For this week’s post, I focus on a lesson entitled “Global Climate Change and Ozone, 2017.” The lesson is more of a small unit, requiring 4-5 hours to complete. Its aimed at a grade 6 – 8 age level and explores climate change and the human effects. Feedback is provided throughout and students are able to reorganize their thinking as they progress. I believe this project would be particularly useful in BC Science 7 when exploring the Big Idea: Earth and it’s climate have changed over geological time.
Students who would engage in this unit would undoubtedly have prior knowledge that should be explored prior to. If I were to adapt I would have a pre-activity, where students would make statements about climate change they have learned in the past. Those statements would help me craft questions that would challenge or affirm their prior knowledge.
There is a plethora of visual aids and ways to interact with the lesson beyond multiple choice. However, I believe it would be worthwhile to link various sections to other interactive sites. Linn, Clark, & Slotta (2003) promoted “contexts for problems that connect to students’ personal concerns can motivate students to reconsider and revisit their ideas long after science class is over.” I believe it would be worthwhile to link to sites like the WWF species tracker which tracks polar bears in various locations via collars and satellite technology. Students can follow animals in real time, observing their adaption to global warming and their changing environment. Further links to sites like national geographic for kids can give information on how they can help.
I think the interactive components of the lesson were great but I would add section on ethics with more written questions aimed at eliciting a personal reaction to climate change and what can and should be done.
Linn, M., Clark, D., & Slotta, J. (2003). Wise design for knowledge integration. Science Education, 87(4), 517-538