A Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan in Science 7

I. Objectives:
A. Act out the Greenhouse Effect and discover how it contributes to the
warming of Earth, using creative dramatics/role-playing;
B. Explain how the Greenhouse Effect contributes to global warming;
C. Manifest careful and responsible management of something entrusted
to
one's care; and
D. Create a slogan and “picture out” ways to raise awareness on Climate
Change.
Stewardshi
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K to 12 Standards Addressed:
 Content Standard
Demonstrate an understanding of the different phenomena that occur
in the atmosphere
 Performance Standard
Discuss how human activities contribute to or lessen ozone depletion
and global warming
 Learning Competency
 Explain how energy from the sun enters the atmosphere
 Illustrate how some human activities affect the atmosphere

II. Subject Matter:

A. Topic: Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming, and Climate Change
B. References: K to 12 Curriculum Guide for Science
Grade 7 Science, Module 2 (Solar Energy and the
Atmosphere)
C. Materials: laptop, projector, audio, PowerPoint presentation, nametags
for the students labeled "Heat" and the remainder labeled water vapor,
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, fluorinated gases; Cube
for the Cubing Game; printout of Carbon Footprint Worksheet, etc.
D. Science Processes Involved: Observation, Relationship
E. Science Concepts:
1. Atmosphere - the mixture of gases around the Earth that make up a
layer between Earth and outer space.
2. Greenhouse Gases -gases that trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere.
The main greenhouse gases include: water vapor, carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), fluorinated
gases such as halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs), perfluorinated
carbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
3. Greenhouse Effect - the effect of atmospheric gases like carbon
dioxide absorbing energy from the sun and earth and "trapping" it
near the Earth's surface, warming the Earth to a temperature range
that is hospitable for life.
It is the process which causes the surface of the Earth to be
warmer than it would have been in the absence of an atmosphere.
 4. Global Warming - increase in global average temperature due to
excessive amounts of greenhouse gases. It is the expected increase
in the magnitude of the greenhouse effect, whereby the surface of
the Earth will almost inevitably become hotter than it is now.
5. Climate Change - general changes in climate patterns, including
temperature, precipitation, winds, and other factors leading to
catastrophic events like super typhoons, El Niño, and La Niña.

III. Procedure
A. Motivation (Engage)
Let’s play, Picture It!

I want you to work collaboratively, so let’s divide this class into 3

groups: Green, Blue, and Red groups. A part of the whole picture will be
flashed one-by-one. What you’re going to do is to guess as fast you can
what environmental phenomenon is being shown. There will only be 3
pictures to be shown. Whichever group will get the highest point will be
the winner. Clear? Are you ready? (greenhouse effect, global warming,
climate change)

B. Presentation
Today, we shall see the connections between greenhouse effect,
global warming, and climate change! Whether we like it or not, we are
affected by these environmental phenomena so it’s but appropriate to
be informed what these are and how we can cope with it. Let’s learn
together the concepts the easy and fun way. Are you ready? Let’s do it!

C. Development of the Lesson (Explore)

Outerspace is cold. Why do we stay warm on Earth? (the Sun)

But, what is it about Earth that allows us to survive here and not
on any other planets? (our Atmosphere)

The atmosphere on Earth is special. It allows us to breathe and

keeps us warm. What is the atmosphere made of? (Gases)

It’s getting hotter on Earth everyday, are you aware of that? Why
is it so? (greenhouse effect, global warming)

Let’s role-play!
I need 15 students to play the role of “Heat”, 6 students as the
different Greenhouse Gases (water vapor, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide,
ozone, fluorinated gases), 1 student as the Sun, and another 1 as the
Earth. (Hand in the nametags and have learners put them on. Let the
student playing the role of the “Sun” stay on one side of the room
while the one playing Earth will be on the opposite side.) "Heat"
students should stand at the "Sun" end of the room while the
"Greenhouse Gases" students stand in the middle of the room.
Everyone else sits, watches, and waits for their turn.
The Sun produces heat that reaches the Earth’s surface.
Attention "Heat" students! Walk from one side of the room to the other.
This act demonstrates heat travelling from the Sun to the Earth.

Some heat escapes back into space while gases in the

atmosphere trap some of the heat. These "greenhouse gases" allow
the Earth to stay warm and allows life to flourish. "Heat" students,
travel back to the other side of the room. This time the "Greenhouse
Gases" students each trap one "Heat" person, keeping them on the
"Earth" side of the room, allowing the others to "escape". Greenhouse
Effect is a beneficial, natural process and without it the Earth would be
too cold to sustain life.

(Now introduce the idea about global warming.) Now, all the
remaining students put on "Greenhouse Gases" name tags then join
the other "Gases" in the middle of the room. Predict what would
happen if more Greenhouse Gases were added to the atmosphere.

Again, have the original group of "Heat" students travel from the
"Sun" side to the "Earth" side of the room. Then ask the "Heat"
students to try to travel back to the other side of the room. The
"Greenhouse Gases" students should then each trap one "Heat"
student. Since there are many Greenhouse Gases, more "Heat" will be
trapped on Earth, with very little, if any, "Heat" escaping. This is how
global warming happens.

At the end of the activity, bring the learners back together as a

group and discuss what they learned.

(Explain)
Based from what you have acted out/role-played, how do you
understand Greenhouse Effect? (...the effect of atmospheric gases like
carbon dioxide absorbing energy from the sun and earth and
"trapping" it near the Earth's surface, warming the Earth to a
temperature range that is hospitable for life.)

