Story: Rising Arctic Temperatures Lead To Global Environmental Changes, 11/10/04
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec04/arctic_11-10.html

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What conclusion did a recent Arctic report come to? What are some consequences according to the report?

2. Why are the findings controversial?

3. Which group created the report? Who are there members and participants?

4. The report showed rising temperatures in the Arctic region. How might these changes impact the rest of the world?

5. How might Arctic young people be impacted by these environmental changes? Why is this important to anyone living outside the area?

6. According to the report, what is causing this increased warming?

7. What are some positive impacts according to the report?

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1.Do you agree with the following quote, why or why not? Should we be concerned about the environmental changes in the Arctic area? Explain your reasoning.

"Global warming connects us all," Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a Canadian Inuit who chairs the Inuit Circumpolar Council, told the Los Angeles Times. "The Arctic is the world's health barometer, and the Inuit are the mercury in that barometer."

2. The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment did not make specific policy recommendations. They will be released on November 24. Pretend that you are one of the Arctic Council members. Which country are you and what are your policy recommendations concerning this report? How might your policy recommendations be different if you were a different country? Why?

3. Research the average winter temperatures in your community over the last 100 years. Do you see any patterns? What might they mean?

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org]. Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.