Lesson Plan - 5 Big Questions About Extreme Heat

Watch a Video

Watch the video “Let’s Talk About Climate Change.” Discuss: Which kinds of extreme weather may be occurring more often because of rising temperatures? Which may be getting more intense?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• fossil fuels
• devastated

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them identify some ways extreme heat can affect people.

1. Are greenhouse gases helpful or harmful to Earth? Explain, using evidence from the article.
Greenhouse gases are generally helpful to Earth. The article explains that “without them, Earth would be too cold for us to survive.” However, humans have been releasing too many greenhouse gases, which can lead to higher temperatures and be harmful to humans.
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2. Based on the article, describe the link between weather and wildfires. 
The article explains that wildfires are more likely to form in hot, dry conditions like those the world has been experiencing this year.
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3. How do the images in the article help you understand it?
Sample response: The photo of Death Valley National Park shows a warning sign about the extreme heat that area has been experiencing. The photo of Lahaina shows a wildfire, which may be linked to the extreme heat. The photo of people in Rome on a 107-degree day shows how people are affected by extreme heat.
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Featured Skill: Cause and Effect

Use the skill builder “Causes and Effects” to have students identify cause-and-effect relationships in the text.

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