Definition and Historical Context
Dear students,
you will work based on the webquest to differentiate between short-term weather patterns and long-term climate trends, investigate local climate characteristics and ponder how these align with global Climate Change phenomena.
Compare weather and Climate
As you probably already know, the difference between weather and climate is a matter of time. Weather refers to short-term conditions of the atmosphere at a specific place and time. Climate is the average weather conditions over a prolonged period (usually 30 years or more) in a specific area. It provides insight into the typical weather patterns one can anticipate in a particular location across different seasons.
Useful links and video:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/04/Weather_versus_climate_at_a_glance
Local Climate Analysis
Interview an older family member about how they remember the climate in the same location when they were young, and discuss any observed changes over time in terms of temperature, precipitation, seasonal patterns or extreme weather events.
Make a post in the following lino.it:
http://linoit.com/users/meddiet4health/canvases/Local%20Climate%20Analysis
Introducing the concept of Climate Change
Earth’s climate has always undergone natural changes, but scientists have noted recent unusual trends. For instance, the average global temperature has risen rapidly in the last 150 years. Global climate change encompasses long-term shifts across Earth, including warming temperatures, altered precipitation patterns and associated impacts such as:
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Rising sea levels
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Retreating mountain glaciers
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Accelerated ice melting in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic
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Changes in flowering and plant growth cycles
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1-According to NASA there is long term warming trend in the Earth’s surface. Watch the following video:
2. Use the following website to discover what type of climate is projected for your city in 2080. https://fitzlab.shinyapps.io/cityapp/ Reflect on the question ‘Do the long-term trends in climate change align or contrast with what you have observed about the climate in your local area?’ in the following Tricider discussion: