This 3-minute video and brief article describe how warming winters in Minnesota and the rest of the Upper Midwest have impacted winter recreation and the recreation-based economy.
The video uses the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships in Minneapolis as an exciting example of winter recreation that is threatened by climate change.
The pond hockey tournament does a great job of hooking viewers into this conversation about climate change.
Prerequisites
This builds on students' prior knowledge about climate change and its impacts on the seasons.
If students are unfamiliar with Minnesota and its climate, they may benefit from a brief overview.
Differentiation & Implementation
After watching and reading, students can discuss their favorite outdoor activities and hypothesize about how climate change will impact them or notice how they have been impacted already. Students may need help making connections to certain things they may not associate with climate change, such as air quality.
Students can interview grandparents or older community members about what they remember about winter when they were young, and if they have noticed any differences compared to recent winters.
This resource can be used in economics classes as an example of the economic implications of climate change. Students can also think about how this can impact businesses such as ski lodges and other places that rely on winter tourism.
Teachers can pause the video at 0:55 and 1:40 to have students analyze the data visualizations and describe what they are showing.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Climate Central
Climate Central is an independent group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives.
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
