Transcript Correlation and Trend Lines: Climate Change and Its Impacts

Analyzing Correlations: Climate Change
Impacts and Renewable Solutions
Laura Roberts
Bearden High School
RET
Lesson 1 Overview: ‘Do the Math’: Important Climate Change Trends and
Correlations
Students are hooked into this lesson by informally discussing 9 of the top 10 global issues (Water, Food,
Environment, Poverty, Terrorism & War, Disease, Education, Democracy, and Population) and how energy
can help solve them. They are then informed that Energy itself is the top global concern and shown clips
from 350.org regarding the numbers 2, 565 and 2785.
2 degrees Celsius is the temperature rise we do not want our planet to exceed, and 565 gigatons of carbon
was the maximum amount agreed upon to be released in the atmosphere. Before seeing how many gigatons
have been released, students will be instructed in correlation and use it to analyze the current carbon ppm in
the atmosphere. They will hypothesize how many gigatons of carbon have been released to date and are
then shown the rest of the video, where they are informed we are set to hit 565 gigatons of carbon in about
15 years, and 2785 is the amount of gigatons of carbon currently in reserves. To prepare for the next day’s
lesson, students will analyze correlations for global sea rises, temperature levels and arctic ice levels.
350.org
Lesson 2 Overview: Trend Lines and Analyzing Climate Change Impacts on
Specific Populations
www.climate.nasa.gov
Mӧrner, Nils-Axel. “The Maldives: A Measure of Sea Level Changes and Sea Level Ethics”.
Paleogeophysics and Geodynamics, Rӧsundavӓgen 17, 13336, Saltsjobaden, Sweden.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CC8QFjAC&url=http%
3A%2F%2Fmyweb.wwu.edu%2Fdbunny%2Fpdfs%2FCh7Elsevier.pdf&ei=5QWIVYjiK8WoyATGyLzACQ
&usg=AFQjCNF69gdW4uqnTlv3QOvXaNdWCmiXOA&sig2=CbwIuZiWVUahTJoMeiyXbw
Introduce the lesson by discussing the trends the students analyzed in preparation for this lesson:
Which had positive/which had negative? What do the graphs look like?
The teacher then picks the graph for rising sea levels:
Questions for students:
• What do you think the change will be in 2019? How did you get your answer? Why do we want
to predict future numbers?
The objective of trend lines can then be introduced by drawing one through the graph of rising sea
levels.
• What does this line show? How does it help us?
What do you think could be some implications of rising sea levels?
Hook: Video showing threat of sea level rise in the Republic of Maldives
http://theislandpresident.com/#!wp-video-lightbox[iframes]/0/
More detailed instruction regarding trend lines is provided, and students construct a trend line for
the Maldives sea level and discuss the implications.
Students then complete trend lines in class for the scatter plots they constructed from the
previouslesson.
Homework: Students analyze data sets for different populations to see different effects of climate
change.
Tanzania Temps/Coffee Production
Southern Africa Temps/Maize Production (soil moisture)
New York Temp Increase/Precipitation Increase.
This is a good place to introduce questions encouraging higher order thinking- both in terms of
connecting implications and looking for a solution to the climate problem.
Lesson 3 Overview: Hands on Solar
Students will be introduced to a solar power as a renewable energy, and hypothesize whether
the energy output throughout the day represents a linear function.
Materials Needed: Lamp. Solar panel, multi-meter, chair (or something that provides a
moveablefixed height), alligator clips, tape, tape measurer)
Potential group assignments: Team Leader, Recorder, Multi-Meter Manager, Chair Coordinator
Students will measure and mark tape according to certain hours of the day (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2,
3, 4). Alligator clips connect the solar panel to the multi-meter and the solar panel stays in a fixed
place (12:00). The chair is moved along designated times, stopping at each marked spot on
tapeto record data. Students should conclude the data is not a linear function.
Once students determine their correlation is not linear, they must work as a team on the
following task:
• You cannot lift the solar panel completely off the ground or move it outside it’s designated
box. How can we maximize the solar energy? Experiment!
Follow up assignment: Students hypothesize and analyze trend and correlation of total voltage
throughout the simulated day.