How Can We Save the World's Tropical Peatland?
Provided by: The Climate Question|Published on: August 24, 2022
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Podcasts
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: The Climate Question, BBC
Region: Africa, Asia
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This podcast details why preserving peatland is tricky, due in large part to the fact that keeping peatland healthy can be more expensive than digging it up and developing the land.
- Students will learn what peatlands are, where they're located, what happens when they dry out, how they're connected to climate change, what governments are doing to protect them, and some of the roadblocks that are stopping peatland preservation.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This podcast is thorough and includes multiple perspectives that will enhance student understanding.
- The narrator is clear and concise.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have an understanding of ecosystems, the carbon cycle, and conservation.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections can be made in social studies classes discussing international politics and economics, or in language arts classes working with nonfiction sources or debate units.
- This resource lends itself well to a Socratic Circle activity.
- Break students into two groups called the inner and outer circles. Have the inner circle sit in a circle facing out, and then have the outer circle sit around the inner circle facing in.
- The inner circle begins by analyzing the resource through questioning themselves and gathering answers. Once they have concluded their conversation, the outer circle provides feedback and additional understanding.
- The previous step is repeated until the circles come to a cohesive understanding of the resource.
- As an extension, have students research what government programs could be available to assist in peatland preservation.
The podcast emphasizes the function of peatlands in storing carbon. The ecosystem of peatlands is under threat from human activity and more of the CO2 trapped in peat is released into the atmosphere as a result of warmer temperatures and farm expansion into peatland. The resource emphasizes the significance of protecting this ecosystem through the use of climate financing to build livelihoods and resilience, so as to lock up CO2. This resource has no scientific misconceptions, and it is a useful teaching tool.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
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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