Thanks to everyone who joined last week's Data Sensemaking pilot webinar focused on using the "Zoom In" strategy in the context of the Megadrought in the Colorado River Basin Data Puzzle lesson. This lesson includes temperature and precipitation time series data from 1900-2023. Before looking at the entire 123-year record, webinar participants were asked to collaboratively highlight, comment, and draw on graphs representing three distinct time periods from the temperature and precipitation data: 1900-1950, 1950-2000, and 2000-present. Some participants noted extremes (highs and lows) across the distinct time periods, while others focused on trends and drew lines of best fit. Having "zoomed in" on these three time periods, the group then looked at the temperature and precipitation data for the entire 1900-2023 record and were quick to describe both short- and long-term patterns. Ultimately, participants discussed these patterns in the context of the lesson driving question, "What is causing the megadrought in the Colorado River Basin?"

Testimonials:

I like the idea of breaking down a larger scale into smaller parts. Doing so makes the information less overwhelming and allows students to make connections when it is time to look at it as a whole.

I like the idea of having students make lines of fit to look for trends and highlighting specific points that jump out at them on the data set. Instead of giving them guided questions I am now leaning towards them looking at the data set without the questions to try and see what they can come up with on their own- using the comment, annotate, etc.



Inclusion criteria: Please note that you are eligible to participate in the events below if you are a 1) middle school science teacher, and 2) able to actively participate in the virtual event, and 3) willing to complete a survey after the event. 

Participants will receive a $75 Amazon gift card and a 2-hour PD certificate from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

Explore the inequities of climate change with Data Puzzles

Thursday, April 3rd, 4:00 - 6:00 pm MT

Middle school science teachers, join developer Jon Griffith and science education Jessica Bean as they guide participants through the Not All Warming is Equal lesson in which students explore the inequities of climate change by analyzing temperature and carbon dioxide datasets and construct explanatory models for the question, "Are the places on Earth where atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased the most also the same places where temperatures have increased the most?" After collaboratively engaging with the lesson, participants will consider how to coherently integrate the lesson in their existing curriculum.

Register Here

Climate-related hazards are affecting U.S. communities every day. View real-time statistics and maps documenting where people, property, and infrastructure may be exposed to hazards. Click any hazard (see Wildfire, Drought, Inland Flooding in the image above) to display its associated map. Click areas of interest on any map for more information.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection could have a larger cooling effect than previously thought

Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) involves using aircraft to disperse microscopic particles throughout Earth’s stratosphere, where they would reflect a small portion of sunlight back into space and cool Earth’s surface. A new modeling study led by Jake Gristey, a CIRES scientist in NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory, finds the cooling effect of SAI would be enhanced if it were conducted over a region with cloud cover. SAI is considered to be the most viable approach to climate intervention, but until now, its impact on cloud brightness had not been directly examined.

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Contact us: jonathan.griffith@colorado.edu