Students study past climate change, explore the effect of greenhouse gases on Earth's atmosphere today, and consider human impact on global warming.

An inquiry lab measuring the effect of carbon dioxide and temperature change in an enclosed environment to simulate the greenhouse effect.

Lesson plan in which students observe and contrast thermal properties of three major greenhouse gases. Using simple, readily available materials, students collect temperature change over time for dry air, water-saturated air, carbon...

This is a laboratory activity in which students will compare the amount of carbon dioxide in four different sources of gas and determine the carbon dioxide contribution from automobiles. They test ambient air, human exhalation,...

A simple demonstration that is quick and easy to setup and provides dramatic evidence of the effect on temperature of an atmosphere with increased carbon dioxide. [4 min]

This activity from NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory introduces students to the current scientific understanding of the greenhouse effect and the carbon cycle. The activity leads them through several interactive tasks investigating...

With this carbon/temperature interactive model, learners investigate the role of atmospheric carbon in the greenhouse effect using a relationship between atmospheric carbon dioxide and global temperature.

Demonstration of the greenhouse effect and its role in climate change, discussion of the phases of water and the water cycle, and a hands-on experiment to investigate the role of temperature in phase changes of water.

Students learn how the greenhouse effect is related to global warming and how global warming impacts our planet, including global climate change. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and how we react to these changes are the main...

This lesson plan engages young scholars in a real-life exploration of climate change as it is affected by greenhouse emissions from vehicles. The aim of this activity is for students to realize the impact of vehicle use in their family...

In this experiment students observe two model atmospheres: one with normal atmospheric composition and another with an elevated concentration of CO2. These two contained atmospheres will be exposed to light energy in a sunny window or...

Young scholars will gain an understanding of global climate change by exploring the role that energy plays in it. They will explore NetLogo models of climate and learn about cumulative effects.

Students conduct an investigation to determine CO2 levels in four different gas samples, examine evidence of global warming in our environment, and consider their own role in contributing to global warming.

This lesson plan resource contains a series of activities that allow the students to learn about the issue of global warming. Requires Adobe Reader. [PDF]

Students determine their carbon footprints by answering questions about their everyday lifestyle choices. Then they engineer plans to reduce them. Students learn about their personal impacts on global climate change and how they can help...

In this comprehensive website, students will learn about different forms of pollution, environmental impact of pollution, global warming, and things they can do to make a difference.

In a instructional activity in this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom, students do the work of a team of paleontologists studying a time of rising carbon dioxide and rapid global warming during the Eocene epoch. By examining fossils...

In this activity, learners will observe the effect of the gases resulting from a burned fossil fuel on the heat absorption of air and determine the ability of phytoplankton to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This activity is...

In this activity students form groups, conduct research into paleoclimate, and report their findings in the form of a presentation.

This lesson is a lab in which students use thermometers, white and dark paper, and lamps to measure differences in albedo between the light and dark materials. Connections are made to albedo in Antarctica.

Through a simple online model, students learn about the relationship between average global temperature and carbon dioxide emissions while predicting temperature change over the next century.