How hot is it?
Current Events Friday
Data Scavenger Hunt
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above:
So far, this has been the hottest year on record. As local heat records are being broken across the planet, July 6 2023 also saw the global average temperature soar to an unprecedented high for a single day. How hot was it?
How much hotter was July 2023 than the average July from 1979-2022?
Describe the difference between 2023 average temperatures and those from 1979-2022.
How many months of this year saw temperatures outside of the range of all the temperatures between 1979-2022?
What month tends to be the hottest of all?
Big Brain Questions
Answer these questions by yourself using your brain and the links below:
List one thing the visual makes you wonder:
Based on the trends from the visual above, what prediction would you make about the temperatures for the rest of this year?
According to the HEAT FACTOR in the visual above, one of the reasons for the increased temperature average is El Nño (a cyclical weather pattern). What is the other reason?
All the carbon we have released into the atmosphere weighs more than all the things humans have ever built combined. The carbon we have released is warming the atmosphere and it is not going anywhere. If this year’s temperature trends continue, this year, 2023, will likely be the coolest year for the rest of human history. How did you like the temperature this year?
Apart from the heat, what are some other impacts of climate change.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Contact the president and let him know your opinion about rising temperatures and climate change.
Get Creative
Based on the temperature changes over the past 44 years - between 1979 and now - imagine what the average temperature will be like 44 years from now in 2067. Describe a day in the life of an American in 2067.
Learn More
Listen to this story from NPR.