Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
Topics
Grade Level
Climate Literacy
About Teaching Climate Literacy
2f 
2f Equilibrium and feedback loops in climate system
Other materials addressing 2f
Climate's role in habitats ranges and adaptation of species to climate changes
Other materials addressing 3a
Life affects climate; climate affects life
About Teaching Climate Literacy
Other materials addressing Life affects climate; climate affects life
About Teaching Climate Literacy
Other materials addressing Life affects climate; climate affects life
Notes From Our Reviewers
The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.
Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about
how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Because this resource doesn't provide students with questions to promote critical thinking, instructors will need to develop questions on their own. Instructors could potentially assign students to two groups: those who agree with the Gaia theory and those who don't. Each group could do background reading, develop their argument, and have a debate.
- The terms "positive feedback" and "negative feedback" and how they are used in Geosciences need to be explained.
About the Science
- The Gaia theory was first proposed by a man named James Lovelock who was roundly criticized for implying that the organisms of the biosphere collectively maintain the surface environment of Earth. Daisyworld is a very simple planet that Lockwood created to illustrate the Gaia Theory with only two species of life on its surface - white and black daisies. The planet is assumed to be well-watered, with all rain falling at night so that the days are cloudless. The atmospheric water vapor and CO2 are assumed to remain constant so that the greenhouse effect of the planet does not change. The key aspect of Daisyworld is that the two species have different colors and thus different albedos. In this way, the daisies can alter the temperature of the surface where they are growing and through changes in abundances of these two species, maintain a relatively stable climate.
- Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
About the Pedagogy
- No pedagogical tool provided along with this resource. However, the CLEAN collection has background information (http://www3.geosc.psu.edu/~dmb53/DaveSTELLA/Daisyworld/daisyworld_model.htm) to support instructors in implementing this simulation.
- The animations and explanations do an effective job at explaining the Gaia Theory through an example. However, educators will have to prompt students asking questions to think critically about the simulation and the implications.
