Is the Global Climate Sixth Grade

Changing? 2019

Asking Clarifying Questions about Climate Data

Learning Target:
I am able to recognize that global
temperature is changing.
Use the Global
Success Criteria: Land and OCean
a. Explain how global climate has Temperature
Anomalies Graphs
changed in the last 150 years. for this activity

b. List several factors that besides

temperature increase that are
evidence of global climate change.
 Part 1: What evidence is there to show a rise in global
temperatures?

Table Talk: What do you know about global temperatures

and how they have changed over time?
 HELPFUL TERMS

◼Anomaly: a deviation from the common rule

(exception)

◼Trend: a general tendency or course of events:

◼Indicator: a sign that shows the condition or

existence of something (factors)
GLOBAL LAND AND OCEAN TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES GRAPHS

Directions:
◼Each group will receive a piece of a graph that shows
the temperature change from average.

◼Look at the graph and write down 3 things you notice

about the graph and 2 questions you can ask to help
clarify the data.
GLOBAL LAND AND OCEAN TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES GRAPHS

◼Clarifying Questions:
A clarifying question does not provide new information,
but expands on understanding the information that is
already presented.

◼Be prepared to share your 2 questions with the class.

 GRAPH INFORMATION

◼The graph shows average annual global temperatures since 1880

compared to long-term average (1901-2000). The zero line represents
the long-term average temperature for the whole planet; blue and red
bars show the difference above or below average for each year. The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration collected the
temperature data from locations around the world.
 GLOBAL LAND AND OCEAN TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES
Looking at the whole graph

◼Why is it important to look at the graph

as a whole instead of just in pieces, or to
look at change over time (years, decades,
centuries)?
 Part 2: What are the indicators of the rise in global
temperatures? How do you ask clarifying questions?

Table Talk: Share stories from your parents/grandparents

about what they remember about weather from when
they were a kid.
 STORIES

◼Discussion Questions:
▪ Are there any patterns you notice about the
stories you are hearing from your classmates?
▪ Do these stories constitute reliable evidence?
Why or why not?
▪ What would make them more reliable?
 REMINDER:

◼Weather: the atmospheric conditions of a specific place at a specific

point in time, the minute-by-minute variable condition of the
atmosphere on a local scale

◼Climate: how the atmosphere “behaves” over relatively long periods of

time (months, years), the description of an area’s average weather
conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over long time
intervals
VIDEO: Trend and Variation
 WEATHER VS. CLIMATE

◼Discuss: Look back at the Global Land and Ocean

Temperature Anomalies graph from the beginning of
this activity. How would you describe the difference in
global temperatures in 1909 and 1998? Can you describe
the weather of those two years? Why or why not?
Does 1 °C really matter?

1 °C is the average difference in

temperature between Washington
D.C. and Charleston, South Carolina.

5 °C is the difference between the

temperature today and the
temperature of an ice age.
 WHAT ARE THE INDICATORS THAT SHOW US THE GLOBAL
TEMPERATURE IS RISING?

◼Measurements from scientists, citizens, and students

like yourselves can show us that temperatures around
the world are going up. In Part 2, you will look at how
measurements are made and draw conclusions about
the global temperature after looking at multiple lines of
evidence.
◼Discuss: Besides looking at a thermometer, what are
things you see that indicate changes in temperature?
 TEMPERATURE INDICATORS FIGURES SET

◼Your group will receive 1-2 figures from the

Temperature Indicators Figures Set and an individual
worksheet.

◼Study the figure(s), discover what indicators are shown,

and answer the questions on the worksheet.

◼Each group will present their findings to the class.

 AFTER GROUP PRESENTATIONS...

◼Discuss:
▪ What can we learn from multiple lines of
evidence?
▪ When looking at the figures all together,
what conclusions can be drawn?
 SUMMARY

These figures, when put together, provide

the evidence for what is being called global
climate change, the increase in the globe’s
average temperature and precipitation.
 SELF ASSESSMENT

Learning Target:
I am able to recognize that global temperature is changing.

Success Criteria:
a. Explain how global climate has changed in the last 150
years.
b. List several factors that besides temperature increase
that are evidence of global climate change.