A New Home
by Ashley Carter
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TITLE OF LESSON PLAN: Understanding Weather LENGTH OF LESSON: Three class periods GRADE LEVEL: 6-8 SUBJECT AREA: Weather CREDIT: Joyce Nelson Bailey, master science teacher www.discoveryschool.com OBJECTIVES: Students will understand the following: 1. Infrared rays from the sun enter Earth's atmosphere. The gas carbon
dioxide (CO2), which is given off by oxygen-breathing organisms and produced
by the burning of fossil fuels, traps the sun's warmth within Earth's
atmosphere. This phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect. 2. The greenhouse effect is important to life on Earth because it
provides our planet with the warmth it needs for animal and plant life to
thrive. 3. The burning of certain fuels creates excess CO2, which traps even
more heat within Earth's atmosphere, possibly creating a phenomenon known as global
warming, which may be harmful to life on Earth. TEKS: 6.1 Scientific processes. The student
conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally
appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to: (A)
demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations; and (B) make wise choices
in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of
materials 6.14 Science concepts. The student knows the structures and functions of Earth systems. The student is expected to: (C) describe components of the atmosphere, including oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor, and identify the role of atmospheric movement in weather change 7.8 Science concepts. The student knows that complex interactions occur between matter and energy. The student is expected to: (B) identify that radiant energy from the Sun is transferred into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis 8.10 Science concepts. The student knows that complex interactions occur between matter and energy. The student is expected to: (B) describe interactions among solar, weather, and ocean systems 8.11 Science concepts. The student knows that traits of species can change through generations and that the instructions for traits are contained in the genetic material of the organisms. The student is expected to: (A) identify
that change in environmental conditions can affect the survival of
individuals and of species MATERIALS: For this lesson, you will need: Computer with Internet access Materials students will require to create the greenhouse models they
design (examples: clear plastic wrap, craft sticks, cardboard, scissors,
tape) Several lamps with strong incandescent light bulbs Several indoor/outdoor thermometers Graph paper PROCEDURE: 1. To assess what your students already know about the greenhouse
effect, ask them to explain to you how Earth stays warm enough for animal and
plant life to survive and thrive. If they say that the sun provides Earth
with warmth, go on to ask them what keeps the sun's warmth within Earth's
atmosphere. 2. If students' answers do not include the greenhouse effect, introduce
the term to them now. 3. Even if students have heard of the greenhouse effect, they may not
fully understand how the process works. Have them use materials you have
provided and the Internet to research the greenhouse effect. They should come
away understanding the following: - Infrared rays from the sun enter
Earth's atmosphere. - The warmth given off by the
sun's infrared rays is trapped within Earth's atmosphere by the gas carbon
dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. - CO2 is given off by green
plants. - The burning of certain fuels,
such as the gas used by cars, creates excess CO2. - Some scientists and
environmentalists believe that excess CO2 may be trapping too much of the
sun's heat and causing global warming—a rise in temperature that could
prove harmful to life on Earth. 4. Explain to your students that the phenomenon they have been
researching is called “the greenhouse effect” because Earth can
be compared, in certain ways, to a greenhouse in which plants are grown. Tell
them that they are going to create their own model greenhouses to observe the
greenhouse effect firsthand. 5. With your class, brainstorm a list of structures in their everyday
lives that act as greenhouses—that is, that take in the sun's warmth
and trap it. Examples are cars with nontinted windows or rooms with large
window areas. 6. Divide your class into groups, assigning each group the following
tasks: - Design a structure that will
act as a greenhouse. - Create the structure. - Measure and record the
changing temperatures within the structure over a 24-hour period. 7. Allow time for groups to plan and design their greenhouses,
cautioning students to plan structures that will require only materials that
can be easily obtained at home or in school. Group members should collect the
materials they will need that afternoon and bring them to school the
following day, when they will build their structures. 8. When each group has built its greenhouse, have students take and
record the temperature inside the greenhouse. 9. Leave each greenhouse on a windowsill where it will receive a
sufficient amount of warmth from the sun to raise the temperature, or leave
each greenhouse under a lamp with a strong incandescent bulb. 10. Have group members observe and record temperatures at regular
intervals for several hours. 11. The changes in temperature within each group's greenhouse should be
recorded by each student on a graph that shows times of day on one axis and
temperature readings on the other. 12. Have each student write a summary of his or her data, an explanation
of his or her observations, and an opinion of what would happen if the
atmosphere were to change |
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