4/6 Increasing Greenhouse Gases (GHG) - Ryan Beeler | Library

Greenhouse Effect Simulation
Materials:
● 50 yellow puffballs for each group of 4 students
● Container for puffballs
● File folders cut into 1/4ths
● Cup
● 3x5 index cards (2 for each group)
Procedure:
Puffballs and index cards go one side of the table with 2 students. The cup goes on the other side of the table with the other 2 students.
Fold the index cards in half (hamburger style) to make a ramp.
Place 5 file folders evenly spaced apart in between the two groups of students.
Students should practice flicking the puff balls OVER the file folders. They should try to get the puffball to land on the table on the other side of the file folders. Let all group members practice getting the puffballs onto the other side.
After your teacher tells you to stop practicing, the students with the puffballs will start flicking the puffballs over. You should only grab from the container of puffballs. You cannot re-flick puffballs that didn’t make it over.
The students on the receiving end will ignore all the puffballs except the ones that land on the table. If a puffball lands on the table, the students will try to flick it through the file folders to the other side. If it makes it, they do nothing. If it does not and bounces off the file folder, the student must place it in the cup.
A few notes: Students should flick back the puff balls from where they land. You should not move the puffball to make a better shot through the folders. You should also only flick the puffball once. You cannot “dribble” the puffball to put it in a better position.
This continues until the flicking side finishes their container of puffballs.
After the flickers finish flicking their puffballs out of the container, record the number of puffballs collected by the other side in the cup.
Reset the setup. Students switch roles and repeat steps 5-8.
Reset the setup and switch roles again.
This time and add 3 more file folders to make a total of 8. These should be set up so they are evenly spaced apart.
Repeat steps 5-9.
Add up the total number of puffballs collected in the cups for 5 file folders and the 8 file folders.

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Upload data table here.

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Match the model with its role.

Draggable item		Corresponding Item
Students flicking puffball		Sun
Puffballs		Radiation from sun (UV or IR)
Students on other side of folder		Earth
File Folder		Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

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Looking at the class data, summarize the results.

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Why is the greenhouse effect global in its impact?

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Why does carbon dioxide (CO2) have such a big influence on Earth's climate?

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List 2 main sources of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.

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How are greenhouse gases driving climate change?

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Increased methane in the atmosphere has resulted in part from more livestock being raised for meat and more rice paddies being cultivated around the world. How does your diet have an impact on global climate?