Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands

Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drINEQFXbPY

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Global Change Research Program

This video focuses on the science of climate change and its impacts on wildlife on land and in the sea, and their habitats in the U.S. There are short sections on walruses, coral reefs, migrating birds and their breeding grounds, freshwater fish, bees, etc. Video concludes with some discussion about solutions, including reduce/recycle/reuse, energy conservation, backyard habitats, and citizen scientists.

Video length: 13:16 minutes.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Video supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 6

MS-ESS2.D1: Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns.

MS-ESS3.C1: Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

MS-ESS3.D1: Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

MS-LS2.C1: Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

MS-LS2.C2: Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health

MS-LS4.D1: Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.

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High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 6

HS-ESS2.D1: The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

HS-ESS3.C1: The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources.

HS-ESS3.C2: Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

HS-LS2.C1: A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

HS-LS2.C2: Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.

HS-LS4.D2: Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction).

Grade Level

Middle (6-8)
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High School (9-12)
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Topics

Greenhouse Effect
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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Causes of Climate Change
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Measurements and Observations
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Drought
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Ecosystem Changes
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Plants and Animals
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Melting Ice and Permafrost
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Drought
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Climate Impacts
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Mitigation Strategies
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Personal Responsibility
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Climate Literacy

This Video builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Energy Literacy

This Video builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

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

Educators should use this as an overview of the many impacts that climate is and will have on terrestrial and marine life and their habitats. It can be used in conjunction with other components of the Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit.
Student could be sent to explore ecoregions using http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators/toolkit/explore and compare and contrast climate change evidence in these regions.

About the Content

Video was produced by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and its federal agency partners in the US Global Change Research Program.
Comments from expert scientist: I think this a modest introduction to Climate Change- specifically giving examples of organisms that are being impacted. This is very watered down and oversimplifies the issue.

About the Pedagogy

The video is a breezy overview of many topics related to climate change and its impacts on terrestrial and marine life. It does not review any of this material in any substantive way.
The narration and interviews are done in a way that should appeal to young audiences.
This video is part of a toolkit that includes a Climate Change Wildlife and Wild Lands Teachers' guide, Frequently Asked Questions, and a downloadable glossary of scientific terms. These items and more are available under the 'Materials' link.
It can be used in classrooms as an introduction to the topics or in visitor centers and interpreter talks in informal educational settings.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

The video is well-produced and engaging. The videos, animations, images and music are well-chosen.
This video is also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drINEQFXbPY

Entered the Collection: January 2013 Last Reviewed: November 2016

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Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 6

High School (see details)

High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 6

Grade Level

Topics

Climate Literacy

Energy Literacy

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

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