When we address climate forcings and global warmings, we often look at it from a global perspective. With primary factors such as increasing GHG and man’s continued heavy use of fossil fuels, it is coming to light that more research is showing how local or regional climate changes are occurring at a faster rate than anticipated. We have been seeing the effects of greenhouse gases in the Southwest. The warming has been gradual and subtle but has had a profound effect on the region. Increased temperatures have reduced snowpack in the Rockies and caused earlier springs. The decrease in appreciable snow melt affects the water levels of the Colorado River on which we depend for our water needs. Add to that the winter storm track has been gradually sliding northward and we have less winter storms to supplement the snow pack. While this region has seen its share of droughts over the past 1000 years, determined by tree ring studies, we are finding that this drought that began in the 1990s is lasting longer than any natural drought previously seen. This can perhaps be attributed to human-induced GHGs.
As far as resources I use for teaching GCC, having almost all AP Biology classes, I am under the same time constraints as other AP teachers. Many topics get a once-over with the basic terminology covered and some local feedbacks examined. My sources have been primarily video clips or time lapse photography of ice sheets or mountain glaciers retreating. I have used the NASA satellite imagery to support the information and rely primarily on the Keeling curve and hockey stick chart to illustrate the rise in GHG and global surface temperatures. We have had several interesting Socratic seminars based on the topic. I wish I had more time to spend on the topic and need to examine a way of integrating it into more of my course curriculum.
After reading several resources provided in the course, I need to reexamine the strategies I use in the classroom to both impact the students more and save some precious class time. The Systems Theory approach to Science education is fascinating. Implementation would be a different story however. Our school district is making a move to require the core science classes of biology, geosciences, chemistry and physics in that order. Additional science classes such as environmental science or AP sciences will become electives. This change comes from a task force that met and recommended that the classic sciences be taught in better preparation for college level courses. This means less integration and more stand alone subjects. I am hoping I can get my department to work collaboratively so that we can integrate GCC and other key topics throughout their subjects. I would hate to see GCC relegated to a 4 week unit in Geoscience or a few weeks in Biology while they are studying ecology. It would be a major disservice to students.
I have gained an incredible number of resources by taking this GCC course. The simulations from the PhET site can easily be worked into an activity they can do at home. The NASA climate change site has some very useful information in a highly interactive format that will also catch the students’ imaginations and provide them with more information. With the amount of resources from this course alone, I can integrate more impacting information on the GCC topic. I am rethinking some of my techniques and realize that with the time constraints I have, I need to introduce this topic much earlier on in the year and somehow weave it as a thread throughout the entire school year. I am always telling my students we are the caretakers of the planet and try to get them to take more proactive steps in improving their carbon footprint. I am now thinking perhaps a weekly or biweekly presentation by the students ( lab group presentation) of current forcings and feedbacks both local and global to coincide with the current events happening at that same time. It wouldn’t take much time at all and it beats having the teacher standing up there lecturing to them on the topic J J How do I bring in all this exciting information with the small amount of time I have to dedicate to the topics?That is something I really need to think about.
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