Title – Do Something about… the Environment 10-Day Unit


Day 3: What are the Consequences of Global Warming?


By – Jordyn Wells/Do Something, Inc./

www.dosomething.org


Primary Subject – Science

Secondary Subjects – Social Studies, Language Arts, Other

Grade Level – 7-12

Unit Information:

The following lesson is the third lesson of a 10-day

Environment Curricula from Do Something, Inc.

Other lessons in this unit are as follows:


Day 1: Introduction


Introduction to global warming, energy conservation and how rising temperatures affect us locally


Day 2: Its Getting Hot In Here! – The Science of Global Warming


Students learn about greenhouse gases and the power of language



Day 3: The Consequences of Global Warming



(See the lesson below)


Students learn about the potential consequences of global warming


Day 4: If the shoe fits… Learning about Ecological Footprints


Students examine their own energy consumption and conservation


Day 5: How Green Is Your School


Students learn how schools can participate in energy conservation


Day 6: Energy Hog – Who’s using up all the energy?


Students compare U.S. energy use to that of other countries


Day 7: Renewable Energy Sources


Students explore different types of renewable energy sources


Day 8: Renewable Energy – How Do You See It?


Students discuss the pros/cons of renewable energy


Day 9: The Politics of Energy Conservation


Students debate the pros/cons of government involvement in energy conservation


Day 10: Presentation Day


Students present their energy conservation projects

Lesson 3: What are the Consequences of Global Warming?

Goal:

• To learn about the potential consequences of global warming

Standards:

• Geography Standard 18: Understands global development and environmental issues
  
• Language Arts Standard 4: Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing
  
• Arts and Communication Standard 4: Understands ways in which the human experience is transmitted and reflected in the arts and communication
  
• Science Standard 1: Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle

Materials:

• Strategy Worksheet
  
• Video of an Inconvenient Truth

Vocabulary:

• 
  Ethos
  
  : a mode of persuasion that relies on the speaker establishing expertise
  
• 
  Logos:
  
  : A mode of persuasion that relies on evidence and logical thought
  
• 
  Pathos
  
  : A mode of persuasion that relies on appeals to the audience’s emotions

Procedure:

1. Heat up:
Start by showing students a clip of Al Gore’s “

An Inconvenient Truth

” and discuss the consequences of global warming. Begin a discussion around techniques that you can use to persuade others. For example, how might a child get his parents to let him/her stay out late? Ask for a few examples.

2. Provide Background:

Have students investigate the effects and consequences of global warming. Do a jigsaw read of the articles by having the students count off by three and then read one of the articles. Create groups of three students, so that each group has a member that has read either the first, second, or third article.



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/warnings/waterworld/





http://www.time.com/time/2001/globalwarming/a.html





http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1997/global.warming/

3. Synthesize:

As a class, discuss how to speak and write persuasively. How does Gore try and convince the viewer about the dangers of global warming? Cite examples of how he engages the emotions of the viewer? What images make the most impact? Why?

4. Discuss persuasive techniques and have students look again at a clip and discuss what techniques are being used. How does the combination of all three of these strategies support Gore’s point of view? For MS students, you may want to give them the worksheet to help organize the notes they take while viewing.

a. Logos: use of evidence to support your points (facts, statistics, accounts)

b. Pathos: use of emotions to engage the support of the audience

c. Ethos: credibility or reliability of your argument (expert opinions, celebrity endorsement).

5. Take Action:

As part of their project, encourage students to create something that they can share with others that builds awareness about the importance of energy conservation and the consequences of global warming. Some ideas might include a collage, poem, song, or poster that students can share with others. How can they use logos, pathos, and ethos to get their point across? Have students discuss their ideas in groups.

Additional Activities

• Multimedia: Have students develop a commercial promoting energy consciousness
  
• Social studies/ Language Arts: Look at great speakers of our century and see the techniques that they use to get their point across.

As you watch the movie, notes examples when any of these strategies are used.

Describe the example and rate how effectiveness of this strategy.

Strategy	Example	Effectiveness
Strategy
Logos
Ethos
Pathos

E-Mail

Do Something, Inc.

!