Learning Objectives

Lesson 1: What is a journal for?
• Students will identify key features of a journal.
• Students will identify journal entry themes.
• Students will compare journal entries from different time periods and in different styles.
• Students will create their own journal to be used for outdoor observation and documenting their exploration of Minnesota’s Changing Climate.

Lesson 2: What defines Minnesota’s biomes?
• Students will identify Minnesota’s four main biomes.
• Students will identify characteristic vegetation and animals found in each biome.
• Students will describe and compare factors that define each biome.

Lesson 3: What defines Minnesota’s climate?
• Students will define climate and weather.
• Students will define climate change.
• Students will define phenology.
• Students will gather their own weather data from their school site and record it in their journal.
• Students will graphically represent authentic data from Minnesota’s Climatology site.
• Students will make three predictions of how a change in climate might affect Minnesota’s biomes.

Lesson 4: What is climate change and what does it mean for Minnesota?
• Students will explain the causes of climate change.
• Students will explain the implications of climate change.
• Students will predict how climate change might impact or is impacting the area where they live.
• Students will describe five key climate change implications for Minnesotans.

Lesson 5: What does the data show?
• Students will make their own interpretations of figures of data that represent different impacts of climate change on Minnesota.
• Students will make the connection between 3-D objects and what the data represents.
• Students will divide 3 statements about each graph into true or false categories.
• Students will share their results.
• Students will brainstorm how climate change could affect their biome.

Lesson 6: What can I do?
• Students will brainstorm appropriate solutions and select one for their group, class or school.
• Students will develop a climate action plan and begin to implement it.