Solving the Carbon Dioxide Problem
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Provided by: UCAR Center for Science Education|Published on: November 3, 2023
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
9101112AP
Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this lesson, students will research climate solutions by sector, investigate sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, and create a plan to remove 1,000 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2100.
- Students will use resources from Project Drawdown and work collaboratively in groups to write a plan and support it with quantitative evidence and reasoning.
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
Authors: UCAR Center for Science Education
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The focus on solutions in this lesson empowers students and sets a hopeful tone for the climate change discussion.
- The suggested grouping allows many different students to work together.
Additional Prerequisites
- Some students may need the terms anthropogenic, photosynthesis, biomass, degraded land, agroforestry, aquaculture, nascent, fossil fuels, and others defined before starting the lesson.
- It may benefit students to precede this lesson with a unit about the carbon cycle, the greenhouse effect, and climate change.
Differentiation
- Language arts classes can connect the claim, evidence, and reasoning format and the typical persuasive essay format.
- Speech students can give a persuasive speech about why their plan is the best.
- Students can choose a solution that is feasible in their community and write a proposal for their local government or local businesses to implement it.
- Geography students can discuss what political, environmental, or economic factors make some solutions better in certain areas than others.
- Students can practice using the Internet and digital media such as video, audio (podcast), and digital art to publish their plans to reduce carbon emissions.
This classroom activity from UCAR (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) Center for Science Education provides students the opportunity to analyze data in the form of infographics and graphs to learn about the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide, and allow them to develop their own theory about curbing carbon dioxide emissions.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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