oceanservice.noaa.gov 28

Climate Science Literacy means understanding 

how you affect climate and 

how climate affects you and 

the society in which you live.

Why is Climate Science 

Literacy important? Because 

in the last 100 years, Earth’s 

average global temperature 

increased more rapidly 

than at any other time in 

the last 10,000 years. In 

the 21st century, climate 

scientists expect temperature 

will continue to increase, 

probably even more than 

it did during the 20th 

century. Increasing global 

temperature is causing 

sea level to rise, and heat 

waves, droughts, and floods 

to become more frequent 

and intense. These changes 

will affect almost every aspect of human society, including 

economic prosperity, human and environmental health, and 

national security.

Scientific evidence indicates that human activities are the 

primary cause of the ongoing global temperature increase. 

Climate Science Literacy makes it possible for humans to take 

actions that can reduce climate change and its impacts.

A climate-literate person:

• Understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system;

• Knows how to assess scientifically credible information about 

climate;

• Communicates about climate and climate change in a 

meaningful way; and

• Is able to make informed and responsible decisions with regard 

to actions that may affect climate.

Activity 8: Are You Climate Literate?

What You Will Do: Play the Essential Principles Challenge

Home screen from PrinciplesChallenge.pptx file.

What You Will Need

Copies of Essential Principles Challenge 

Cards (pages 33 and 34)

Glue (spray glue or rubber cement is 

best)

Scissors

(Optional) desk bells or buzzer (see 

Step 6)

(Optional) Copy of the Essential 

Principles Challenge PowerPoint® 

file (PrinciplesChallenge.

ppt) downloaded from 

[oceanservice.noaa.gov/

education/discoverclimate/

areyouclimateliterate.ppt]

(Optional ) Computer with Microsoft 

PowerPoint® installed

(Optional) One or more partners to play 

the game

Big Idea

A climate-literate person 

understands the essential principles 

of Earth’s climate system. 

Discover Your Changing World with NOAA
29 Steps to Climate Literacy: A climate-literate person understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system.

8. Are You Climate Literate?

How It Works

The Essential Principles Challenge is a game based 

on “Climate Literacy—The Essential Principles of 

Climate Sciences,” which can be downloaded from 

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/literacy.html. 

The game can be played with the cards included in 

this activity, or as a PowerPoint®-based game that 

is somewhat similar to the television game show 

“Jeopardy.” If you are familiar with the PowerPoint® 

program, you can change the question and answer 

slides to make your own version of the game.

Some of the answers to Challenge questions can be 

found in this activity book, and all of them can be 

found in “Climate Literacy – The Essential Principles 

of Climate Sciences.” Each of the answer cards and 

slides includes Web addresses where additional 

information can be found.

How to Do It

To play the Essential Principles Challenge with the 

cards included in this activity:

1. Glue the first two pages of the Essential Principles 

Challenge Cards back-to-back so that the 10 point 

“Climate System” question card is exactly behind 

the 10 point “Climate System” Answer card. Cut 

the cards apart along the dotted lines.

2. Glue the remaining two pages of the Essential 

Principles Challenge Cards back-to-back so that 

the 10 point “Effects of Climate Change” question 

card is exactly behind the 10 point “Effects of 
oceanservice.noaa.gov 30

Discover Your Changing World with NOAA

Climate Change” Answer card. Cut the cards apart 

along the dotted lines.

3. Arrange the cards so that the question sides are 

all facing up. Shuffle the cards.

4. If you are playing alone, read the question printed 

on each card, and decide on your answer. Look at 

the Answer side of the card to find out whether 

you are correct. Each correct answer is worth the 

number of points indicated on the card. Write 

down the number of points you earn for each 

card, and add these numbers when you have 

looked at all of the cards. Repeat this step to see if 

you can improve your score.

5. If you are playing with one or two partners, 

take turns drawing the top card and stating the 

answer. Use the Answer side of the card to decide 

whether a player’s statements are correct, and 

how many points the player receives. When all of 

the cards have been read, add the points earned 

by each player to decide a winner.

6. You can also use these cards for a College Bowl 

type of competition between several players or 

several teams of players. For this version of the 

game, one person is the Host, and each player or 

team has a desk bell or buzzer. To begin the game, 

the Host reads a Question card and the first player 

or team to hit their bell or buzzer gets a chance 

to state the answer. If the answer is correct, the 

player or teams receives the number of points 

shown on the card. If the answer is not correct, the 

team that was second to hit their bell or buzzer 

gets a chance to answer. If no one provides a 

correct answer, no points are awarded and 

the host moves on to the next card. This process 

continues until all of the cards have been used. 

