Latest News, Teacher Action, Conference Papers, Documents by the IPCC and national Science bodies, Teaching Resources, What can I do to help
Latest News:
Climate Science for Sceptics
A website called ‘Climate Science for Sceptics’ by Keith Burrows. The purpose of the website is to explain climate science and climate change to those who have uncertainties or questions about climate change, rather than being concerned with intransigent deniers. The content will be of value to VCE Unit 1 students. Keith is also currently developing sections of the website specifically for VCE Physics students.
Two brief documents outlining climate science and the renewable energy solutions:
Climate Change – Solutions 568 kB
A brief document outlining the very important place of renewable energy as part of the solution to climate change.
Our Climate: Past, Present, Future 431 kB
A brief document outlining the reasons climate scientists are concerned that we are causing irreparable damage to the Earth’s climate.
Teacher Action on Climate Change
Science teachers have the knowledge base to understand climate change and the communication skills to explain it. We can be an important factor in increasing the community’s understanding of this most crucial issue.
The Vicphysics Teachers’ Network established an initiative “Science Teachers for Climate Awareness” (SciTCA). The purpose of which was to raise the awareness of the voting public, starting with your teaching colleagues at your school, and then the parent body, and other community groups.
SciTCA Climate Change Workshops
The SciTCA Committee has developed a package of a selection of PowerPoint presentations, booklets and information sheets. It also organised Climate Change workshops on this material. Five workshops were held ending in 2012.
The presentations from the last SciTCA workshop, Climate Change for Science Teachers on 2 April 2012 are available for download from the box below.
Links to websites referred to in the SciTCA Workshop 2 April 2012 164 kB
A document containing links to various websites referred to at the SciTCA Workshop. This document will be updated from time to time. This version 3 April 2012
Climate Change – Science, Society and Us, Dr Graeme Pearman 2.22 MB
This is Dr Graeme Pearman’s presentation from the SciTCA workshop 2 April 2012
Changes in Weather and Climate Extremes, Prof Neville Nicholls 5.66 MB
This is Prof Neville Nicholls’s presentation from the SciTCA workshop 2 April 2012
A Sustainable Energy Plan for Australia, Prof Peter Seligman 7.37 MB
This is Prof Peter Seligman’s presentation from the SciTCA workshop 2 April 2012
SciTCA Workshop – Bits ‘n Pieces, Keith Burrows 5.77 MB
The slides from Keith’s looping power point from the SciTCA workshop 2 April 2012
To access materials from past workshops and conferences, see below for recent events.
Department of Climate Change responds to Plimer’s “Expelled” book
At the beginning of this year the IPA sent copies of Ian Plimer’s very misleading book How to get expelled from school to all schools. It seems to have mostly died a well deserved death, but if it is still in your school library perhaps a copy of a recent document published by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change: “Accurate Answers to Professor Plimer’s 101 Climate Change Science Questions” should be placed with it. Click on this link to go to the Department’s web page to download this document as well as some other good summaries of basic climate science from AAS, CSIRO etc.
STCA Workshop 19th March 2011
Graeme Pearman’s Presentation Science Society and Us 2.19 MB
Dr Graeme Pearman’s presentation at the March 19 2011 Science Teacher’s Climate Change workshop
Graeme Pearman’s Presentation Pricing Carbon 435 kB
Dr Graeme Pearman’s presentation on Pricing Carbon at the STCA Workshop 19 March 2011
Climate Change – the Bad News 4.01 MB
Keith Burrows’ presentation on the bad way in which climate action is often reported
Climate Change – the GOOD NEWS (BZE) 11.2 MB
Keith Burrows presentation on ways in which we can move to 100% renewable energy. Largely focuses on the Beyond Zero Emissions – Zero Carbon Australia plan available from the Beyond Zero Emissions link below.
Climate Science presentation 8.8 MB
This is the presentation given by Dan O’Keeffe, Vicphysics Teachers’ Network. It is the same one listed on the next page as ‘AIP Power Point’
Discussion papers
Discussion paper on Climate Change 35.3 kB
The AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee is concerned about the level of understanding by the community of the likely causes and implications of climate change and it feels that science teachers are well placed to address these concerns. This discussion paper considers possible roles that this web page, the Committee and science teachers in general could play. The Committee welcomes comment, discussion and feedback. These can be sent to the chair of the Committee, in ‘Contact Us’ at the top of the page.
What’s wrong with climate deniers 977 kB
A presentation on the claims of climate deniers. A typical presentation by climate denier Leon Ashby is considered and shown to be very misleading. His arguments are similar to most denier claims and so it is not necessary to have seen his particular document.
Countering Climate Confusion 6.24 MB
What do we say to climate ‘sceptics’? This presentation suggests some answers to this question. It is important to remember the basic reasons for concern and not get too tangled in the confusion that deniers find it so easy to create. See also ‘Could Climate Sceptics be Right?’ in the next group. KB
Physics Teachers’ Conference Papers
Presentations from Keith’s Feb 2015 Science teacher conference presentations and Nov 2014 STAVCON
Note: At the Physics Conference and at STAVCON we only looked at the problems not the solutions. I suggest you also look at the ‘Climate Science – The Good News’ presentation for … well the GOOD news! The second file below is mostly looking at the problem of communicating climate science against the backdrop of appalling media coverage of the issue (notably in ‘The Australian’). The third file below is the presentation about climate science – it is rather large and unwieldy and I am planning to break it up into more manageable sections. Look back in a week or two for the new version!
