WHAT THIS MODEL HELPS US SEE
The step-by-step energy route makes invisible transfers visible and separates the useful natural greenhouse effect from the enhanced effect caused by extra gases.
GROW · Science · Week 11A · Explore
Climate Chain: From Gas to Warming
Sequence outcome: Describe causes and effects of global warming and how to reduce our impact.
🎯 Learning objective: I can explain how extra greenhouse gases raise Earth's average temperature and connect warming to wider climate effects.
✅ Success criteria
- I can distinguish weather from climate.
- I can order the enhanced-greenhouse causal chain.
- I can connect warming to one likely effect and name a model limitation.
Arrival · retrieve last lessonStarter · create the need to knowI Do · picture firstWe Do · everyone commitsI Do 2 · connect the second ideaWe Do 2 · interactive labIndependent · evidence of learningExit ticket · response becomes the next step
🧪 Climate Detective: follow the energy, not one weather headline.⏱ 40 minutes🔁 Live Lundy loop↺ Retry without penalty
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 4 min
🚪 Arrival · retrieve last lessonRetrieve only what has already been taught
- Lessons 5–6: useful evidence must answer the exact question.
- Lessons 1–2: sunlight reaches one half of Earth at a time.
- W5: a pattern is stronger when measurements are repeated.
- Lead-in: a cold day is weather; what evidence would describe climate?
New to this class, absent, or not sure? Everything needed is in the retrieval box above. Read it, point to it or ask a familiar adult to read it exactly.
◆ Supported
- Point to the card that means weather today.
- Point to the strip that shows many years.
- Choose: Sunlight brings energy to Earth — yes or no?
- Complete: Climate is a pattern over ___.
▲ Standard
- State one difference between weather and climate.
- Recall why repeated measurements are useful.
- Name one source of energy that warms Earth's surface.
- Explain why one cold day cannot describe a long-term pattern.
★ Stretch
- Explain why a local weather event is not a global average.
- Name one strength of using several lines of evidence.
- Connect sunlight to heat leaving Earth's surface.
- State one limit of a simple arrow model of Earth's climate.
Equivalent response routes
☝ point / choose🗣 say / sign🧩 demonstrate⌨ type / exact scribe↺ re-attempt
🔊 Read-aloud route: a familiar adult may read the task exactly while the text remains visible. No device voice or media permission is required.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 4 min
🌱 Starter · create the need to knowIt is cold today. Which evidence could tell us about climate?
LOCAL VISUAL HOOK · FRAME 1
WEATHER · what happens now
Weather is today. Climate is the average over decades.
LOCAL VISUAL HOOK · FRAME 2
ENERGY · in, out, and re-emitted
Sunlight in. Infrared out. Gases absorb some and send it back: Earth is warm enough for life.
LOCAL VISUAL HOOK · FRAME 3
EXTRA gases · a stronger effect
More CO₂ and methane absorb more outgoing infrared. The average rises. Not a lid — a thicker blanket.
Commit one first idea. Predictions are held, not marked. Pointing, selecting, saying or signing all count.
Choose one idea. The lesson will test it; nothing is scored or saved.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 5 min
👩🏫 I Do · picture firstMake the first scientific idea visible
CLIMATEweather pattern over timethe usual weather pattern over many years
GREENHOUSE GASgas that affects heat flowa gas that absorbs and re-emits infrared energy
AVERAGEone value for a setone value used to describe a group of measurements
Natural effect · useful warming
☀ Sunlight ↓🌍 Surface warms↑ Infrared leaves↘ Some is re-emitted towards the surface
Enough natural warming for life; energy still leaves to space.
Extra greenhouse gases · enhanced effect
☀ Sunlight ↓🌍 Surface gives out infrared ↑More is absorbed↘ Some is re-emitted towards the surface
Net energy loss slows → the global average temperature rises.
WHAT THIS MODEL DOES NOT SHOW
The arrows show direction, not real amounts, times or the full climate system. Greenhouse gases are not a solid lid and do not create energy.
Step 1
Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and transfers energy to Earth's surface.
Step 2
The warm surface gives out infrared energy. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit some of it; this natural effect keeps Earth warm enough for life.
Step 3
Extra carbon dioxide and methane enhance the effect: more outgoing infrared is absorbed and some is re-emitted towards the surface, slowing net energy loss until the global average temperature rises.
Word help keeps the scientific term visible and adds a plain-language bridge.
🌍 Energy balance model · add greenhouse gas
Press the buttons and watch the outgoing infrared. Nothing changes about the Sun.
