Unit 4: Climate Change

Driving Question

How is Earth’s climate changing, and what are the consequences?

Unit Overview

In this unit, we investigate Earth’s climate system, the evidence for climate change, and the interconnected feedbacks that amplify or moderate climate shifts.

What You’ll Learn

Moon phases, eclipses, tides, and seasonal cycles
How Earth’s systems interact through feedback loops
Energy flow patterns that drive climate
The carbon cycle and human impacts

Phenomenon

Global average temperatures have risen approximately 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era, with accelerating impacts on ice sheets, sea levels, and extreme weather. What’s driving these changes?

Code

import plotly.express as px
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np

# Simulated global temperature data
np.random.seed(42)
years = list(range(1880, 2026))
baseline_trend = [(y - 1880) * 0.007 for y in years]
acceleration = [0.00005 * (y - 1950)**2 if y > 1950 else 0 for y in years]
noise = np.random.normal(0, 0.1, len(years))
temps = [b + a + n - 0.2 for b, a, n in zip(baseline_trend, acceleration, noise)]

df = pd.DataFrame({
    'Year': years,
    'Temperature Anomaly (°C)': temps
})

fig = px.bar(df, x='Year', y='Temperature Anomaly (°C)',
             color='Temperature Anomaly (°C)',
             color_continuous_scale=['blue', 'white', 'red'],
             range_color=[-0.5, 1.5],
             title='Global Temperature Anomaly (1880-2025)')
fig.add_hline(y=0, line_dash='dash', line_color='black')
fig.update_layout(height=450)
fig

(a) Global temperature anomaly from 1880 to present

(b)

Figure 1

Standards Alignment

This unit addresses NGSS standards: HS-ESS2-2, HS-ESS2-4, HS-ESS2-6, HS-ESS3-5, HS-ESS3-6

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