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Activity 3: Adaptation and Mitigation SummaryInthisactivity,studentscollaboratetodefineandidentifytheconceptsofadaptationandmitigationastheypertaintoclimatechange.TheyalsofurthertheirunderstandingofhowCanadaishelpingbiodiversityadapttoclimatechange.Duration:60to75minutesLearningoutcomesAfterparticipatingintheactivity,studentswillbeableto:• Defineanddifferentiatebetweenthe

conceptsofadaptationandmitigationastheypertaintoclimatechange,

• Identifyexamplesofadaptationandmitigationmeasures,

• Discusstheimportanceofusingbothadaptationandmitigationmeasurestofightagainstclimatechange,and

• Identifyresourcesandprocessesthatecosystemsprovide(ecosystemservices)

CompetencyoutcomesDuringthisactivity,studentswilldeveloporimprovetheseabilities:• Collaboration• Inference• Research• Criticalthinking

Set-upandmaterialsq Computer,tablet,ordictionary(oneperteam)q ColourprintoutofteacherBLMAdaptationandMitigationGoals,cutintostripsq CopiesofstudentBLMAdaptationorMitigation?studentworksheetq CopiesoftheClimateChange:AdaptationandMitigationinfographicq AdaptingtoOurChangingClimateinCanadaposter

Whattodo

1. FollowingtheConceptualMapactivity,writethisquestionontheboard:

Whyshouldhumanshelpbiodiversitythriveandsurvive?

2. Launchadiscussionontheecologicalservicesthatnatureprovidesandinvitestudentstoputasmanyexamplesaspossibleontheboard.Examplesmayinclude:• Resourcessuchastimber,food,fuel,andbioproducts,

Tip:CheckoutNaturalResourcesCanada’snewposter,AdaptingtoOurChangingClimateinCanada.Itwillhelpstudentslearnmoreaboutourchangingclimate,theimpactsit’shaving,andhowCanadiansareadapting.Requestyourcopyusingtheonlineorderformorbycalling1-800-387-2000(Product#M174-13/2016).Alternatively,youcandownloadtheweb-accessibleversion.

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• Ecologicalprocessessuchascarbonstorage,nutrientcycling,waterandairpurification,erosioncontrol,cooling,shade,pollination,seeddispersal,wastedecomposition,andmaintenanceofwildlifehabitat,and

• Socialandculturalbenefitssuchasrecreation,traditionalresourceuses,andspirituality.

3. Synthesizethebenefitsofecologicalservicesbyproposingthatit’sinourbestintereststodoeverythingwecantohelpbiodiversitythriveandsurviveinthefaceofclimatechange.

4. Tolaunchthediscussiononadaptationandmitigation,watchthevideo:Climatechangeadaptation:It’stimefordecisionsnow(GIZonline)–www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO46sPwm4xk.

5. OntheblackboardorSmartBoard,write“AdaptationMeasures”(ononeside)and“MitigationMeasures”(ontheotherside).

Brainstormingphase:Askstudentsiftheyknowwhatthesewordsmean(synonyms,resemblances)andwritetheirideasundereachheading.

Researchphase:AskstudentstofindtwoorthreewordsrelatedtotheseconceptsusingtheInternetorthedictionary.

Validationphase:Synthesizetheresultsandworkwithstudentstodefinetheconcepts.

6. Providestudentswiththefollowingexamplesofadaptationmeasuresandmitigationmeasureswithrespecttobiodiversityandnature.Workwithstudentstorefinetheirdefinitionsfurther.

Adaptationmeasures:

- Plantdifferenttypesofcropstorespondtochanginggrowingseasonsandtemperatures.- Researchnaturalalternativestodeteranypestsmigratingnorthwardsfromattackingtreesand

crops.- Buildalternativephysicalcorridorstohelpfishmigratewhenriversarereduceddueto

evaporation.

Mitigationmeasures:

- Increasetheamountoffoodgrownlocallytoreducethegreenhousegasemissionscausedbytransportingfoodoverlongdistances.

