Critical Analysis of Climate Change Sources

Connie Scercy Wood, Biology, East Mecklenburg High School

Final Unit (PDF)

Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

Synopsis

The topic of global warming is becoming more and more contentious and politically charged. Bloggers have taken the discussion of the science out of the scientific arena and put it online where it has become difficult to distinguish between reasonable questioning of the data and sites where the data is cherry-picked to support a particular political point of view.

Students will learn how to evaluate online resources as they research the topic of global warming. They will then use this new ability to research their position in a role-play activity in which students represent various sides in the debate in North Carolina on how to deal with the predictions about sea level rise due to global warming. This unit is appropriate for students in grades 11-12 in AP or IB Biology or AP Environmental Science courses, and addresses Common Core Reading Standards in Science 6 and 8 and Writing Standards 1 and 8.