• This experiment will demonstrate the causes and impacts of the Greenhouse Effect in a hands-on and engaging way.
• Students will learn about radiant energy, Earth's atmosphere, and the Greenhouse Effect while participating in a lab that mimics the Greenhouse Effect in ways that are immediate and observable.

Positives

• This activity is thorough and the reading at the beginning will be helpful for student understanding of the greenhouse effect.
• While the lab is involved, it can be differentiated and is manageable for students at a variety of levels.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students and teachers can watch this related video to see the experiment being completed.
• Students should be familiar with lab safety prior to this activity.
• To complete the experiment, teachers will need a heat lamp, two 1-liter beakers, two digital thermometers, small flexible tubing, a flask with a stopper, and NaHCO₃ tablets.

Differentiation

• Cross curricular connections can be made in math classes by using the data collected or provided to graph the outcome of the experiment, or in language arts classes by writing an informational or procedural piece about the experiment or the Greenhouse Effect.
• If the materials are not accessible or students are not able to complete the physical lab for any reason, the data provided on page 6 can be used to graph results.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.