How Do We Measure Climate Change?

Provided by: Probable Futures |Published on: April 11, 2025

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Synopsis

In this brief article, students will understand how climate change is measured in degrees of warming and how that warming varies across the globe.
Students will read about the likelihood and impacts associated with each warming scenario and how degrees of warming are measured.

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Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Probable Futures

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

This article is brief and won't take up too much class time.
The article includes a map that helps students understand the different warming scenarios.

Prerequisites

Some of the embedded links are broken.
Students should understand climate change and some of its related impacts.

Differentiation & Implementation

The article references the Paris Agreement. If students have not yet learned about the Paris Agreement, teachers can follow this article with the lesson plan CFR Education: The Paris Agreement.
Additionally, social studies students can analyze the linked Paris Agreement as an exercise in working with primary sources.
Some students, especially those who are feeling overwhelmed or hopeless after reading the article, may benefit from looking at climate solutions that can help to keep the climate from reaching some of the thresholds mentioned in the article. Project Drawdown's Table of Solutions has a wide range of solutions for students to choose from.

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Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Probable Futures

Probable Futures offers useful tools and maps to visualize climate change along with stories and insights to help people understand what those changes mean.

Scientist Reviewed

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.

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How Do We Measure Climate Change?

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

About the Partner Provider

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources