Lessons and Activities Related to the Greenhouse Effect

Lessons and activities in this section will allow your students to begin connecting knowledge of carbon and carbon compound properties to environmental issues. The resources enable student development of deeper conceptual understanding of the science involved in hot-button issues, which in turn positions students to participate in meaningful discussions regarding carbon-related environmental issues.

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Atmospheric Gases Major Composition http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/labs/atmosphere/atm_composition.swf

What percentage of each gas makes up the atmosphere? On this activity page, part of an interactive laboratory series for grades 8-12, a pie chart displays information about and percentages of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and other gases of minute quantity. The pie chart breaks into additional pie charts when students click on the smaller quantities, illustrating the small relative portion that is carbon dioxide. It should raise the question: How can CO₂, which occurs as such a small fraction of the earth’s atmosphere, be so important to the quality of that atmosphere? MSP full record

Ecological Footprint Quiz http://www.earthday.net/Footprint/index.asp

Ever wondered how much "nature" your lifestyle requires? Earth Day’s Footprint quiz will tell you. Users answer questions about their lifestyle in order to estimate how sustainable their way of life really is. They can compare their ecological footprints to what other people use and to what is available on the planet. The results may shock you. (Does not work well in Safari browser.)

The Greenhouse Effect http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/greenhouse.html

In this hands-on activity, students model the greenhouse effect, gaining an understanding of the physical factors that contribute to it. MSP full record

Ozone in the Atmosphere: Increasing Greenhouse Effect http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/labs/atmosphere/ozone_main3.html

What human factors have affected the atmosphere? In this informational piece, part of an interactive laboratory series for grades 8-12, students read about the greenhouse effect and how small changes in the earth's temperature can affect weather patterns. Students also read that the release of carbon from inside the earth increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The destruction of the ozone layer is mentioned as a problem. Click on the link to the interactive laboratory at the bottom of the page. MSP full record

Greenhouse Effect Interactive Lab http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/labs/atmosphere/greenhouse.swf

What causes the earth to behave like a greenhouse? This activity, part of an interactive laboratory series for grades 8-12, introduces students to the greenhouse effect. In the activity, students view animations of heat movement and answer 10 multiple-choice questions about the greenhouse effect. MSP full record

EPA's Personal Greenhouse Gas Calculator http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ ResourceCenterToolsGHGCalculator.html

This is an online calculator tool that individuals can use to obtain an estimate of their household's greenhouse gas emissions. MSP full record

Arctic Meltdown http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/arcticmeltdown.shtml

This radio broadcast conveys the story of an entrepreneur/explorer who was able to sail the North West Passage, which historically has always been icebound, indicating climate change. He was prompted to fund scientific research into global climate change as a result of this experience. This may provide an example for your students of how nonscientists can react to and become involved in scientific issues.

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Copyright July 2007 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.