Climate Story - Birds Lesson
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Provided by: Gulf of Maine Research Institute|Published on: October 23, 2023
Lesson PlansScientist 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 report examines the connection between climate change and bird sizes everywhere, the ecogeographical rule that helps explain this connection, and the risk climate change poses to North American birds.
- Students will learn that birds are getting smaller because of climate change, hundreds of North American bird species are struggling to reproduce, and Bergmann's rule asserts that animals become smaller as the climate warms.
- The report includes other resources from Cornell University and Audubon.
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics
Authors: Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Region: North America, USA - Northeast, United States, Global, Maine
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This report contains specific and relevant statistics regarding birds and their connection to climate change.
- This report includes links to games, activities, and curriculum about birds, which are great paths for extension after reading the article.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should zoom in when viewing this report's graphs.
- Students should already understand what climate change is and how it increases the frequency of extreme weather events.
- Teachers can use the included vocabulary list to determine what terms to introduce to students before reading the article.
Differentiation
- Language arts students can use this report for an informative essay on how climate change impacts biodiversity and the evolution of certain species.
- Students can read this report to supplement a lesson on evolution and natural selection.
- After reading this report, students can brainstorm and discuss ideas for what conservation organizations can do to help North American birds.
- This report can be used with other resources that show animals decreasing in size in a classroom activity where students investigate the validity of Bergmann's rule in various contexts.
As the climate warms, birds are getting smaller. This resource features peer reviewed papers and data from sources including the National Audobon Society, NASA, and The Cornell Lab to support this claim. The myriad linked resources are exceptionally well-sourced, and 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 →
