Marquette University

Annie Fauble
Essential Question: What causes global warming and what is the individuals role in
combatting it?
What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/Grade 5/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale Students will need to be introduced to the issue of global warming first and foremost.
Students will need to be familiar with several terms and general ideas before they can extend their
learning through inquiry practices. This lesson will provide the base knowledge upon which to
grow on throughout the unit.
Description of Learners
1. What are your students developmental assets?
My students are a talkative and energetic group that works best with sufficient
stimulation. They benefit from group work and hands on activity that allow them to move
and collaborate rather than just listen. However they also benefit from structure and
guidance so that they can stay on task and keep their learning on track. The teacher
should create groups thoughtfully; effective group work will include different types of
learners and communicators. The students are curious and not afraid to ask questions or
offer opinions, which are great assets for group and whole class discussion.
2. How can the personal/cultural/community assets of your students can be utilized in this
lesson?
It will be very important to make this lesson relevant to my students lives for them to be
engaged. Global warming can sometimes seem like a distant impersonal threat for other
people to worry about, but I will connect it to the students everyday lives by connecting
it to the food they eat, the storms they experience, health (asthma), and economic
incentives.
3. What prior knowledge, skills, and understanding must students have in order to
successfully engage in this lesson?
Students will have an understanding of the atmosphere due to their previous unit
dedicated to the topic. They learned about its layers and its role, which will be helpful
when connecting it with the greenhouse effect. They have some experience reading
graphs, collecting and organizing simple data, and researching from previous experience
in multiple subjects. Students are comfortable working with technology, as they each
have a personal computer assigned to them for occasional use. They will use these
computers at several points in the unit.
4. What preconceptions/misconceptions/misunderstandings/errors might students have
about the concepts in this lesson?
Students may have the misconception that global warming is not an actual phenomenon
or is caused by natural variations rather than human activity but there is scientific

consensus that global warming is real and human caused. I will address this
misconception by having students research and examine their own data, finding evidence
for the existence of climate change. I think many students may also have a poor
understanding of the severity of global warming and the consequences that are occurring
currently and that threaten us in the future. We will examine these threats as we talk about
the importance of our actions in fighting global warming.
5. What are individual learning needs in this class? What
supports/modifications/accommodations to instruction or assessment may need to be
made? (Content? Process? Product?)
When forming groups, I will group students with diverse abilities so that students of all
levels and abilities can benefit and contribute to group work in different ways. I have
incorporated technology, cooperative learning, and direct instruction throughout the unit
to accommodate different types of learners and take multiple approaches to teaching the
same topic.
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
1. Form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion,
and viewing a video.
2. Create a model of the greenhouse effect using sunlight and jars as the atmosphere,
recording data to provide evidence of increased temperatures.
3. Participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the
impact of the greenhouse effect and global warming.
4. Hypothesize about the effects of global warming on the climate and the world's
populations.
1. Students will be assessed informally based on their participation in class discussion as
well as with a brief exit survey. This survey will ask the student to explain in a paragraph,
What is the greenhouse effect? This assessment will inform me of their understanding
of this topic and guide my teaching in further lessons. Students will not be able to
succeed in future lessons within this unit without this base knowledge. If the exit survey
demonstrates a poor understanding, we will return to this topic.
Standards Addressed
Geography:
A.4.4 Describe and give examples of ways in which people interact with the physical
environment, including use of land, location of communities, methods of construction, and design
of shelters
A.4.6 Identify and distinguish between predictable environmental changes, such as weather
patterns and seasons, and unpredictable changes, such as floods and droughts, and describe the
social and economic effects of these changes
A.4.9 Give examples to show how scientific and technological knowledge has led to
environmental changes, such as pollution prevention measures, air-conditioning, and solar
heating
History:
B.4.8 Compare past and present technologies related to energy, transportation, and
communications and describe the effects of technological change, either beneficial or harmful, on
people and the environment

B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and
nations
Political Science and Citizenship
C.4.1 Identify and explain the individual's responsibilities to family, peers, and the community,
including the need for civility and respect for diversity
Economics:
D.4.2 Identify situations requiring an allocation of limited economic resources and appraise the
opportunity cost (for example, spending one's allowance on a movie will mean less money saved
for a new video game)
D.4.7 Describe how personal economic decisions, such as deciding what to buy, what to recycle,
or how much to contribute to people in need, can affect the lives of people in Wisconsin, the
United States, and the world
Science:
A.4.2 When faced with a science-related problem, decide what evidence, models, or explanations
previously studied can be used to better understand what is happening now
A.4.3 When investigating a science-related problem, decide what data can be collected to
determine the most useful explanations
Literacy:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.A
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which
related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.B
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
Materials/Resources/Technology

Clear jars (about 7)

14 thermometers
7 stopwatches
YouTube video of greenhouse effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPJJM_hCFj0
Global temperature change graph:
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/images/modules/climate/GCclimate1PICT3.gif

Section B: Introduction to Lesson

Purpose
We will be learning about one of the most prevalent and talked about issues that
our world currently faces. It is currently a hot topic of debate among government
officials, environmentalists, businesses, and homeowners. Global warming affects
everyone. It is important that individuals know the role that they play in contributing to
this issue and the consequences that we face if temperatures continue to increase at their
current rate. The first step in making a difference is to understand the greenhouse effect,
how it occurs, and how it affects Earths climate.
Prior learning
Based on my student interviews, these students have a limited prior knowledge of
the term global warming. Some know that it is an environmental issue currently
threatening our earth. A frew can link the topic to terms such as rising temperature and
pollution. However, most cannot provide a general summary of the issue including
what it is, what it is caused by, how it affects the earth, or what can be done. Therefore,
for the purposes of this lesson and the unit as a whole, I will assume very little of their

prior knowledge and exposure to this topic. The students just finished a unit on
atmosphere, which they will have to recall in their understanding of the greenhouse
effect.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets
To kick off this unit I will be asking the students to brainstorm everything that
they associate with global warming. From this initial informal assessment I will gain
information on the students previous experience with global warming and look for way
to connect it to their lives throughout the unit.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of activities (include

what you and the students will be doing that supports diverse student
needs)

Introduction: What is
global warming?
(5-7 minutes)

Start the lesson by having a collection of environmental pictures on the

board that are in some way related to global warming. I will have each
student individually write down anything they know about global
warming. They can write sentences or just write down words that they
relate with the topic. Students will get 2 minutes to brainstorm on their
own before sharing their ideas with the class. Teacher will write all
ideas on chart paper so that students can visualize the connecting
associations that everyone made to global warming.

Introduce
greenhouse effect
(5 minutes)

Use words and phrases on chart to introduce the term greenhouse

effect. Have students watch short you tube video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPJJM_hCFj0

Experiment
(25 minutes)

Break students up into groups of three. Assign a material manager, data

collector, and recorder. Each group will receive a clear jar, two
thermometers, and a stopwatch. Students will place both thermometers
in a sunlit area for three minutes (while temperatures adjust/stabilize).
Then materials manager will turn jar upside down and place over one
thermometer so jar is completely covering it and you can read the
thermometer through the glass. Once every minute for 10 minutes the
data collector will read the temperature of both thermometers (labeled
A and B) aloud for the recorder to record in a chart in a notebook. Each
group will then observe and discuss how the temperature inside the jar
went up, and each write their notes in their notebook.

Debrief
(10 minutes)

Class will regroup and share results and discuss why this experiment
models the greenhouse effect. To make the connection clearer we will
discuss the function of an actual greenhouse, to trap heat to create a
hospitable environment for warm weather plants. Then we will
compare the class data to graphs of the earths rise in temperature over
the past century:
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/images/modules/climate/GCclimate1PICT3.gif
Class will then use what they learned from the experiment to focus on
creating one definition of the greenhouse effect. Teacher will then post

official definition of greenhouse effect for students to copy into their

notebooks: a warming of Earth's surface and the air above it caused by
gases in the air that trap energy from the sun. Teacher should address
possible misconception that the greenhouse effect is a bad thingwithout it our earth would be to cold to live; the problem is that the
atmosphere is trapping too much heat due to increases carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere.
Conclusion/Exit Slip
(5 minutes)

End with brief discussion/brainstorming of why the temperature might

be increasing in relation to what they know about the atmosphere. In
the last few minutes the students will complete an exit slip which will
ask them to describe the greenhouse effect and explain why it was
given that name. These exit slips will provide evidence of my students
understanding and assess which concepts may need to be revisited.

