Weather Makers - Is the ozone layer a good news story?

Weather Makers - Is the ozone layer a good news story?

Lesson 3 of 15 in this unit

  • Secondary
  • Year 9 - 10
  • Science
  • Environmental
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • ...

Lesson summary

Students explore the cause and effect of CFCs being released into our atmosphere, and how a global agreement – the Montreal Protocol – helped to reduce these emissions and (hopefully) stopped the spread of the thinning ozone. Student begin by graphing the average size of ozone thinning for the past 34 years, and then calculate the average amount the ozone has reduced since 2000. Students are then asked to compare CFCs and CO2, and to participate in a debate around the pros and cons of using the Montreal Protocol as a model for managing CO2 emissions.

These activities “… are an invaluable tool for teachers to address climate change in an educationally relevant, scientifically sound, and action-­based way.” – Tim Flannery (Read more)

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • recognise similarities between CFCs and CO2, and the differences in how humanity has responded to their human induced abundance in the atmosphere.
  • understand the effects of the Montreal Protocol on CFC emissions and consider what the pros and cons are for using this as a model for managing CO2 emissions.
  • understand whole numbers, graphing and calculating averages.

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Plan
Student Worksheet

Lesson details

Curriculum mapping

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 10 Science:

  • Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189)
  • Advances in scientific understanding often rely on developments in technology and technological advances are often linked to scientific discoveries (ACSHE192)
  • The values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230)

Syllabus OutcomesSC5-15LW, SC5-11PW, SC5-12ES.

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – Oversee activity and facilitate discussion.

Resources required

  • Internet access
  • student worksheets
  • Key reading from We Are the Weather Makers: Chapter 22 – The Story of Ozone
  • Further reading from the book: Chapter 23 – The Road to Kyoto

Additional info

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.

Cool Australia would like to acknowledge:

  • Tim Flannery
  • David Harding, Rose Iser, Sally Stevens
  • Text Publishing and Purves Environmental Fund
  • Climate Council
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