This video describes the carbon cycle and illustrates the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on climate change using the game Tetris as a metaphor.
Students can complete interactive questions, explore related content, and engage with others by commenting on a forum with existing questions and responses.
The video is short, illustrative, and encourages viewers to take action.
The website has a guided structure of Watch, Think, Dig Deeper, and Discuss.
Existing forum responses provide a rich look into how others have conflicting views on the topic.
Additional Prerequisites
Students need to be at least 13 years old to create a TED-Ed account with their email, so they can answer the embedded questions and contribute to the open forum.
The teacher should plan some way for students to show accountability, perhaps with a screenshot of their discussion post at the end.
Differentiation
In an English class, have students write about ways of clearing the "blocks" and slowing down the incoming "blocks" to practice using analogies.
It is adaptable to virtual learning as long as there are clear instructions for what to turn in.
The video gives younger students an introduction to the impact of greenhouse gases while providing a hook for older students about the urgency of climate change.
The teacher has the freedom to choose resources from the Dig Deeper section to plan a personalized grade-appropriate activity.
Other resources on this topic include this video on changes in global carbon dioxide levels and this Vox video on how humans disrupted the carbon cycle.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.