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson The greenhouse effect is at the center of the global warming issue
and provides evidence of the temperature increase Earth has experienced over the last
century. It has caused the earths temperature to rise, which presents threats to humans.
Assignment Journal: Draw a sketch of the greenhouse effect: should include the sun the
earth, the atmosphere and any other components you think should be featured.

Marquette University
The Climate Change Debate

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale Students should understand all perspectives of the climate change debate so that they
can research, examine data, and evaluate sources to take an education stance in the debate.
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
1. Conduct research using a variety of primary sources to explore perspectives in the global
warming debate.
2. Complete a Venn Diagram that compares various points of view on global warming
issues.
3. Take a position on global warming and support this viewpoint with reasons, facts, and
examples gathered during lesson activities.
2. Students will be assessed on their ability to gather arguments from both sides of the
global warming debate in their Venn diagram. Further, their reflection will be assessed
based on their use of evidence to back up the perspective that they have formed from
their research.
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
The Heat Over Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304/
Climate Change and the Media Senate Hearing
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/249/climate-change.html
God and Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html
Global Warming Venn Diagram worksheet: www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalvenn.pdf
CRAP slide show http://www.slideshare.net/lisamucci/is-it-crap-using-a-memorableacronym-to-teach-critical-website-evaluation-skills
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose In this lesson we will compare and contrast the opposing sides of the climate
change debate and prove through evidence that climate change is caused by humans
rather than a result of a natural cycle that Earths climate has had for thousands of years.
Prior learning Students will build off their knowledge of the greenhouse effect from the
previous lesson. Some students may have previously formed opinions on the global
warming debates prior to this lesson that may provide biases that will be confronted.

Connections to personal/cultural/community assets Many students in the class dont

know that global warming is a man made phenomenon. Some students may recycle in
their own homes and some may not. Posing the question of whether global warming is an
imminent threat will make the connection between my students lives and climate change
clear.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Introduction to the Climate
Change Debate
(5 minutes)

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be doing
that supports diverse student needs)
Begin with students sharing their research from the
previous assignment. We will define the two opposing
perspectives of climate change.

Competing Perspectives Videos

Students will watch clips from three broadcasts to

illustrate some of the controversy surrounding global
warming:
The Heat Over Global Warming
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304/
Climate Change and the Media Senate Hearings
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/249/climate-change.html
God and Global Warming
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html

Student Investigation
(15 minutes)

Give each student a Global Warming Venn Diagram

worksheet: www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalvenn.pdf
Students will work in pairs to do their own research in
order to complete the Venn Diagram. Students should
record their sources as well and evaluate their credibility
or note any biases, using the CRAP model, which we will
review briefly via a slide show before they begin to work
individually http://www.slideshare.net/lisamucci/is-it-crapusing-a-memorable-acronym-to-teach-critical-websiteevaluation-skills. Students will receive a worksheet to
refer to during their research.

Class Share
(5 minutes)

As a class students will share some of the arguments made

for each side and discuss which perspective is supported
with stronger evidence. Share graph with class that shows
carbon dioxide emissions and temperature change on the
same axes. Talk about how this evidence can be used to
support or discredit either perspective.

Individual Reflection
(5 minutes)

Based on individual research and class discussion each

student will answer the following questions in their
notebooks: Is global warming an imminent threat? Based
off the evidence we uncovered, do you think humans are
the cause of global warming?

Conclusion

(2 minutes)

Wrap up the lesson by confirming that an overwhelming

amount of scientific evidence support the perspective that
human activity is the primary cause for the rapid increase
in global temperature. Assign journal entry (below) for
homework.

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson Although not everyone agrees, almost all scientists point to humans as the
cause of global warming. Much evidence has backed up this perspective. It is important to
explore all sides of an issue when examining it and evaluating the credibility of its arguments in
order to take an informed stance and begin to find a solution.
Assignment Journal: What are the consequences of having the perspective that humans activity
does not affect the earth? What might happen if humans continue to pollute at the same rate they
are now?

Marquette University
Link Between Temperature and CO2

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale After learning about the global warming debate, this lesson will provide a stronger
foundation for the argument that global warming is a direct result of carbon dioxide emissions
and human activity, based off graphical evidence.
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
Students will:
4. Understand the link between temperatures and CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere
5. Analyze patterns from the past and present
6. Explain how past patterns can help to predict future scenarios
3. Students will be assessed on their ability to interpret graphs and data tables containing
information of temperature changes and carbon dioxide in the air.
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
UN Climate Report graph https://www.google.com/search?
q=graph+of+climate+change&espv=2&biw=1087&bih=762&source=lnms&tbm=isch&s
a=X&ved=0ahUKEwjH3Mm7hKfJAhWBkx4KHffDVwQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=IfUT_IAR969EtM%3A
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/documents/temp-and-co2.pdf
https://pangea.stanford.edu/programs/outreach/climatechange/curriculum/4-impactadaptation-and-mitigation-climate-change
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose Students will gain first-hand experience in analyzing the link between
atmospheric temperatures and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations by looking at ice
core data spanning hundreds of thousands of years. Students have examined the
perspective that Earth has been experiencing fluctuations in temperature for hundreds of
thousands of years and therefore Earths current rise in temperatures is simply a part of
that natural cycle. This lesson will examine that perspective in depth with collected data
from the past.
Prior learning Students have just researched opposing sides of the global warming
debate and learned to base their arguments off evidence. This lesson build off that lesson
by providing further evidence to support the man-made perspective of global warming.
It will also require their knowledge of the greenhouse effect from the previous lessons.

Connections to personal/cultural/community assets Many students in the class dont

know that global warming is a man made phenomenon. Some students may recycle in
their own homes and some may not. Posing the question of whether global warming is an
imminent threat will make the connection between my students lives and climate change
clear.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Introduction to Lesson
(5 minutes)

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be doing
that supports diverse student needs)
We will review what we learned about the global warming
debate, the perspectives that we took, and the evidence that
we used to make that determination. Explain that we will
be examining new evidence today with 400,000 years of
ice core data.

Background information
(10 minutes)

Students will need to know the context of ice core data,

some background information, and some vocabulary
exposure to initiate this lesson. I will introduce the Vostok
Station in Antarctica and how the scientists there use ice
cores to provide clues into the Earths past and present
climate. Vocab: ice cores- tubesoficethataredrilledout
ofglaciersoricesheets,theyprovidescientistswith
informationabouthistoricaltemperatures,gasesthatwere
presentintheatmosphereinthepast,andothercluesabout
theEarthsclimate,andcandatebackmanyhundredsof
thousandsofyears.

Student Investigation
(15 minutes)

Students will create two graphs on the same set of axes

from data provided to them including the CO2
concentration and temperature in a specific year dating
from 398,000 400 BC.

Class Discussion/Interpretation of
Graph
(10 minutes)

Extension/Conclusion
(10 minutes)

As a class students will share their observations of the

graph, ex: what patterns do you notice, how many peaks
and how many troughs, how many years in one complete
cycle, what does each peak/trough represent? Students
should notice that temperature is changing as a direct
result of carbon dioxide in the air.
Show UN Climate Report Graph. Discuss the rise of
temperature beginning at the beginning of the 20th century.
Is this similar to the cycle weve seen in the past? What
began in the 1900s that may have caused this unusual rise
in temperature? What perspective of climate change does
this graph support?

