What’s Up With The Rising Temperatures in Colorado Cities?

This lesson introduces why certain cities in Colorado are getting hotter using a video by the Denver Post that describes the pattern.

Context for Use

This is the first lesson in the Climate Resiliency Education Middle School (MS) Climate Unit. Students may have some background knowledge about climate change, global warming, and greenhouse gases.

Trelynn Watkins, 10, laughs as she plays in the Julia Primrose Fountain.

Trelynn Watkins, 10, laughs as she plays in the Julia Primrose Fountain. Credit: Genna Ord, The Gazette

Goals Header
What Students Will Do

The goal of this discussion is to collect students’ ideas and questions. 

Materials

Description

In this lesson, students will:

  1. (10 minutes) Watch the Denver Post video twice.
  2. (20 minutes) Sharing Initial Ideas Discussion: Generate questions to drive remaining lessons.
  3. (15 minutes) Prioritizing Questions Discussion: Select three most crucial questions to get to the bottom of the phenomenon.
Illustration of two people high-fiving in a work environment

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