Climate Change Facts Unit

Week 1 Day 1

Title: Who’s Right About Climate Change

“How can we separate Climate Change Facts from Opinions?”

Goals:
-Students will see how different individuals’ opinions and knowledge about climate change varies
-Identify that there are misconceptions about climate change.

Objectives:
-Introduction to unit and final project expectations.
-Looking at the common misconceptions about climate change and recognizing key details.

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed: Large sheet of paper for discussion

Lesson Plan:
Do Now (5)
Free write your answer to this question… How do you separate Climate Change facts
from Opinions?
Take a stand Activity (30)
Set up a spectrum of answers in the classroom ie. Yes, on one side of the room and no on the
other. The middle of the classroom is neutral.
Questions:
Do climate change scientists hold truth to their findings?
Climate change is real
There is very little CO2 in the air
Humans are the biggest agent of change for why climate change is occurring
You can believe anything online
Politicians know a lot about climate change
If you know a good website then it holds a lot of good facts
Discussion (15)
-Open dialogue with the students and see what information that they are confused about. Questions that
seem to have a variety of “stands.”
-Use the large white paper to write down questions and information that they would like to learn more
about
Explanation of Final (5)
Create a media document of your choosing that must include these requirements…
1. At least 1minute long and shorter than 5mins.
2. Credible climate change information with sources
3. Visual data image included
4. In a form of media that we see everyday
a. Youtube
b. News Report/Article
c. Be creative!
*Media format decision must be approved by the teacher at the end of week 1 with a materials request form if needed

Exit Ticket (5):

Free write… What is one question from our “Take a Stand” activity that made you unsure
of your answer. Why is that?
Week 1 Day 2: MEDIA WEEK

Title: What is the internet saying about Climate Change? Should we believe what we read
online?
“Well if it says breaking news then it must be true?”

Goals:
-Look at ways and techniques in identifying what is true and what is an opinionated statement

Objectives:
-Develop skills in identifying credible information.
-Students develop their own factual data criteria guide when checking if the online site is credible or not

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed: News articles, handouts

Lesson Plan:
Do Now: (10)
When you get a breaking News Article on your newsfeed… what do you do to check to
see if it’s “real” news?

Fake News (15)

(1) Fill out the “How to spot fake news” note-taking sheet

Reading Challenge(20)
1. Read the article. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/us/nasa-ice-sheet-loss-climate-
change-trnd/index.html
2. Based on you “How to spot fake news” sheet, does this article hold valid climate change
data?
3. Combine with another group.
a. Discuss similarities and differences.

Exit Ticket:
Create 3 top factual data criteria rules to follow when determining climate news is
credible or opinionated?
*Please note that this paper can edited and added over the course of the unit. It
will need to be turned in with your Unit Assessment.
Name________ Student Handout

How to Spot Fake News Guidelines

Consider the
Source/Accuracy

Read Beyond

Check the Author

Check the Date

Valid Purpose?

Check the biases

Name_____ Student Handout

Factual Data Criteria

Week 1 Day 3- MEDIA WEEK

Title: Does this website show the truth about climate change?
“How can we tell if it’s credible?”

Goals:
-Look at websites and identify ways to look for credible information
-Students will be able to successfully look at websites to determine if it hold credible facts

Objectives:
-Learn how to “break down a website” and look at the site’s information.

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed: News articles

Lesson Plan:
Do Now: (5)
In 5 mins, write down all the climate change sites you believe are credible

Breaking down a website Class Practice (10)

Website Challenge(40)
Challenge: Pass your paper with a partner and analyze the sites they wrote down. Using
your criteria, highlight the sites that are credible and circle the ones that are not. Give reasons
why using your factual data criteria sheet.
1. After you complete the analysis, work with the person who traded papers with and share
-why did this site not pass your standards?
-what would be a better site to utilize and why?
-did you agree with a website to be credible and why?

Exit Ticket (5)

Was there one site that didn’t pass your criteria? Was it surprising and why didn’t it?
Name______ Student Handout

Websites and Climate Change Handout

Do Now “In 5 mins, write down all the climate change sites that you believe are credible”
 Student Handout

Web Site Did it meet your Factual Data Criteria?

Why or Why not?
Week 1 Day 4- MEDIA WEEK

Title: Should we believe every media clip out there?

“ We should believe a celebrity over a scientist?”

Goals: Look at ways and techniques in identifying what is true and what is an opinionated
statement

Objectives:
Develop skills in identifying credible information.

