and
THIS LINK HAS ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE MODULE:
http://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/teaching_materials/climate_fact/index.html
and AP story in this topic here on March 7, 2016
LINK
Cli-Fi: Climate Science in Literary Texts
Jennifer Hanselman (Westfield State University)Rick Oches (Bentley University)
Jennifer Sliko (Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg)Laura Wright (Western Carolina University)
Editor: Anne Egger (Central Washington University
InTeGrate's Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
SUMMARY
This module addresses both aspects of climate literacy: understanding of climate science through data analysis and interpretation, and understanding of literary tools and techniques through which climate science is portrayed. The module is designed to be completed in introductory natural science classes where literature is not typically included as well as in humanities classes where climate change science is not normally addressed. Students will engage in activities that address both climate change science and climate change literature, including graphing data, working in groups to analyze and interpret data, creating a concept map, conducting rhetorical analyses, and writing and responding to a blog.
Strengths of the Module
Students who learn with this module will:
- Plot and interpret climate change data and relate interpretations to climate system interactions.
- Rhetorically analyze the treatment of a climate change issue in a work of climate change literature.
- Assess the value of both literature and scientific data in communicating the grand societal challenge represented by climate change.
In working with data, students will:
- Download and graph climate-related data including precipitation, temperature, and sea ice extent using Excel.
- Identify and describe trends in paleoclimatic and modern data.
- Make use of different literary techniques to present data.
Show NGSS addressed in this module
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Supported Next Generation Science Standards:
Performance expectations:
Disciplinary Core Idea: ESS3.D. Global climate change
Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and system models; Stability and change
Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence
Performance expectations:
- HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make and evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
Disciplinary Core Idea: ESS3.D. Global climate change
Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and system models; Stability and change
Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence
Supported Earth Science Literacy Principles:
- Big idea 1: Earth scientists use repeatable observations and testable ideas to understand and explain our planet.
- Essential principle 4: Climate varies over space and time through both natural and man-made processes.
- Essential principle 7: Climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives.
- Recognizing the signal within the natural variability
- Quantifying consequences, impacts, and effects
- Effectively communicating uncertainty and relative risk
- Determine how to anticipate, avoid, and manage disruptive global environmental change.
- Determine institutional, economic, and behavioral changes to enable effective steps toward global sustainability.
- Encourage innovation (and mechanisms for evaluation) in technological, policy, and social responses to achieve global sustainability.
A great fit for courses in:
- Environmental science
- Environmental studies
- Literature
- Climate science
- Science communication
- Global change
This module is designed as an introduction to climate change and as an introduction to climate change literature. While this material is designed at an undergraduate level of instruction, it can be adapted to graduate level classes (see testing examples). This module can be used in a wide variety of classes – in the humanities, social sciences, and earth, biological, natural, and environmental sciences – that want to include climate change as part of the curricula. We have tested this module in an undergraduate literature classes (traditional/face-to-face), several undergraduate introductory, non-major geology classes (online and traditional), an undergraduate introductory, non-major environmental science and sustainability class (traditional), and a graduate level climate change class (online).
Instructor Stories: How this module was adapted
for use at several institutions »
Instructor Materials: Overview of the Cli-Fi: Climate Science in Literary Texts Module
Module Goal: Students will plot and interpret climate change data and relate interpretations to climate system interactions, will rhetorically analyze the treatment of a climate change issue in a work of literary fiction, poetry, or film, and will understand the value of both literature and scientific data in communicating the grand societal challenge represented by climate change. Summative Assessment: In the summative assessment, students write a three-page reflection paper that focuses on the analysis of graphs and interpretations (from unit 2), in addition to analyzing their classmates' graphs/blogs. They will identify the interactions of the different Earth Spheres related to the climate change issues presented. In addition, they will reflect upon the connection of the climate data to fictional works. Learn more about assessing student learning in this module.
Unit 1 Overview of Earth's Climate System
In Unit 1, students are introduced to basic concepts related to Earth's climate system. Students examine data sets that are provided and analyze those data.
