In this part of the unit, students are exploring how global temperatures have changed over the past hundred years.  Students will examine tables and graphs about global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels, human consumption of food, and human consumption of natural resources.  They will find patterns in the graphs.  Based on this data, students will construct an argument about how human activities (increase in population and consumption of natural resources) cause global temperatures to increase.

"This undergraduate class is designed to introduce students to the physics that govern the circulation of the ocean and atmosphere. The focus of the course is on the processes that control the climate of the planet.AcknowledgmentsProf. Ferrari wishes to acknowledge that this course was originally designed and taught by Prof. John Marshall."

Climate change is occurring because more of the Sun’s energy that reaches Earth is being trapped by our atmosphere. In these activities, students will learn about Earth’s energy balance so that in later activities they will be able to explain how human activities have altered this balance and evaluate how these changes have led to an increase in global temperature and the subsequent consequences of global warming.

Climate change is occurring because the amounts of carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse” gases in the atmosphere are increasing. In these activities, students will learn about The Carbon Cycle so that in a later lesson they will be able to explain how human activities have altered The Carbon Cycle and evaluate how these changes have led to an increase in global temperature and the subsequent consequences of global warming.