3-6 Inquiry Guide
Chapter 2. How Does Climate Change Affect Our World?
This chapter consists of three guided inquiries that start with a provocation and culminate with ideas to take action.
Contributors: Lynn Bristoll and Judy Halpern
Video guide for Chapter 2. How Does Climate Change Affect Our World. Watch here or in our Youtube Playlist.
This inquiry delves deeper into the multifaceted environmental effects of climate change. We encourage students to harness their curiosity about the local environment by examining changes to systems and through systems thinking, specifically ecosystems, biodiversity and habitat loss, or by connecting with a community expert and exploring restorative practices. We have included a multitude of external resources and guiding questions to help support and extend student research and action.
Click on the drop downs below to learn more and access or download the full section.
Background Information for educators focusing on the environmental effects of climate change across Canada including:
- Changes in Temperature & Precipitation
- Changes to the Cryosophere
- Changes to Freshwater Resources
- Changes in the Ocean Climate
- Biodiversity Changes in Canada
Students will be introduced to systems and systems thinking by exploring how climate change affects their own world.
Resources:
Students will explore their local community, through a neighbourhood walk, noting the systems at work that make it function. Students will note human impacts on the local community and explore the consequences of short-term and long-term actions.
Resources:
- Permission to go on a neighbourhood walk
- Habits of a Systems Thinker cards
Students will explore the systems at work in a local natural habitat and as an “adventure scientist” collect data to provide evidence on the health of the habitat and biodiversity within it.
Resources:
- Poster from Ingenium’s Let’s Talk Energy
- Access to a local natural habitat
Chapter 2 Curricular Connections
Curricular Connections | Concepts |
Science | Stewardship Ecosystems Biodiversity Sustainability Protection Habitats Change Survival Action Conservation |
Language | Critical Literacy Text features Text forms Interencing Retelling Visual literacy Media forms Persuasion Point of view |
Social Studies | Perspectives Interrelationships Cause Significance Human-environmental interaction Physical features Rights Justice |
Physical Education and Health and Wellness | Fulfillment Contribution Connection Relationships |
The Arts | Composition Symbolism Interpretation |
Math | Data Literacy |