Climate Change and Electricity

Videos for Third Graders:

• How is Coal Formed? - Geography for Kids (1:51)
• Climate Change - What is the Greenhouse Effect? (2:29)
• Weather vs. Climate: Crash Course Kids (4:32)
• One Small Change - Ireland elementary school kids rap about climate change (3:17)

Videos for Teachers:

• An Introduction to Climate Change for Kids (6:15)
• Energy 101: Electricity Generation (5:18)
• Formation of Fossil Fuels (2:25)
• Climate 101 With Bill Nye (4:33)
• Climate Change 101 with Bill Nye and National Geographic (4:09)
• 5 Things You Need to Know About Climate Change (1:05)
• Renewable Energy 101 National Geographic(3:16)
• KPIX 5 News Station - Teaching about Climate Changes makes an Impact

Websites:

• Kids’ Crossing
• Study Jams
• NASA Earth's Climate is Warming
• NASA Climate Change How Do We Know
• NASA Vital Signs
• Climate Kids

  
  

Vocabulary Words:

Absorb: To take in or soak up.

Atmosphere: The layer of gas that surrounds Earth. The atmosphere consists of several different gases held close to Earth by gravity.

Climate: The average or expected weather conditions of a region over a period of many years. An area’s climate determines what kinds of plants can grow and what kinds of animals can survive there.

Climate change: A big difference in normal climate patterns. In recent years, scientist have observed an overall warming of the earth's atmosphere and oceans. This change in climate is due to an increase in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) that trap heat in our atmosphere.

Coal: A black rock that is often dug up and burned to create energy. Coal is a non-renewable energy source because we cannot make more. Millions and millions of years ago, Earth was covered by swamps. Plants died and their remains sank to the bottom of these swamps. Over time, they were buried and compressed. Pressure and heat from the Earth transformed the decaying plants into coal. 

Electricity: A form of energy that is widely used for providing power to buildings, electric devices, and automobiles. Electricity can be produced using a generator, but it also occurs naturally. Benjamin Franklin discovered natural electricity in lightning.

Fossil Fuels: A fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth over millions of years from plant or animal remains.

Glaciers: A thick mass of ice that covers a large area of land and remains frozen all year long. Most glaciers are located near the North and South Poles, but glaciers also exist high in mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Andes.

Greenhouse gases: A mixture of gases including water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2) that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Non-renewable resources: Natural resources that cannot be replaced or replenished after they are used.

Observation: Using your senses to carefully notice something in order to get information.

Reflected: To bend or send back waves of light or heat.

Reflection: Heat, light, or an image that bounces off an object or surface.

Renewable resources: Natural resources that can be replaced or replenished by nature.

Resources: A usable supply of products or energy.

Solar energy: Light, heat, and other forms of energy given off by the sun. Solar energy is a renewable resource that can be collected and used to make electricity. 

Weather:  The daily state of the atmosphere in any given place. We observe the weather by measuring the temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, fog conditions, air pressure, and humidity.

Adapted from: https://kids.britannica.com/kids

Our third grade instructional series supports the Next Generation Science Standards.

Who is Sonoma Clean Power?

Established in 2014, Sonoma Clean Power is a not-for-profit, public agency that generates electricity in Sonoma and Mendocino counties from cleaner sources with lower emissions. Renewable energy sources include wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal power. Electricity is delivered to the community through PG&E’s pre-existing infrastructure and costs roughly the same as PG&E’s electricity services.