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson Although not everyone agrees, almost all scientists point to humans as the
cause of global warming. This perspective has been backed up by much evidence. It is important
to explore all sides of an issue when examining it and evaluating the credibility of its arguments
in order to take an informed stance and begin to find a solution.
Assignment Journal: What are the consequences of having the perspective that humans activity
does not affect the earth? What might happen if humans continue to pollute at the same rate they
are now?
Students will also be assigned to a reading group and given a childrens literature book to read
about climate change. Their assignment will be to read the book at home and come to the next
class prepared to discuss with their group. Students will each be assigned a role in their reading
group (discussion director, connector, literary luminary, summarizer) to focus each persons
contribution to the discussion.

Marquette University
Human Impact and Human Survival

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale In order to understand how climate change connects to the students immediate lives
(i.e., why should I care), students will study the impact of climate change in multiple areas of
human life.
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
Students will:
1. Explore potential consequences of global warming for the human race as well as other
species
2. Analyze childrens literature concerning climate change

1. Students will be assessed on their contribution to their literature groups as well as their
group presentations
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
http://www.freespirit.com/files/other/Kids_Guide_Climate_Change.pdf pp. 11-15
Literature: Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish, The Great Kapok Tree, The Trouble with
Dragons, George Saves the World by Lunch Time, Gaia Warriors
https://www.edf.org/climate
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose Students will learn how climate change is effecting people all around the
world. They will discover the harsh consequences of our actions that threaten the earth
and those that inhabit it. Students will be able to connect this monumental and world
wide issue to their own daily lives by examining the decisions that they make everyday
that contribute to massive pollution and think about what ways they can cut their energy
use. Reading about climate change in multiple childrens literature stories will give them
more opportunities to understand and connect to such a complex issue and discussing the
texts with classmates opens opportunities for meaningful conversation about what climate
change means for the human race.
Prior learning Students previously examined evidence for humans being the primary
cause of the rise in temperature through excessive emissions of carbon dioxide. Once
students have learned that humans almost solely contribute to climate change, they will
learn what specific ways humans pollute the earth and why that pollution is ultimately a
huge threat to our own survival.

Connections to personal/cultural/community assets Students can connect this lesson to

the decisions they make in their everyday lives, such as the time they take to shower, time
they spend on electronics, and the kind of food that they buy. Students will come to
realize that many of the things they do everyday require energy to be expended and
contributes to climate change.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Introduction to Lesson
(5 minutes)

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of activities (include

what you and the students will be doing that supports diverse student
needs)
We will review what we concluded during the last lesson about CO2
levels being directly related to temperature fluctuations throughout
thousands of years. I will explain to the students that today we are
going to examine the different ways that we expend CO2 in our daily
lives and why we should be careful about how much we emit.

Gathering facts about

climate change
(15 minutes)

Working in groups, students will receive one of the following

categories: People, Plants, Animals, Weather, Land & Water, Health,
and Food. For each category, a fact is provided (e.i. during the 1900s,
the world population multiplied nearly 4 times). In their groups,
students should discuss the possible repercussions of the fact they are
given as it relates to climate change and how it affects life on Earth.
Each group will then give a short presentation to the rest of their
classmates, stating their fact and what concerns them about that fact.
http://www.freespirit.com/files/other/Kids_Guide_Climate_Change.pd
f pp.11-12

Where in the world is

global warming?
(5 minutes)

As a follow up to the students hypotheses of possible threats of

climate change, as a class we will examine a world map that pinpoints
specific places in the world that are already experiencing the impacts
of global warming. The map includes a paragraph about Lake Superior
which the students can connect to, being close to one of the Great
Lakes.
http://www.freespirit.com/files/other/Kids_Guide_Climate_Change.pd
f pp.14-15

Literature Groups
(15 minutes)

The class will be split up into five groups, which were pre-arranged by
homogenous reading ability at the end of the previous lesson. Each
group will discuss the book they read by sharing the information
gathered for each reading role (connector, summarizer, etc.). Groups
should then prepare a short presentation in order to share what they
learned in their book with the rest of the class.

