This is a class discussion activity.  The suggested questions and answers are provided in Supporting Material 3.1.
 
 
 

Activity 3.2:  Global Circulation Models

 

The answers below should be used only as a guide to evaluating students’ responses to the questions on Student Worksheet 3.1.

Part A

1. Precipitation and evaporation, heat exchange, air-ice coupling.
2. The sun.
3. Biomass is important in at least two ways.  Vegetation is a sink for CO2 and when burned releases that CO2 into the atmosphere.  Vegetation also affects the reflectivity of the earth’s surface and affects the amount of solar radiation that is absorbed, reflected, or re-radiated. Terrestrial change would affect the biomass component of the diagram.
4. The diagram is fairly adequate, yet doesn’t completely illustrate the role of oceans and biomass as sinks for CO2.  The diagram also simplifies human activity and the role that humans play in the climate system.

1. The largest temperature increases (above 4°C) are predicted to occur above 30° N and S latitudes.  This temperature increase will directly affect the populations of North America, Europe, Northern Africa, extreme southern portions of South America, and all of Asia except India.  This totals approximately 3.2 billion people.
2. It is difficult to assess the expected temperature change for Florida or Great Britain because these locations do not appear on the map because of its coarse spatial resolution.
3. Physical features that will make temperature change in some areas more critical include ice sheets or glaciers, low elevation coastal zones, and floodplains, among others.
4. Social or human factors that will make temperature change in some areas more critical include levels of economic development, institutions, population mobility, and the location of population centers, among others.
5. Some areas may be able to cope relatively well, such as the United States and Western Europe because they have the resources either to prevent serious impacts or to adapt after the fact.  Areas such as northern Africa and South America may have more difficulty preventing or adapting to climate change.

The results of this activity will vary depending on the size of the class and the events that students recall.  Allow sufficient time for the students to discuss their interviews and to make generalizations about the similarities and differences between the reports of extreme weather events.
 
 
 

Activity 3.4:  "Oh, I'm Just a Bill":  Decision Making in the Face of Uncertainty

 

Students’ written and oral testimony should be concise and well-supported with evidence.  Students should not be allowed simply to state their group’s opinions -- they must support that opinion.  Good testimony requires that students do additional research in order to formulate their group’s position.  The oral presentations should be professional and should clearly articulate the concerns of the group.  The instructor should structure the hearing such that students are able to  adopt their roles and enjoy themselves.