Key question
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
Outline
Children find out about the Greenhouse Effect through various activities.
Preparation
This activity works best outside on a sunny day.
Learning outcomes
On completing these activities all children will be able to:
- carry out an experiment;
- describe the Greenhouse Effect; and
- consider the importance of the Greenhouse Effect.
Greenhouse at The Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.
Courtesy of John Kennedy
Greenhouse at The Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.
Courtesy of John Kennedy
Courtesy of John Kennedy
Greenhouse at The Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.
Courtesy of John Kennedy
Resources
- Glass jar (at least 1 – or one per pair/group of students)
- Photo of a green house (resource card 08) or use interactive resource
- Thermometers (at least 2 – or two per pair/group)
- Greenhouse effect diagram (resource card 19) interactive resource (also available on CD-ROM)
- Investigation 13 activity sheet– Greenhouse Effect Experiment
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Learning activities
1. Look at a local greenhouse or show the children a photograph of the greenhouse (resource card 8). What is a greenhouse? What do we use them for? How do they work? See also interactive resource.
2. Lay the thermometers side by side and place the glass jar over one of them on a table or raised ledge in the school grounds.
3. Children take and record readings from each thermometer straight away, then again after 30 minutes and again after an hour - writing the details in Investigation 13 activity sheet.
4. Discuss the difference in temperature. It should be warmer in the jar because it traps the gases in the atmosphere.
5. Children draw graphs, of their choice (preferably line graphs) using graph paper. The graphs should show that the thermometer with the glass over it rises to a higher temperature.
6. Children should make use of the interactive resource/animation on the Greenhouse Effect which is included on the CD-ROM or at www.enfo.ie. Children watch an animation on the Greenhouse Effect.
7. Children label a diagram (see resource card 19), in groups, to show the process that is the Greenhouse Effect.
8. The children discuss the benefits and problems associated with the Greenhouse Effect.
Questions and some answers (for teachers)
1. Why is it hotter inside the jar? The glass lets the sun’s energy inside, and then traps the heat.
2. What would cause the temperature in the jar to change at different times? Different sun conditions.
3. In what way is the mini greenhouse like the earth’s atmosphere? In what way is it different?
The earth traps the sun’s heat like the jar, but the earth’s atmosphere is not solid like the glass jar.
Oil refinery, Scotland
© istockphoto.com - Stephen Wilson
Oil refinery, Scotland
© istockphoto.com - Stephen Wilson
© istockphoto.com - Stephen Wilson
Oil refinery, Scotland
© istockphoto.com - Stephen Wilson
Some of the gases in the earth’s atmosphere escape into space and some are reflected back to the earth. The Greenhouse Effect occurs naturally and is an essential part of the global climate system. The problem is when the amount is being increased too much by man-made activities, such as burning fossil fuels, which traps more heat resulting in Climate Change, (including global warming and changes in global circulations of air and water).