These are the presentations from the VCE Physics, Chem and Biol conferences Feb 2015
Climate Science – The Good News 18 MB
The way Australia could become a climate leader instead of laggard by showing the world how we could achieve 100% renewable energy – based on the BZE ZCA 2020 report.
Recent climate science in the media 8.74 MB
Sensible discussion of climate change action is severely hampered by very bad media treatment particularly from ‘The Australian’. It consistently publishes grossly misleading articles read by many of the more ‘influential’ members of society. As science teachers we can do something to help counter this.
Climate Science – Physics and Chem conferences 2015 18.6 MB
An intro to climate science
The Physics of the Climate 7.71 MB
A presentation on the physics of climate change from the sessions by Keith Burrows at the Physics Conference 2009. This is aimed at senior students but could be adapted to younger students by leaving out the more advanced slides.
An Introduction to the Science of the Climate 848 kB
A six page document outlining the basic science of the climate. It looks at the way the climate has changed in the past and the possible implications of our addition of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Keith Burrows
Science Teachers for Climate Awareness 5.63 MB
Presentation from all VCE science teachers conferences Feb 2011 on why we need science teachers to get involved in talking about climate change in the community. Keith Burrows AIP (Vic Branch) education Committee.
The Science of Climate Change 8.66 MB
A presentation described at the STAV Feb 2010 teachers conferences by Keith Burrows AIP (Vic Branch) education Committee.
Could Climate Sceptics be Right? 15.3 MB
This is a presentation used at STAVCON 2009 and at the Feb 2010 teachers conferences by Keith Burrows on climate change sceptics. It contains answers to common climate denier arguments. It will be updated from time to time to deal with recent issues.
The following are from previous STAVCONs and Science conferences.
Climate Science & Solutions Part 4 – STAVCON 2013 19.4 MB
How Australia could go to zero emission stationary energy in a decade – given the political will.
Keith Burrows Renewable Energy presentation at the VCE Science Conferences Feb 2013STAVCON 2012 16.4 MB
A presentation on why and how Australia can go to 100% renewable energy within a decade. Workshop A6 from the Physics Teachers’ Conference.
Keith Burrows Climate Science presentation at the VCE Science Conferences Feb 2013STAVCON 2012 13.5 MB
A description of the science of climate change. Session B12 at the Physics Teachers’ Conference.
Keith Burrows presentation: Climate Science & Science Teachers at Conasta 2012 20.3 MB
How and why science teachers could play a key role in helping everyone understand the climate problem.
Keith Burrows presentation: “Can the world move to renewable energy in time?” at Stavcon 2012 17.2 MB
Can the world move to renewable energy in time to avoid a climate catastrophe? YES! But the question is will we?
Keith Burrows Climate Science presentation at STAVCON 2012 24.3 MB
A description of the science of climate change
Keith Burrows Climate Science INTRODUCTION only presentation at STAVCON 2012 6.28 MB
This is just the first part of the Climate Science presentation dealing with some recent climate news and some ‘denier’ reaction to it.
Documents by the IPCC and international and national Science bodies
AAAS Statement on Climate Change
The Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science issued this one page statement on Climate Change in December 2006.
Climate Change 2007: The Synthesis Report by the IPCC
An executive summary of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (November 2007)
The imperatives for Action from the Science of Climate Change
Text of of a speech by Sir David King, chief UK scientific advisor, to the AAAS in February 2004. (7 pages)
Climate change science misinformation
An article by Prof David Karoly, University of Melbourne and IPCC leader, published on the ABC’s ‘Unleashed’ website, that identifies the falsehoods about climate change that regularly appear in some sections of the media.
RealClimate: Climate science from climate scientists
A useful feature of the website is the ‘Start Here’ section. Select this and it displays the following headings: ‘For complete beginners’, ‘Those with some knowledge’, ‘Informed but need more detail’, ‘Informed but seeking serious discussion of common contrarian talking points’. Each of these has several links on offer.
Teaching Resources
The Stabilization Wedge game
The game is a hands-on learning tool that helps students learn the impacts of different strategies for reducing greenhouse gases. 16 pages of background notes, instructions, lesson plans and worksheets.
Communicating and Learning about Climate Change
An Abbreviated Guide for Teaching Climate Change, from Project 2061 at AAAS. (32 pages). Project 2061 is a US ‘Science Frameworks’ style project. The guide shows how Climate Change fits in with Project 2061. The concept maps, particularly the latter ones are quite useful.
Climate Science for Sceptics
A website called ‘Climate Science for Sceptics’ by Keith Burrows. The purpose of the website is to explain climate science and climate change to those who have uncertainties or questions about climate change, rather than being concerned with intransigent deniers. The content will be of value to VCE Unit 1 students. Keith is also currently developing sections of the website specifically for VCE Physics students.
What can I do to help
Top 50 Things To Do To Stop Global Warming
A list compiled by “GlobalWarming-Facts.info”. Most are the usual suggestions, but ther may be a few that are unfamiliar. The link is also on the AAAS site.
CO2 emissions calculator
A calculstor from the US National Academy of Sciences. A range of personal and national actions that could be taken to reduce CO2 emissions are displayed. You can pick one or more to see its effect on total emissions in the United States.