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EARTH SYSTEMS

hot stuff the greenhouse effect

ACHRI/DGS/KFK/072912/V1 DRAFT COPY • ©2012 Delta Garden Study.

Frameworks

sCIeNCeNS 1.6.1 Verify accuracy of observations.NS 1.6.2 Apply components of experimental design used to produce empirical evidence.LS 4.6.1 Identify environmental conditions that can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species.NS 1.7.2 Analyze components of experimental design used to produce empirical evidence.ESS 8.7.4 Investigate the effect that oceans have on climate. ESS 8.7.13 Identify and explain the effects that human activities have on weather and atmosphere.ESS 8.7.19 Conduct investigations demonstrating the greenhouse effect.ESS 8.7.20 Research how human activities may contribute to global warming.ESS 8.8.1 Analyze the causes and predict the consequences of global warming on

the following: weather, temperature, ocean water levels.

math M 13.6.2 Determine which unit of measure or measurement tool matches the context for a problem situation. DAP 14.8.1 Design and conduct investigations which include: adequate number of trials, unbiased sampling, accurate measurement, record-keeping.

LaNGUaGe artsOV 1.6.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.OV 1.7.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.OV 1.8.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.

s objeCtIvesThe students will learn:

objeCtIve #1 To describe how a greenhouse retains heat.objeCtIve #2 To explain what the greenhouse effect is.objeCtIve #3 To identify the differences between natural and enhanced

greenhouse effects.objeCtIve #4 To explain the causes and potential consequences of global

warming. objeCtIve #5 To observe the greenhouse effect with two different

science experiments.objeCtIve #6 To record and compare measurements. objeCtIve #7 To appropriately use verbal speaking skills

in class discussion with the teacher and Garden Program Specialist.


EARTH SYSTEMS • Hot Stuff: Teachers’ Guide

The

gree

nhouse

provides an appropriate environment to study how

atm

osph

eric

gases

trap heat and help determine the earth’s tem

perature. overvIewThe greenhouse effect describes the phenomenon of atmospheric gases trapping heat and thereby affecting earth’s environment. Global warming is the possible consequence of an increase of these gases caused by human activities.

GardeN aCtIvItIes▲s Compare environmental conditions in the greenhouse

and the garden.

▲s Conduct science experiment to study the greenhouse effect

▲s Plant, harvest and work in the garden following the Garden Guide.

▲s Recipes and Taste tests as time permits (refer to Delta Garden Study Recipe Book).



Tips for THE CLAssrooMPre-lesson preparation:

1. Determine how the “greenhouse effect” visual will be used and prepare appropriately.

LessoN oUtLINe

activities estimated duration actual duration

in the classroom

▲s Offer the icebreaker 5 minutes

in the garden ▲s Teach students about the greenhouse effect in the greenhouse

15 minutes

▲s Inside or outside the greenhouse, conduct the science experiment to illustrate a simplified greenhouse effect

15 minutes

▲s Plant, harvest and work in the garden following the Curriculum Guide Schedule

5 minutes

back in the classroom

▲s Hand out Student Learning Workbooks, review and assign “Take it Home Activity” as homework

5 minutes

Tips for THE GArDENPre-lesson preparation:

1. Prepare materials for class activity. (See Supporting Information for Teachers.)

2. Prepare to discuss the greenhouse effect and global warming, as well as their relationship to the garden.

3. Prepare a brief garden work activity for students in the garden.

classroommaterials needed

▲s Student Workbooks

gardenmaterials needed

▲s 2 identical glass jars

▲s 1 quart of cold water

▲s 10 ice cubes

▲s Clear plastic bag

▲s Thermometer

▲s Garden tools



LessoN PLaN

I. Start in the classrooma. Icebreaker

Ask students: “Burning a gallon of gasoline sends out almost 20 pounds of carbon dioxide. How much CO2 do you think a regular mid-size car produces in a year?”

Answer: 9,500 pounds.

“How much CO2 do you think a hybrid car produces in a year?”

Answer: 4,300 pounds.

b. Present main topicTell students: “Today we are going to learn about greenhouse gases, the greenhouse effect and how it affects life on earth.”

