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Just how long have we known about climate change anyways?
https://www.pbs.org/video/just-how-long-have-we-known-about-climate-change-anyways-0ubudt/

Global Weirding with Katharine Hayhoe, KTTZ Texas Tech Public Media; PBS

An engaging and informational video describing the history of our knowledge about climate change.

Video length is 6:01 min.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Grade Level

Topics

Climate Literacy

This Video builds on the following concepts of Climate 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

  • Structured learning materials are not included. It will likely need to be woven into a structured lesson plan for contextual learning.
  • This is one in a series of similar videos on climate change by the narrator.

About the Content

  • This video walks through a timeline of scientific experiments and discoveries beginning almost 200 years ago that presents human knowledge on the greenhouse effect and global warming.
  • The video begins with the discovery that Earth is only inhabitable because of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and goes on to discuss how humans have increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere through industrialization.
  • The video also explains how the observed warming is not in line with the historic patterns of cooling and heating that Earth has experienced in the past.
  • A "thickening blanket" analogy is used to explain how additional greenhouse gases are "thickening" the atmosphere. While this analogy works, the narrator's body language during this section could create a misconception that the additional gases are creating more layers or a larger blanket. It is important to note that the gases are increasing the concentration of gases but in the same space. In the blanket analogy, this would mean that more down is being stuffed into the same liner, and that the blanket is becoming denser, but not larger.
  • Comments from expert scientist: The video cites key people in the development of climate science and explains the physics clearly. Some data on the amount of recent warming has become out of date, but that doesn't affect the conclusions.

About the Pedagogy

  • The video does an excellent job of explaining the history of science that has helped humans understand the climate, the greenhouse effect, and climate change while providing engaging visual support.
  • Instructors may want to include supporting questions to encourage critical thinking.

Related URLs These related sites were noted by our reviewers but have not been reviewed by CLEAN

Entered the Collection: May 2021 Last Reviewed: March 2020

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