Module IX Response

Explain:

My biggest realization in this module is the amount of evidence that exists in Alaska.  Something about seeing it all together and seeing video record of what is happening makes an incredible impact.

When I look at the graph from the Climate Change video I see two interpretations.  One might walk away saying that we have been in a pretty chilly spell lately and what’s the big deal.  Or one might say that since we have built our society around assumptions about how the climate operates and should operate in the near future, we should probably expect to see changes in how the climate will affect our plans as the climate shifts to its new norm.

Seems interesting though that we are not in the warmest period on the graph so how much will our coastline really change. 

Methane under lakes is another totally cool and scary piece of information that is new to me and may be to my students as well.  Watching those flares coming from the lakes and realizing that there are a lot of lakes is interesting.  I was thinking about the YK Delta and how many lakes there are out there and then one of the videos started talking about Siberia and the problem gets a little perspective.

I wonder about the methane issue - isn’t it happening all over the tundra wherever there is permafrost?  The lakes are just where we can test it easily, right?

Extend:

I will be using all of these resources in my classes.  We will be doing a current events discussion of climate change and working through the idea of positive feedback loops.  When we are connecting with how the loss of ice increases absorption of heat and how the permafrost melting means more heat retention and then look at the projections for impacts of changes in sea level that should be good for a few discussions around the dinner table in my student’s homes. 

Evaluate:  

Another blog full of great resources for evidence of changes that have been a long time in the making.  There is so much here to use and reuse.  Tasking students with getting a handle on what is going on in this one blog would make a meaningful impact on their thinking for some time to come.  This seems like a great opportunity to offer them an active focus for their inner-activist.

What a great class chock full of information and the ability to share it with my students.  I so appreciate being able to take it straight to my classroom rather than just being better informed and trying to figure out how to weave the knowledge into my instruction.


3 Colleagues:


Matt has some interesting thoughts on how increased CO2 will interact with plants and new plants.  I wonder what will happen with plants around the world that get the extra dose.  Probably not much as the deforestation of the planet has already made tons of extra CO2 available and the oranges don't seem to be much bigger. 


Nick has an interesting statement in his blog about extraterrestrial life.  I am interested in the math that shows that it is near certainty that there is life elsewhere in the universe.  


I want to know more about Bobbi's recycling project out in Old Harbor.  Sounds pretty interesting.  That dump picture she posted brings back memories.