The document describes the CSI: South Florida project, which aims to develop online interactive modules to teach high school and undergraduate students how to analyze NASA and other climate data to address questions and misconceptions about climate change. The project uses a storyline approach across 6 modules covering topics like evidence of warming, causes of climate change, and the scientific consensus. Students engage in investigations using real data and scientific argumentation exercises. The goal is to pilot the curriculum with students in Florida to improve climate and science literacy.
Using NASA Data to Improve Young Adults' Climate and Science Literacy
1. CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations (CSI): South Florida (SFL)
Using NASA Data to Improve Young Adults’ Climate and Science Literacy
Principal Investigator:
Julie Lambert, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University
Co-Investigators:
Robert Bleicher, Ph.D., California State University, Channel Islands
Brian Soden, Ph.D., University of Miami
Funded through NASA
NASA Innovations in Climate Education
(January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2013)
2. Julie Lambert, Ph.D.
Florida Atlantic University
Brian Robert
Soden, Ph.D., Univ Bleicher, Ph.D., California
ersity of Miami State University, Channel
Islands
Shane
Forsythe, Web
Designer/
Alana Programmer
Edwards,
Ph.D. student
in Geosciences
Suzanne Smith
Sundburg, Scienc
e Writer/Editor
(Camera Shy)
Graduate Research
Assistants:
Anne Henderson Kevin Leichtman
3. Overall Objective
Develop and pilot online interactive modules that teach high school
and undergraduate students how to analyze and use NASA and other
data to address the public’s questions and commonly held
misconceptions about climate change.
Total time: Approximately 9 weeks for entire curriculum.
Pilot Audience:
Undergraduate – Weather and Climate Courses at University of Miami
High School – Environmental Science Courses in Broward, Miami-
Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
4. Storyline Sequence
Module 1 What Are the Foundations of Climate Science?
Module 2 Is Earth Really Warming?
Module 3 Is There Evidence of a Warmer Earth?
Module 4 What Causes Climate Change?
Module 5 How Can Climate Change Impact Earth?
Module 6 Do Scientists Agree and What Are the Unknowns?
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
5. Instructional Approach for Each Module
(Except Module 1 on the Fundamentals)
• Module Overview – Learning Objectives
• Pre-Assessment on Content Knowledge and Views
• Introduction
• Investigations
Using time series and geospatial data
Variety of supporting hands-on, simpler lesson
plans/activities
http://www.coe.fau.edu/faculty/lambert/
• Climate Scientists’ Explanations
• Scientific Argumentation Practice
• Post-Assessment
6. Module 1. What Are the Foundations of Climate Science?
Learning Objectives:
• Explain the nature of scientific inquiry.
• Explain the role of skepticism in scientific
inquiry.
• Differentiate between
weather, climate, and extreme weather
events.
• Compare and contrast the layers of
Earth’s atmosphere.
• Explain the relationship between Earth’s
energy budget and the global average
temperature of Earth.
• Differentiate between the natural
greenhouse effect and an enhanced
greenhouse effect.
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
7. Module 2. Is Earth Really Warming?
How Temperature Is Measured
Temperature Change Over Time
Temperature Change Over
Geographic Space
Local Versus Global
Urban Versus Rural
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
8. Module 3. Is There Evidence of a Warmer Earth?
The retreat of Pedersen Glacier, Alaska.
Melting Ice Summer 1917
Sea Level Rise
Weather Extremes
Increased Water Vapor
Summer 2005
Changes in Precipitation/Drought
Changes to Ecosystems
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
9. Module 4. What Causes Climate Change?
Natural Causes of Climate Change
Earth’s Orbital Variation
Solar Variation
Volcanic Eruptions
Changes in Greenhouse Gas Concentration
The Carbon Cycle & CO2
Fossil Fuels and Energy Use
Climate Models
Natural Factors
Human Factors
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
10. Module 5: How Can Climate Change Impact Earth?
Temperature Change Projections
Precipitation Projections
Floods and Droughts
Sea Level Rise
Weather Extremes
Species and Ecosystem Loss
Ocean Acidification
Effects on Human Health
Key Impacts of Climate Change for South Florida
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
11. Module 6: Do Scientists Agree and
What Are the Unknowns?
A Brief History of the Research
The Probability, Uncertainty, and the
“Preponderance of Evidence”
Types of Climate Change Deniers and Their
Arguments
What Are the Unknowns and Risks of Inaction?
How Do We Communicate About Climate
Change?
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
20. Scientific Argumentation
a disagreement between scientific explanations (or claims) with data (or
evidence) being used to justify (or rationalize or support) each position.
Adapted from Sampson, Grooms, & Walker (2011)
A scientific argument isn’t an argument as much as it is a process that scientists follow to
guide their research activities. Scientists identify weaknesses and limitations in others’
arguments with the ultimate goal being to refine and improve explanations and
experimental designs. This process is known as evidence-based argumentation.
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
21. Alignment of Learning Goals and Misconceptions
(Myths/Skeptics’ Clams)
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
22.
23. Once students have created an argument, they can go and
review the arguments of their classmates, comment on
those arguments, and rate them.
When you
select a claim
here,
Arguments
for or against
this claim
appear here.
24.
25. Publication:
Lambert, J., Lindgren, J. & Bleicher, R. (2011). Assessing
elementary science methods students’ understanding about
global climate change.
Published online in the International Journal of Science
Education, November 17, 2011.
(http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09500693.2011.633938)
Where we are now:
Completing Module 1 for piloting in February.
Writing content and developing data interface for Module 2.
Ongoing — developing assessment items and argumentation claims.
CSI: South Florida
Climate Science Investigations: South Florida
Notas del editor
Place a comma between “hands-on” and “simpler.”
The Module 4 headline does not match the title in slide #4. Remove the word "to" before the word "Change." Initial cap "E" in the word "eruptions."
Initial cap the “A” in “Are” in the Module 1 title, the “I” in “Is” in the Module 3 title. Delete “to” in the Module 4 title. Initial cap the “C” in “Can in the Module 5 title. Delete “the” before the word “Scientists” in the Module 6 title, and initial cap the “A” in the word “Are.” GLOBAL QUERY: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COLON AFTER THE WORD “Investigations” IN THE SUBHEAD? THERE SHOULD BE A COLON IN ALL CASES ON ALL SLIDES.
Initial cap the “A” in “Are” in the reversed-out subhead. In question 2, the article “the” should be removed and it should be rewritten ad “Earth’s system.” GLOBAL QUERY: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COLON AFTER THE WORD “Investigations” IN THE SUBHEAD? THERE SHOULD BE A COLON IN ALL CASES ON ALL SLIDES.
