Student Critiques of “The Day After Tomorrow” and “An

Inconvenient Truth”

Kira T. LawrenceLafayette College

Geology 115: Earth’s Climate: Past, Present and Future

• An introductory lab science course that partially satisfies a science distribution requirement. (~50 students; Lecture 3x/ week, 50min; Lab 1/week, 2 hr 50min, 3 sections)

• Course Objectives:– Gain knowledge about and understanding of the Earth, its

processes, climate and evolution through time– Learn to collect/ analyze/ synthesize/ and evaluate scientific

information and apply the knowledge you have gained to new situations

– Be able to effectively communicate what you have learned– Enjoy learning the material in this course

Lab#9 A Hollywood Depiction of Abrupt Climate Change – “The Day After Tomorrow”

Lab#9 A Hollywood Depiction of Abrupt Climate Change – “The Day After Tomorrow”

Objective:• Allow students to use new expertise to critically evaluate the scientific validity

of the climate concepts and events shown in the movie: “The Day After Tomorrow.”

Motivations: • Allow students to apply new scientific understanding to a new situation. • Help students think more critically about how science is presented in popular

culture. • Improve students’ skills in communicating what they have learned.Prelude: • Several in-class lectures on abrupt climate change. Textbook reading as well as

short articles.

In-Lab Assignment• Introduction - provide handout; ask them to pay specific attention to:

– the following topics:

1) Proposed mechanism for climatic change2) Events that signal a change in climate3) Characteristics of the storm4) Rates of climate change

– any errors as well as valid representations of scientific concepts

• View movie– students take notes on handout– I serve popcorn and soda

• Conclusion of the movie: instructor led discussion

Take Home Assignment• Using their notes from the film as well as the in-

lab discussion, student write a short paper summarizing and analyzing the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the movie.

• Part 1 summary of the climate concepts and

events in the movie.

• Part 2 assessment of the accuracy of the science presented.

Evaluation • Accuracy of Summary of Movie:

– Mechanisms (10)– Storm Characteristics (5)– Climate Events (10)– Rates (5)

• Accuracy of Explanation of Reality:– Mechanism (10)– Events (10)– Storm Characteristics (10)– Rates (10)

• Writing:– Organization (10)– Clarity (10)– Grammar (10)

Apply knowledge?

Effectively Communicate?

Concisely summarize?

What I’ve Found

• Most are able to solidly critique the depiction of thermohaline circulation in the movie: both the accuracy of the mechanism as well as rates of change.

• Struggle with evaluating the storm and the “events” which are primarily related to weather.

• Good teachable moment about the difference between climate and weather.

Kump, Kasting & Crane, 2004

Some Other Candidate Movies

• Dante’s Peak • Volcano• The Core• Jurassic Park• Evolution• Armageddon • Deep Impact

Lab#11 “An Inconvenient Truth”

Lab#11 “An Inconvenient Truth” Final Lab of the Semester

• Prelude: all previous climate related course materials. (This is a capstone lab).

• Objective:• Allow students to use new expertise to critically evaluate the scientific

validity of the climate concepts presented in: “An Inconvenient Truth.”

• Motivations: • Allow students to apply scientific understanding/ skills acquired in this

course to a new situation. • Help students recognize that what they have learned is directly relevant

to understanding a major modern day environmental problem.

In-Class Activities• Introduction: ask them to respond to the following and

assess whether or not Al Gore portrays them accurately:1. Mechanisms for climatic change/ climate concepts invoked in

the movie2. Climate records & observations you recognize and what Al

Gore says about them3. According to Gore, what are the current and potential impacts of

climate change? 4. According to Gore, how has the climate change issue been

treated by media / government?

• View movie• Instructor led discussion• Students answer questions:

1. List 3 messages you have taken away from this movie.2. List 3 questions you have about climate change after watching this

movie.3. Do you think climate change is a moral issue? Why or why not?

Relevant Resources

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): http://www.ipcc.ch

• Real Climate (Climate Science from Climate Scientists):http://www.realclimate.org/

“Convenient Untruths”

Amazon.com ~$12

Ice Core Records

-70

-65

-60

-55

-50

200

250

300

350

400

0100200300400

0100200300400

Vost

ok T

empe

ratu

re (

ºC)

CO

2 (ppm)

Age (ka) Petit et al. 1999

Range of sensitivity to 2x CO2 :

1.5ºC to 4.5ºC

•Sensitivity to CO2 non-linear; greater response for given change at colder temps

280ppm180ppm 380ppmRuddiman, 2001

Hurricane Katrina

Louisiana

http://www.geo.arizona.edu/dgesl/research/other/climate_change_and_sea_level/sea_level_rise/sea_level_rise.htm

Florida

http://www.geo.arizona.edu/dgesl/research/other/climate_change_and_sea_level/sea_level_rise/sea_level_rise.htm

Sea Level Change

IPCC, 2007

IPCC SPM 2007

Polar Ice Caps

www.nasa.gov

IPCC 2007