Current Events

  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

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    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.
  • Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley
    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Io...Read more

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    Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley

    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. On May 20th, a massive tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, devastating communities - destroying over 100 homes and hitting two elementary schools and a hospital - with many casualties and deaths. Our thoughts are with our friends and colleagues suffering from these storms. For more on the May 20th storms, see the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Storm Report.
  • Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education
    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of ...Read more

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    Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education

    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of sustainability. Here is a link to the one-page bill: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2366_00_0000.pdf. See report on Bloomberg News.

Readings: Climate Discovery Online Course for the ASTC C3 Community

ASTC C3

This resource page is for science educators from ASTC C3 partnering institutions who wish to explore readings and other web-based media from the Climate Discovery online course designed by UCAR's Office of Education and Outreach especially for ASTC.

This course guides participants through the basics of climate science and the impacts of recent warming to help informal educators be better prepared to answer common questions about climate. We explore climate and global change with an Earth system science perspective, describing the interactions between the various parts of the Earth system, including human activities, to learn how they affect our climate and how warming affects the Earth.

Note that these links to readings are not the complete course. There are other readings from the required text, self assessment quizzes, hands-on activities, discussions, and homework assignments on the MOODLE course page.

WEEK 1: What Is Climate? How Do We Study It?

Climate is the average of weather conditions over a period of many years. It is studied in many ways.

WEEK 2: Past and Future Climate

Scientists study what climate was like in the past and predict how climate may change in the future.

WEEK 3: Regional Weather and Climate, and the Greenland Ice Case Study

Climate change is having different impacts in different regions. The Arctic is warming faster than other regions.

WEEK 4: Impacts on Urban Environments and Human Health

Climate change and other types of global change are having an impact on people, urban areas, and human health.

WEEK 5: Impacts of Climate Change on Land Plants and Coral Reef Ecosystems

Plants, animals, and ecosystems are affected by climate change.

WEEK 6: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

People around the world are making changes to the way they live that help adapt to, and mitigate, climate change.
Last modified June 15, 2009 by Lisa Gardiner.

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