Introduction
Clouds of sulfuric acid fill the sky as winds race around the dry planet. Although there are traces of water vapor in the atmosphere, the high temperature boils away any water near the surface. There are no beaches, forests, or cities, as this land is dead and inhospitable. If oceans ever existed, they have entirely evaporated by now. The temperature on a nice day is hot enough to melt lead: it's a blistering 400 degrees C (about 750 degrees F). The atmosphere, consisting of 95% carbon dioxide, is so heavy that it crushes our bones before we ever get the chance explore the volcano-covered plains or fiery mountain ranges.
The scorching weather on Venus is attributed to the greenhouse effect. While energy from the sun penetrates the atmosphere, the heat is trapped on the surface. Carbon dioxide (CO 2), a greenhouse gas, plays a large part in keeping the surface at such a high temperature, and it is a component that exists in our own atmosphere here on Earth. Fortunately, our atmosphere is not 95% carbon dioxide, but our CO 2 levels are increasing at a faster rate than ever before in our human history. Our concentration of CO 2 is currently about 380 parts per million (ppm), an increase from 280 ppm prior to the Industrial Revolution.
The increase of CO 2 levels - and therefore an increase in temperature - is not just a problem for scientists. In fact, our individual and societal lifestyles actually contribute to the increase of CO 2, making global warming a problem for everyone - including the children in our classrooms today. The words "global warming" and "greenhouse effect" are part of our popular culture; however, if students listen to popular media, they receive information that often lacks in scientific fact and is enhanced by the opinions of a misinformed public.
As English teachers, we are able to help students wade through misinformation and reach a deeper understanding of a specific topic. We help students recognize cause and effect, develop the skills to make predictions based on prior knowledge, apply subject-specific vocabulary, accurately separate fact from Crichton, and support a thesis with sound research. We are also able to nurture the poet and the story teller, to create a space where unique voices can be heard, and to provide the literary resources students need in order to make connections with the world outside of the classroom. Global warming is an issue that involves us all, existing within and without bells and school buses. Why shouldn't an English teacher teach global warming?
The science can be confusing, especially for those of us who - dedicated ruthlessly to our own field - stayed away from math and science in college, fearing that too many numbers would skew a blank verse poem. However, the urgency of global warming has encouraged the scientifically-minded to write books geared for the general public. Reading science does require a different kind of literacy than reading a novel - all the more reason for English teachers to teach it.
A Planet Worth a Thousand Words is a writing curriculum with a focus on global warming. It is primarily for high school seniors, although it could easily be adapted to fit other grade levels. Our New Mexico standards require that seniors research and present issues of public concern, and our school promotes a curriculum that encourages seniors to think about and contribute to the world outside of high school. Our English courses are year-long 50 minute classes; we emphasize writing for one semester and reading for the other, although both reading and writing are of course interrelated. The global warming curriculum will last for nine weeks (a teacher may adapt it for a shorter time-span) and explore poetry, short stories and speeches. Students will engage in journaling and 1-page essay writing throughout the quarter, and they will pursue a specific research question about global warming as they build and refine their writing skills.
As most of the course will cover the fundamentals of global warming, students will be able to use research to understand at least one aspect of the issue in depth. Rather than writing a typical research paper, students will write a creative story that is based on their findings. They will also work in groups to educate the community about one specific area of global warming. This final presentation will be a culmination of scientific knowledge, creative and comprehensive writing skills, and the ability to make a difference in one's community.
Before delving into specific aspects of global warming, it is important to understand the fundamentals. Although I have used books and articles as resources, the majority of scientific information presented in this unit is what I learned from Dr. Sabatino Sofia and my colleagues at the Yale National Initiative Global Warming seminar.
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