Students will be introduced to examples of paleoclimate proxies. They will analyze a tree ring proxy to understand that annual light and dark layers represent summer and winter tree growth. In addition, they will interpret a tree ring record to learn that the width and shape of the tree ring is dependent on environmental conditions.

 

In this lab investigation, students will reconstruct past climates using lake varves as a proxy. They will explore the use of lake varves as climate proxy data to interpret long-term climate patterns and understand annual sediment deposition and how it relates to weather and climate patterns.

 

In this lab investigation, students will reconstruct past climates using lake varves as a proxy. They will explore the use of lake varves as climate proxy data to interpret long-term climate patterns and understand annual sediment deposition and how it relates to weather and climate patterns.

 

In this learning activity, students will use a Web-based Geologic Timeline to understand how the climate has changed in the last 715 million years.  They will examine temperature, CO2 concentration, and ice cover data to investigate how climate has changed during the last 715 million years; understand that long term climate patterns provide evidence for fluctuating CO2 concentrations; and record and analyze a long-term global climate data set.