HES Activity 3.2 Overview

Target Student Performance

Students use a computer simulation to explain how carbon dioxide absorbs visible light and emits infrared radiation—the Greenhouse Effect.

Resources Provided

• 3.2 The Greenhouse Effect Reading
• 3.2 The Greenhouse Effect Simulation Worksheet
• 3.2 Grading The Greenhouse Effect Simulation Worksheet
• Greenhouse Effect PhET simulation: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/greenhouse
• Optional data (“Global Warming's Six Americas”) of attitudes toward climate change: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2009/05/19/6042/global-warmings-six-americas/

Recurring Resources

• Questions, Connections, Questions Student Reading Strategy

Setup

Prepare enough copies of the 3.2 The Greenhouse Effect Reading for each student to have one. Prepare enough copies of the 3.2 The Greenhouse Effect Simulation Worksheet for each pair or team of students. Download the PhET Simulation on the computers used by students by going to this link: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/greenhouse

Note that you may need to modify the security preferences on some computers in order to open the simulation.