Presentations/Conclusio
n
(10 minutes)

After presentations, the class will do a quick brainstorming of how we

use energy in our everyday lives. We will return to this next lesson
when we calculate our carbon footprints.

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson Global warming deadly affects are being felt today. Students learned how
climate change is affecting people all over the world and why we should be concerned about it.
The books the students read ranged from themes to human destruction to ways each individual
can help.
Assignment Journal: Make a list of everything you did today that required energy? Were they
all necessary? Could you cut back in some of those areas?

Marquette University
What can we do: Alternate Sources of Energy

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale After we have learned about global warming, its causes, and its consequences it is
important for students to know that there are things that we can all do to fight climate change and
its effects. Students should understand the size of their footprint, how they can leave a smaller
footprint, and how they, as future homeowners, business owners, government officials, etc, can
make environmental difference on a larger scale.
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
Learner Outcomes:
1. Identify solutions for climate change that individuals can participate in and make a
difference
2. Identify large scale solutions for climate change and positions of power who can
implement these changes
3. Write a persuasive letter to a person or business that includes suggestions of
environmentally conscious choices they should make and why they should do so
(appealing to them environmentally and economically)
Assessments:
Students will have a summative assessment in the form of a letter to the mayor of a
hypothetical city. This letter will cover topics from each of the lessons in the unit including an
understanding of the greenhouse effect, its cause, and it effects on our planet, as well as what
should be done to fight climate change. This writing assignment will gage each students overall
knowledge of the unit while challenging them to think critically and connect it to their own lives.
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
Computers for each student for carbon footprint calculator:
https://islandwood.org/footprint-calculator/#
Power Up! http://sciencenetlinks.com/media/filer/2011/10/07/powerup.swf
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn about the options that are available to us when
we utilize energy. Students will be introduced to renewable energy sources and critically compare
and evaluate the pros and cons of utilizing different types of fuel. Students should form an idea
about how they can make educated decisions that make a difference in the environment.

Prior learning
Students will have a prior knowledge of climate change and the threats it poses. Having an
understanding of the severity and the causes of climate change is important going into this lesson
because students will have to pose possible solutions to the issue.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets
This lesson connects to my students lives because it centers on things they do everyday such as
shower, brush their teeth, eat, etc. My students are also interested to learn about money when it
relates to their lives because most of them grow up in families where money is a stressful topic.
The students will be interested to know that being environmentally savvy will also save them
money in the long run and some might even pass that along to their families. Students may also
think about ways their own school uses energy in conservative or wasteful ways.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Attention getting opener
(15 minutes)

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be doing
that supports diverse student needs)
Each student will begin the lesson by calculating their
carbon footprint:
https://islandwood.org/footprint-calculator/# Beforehand,
we will add carbon footprint to our list of vocabulary
words in our journal and discuss what that means in
relation to us. If you use a lot of energy you have a big
carbon footprint. We will discuss why it is important to
have a small carbon footprint.

Introduction to renewable energy

(5 minutes)

As a class we will talk about the information provided to

us by the website with the calculator including our areas of
improvement, and the number of earths that would be
needed to sustain our population if everyone had the same
ecological footprint as you. We will talk about daily
changes we can all make.

Exploration activity
(10 minutes)

Beyond reducing our carbon emissions, we will discuss

alternate clean energy sources that can be used in our
every day lives. Students will brainstorm sources of
renewable energy and we will discuss each briefly
including how they can be utilized.

Class discussion
(10 minutes)

Students will participate in an online activity Power Up!

where students will use economic decision making to
choose how to power a city. They will have to choose
between various energy sources, taking into account the
costs and benefits between the price and the environmental
impact of each choice.

Individual reflection
(10 minutes)

As a class we will make a chart listing the costs and

benefits of using different types renewable energy and
nonrenewable energy. We will also discuss whether the

costs and benefits are the same in the short run as they are
in the long run.
Students should reflect on the following questions in their
journals for homework: What are some of the trade offs in
choosing certain power plants? Were you able to pick the
kind of power that you think your city SHOULD have?
Why or why not?
Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson Our individual actions are important but we must also appeal to
larger influences that can make a difference on a larger scale by implementing renewable
energy sources. It is important to compare the costs and benefits when examining
different types of energy sources. Affordability is important but can only be accurately
assessed when multiple factors are taken into account.
Assignment The students journal prompts will provide an understanding of how well
they understood the costs and benefits of using renewable energy as an alternative
solution to carbon emissions.

