Earth Artistically Balanced

Earth Artistically Balanced
https://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities/ice_earth/artistically-balanced/

Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association

Students first learn about the complexities of Earth's climate system and the different factors contributing to Earth's energy balance. Then, students categorize the factors that influence climate as warming or cooling factors. Finally, students design art pieces to depict the science behind Earth's climate system and share these artistic creations with families and communities.

This activity takes one 90-minute period. May require additional materials.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

hide

Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 11

Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science:

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-ESS2.D2: Because these patterns are so complex, weather can only be predicted probabilistically.

MS-ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

MS-ESS3.A1: Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

MS-ESS3.A: Natural Resources

MS-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

MS-ETS1.C1: Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process—that is, some of those characteristics may be incorporated into the new design.

MS-ETS1.C2: The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution

MS-ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Middle School:

Cross Cutting Concepts: 7

Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Stability and Change, Patterns

See Details »

Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Stability and Change, Patterns

MS-C1: Patterns

MS-C4.1: Systems may interact with other systems; they may have sub-systems and be a part of larger complex systems.

MS-C4: Systems and System Models

MS-C5.2: Within a natural or designed system, the transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter.

MS-C5: Energy and Matter

MS-C7: Stability and Change

Middle School:

Science and Engineering Practices: 8

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Asking Questions and Defining Problems

See Details »

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Asking Questions and Defining Problems

MS-P1: Asking questions and defining problems in 6-8 builds on K-5 experiences and progresses to specifying relationships between variables,and clarifying arguments and models.

MS-P6.7: Undertake a design project, engaging in the design cycle, to construct and/or implement a solution that meets specific design criteria and constraints

MS-P6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

MS-P8.1: Critically read scientific texts adapted for classroom use to determine the central ideas and/or obtain scientific and/or technical information to describe patterns in and/or evidence about the natural and designed world(s).

MS-P8.2: Integrate qualitative and/or quantitative scientific and/or technical information in written text with that contained in media and visual displays to clarify claims and findings.

MS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information (e.g. about a proposed object, tool, process, system) in writing and/or through oral presentations.

MS-P8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Middle School:

hide

High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 17

Earth and Space Sciences:

HS-ESS2.D : Weather and Climate

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.D2: Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

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

HS-ESS2.D4: Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

HS-ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

HS-ESS3 : Earth and Human Activity

HS-ESS3.A2: All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors.

HS-ESS3.A: Natural Resources

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-ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

HS-ESS3.D: Global Climate Change

HS-ETS1.C : Optimizing the Design Solution

HS-ETS1.C1: Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed

High School:

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Patterns, Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Stability and Change

See Details »

Science and Engineering Practices: 6

Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

See Details »

Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

HS-P1: Asking Questions and Defining Problems

HS-P6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

HS-P8.2: Compare, integrate and evaluate sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a scientific question or solve a problem.

HS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).

HS-P8: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

High School:

Climate Literacy

This Activity 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

It is suggested to have a climate scientist involved in the activity.
Given the complexity of the concepts involved (eg. climate systems, energy balance), it would be important to attend to students' misunderstandings and misrepresentations throughout the design process.
The resources linked at the beginning of the activity are helpful for providing foundational understandings.
Time is needed before the activity to gather art supplies and other materials.
Teachers might want to consider referencing the CLEAN elementary support guides.

About the Content

Students create an artistic representation of how Earth's systems are balanced.
This requires students to learn background information on the complex climate system before embarking on the artistic endeavor of creating a piece. For example, students learn about warming factors, such as darker surfaces that absorb light energy and power plants burning fossil fuels. They explore cooling factors, such as reflective clouds.
Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

Engaging, hands-on, arts-integrated activity.
This activity has students learn about the complex climate system of Earth through a series of discussion questions and a short activity.
The students unite the science with art by making a balancing mobile using materials that represent the different factors contributing to the system.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

The lesson highly recommends making a connection with a climate scientist who is willing to serve as an adviser, and a high school environmental science teacher to co-facilitate the activity and assist in mentoring the students as they design and build their artwork.

Entered the Collection: August 2020 Last Reviewed: June 2020

Jump to this Activity »

Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 11

Cross Cutting Concepts: 7

Science and Engineering Practices: 8

High School (see details)

High School

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 17

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Science and Engineering Practices: 6

Grade Level

Online Readiness

Topics

Climate Literacy

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

About

Reuse

Page Text