Unit 2 Communicating Climate 1: The Science of Climate Change
In Unit 2, students have the opportunity to create and interpret their own graphs of climate change data that complement the short stories that follow. This unit provides students with a deeper understanding of the climate change data available and develops their ability to interpret those data. Students also practice their scientific communication skills as they interpret climate change data to a non-scientific audience using a blog.
Unit 3 Communicating Climate Part 2: Literary Representations of Climate Change
In Unit 3, students are introduced to climate change literary genres through class discussion. Students complete a brief rhetorical analysis and will be able to distinguish the differences in the types of texts and describe how those texts engage the readers about climate change concepts.
Unit 4 Read and Analyze a Short Story
In Unit 4, students apply their knowledge of cli-fi when provided with a fictional short story. After reading a short story, students will be able to discuss the climate change significance of the story and explain its literary context.
Unit 5 Literary Representation of a Grand Societal Challenge
In Unit 5, students share their graphs (from Unit 2) with group members and assess their peers' descriptions. The students then compare and contrast the strategies employed for presenting climate change information to the "general public" in the form of graphs and "cli-fi" short stories. For this analysis, the students will use the example short story for Unit 4 and their experience with graph creation. Finally, the students will discuss the similarities and differences of their impressions of climate change issues from the short story and the graph descriptions.
Making the Module Work
This module uses a scaffolding approach and stresses the importance of the higher level thinking required within the units. In order to make this module work, we strongly recommend following each unit in order. We developed this module with the expectation that it will be part of an interdisciplinary course that would lend itself to a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds. If taught in a humanities course, concepts related to a rhetorical analysis may be already covered, and therefore Units 3 and 4 may take less time and direction than when it is embedded in a science course. Conversely, when taught in a science course, Units 1 and 2 may take less time. We encourage all courses to complete each Unit, regardless of the type of course, so that the scaffolding approach works for all students, independent of background knowledge. The module is designed to work well in both online and face-to-face course formats.
To adapt all or part of the Cli-Fi: Climate Science in Literary Texts module for your classroom you will also want to read through:
- Instructor Stories, which detail how the Cli-Fi module was adapted for use at three different institutions, as well as our guide to
- Adapting InTeGrate Modules and Courses for Your Classroom, which outlines how to effectively use InTeGrate modules and courses.
Unit 1: Overview of Earth's Climate System
Authors: Jennifer Hanselman (Westfield State University), Rick Oches (Bentley University), Jennifer Silko (Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg), Laura Wright (Western Carolina University)
This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process. This rigorous, structured process includes:
This page first made public: Mar 7, 2016
- team-based development to ensure materials are appropriate across multiple educational settings.
- multiple iterative reviews and feedback cycles through the course of material development with input to the authoring team from both project editors and an external assessment team.
- real in-class testing of materials in at least 3 institutions with external review of student assessment data.
- multiple reviews to ensure the materials meet the InTeGrate materials rubric which codifies best practices in curricular development, student assessment and pedagogic techniques.
This page first made public: Mar 7, 2016
Summary
Unit 1 serves as an introduction to Earth's climate system components. After exploring climate data, students are introduced to the natural processes responsible for global climate and how specific variables are interpreted by scientists.
Learning Goals
Learning Goal:
Students will be able to explain the interconnectedness of Earth's climate system components after exploring climate data.
Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
Students will be able to explain the interconnectedness of Earth's climate system components after exploring climate data.
Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
- differentiate between climate and weather.
- explain the interconnectedness of the five components (hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere) of Earth's climate system.
- describe how scientists collect and interpret paleoclimatic data.
- identify trends in a graph of paleoclimatic data.
Context for Use
This unit can be used as an introduction to climate change for students have no climate science background or as a review for students with some climate science background. This unit can be used by itself or preceding Units 2 - 5 of the Cli-Fi module. If this module is being taught in a humanities course, students should explore the resources provided. If this module is being taught in a course in which the students have some climate science background, this section will allow students to explore climate change in a broader, systems-based context. The InTeGrate module Climate of Change has several activities and case studies that are appropriate as an introduction to the unit. In addition, there are resources below that will help explain important concepts.