The player or team with the greatest number of 

points is the winner!

To play the Essential Principles Challenge as a 

PowerPoint®-based game:

1. Open the PrinciplesChallenge.ppt file in Microsoft 

PowerPoint®, and select “View Slide Show” from 

the “Slide Show” drop-down menu.

2. You will see the Home screen, which has three 

columns labeled “Climate System,” “Causes of 

Change,” and “Effects of Change.” In each column 

there are eight boxes labeled with a certain 

number of points. When you click on one of these 

labels, a new screen will appear with a question, 

a box labeled “ANSWER” in the lower right corner, 

and another box with a rewind icon in the lower 

left corner. If you click on the ‘ANSWER” button 

a new screen will appear with the answer to the 

question. Clicking on the rewind icon will return 

to the Home screen. The ANSWER screens also 

have a rewind icon.

3. Before beginning a game, players should choose 

one of the following rules for when the game will 

end:

a. When all of the questions have been answered; 

OR

b. When each player has answered a certain 

number of questions from each column: OR

c. When a certain amount of time has passed 

since the game started.

4. To play the game, players take turns choosing a 

question from one of the three columns on the 

Home screen. One player serves as scorekeeper, 

and records the number of points each player 

receives for a correct answer. The object of the 

game is to accumulate the greatest number of 

points. When the game ends according to the rule 

agreed upon in Step 3, the scorekeeper adds up 

the points earned by each player to decide the 

winner.

Note: Mention of commercial products 

or trade names does not imply 

endorsement by NOAA.

A CLIMATE-ORIENTED APPROACH 

FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES

Climate Literacy

The Essential Principles 

of Climate Sciences

A Guide for Individuals and Communities

Second Version: March 2009

www.climatescience.gov
31

8. Are You Climate Literate?

Steps to Climate Literacy: A climate-literate person understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system. True or False: The greenhouse effect is an abnormal condition caused

by human activity.

Climate System Climate System Climate System

Climate System Climate System Climate SystemClimate System Climate System Climate SystemClimate System Causes of Climate Change Causes of Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

The primary source of energy

for Earth’s climate system

is _____

Sunlight that reaches Earth

may be reflected by

When Earth emits the same

amount of energy as it

absorbs, what happens

to Earth’s average temperature?

When Earth emits the same

amount of energy as it

absorbs, Earth’s energy

budget is ______

10 20 30

50 40 60

70 80 90

100 10 20

30 40 50

The annual cycle of seasons

on Earth is the result of _____

How much of Earth’s surface

is covered by its ocean?

The minute-by-minute

variable condition of the

atmosphere on a local

scale is called ___

What results from interactions

that involve the Sun and

Earth’s ocean, atmosphere,

clouds, ice, land, and life?

Earth’s systems are connected,

and a change in one system

can influence the entire system.

What do we call interactions that

amplify the effects of change?

A significant increase or decrease

in the Sun’s energy output will

cause Earth to warm or cool.

What do satellite measurements

over the past 30 years show

about the Sun’s energy output?

What determines the amount

of solar energy absorbed

or radiated by Earth?

Which is NOT a greenhouse gas:

Water vapor

Carbon dioxide

Methane, or Oxygen

Do small increases in

carbon dioxide concentration

in Earth’s atmosphere make

much difference to the

climate system?

How do deforestation and

burning fossil fuels affect the

amount of carbon in the

atmosphere?
oceanservice.noaa.gov 32

Discover Your Changing World with NOAA Effects of Climate Change Effects of Climate Change Effects of Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

What happens to organisms

that are exposed to climate

conditions outside their

normal range?

What does evidence from

tree rings and scientific

observations suggest about

Earth’s present average

temperature?

How is increasing atmospheric

carbon dioxide affecting

Earth’s ocean?

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Widespread burning of fossil

fuels has increased the

concentration of ______

in the atmosphere.

Do scientists and economists

predict that there will be

positive changes from global

climate change?

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

How does global climate

change affect fresh water

resources?

Effects of

Climate Change

How may climate change

affect human communities?

What changes in Earth’s

ocean may be caused

by melting ice sheets

and glaciers?

How is weather predicted to

change as a result of

global climate change?

How do airborne particulates

(aerosols) affect Earth’s

energy balance?

