Research assignment

Objective:  While completing this assignment, you will:

·         Learn about global warming, evidence for global warming and climate changes

·         Consider what might constitute sufficient evidence of global warming

·         Learn what impact global warming might have on our lives

·         Learn about the Greenhouse Effect

·         Consider evidence for the Greenhouse Effect

·         Discuss how we might solve the problem of a Greenhouse  Effect if it exists

Activity description:

1.Use printed or on-line resources to learn about global warming to answer the following questions

a)      What evidence is there that the Earth is actually warming up?

b)     What might be causing any global warming?

c)      What effect might global warming have on the Earth’s inhabitants?

2. Collect evidence for or against the possibility of the Greenhouse Effect.   Research the political and environmental policies that worsen the Greenhouse Effect and the possible impact of the Greenhouse Effect.    Consider the following questions as you collect the information:

a)      What impact might CO2 emissions have on overall global warming?

b)      Is there evidence of a strong connection between CO2 emission and global warming ?

c)       What impact have chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) emissions had on global warming?

d)      How is the structure of the ozone related to global warming?

e)      Would the Earth be warming as quickly if we had not invented  and used internal combustion engines for our transportation?

f)       How can we model future changes in the global climate with the scientific models available?

g)      What can global climate models tell us about life on Earth for future generations?

h)      How much scientific weight should we place on the results of these models?

INTERNET RESOURCES- click on each phrase below to go directly to the link.

Arctic Report Card

State of the Climate 2010

Climate Impacts

NASA links

EPA Climate for kids

Internet Resources

Ask Dr. Schund – What is the Greenhouse Effect?
[http://vvv.com/adsint/freehand/uncleal/green.html]
A short paper on the Greenhouse Effect.

Biosphere Research
[http://www.vt.edu:10021/artsci/geology/mclean/Dinosaur_Volcano_Extinction/index.html]
Dinosaur volcano-greenhouse extinction theory by Dewey M. McLean.

Climate change, greenhouse effect
[http://167.8.29.7/weather/wclilink.htm]
and How the Greenhouse Effect works
[http://167.8.29.7/weather/wgrnhse.htm]
Two articles on the Greenhouse Effect from USA Today.

Climate Change: State of Knowledge
[http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/CCSOKNOW.html]
A very nice Website on global warming and the Greenhouse Effect.

Climate Models: How Reliable are Their Predictions?
[http://gcrio.ciesin.org/CONSEQUENCES/fall95/mod.html]
An essay by Eric J. Barron on the current state of climate models and questions of model reliability.

Grappling with Greenhouse
[http://www.erin.gov.au/air/climate/greenhouse/NGAC/ngac_con.html]
Understanding the science of climate change.

Human Population and Global Warming
[http://members.aol.com/trajcom/private/popco2.htm]
This essay looks at the relationship between global warming and human population growth.

Status of the “Global Warming” Hypothesis
[http://www.on.doe.ca/comm/speech_wp5.html]
Text for lecture by Dr. Gordon McBean, Assistant Deputy Minister, Atmospheric Environment Service, to the World Meterological Organization 12th Congress, Geneva, June 16, 1995.

Student Conference on Global Warming
[http://www.covis.nwu.edu/TeacherPointer/teachers/Gp24984.html]
A Web page created by Doug Gordin.