Global Warming for children

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Helping Children understand Global Warming

For young children to understand a concept like Global Warming it needs to be taught through hands-on observable experiments.

Make a terrarium with falling rain. Melt ice and watch the water level of a lake rise. Observe what happens when plants receive more or less water than normal.

Come experience the ice melt on the concept of Global Warming...


Photo Credit: global warming makes me sad by shopaholicchick
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Global Warming Table of Contents

Understanding that the polar ice caps are melting may be too difficult for young children to understand but they can learn about the basic fundamentals of Global Warming such as freezing and melting water.

Once they understand that concept they will be closer to understanding Global Warming.

Photo Credit: Global Warming
on WikiMedia Commons.


Global Warming
  1. Global warming is...
  2. Holding an Ice Cube
  3. Global Warming and Baking Cookies
  4. Children can Help Slow Global Warming
  5. Think Globally, Act Locally
  6. How have you helped your children to understand Global Warming?

Global warming is...

How can we teach about Global Warming to our children?

One aspect of Global Warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century, and its projected continuation.

Temperatures and Global WarmingPotato

Photo Credit: Potato on Photobucket
Thermometers in Heaven and HellAvailable at Allposters



Ask the children to get into a circle and then pass around a potato. Have the children notice it's temperature. We are going to pretend that the potato is the earth.

Use a Meat Thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Use a Surface Thermometer to measure the surface temperature of the potato.

Put the potato in the toaster oven for a few minutes. Have children quickly feel the surface temperature of the potato and measure the surface temperature. Then measure the internal temperature.

This activity will help children understand how the sun warms the surface of the earth.
Global warming - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the current period of increasing global temperature.

Keep track of the Weather

Is Global Warming affecting your Town?

Weather Chart
Weather Pocket Chart



You can't measure global warming on a daily basis but if you compare records from many years, from many places it starts to become evident.
To understand how people keep track of the weather you can keep track of the weather during Calendar Time.

If you keep these records from year to year the children will be able to compare information from when their older siblings were their age.

Invite grandparents to come in and share their stories of the weather when they are children. Can they see signs of Global Warming?
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The Three State of Matter

Global Warming is evident in the States of Water

Gain understanding of the concepts involved in Global Warming by experimenting with the three states of matter, solid, liquid and gas.

rainice

1. Put some ice cubes in the freezer and have children observe that the ice cubes stay solid at that temperature.
2. Put some water in the refrigerator and have the children observe that the water stays a liquid.
3. Boil some water and have the children observe that at higher temperatures the water turns to a gas and dissipates into the air.

Photo Credit: Cloud Vopor, Rainwater and Ice
on WPClipart


Molicules are moving fast when water is in a gaseous state. In a liquid state an oxygen molecule holds onto two hydrogen molecules. In a solid state groups of H2O huddle close together.

Use this information to create a game on the playground. Call out ice, water or steam. Groups need to form or disapate according to the state of matter called out.

Then use this information to change the climate. Use terms to explain the effects of global warming.
The Three Forms of Water
Pure water is tasteless, odorless, and colorless. Water can occur in three states: solid (ice), liquid, or gas (vapor).
Relationship Between the Surface Area of a Liquid and the Rate of Evaportion | Education.com
Design a middle school science fair experiment to measure rate of evaporation of water in containers with different surface areas in a fun and easy way.

Hot vs. Cold

Ducklings Discover How to Use a Tap
Ducklings Discover How to Use a Tap
Available at Allposters


To help understand the difference between hot and cold, put hot water in the duck and cold water in the fish and pass around in the circle. Have the children feel the difference.

Next have them close their eyes and see if they can feel the difference.

Note: I chose the duck because it is warm blooded and the fish because it is cold blooded and thus could be used for other lessons.

Amazon no longer sells the fillable ducks and fish. The closest I could find were these sponges. Maybe the puppet sponges could be filled with ziplock bags of ice cubes and hot water.
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Global Warming: Hot or Cold

Hot Cold Global Warming

These books will help the children understand hot verses cold and how that effects animals that live in hot or cold climates.

After reading about thermometers, have children experiment with measuring temperatures:

1. In the freezer.
2. In the refrigerator.
3. In the sun vs. the shade.
4. Near the radiator or heater.

Keep a daily temperature record at Calendar Time.

If you live in a warm climate, arrange for a field trip to a local supermarket where they have a walk-in cooler. Talk with the children about how they feel about the change in temperature. Could they survive in such a climate?

Next visit a pizza parlor and check out the heat near the pizza oven.

How would you feel about living in these extreme climates?

