Climate Change: Real Science, Real Evidence
Understanding the facts behind our changing planet Grade 9 Science
What Do You Already Know?
Think-Pair-Share: What have you heard about climate change? Share one fact you think you know No wrong answers - we're exploring together!
How Do We Know About Ancient Climates?
Scientists are like climate detectives! Fossils tell us about temperatures millions of years ago Ice cores trap ancient air bubbles Tree rings show yearly climate patterns Human records go back to 1659 in England
Ice Core Investigation
Work in pairs to examine this 'ice core' timeline Each layer represents one year of snowfall Count backwards to find what year each bubble represents What patterns do you notice?
Natural vs. Human Climate Changes
{"left":"Volcanic eruptions cool the planet temporarily\nSolar cycles affect Earth's temperature slowly\nIce ages happen over thousands of years\nOcean currents shift gradually","right":"Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 rapidly\nDeforestation reduces CO2 absorption\nIndustrial activities happen in decades\nCurrent warming is faster than natural changes"}
Global Temperature Timeline
The Greenhouse Effect Explained
Earth's atmosphere acts like a blanket Some gases trap heat from the sun Without greenhouse gases, Earth would be frozen! Too many greenhouse gases = too much warming CO2 is the main greenhouse gas we're adding
CO2 Concentration Detective Work
Examine this graph of CO2 levels over time What happened around 1950? Compare CO2 levels to temperature data What connections can you make?
Scientific Consensus
97% of climate scientists agree that current climate change is caused by human activities This level of agreement is rare in science! Based on thousands of studies and decades of data
What We've Learned Today
Scientists use multiple methods to study past climates Current warming is happening faster than natural changes Human activities are the main cause since 1950 The evidence comes from many different sources Climate science is based on real, measurable data