Marquette University
What Is Milwaukee Doing?

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale We have investigated global warming on a large scale, addressing how it affects
people around the world and what are some steps we can take to make a small human impact on
the planet. It is now important to connect that knowledge to what is actually happen in their own
communities, i.e., what is Milwaukee doing to be a greener city? We can explore this most
efficiently by going out into Milwaukee itself (Discovery World)
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
Learner Outcomes:
4. Analyze Milwaukees own sustainability plan and explore specific goals Milwaukee has
to be a more environmentally responsible city.
5. Build awareness of students immediate neighborhood and the difficulties it faces in
being green
6. Identify specific individual actions that can be taken that will lead to a more efficient,
eco-friendly, and proactive community.
Assessments:
Before traveling the Discovery World, each groups poster on a specific theme in
Milwaukees sustainability plan will be an informal assessment that will serve to share
information with their classmates while improving their reading and comprehension skills for
informative texts, while learning information that will prime their field trip experience. To keep
the students focused while at the museum, they will be required to take notes about the things
they observe while there. These notes will assist them in writing a reflective journal entry that
will inform me of their understanding of the impacts and actions being experienced in their
greater communities.
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
Clean Air Trek Exhibit at Discovery World
Website of Milwaukee Office of Environmental Sustainability
http://city.milwaukee.gov/sustainability#.VmCQvWSrTgo
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose
Discovery World has a Clean Air Trek Exhibit that aims to build awareness of the students
immediate neighborhood and how they can become efficient, eco-friendly, and proactive while
moving through it. By connecting climate change to the students own communities the issue

becomes more personal and tangible to them. The students will learn specific ways that their own
city is committing to sustainability.
Prior learning
Students have built a expansive general knowledge about climate change including what it is,
why it threatens us, and eco-friendly options that are available. Based on that knowledge they can
begin to take a personal perspective through viewing the issue through a magnified lens and
explore whats happening in their own communities.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets
The exhibit covers topics such as land-use, alternate forms and transportation, buying local foods,
and seeing Milwaukees neighborhoods and the city in new ways. It features real people in
Milwaukee who improve air quality as they live their everyday lives. Students can connect to
these topics and these people because they involve things they see or do in their everyday lives.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Pre trip activity
(20 minutes)

Discovery World

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of activities

(include what you and the students will be doing that
supports diverse student needs)
Before leaving for Discovery World, as a class we will learn
about ReFresh Milwaukee, which is the citys 10 year vision
for community sustainability.
http://city.milwaukee.gov/ReFreshMKE_PlanFinal_Web.pdf
There are six general areas we will cover: buildings,
transportation, energy, resource recovery, food systems, and
water. First we will obtain the definition of sustainability
from the ReFresh Milwaukee Sustainability Plan (What is
Sustainability? p. 7) and record these in their journals.
Students will divide into their greenhouse effect experiment
groups and will be assigned one of the following categories.
Each group will receive their specific section from the
ReFresh Plan and identify three things Milwaukee is doing
to improve sustainability in those areas. Students will post
their findings on chart paper, along with and
drawings/charts/additional facts they want to add, which will
be hung up around the classroom.
Students will spend time exploring the Clean Air Trek at
Discovery World. Students will bring their journals to jot
down things they see, connections they make to prior
learning, facts they didnt know before today, etc. These
notes will help them to write a reflective journal entry as
their assignment for the night.

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson This lesson was important to get the students into their own
communities and learning how Milwaukee is reacting to global warmings threats.
Discovery World has a very authentic, interactive, and fun way for the students to engage

in and expand their knowledge of climate change and its solutions, while connecting it to
their own real life experiences.
Assignment Journal- Is Milwaukee doing their part to become a more eco-friendly,
sustainable city? Describe three things that you saw at the Clean Air Trek Exhibit that
support your answer.