Natural greenhouse effect: some infrared is absorbed and re-emitted. Without it Earth would average about −18 °C.
Which statement is the science?
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 5 min
🤝 We Do · everyone commitsWhich statement is scientific?
Everyone commits before explanation.
Use a button, point, say/sign or let an adult operate the chosen button. A retry is information, not a penalty.
Choose one response, then use the model to explain or retry.
Audience move: the adult names back the Science heard or seen, without upgrading the pupil’s words.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 4 min
👩🏫 I Do 2 · connect the second ideaConnect the model to the second idea
Connection: the model is useful when its visible pattern is translated into a scientific explanation.
Connection 1
Human activities such as burning coal, oil and gas, plus deforestation, add greenhouse gases.
Connection 2
A stronger greenhouse effect raises the global average; it does not make every day or place equally hot.
Connection 3
This changes risks: heat extremes, rainfall patterns, melting land ice, sea-level rise and habitat stress.
MODEL STRENGTH
The step-by-step energy route makes invisible transfers visible and separates the useful natural greenhouse effect from the enhanced effect caused by extra gases.
MODEL LIMIT
The arrows show direction, not real amounts, times or the full climate system. Greenhouse gases are not a solid lid and do not create energy.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 4 min
🤝 We Do 2 · interactive labClimate Chain Lab
Order one genuine five-link chain from a human activity to one likely effect. Say why each link follows the one before it.
Human activityMore greenhouse gasEnergy loss slowsAverage temperature risesOne likely effect
Cards to place
Matching groups
No link is placed yet. Order: activity → more greenhouse gas → energy change → higher global average → likely effect.
🧩 Science glitch · find and repair it
Claim: One cold week disproves global warming.
The incorrect idea is shown as a challenge, never as teaching.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 10 min
✏️ Independent · evidence of learningCreate the five-link chain activity → more greenhouse gas → slower net energy loss → higher global average → one likely effect, then explain it aloud, by pointing or in writing.
👐 Physical route
Cause, energy and effect cards; arrow strip; pencil; optional calm digital card route.
Same outcome: I can explain how extra greenhouse gases raise Earth's average temperature and connect warming to wider climate effects.
🖥 Offline digital / director route
Sort the same local cards, freeze the chain and print only when chosen. No account or internet is needed.
Same evidence: One ordered causal chain, one explained effect and one honest model limitation.
🧰 Equipment / setupCause, energy and effect cards; arrow strip; pencil; optional calm digital card route.
🛡 Safety / sensoryUse calm, solution-aware language. Do not ask for family carbon data or use frightening imagery.
🖥 Offline paritySort the same local cards, freeze the chain and print only when chosen. No account or internet is needed.
No-equipment/access route: Order printed cards or direct an adult to move them. A scribed exact response is equivalent evidence.
◆ Supported
Order the five icon-backed links and complete: More greenhouse gas slows ___. The higher global average can lead to ___.
Scaffold
Two cards are pre-positioned; use pointing, speech, symbol choice or exact adult scribing.
▲ Standard
Draw or order the full chain and explain one effect using because.
Scaffold
Use the three headings Cause, Energy mechanism and Effect, then remove the sentence frame.
★ Stretch
Contrast the natural and enhanced greenhouse effects, then explain why one weather event is weak evidence.
Scaffold
Add one model limitation and use changed risk rather than guaranteed outcome.
Evidence gate
1 · Pupil decisionPrediction, question, method or choice is visible.
2 · Observable evidenceA result, source note, model state or adult observation is preserved.
3 · Pupil meaningOne ordered causal chain, one explained effect and one honest model limitation.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
⏱ 4 min
🎫 Exit ticket · response becomes the next stepFinish with evidence, a genuine Audience and one next step
Supported
Weather or climate: an average measured over many years?
Standard
What changes in the energy route when extra greenhouse gas is added?
Stretch
Why can a cold day occur while the global average temperature is rising?
Adult Audience
The familiar adult genuinely receives the pupil response, then says back the Science they heard or saw. The adult does not add a score or rewrite the pupil.
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting
Receive the pupil’s Voice, complete real Audience, then choose what changes.
Session state is temporary. Reload clears responses; there is no account, upload or saved pupil identity.
🛡 SPACE
🗣 VOICE
👂 AUDIENCE
⚙ INFLUENCE
SPACE available · VOICE waiting · AUDIENCE waiting · INFLUENCE waiting