Lesson #6

Global Warming

bellringer: say you shined a light directly on the jar with the globe inside, what would happen to the globe?

This same idea is global warming. Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities

Greenhouse Effect - The effect produced as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infrared radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 60 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect.

Car emissions, gasses and other air pollutants are the cause of the Earth's 1 degree Fareinheidt rise every year.

Some things we can do to help prevent global warming:

Save electricity - turn off all excessive electricity

Bike, bus or walk - if you are going somewhere not far at all, use your bike, take the bus or just walk it

Plant trees - trees let off oxygen that is needed for us to breathe

Recycle - using products over and over instead of wasting them and trashing the globe

Closure: at the end of our discussions i will close the lesson up on what things the class will do on their own to help pprevent global warming. ask if they have any questions on global warming and also see if they have any solutions of their own to contribute to preventing this problem.

Visit this site for games as well as other activities:

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/games/index.html

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