Statement of Dr. James Hansen to Congress - 1988
Provided by: United States Senate|Published on: October 10, 2023
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Scientific Reports
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, English Language Arts
Authors: United States Senate, Dr. James Hansen, Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Region: North America, USA - Northeast, United States, Global, Washington D.C.
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This is a transcribed verbal statement Doctor James Hansen made to Congress regarding global warming.
- The statement is one section of a larger report prepared as a transcript of a hearing in front of the Committee On Energy And Natural Resources.
- The hearing was the first session on the greenhouse effect and global climate change.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Useful in a lesson or unit about primary sources, this transcribed statement proves that information regarding global warming has been acknowledged since, at least, 1988.
- This document will be an excellent starting point for a discussion about the history behind the science of studying climate change.
- The report predicts the extreme weather events of today as a direct result of the greenhouse effect.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have prior knowledge of global warming and climate change.
- The report contains rigorous vocabulary. Teachers may wish to provide a definition list as extra support.
- Information is presented as a small portion of a much larger document, so teachers should closely monitor to ensure student focus.
- "Viewgraphs" and "figures" that are mentioned are located further in the document and not included in this verbal statement.
Differentiation
- Since the information is presented methodically, with clearly delineated topics, teachers can assign sections of the transcript to small groups, then conduct a round robin discussion of verbal summaries.
- Connections can be made in math and statistics classes when learning about data analysis.
- Educators who teach annotations will find this document helpful since the resource can be downloaded. After downloading, students will be able to annotate either individually, or as a small-group jigsaw activity.
The US Senate has helped to pass laws that could reduce greenhouse gases since 1988, and this resource includes scientific proof of climate change. This resource offers background data on particular industries that contribute to climate change and planning tools for strategically implementing legislative changes to address the global warming challenge. Educators should use this resource in class.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
