Lesson

The maths of carbon

In this lesson, students will view a clip from 2040 and examine data related to CO2 in the atmosphere.

Subject:

Mathethmatics

Science

Levels:

Years 5-6

Film:

2040

Topic:

Climate change

Sustainability

Time required:

1hr 5mins

Country:

United Kingdom , Ireland

Lesson plans include:

Fact sheet , Worksheet , Data Table

Overview

In this lesson, students will view a clip from the documentary 2040 and examine data related to CO2 in the atmosphere. They will participate in a whole class graphing activity to explore how CO2 levels have changed over time. Students will then calculate percentages from ‘parts per million’.

Finally, students will reflect on the implications of rising CO2 in the atmosphere and be introduced to the concept of carbon ‘drawdown’.

Students will understand that Carbon Dioxide is a gas that naturally exists, although in very small proportions, as a component of Earth’s atmosphere
Students will learn how atmospheric gases (such as CO2) are measured in ‘parts per million’ and also how to convert parts per million into a percentage measurement
Students will learn how to construct, and interpret a time series graph and use appropriate vocabulary to explain the changes in a given quantity or phenomena over time

Credits and acknowledgements:

Curriculum material has been developed and written by Cool.org. UK curriculum edits and mapping has been by Together Films.

Cool.org, GoodThing Productions and Regen Studios would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation, Global Health Film and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.

Watching the film

Watch the full film with your class by filling in this form. If you have any questions, please contact the Together Films team at 2040@togetherfilms.org

By purchasing an educational screening license of 2040, schools can use the film for several types of screenings such as; screenings in classrooms (both in-person and virtually), screenings with pupils and parents, and screenings for fundraising purposes.

Curriculum mapping

Mathematics Year 5

They begin to decide which representations of data are most appropriate and why
Count forwards or backwards in steps of powers of 10 for any given number up to 1,000,000
Add and subtract whole numbers with more than 4 digits, including using formal written methods (columnar addition and subtraction)

Science Year 5

Pupils should build a more systematic understanding of materials by exploring and comparing the properties of a broad range of materials
Planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
Recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
Pupils should study and raise questions about their local environment throughout the year
They should find out about the work of naturalists and animal behaviourists, for example, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall (& we recommend Damon Gameau!)

Mathematics Year 6

Pupils both encounter and draw graphs relating 2 variables, arising from their own enquiry and in other subjects
Recall and use equivalences between simple fractions, decimals and percentages, including in different contexts
Multiply one-digit numbers with up to 2 decimal places by whole numbers
Use written division methods in cases where the answer has up to 2 decimal places
Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the 4 operations

Science Year 6

Recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs

What you'll need

Lesson materials
A device capable of presenting a video to the class.
Tall glass with 10 increments on it, marked as a scale from 0 to 100 (ie, going up by 10s).
Jug of water,
coloured liquid or coloured rice.
Whiteboard and markers.
Sticky notes – 1 pad.
Large, blank wall space OR whiteboard OR window (with room for students to move around in front).
Chalk or non-permanent marker (to write on wall/board/window).