Stability

• This article explores the reasons behind a lack of temperature stability and is presented with several specific examples of accelerated warming on Earth.
• Students will learn how increased greenhouse gases upset the balance of nature, and lead to an unstable environment.
• The entire article serves as an introduction to another article specifically about heat.

Positives

• The article is segmented with specific examples of the results of global warming.
• The information provides a clear, step-by-step, explanation of how increased greenhouse gases affect the planet.
• The narration of the article is quite helpful in assisting English-language learners and learners who prefer auditory learning.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• In content areas other than science, the phrase "biotic feedback loop" may be new even for teachers.
• Students will benefit from a definition list, since the vocabulary is rigorous, especially for upper elementary and middle-school populations.
• A graphic is presented, but no explanation is provided, so teachers may wish to discuss the graphic briefly before assigning the article.
• Younger students may be unsettled after reading the section about climate models, and the lack of preparation by individuals. 

• The narration differs slightly from the visual text, with several words added and sentence phrasing modified. A few sentences are deleted altogether in the narration. The narration length is 11 minutes and 29 seconds.

Differentiation

• For geography classes, students can use a globe and/or a map to locate Kyoto, Japan, which is mentioned in the article.
• The use of interactive maps is mentioned, so teachers may wish to utilize a global interactive map while reading the article as a class.
• Connections can be made in math classes, with students creating graphs depicting the relationship between carbon emissions and rising temperatures.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.