Is Greenhouse Effect a good thing? (Yes, it makes life possible on

Earth.) When does Greenhouse Effect become a bad thing? (...when it
is “Enhanced” or when there’s too much of the GHGs in the
atmosphere.)

In which part of the activity did we portray Global Warming?

What then is your concept about Global Warming? (...increase in global
average temperature due to excessive amounts of greenhouse gases.)
What causes Global Warming? (Enhanced Greenhouse Effect)
 (This time, introduce climate change.) Do you remember super
typhoon Yolanda that hit the Philippines in 2014? Can you briefly
describe what happened that time? Why do you think super typhoons
like that of Yolanda happen this time but not in the early years? Are
you aware that some parts of the earth now are experiencing drought
while other parts experience too much rain? Why is that so? (Climate
Change)

Will you describe Climate Change? (...general changes in climate

patterns, including temperature, precipitation, winds, and other factors
leading to catastrophic events like super typhoons, El Niño, and La
Niña.)

Do you believe that Climate Change is a real thing and not just a
myth created by politicians to get funding? What made you say so?
What are the evidences? [melting ice caps in the poles, El Niño
(drought), La Niña (too much rainfall), diseases, etc.]

Why should anyone care about Global Warming and Climate

Change? (Because if there is too much global warming, plants,
animals, and people can’t live. Climate change is real, a fact!
Therefore, everybody should care about it because the Earth is the
only planet we have. If we care about life, we should take care of our
planet.)

(Values Integration)
Is it everyone’s responsibility to care for the Earth? (Answer
should include reasons. Tell them that caring for the Earth is
considered stewardship.) Does anyone know what stewardship means?
(It’s the careful and responsible management of something entrusted
to one's care.) How do you show your care for the only planet we
have?

D. Generalization
How would you relate enhanced greenhouse effect to global
warming and climate change? Will you show the relationship using a
diagram. (Enhanced Greenhouse Effect causes global warming. Global
warming causes Climate Change.)

Enhanced
Global Warming Climate Change
Greenhouse Effect

E. Fixing Skill
Let students play the Cubing Game to Extend their learning on
the topics presented.
The whole class takes part in this game. Cubing game uses a
concrete visual of a cube with its six sides to serve as a starting point
 in consideration of the multiple dimensions of the topic: Greenhouse
Effect, Global Warming, and Climate Change.

Here are the six sides of the cube with its labels.

Describe
It

Apply It Compare Argue For/

It Against It

Associate
It

Analyze
It

Play a music while students pass around the cube. Stop the
music. Whoever is holding the cube when the music stops will be the
one to toss it in front of the class to identify the point of discussion.
DESCRIBE IT
How would you describe the given topic?
The student may start by saying:
It is ________________________.

COMPARE IT
What is it similar to or different from?
The student may start by saying:
It is sort of like ________________________.

ASSOCIATE IT
How does the topic connect to other issues?
The student may start by saying:
It is connected to ________________________.
OR say: It reminds me of ________________________.

ANALYZE IT
What caused it?
The student may start by saying:
It is caused by _________________________.
OR say: It happens because _________________________.
 APPLY IT
How does it help you understand other issues?
The student may start by saying:
If this continues, it might affect _________________________.
Therefore, I should ________________________.

ARGUE FOR/AGAINST IT
Take a stand on it.
The student may start by saying:
I am/am not for it because ________________________.
OR say: I agree/disagree about it because _______________________.

IV. Evaluation
Work collaboratively with the same group: Green, Blue, and Red.
This is a performance-based evaluation wherein you will be graded as a
group based on a set of criteria as stated below. Create a slogan to raise
awareness on Climate Change. Afterwhich, you have to assemble a LIVE
PICTURE depicting your slogan. When you hear the camera shutters,
FREEZE! That’s the time you will be judged/graded. Let your creative
juices going! 10 minutes start now!

Adapted from http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=N44828&sp=yes

V. Assignment:
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint! Answer the Carbon Footprint
Worksheet as provided. Afterwhich, you have to come up with some goals
for how you are going to reduce your emissions. Write an action plan for
how you are going to accomplish those goals. Your output must be printed
on a short bond paper, 12 font size, and Century Gothic font style. To build
a strong foundation, write a one-liner commitment statement/promise
below your action plan outlining how you will help reduce emissions.
Your output will be graded based on this rubric:

Beginning Developing Accomplished

Exemplary
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Thoroughly
Does not
describes the
Issue describe the Briefly Describes issue
issue;
description issue; Does not describes issue and explains the
Thoroughly
and explain the and its importance of
describes the
importance importance of importance the issue
importance of
the issue
the issue
Thoroughly
Lists current Lists and
Does not list describes
Current actions being describes
current action current actions
action taken but does current actions
being taken at a variety of
not elaborate being taken
levels
Clearly
Explains action explains action
proposal and proposal and
Lists action but
outlines steps to details steps
Action Does not list does not
achieve it; to achieve it;
proposal action explain it or its
Explains the Thoroughly
importance
importance of explains
the action importance of
the action
Adapted from: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/leaf/Pages/Example-Action-Plan-Grading-Rubric.aspx

Lesson Plan prepared by:

MITZY M. MACARAEG, MASE

Faculty, Pangasinan State University-Bayambang Campus
College of Teacher Education
Bayambang, Pangasinan, Philippines

Demonstrated during the 2015 PAPSET International Seminar-Workshop for Pre-Service and
In-Service Teachers with the theme: Meeting the Challenges of ASEAN 2015 Integration and
Globalization held at Crown Legacy Hotel, Kisad Road, Baguio City on November 20-22,
2015.