Climate Change: Evidence and Causes is a jointly produced publication of The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and other individuals seeking authoritative information on the some of the questions that continue to be asked. Climate Change makes clear what is well-established and where understanding is still developing. It echoes and builds upon the long history of climate-related work from both national academies, as well as on the newest climate-change assessment from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It touches on current areas of active debate and ongoing research, such as the link between ocean heat content and the rate of warming.

Provide students with insight into the science of our atmosphere and the effects of humanity's actions on the Earth System. Our resource gives a scientific perspective on climate change that will help students separate fact from fiction. Investigate the different layers of the atmosphere. Conduct an experiment to see just how an object's color affects how much radiation it absorbs. Find out what effect rising temperatures have on Earth's oceans. Create your own model of the carbon cycle. Explain how the residence time of methane in the atmosphere could help people fight climate change. Learn what effects ozone has on human health. See firsthand how nitrogen-fixing bacteria can replace nitrogen fertilizers. Figure out why synthetic gases were banned, and how long their effects will stay in the atmosphere. Written to Bloom's Taxonomy and STEAM initiatives, additional hands-on activities, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.

**This is the chapter slice "Earth’s Climate" from the full lesson plan "Climate Change: Effects"** Students gain an understanding of the effects of climate change on the environment and human life. Our resource explores how the evolution of human society is affected by the climate. Start by going back in time and exploring the ice ages from Earth's past. Learn about the lives of early humans, and how climate has affected where they move and live. Observe a homemade melting ice sheet to understand its effect on sea level. Then, create a model to show rising sea level in action. Find out if climate change has any effect on the rise of extreme weather experienced in recent years. Learn about the dangers to human health, such as mosquitoes, heat stroke and pollution. See how changes in climate affect an area's economy by virtually destroying the farming industry. Finally, choose one ecosystem and find out how climate change is affecting it. Written to Bloom's Taxonomy and STEAM initiatives, additional hands-on activities, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.

Climate change poses many challenges that affect society and the natural world. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to respond. By taking steps to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the risks to society and the impacts of continued climate change can be lessened. The National Climate Assessment, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is a mandated report intended to inform response decisions. Required to be developed every four years, these reports provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of climate change impacts available for the United States, making them a unique and important climate change document. The draft Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) report reviewed here addresses a wide range of topics of high importance to the United States and society more broadly, extending from human health and community well-being, to the built environment, to businesses and economies, to ecosystems and natural resources. This report evaluates the draft NCA4 to determine if it meets the requirements of the federal mandate, whether it provides accurate information grounded in the scientific literature, and whether it effectively communicates climate science, impacts, and responses for general audiences including the public, decision makers, and other stakeholders.

Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.

**This is the chapter slice "Earth’s Atmosphere" from the full lesson plan "Climate Change: Causes"** Provide students with insight into the science of our atmosphere and the effects of humanity's actions on the Earth System. Our resource gives a scientific perspective on climate change that will help students separate fact from fiction. Investigate the different layers of the atmosphere. Conduct an experiment to see just how an object's color affects how much radiation it absorbs. Find out what effect rising temperatures have on Earth's oceans. Create your own model of the carbon cycle. Explain how the residence time of methane in the atmosphere could help people fight climate change. Learn what effects ozone has on human health. See firsthand how nitrogen-fixing bacteria can replace nitrogen fertilizers. Figure out why synthetic gases were banned, and how long their effects will stay in the atmosphere. Written to Bloom's Taxonomy and STEAM initiatives, additional hands-on activities, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.

**This is the chapter slice "Climate and Human Health" from the full lesson plan "Climate Change: Effects"** Students gain an understanding of the effects of climate change on the environment and human life. Our resource explores how the evolution of human society is affected by the climate. Start by going back in time and exploring the ice ages from Earth's past. Learn about the lives of early humans, and how climate has affected where they move and live. Observe a homemade melting ice sheet to understand its effect on sea level. Then, create a model to show rising sea level in action. Find out if climate change has any effect on the rise of extreme weather experienced in recent years. Learn about the dangers to human health, such as mosquitoes, heat stroke and pollution. See how changes in climate affect an area's economy by virtually destroying the farming industry. Finally, choose one ecosystem and find out how climate change is affecting it. Written to Bloom's Taxonomy and STEAM initiatives, additional hands-on activities, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.