Differentiation Modifications Extending the Learning The Human Energy Systems Unit provides a foundation for understanding how human activities are increasing atmospheric CO2 and how that leads to increased temperatures and other effects (sea level rise and declining Arctic Sea ice). This unit has barely scratched the surface of many important questions that you may want to explore further. Below are some ideas: Climate change mitigation: What can we do to decrease CO2 emissions and the amount of CO2 already in the atmosphere? Resource: Mitigation of climate Change video (about 12 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDcGz1iVm6U Effects of climate change: How will the effects of climate change affect humans and other living things? Students can research the effect of climate change on something that is personally interesting to them. Some examples include: extreme weather such as storms and droughts, agriculture and food production, changes in animal habitats and breeding seasons, spread of mosquito-borne illnesses (malaria, Dengue Fever, West Nile virus, and Zika Virus), ocean acidification, effects of sea level rise on coastal habitats or flooding of human cities. Climate models: How were the RCP scenarios developed and how do scientists use them? Resource: The Beginner’ Guide to Representative Concentration Pathways: http://www.skepticalscience.com/docs/RCP_Guide.pdf Climate feedbacks: How will changes to one Earth system affect others? Students could research how the following phenomena are related to positive and negative climate feedbacks: ice and land reflectivity (albedo), clouds, plant growth, and precipitation. Media literacy: Are the arguments about climate change presented in news stories based on reliable data? Students can use what they learned in this unit to evaluate and critique the claims, evidence, and reasoning about climate change that are presented in the news, magazines, or websites.