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Reading and Understanding Global Warming

Books about Global Warming

Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming



These are books that extend the concept of Global Warming and What Can We Do even offers suggestions that children can do.

1. Help children brainstorm ideas to help with Global Warming.
2. Invite parents to come in and share ways that they are trying to help.

Emphasis that it take every one of us, working together to make a difference but together we can do it.
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Why are the polar Caps Melting?

ice cube

Photo Credit: Ice Cube
on WikiCommons


Show the children a globe and point out where the polar regions are. Talk about how this is a cold region, like the air in the freezer, and how even in the summer the snow never melts.

Notice how our hands are warm. Notice that an ice cube is cold.

Gather in a circle on the rug and pass around an ice cube. As you pass it it will melt.

The longer the ice cube is kept warm the sooner it melts.
Pre-K Winter Unit
Ice Cube Game

Water Flows Downhill

As the water melts the lakes and oceans rise.

Set up a sensory table with a thick clear plastic garbage bag filled with sand. Have the children gently help you push the sand into mountains and valleys without breaking the plastic bag.

1. The children can use spray bottles to see how the water always flow downhill.
2. After a few days put some ice cubes or frost from the freezer on the tops of the mountains and see how the snow and ice melt and run downhill.

The water will form lakes and streams. Put some Monopoly houses along the lake shore. Allow more snow or ice to melt from the tops of the mountains.

Notice how the level of the lake rises and the houses get flooded.
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Holding an Ice Cube

Children love experimenting with ice. What happens when the ice is dirty. How does the sand effect the time it takes for the ice to melt?

The ice cube in this little boy's hand is covered in sand.

Related Weather Topics

Ice Cube Melting on the Sidewalk

Go outside on a hot day and place an ice cube on the sidewalk in the sun. Place another ice cube in the shade. Watch the ice cubes slowly melt.
How fast does the ice cube in the shade melt in comparison to the one in the sun? The ozone layer acts somewhat like the shade of the tree. The world is heating up because the ozone layer is disappearing.
Time Lapse Ice Cube Melting
by shinigami01025 | video info

8 ratings | 1,030 views
curated content from YouTube

Global Warming Activities

Global Warming Activities

Gather the children around a table. Show the children a lamp with an incandescent light bulb. Have the children feel the bulb when it is off. Notice that it is cold.

Incandescent Light Bulb Turn the lamp on. Have children hold their hands just above it and notice that the bulb is hot.

Now repeat this with a new florescent bulb.

Florescent Light BulbNotice how that bulb stays cool.

Florescent bulbs don't waste energy giving off so much heat.

Changing bulbs to florescent will help to slow Global Warming.
Global Warming Activity, Kindergarten
How can we help young children begin to grasp important environmental issues while empowering them to make a difference? The following classroom activity introduces the topic of global warming to a kindergarten level, with "Mother Earth" asking the students to help keep her healthy.
Weather Lesson Plans and Themes
Weather Lesson Plans and Themes

Your reaction to Global Warming

Global Warming
Global Warming

Available on Allposters

Can children understand Global Warming?

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Yes

Pratibha says:

yes ,.why not those who are intelligent they can like me But we should try to stop global warming as it is possible

Me says:

Children as young as 3 or 4 can understand the process of ice melting and causing flooding through an ice cap experiment. They can see the ice decrease, and so the polar bears have less land, and the water increase and flood 'islands' with houses on.

Sequoia-Technology says:

Yes children can understand global warming, but maybe they don't understand the the wider knock on effects to themselves.

I think you have some great ideas of how global warming issues can be explained to kids.

josh says:

i can

vixen says:

dave why can't we understand ? we can ! but you can't !

Donnette says:

Absolutely.

efriedman says:

Yes. It's important to help children understand basic concepts, to collect evidence and to reason from that evidence. Your light bulb exercise, for example, is a good way to teach children to think. They learn the difference in the bulbs' energy consumption and can make their own conclusions about the significance. (you may light to conserve energy in any event).

akumar46 says:

Yes,today's children are too smart to understand Global Warming when told properly.

Alexx says:

Yes , if you can explain it proprly they can understand everything
x

LensSeller says:

Yes, providing it's explained to them in the way that you have illustrated.

Erica says:

yes they can. Chidren are smarter than what we give them credit for often times.

23squidoo says:

With good educational tools like these children can certainly understand subjects such as climate change and the greenhouse effect. Regardless of your stand on "global warming," the scientific concepts are sound and should be learned and understood by all.

ella says:

We better stop global warming very soon!!!!!!!!!!

