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Database Provider

Author

Hot Mess

Grades

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th

Subjects

Science, Biology

Resource Type

  • Videos, 4 minutes, 52 seconds, CC, Subtitles

Regional Focus

Global

Format

YouTube Video

How the Pika Adapts to Climate Change

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Synopsis
  • This PBS video highlights the impacts climate change and temperature rise have on the Pika, a small mammal that lives in high-altitude regions. 
  • The video highlights how humans can learn from the fast behavioral adaptations Pikas are undertaking to adapt to climate change.
Teaching Tips

Positives

  • The video incorporates humor, engaging imagery, music, and clear explanations to ensure it's both engaging and informative. 

Additional Prerequisites

  • The video has commercials at the beginning and the end. The information finishes at 4 minutes and 12 seconds. 
  • Students will need to have a basic understanding of the concept of climate change.

Differentiation

  • Science teachers could use this video as a hook for learning about the topics of animal adaptation and climate change impacts. 
  • The resource Adelie Penguins could be used beforehand for middle school students who require more background knowledge about the impacts of climate change on animals. 
  • High school biology teachers can use this resource as a hook, then use 5 Plants and Animals Utterly Confused by Climate Change and Lizards in the Cold to analyze information and scientific data about animal adaptation, extreme climate events, and natural selection.
Scientist Notes
We are already seeing the adverse effects of climate change on animals around the world. While some have been driven to extinction or endangered status, others have been able to adapt, like the Pika. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
  • Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
    • LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
      • MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
      • HS-LS2-6 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
    • LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
      • MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
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