TGC Fellow Unit Template *

Prepared by: Susan Groff

School/Location: Middle College High School, Santa Ana,
CA
Subject: Biology
Grade: 9Unit Title:
The Me and We of Climate Change Time Needed: 4-5 weeks
Unit Summary: Students will examine, analyze, and discuss the effects of climate change to food scarcity, water
availability, health issues/disease, ocean acidification, and biodiversity.

Stage 1 Desired Results

NGSS
LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and
types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under
stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an
ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the
ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem.
Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however,
can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and
habitat availability. (HS-LS2-2),(HS-LS2-6)

Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the

environmentincluding habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of

invasive species, overexploitation, and climate changecan disrupt an
ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. (HS-LS2-7)

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use
their learning to(real world purpose)
T1.Explain the Greenhouse Effect and its
relationship to Climate Change utilizing
academic language and analyzing scientific
data.
T2 Create a presentation using scientific
data to demonstrate regional food scarcity,
water issues, and health effects and
biodiversity issues.
T3 Examine challenges within their
community and compare it to other regions
of the world.
T4 Support an argument demonstrating
climate change by providing scientific data
as evidence.

G5GLOBAL COMPETENCY:(Oxfam)
Skills: Critically analyzing information, arguing rationally & persuasively from an informed
position, following a personal lifestyle for a sustainable world.
Knowledge & Understanding: Causes of poverty, role as a Global Citizen, ethical

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL
Students will
QUESTIONS
understand that
E1. What are the
U1. Satellite data is
global effects of

consumerism, lifestyles for a sustainable world.

Values & Attitudes: Open-mindedness, sense of common humanity and common needs,
valuing all people as equal and different, concern for the future of the planet and future
generations, commitment to a lifestyle for a sustainable world.
Resources:
Global Connect (UC Irvine Global Connect Program) resources: Ozone hole, Montreal
Protocol, assessment worksheets & quiz
Nature Conservancy Carbon Footprint
Calculatorhttp://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/
Welcome to the Anthropocene
http://www.anthropocene.info/en/home
EPA Climate Change Basics
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/
Take a Climate Change Expedition
http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/expeditions/index.html
EPA Students Guide for Climate Change (Middle School &/or review, remediation)
http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/
NASA Images of Change
http://climate.nasa.gov/state_of_flux#Lake-Urmia-Iran-2000-2014_930px.jpg
NASA data
http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence
Ocean Acidificationhttp://science360.gov/obj/video/e6d75961-f294-4936-b3658cab109bbb57/ocean-acidificationScience 360:
Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots

http://sp10.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/Pages/hotspots_main.aspx
David Suzuki Foundation
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-planet/food-and-climatechange/
Video: Discovery Channel Megastorm Worlds Biggest Typhoon
https://vimeo.com/82999141
Monster Storm-Killer Typhoon Haiyan: The Worlds Most Deadliest Storm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyBlXIZo2bY

Local Resources and lesson related to climate change

Orange County Vector Control:
http://www.ocvcd.org/westNileVirus.php

used to determine
climate change over
time.
U2. Students will
demonstrate the
relationship between
increased health risks
due to climate change.

climate change
upon food
production, water
availability,
health/disease and
survival of species?
E2. How do the
behaviors of
individuals impact
global issues?
Acquisition
Students will know
Students will be
(Content)
able to (Skills)
K1.The interrelationship of food,
S1, interpret
water, health and
scientific readings
biodiversity are linked. using academic
K2. Scientific data
language, and data
provides the evidence
analysis.
to drive change.
K4. Livestock such as
S2. Explain the
cattle are inefficient
trends and patterns
sources of food and
to biodiversity,
produce large
health/diseases,
amounts of methane
food and water
and require extensive
scarcity.
land and water.
World-wide rice is an
S3. Explain the role
essential staple crop
of rice cultivation
and its cultivation
research for:
contributes to
a)Reducing
greenhouse gases.
methane
production
b)Developing
genetically
modified rice to

California Drought: Governor Brown State of Emergency Declaration

http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=18368

improve nutrition,
and develop
drought tolerant,
and disease
tolerant rice

Stage 2 - Evidence
Assessment
Students will participate in discussions; interpret graphs and data analysis sheets.
Quizzes
Graphic Organizer: Compare/Contrast, Concept map
Plan & coordinate individual, family and school community changes to reduce carbon footprint
(pre/post analyses)
Rubric assessing content, creativity, digital resources, accuracy, and addressing CCSS, CA
Science and Global Competency Standards

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Evaluation Criteria (Learning Target or

Student Will Be Able To)
Students will analyze trends and patterns from
research data and resources. Students will predict
and explain the rise in the rate of infectious
disease, and the decline in biodiversity and water
within a specific region.
Students will compare and contrast ocean
temperatures, pH and coral photographs and
identify areas where there is ocean acidification
due to climate change.
Students will create a multimedia presentation
(Video, animation, PowerPoint, Prezi, song,
dance, or poem) demonstrating the greenhouse
effect, climate change and its effects globally.

Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction ( Make this a useful outline or summary of your unit, your daily lesson plans will
be separate)
Week One: Before beginning the lesson, place students into groups of 4, provide students with photos to analyze and discuss
their meaning or representation of each image. After discussing the photos, ask students to make categories based upon their
own experience and knowledge. Students will share their rationale with the class. Students will use a Climate Change KWL chart
and concept map to examine their beliefs, present information and develop questions they would like to know. Students will
revisit the KWL chart at the completion of the unit to record what they learn. Introduce and review key terms for comprehension
of unit. Students will complete an individual and family Carbon Footprint analysis. Based upon their charts, students will develop
an individual and family plan to reduce their carbon footprint over the school year. Provide Global Connect lesson: Ozone hole and
Montreal Protocol.
Week Two: Students will examine local effects of climate change within region i.e. drought, increased West Nile Virus in California,
etc. Students will share photographs and articles to discuss patterns and trends. Students will view and discuss and develop
questions regarding their views of Welcome to the Anthropocene web-site.
Week Three: Students will access the EPA/Climate Change link where they will read, complete interactive questions, take notes,
and participate in developing discussion questions/answers with students on the wiki site. After completing the EPA Climate
Change lessons, each student will focus upon a particular region and topic to research. Additional biodiversity information will be
available through Conservation International Hotspots. Each student will be provided with a project rubric to serve as a guide in
the development and expectations. Each student will become the expert on the effects of climate change upon a selected
region and topic, such as health/disease, biodiversity, water, or food scarcity to research and present through a multimedia
project, brochure or presentation. Students will work collaboratively on their respective region wiki page, Example: Africa Congo:
biodiversity, threats, and conservation. Students will brainstorm and share a rough draft of their tentative investigation for review.
A global map will show the names of the investigators in each region.
Week Four: Students will present their respective research in groups and be assessed with a rubric. All students will take notes
and organize regional information using graphic organizers. At the conclusion, students will analyze and examine their
information to discuss trends, patterns and points of view. Students will add to their concept maps using a different color ink.
After reviewing their concept maps, they will complete the KWL chart.

*adapted from Understanding by Design Model

TGC FELLOWS UBD Lesson Template

Lesson Title: What is the relationship between Climate Change and West Nile Virus?
Subject: Biology
Prepared by: Susan Groff
Materials Needed: Photographs and graphs showing agricultural, water,
temperature changes over the last 10 years and photos of mosquitoes.
Global Competency: Skills: Critically analyzing information, following a personal
lifestyle for a sustainable world; Knowledge & Understanding: role as a Global
Citizen; Values and Attitudes: Open-mindedness, concern for the future of the planet
and future generations.
Where is the lesson
going?
(Learning Target or
SWBAT)

Students will understand the extensive effects of

climate change to survival and the development of
vector borne illnesses.

Hook:
Photographs showing wildfires, drought images,
reduced snowpack, West Nile Virus poster, pre
and post images of agricultural areas, landscape
changes, Governors letter to conserve water.

Equip:
Students will read the following: Why is California
Suffering a Record Outbreak of West Nile in the Midst of
a Drought: http://alumni.berkeley.edu/californiamagazine/just-in/2014-09-08/why-california-sufferingrecord-outbreak-west-nile-midst
Orange County Vector Control:
http://www.ocvcd.org/westNileVirus.php
Rethink and revise:

Tailored Differentiation:

Jigsaw reading to
provide differentiation.
Provide articles with
appropriate lexile
range.
Utilize interactive
web-sites.

Students will identify and eliminate possible breeding

sources of mosquitoes to reduce the spread of WNV
within the community. Students will serve as citizen
scientists to report areas that may need Vector Control
attention.

Evaluate:
Students will create a drawing/poster to communicate
the spread of WNV (West Nile Virus) and ways to
reduce and prevent its spread in Orange County.
Notes:
Extension Activity: Demonstrate the relationship
between climate change and malaria.

Organization:
Prepare articles and
resources demonstrating
the effects of climate
change within California.
Invite a speaker form the
health department or
Vector Control to visit the
class.
Perform lexile range
analysis.