefits do you think green roofs could have?
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
LISTENING GUIDE – PODCAST ANSWERSHEET
1. How do Green Roofs help fight global climate change?
Reduce carbon dioxide, cut heating and air conditioning costs, absorb storm water
2. How does a green roof work?
Photosynthesis releases oxygen and takes out carbon dioxide
3. If an urban area with a population of approximately 1 000 000 used green roofing, how
much carbon dioxide could be captured?
55 thousand tons
4. What other benefits do you think green roofs could have?
Improves life of roofing materials, reduces noise, looks nice, insects and wildlife have access to
plants.
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
PODCAST SCRIPT
How would you like to do your part in helping to slow down global warming? If you live in the
city and you like fresh veggies, herbs and flowers we have something you’re probably going to
like to do: plant a garden on your roof. Scientists in Michigan are reporting that “Green” roofs,
those increasingly popular urban rooftops covered with plants, could help fight global climate
change. The scientists found that replacing traditional roofing materials with green roofs in an
urban area the size of Detroit can dramatically reduce carbon dioxide in the air.
From Michigan State University’s Department of Horticulture, here is Kristen Getter:
“These green roofs help in a number of ways. They not only cut heating and air conditioning
costs, for example, but retain and detain storm water. We knew that green roofs also absorbed
carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, but nobody had
measured the impact until now. The goal of our research was to evaluate the carbon storage
potential of extensive green roofs and how much carbon various plants would collect.”
The way the process works is through photosynthesis, which removes carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere and stores it in the plants. The process occurs in green plants as carbohydrates are
synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of
photosynthesis release oxygen as a by-product. In their study, Getter and her colleagues
measured carbon levels in plant and soil samples collected from 13 green roofs in Michigan and
Maryland over a two-year period. They found that green roofing an urban area of about one
million people would capture more than 55,000 tons of carbon. She puts this in context:
“This is equal to eliminating a year’s worth of carbon dioxide emitted by 10,000 mid-sized SUVs
and trucks. This is an enormous amount of pollution we could take out of the atmosphere. We
were surprised what could be accomplished with the green roofs.”
Besides capturing carbon dioxide and helping with storm water, the greenery also increases the
life of roofing materials, improves return on investment compared to traditional roofs, reduces
noise as well as air pollution. As a by-product, the green roofs provide a more aesthetically
pleasing environment.
“The beauty of this is that anyone can do it. And today, roof gardens are already popular, so we
are optimistic that once people learn how the gardens can help the environment, this kind of
urban gardening will spread even faster to cities from coast-to-coast and throughout the world,
for that matter.”
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Science
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
PRESENTATION RUBRIC: GREEN ROOFS
Teacher Name: ________________________________
Student Name: ________________________________
CATEGORY
6
4
2
0
Collaboration with
Peers
Almost always listens to,
shares with, and
supports the efforts of
others in the group.
Tries to keep people
working well together.
Usually listens to, shares
with, and supports the
efforts of others in the
group. Does not cause
"waves" in the group.
Often listens to, shares
with, and supports the
efforts of others in the
group but sometimes is
not a good team
member.
Rarely listens to, shares
with, and supports the
efforts of others in the Score:
group. Often is not a
____
good team member.
Preparedness
Student is completely
prepared and has
obviously rehearsed.
Student seems pretty
prepared but might
have needed a couple
more rehearsals.
The student is
somewhat prepared,
but it is clear that
rehearsal was lacking.
Student does not seem
at all prepared to
Score:
present.
Listens intently but has
one distracting noise or
movement.
Sometimes does not
appear to be listening
but is not distracting.
Sometimes does not
appear to be listening
and has distracting
noises or movements.
Listens to Other
Presentations
Content
Listens intently. Does
not make distracting
noises or movements.
Shows a full
understanding of the
topic.
Shows a good
understanding of the
topic.
Shows a good
understanding of parts
of the topic.
____
Does not seem to
understand the topic
very well.
Score:
____
Score:
____
TOTAL /25
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Science
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Roof-top Gardens, Climate Change & the World
RESOURCES

Why Have a Green Roof information
o
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http://www.zinco-greenroof.com/EN/benefits/index.php
Skeptical Science: Getting Skeptical about Global Warming Skepticism
o http://www.skepticalscience.com/
Millennium Development Goals information on climate change
o http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG%20Report%202010%20En%20r1
5%20-low%20res%2020100615%20-.pdf#page=54
Manitoba Eco Network
o http://mbeconetwork.org/
o If you are interested in this issue contact the Manitoba Eco Network youth
coordinator and discuss your ideas/concerns.
Community Resource Kit Manitoba
o http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/ParksandFields/CommunityGardens/Gard
en%20website%20map/Attachments/Gardening%20Online.pdf
Evergreen
o http://www.evergreen.ca/en/about/who-we-are.sn
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Science
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