Equity issues abound as the planet warms. One example is differential heating of rural and non-rural areas. Invite students to consider groups of people facing greater risks as the planet warms.
Siberia and melting polar ice caps are central topics in this video. Challenge students to dig deeper into how changes in both of these locations are contributing to climate tipping points.
The video suggests that the color of surfaces impacts absorption of radiation. Ask them to test this out for themselves. This is a quick, low material activity that can be ideal for students who prefer to move and test ideas.
Scientist Notes
Overall, this is a great resource from Crash Course and offers a detailed explanation of what drives temperature differences for a specific location. Towards the end of the video, the narrator says that "Phoenix is the fastest warming city in the United States". While I cannot specifically verify that Phoenix is the fastest, it certainly is one of the fastest warming areas in the United States. Despite that, this resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science
ESS2: Earth's Systems
7.ESS2.1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
HS.ESS2.2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
7.LS2.4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
Social Sciences
Geography (K-12)
6.14 Identify and describe how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions connect to human identities and cultures in the Western Hemisphere.
HS.40 Use geographic data to analyze the interconnectedness of physical and human regional systems (such as a river valley and culture, water rights/use in regions, choice/impact of settlement locations) and their interconnectedness to global communities.
