Global climate change and the effects
I can describe some of the major effects of climate change and suggest ways humans can help limit the effects.
Global climate change and the effects
I can describe some of the major effects of climate change and suggest ways humans can help limit the effects.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Increasing average global temperatures leads to an increase in sea levels.
- Increasing average temperatures cause more powerful convection currents, increasing the number and severity of storms.
- Increasing average temperatures can affect atmospheric air streams and change weather patterns.
- Changes of human behaviour can lead to smaller increases in global temperature.
- Climate engineering may enable humans to reduce global temperatures through the application of technologies.
Keywords
Global warming - Global warming is an increase in Earth’s global temperatures, likely caused by more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Sea ice - Sea ice is formed, grows and melts into the oceans. Sea ice floats on the ocean surface and contains less salt than sea water as the salt is ‘pushed out’ of the ice structure.
Convection currents - The movement of fluids caused by differences in density, allowing energy to be transferred as the hotter fluid rises to cooler areas.
Climate - The long-term weather conditions in an area are known as the climate.
Climate engineers - Climate engineers use technology as part of a large-scale intervention to alter the climate and limit the impacts of climate change.
Common misconception
Climate change only leads to hotter weather. Human activity has a negligible impact on climate change.
Explain the diverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather. Highlight the significant role of human activity in accelerating climate change.
To help you plan your year 11 combined science lesson on: Global climate change and the effects, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 combined science lesson on: Global climate change and the effects, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 combined science lessons from the Atmosphere and changing climate unit, dive into the full secondary combined science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.