Anthropocene
Driving Question: How has human activity changed our planet?
Data from the last 250 years suggests that the biosphere is changing, and humans are the ones causing that change. In response, some scientists believe we are living in a new geological epoch—the Anthropocene.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the key features of the Anthropocene.
- Evaluate the impact of humans on our climate and planet.
- Explain the causes and impacts of climate change.
Vocab Terms:
The Anthropocene holds some real challenges for humanity. To understand it, we must start by thinking once again about energy.
When learning about the Anthropocene, it’s easy for students to get bogged down in the negatives. Help them regain a sense of optimism with this lesson in OER Project: Climate.
It might seem impossible that humans could change the weather of the vast planet we live on. But, as this slideshow and activity show, even the smallest actions can have big consequences down the line.
The Anthropocene Explained
Give students ideas about the solutions we have and the ones they one day might help create in Lesson 4.2 from OER Project: Climate.
Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. But it’s not a lost battle. Let’s explore how it’s happening, and what we can do about it.
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Guiding Questions
We’re doing math in a social studies class? Absolutely! Students learn about the history of maize, globalization, and the Anthropocene before they break out their math skills to calculate the distances their food travels.
The first question complex societies had to answer to become more stable and prosperous was how to reliably grow food. It might also be the most important question we’ll need to answer if we’re going to survive the Anthropocene.
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Guiding Questions
The Unit Notebook is a great opportunity to formatively assess students’ understanding of the core concepts in the unit. They also get to practice informal writing. For more support on informal writing, including its benefits, check out the first two pages of the Writing Guide.
You know the drill: It’s time to sum up what you’ve learned about the most eventful period in human history. No sweat, right?
