Global warming

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/global-warming

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the pre-industrial CO2 concentration?Approximately 280 parts per million (ppm)
2. What is the current CO2 concentration?Exceeds 420 ppm, a level not seen in at least 800,000 years
3. Why does burning fossil fuels make the Earth hotter?Burning coal, oil, and gas releases carbon dioxide, adding to the natural greenhouse gases and trapping extra heat in the atmosphere.
4. How does global warming affect ice and sea levels?Warming melts glaciers and ice sheets, which raises sea levels and can threaten low‑lying coastal places and islands.

Anthropogenic Forcing: The influence of human activities on Earth's climate system, primarily through GHG emissions.
Mitigation: Actions taken to reduce the extent of future climate change, mainly by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Adaptation: Adjusting to actual or expected future climate conditions to minimize harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.