Climate Change Escape Room Challenge

What To Do

Introduction

• Using the presentation, define climate and weather. 
• Discuss some of the effects of climate change.
• Discuss human activities that increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Explain how greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.

The Challenge

Your community would like to purchase solar panels to reduce the amount of fossil fuels your community uses and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You will be given the amount of money you need to purchase the solar panels if you can escape from this room. The only way to unlock to door and escape is to solve a series of challenges related to climate change. Each challenge will give you one part of the combination. You have less than an hour to complete the four challenges!

• Before completing each challenge, read the information sheet and instructions to be sure you have the knowledge to do the challenge. You do not have to do the challenges in a specific order.
• After completing each activity, take a photo (for the matching game and puzzle) of your answers to the questions/riddle, and bring them to the screen to show the volunteers.
• If your answers are complete/correct, the volunteers will instruct your teacher to give you the code for the completed activity and the order of the code. Be sure to write it down! (The code can be found on page 3 of the Climate Change Escape Room Activity Guide)
• Once you have the 6 digit code, chat directly to the volunteers what the final 6 digit code is. If you are correct, you win the cheque and can purchase the solar panels for your community!
• For virtual learners: put the link to the virtual escape room in the chat. 

Activity 1: Climate Change and Permafrost

• Students will read the information sheet on permafrost.
• They will shuffle the playing cards and lay them (face down) on a table or desk. Virtual link: Vocabulary Memory Match Game Link
• They will flip two cards at a time to see if they match.
  • If the two cards do not match, flip both of them back over and flip two more over until you find a matching pair.
  • If the two cards match, put the two cards to the side together.
• Students will continue matching the pairs until you successfully match all of the cards. The teacher will check all your matches and give them the first two digits of the code.

Activity 2: Climate Change and Thermal Expansion

• Students will read the information sheet on thermal expansion.
• They will watch the video on the Thermal Expansion of Water: Demonstration and Explanation
• Students will solve the riddle below:
  • I am caused by rising temperatures that cause thermal expansion. What am I? (Hint: 3 words, 12 letters).
• If their answer is correct, the teacher will give them the next single digit of the code.

Activity 3: Climate Change and Disease Vectors

• Students will put together the Climate Change and Disease Vectors Jigsaw Puzzle and answer the following question:
  • From the maps, how is climate change predicted to affect the range of black-legged ticks over time?
• They will read the following article on Lime Disease Under Climate Change.
• After reading the article and answering the question, the teacher will give them the next single digit of the code. 

Activity 4: Climate Change and Forests

• Students will read and analyze the data from the information sheet on forests. 
• They will decide if the following statements are true or false:
  • Forests act like a carbon sink (storage of carbon) but deforestation helps keep the carbon away from the atmosphere. (T or F)
  • Only the annual area burned is expected to increase in Canada if continued emissions increase. The number of large fires is expected to stay the same. (T or F)
  • The Boreal Zone is greatly affected by forest fires and could continue to be affected in the future. (T or F)
• After answering the questions, the teacher will give them the last two digits of the code.

Wrap-up

• Discuss the effects of climate change and ways to reduce the effects of climate change.
• Discuss possible careers related to the topics covered and what students would need to do (schooling, experience, etc.) to get into those careers.