Georgia IS HUMAN ACTIVITY A SUBSTANTIAL CAUSE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE? ARGUMENTATIVE Task: Copyright 2014 by Write Score, LLC

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1 Georgia ARGUMENTATIVE Task: IS HUMAN ACTIVITY A SUBSTANTIAL CAUSE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE? Copyright 2014 by, LLC

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3 Humans and Global Climate Change The yearly global temperature has been above normal since The year 2013 was the fourth warmest year since recordkeeping started in It is true that the United States had a very cold December, Yet across the globe, December, 2013, was the third warmest December on record. The planet is getting warmer. Humans are causing this change in climate. The Greenhouse Effect, Not the Sun, is Causing Global Warming Some people claim that changes in energy output from the Sun caused a slight increase in worldwide temperatures since the start of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750). The Sun is the cause of global warming, they say. The problem with this statement is that manmade greenhouse gases have caused a warming of Earth that is about 20 times greater than the effect of increased sunlight. Understanding the Argumentative Task: Students will closely read and analyze the texts, in this case, paying The particular greenhouse attention effect to the refers causes to of the way that certain global gases climate in the change. atmosphere Students will trap heat. The then complete the Selected Response surface and Constructed of the planet Response becomes questions. warmer as it absorbs the Sun s Students energy will write in the an argumentative form of sunlight. The Earth essay to support their claim, citing cools by emitting infrared radiation, which travels textual evidence and using conventions beyond of Standard the planet English. and into space. However, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation. As a result, the atmosphere warms. Warmer air heats the surface of the planet. Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Has Increased Since the Industrial Revolution Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere plays a major role in global warming. Since the industrial age, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen from about 280 parts per million to about 400 parts per million. Carbon dioxide levels continue to rise every year. Scientists have measured the amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in gas bubbles trapped in ancient polar ice. These studies show that the current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is greater than at any time during the last 800,000 years. Humans Have Caused the Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide It is not a fluke that carbon dioxide levels have been rising since the Industrial Revolution. Carbon dioxide is formed by the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. Since 1751, humans have released about 1,362 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Half of this amount was released into the air since the mid-1970 s. Scientists can detect man-made carbon dioxide, because the carbon atom occurs in three forms called isotopes. The three types of carbon are called carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14. The carbon atoms in natural carbon dioxide in the atmosphere include all three types of carbon. In ancient times, the chemicals that became fossil fuel also had three types of carbon. After aging about 60,000 years, the chemicals in today s fossil fuel only contains carbon-12. Measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide show that the amount of carbon-12 has been increasing, whereas carbon-13 and carbon-14 have been decreasing. These changes are caused by the burning of fossil fuel. 1 Copyright 2014 by LLC

4 Most Scientists Agree That Humans are Causing the Current Climate Change In May, 2013, John Cook, at the University of Queensland (Australia), announced that he had reviewed 4,000 scientific reports about climate change published during the past 21 years. He found that 97 percent supported the view that humans are causing the current global warming. In September 2013, the United Nations panel on climate change issued a report about global warming. It is extremely likely, the group concluded, that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. Other groups support the idea that human activity is a substantial cause of current global climate change. In the United States, these groups include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Academies of Science (NAS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). By burning fossil fuels, humans have been loading the air with carbon dioxide. This greenhouse gas plays a major role in the current warming of the planet. 2 Copyright 2014 by LLC

5 The Real Causes of Global Climate Change The winter of 2013 was a cold one. Why do some people say that there is global warming? Why do some claim that humans are causing it? Richard Lindzen wrote about climate change in a 2013 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. He said that global warming has become a religion. A surprisingly large number of people, he wrote, seem to have concluded that all that gives meaning to their lives is the belief that they are saving the planet by paying attention to their carbon footprint. Urban Heat Islands Create the Illusion of Global Warming The planet may seem to be getting warmer due to the urban heat island effect. Selected Many texts manmade are gauged objects as absorb suitably complex text* for grade 7 more solar energy than soil and plants. For example, asphalt parking lots readily absorb the Sun s heat. As a result, and are selected using qualitative manmade surfaces can emit more heat than natural surfaces. Scientists have and quantitative measured temperatures features, as well at stations that are too close to sources of artificial heat. as Appendix B as guides. The texts reward careful, close reading to elicit specific information followed Increased Solar Activity Has Created Global Warming by the opportunities to apply Increased output from the Sun causes global warming. Energy emitted by understanding the Sun increased of the during reading. the 20th century by 0.19 percent. This increase in the Sun s output can explain the natural increase * indicates temperature an instructional in shift the United States. The Current Global Warming is Part of the Earth s Natural Cycle The Earth s climate always changes. The planet has had ice ages that took place in a hundred thousand year cycle. The planet also has had very warm periods. For instance, the ancient Arctic had swamps. Some people explain that the Earth s climate system is like a pendulum that swings back and forth. The planet becomes warmer to cancel a period of cooling, and cools to cancel a warm period. Scientists from the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Mount Wilson Observatory have said that the 20th Century is probably neither the warmest nor a uniquely extreme climatic period of the past thousand years. According to these scientists, the Earth s climate is always in flux. Human-made Carbon Dioxide Does Not Cause Global Warming In the Earth s carbon cycle, the atmosphere, oceans, and land constantly exchange carbon dioxide. The atmosphere contains 720 billion tons of carbon dioxide. By burning fossil fuel and wood, humans add a mere 6 billion tons. Volcanoes produce more carbon dioxide than humans. The small amount of human-produced carbon dioxide is easily dissolved in ocean water or used by plants. NOTE: "Human additions" represent such a small percentage of the total Greenhouse Effect (0.28%) that they are barely visible in this "pie chart" at the scale represented. 3 Copyright 2014 by LLC

