Overview of Activity

Using this Internet-based webquest activity, students learn about climate change, energy use, and global warming, including how scientists, business leaders, and policy makers study and respond to climate change, how society and the environment will be impacted by global warming, and how people can make better decisions regarding all the complicated issues involved with climate change and global warming. Students will have an opportunity to play a role on a fictitious climate action team, during which they will make some of the same discoveries and decisions that a real scientist, business leader, or policy maker would make.

Grade Level: 9 to University

Difficulty: Intermediate

Activity Type: Online

URLs: Global Warming WebQuest (Teacher Pages)
Global Warming WebQuest (Student Pages)

Amount of Time Required for Activity: One week 

Description
The Koshland Science Museum has developed a webquest aimed at high school students which focuses on global climate change. The Global Warming Webquest presents a fictitious scenario in which students play various roles as they try to determine how and why the global climate has changed and what role humans play in causing and responding to these changes. Students take on the roles of climate scientist, policy analyst, economist, energy expert, and urban planner as they are guided through various web-based activities and learn about climate science, environmental impacts, policy initiatives, and renewable energy choices. Upon completion of their individual tasks, the team of students must then work together to present their findings and make recommendations that address the situation.

Relation to the Science Standards
High School
Content Standard A - Understanding about Scientific Inquiry
Content Standard B - Physical Science
Content Standard C - The Cell
Content Standard D - Earth and Space Science
Content Standard E - Science and Technology
Content Standard F - Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Content Standard G - History and the Nature of Science

Related Part of the Exhibit
Global Warming: Facts and Our Future

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