Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goal: By participating in this activity students will understand the composition and effect of greenhouse gases, particularly their effect on the temperature of the Earth. As part of this activity students are asked to design, implement and observe an experiment simulating the greenhouse effect.

Teacher content information: “Gases in the atmosphere absorb some forms of radiative energy. In particular, greenhouse gases, which are transparent to the visible and ultraviolet radiation we receive from the Sun, absorb heat energy that is radiated by the Earth’s surface back towards space. The greenhouse gases re-radiate this heat energy in all directions, and some of it returns to the Earth’s surface, making it warmer than it would be otherwise.

Greenhouse gases are natural constituents of the atmosphere, and the natural greenhouse effect raises the Earth’s surface temperature by 33⁰C. Without this natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s surface would be completely frozen. The additional greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere by human activities warm the Earth’s climate even further.” - Professor Will Steffen, Director, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU.

CLIMATE 101 with BILL NYE (https://youtu.be/3v-w8Cyfoq8)

For more reliable information about climate change in Australia, visit the Climate Council.

The IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was created to:

provide policymakers (governments) with regular scientific updates about climate change;
highlight the impact climate change will have on the planet in the future; and,
offer some ideas about how to tackle the challenges of climate change's potential effects on the planet.

In 2021-22, the IPCC released their sixth assessment report. This is the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change.

The report makes a number of important points:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.
Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades (B1). The report describes five possible climate futures, where #1 is not great and #5 is extremely bad. If we want to keep global warming at less than two degrees, which the IPCC says is the best-case scenario, we need to reduce our CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions significantly and start right away.

'Net zero' or 'carbon neutral' are terms that refer to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Getting to net zero means we can still produce some emissions, so long as we're doing something else to reduce the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere at the same time, kind of like balancing a set of scales (more info).

Psychological safety. The IPCC Report sets a hard challenge. While this real-world issue is essential for students to understand, there is no doubt it can make them feel sad or anxious about the future is becoming darker and scarier by the day. So, reassure students that we can have a hopeful and optimistic outlook on this report, rather than one of doom and gloom. Explain that optimism involves looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good (more info), and that hope is the belief that you can make an impact (more info). Explain to students that you are going to look ahead, identify what needs to be improved, and then work on the skills and confidence so that they can go out and do it. If you're interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.

Student and classroom organisation

Step 1.

Begin this activity by explaining the following to students:

“Gases in the atmosphere absorb some forms of radiative energy. In particular, greenhouse gases, which are transparent to the visible and ultraviolet radiation we receive from the Sun, absorb heat energy that is radiated by the Earth’s surface back towards space. The greenhouse gases re-radiate this heat energy in all directions, and some of it returns to the Earth’s surface, making it warmer than it would be otherwise.

Greenhouse gases are natural constituents of the atmosphere, and the natural greenhouse effect raises the Earth’s surface temperature by 33⁰C. Without this natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s surface would be completely frozen. The additional greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere by human activities warm the Earth’s climate even further.” - Professor Will Steffen, Director, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU.

Once complete, ask students to illustrate the existence and effect of greenhouse gases in a labelled diagram. Students should show the:

Earth;
Effect of gases; and
Passage of sunlight and heat.

Students can either draw the diagram by hand (using pencil and paper) or use this online drawing tool: Sketchpad (to save image, click the blue floppy disc image at the top right of the sketch pad, then right-click the image and save to computer).

The aim of this exercise is to ensure that students have a good understanding of how greenhouse gases influence the greenhouse effect. Ask students to share their images with the class for discussion. While it might be tempting to give students a template to copy, students will learn more if they make an initial attempt individually. However, if students really struggle, ask the class to work together to make one labelled diagram on the board. Use the image below to guide you:

Step 2.

In this part of the activity students will work in groups to devise and conduct an experiment that shows the greenhouse effect.

Each group will need:

A Seed tray
Soil
Seeds
Water
Plastic food wrap
Thermometer

The premise of the experiment could be for the plastic wrap to as act a greenhouse gas and trap warmth.

Students should work through the Predict, Observe, Explain thinking tool on the Student Worksheet as they plan and conduct their experiment. Although students work together on planning and conducting the experiment they should fill out the Student Worksheet independently.

Reflection/Assessment

We are now beginning to understand the effect greenhouse gases have on our planet. Some idea of the power of greenhouse gases have to influence temperature can be gained from other planets. The atmosphere of Venus is 98% CO₂ and its surface temperature is 477⁰C.

Ask students to complete the Cause and Effect table on the Student Worksheet to indicate the reasons for the high temperature on Venus. Ask students to consider all the differences between Earth and Venus: rather than focusing on the mere existence of CO₂, they should also consider the proximity to the sun and the existence of other gases etc.

Extension: Students could investigate the CO₂ levels on other planets and draw graphs representing the CO₂ levels and temperatures of other planets.

Homework/Extension

The term 'greenhouse' is used to describe the effect of CO₂. Ask students to make a list of other word which could be used to explain the effect of the gases, such as ceiling, wrap, insulation etc. The student who thinks up the most relevant words gets to decide an (reasonable) action that all students have to take to reduce greenhouse gases.

Weather Makers - Understanding greenhouse gases

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