II. Take class to the greenhouse▲s Explain the purpose of a greenhouse. Point out how this sheltered,

warm environment benefits plant growth and propagation. meets objeCtIve #1

▲s Explain how greenhouse construction lets sunlight in while preventing heat from escaping. Define the greenhouse effect.

meets objeCtIve #2

▲s Discuss with students how our world would be different without this natural greenhouse effect. Define “natural greenhouse effect.”

meets objeCtIve #3

▲s Discuss the temperature inside the greenhouse and the consequences of ever increasing temperatures. Define “enhanced greenhouse effect.”

meets objeCtIve #3

▲s Define “global warming” and explain and discuss its causes. meets objeCtIve #4▲s In the greenhouse or outside, build the greenhouse chambers to

present a simplified illustration of the greenhouse effect. Assign students to take turns monitoring and recording the temperature for the remainder of the lesson.

meets objeCtIves #5–6

III. Take class to garden▲s Take class outside and instruct the students to perform pertinent

gardening tasks. Explain and discuss how the garden could be affected as a result of the greenhouse effect.

meets objeCtIve #4

▲s Discuss temperature recordings. Compare and contrast the temperature in the two bottles.

meets objeCtIve #5

IV. Take class back to classroom▲s Hand out the Student Learning Workbook as reference material

and class assignment. Review take it home activities and encourage students to do them.

meets objeCtIve #7



sUPPortING INFormatIoN For teaChers

baCkGroUNd

The greenhouse effect is the general warming effect felt on the earth, produced by gases such as carbon dioxide. These gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the earth’s atmosphere, but trap heat by preventing some of the infrared radiation from the earth’s surface from escaping to outer space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the earth’s temperatures relatively stable and warm enough over the last 10,000 years to sustain human life. Without this natural greenhouse effect, life as we know it couldn’t exist. The enhanced greenhouse effect, also known as global warming, is the increase of greenhouse gases, primarily caused by burning fossil fuels and clearing forests, which in turn traps more heat in the earth’s atmosphere.

These two science experiments illustrate a simplified greenhouse effect:

materials needed▲s 2 identical glass jars▲s 1 quart of cold water▲s 10 ice cubes▲s Clear plastic bag▲s Thermometer

Procedure

1. Fill the glass jars with 2 cups of cold water each.

2. Add 5 ice cubes to each jar.3. Wrap one jar in a plastic bag. (This is the

greenhouse glass.)4. Leave both jars in the sun for the duration of

the class.5. Measure the temperature of the water in

each jar. It would be great to do it at the start of class, halfway through class, then at the end of class, for a total of three different readings.

6. Instruct the students to record the data in their “Student Learning Workbook.”

soUrCes

University Corporation for atmospheric researchhttp://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm

environmental Protection agencyhttp://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/today/greenhouse-effect.htm

California energy Commissionhttp://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/greenhouse.html

National oceanic and atmospheric administrationhttp://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/climate/factsheets/whatgreenhouse.pdf

wisconsin department of Natural resourceshttp://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/air/global.htm

Global Climate Changehttp://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html

Global warming effects and Causes: a top 10 Listhttp://planetsave.com/2009/06/07/global-warming-effects-and-causes-a-top-10-list/

EARTH SYSTEMS

hot stuff the greenhouse effect


study guide for studentsWhat’s the first thing you notice in a greenhouse? It’s warm. Its temperature is always warmer than outside, no matter the weather. How come? Greenhouses are primarily constructed of glass or transparent plastic coverings. Those materials allow sunlight to enter, but prevent heat from escaping. The warm, sunny environment is useful for growing and propagating plants, so botanists, commercial plant growers and many gardeners like to use greenhouses.

Scientists also pay attention to greenhouses, particularly to this matter of letting light through, then trapping the heat it brings. They have coined the term “greenhouse effect” to describe something very similar involving earth’s temperature.

You have probably heard the word atmosphere in some of your other lessons. It’s the name for the air surrounding us, like a vast, invisible ocean. It consists mainly of gases and tiny particles, also called atmospheric dust. Some of these gases determine the temperature on earth, similar to how the transparent coverings of a greenhouse let light in and trap heat. It works like this:

Sunlight travels toward the earth. About 30 percent of this light is reflected back into space by clouds, snow and ice-covered land, sea surfaces and atmospheric dust. The rest reaches earth and warms the land, water and air. These surfaces first absorb the light and then release it again, not as visible light this time, but as what’s called heat radiation. Think about how hot the black asphalt of a parking lot becomes in the summer. You can’t see the heat, but you can feel how it spreads, or radiates, upward. This heat rises and wants to travel into space. However, certain gases in our atmosphere—especially water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2)—trap the heat so it can’t go any farther. Because of these heat-trapping properties, we call them greenhouse gases. They are very powerful. Without them, the heat would escape and the earth’s temperature would be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit colder than it is now. Without them, it would be too cold for humans to live!

