Resources
Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network https://cleanet.org/index.html
Links to (and enrichment materials related to) carefully reviewed resources for middle school, high school and college teachers. Great search tool to find resources. Some examples:
- “What’s really warming the world?” animation https://cleanet.org/resources/51236.html
- “Arctic sea ice is losing its bulwark” multimedia webpage on how arctic sea ice is getting younger and thinner https://cleanet.org/resources/51239.html
- “With Enough Evidence, even Skepticism will Thaw” story of scientists working on Petermann Glacier in northwest Greenland https://cleanet.org/resources/51242.html
- “Exploring Arctic Climate Data” hands‐on computer‐based exercise https://cleanet.org/resources/46142.html
- “How permanent is permafrost?” hands‐on spreadsheet activity using real data https://cleanet.org/resources/42703.html
- “Northwest Passage” college‐level activity using Google Earth and data from NSIDC to explore the Arctic channels https://cleanet.org/resources/42724.html
- “March of the Polar Bears” computer‐based classroom activity comparing climate data with polar bear tracking on the Beaufort Sea, Alaska https://cleanet.org/resources/41870.htm
NASA’s resources for climate educators https://climate.nasa.gov/resources/education/
Links to all US government resources for teaching about climate. For example: Climate Time Machine has animated online visualizations of changes in sea ice, CO2, etc over time https://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/climate‐time‐machine
NASA’s general climate information website https://climate.nasa.gov/
Some focus on the U.S., but with news stories about climate change and climate science around the world. Links to data, videos, teaching resources.
NOAA’s resources for teaching about climate https://www.climate.gov/teaching
Includes videos that may be useful for teaching
NOAA’s Arctic Report Card http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report‐Card
Summary of the state of the Arctic climate, including the status of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, sea ice, glaciers, permafrost. Updated every year. A pdf of the entire report each year can be downloaded. For a pdf of the 2017 report, see the link at bottom left of http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report‐Card/Report‐Card‐2017.
NOAA video summarizing 2017 Arctic Report Card https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVJ8k3pG9oQ
National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/
One‐stop shopping for data and news about Earth’s glaciers, sea ice, permafrost and snow (i.e. the cryosphere). There’s lots of great information here. For example: ELOKA project, Local residents observations & knowledge of the Arctic https://eloka‐arctic.org/
Sea Ice News has daily updated maps of Arctic sea ice extent, lots of current and historic data, graphs and news about sea ice http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/
Note also that NSIDC’s User Services department is eager to help people find resources and understand them. Don’t hesitate to contact them if you have questions or ideas about using NSIDC data.
NASA GISS Surface Temperatures https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/
Lots and lots of graphs and data on changing surface temperatures around the globe. This is one of three major national agencies (with US NOAA and UK Met Office) that produce independent estimates of global surface temperatures each year, and then rank the warmest years on record.
Films & Videos
Chasing Ice https://chasingice.com/
Scientists and a well‐known photographer work to document changes in glaciers around the world. You may need to purchase a copy of this video (or borrow from a library system). I don’t think it is freely available.
Through Arctic Eyes by Arctic Athabaskan Council https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ean08.sci.life.eco.athabaskan/a‐subsistence‐culture‐impacted‐by‐climate‐change/?#.Wns70q6nGaE
Short video clip available through PBS (US public television) at this URL, along with links to related videos.
Taking Earth’s Temperature: Delving Into Climate’s Past http://www.pbs.org/video/arizona‐pbs‐taking‐earths‐temperature/
Documentary featuring some of my colleagues, describing how scientists econstruct past changes in climate. This is how we can compare current changes with natural changes throughout Earth’s long past. I’m not sure if this video is available free to stream outside the U.S. If you want a copy on DVD, I can ask Darrell Kaufman to send one.
Inuit Observations of Climate Change https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ipy07.sci.ess.watcyc.inuitobserv/inuit‐observations‐of‐climate‐change/?#.Wns_X66nGaE
5‐minute streaming video features interviews with residents of Banks Island, discussing their observations of changes in the land. Background essay and discussion questions are available, and video can be downloaded if you log in.
Change at the Top of the World
https://explore.org/search/change%20at%20the%20top%20of%20the%20world
25‐minute streaming video focused on Nunavut and Greenland. Nice interviews with people in Iqaluit, Sisimiut. Hosted by a Californian with an outsider’s perspective. Discusses local observations of change, as well as potential changes in marine navigation and regional albedo. I believe the video can be downloaded if you log in.
Arctic sea ice through the seasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtECgSbnSI
Beautiful NASA animation of sea‐ice extent observed over the Arctic from Jan 2013 to Sept 2016. Watch how sea ice grows and shrinks with the seasons, and how the ice drifts with ocean surface currents.
Another cool, shorter animation of seasonal changes in sea ice, with more focus on NE Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIo5cqdV1kM
Greenland’s Thinning Ice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKyo8uy42aU
5‐minute NASA video on ship‐and satellite‐based research studying how the Greenland Ice Sheet is changing. Created in 2017, shows up‐to‐date data.
NASA 20 Years of Life on Earth https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12774
Time‐lapse of NASA data collected over 20 years, showing how snow/ice and photosynthesis change globally through the seasons. Great for a global perspective on the Earth system and on how the carbon cycle and cryosphere change with seasons.
Arctic sea ice retreat since 1978
NSIDC video showing summer minimum ice extent each year since satellite observation began (i.e. since 1978): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Q8FuAMZYI
Low‐resolution but data‐rich Climate Central video shows Arctic sea ice extent every day since 1978. Seasonal cycle plus long‐term sea ice loss are clearly visible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j8SGs_gnFk
History of Carbon Dioxide in Earth’s Atmosphere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UatUDnFmNTY
Excellent visualization of changes in atmospheric CO2 over time. Recent measurements (from the past ~70 years) are taken directly from the atmosphere, and older measurements are from air bubbles in snow and ancient ice layers within Antarctica’s ice sheet.
Axford US News.pdfUncovering Climate Secrets
Ancient Greenland was much warmer than previously thought
Article in Northwestern Now featuring Dr. Yarrow Axford's work.