Why the Arctic Is Climate Change's Canary in the Coal Mine
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Provided by: TED-Ed|Published on: May 19, 2022
Articles/WebsitesScientist Reviewed
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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
- This video and article explains how melting ice and warming temperatures in the Arctic are often an early indicator for impacts elsewhere.
- Students will learn about positive and negative feedback loops, the albedo effect, and what melting ice in the Arctic means for the global climate.
Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: Bill Chapman
Region: Polar Regions, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The animated video is engaging and easy to understand.
- The interactive questions reinforce key ideas and are a great way for students to independently check their understanding.
Additional Prerequisites
- An ad plays before the video.
- A TED-Ed account is needed to access the interactive questions and use the discussion feature; accounts are free but students must be 13 or older to register.
Differentiation
- Science classes could use this resource as a introduction to reflectivity, feedback loops, the albedo effect, equilibrium, or homeostasis.
- As an extension activity, have students research examples of other feedback loops that impact climate change and present their findings.
- Other related resources include this lesson on feedback loops, this article about feedback loops fueling wildfires, and this video about how a warmer Arctic will intensify global warming.
The Arctic is warming faster than any other place on the globe. As such, it is seeing a larger increase in extreme weather events. This resource from TED-Ed discusses some feedback loops that affect the Arctic. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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.
Learn about our review process →