The activities in this unit can fit into two 50-minute class meetings.
The activities in this unit can fit into two 50-minute class meetings.
Description and Teaching Materials
MATERIALS
To do these activities, you will need:
Before teaching this unit, students should have some basic background on climate change. Depending on the nature of the course, you can ask students to read an appropriate textbook chapter on climate change commonly found in introductory Earth or environmental science textbooks), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) publication Climate Change Evidence and Causes, or selections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate.gov site, including News and Features about How Climate Works or Climate Q&A, as background information on climate change.
IN CLASS
Part 1: How do data provide information about Earth's global climate?
Hand out the Unit 1 Part 1 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 592kB Aug21 15) and briefly explain how graphs are a way to visualize large sets of data. Then allow students to complete the activity:
A. Point students to the graph of recent (last five years) monthly mean CO2 data from Mauna Loa in the handout and tell them to answer the following questions:
Briefly discuss the required reading (websites or textbook chapters) about climate change. Ask the students why they think or don't think climate change is "important" (note that the term "important" is purposely left undefined by the instructor). Ask the students to explain their answers. This can be completed as a class-wide discussion, a "think-pair-share" activity, or a "minute paper."
Part 2: What is climate change?
Using the Overview of Earth's Climate System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 15.1MB Mar1 16) and the associated resources, introduce students to climate change-related concepts (e.g. Earth's system components and interactions, feedback mechanisms) and describe the natural processes responsible for global climate change. We have a separate file of
that you can insert as concept test questions. Look at the notes of the each question slide (in the file) to see where we suggest you add these concept tests.
Following the class discussion, ask students to develop a concept map that illustrates the interconnectedness of Earth's system components. To get them started, it may help to start the concept map as a class activity. We suggest drawing on the whiteboard so the instructor incorporates student suggestions into the concept map.
A good place to start would be with the atmosphere. Ask the students if the atmosphere could affect any other sphere and how. Try to guide suggestions to climate-related interactions. Such as: Increasing temperatures in the atmosphere melts ice sheets in the crysophere. Now ask the students how the melting cryosphere could affect another sphere. For example: as more of the the cryosphere melts, habitats of some animals in the biosphere are altered. From here, the students should be able to create the concept map.
Use the Unit 1 Part 2 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Aug21 15) to have the students create a concept map that illustrates the interconnectedness of Earth's system components. The concept map should:
Break the students into small groups to comparing each others' concept maps. Alternatively, dividing the students into groups and have each group create a concept maps on the large sheets of paper (or the whiteboard).
HOMEWORK
If you are giving Unit 2 as homework, let students know how to access the materials they need.
To do these activities, you will need:
- A projection system to display a Powerpoint presentation;
- Several large sheets of paper to post on the walls;
- Markers for students to write on the sheets of paper;
- Unit 1 Part 1 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 592kB Aug21 15) for each student. Note that you can update this to the most recent data by downloading a graph of the last five years of CO2 data from Mauna Loa as well as a graph of the last 50 years of CO2 data to put into this handout and/or show in class.
- Unit 1 Part 2 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Aug21 15) for each student.
Before teaching this unit, students should have some basic background on climate change. Depending on the nature of the course, you can ask students to read an appropriate textbook chapter on climate change commonly found in introductory Earth or environmental science textbooks), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) publication Climate Change Evidence and Causes, or selections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate.gov site, including News and Features about How Climate Works or Climate Q&A, as background information on climate change.
IN CLASS
Part 1: How do data provide information about Earth's global climate?
Hand out the Unit 1 Part 1 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 592kB Aug21 15) and briefly explain how graphs are a way to visualize large sets of data. Then allow students to complete the activity:
A. Point students to the graph of recent (last five years) monthly mean CO2 data from Mauna Loa in the handout and tell them to answer the following questions:
- What variable is plotted on the x-axis? y-axis?
