About this lesson
A closer look
Does climate change cause wildfires? Climate scientist Kevin Trenberth says that is the wrong question. Fires are usually started by people or lightning, but global warming loads the dice by adding extra heat that dries out land and plants. This lesson explains Earth's energy imbalance, where the extra heat goes, and how scientists think about attributing extreme events to climate change.
Suggested grade level
Grades 9–12
Suggested teaching range based on the reading, scientific concepts, and classroom activity. Teachers can adapt the lesson for their students.
Source material
This curriculum draws on material from doi.org.
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