SEEd Climate Change
Assessment
This assessment was adapted from a Utah Science Core Guides assessment exemplar. Standard: 8.4.4 Analyze and interpret data on the factors that change global temperatures and their effects on regional climates. Examples of factors could include agricultural activity, changes in solar radiation, fossil fuel use, or volcanic activity. Examples of data could include graphs of the atmospheric levels of gases, seawater levels, ice cap coverage, human activities, or maps of global and regional temperatures. (ESS3.D) Phenomenon A constantly moving shoreline ![Two satellite images of the Great Salt Lake. The one on the left shows a much fuller lake.]320 Proficient Student Explanation of Phenomenon: Climate changes, especially increasing temperature, have caused significant water loss through evaporation in Great Salt Lake. With the addition of low precipitation and increased human water usage over the years, Great Salt Lake lost tremendous amount of water and this caused changes to the shorelines. Resources Original SEEd Assessment Exemplar 8.4.4
The Great Salt Lake is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere. There are two main water sources flowing into Great Salt Lake: precipitation and inflow from rivers. Precipitation changes the water level dramatically. The water level can fall during dry years and rise during wet years. A few consecutive years of below- or above-average precipitation can produce noticeable changes. Every year, people living in the region divert 3.3 trillion liters of water and more, not from the lake itself, but from the handful of streams feeding it. Humans are triggering the decline by consuming streamwater before it reaches to the lake.
Topics and standards: Climate Change, Earth Science, MS-ESS3-5, ESS3.D, Analyzing & Interpreting Data, Stability & Change, Grades 6-8, 3D Science Tasks, Climate & Global Change, 8.4.4, Hosted Utah SEEd, 6-ESS2-6, Assessment, 3.3.6-8.O