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed: computer and speakers

Lesson Plan:
Do Now: (5)
Watch the clip.
What are your overall thoughts about this video? Use your guidelines to back up
your findings

Media Decoding Activity(20)

-Individual Work, 5 groups for discussion

Other medias(20)
Watch and decode the climate change information

Exit Ticket:(5)
Which video had the most impact on you?
Is there bias?
Do the visuals stick out to you?
Name_______ Student Handout

Media Decoding Activity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sGKvDNdJNA&feature=player+%3Demdded

You will be analyzing this commercial more closely by reading the transcript and thinking about
the message and meaning of the commercial.

WHAT TO DO:
Read the transcript to yourself.

Some of the statements in this transcript could be tested and other statements are opinions.

-Highlight all statements that could be tested and comment on whether you think this statement
whether you think this statement is true or false.

-Underline any statement that is an opinion and circle the words that you make you think this.

Discussion:
As a group, discuss the following questions.

1. What is the message of the commercial?

2. The commercial implies that it will be bad for society if carbon dioxide is legally called
a pollutant. Do you agree?
3. What do you “imagine if they succeed”? Is your image of success the same image
that the author implied?

INDIVIDUALLY:

Do you agree with the message?

How can you know or figure out whether to accept the claims of this commercial?
Transcript of the Commercial

Global Warming/Energy
From the COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE

There’s something in these pictures you can’t see

It’s essential to life.

We breathe it out.

Plants breathe it in.

It comes from animal life, the oceans, the earth,

and the fuels we find in it.

It’s called carbon dioxide---CO2.

The fuels that produce C02 have

freed us from a world of back-breaking labor,

lighting up our lives,

allowing us to create and move

the things we need, the people we love.

Now some politicians want to label carbon dioxide a pollutant.

Imagine if they succeed.

What would our lives be like then?

Carbon dioxide.

They call it pollution.

We call it life.
Week 1 Day 5- MEDIA WEEK

Title: The Power of the Social Media: Can it save us?

“Can my post make a difference?”

Goals:
-Learn how data from social media can have positive and negative impact
-Understand how accurate climate change information is communicated

Objectives:
-Climate Change Communication online
-The power of environmental movements online

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed:

Lesson Plan:
Environmental Issue Report (20)

Do Now: (5)
Put a check mark next to the statements that you believe are correct

____ Young People can post anything and people will believe it
____ We should be cautious when reading statements online
____ Social Media is a vital communications link
____ Data with sources is important online

Climate Change Communication lecture (10)

-Know your audience
-Too much information can be confusing
-less is more
-Cite your data!
*Communication is powerful

Social Media Specialist Challenge (25)

Challenge this statement: I believe you can find climate change misinformation online
from these climate change activists.
(1) Draw a card [will have a name of an individual who are very well known in social media
world for their work in climate change activism]
(2) Working with partners, research and find evidence online. Put together in a powerpoint
or google doc
(3) Last ten mins. Combine with partner pair with the same card.
a. Discuss findings
b. Similarities and differences
c. Was there any misinformation?
d. Would you follow this individual on the social media?
 Goal of this challenge: Students will come to the realization that everything must be fact
checked online even from these individuals to validate their statements.

Exit Ticket (5)

What is a negative and positive impact social media can have on climate change
communication?

Why it is important to think twice before posting data?

Example of Cards

Greta Thunberg Al Gore

Leonardo DiCaprio Bill Nye

Jane Fonda
Week 2 Day 1

Title: How can we use Proxy indicators to tell the truth about climate change?
“Can art be truthful?”

Goals:
-Learn what a proxy indicator is and why it is important.
-One way to look at climate change is through historical records and art

Objectives:
-What are proxy indicators?
-Using historical records and arts to explain how climate has changed over the years

Group Size: 20 students

Materials Needed: photos and stations set up.

Lesson Plan:
Do Now: (5)
What are some data/evidence that we can use to determine climate change truth?

What are proxy indicators lecture (15)

History and Climate Change Activity(40)

-10 stations, 2 students at each one. Rotate.
-Answer the guiding question listed under the photo.

*Last 10 mins; small group discussions

-What would be some climate change skeptics arguments be for using historical records?
-How can you rebuttal those statements?
-Is this valid evidence?

Exit Ticket:(5)
Explain why art and historical records can be a good indicator of climate change?
 History and Climate Change Photo Example

Source: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/what-are-proxy-data

What is one way for this document to be used as evidence for climate change?

Can the differences in these photos be evidence for climate change truth?