Elementary GLOBE Climate Module
https://www.globe.gov/web/elementary-globe/overview/climate
https://www.globe.gov/web/elementary-globe/overview/climate
Becca Hatheway, Diane Stanitski, Lisa Gardiner, Elementary GLOBE; University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
This series of three learning activities each take four to five 45 minute class periods.
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»
Grade Level
Online Readiness
Topics
Climate Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
- Humans can take action
- Climate is complex
- Life affects climate; climate affects life
- Climate is variable
- Our understanding of climate
- Humans affect climate
- Climate change has consequences
Energy Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Notes From Our Reviewers
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- The first activity in this series is intended to span the school year.
- There is a teaching implementation guide on the Globe Elementary main web page that discusses how the educator can implement the storybook guided units in your classroom. At the end of the story book there is a section on "Teaching Notes" that provides more background information for the teacher on the activities that are to follow.
- If you are concerned that these lessons may cause anxiety in your students due to a focus on problems associated with climate change, please refer to our CLEAN Elementary Guidance Pages.
- Instructor will need to spend time looking for photos and videos of areas affected by sea level rise. Website resources are provided in the curriculum.
About the Content
- All of the activities include numerous interconnected scientific concepts regarding climate change as well as implementation of critical thinking skills and data interpretation and analysis.
- The activities use scientific methods such as data collection, graphing, and observing to support understanding of weather and climate.
- Students create a model of a coastline and test predictions as to the effect that climate change has on its natural and human characteristics.
- Students discuss and learn the basics of greenhouse gases.
- Authentic and timely scientific understanding of students own carbon footprint helps connect to their role and place.
- Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
About the Pedagogy
- This resource is hands on and contains many visuals.
- The use of cooperative groups leads to greater linguistic access.
- Daily weather data collection, graphing, observing, can be easily addressed in routines throughout the day.
- The diorama is a powerful inquiry model of learning and meets many learning styles. Embedding the ebook and discovering students' carbon footprint are useful pieces of technology within this module.
- There are several ways mentioned to extend or modify the activities for students at different levels/grades. There are several instances of group work and discussion that builds teamwork and communication skills.
- To encourage diverse learners, include other ways to share thoughts about the scientific rubric (the activity focus is on verbal skills, which may be difficult for ESL, etc.).
- Teachers may need to adapt activities to bring in more local examples of impacts of climate change.
- To support diverse learners, consider including an activity to help students understand the vocabulary, such as a word wall.
