This animated video describes the surprisingly large role that concrete production has played in rising global temperatures.
The video highlights multiple modern innovations that could help solve this problem, like using clean energy to produce concrete, capturing the carbon released in the process, and even permanently storing the captured carbon in the concrete itself.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The video is clear and the science has been simplified to make it easy for students to understand.
The animations and background music are engaging.
There is additional information to explore about climate solutions and innovations by clicking on "Dig Deeper".
Additional Prerequisites
There is an advertisement before the video.
Students and teachers must create an account to answer the questions about the video, view individual student answers, customize lessons, and embed lessons directly into Google classroom or other classroom management platforms.
Differentiation
This video would be great to use in a science or engineering class when learning about modern innovations that can help solve climate change as it gives multiple examples of how scientists are modifying concrete and its production to reduce the environmental impact.
Cross-curricular connections can be made with history because the video discusses the Romans as the inventors of concrete and describes how they used it to build their civilization.
Social studies students could research the use of concrete throughout history to demonstrate how this Roman invention is still impacting us today.
This resource includes a 3-minute video, quiz, and supporting resources that explore the manufacturing of concrete and the associated carbon dioxide emissions. This resource is clear and conveys a lot of information, although there are few details smoothed over for simplicity. For instance, in the text description, concrete and cement are called the same thing, when in reality, cement is an ingredient of concrete. This is presented accurately in the video. Additionally, tons are used to compare chemicals in a chemical reaction, when moles should be used. However, these slight inaccuracies are minor, and the rest of the material is of high quality. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
