New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Using GIS to visualise climate change impacts

I can use 2D and 3D GIS to visualise climate change impacts.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Using GIS to visualise climate change impacts

I can use 2D and 3D GIS to visualise climate change impacts.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Climate change impacts can be visualised and analysed using geospatial data.
  2. The impacts can be visualised with georeferenced data using the GIS tool called media layers.
  3. Configuration of media layers happens in a 2D webmap, which can be saved for even more powerful use in 3D maps.
  4. GIS tools can support analysis of media layers including measurement tools and the Elevation Profile tool.

Keywords

  • Geospatial data - georeferenced information including quantitative data (e.g. numbers) or qualitative data (e.g. photos), which has been tied to a particular location (geolocated)

  • Media layers - overlays of scanned maps, aerial or satellite images which can be georeferenced to visually line up with other layers

  • Elevation Profile - a GIS tool which visualises changes in height above or below sea level along any transect line

Common misconception

Glacial landforms are not created by climate change.

Glacial landforms are often linked to climate change. In many areas we can only see glacial landforms because the ice sheets and glaciers which created them have melted. Climate change also causes glacial processes which modify the landscape.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Using GIS to visualise climate change impacts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Practise the procedural steps first until fluent. Optional to improve georeferencing: In ‘Layers’ for ‘Triftglacier’ layer, click three dots > ‘Show properties’: ‘Edit placed media’ > click ‘Side-by-side’ to improve accuracy using the four corresponding place holders on each side.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Students need access to computer devices, access to the Internet and log ons for ArcGIS Online. The procedural aspects will be much easier if students can also use a mouse with their device.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What does GIS stand for?
Global Information System
Geographical Impact Software
Correct answer: Geographic Information System
Global Impact Survey
Q2.
What is climate change?
A temporary change in weather
Correct answer: A long-term change in global or regional climate patterns
A shift in daily temperatures
A seasonal variation in rainfall
Q3.
What is the main cause of recent climate change?
Natural weather cycles
Increased volcanic activity
Earth's distance from the Sun
Correct answer: Human activities like burning fossil fuels
Q4.
What is the role of deforestation in climate change?
It helps absorb CO₂ from the air
It has no impact on the climate
It reduces Earth’s temperature
Correct answer: It releases stored carbon into the atmosphere
Q5.
What is a major international agreement to combat climate change?
Correct answer: The Paris Agreement
The Kyoto Treaty
The Montreal Protocol
The Greenhouse Gas Convention
Q6.
Why is GIS important in climate change research?
Correct answer: It allows scientists to visualise climate trends and impacts
It prevents extreme weather events from occurring
It controls carbon emissions
It replaces the need for weather forecasts

4 Questions

Q1.
Climate change impacts can be visualised and analysed using data and how it changes over time.
Correct Answer: geospatial
Q2.
How can GIS help study glaciers and climate change?
Correct answer: By tracking glacier size and movement over time
By predicting earthquakes in glacier regions
By stopping glaciers from melting
By measuring air pollution levels in cities
Q3.
What is one advantage of using GIS for climate change analysis?
It only works in urban areas
It replaces the need for scientific research
It stops climate change from occurring
Correct answer: It provides real-time data and trends
Q4.
Which of these climate-related changes can be monitored using GIS?
The number of cars in a city
Correct answer: Drought patterns over time
Changes in political boundaries
The location of tectonic faults

Additional material

Download additional material