This video describes how Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey and the surrounding community have been affected by warming temperatures due to climate change.
The video interviews a scientist and local resident, and shows historic footage of events on the ice in the past.
Teaching Tips
Positives
New Jersey is described to be one of the states most affected by climate change, which may be surprising to students.
The video is compelling because it integrates personal experiences of those living near the lake with the scientific information.
Viewers are left feeling optimistic, as the video touches on ways the community is adapting and what the state of New Jersey is doing to slow climate change.
Additional Prerequisites
Teachers may have to skip an ad before or during the video.
Differentiation
Teachers could connect this resource to a biology class by exploring how the algae blooms mentioned in the video negatively affect the lake ecosystem.
The video mentions a recent commitment by the New Jersey governor to develop off-shore wind energy, which could link this video to the topic of renewable energy and the government's role in combating climate change.
The process of lakes freezing is strongly tied to water density, temperature, and wind, which could make this resource a good real-world example for a science class.
This article by Our Climate Voices describes another lake in the United States, Lake Erie, that has been impacted by climate change, specifically by harmful algae blooms.
This fun, interactive game lets students explore how human activity impacts the health of lakes, which would pair well with this video for a science lesson.
The video shows how increases in surface temperatures have threatened Lake Hopatcong and its resources. It articulates the importance of co-creating climate solutions and limiting CO2 emissions to reduce the impact of climate change on the Lake. This video is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
HS-ESS3-6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.2.6-8 Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions, and changes in their environmental characteristics.
