United States	Office of Air and Radiation	EPA 430-K-09-005

Environmental Protection	(6207J)	May 2009

Agency

SERA

Welcome to the Global Warming
Wheel Card Classroom Activity Kit

The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
designed this curriculum
packet for teachers of
grades 6 through 8
to educate students
about climate change,
its possible effects,
and the kinds of
activities that individuals,
families, schools,
and communities can
take to reduce their
contributions to climate
change. The activities
in this curriculum are
focused on the Global
Warming Wheel Card,
which is included in
this packet.

What are the objectives of this curriculum packet?

The materials in this packet will introduce students to:

•	The concepts of climate change and the greenhouse effect.

•	Common sources of greenhouse gas emissions generated by humans.

•	The Global Warming Wheel Card, which enables students to see how their own
actions generate greenhouse gas emissions.

•	Ways in which students might reduce their individual, family, school, and
community contributions to the greenhouse effect.

What are the contents of this curriculum packet?

The packet contains the following items:

•	Global Warming Wheel Card (assembled)

•	Instructions for Making a Global Warming Wheel Card (unassembled)

•	Guide for Teachers (including Teacher Notes on Activities)

•	Frequently Asked Questions About Global Warming and Climate Change:
Back to Basics

•	Student Activities

•	Activity # 1: Using the Global Warming Wheel Card

•	Homework for Activity #1: Electricity Use and Carbon Dioxide

•	Activity #2: What You and Your Community Can Do to Reduce
Carbon Dioxide

•	Activity #3: A Simple Energy Audit

www.epa.gov/climatechange

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Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Process Chlorine Free

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This curriculum packet is designed to be used in two ways: 1) for one session
focusing on the construction and use of a Global Warming Wheel Card, or 2) for
two or more successive classroom sessions that cover the construction and use of
the Wheel Card plus a series of in-depth activities.

The Wheel Card introduces students to common sources of carbon dioxide, such
as manufacturing processes, power plants, and automobiles. The front side of
the wheel allows students to estimate how much carbon dioxide they and their
families produce in a typical year through these sources. The back side of the wheel
provides them with examples of activities that they can undertake to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions.

Once students demonstrate an understanding of the concepts introduced in the
Global Warming Wheel Card, a subsequent session (or more) can provide more
challenging questions and in-depth activities related to reducing emissions of
carbon dioxide.

The materials in this packet are designed to be photocopied. Feel free to make as
many copies as you need to share with your students or other teachers.

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