Sally says:

Ofcourse they can and to be ignorant and say they shouldn't have to worry about it is just rediculous. It's their futures that are at stake. Making them aware of their actions is being a responsible adult.

SofiaMann says:

Yes, they understand and are worry. They are very willing to do what for to help. Constantly remind adults that they should also help.

Brian says:

It can help if children understand it at early age so they made an action for it even if it is only a small help but our mother earth will be a big help

The Truth CAN Set Us Free says:

Any two-year-old can understand this as long as they don't have FoxNews-watching parents to lie to them and get them all confused.

katrina says:

yes of course.i understand.im a child

katrin says:

ok.thihs good but difficult .who agrees with me??

gshosh says:

coz its increasing my electric bill coz the ac

No

kathiresan says:

i need an article on global warming

james marvin abroso says:

because they are too young to talk about this situation.

maSTER4567 says:

what is global warming

EditorDave says:

No. Because evidently even the general public (and our politicians) are baffled by it. Because it's bogus. We're coming out of an "Ice Age" ... and that is the definition of "warming" (although with the weather lately (and all the snow), you'd be hard put to *prove* "global warming" to ANYONE... and kids can see through all the political baloney. The world *does* have something called "climate change" ... and it's cyclical. If you are going to teach science, then teach that some things are provable FACTS and some things are THEORIES (and some theories are based on improper observations so are bogus to start with). Sorry. I'll get off my soap box now.

sds says:

no

SantaClaws1 says:

They can but it makes no sense in scaring them in this fashion, they can't make a difference.Spelling Games

katrina says:

this is dum.

jimmy says:

huh!!!i'm cannot understand!!please..using a simple english..thank you

ooga says:

what?

dudu says:

i can't

6uuuyrjyj says:

never

yamini says:

no

karthik says:

we can

Alisha says:

i cant

 
view all 54 comments

How to Make a terrarium

Observing Global Warming or the Greenhouse Effect on a Small Scale

Terrariums and Global Warming

Help the children set up several terrariums. Once they are stabilized it is time to start experimenting.

1. What happens if more water is added to one?
2. What happens if you take the top off one and allow it to dry out?
3. What happens if you put one in direct sunlight?
4. What happens if you put one in the refrigerator or freezer?
5. Leave at least one without changes as a control.

Keep a record of the experiments with photos and written observation.

To extrapolate from the information gathered talk about how Global Warming is effecting the earth.
How to Make a terrarium
Lots of great information and tutorials on how to make terrariums. Soda bottle, glass, even aquarium sized terrariums.

Global Warming and Baking Cookies

Global Warming and Baking Cookies

Photo Credit: Baking Cookies
on Flickr, Creative Commons


Mix up a batch of cookies and then let the children watch as the heat melts the batter, rises up and then sinks down and cracks after taking them out.

Global Warming and Dried up Pool

Photo Credit: Drought
on Flickr, Creative Commons


When ponds dry up, the mud in the pond resembles the cracked cookies. As the earth warms up some areas of the earth are drying out.
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Global Warming Cookie Recipe

Global Warming Bake Sale

Global Warming Bake SaleWhy not hold a Global Warming Bake Sale?
Make your favorite cookie recipe and have a bake sale. The profits can be used to help promote solar energy, recycling and reducing waste. Young children love to bake and eat cookies and this project will help them feel like they are a part of the solution rather than just a part of the problem.

Photo Credit: Global Warming Bake Sale
on Flickr, Creative Commons

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Children can Help Slow Global Warming

How can you help stop Global Warming?

Here are some of the things children can do to help slow Global Warming. Please add to the suggestions and come back often to check out more ideas.

Together we can make a difference.

Turn off the lights.

3 points

Use the whole paper and then recycle it.

3 points

Don't let the water run.

2 points

Walk or ride your bike instead of taking the car.

2 points

Vivarium

Vivarium more...0 points

How To Plant Herb Garden Tips

www.VeryEasyGardening.com knows about the importance more...0 points

“Together we can make a difference. Let's stop Global Warming!”

Children can Help to Stop Global Warming

Global Warming Cookies

Photo Credit: Baking Global Warming Cookies
is in the Public Domain

Stephen Lewis Foundation
We put on a bake sale, with "Global Warming" cookies, and spread awareness and sugary goodness at the same time!
Tucson kids help scientists research global warming
The National Phenology Network is enlisting volunteers to help track early spring blooms and eventually changes in animals caused by global warming. It's called Project BudBurst. When it debuted last year, thousands of people participated in 26 states.
"All people can contribute to it by tracking the timing of flowering events or leaf-out events for plants and animals in their back yard," said phenology network director Jake Weltzin.

