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Venus Unveiled

Classroom Activity

Objective
To debate the validity of predictions about the greenhouse effect.

• copy of "How Warm Is Too Warm?" student handout (PDF or HTML)

1. As students have observed in this program, using data to create models of past or to predict future events is a difficult process. Use the "How Warm Is Too Warm?" student handout to focus a class debate. Distribute the student handout and divide the class into teams.

2. Assign each team one side of the argument. Give students time to gather information from outside resources to support their arguments.

3. After discussing the issues, review the challenges the scientists face in this program as they try to determine the process by which Venus loses heat. How do these scientists use data about present conditions to extrapolate into the future (or the past)? What variables make it difficult to make precise conclusions?

The debate in class will be influenced by the information students can gather about possible greenhouse scenarios and by news reports or other sources of information about global warming. As students debate, they should realize that the controversy in not about whether that planet is actually warming—this trend is proven. The controversy arises in discussions of how warm the planet will become, how quickly warming will occur, and the possible results of such a warming trend. After the debate, review the influences, assumptions, and interpretations of data that affected students' opinions.