Climate Change Lesson 7 : Climate Models Making Global Predictions

Students will be able to:

1. Describe important elements of climate change models, and why climate models are complex.

2. Use models to predict the global temperature change.

3. Examine projections for different emission scenarios.

Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations

Grade 6-7 Science:

• Describe the origins of pollution in the atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere (car exhaust, industrial emissions, acid rain, and natural sources) and how pollution impacts habitats, climatic change, threatens or endangers species. E.ES.07.42

HS Earth Science:

• Develop an understanding of a scientific concept by accessing information from multiple sources. Evaluate the scientific accuracy and significance of the information. E1.2C

• Analyze the empirical relationship between the emissions of carbon dioxide, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and the average global temperature over the past 150 years. E5.4C

• Predict the global temperature increase by 2100, given data on the annual trends of CO2 concentration increase. E5.r4j

HS Biology:

• List the possible causes and consequences of global warming. B3.4e

Climate Literacy Principles

• #4. Climate varies over space and time through both natural and man-made processes.

• #5. Our understanding of the climate system is improved through observations, theoretical studies, and modeling.

• #6. Human activities are impacting the climate system.