This podcast episode discusses how climate change is impacting northern Canada's climate, the livelihood of Indigenous populations, and the habitats of arctic animals.
Two climate change researchers and advocates are featured on the podcast to discuss their work in the region.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Students will enjoy the upbeat and conversational tone of the podcast host.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of this region to the Inuit people and describes how traditional Indigenous climate monitoring methods can improve our understanding of climate change.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should already have a basic understanding of climate change.
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Differentiation
In geography classes, students can compare and contrast this region with where they live, including topics like climate change impacts, animal habitats, native populations, etc.
Biology classes can learn more about the "fragile" arctic ecosystems by researching arctic animals impacted by climate change, creating a class food web, and discussing how climate change alters it.
The podcast describes the Arctic as "ground zero" for many climate change phenomena such as, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and thawing permafrost. Earth science classes can explore this notion further to identify why the Arctic is so important in our understanding of climate change.
Language arts students can evaluate the descriptive language the narrator uses to paint a picture of her memories of the Canadian wilderness.
If you assign the podcast as homework, students without internet access can download the audio as an MP3 before leaving school.
Scientist Notes
In this episode, the host focuses on the Arctic. The Arctic is warming faster than any other place, which comes at a high cost to the Arctic ecosystem. 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.
MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.5.6-8 Analyze the combinations of cultural and environmental characteristics that make places both similar to and different from other places.
D2.Geo.6.6-8 Explain how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures.
D2.Geo.10.6-8 Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