6 In the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, scientists from the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine reviewed the effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide on global warming. There are no experimental data to support the hypothesis, they wrote, that increases in human hydrocarbon use or in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are causing or can be expected to cause unfavorable changes in global temperatures, weather, or landscape. In fact, they suggest that humans should pump more carbon dioxide into the air. This will support the growth of plants and increase the number of animals that eat the plants. Our children will therefore enjoy an Earth with far more plant and animal life than that with which we now are blessed, they say. Scientists Cannot Predict Climate Change During the 1970s, scientists warned that an ice age was looming in the near future. This did not happen. Now, scientists warn about the danger of global warming. Who knows what they will say next month? Money Drives Claims of Scientists About Human-caused Climate Change Scientists warn about human-caused global warming to obtain more government research money. Richard Lindzen described a vicious circle. Scientists make meaningless or vague statements. The media translates the statements into news that alarms the public. Politicians respond to the alarmed public by feeding scientists more money for research. This encourages scientists to spout more worthless or vague statements. Even if the Earth is in a period of warming, this is natural. Humans are not causing global warming. 4 Copyright 2014 by LLC

7 GRADE 7 ARGUMENTATIVE TASK IS HUMAN ACTIVITY A SUBSTANTIAL CAUSE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE? DIRECTIONS Your school newspaper needs an article on the causes of global climate change. Read the texts Humans and Global Climate Change and The Real Causes of Global Climate Change. Answer the questions that follow using your answer sheet. Plan and write an argument article to make a claim for whether or not humans are a substantial cause of global climate change. Selected Response and When you finish, revise and edit your article. Your article will eventually Constructed be published Response in the school newspaper. Questions help students gather information and details for use on the essay; it requires PART 1: QUESTIONS close analytical reading to answer questions correctly. You will receive scores for each question, and the questions will help you prepare for your essay. Use your answer sheet to write your responses. 1. Explain how the author builds his argument in The Real Causes of Global Climate Change. Use details to support your answer. 2. Each article includes evidence to support its claims. What types of evidence are used in BOTH articles? Select all that apply. A. Graphics B. Historical information C. Personal experiences D. Statements from experts 3. Which piece of information from the article Humans and Global Climate Change could be used as the strongest, most convincing supporting evidence that humans are a substantial cause of global climate change? PART 2: ESSAY Your school newspaper needs an article on the causes of global climate change. Your assignment is to write an article for the newspaper that argues whether or not humans are a substantial cause of global climate change. In the article, you should briefly explain what climate change is and argue whether or not humans are a substantial cause of it. Include specific details and evidence from the sources. The audience for your article will be the teachers and students who read the school newspaper, as well as parents and others who may have access to it. Full-Write Performance Task: Remember, a good argument: Students are asked to write an Has an introduction argumentative essay that provides a clear claim statement(s) with Clearly states a claim effective support. The essays are Acknowledges alternate or opposing claims developed by providing textual Provides reasons that are supported by facts and details evidence* from the and text(s) following the conventions of Standard English. Groups ideas logically * indicates an instructional shift Uses precise language and words that connect ideas Has a conclusion 5 Copyright 2014 by LLC

8 Manage your time carefully so that you can: plan your article write your article revise and edit for a final draft HOW YOUR ARTICLE WILL BE SCORED Statement of Purpose / Focus and Organization clearly stating your opinions on the topic and maintaining your focus; ensuring the logical progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion; using effective transitions; staying on topic throughout Elaboration of Evidence providing evidence from sources about your opinions; elaborating with specific information from the sources; expressing ideas effectively using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose Conventions following the rules of usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling 6 Copyright 2014 by LLC