- In your own words, what does the red line represent? What does the black line represent?
- Describe how CO2changes over time. Does one line (red or black) represent that change better than another?
- What do you think causes or contributes to the variation in CO2?
- Is this graph plotting the same data on the x and y axes (as the first graph)? How do the range of data on the axes differ from the first graph?
- Describe how CO2changes over time. Does one line (red or black) represent that change better than another?
- What do you think contributes to the variation in CO2?
- Does a longer data set (50 years of data) change the contributing factors or how you interpret the graph?
Briefly discuss the required reading (websites or textbook chapters) about climate change. Ask the students why they think or don't think climate change is "important" (note that the term "important" is purposely left undefined by the instructor). Ask the students to explain their answers. This can be completed as a class-wide discussion, a "think-pair-share" activity, or a "minute paper."
Part 2: What is climate change?
Using the Overview of Earth's Climate System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 15.1MB Mar1 16) and the associated resources, introduce students to climate change-related concepts (e.g. Earth's system components and interactions, feedback mechanisms) and describe the natural processes responsible for global climate change. We have a separate file of
Following the class discussion, ask students to develop a concept map that illustrates the interconnectedness of Earth's system components. To get them started, it may help to start the concept map as a class activity. We suggest drawing on the whiteboard so the instructor incorporates student suggestions into the concept map.
Concept mapping is an effective tool for introducing and teaching about systems thinking by making sense of relationships among concepts, content, and events using words and hierarchical, spatial relationships. These can be very challenging the first time around, for both students and instructors. Here is an excellent introduction to concept mapping from the Human's Dependence on Mineral Resources module.
A good place to start would be with the atmosphere. Ask the students if the atmosphere could affect any other sphere and how. Try to guide suggestions to climate-related interactions. Such as: Increasing temperatures in the atmosphere melts ice sheets in the crysophere. Now ask the students how the melting cryosphere could affect another sphere. For example: as more of the the cryosphere melts, habitats of some animals in the biosphere are altered. From here, the students should be able to create the concept map.
Use the Unit 1 Part 2 Assignment (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Aug21 15) to have the students create a concept map that illustrates the interconnectedness of Earth's system components. The concept map should:
- Include the 5 components of Earth's Climate System
- Have connections between each of the five components of Earth's climate system. Include labels that describe each connection (e.g. reinforcing feedback, countervailing feedback, lag, flux, reinforcing, limiting).
- Each component should include at least one variable that can be directly or indirectly measured.
Break the students into small groups to comparing each others' concept maps. Alternatively, dividing the students into groups and have each group create a concept maps on the large sheets of paper (or the whiteboard).
HOMEWORK
If you are giving Unit 2 as homework, let students know how to access the materials they need.
Teaching Notes and Tips
This unit can occur over two 50-minute class meetings with a break between parts I and II, or as a single lab-type meeting.
Assessment
Part I: Students will be assessed using the questions indicated as formative assessment questions above according to the
.
Part II: Students will be assessed using the concept map. The concept map can be assessed using the
Part II: Students will be assessed using the concept map. The concept map can be assessed using the
Students' work will vary however we have included examples of concept maps:
and
References and Resources
Background information about climate science:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Climate Change Web Page
- National Science Foundation, 2009, Introduction to Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change Around the World
- Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), Guide to Teaching Climate Literacy
- InTeGrate, Climate of Change module
- National Park Service, video about the importance of communicating climate science effectively
- Science Museum, London, Climate Science Info Zone, information and videos on climate change that is useful background resource for students and instructors
- The Royal Society and the National Academy of Sciences, 2014, Climate Change: Evidence and Causes
- Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) Global Monitoring Division, Recent (last five years) monthly mean CO2 data from Mauna Loa
- ESRL Global Monitoring Division, Full Mauna Loa CO2 record
- Visionlearning, Using graphs and visual data in science, a resource for reading graphs and finding trends, using the Mauna Loa graph as the prime example.
- Overview of Earth's Climate System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 15.1MB Mar1 16)
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