Climate Simulator

Climate Simulator
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/interactive/2009/dec/14/climate-simulator

Duncan Clark, Mairead O'Connor, Richard Bangay, Cai Ellis, Rosie Roche, The Guardian

This is a simulation that illustrates how temperature will be affected by global CO2 emission trajectories. It addresses the issue that even if global emissions begin to decrease, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 will continue to increase, resulting in increased global temperatures.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Simulation/Interactive supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

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.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 2

Patterns, Cause and effect

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Science and Engineering Practices: 6

Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

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Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

MS-P2.2: Develop or modify a model— based on evidence – to match what happens if a variable or component of a system is changed.

MS-P2.3: Use and/or develop a model of simple systems with uncertain and less predictable factors.

MS-P2.4: Develop and/or revise a model to show the relationships among variables, including those that are not observable but predict observable phenomena.

MS-P2.5: Develop and/or use a model to predict and/or describe phenomena.

MS-P4.1: Construct, analyze, and/or interpret graphical displays of data and/or large data sets to identify linear and nonlinear relationships.

MS-P4.2: Use graphical displays (e.g., maps, charts, graphs, and/or tables) of large data sets to identify temporal and spatial relationships.

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High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 3

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-ESS2.D3: Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

HS-ESS3.D1: Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 2

Patterns, Cause and effect

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Science and Engineering Practices: 2

Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

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Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

HS-P2.3: Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system

HS-P4.1: Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.

Grade Level

Middle (6-8)
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High School (9-12)
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College Lower (13-14)
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Topics

Climate Feedbacks
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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Global Climate Modeling
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Emissions Reduction
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Climate Literacy

This Simulation/Interactive builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

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

Energy Literacy

This Simulation/Interactive builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

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

Physical processes on Earth are the result of energy flow

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

Implementing the use of the global carbon emissions interactive can be supported by information provided here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/dec/14/global-carbon-emissions-simulator

About the Science

As a starting point, the user selects both the year in which global emissions will peak and the annual rate at which emissions will decline thereafter, and the tool graphs the resulting patterns of C0₂ concentration and global temperature.
The data used for the visualization is from the British National Weather Service, the Met Office.
Comments from expert scientist: The scientific strength of this activity includes the depiction of the relationship between atmospheric CO2 and global temperatures. The resource lacks references.

About the Pedagogy

The explanation provided (in the link "the idea behind our global simulator") gives good background and motivations for the simulator, definitely worth having students read this before using the simulator.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

The simulator is very simple and easy to use, but to fully understand how to implement the use of the tool, user should read the background information first.

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Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

Cross Cutting Concepts: 2

Science and Engineering Practices: 6

High School (see details)

High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 3

Cross Cutting Concepts: 2

Science and Engineering Practices: 2

Grade Level

Topics

Climate Literacy

Energy Literacy

Teaching Tips

About the Science

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

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