Evidence for climate change in the Quaternary period
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify evidence for climate change in the Quaternary period.
Key learning points
- Climate has changed in the past through natural causes.
- Evidence for natural climate change include ice cores, tree rings and historical sources.
- Evidence can be used to reconstruct climate change from the Quaternary to the present day.
Keywords
Quaternary period - the period of geological time from 2.6 million years ago to the present
Climate change - a long-term change in Earth’s climate patterns
Ice core - a cylinder of ice extracted from an ice sheet or glacier which is used to analyse past climate conditions
Common misconception
Climate change has only happened recently.
The Earth's climate patterns have changed numerous times in the past, for example there have been around 50 cycles of glacial (cold) phases and interglacial (warmer) phases in the Quaternary period.
Teacher tip
The GIS lesson for this topic, Using GIS to visualise climate change impacts, provides pupils with step-by-step instructions (with a video demo) for measuring and presenting evidence for climate change for themselves using GIS tools.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the correct definition to each key word.
Average weather conditions of a place taken over a 30-year period
The day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place
Weather that is significantly different to the expected conditions
Q2.What is climate change?
Q3.Carbon dioxide, helium and methane are all examples of gases.
Q4.How long have humans inhabited Earth?
Q5.How do scientists monitor changes to ice sheets and glaciers?
Q6.What name is given to maps which use colour scales to show how a variable (e.g. population density) changes over an area?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which geological time period began 2.6 million years ago?
Q2.A glacial period is when temperatures drop significantly. periods are shorter, warmer periods.
Q3.Which of these sources of evidence about climate change could tell us about climates 400 000 years ago?
Q4.Melting glaciers, sea level rise and global temperature records are all used to provide evidence about climate change.
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Evidence for climate change in the Quaternary period, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Evidence for climate change in the Quaternary period, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 geography lessons from the Climate change unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.