You Will Need
Additional Resources
- Flip chart
- Marker pens
- Globe
- 2 small digital thermometers
- A glass
- A stop watch with an alarm
Climate change
Science Year 3/4
This unit is part of
Year 3/4 Science Habitat Helpers
Objectives
What is Climate Change? Find out about the problems of melting icecaps in Antarctica and the link with human production of greenhouse gases. Set up a class experiment to find out what happens to the temperature when glass traps heat. Discover that the world is inside its own greenhouse of gases but we if we all work together we can help to stop it getting worse! Are you up for the challenge?
Science Objectives
i) Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Working Scientifically
- Make systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, take accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers.
- Record findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts and tables
- Use results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions.
Lesson Planning
Teaching
- Understand what is meant by the term Climate Change and what is causing it.
- Set up a fair test to record the effect of a greenhouse on temperature.
Activities
- Learn that climate change/global warming is caused by greenhouse gases that trap heat (Yrs 3&4).
- Set up an experiment to measure how temperature is affected by a greenhouse (Yrs 3&4).
- Record the experiment, draw a table of results and a bar graph to show findings (Yr4).
- Design a poster to show how we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we produce (Yr3).
Investigation - exploring, fair testing
Climate change is a real problem for lots of habitats. Discover what is meant by climate change and what is causing it. Conduct an experiment to investigate climate change.
Year 3 - Use scaffolded task sheet to help set up and record the investigation.
Year 4 - Encourage more independence in setting up and recording results.
Vocabulary
Habitat, ecosystem, climate change, global warming, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, temperature