Mercury Rising (Updated!)

How have global temperatures changed over time?

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Mercury Rising (Updated!)

How have global temperatures changed over time?

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Check it out! This lesson was just updated in September 2024, and we hope you love the new and improved version. If you've already prepped an earlier version, fear not, you can still find those here through Thursday December 5, 2024.

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2023-2024 Versions

In the fall of 2024, Citizen Math released updated versions of every lesson in our library, plus a few new ones! We know you may have already prepped an earlier version or planned a repeat of last year, so we're continuing to make these earlier versions available through Thursday December 5, 2024.

You can find the new lessons through the regular search, and we hope you love them as much as we do. You can read more about these updates in Our Community.

How have temperatures changed around the world? Recent years have been the hottest on record. While some see this as evidence of a dangerous trend that merits drastic action, others find little alarming about such fluctuations.

In this lesson, students use periodic functions to compare long-term average monthly temperatures to recorded monthly temperatures, evaluate evidence of climate change, and discuss possible consequences.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • Climate scientists combine temperatures from around the world to create an average monthly “global temperature.
  • To determine whether a given month is warmer or colder than average, scientists compare the average temperature recorded that month to a long-term average (e.g. January 2020 to the average January between 1901-2000).
  • Over time, the average monthly global temperatures have steadily increased. In recent years, temperatures recorded each month have been among the highest ever.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Evaluate periodic functions in the form f(x) = a • sin(bx–h) + k; interpret the effect and real-world meaning of the coefficients
  • Given a set of data, write a periodic function to model a curve-of-best-fit
  • Understand what it means for data points to be below, equal to, and above the curve; interpret these in a real-world context
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of data to support sound conclusions

This complex task is best as a culminating unit activity after students have developed formal knowledge and conceptual understanding.
Algebra 2
Trig. Functions
Algebra 2
Trig. Functions
Content Standards
Mathematical Practices MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. MP.4 Model with mathematics. MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. MP.6 Attend to precision.

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