Climate impacts KS3 Geography

This comprehensive lesson examines the impacts of climate change on two of the ocean’s most vulnerable ecosystems: the Arctic and tropical coral reefs. Students will explore how increased atmospheric CO2 affects these ‘sentinel’ environments and consider the implications for both marine life and human societies.

Key lesson components include:
Investigating the consequences of increased atmospheric CO2 on the ocean
Understanding the concept of ‘sentinel’ environments in climate change research
Analysing Arctic sea ice data to observe long-term climate trends
Comparing healthy and bleached coral reefs through video analysis
Reflecting on conservation efforts and international collaboration needed to address these issues

The lesson incorporates a variety of engaging activities, including mind mapping, data analysis, video observations, and creative communication tasks. It aligns closely with the KS3 Geography curriculum, covering aspects of locational knowledge, physical geography, and human-environment interactions.

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Explain the range of potential impacts of increased CO2 in the atmosphere on oceans
Locate and describe areas of the ocean most affected by climate change
Describe how Arctic and coral reef habitats are being negatively impacted by human activity
Discuss appropriate human responses to these environmental challenges

This engaging lesson provides students with a deep understanding of climate change impacts on critical ocean ecosystems, fostering both scientific literacy and environmental awareness.

Curriculum links
Geography KS3
Locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on major ocean regions, concentrating on their environmental regions
Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments, and the climate;
Physical geography relating to weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present; and glaciation and hydrology.
Build on their knowledge of globes, maps, and atlases, and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field.
Cross-curricular connections
Science: Relationships in an ecosystem, environmental changes, and effects on living things; Earth and atmospheric science, including climate change and its effects on the environment