Climate Change Lesson 9 : Plant and Animal Phenology
Students will be able to:
1. Examine historical phenological records to track changes related to spring bloom.
2. Draw conclusions about the adaptive capacity of the biosphere.
3. Hypothesize about the effects of climate change on agriculture and tourism in Michigan.
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
Grade 6-7 Science:
• Identify the factors in an ecosystem that influence changes in population size. L.EC.06.32
HS Earth Science:
• Based on evidence of observable changes in recent history and climate change models, explain the consequences of warmer oceans (including the results of increased evaporation, shoreline and estuarine impacts, oceanic algae growth, and coral bleaching) and changing climatic zones (including the adaptive capacity of the biosphere). E5.4D
HS Biology:
• Explain how stability is challenged by changing physical, chemical, and environmental conditions as well as the presence of disease agents. B2.3C
• Describe common ecological relationships between and among species and their environments (competition, territory, carrying capacity, natural balance, population, dependence, survival, and other biotic and abiotic factors). L3.p2B
• Explain how two organisms can be mutually beneficial and how that can lead to interdependency. L3.p2D
• List the possible causes and consequences of global warming. B3.4e
Grade 6-8 Social Studies:
• Describe the effects that a change in the physical environment could have on human activities and the choices people would have to make in adjusting to the change (e.g., drought in northern Mexico, disappearance of forest vegetation in the Amazon, natural hazards and disasters from volcanic eruptions in Central America and the Caribbean and earthquakes in Mexico City and Colombia). 6- G5.2.1, 7- G5.2.1
Climate Literacy Principles
• #3. Life on earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate.
• #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.
• #7. Climate change will have consequences for the earth system and human lives.