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“An Inconvenient Truth—A Global Warning”—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong

"An Inconvenient Truth-A Global Warning"—Scene links to the geography curricula of Hong Kong

Scene number/ chapter / Scene Description / Linkages to the geography curricula of Hong Kong
S1-3 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 1998) / S4-5 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 2003) / S4-6 Geography Curriculum
(CDC, 2007)
3 / Basic science of global warming
(1 minute) / Scene 3 of the film introduces the key concepts of heat budget and provides a brief explanation on what “natural” greenhouse effect is and how human activities enhance the greenhouse effect. It can be used to support the learning and teaching of the following key questions in various geography curricula:
“What is greenhouse effect?” / “What is global warming”
[Scene 3 can only be used as an introduction to related concepts in the curriculum and teachers should provide additional information to students.] / “What are the possible human causes of global warming?” and “To what extent is global warming therefore a natural process?”
[Scene 3 can only be used as an introduction to related concepts in the curriculum and teachers should provide additional information to students.]
4 / Global warming cartoon
(2 minutes) / This cartoon provides a humorous introduction to greenhouse effect and global warming. It is especially good to be used as a motivational activity at the start of a global warming lesson for geography students to grasp the concepts for the first time.
5 / Professor Revelle
(2 minutes) / Scene 5 shows how data related to CO2 levels is collected. Senior secondary geography courses focus more on the causes and impacts of global warming. Scene 5 provides additional information for those more capable students who are interested to know more about global warming.
6 / CO2 measure since 1958
(2 minutes) / Scene 6 shows the rising trend of CO2 levels. Teachers may use this scene, as well as Scenes 8 and 9, to help their students to understand how global warming is related to the rising trend of CO2levels.
7 / Glaciers Recede
(2 minutes) / -Scene 7 shows evidence of receding and melting glaciers in different parts of the world.
-Scenes 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21 are all about the impact of global warming and climate change (both observed and predicted) in different parts of the world. They can be played sequentially to provide students with an overview of the problem. The following are the related enquiry questions in different geography curricula:
“What will be the impact of greenhouse effect?” / “What is global warming? In what ways are Hong Kong and China affected by global warming?” / “What will be the impact of global warming? How will it affect our lives?”
8 / Ice Cores
(2 minutes) / Scene 8 is more suitable for senior secondary geography students to understand the correlation between temperature and CO2 concentrations and provides additional evidence for the issues raised in Scene 9.
9 / CO2 Levels Back 650,000 Years
(4 minutes) / Scene 9 shows the link between the rising trends of CO2 levels and world temperature. Teachers may use this scene, together with Scenes 6 and 8, to help their students to understand that our world is getting warmer and global warming is related to the rising trend of CO2.
This part is especially relevant to the enquiry questions “Is the world getting warmer and warmer?” and “What are its (greenhouse effect) major causes?” in the curriculum. / The information in this part can be used as background information for the discussion of some geographical questions in the curriculum, like “What are the causes of global warming? Are industrialized countries the only ones to blame? What is the role of the individual in causing global warming?”. / The information in this part can be used as background information for the discussion of some geographical questions in the curriculum, such as “Is our Earth getting warmer? What evidence is there?”, “Is global warming really happening? Is it just a long-term fluctuation of temperature, or is our Earth really heating up?” and “What are the possible human causes of global warming? What is the role of human activities in this?”.
11 / Rising Temperatures
(2 minutes) / This scene shows the temperature in different parts of the world is rising and heat waves will become much more common.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
12 / Hurricanes
(4 minutes) / This scene shows how global warming is linked to the increase in intensity and duration of hurricanes and typhoons in different parts of the world. Brazil, where there was no hurricane in the past, was hit by a hurricane in 2004.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
14 / Precipitation and Evaporation
(2 minutes) / Scene 14 shows how global warming leads to changing amount of precipitation and evaporation (and related floods and droughts) in different parts of the world.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
16 / The Arctic
(4 minutes) / The scene shows how global warming leads to the shooting up of temperature in the Arctic, and then accelerating the melting of ice here.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
17 / The Ocean Conveyor
(3 minutes) / This part introduces how heat is transferred in the world with ocean currents and how global warming affects the temperature in different parts of the world.
In the S4-5 curriculum, this part can be used to teach geographical concepts, like “global distribution pattern of temperature” in the theme “Climate”. It can also be used to explain why areas of similar latitudes may have climatic variations. / In the S4-6 curriculum, this part can be used in the discussion of a question—“What are the factors that influence the global temperature distribution pattern?”.
19 / Troubling Signs
(3 minutes) / Scene 19 shows the impact of global warming on ecosystems, food webs and biodiversity. Information on the bleaching of corals and spreading of diseases (impact on human health) is included and is good for conducting related discussion for students.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
20 / Antarctica
(3 minutes) / Scene 20 shows the impact of global warming on Antarctica.
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
21 / Sea Level Rise
(4 minutes) / This scene explains the relationships between global warming and the rising sea level in the world as well as the impact of flooding to low-lying coastal regions (where many major cities in the world are located).
Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7 / Refer to Scene 7
22 / China
(2 minutes) / Scene 22 uses China as an example to show how energy needs and human activities may lead to environmental change. Together with Scenes 23 and 24, it provides additional information for senior secondary geography students to enquire more about the causes of global warming.
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24 / Population Explosion
(2 minutes)
Old habits and new technology
(2 minutes) / These two scenes discuss how the consequences of human activities, such as population explosion and scientific and technological revolution, enhance the impact of global warming. They are relevant to the following parts of the geography curricula:
“What is greenhouse effect? What are its major causes?” / “What are the causes of global warming? Are industrialized countries the only ones to blame? What is the role of the individual in causing global warming?” / “What are the possible human causes of global warming?” and “What is the role of human activities in this (global warming)?”
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27 / Is there a controversy?
(2 minutes)
Science Fraud
(2 minutes) / - These two scenes are more suitable for senior secondary geography students to know more about the controversy surrounding the reporting of the facts about climate change. They provide opportunities for students to compare scientific and media reporting and recognise bias in data analysis.
- They can be used to help S4-6 students to understand more about “Why do some people argue that “global warming” is fact while others say it is fiction?”
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32 / Balancing the economy and environment
(2 minutes)
The solutions are in our hands
(2 minutes)
Are we capable of doing great things?
(2 minutes)
Our only home
(6 minutes) / These scenes can be used as an introduction for discussing how the negative impact of global warming can be alleviated. Besides, they can also be used to introduce concepts of sustainable development in S4-5 Geography Curriculum (Issue: “Sustainable City”) and S4-6 Geography Curriculum (Issue: “Building a Sustainable City—Are environmental conservation and urban development mutually exclusive?”).
They are related to the enquiry question “What can we do?” in the issue “Weather and Climate—do they matter?”. / They are related to several enquiry questions in the curriculum, including “What can be done to alleviate this problem (global warming)?”, “Why are some countries so reluctant to cooperate in combating the problem?” and “How can we do?” / They are good for the discussion of the question “What can be done about it (global warming)?” in the curriculum.

Further Reference

An Inconvenient Truth: A Global Warning—A Study Guide (produced by Australian Teachers of Media Inc.)

[The Study Guide can be downloaded from the following websites:

OR

Choose “Study Guide(s)” once you enter one of the above websites to download the guide. It is an excellent resource for the learning and teaching of geographical topics like“greenhouse effect”, “global warming” and “climate change” together with the film. The Guide includes some suggested learning activities, guiding questions and explanation about the content of the film.