A greenhouse provides additional warmth and protection to the plants inside, but what if the greenhouse gets too hot? Pupils discuss and experiment with the difference between natural and anthropogenic greenhouse effect. They measure the rise in temperature of two different configurations of planetary atmospheres.

Concepts

the greenhouse effect, global warming, the atmosphere, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, temperature

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Repeat the experiment with various cups, i.e. thicker or larger
• Try trapping smoke from a candle in the cup before performing the experiment
• If enough materials exist, have small groups of students perform the experiment and average the group data

Classroom Considerations

• Use caution with the lamp and follow all safety instructions to prevent burns

Pros

• Includes a photo of the proper way to set up the experiment along with a description
• Provides many graphs and diagrams with historic data

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.4 RST.9-10.3 RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.3 RST.11-12.4