This text by Yoram Bauman and illustrated by Grady Klein will serve as a textbook for the unit. It explains in easy language and pictures the climate of Earth, and how human interaction is/is not contributing to a larger climate change. It discusses various cycles on Earth, and how humans may/may not be effecting Earth’s changes. Various parts will serve as good introductions to many lessons in this unit. The book's main point which perfectly coincided with this class was that: climate change has always occurred throughout history before and after human and animal interaction with the environment. Climate change will continue to occur as the conditions of our Solar System, sun, galaxy, etc. change, so long as volcanoes erupt, asteroids fall, amongst countless other things that could happen to change Earth's climate. Humans, are not helping the climate and are definitely directly hurting plant and animal species, the world's oceans, our physical Earth, as well as our own health with our wasteful cultures and over-production of plastics, and pollution of the atmosphere responsible for giving us life. Humans can change these patterns, and can take measures to repair our Earth and life on it, which would not have negative effects environmentally. However the facts remain that Al Gore and others' predictions that we would have had a massive global warming by now did not come to fruition, and are not necessarily indicating that a global warming period is coming based solely upon human interactions. Climate change is occurring, but how and when it will occur is completely unknown, and will likely remain so.
This book perfectly summarizes the Yale class in an easy to read, understand, and engage with graphic text. It is age appropriate for the 11 and 12 year olds that I teach Earth science too. Specific pages and excerpts summarize directly concepts I want my students to glean from this unit. Many are used as”hooks” or lesson introductions- the equip the students with background knowledge and incite questions in them that will ensure engagement in each lesson.