Reusable Bags Help Stop Global Warming

Shopping Bag

Photo Credit: Shopping Bag
From WPClipart


When you go to the grocery store or any other shop, take along a cloth bag to bring home your purchases. I have canvas bags that I have used over and over for more than 20 years.

Think how many trees were saved by not turning them into paper bags. Trees are needed to produce oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide that causes global warming.

People tell us that plastic bags are now recyclable but they don't tell us that after being recycled one time they become hard plastic that can't be used again. The process to make the plastic bags, recycle the bags and transport the bags uses energy that contributes to global warming.

Cloth bags encourage the growth of cotton plants and, as we know, plants absorb carbon dioxide reducing the cause of global warming.

Grocery Bag Tote Bag

Cloth grocery bags can help prevent Global Warming.

Price: Buy Now

Green Grocery Tote Tote Bag

Eliminating plastic grocery bags will help prevent global warming.

Price: Buy Now

Stop Global Warming Tote Bag

Use cloth bags to protect polar bear habitat and stop global warming.

Price: Buy Now

Global Warming - It's not cool! - Tote Bag

Save the penguins by using reusable cloth bags and help stop global warming.

Price: Buy Now

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Global Warming: An Inconvenient Truth

Background information for Teachers on Global Warming

Teachers and older children can benefit from watching Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. After watching the movie, discuss how your view may have changed about Global Warming. Did it give you any ideas on how you might help in the effort to stop Global Warming?
How could the information presented in this movie be explained to small children?
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Tom Paxton - Whose garden was this?

What are we doing to our World?

Whose garden was this?
It must have been lovely.
Did it have flowers?
I've seen pictures of flowers,
And I'd love to have smelled one.
Whose Garden Was This -Tom Paxton [3/10]
by IrishandFolkmusic | video info

68 ratings | 15,618 views
curated content from YouTube

Pete Seeger and Climate Change

Sing and help Stop Global Warming

Pete Seeger sings "One Blue Sky Above Us" in 2007.

One blue sky above us,
One ocean lapping all our shores,
One Earth so green and round,
Who could ask for more?
Pete Seeger on December 8th
by dcgforrizzle | video info

37 ratings | 12,212 views
curated content from YouTube

Think Globally, Act Locally

Pete Seeger and Global Warming

What is the meaning of the phrase Think Globally, Act Locally?

How does this message empower us to make a difference in the effort to stop global warming?
AMERICAN MASTERS Pete Seeger: Power of Song "Think Globally"
by ThirteenWNET | video info

4 ratings | 3,077 views
curated content from YouTube

How is Global Warming effecting Polar Animals?

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Global Warming in the News!

More than 2 trillion tons of arctic ice has melted since 2003 - Yahoo! News
More than 2 trillion tons of land ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska have melted since 2003, according to new NASA satellite data that show the latest signs of what scientists say is global warming. News, Headlines and Latest Stories on Yahoo! News
Slow Sunday: The simple solution to global warming
Satish Kumar: Using Sunday as a day of rest would be good for our personal health as well as the health of the planet ...declare Sunday to be a fossil fuel-free day ...
Oncor Smart Meter - In Home Energy Monitor and Smart Meter - thedailygreen.com
An in-home energy monitor and a smart meter helped this Oncor customer save. But how much energy and money will a massive Texas smart meter deployment really save?

Wind Power Science Experiments

Producing Clean Energy

Make a pinwheel, go outside and watch the wind make the pinwheel go around. Wind is everywhere. All we have to do is harness it to make it work for us.

Now make another pinwheel with a long pin, maybe a hatpin in the center that spins with the pinwheel. Set a wet bar of soap on the edge of a table and hold the pinwheel gently just touching the soap allowing it to still rotate. Notice that the rotating pinwheel eats into the bar of soap.

This is how windmills were used to grind wheat. How else could the wind be used to replace fossil fuels?
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Observing and Recording the Effects of Global Warming

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Stone Stoup Homeschooling Online Unit Study Directory

Global Warming For Children is in the Stone Stoup Homeschooling Online Unit Study Directory

Stone Soup Internet Directory of Unit Studies
Thank you to the Four Wheelers for having included the Global Warming for Children in their directory. This directory has now been passed on to Stone Soup Homeschooling.
Stone Stoup Homeschooling Online Unit Study Directory
Directory of unit studies with hundreds of fun, creative, hands-on learning activities for homeschoolers and classroom teachers.

How have you helped your children to understand Global Warming?

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