In this unit, students explore 150+ years of scientific work, an interdisciplinary body of knowledge that contributed to the discovery of global warming. Students will develop a qualitative and quantitative sense about how Earth’s global mean temperature has changed over the Industrial Era and its relationship global carbon dioxide levels.

Students explore how solar radiation, Earth's surface and oceans, and greenhouse gases interact to cause global warming. They can change variables to determine how much greenhouse gas emissions might need to fall to mitigate the temperature increase.

Healthy soil gives us many benefits, including nutritious food. During this video, I interview a local farmer to find out how he takes care of his soil. I also demonstrate an activity where students can try their hand at designing their own soil-friendly yard or green space, either at home or at school.

What Is Air? Is a brief introduction to the properties of air using two It’s Our Air videos (http://www.itsourair.org) with a student worksheet for evaluation. (www.itsourair.org).  

Students will describe how climate change is affecting sea ice, vegetation, and glaciers in the Arctic region, explain how changes in the Arctic climate can produce global impacts, and will be able to provide three examples of such impacts. Students will also explain how a given impact resulting from climate change may be considered ?positive? as well as ?negative?, and will be able to provide at least one example of each. Students will work in collaborative groups to research this issue and gather information to participate in a large-group discussion. In an optional extension activity, students create a photocube display with images of the Arctic region.

In this lesson, students gain climate literacy through exploration of common climate-change terms and calculate their own potential carbon dioxide contributions.

In this lesson, students will learn about the environmental, economic, and political issues surrounding global climate change policy.

This is a comprehensive encyclopedia entry that contains information about marine ecosystems, ocean zones, ocean currents, marine resources, and environmental issues associated with oceans. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.