Social+Studies



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Click on the arrow in the Voki toolbar to listen to words from President Obama's Speech at the United Nations Climate Control Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark on December 18, 2009. Here is a [|link] to the official website of the COP15.

SURVEY MONKEY The purpose of this first survey is to find out what you think you know about global carbon footprints. You have learned that many scientists think that the increase of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is related to the observed increase in temperature in our atmosphere—global warming. Many scientists theorize that human activity is largely responsible for this increase. You have learned that activities that require energy from fossil fuels such as transportation, construction, energy production, housing, and manufacturing goods are largely responsible for producing this carbon dioxide.

In social studies class we will try to discover if some countries are more responsible than others for these carbon dioxide emissions. Think about what you know about developed and undeveloped countries. What about the difference between rich and poor nations?

Before we start what do you predict? Question #1 What does a carbon footprint tell us? Question #2 Which country do you think sends the most carbon dioxide into our atmosphere? Question #3 Name three other countries that you think are large producers of carbon dioxide. DO NOT list the country that you named in question #2 Click [| here] to reach the Blue Hornets Carbon Footprint survey. In a few days we will look at the results of our survey and use the websites below to research the answers. OUR RESULTS Question #1 What does a carbon footprint tell us? Your anwers were most impressive. Here are a few samples... //**"It tells us what kind of mark we are leaving that is bad for the earth."**//

//**"A carbon footprint tells us how much carbon dioxide we have used through many years."**//

//**“That us as humans are using too much fossil fuel to power everything we do and it is causing a big problem.”**//

//**"A carbon footprint tells us how much carbon dioxide one person is responsible for."**// Question #2 : Which country do you think sends the most carbon dioxide into our atmosphere? 43% of students thought the US has the biggest carbon footprint. 3% of students responding thought that Russia is the culprit. **
 * 56% of students who reponded thought that China is the biggest producer of carbon dioxide.

Question #3: Name three other countries that you think are large producers of carbon dioxide. DO NOT list the country that you named in question #2
 * The top three countries named were: Japan, India, and Russia.**

//** EARTHRISE **//

media type="custom" key="5496313" Use these web sites to complete your **//Global Footprint//** data chart and your **//Data Interpretation//** questions. //
 * Global Carbon Footprints SMARTboard Notebook Lesson**


 * Visit These Websites to Find Out Which Countries Have a Large Carbon Footprint** //**.

CLIMATE TIME MACHINE:** Click [|here] to reach the //NASA Climate Time Machine// web site. Choose the **//Carbon Emissions//** tab. You can see that there is a slider that will allow you to see how much carbon each country produced in 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2004. As you move the slider you will notice that **TWO** changes occur in the map. Look at all of the data, but record only the data for 2004 in your chart.

Choose Planet > Environment> C02 Emissions tabs. Watch the countries change size according to the data that you have chosen.Slow down, read, and pay attention to the information in front of you.
 * SHOW WORLD: **Click [|here] to reach the //SHOW WORLD// web site.


 * UN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: **Click [|here] to reach the UN website. You can select a country from the drop-down list, type in the name of an individual country, or scroll around the map. Use your carbon footprint data chart to enter your information. Slow down, read, and pay attention to the information in front of you.

Calculate your personal carbon footprint. **  There are many things that each of us can do to reduce our carbon emissions. The choices we make in what we buy and throw away, what we eat, our travel, our homes, our lifestyle all influence the size of our carbon footprint. We will use an online carbon footprint calculator to determine our personal impact on our planet. Before we do, take a look at the following video clip //A Snapshot of US Energy Use// from NOVA Frontline. Think about these questions. What is the source of most of the energy produced in the United States? How is this source connected to our study of global warming?

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Take a look at this web map that shows specific activities that contribute to our carbon footprint. Remember that only those activities that result in the creation of carbon dioxide count. Try to think of at least two activities that would fit with each category. We will complete this web in class. You might have to scroll back and forth to see the whole web or change the ZOOM on the webpage to see the web map in full.

[|Personal Carbon Footprint]

Personal Carbon Footprint SMARTboard Notebook Lesson (video clips were removed to reduce file size for upload)

We will use this carbon footprint calculator grid in class. Use this website to calculate your carbon footprint. (As you know there was a problem with the original link that we were using in school.) Try this link instead. [|Zero Carbon Footprint]

 Visit the following websites to look for ideas that you can adopt to lower the size of your carbon footprint . [|Climate Crisis]

[|HippoWorks: Message from Your Mother]

[|National Geographic Society: How to Help]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9.6pt; line-height: 115%;">[|Pick Five for the Environment]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%; line-height: 115%;">[|Ten Tips for Helping to Fight Global Warming]

[|We Can Make a Difference]

[|What You Can Do] <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%; line-height: 115%;">

Check out the following books in the media center for more ideas. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">**// Your Carbon Footprint //** series published by Rosen.

Our class studied countries around the world and discovered that the United States produces 20.860% of the world's carbon dioxide, yet makes up only 4.556% of the world's population. President Obama has urged American to try to reduce their carbon footprint. Our class completed the carbon footprint survey found at [|Zero Carbon Footprint]. Each of us discovered that there is one particular area that we can improve. We researched ways to change our daily habits and identified three specific steps we could take. Below you will find a sample of our action plans.













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