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Index to SERC resources for teaching climate change

Workshop Program


Technical check - Monday June 6 (optional)

Check your Elluminate settings. The Elluminate session will be running all day so participants can check in and make sure Elluminate works.
If you have not already, please create your SERC account so that you may access the interactive features of the workshop.

Day 1 - Tuesday June 7

Asynchronous discussion: Introduce yourself to the workshop group

Synchronous session I
8:00 - 10:00 Pacific time | 9:00 - 11:00 Mt time | 10:00 - 12:00 Central time | 11:00 - 1:00 Eastern time

Welcome and opening presentation
Welcoming remarks and description of workshop goals and format - Cathy Manduca, Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Elluminate warmup - Karin Kirk, Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Keynote presentation: Climate Change: Interactions and Implications (PowerPoint 15.9MB Jun6 11) - by Richard Alley, Pennsylvania State University
Watch the Screencast (MP4 Video 458.6MB Jun9 11)
Questions and discussion to follow the presentation

Group activity - Breakout groups create a concept sketch of a part of the climate system (hydrosphere/cryosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere/human element) using the Elluminate whiteboard.

Asynchronous discussion: Teaching with climate models

Synchronous session II - Using Models to Understand the Climate System
12:00 - 2:00 Pacific time | 1:00 - 3:00 Mt time | 2:00 - 4:00 Central time | 3:00 - 5:00 Eastern time

Breakout groups share the results of their concept sketches.

Examples of entry-level models that can be used with non-science majors. These demonstrations will include guided time for participants to work with the models.
Watch the screencast (MP4 Video 564.2MB Jun9 11)
Tour of CLEAN website - Karin Kirk

Roadcheck evaluation

Day 2 - Wednesday June 8

Synchronous session III - Using Data and Visualizations to Understand the Climate System
8:00 - 10:00 Pacific time | 9:00 - 11:00 Mt time | 10:00 - 12:00 Central time | 11:00 - 1:00 Eastern time

This session will include demonstrations of datasets and data visualization tools that can be used to teach about the climate system.
Watch the screencast (MP4 Video 707.3MB Jun9 11)

Synchronous session IV - Classroom Examples for Teaching the Climate System
12:00 - 2:00 Pacific time | 1:00 - 3:00 Mt time | 2:00 - 4:00 Central time | 3:00 - 5:00 Eastern time

This session will include 4 examples of teaching activities that are used in undergraduate settings. Presentations will include a description of the activity and tips for how to adapt it to your classroom.
Watch the screencast (MP4 Video 611.8MB Jun9 11)

Instructions for the group project
During the break from June 9-13, workshop participants will form small working groups. Each group will select one of the climate literacy concepts that apply to teaching about interactions between components of the climate system. Groups will work together to author an idea for how to teach this concept and will create a web page containing a description of their idea.

During this session we will organize the groups, select topics and provide instructions for completing the project.

Synchronous session V - Web Page Authoring Tutorial (optional)
2:00 - 2:30 Pacific time | 3:00 - 3:30 Mt time | 4:00 - 4:30 Central time | 5:00 - 5:30 Eastern time

This tutorial and demo will guide you through how to make impressive web pages. Topics will include making links, uploading files and images, using images and formatting your page.

Roadcheck evaluation

Break

Team Project: Building Blocks for Climate Literacy

Small groups of participants will be assigned to each of the 6 concepts of Principle 2. Each group has the mission to create an activity idea for how to teach this concept. Activity ideas could include an outline for a class, a lab activity, a project, or a dataset or visualization to teach the topic. Making use of existing CLEAN activities is a good place to start if there are suitable activities for a given concept.

Each group will create a web page containing a description of their idea. Groups will work on this project over the break and will share their results on Tuesday June 14.

Note that the links to the group pages are accessible only to those participating in the workshop. Participants: login to your SERC account to access these pages.

Index to all activities and workspace pages

Group A. Earth's climate is influenced by interactions involving the sun, ocean, atmosphere, clouds, ice, land, and life. Climate varies by region as a result of local differences in these interactions.

Group B. Covering 70% of Earth's surface, the ocean exerts a major control on climate by dominating Earth's energy and water cycles. It has the capacity to absorb large amounts of solar energy. Heat and water vapor are redistributed globally through density-driven ocean currents and atmospheric circulation. Changes in ocean circulation caused by tectonic movements or large influxes of fresh water from melting polar ice can lead to significant and even abrupt changes in climate, both locally and on global scales.

Group C. The amount of solar energy absorbed or radiated by Earth is modulated by the atmosphere and depends on its composition. Greenhouse gases— such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane— occur naturally in small amounts and absorb and release heat energy more efficiently than abundant atmospheric gases like nitrogen and oxygen. Small increases in carbon dioxide concentration have a large effect on the climate system.

Group D. The abundance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is controlled by biogeochemical cycles that continually move these components between their ocean, land, life, and atmosphere reservoirs. The abundance of carbon in the atmosphere is reduced through seafloor accumulation of marine sediments and accumulation of plant biomass and is increased through deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels as well as through other processes.

Group E. Airborne particulates, called "aerosols," have a complex effect on Earth's energy balance: they can cause both cooling, by reflecting incoming sunlight back out to space, and warming, by absorbing and releasing heat energy in the atmosphere. Small solid and liquid particles can be lofted into the atmosphere through a variety of natural and manmade processes, including volcanic eruptions, sea spray, forest fires, and emissions generated through human activities.

Group F. The interconnectedness of Earth's systems means that a significant change in any one component of the climate system can influence the equilibrium of the entire Earth system. Positive feedback loops can amplify these effects and trigger abrupt changes in the climate system. These complex interactions may result in climate change that is more rapid and on a larger scale than projected by current climate models.



Day 3 - Tuesday June 14

Synchronous session VI - Activity presentations
8:30 - 10:00 Pacific time | 9:30 - 11:00 Mt time | 10:30 - 12:00 Central time | 11:30 - 1:00 Eastern time

Presentation of activity ideas for all groups. Each group will have 15 minutes give a show-and-tell of their web page, which includes time for discussion and feedback from the audience.
Instructions for afternoon review and a brief overview of the CLEAN review process.

Asynchronous discussion - Communicating Climate Change


Asynchronous session VII - Activity Review Preparation
12:00 - 1:00 Pacific time | 1:00 - 2:00 Mt time | 2:00 - 3:00 Central time | 3:00 - 4:00 Eastern time
Groups read over the activity they will be reviewing - use the discussion thread at the bottom of the page to make comments.

Synchronous session VII - Activity Review
1:00 - 2:00 Pacific time | 2:00 - 3:00 Mt time | 3:00 - 4:00 Central time | 4:00 - 5:00 Eastern time

Instructions for review process
  • The goal of the review session is to have everyone read each others' activity and offer suggestions and feedback that can be used to strengthen the activity.
  • The review period is 2 hours. During the first hour (from 2:00 - 3:00 Central time), read through the activity pages and prepare feedback. Use the discussion thread at the bottom of the page to make comments.
  • Use the CLEAN review form (Microsoft Word 149kB Apr18 11) to guide your feedback. You do not need to complete the form.
  • During the second hour (from 3:00 - 4:00 Central time), call into the phone line for your group.
  • On the phone, each each group spends ~20 minutes discussing each activity.
Group assignments:
Review Group 1
Climate feedbacks (Group F) and Ocean as climate control (Group B)
Group members: Maureen Padden, Cheryl Watson, Kristen Poppleton, Cornelia Harris, Kristine DeLong, Mellie Lewis, Sharon Browning

Review Group 2
Greenhouse Effect (Group C) and Biogeochemical cycles / Carbon cycle (Group D)
Group members: Dave Dempsey, Erik Christensen, Sara Harris, Steve Taylor, Alisa Hylton, Anne Hall, Lisa Doner


Day 4 - Wednesday June 15

Teaching ideas web pages completed
Asynchronous discussion - Communicating Climate Change

Synchronous session VIII - Workshop Wrapup
2:00 - 3:30 Pacific time |3:00 - 4:30 Mt time | 4:00 - 5:30 Central time | 5:00 - 6:30 Eastern time
Closing plenary: Communicating Climate Science and Countering Disinformation (PowerPoint 8.9MB Jun15 11) - John Cook, author of the Skeptical Science website.

Watch the Screencast (Quicktime MP4 Video 158.4MB Sep2 11)
Questions and discussion to follow


End of workshop survey




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