Climate Change

Since around the 1970s the overall climate of the Earth has been getting steadily warmer. While our climate has always varied naturally, climate scientists have shown that this period of warming has been caused by human activity and is having a disastrous effect on both our lives and the lives of almost every species on the planet. This is what we refer to as climate change. This scene takes the form of a city that is experiencing Climate Change and students can explore the scene to learn how climate change its caused and its effects on the planet.

# Learning objectives

1: Define Climate Change{.info}

2: Describe the causes of Climate Change{.info}

3: Explain the impact of Climate Change{.info}

4: Evaluate what humans can do to help{.info}

# How is Climate Change Caused?{.objective .objective1}

In this section the causes of climate change are described. Human activity and the use of fossil fuels is described as a contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and how their accumulation in the atmosphere causes the greenhouse effect. In this scene students will identify the examples of processes that release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, such as power plants and transport vehicles.

# The Cause of Climate Change{.objective .objective2}

In this section a comparison between natural causes and human causes of climate change are compared. The comparison highlights that emissions of carbon dioxide as well as other greenhouse gases can come from sources other than humans burning fossil fuels. These include volcanic activity and the natural changing cycle of the Earth’s orbit. Human activities such as agriculture, burning fossil fuels, deforestation and waste production are highlighted. Observations of the scene should prompt discussions of what activities they can identify as a cause of greenhouse gas emissions.

# The Impact of Climate Change{.objective .objective3}

In this section the impact of climate change will be described. From the changing global temperatures, to erratic unpredictable weather patterns, rising river and sea levels, flooding, and more. The significant question placed along this scene is: how will these changes affect our daily lives in the future?

# What can we do to Help?{.objective .objective4}

In this section ways to reduce the human impact on climate change are descried. While we can’t completely stop greenhouse gases being released, humans can change their behaviour to reduce the release of carbon dioxide. At least attempt to allow the earth to recover from the damage caused already. Students should discuss their daily activities and highlight what changes they could make to help reduce their carbon footprint.

# Teacher Resources

### Download Teacher Notes

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/791946/files/Climate%20Change+Teacher+Notes+1.pdf?date=1675953052&size=354874&md5=bb9f30389c06d329f004866df50e080f)

### Student Quiz Answers Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/791947/files/Climate%20Change+Teacher+Notes+2.pdf?date=1675953115&size=138841&md5=f0680712996aa09602538c2991cc78aa)

### Download Student Quiz Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/791948/files/Climate%20Change+Teacher+Notes+3.pdf?date=1675953175&size=68694&md5=28eb78c29b6ee6dd68f3b9726db66ef8)


Go to the [Avanti's World Online page for this resource](https://www.avantisworld.com/lands/engaging-earth-land/zones/wild-weather/scenes/climate-change/) for more associated content, student tasks, topic information and assessment resources.