Alaska Wildfires and

6.B Compare graphs and charts depicting a changing climate in Alaska looking for similarities and differences to determine that trend lines and patterns across Alaskan claims are caused by increasing temperatures.

6.B Compare graphs and charts depicting a changing climate in Alaska looking for similarities and differences to determine that trend lines and patterns across Alaskan claims are caused by increasing temperatures.

• Increasing wildfires can be partially attributed to the decrease in precipitation.
• The increase in temperatures contributes to the increase in wildfires, changes in precipitation, and decreases in sea ice age and amount.
• The drier than normal conditions in Alaska contribute to wildfires increasing and can be explained by decreasing precipitation.
• The two sets of claims are related. The changes seen are all caused by increasing temperatures.

• This handout is meant as a formative assessment before Alaska Wildfires and Sea Ice.
• If students are not making the connections above, touch base with the student(s) at the beginning of the next class period. Ask students if any of the graphs are related and then how those graphs would also be related to any of the data from the other claims.
• Focus on the temperature graph as a causal mechanism, and ask students if the increase in temperatures would contribute to any of the other changing graphs and how the increase in temperatures would cause those changes to occur.

Alternatively, another strategy would be to cut out each graph and lay them next to each other in a partnering fashion. Ask students if the graphs are similar or share a trend line or relationship. This can help students see patterns of change across multiple graphs.