Marquette University
How Can I Help Make Our School Green?

Date

Global Warming

Social Studies/5th grade/50 minutes

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Rationale Approaching the end of this unit, students have explored global warming as a big
picture as well as in their our own community. An important part of obtaining this knowledge is
applying it to do good around you. Students will have the opportunity to apply everything they
have learned thus far to make their school a more sustainable, eco-friendly place.
Description of Learners
*See lesson 1
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
Learner Outcomes:
Students will:
1. Identify solutions that would reduce the carbon footprint of their own school
2. Write a persuasive letter to the school principal that includes a suggestion of an
environmentally conscious choice they should make and why they should do so
(appealing to them environmentally and economically)
3. Integrate content from prior lessons to make a reasonable argument supporting their plea
Assessments:
Students will have a summative assessment in the form of a letter to the principal of their
own school. This letter will cover topics from each of the lessons in the unit including an
understanding of the greenhouse effect, its cause, and it effects on our planet, as well as what
should be done to fight climate change. This writing assignment will gage each students overall
knowledge of the unit while challenging them to think critically and connect it to their own lives.
Standards Addressed *See lesson 1
Materials/Resources/Technology
Persuasive Letter Writing Format Outline and Example
https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/scottforesman/read_5_U6_WP.pdf
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose
The students will write a letter to their principle persuading him to change one thing about the
school to make it a more sustainable place. Students will have to harness information from
various lessons from the unit to make a persuasive argument. Students should incorporate all their
knowledge on climate change to indicate a reasonable alteration, explain why this would be an
eco-friendly decision, and why it should be implemented (why should we care). This project
serves a summative purpose by incorporating many aspects of the global warming unit and
transferring it to a real world circumstance.
Prior learning

Students learned about many changes that the city of Milwaukee is making via its ReFresh
Milwaukee Sustainability Plan. They learned how making changes to buildings, water
regulations, food distribution, and more. Learning about these specific approaches will support
students in coming up with their own solutions in their school.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets
This lesson connects to my students lives because it is happening in their own school! Students
have a lot of knowledge about what goes on in their school and prompting change in a familiar
environment directly connects them to the issue of climate change. By writing a letter to their
principle they are taking action against problems they see in their own communities, which they
come in contact with everyday. Students should know that their letters will actually be read by
their principle and their ideas will be taken seriously. The principle may even decide to follow up
on one or more of the suggestions. Understanding that they have the capability to bring about
change around them is a huge revelation for many of the students and instills a sense of
responsibility and purpose in what they do.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline
Attention getting opener
(5 minutes)

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be doing
that supports diverse student needs)
I will start the lesson by explaining to the students that for
the final leg of our unit we are going to take action by
improving sustainability conditions in our own school. I
will explain to the students that their final project will be
to write a letter to their principle identifying one way that
we can improve the school by making it more green and
helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

Brainstorming
(5 minutes)

To prime the pump before the students begin to write, we

will discuss as a class different ways the city of
Milwaukee is taking action against global warming and
relate those ideas to changes we can make in the school. I
will record a list of ideas on the board for students to refer
to when deciding which issue they will write about.

Introduction to writing a
persuasive letter
(10 minutes)

We will go over the format of a formal letter and what it

means to be persuasive in their letters, we will refer to the
literature books we read in a previous lesson and go over a
model of persuasive letter writing. Each student will
receive a persuasive argument organizer worksheet to help
plan their work as well as a rubric to refer to as they are
writing. The rubric will list all the things they should
include in their letter to make it convincing and
comprehensive.

Independent Work
(30 min)

Students will work to create their individual letters to the

principle for the remainder of the period.

Section D: Closure

Summary of lesson Our individual actions are important but we must also appeal to
people in positions of power who have more influence to kick start change on a larger
scale by making more eco-friendly changes. Writing a letter to the students principle
instills a sense of personal responsibility in taking action against global warming while
asking them to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the issue.