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How Astronomy Helps Us Understand Climate Change

Provided by: Adler Planetarium

Articles/Websites

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Synopsis

This website article, produced by Adler Planetarium, gives insight into how climate change does not only affect our planet Earth but other planets in the Solar System as well.
A look at how greenhouse gases and the proximity to the Sun are related is explained for students to understand why global warming is not just an issue on Earth.

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Adler Planetarium

Region: Global, Illinois

Languages: English

Positives

The runaway greenhouse effect that is seen on certain planets is clearly depicted in an infographic.
Climate change on Earth versus climate change on other planets is compared and contrasted so that students may understand the key differences and similarities.
Simple suggestions on how to reduce carbon footprints are given so that students may make attainable goals to help decrease their own carbon footprint.

Prerequisites

Teachers who are able to plan a field trip to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois, may want to look into doing so as a culminating activity in a lesson series discussinig climate change. The Climate Change and Me field trip experience helps to explain the science behind climate change and the effect it has on the world. There is also a link that previews the field trip experience from the webpage.
Teachers may consider printing the infographic on the runaway greenhouse effect for students to utilize outside of pulling up the webpage.

Differentiation & Implementation

Teachers can have students research the planets that have greenhouse atmospheres and compare and contrast those planets in more depth to each other. For the planets that don't have human impact, students can hypothesize why those planets are also experiencing global warming.
Teachers can create a scavenger hunt activity for specific information they want students to pull from the webpage.
Students can research additional ways they are able to combat the greenhouse effect outside of the ways discussed on the webpage.
Using the video NASA Global Warming Demonstration will give students an idea of how water on planets plays a key role in global warming.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.