- Plantmillionsoftreestoabsorbandtrapcarbondioxidefromtheatmosphere.- Feedcattleseaweedinsteadoftraditionalhayandgrainstoreducethemethanecontentofcow

belchingandflatulence.

7. Asawhole-classactivity,askstudentstohelpyouclassifytheAdaptationandMitigationGoalsaseither“Adaptation”or“Mitigation.”

8. HandouttheAdaptationorMitigation?studentworksheet.

9. Assigntwomeasuresperpairofstudentsandaskthemtojustifywhethertheyfallunder“Adaptation”or“Mitigation.”

10. Askeachpairtojoinanothergrouptocompareanswers.

11. Asaclass,decidewhereeachexampleshouldbeclassifiedandwhy.HandouttheClimateChange:AdaptationandMitigationinfographictocompareanswers.

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Tip:YourclassanswersmayvaryfromtheClimateChange:AdaptationandMitigationinfographic.Theimportantpartforassessmentpurposesisthatstudentsareabletojustifytheirchoicebasedonthegoalsofadaptationandmitigation.

Extension

• ReturntotheMindMapactivity(p.16)andaskstudentstoassignadaptationstotheirconsequences.

• Discusswithstudents:Whenitcomestoadaptationormitigation,isonemoreimportantthantheother?Aretheresomemeasuresthataddressbothatthesametime?

• Tapintoanyfirst-handknowledgeandmakeconnectionstotheirlivesoutsidetheclassroombyinvitingstudentstosharetheirstories.Somestudentsmayhaveexperiencedclimatechangeimpacts,largeorsmall(e.g.,recurrentflooding;earlierspringsmeltruns).Theymayalsohavewitnessedadaptationmeasures(e.g.,theirvillagemayhavebeenrelocated;theymaygosmeltfishingearlierintheseason).

• Discuss the implications of assisted migration with respect to the disruption of the receivingecosystem.

• Talkaboutwhetherfishers,likefarmers,maybeabletoadapttheirpracticestoadapttoclimatechange.

• Discusswhethergeneticmodificationcouldhelpsomespeciesadapt.Watchthefollowingvideoasanintroduction:

WhatcangenomicsdoforCanada'sforestrysector?(NRCan)www.nrcan.gc.ca/forests/video/17158

• Readthefollowingarticleandjustifywhetherthisisanexampleofadaptationormitigation:

P.E.I.farmerassistsinnear-eradicationofmethanefromcowfartswww.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-cow-farting-1.3856202

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Activity3–TeacherBLM:AdaptationandMitigationGoals

Cutoutthegoalsandworkwithstudentstoassigneachtoeitheradaptationormitigation.

Improvetheabilityofanimalsandplantstothriveunderdifferentclimateconditions.

Buildresiliencetoextremeweatherandclimatechanges.

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Increasethecapacityofspeciestoadapt.

Cutdowngreenhousegasemissions.

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Trapgreenhousegasemissions.

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Name: Date:

Activity3–StudentBLM:AdaptationorMitigation?

Whattypeofmeasuredoeseachexamplebelowrepresent:adaptationormitigation?Justifyyouranswers.

Adaptation MitigationCreateorincreaseprotectednaturalareas.

Connectprotectedareasbychangingthelandscapeorwaterscapetoeasemigrationandmovement.

Physicallydisplacespecieswithintheirrangeormovethemtoanewterritory.

Restoredamagedecosystems.

Improveaccesstowater.

Involvecitizensinmonitoringclimatechangeimpacts.

Investinresearchonthebiologyandecologyofplantsandanimals.

Increasesourcesofrenewableenergy.

Improveindustrialprocessesonnearbyfarmsandindustries.

Createcommunityandhomegardensforfoodproductionandtocreatehabitat.

BearinCagebyGanKhoonLayfromtheNounProjectMicroscopebyAksharPathakfromtheNounProjectWheatbyAleksandrVectorfromtheNoundProject