To summarize: The greenhouse effect lets sunlight in, but not all heat out. And up to a point, that is a good thing. However, for the past 100 years, scientists have noticed that the greenhouse effect seems to be getting stronger and the earth is warming up more than usual. Unlike other changes in earth’s climate in the past, this change is a result of human activities.

Human activities like burning gasoline to drive cars and trucks, burning oil, wood and coal to produce electricity, and burning forests to heat, cool and other purposes, release greenhouse gases (remember water

Continued next page


Page 2 EARTH SYSTEMS • Hot Stuff: Study Guide

vapor and carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere. With greater amounts of greenhouse gases in the air, more heat will be trapped. With more trapped heat, the earth will get warmer and warmer and warmer, a situation called global warming. Global warming is the result of the enhanced greenhouse effect.

Scientists don’t know exactly what the increase in greenhouse gases caused by humans will do to the planet. They are concerned about these possibilities:

▲s rising sea levels around the world, flooding cities and communities on the coast

▲s more extreme weather, with more hurricanes, tornadoes and other storms

▲s a hotter and drier global climate, leading to the shrinking of inland lakes and rivers, more frequent forest fires, frequent periods of drought and less water available for drinking, growing crops, taking showers, etc.

▲s extinction of plants and animals unable to take the heat.

Many believe that even though we are not absolutely certain how greenhouse gases affect the earth, we can take steps to slow global warming. For example:

▲s Walk, ride your bike or take the bus instead of always traveling by car.

▲s Turn off the lights, the radio, TV and computer when you’re not using them to save electricity.

▲s Reduce, reuse and recycle all kinds of materials to save energy and raw materials.

▲s Plant trees to help absorb excess carbon dioxide and provide shade and windbreaks.

Continued from previous page

atmosphere the mixture of gases, solids, and liquids that surrounds a celestial body

global warming an increase in Earth’s temperature caused by gases in the atmosphere that trap heat

greenhouse effect the natural heating process caused when gases trap heat in the atmosphere

GreeNhoUse eFFeCt: tIme aNd temPeratUre

reading 1 reading 2 reading 3

jar 1(with plastic bag)

Time:

Temp:

Time:

Temp:

Time:

Temp:

jar 2(open)

Time:

Temp:

Time:

Temp:

Time:

Temp:


hot stuffEARTH SYSTEMS

Aclass

assignment

ESS. 8.7.19 Conduct investigations demonstrating the greenhouse effect.

1. How is the earth’s atmosphere similar to a greenhouse? Define “greenhouse effect” in your answer.

2. Name three possible outcomes of global warming.

Take it HomeMake it a point to help

reduce Global Warming today. Instead of riding in a car to the store, park, church, or school, walk or ride your bike there

instead.



Aclass

assignment

answer key


The Earth’s atmosphere acts like a greenhouse in that it allows sunlight to enter, but then traps the heat. This process of allowing sunlight in, but trapping the heat, is called the greenhouse effect.


Answers may vary. Possible answers are:

s rising sea or ocean levels

s extreme weather

s animal extinction



Bclass

assignment




3. Is the greenhouse effect a positive or negative thing for the earth?



instead.



Bclass

assignment

answer key






s extreme weather

s animal extinction

3. Is the greenhouse effect a positive or negative thing for the earth?

The greenhouse effect is negative due to its impact on the Earth. The higher temperatures can effect ice melting, cause the sea levels to rise and provide for a hotter, drier climater that may contribute to extinction of plants and animals.



Cclass

assignment



2. Name three possible outcomes of global warming. then, describe ways that you can help to reduce the greenhouse effect.



instead.



Cclass

assignment

answer key



2. Name three possible outcomes of global warming…



s extreme weather

s animal extinction

…then, describe ways that you can help to reduce the greenhouse effect.

Answers may vary but could include:

s walk

s ride your bike

s recycle and reuse items

s plant trees

hot stu - Arkansas Children's Hospital · EARTH SYSTEMS • Hot Stuff: Teachers’ Guide Page 5...

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