Over the last one million years,

what caused the cycles of

ice ages and warmer

periods between them?

What natural processes reduce

the amount of carbon in

Earth’s atmosphere?

How can life affect

Earth’s climate?

How long may greenhouse

gases remain in Earth’s

atmosphere?

10 20 30

50 40 60

70 80 90

100 60 70

80 90 100

The overwhelming consensus

of scientific studies on climate

indicates that most of the

observed increase in global

average temperatures in the

last 30 years is due to ___
33

8. Are You Climate Literate?

Steps to Climate Literacy: A climate-literate person understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system.

Oxygen

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/basics/

today/greenhouse-gases.html

Deforestation and burning

fossil fuels increase the

abundance of carbon in

the atmosphere

http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

Yes; small increases in

carbon dioxide concentration

have a large effect on the

climate system

education.usgs.gov/

lessons/gases.pdf

The composition of Earth’s

atmosphere

http://pa.gov/

climatechange/students/basics/

today/greenhouse-effect.html

Changes in the Sun’s energy

output are too small to cause

recent warming on Earth

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

scientists/ruled-out.html#one

Positive feedback loops

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

basics/today/

greenhouse-gases.html

False

The greenhouse effect is a natural

phenomenon that keeps Earth’s

surface at a temperature

favorable to living organisms.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/

students/basics/today/

greenhouse-effect.html

Weather

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

basics/concepts.html

Climate System Climate System Climate System

Climate System Climate System Climate SystemClimate System Climate System Climate System

Climate System Causes of Climate Change Causes of Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

The average temperature

remains stable (stays the same)

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/

earthguide/diagrams/

energybalance/

Earth’s surface, clouds, and ice

http://www.ipcc.ch/

publications_and_data/

ar4/wg1/en/faq-1-1.html

The Sun

http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

70%

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/

education/pd/

oceans_weather_climate/

welcome.html

answer - 20 answer - 10 answer - 30

answer - 50 answer - 40 answer - 60

answer - 80 answer - 70

answer - 100

answer - 90

answer - 20

answer - 40 answer - 30 answer - 50

The tilt of Earth’s axis

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/

answer - 10

fsd/?n=season

In balance

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/

earthguide/diagrams/

energybalance/

Earth’s climate

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

basics/concepts.html
oceanservice.noaa.gov 34

Discover Your Changing World with NOAA Effects of Climate Change Effects of Climate Change Effects of Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Causes of

Climate Change

Increased dissolved carbon

dioxide is causing the ocean to

become more acidic.

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/signs/acidity.html

Earth’s average temperature is

warmer than it has been for

at least the past 1,300 years

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/signs/temperature.html

The organisms will adapt,

migrate, or die

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/effects/ecosystems.html

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Both positive and negative

changes are predicted, but

negative impacts are likely to be

greater than positive impacts.

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/effects/index.html

Greenhouse gases

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

basics/today/index.html

Human activities, primarily

burning fossil fuels

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

basics/index.html

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Effects of

Climate Change

Strong storms, heat waves, and 

changes in precipitation

patterns are predicted to

increase in many locations

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/signs/index.html

Effects of

Climate Change

Human communities may face

increased risks from violent

weather, changes in food & water

supplies,and infectious diseases

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/effects/index.html

Sea level will rise, and

changing temperatures may

affect large current systems

in Earth’s ocean

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/signs/glaciers.html

Changing precipitation patterns

and temperatures will reduce

access to fresh water for many

people. Winter snow and glaciers

that provide water are declining.

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/

impacts/effects/water.html

Airborne particulates cause

cooling by reflecting sunlight,

and also cause warming by

absorbing and releasing heat

energy in the atmosphere

http://epa.gov/climatechange/

science/causes.html

Ice ages are caused by

gradual changes in Earth’s

rotation and orbit around the Sun

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/

education/pd/climate/

factsheets/whatcause.pdf

Greenhouse gases may remain in

Earth’s atmosphere for

hundreds of years.

http://epa.gov/climatechange/

science/future.html

By changing the chemical

makeup of the atmosphere

www.nsf.gov/news/

nsf09202/nsf09202_life.pdf

Accumulation of marine

sediments and accumulation

of plant biomass

http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/students/basics/

today/carbon-dioxide.html

answer - 20 answer - 10 answer - 30

answer - 50 answer - 40 answer - 60

answer - 80

answer - 60

answer - 70

answer - 80

answer - 70 answer - 100

answer - 100

answer - 90

answer - 90