By Elizabeth Antenucci

This blog will explore the intricacies of climate change through four hands-on activities and experiments for middle school students. Students will explore the fascinating world of greenhouse gases, air pollution, melting glacial ice, and the greenhouse effect.
1. Greenhouse Gas Edible Models
Get ready for an exciting journey into the world of greenhouse gases! This first hands-on activity will introduce students to various greenhouse gases, including their composition, origins, and impacts. Students will construct delicious methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and carbon dioxide models using toothpicks or cocktail sticks and colorful gummy sweets. But this isn’t just any sweet treat – each color-coded gummy represents a different atom, such as carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, oxygen, and fluorine. Guide your students by modeling the chemical structures of each greenhouse gas with your gummies. As they construct their miniature chemical structures, explain to them where each gas is released from and the negative impacts they have on our environment if released excessively. At the end of this activity, as your students eat their yummy creations, you can discuss a few simple ways that we can reduce carbon emissions. By the end of this activity, students will not only satisfy their sweet tooth but also leave with a deeper understanding of greenhouse gases and how they shape our planet.
2. Air Particle Experiment
Uncover the secrets of air pollution and particles with this second experiment! Students will delve into the question: does indoor or outdoor air have more particles? Using two labeled index cards for the two different areas, smear petroleum jelly or put double-sided invisible tape in the middle of each card. Air particles will land on the sticky areas. Have your students lay their “Indoor Area” card on an open, flat surface inside the classroom; lay their “Outdoor Area” card on a flat surface outside the classroom, securing it with a rock. After 6 or 7 days, your students will compare their two cards with a magnifying glass, noting differences. This experiment aims to enlighten middle schoolers on pollution and its impact on our environment, visually witnessing its effects.
3. Melting Glacial Ice
In this third activity, students will investigate the effects of water contact on melting ice and observe basic energy transfer. As climate change causes warmer temperatures to melt glaciers, the state of the glaciers becomes increasingly urgent. Students will simulate the interactions between water and ice. The materials needed for this activity are two identical plastic containers, ice cubes, room-temperature water, food coloring, and a timer. Students will first add an equal amount of colored ice cubes to each container and a small amount of water to one container. Next, they will time how long the ice cubes melt in each container. Students will eagerly observe the time and melting process as the countdown begins. Meanwhile, you can follow up with intriguing discussion questions, such as: what are the impacts of melting glaciers on Earth? Through this demonstration, students will learn the causes and effects of melting glaciers.
4. The Tale of Two Thermometers
In this last outdoor experiment, students will learn how certain materials trap heat. They will test what happens to the temperature of a covered glass container on a sunny day, mirroring the greenhouse effect. You must use two thermometers, a clear jar, plastic wrap, and a recording sheet. First, students will lay both thermometers for a few minutes outside and record the temperatures and time. Next comes the exciting part: they will cover one of the thermometers with plastic wrap and place it inside the jar. Then, they will place both thermometers back outside and record the temperatures every 5-10 minutes. Throughout the experiment, students will witness the greenhouse effect and gain a deeper understanding of how greenhouse gases shape our planet’s temperature.
In conclusion, these four hands-on activities equip middle school students with a deeper understanding of the science behind climate change. Students are not only more informed but also inspired to take action towards a more sustainable future.
Do you want more resources on the topic of climate change? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of searchable STEM resources by category, school level, and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships, and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.
Middle School is where students are transformed, entering as children and emerging as young adults. Project-based learning enrichment helps students connect the dots between STEM and real life, making math and science relevant for them and keeping them engaged and interested. With a meaningful middle school experience, students are far more likely to focus on STEM disciplines in high school and beyond. To start your 6-8 middle school chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.