NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this bell ringer activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
Extreme heat is becoming a dangerous new normal that brings with it a number of health risks. From severe burns to accelerated aging, the effects of long periods of high temperatures on the human body are getting more attention in this time of rising climate change. Stephanie Sy reports from Phoenix, the epicenter of extreme heat in the United States, for our series, Tipping Point.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What are the health risks from a heat wave?
- Where is the heat wave occurring?
- Who is Robert Woolley and what happened to him?
- How are people protecting themselves from the heat?
- When did the heatwave begin?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
- What would you do in this situation to protect yourself from the heat?
- What can you do to avoid the heat and prevent sunburns?
Media literacy:
If you could interview someone about the topic of heatwaves, who would you choose?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Read this article (2023) about heatwaves and compare and contrast the heatwave in Europe to the heatwave in America.
- In which region are temperatures higher?
- What are citizens in each place doing to protect themselves?
Next, take a look at this lesson on inventing solutions to extreme heat situations.
Written by Payton Alfieri, PBS News Hour Classroom's intern and senior at Episcopal High School, and News Hour's Vic Pasquantonio.
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