Is It Real?

• Chapter 6 of the Our Climate Our Future series contains a video, student worksheet, and three articles for additional reading.
  
• The video explains that human-caused climate change is happening right now and further explains how and why some people spread misinformation about climate change.
• The readings address changes in global temperatures, weather patterns (such as El Nino), ocean heat, sea level rise, and the water cycle.
  

Positives

• This is a great resource to use virtually because it includes a Google Doc worksheet and online student readings.
  
• It teaches empathy by explaining the misinformation campaigns, but also encourages critical thinking. 
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers need to make a free account to access the materials.

Differentiation

• This resource can be used after a science lesson about climate change to encourage critical thinking.
  
• For civics, a teacher can talk about how personal interests or interest groups affect policy and media coverage.
• This resource can prompt a discussion about how one can analyze the credibility of resources as well as a lesson on media literacy and analyzing media messages (such as Project Look Sharp's: Key Questions to Ask When Analyzing Media Messages).
• Other resources on this topic include The Cost of Carbon, Doubt, and Climate Science: Crash Course History of Science.
  

Climate change is real and has been proven by climate scientists, including the IPCC and others. The resource explains the role humans contribute to increasing CO₂ which eventually warms the planet. However, the video states that variation in the earth's orbit is a major cause of natural changes to climate. But this is not the only natural cause. We have other important natural factors such as the sun's angle/intensity, natural greenhouse gases, volcanic eruptions, continentality effect, and the other Milankovich cycles which cause climate change at a slower pace.