ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Teacher’s Guide
Connecting the Dots of Climate Change and Health: An Interactive Computer Lab
Incorporated Minnesota Standards:
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7.1.3.4.1
8.1.1.2.1
8.1.3.4.1
8.3.4.1.2
Description:
This lab incorporates the use of the Minnesota Public Health Data Access found on the Minnesota Department
of Health website at: https://apps.health.state.mn.us/mndata.
This lab guides students through the website in order to study data and draw inferences and conclusions
regarding the connection between climate change in Minnesota and human health. The lab focuses specifically
on how an increase in heat waves due to climate change can increase the number of heat-related illnesses as
well as aggravate asthma in individuals.
Students are asked a variety of questions ranging from data-competency to hypothesis generation.
The lab consists of three sections:
1. Pre-lab activity
2. In-class computer lab activity broken down into two parts
3. Post-lab activity
Goals:
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Understand the connection between climate change in Minnesota and human health, specifically heatrelated illnesses and asthma
Understand high-level data that is presented in several ways and consists of multiple variables
Understand several epidemiological concepts such as “per 100,000” and “age-adjusted”
Grade Level: 8
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Climate & Health Program
PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Time Needed:
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Pre-lab activity – 45 minutes
Computer lab activity
o Part A: 1 hour
o Part B: 1 hour
Post-lab activity – 45 minutes
Materials Needed:
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A computer for every 1 to 3 students
Adaptations:
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Students may work in small groups up to 3
Students may complete the pre-lab and post-lab activities as homework
May adapt the lab to use as a group lecture. Students may answer questions orally instead of in writing.
Post-lab activity could use an inquiry-based approach. After becoming more familiar with the data,
students could be asked to generate their own question and then investigate the data that is relevant to
form their own claims (using a claims-evidence-reasoning approach). Student groups can work on
different questions and present their findings to the class and provide the supporting evidence. This
approach is supported by the English Language Arts standards, especially the section called Literacy
Standards in Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects.
Answer Key:
Provided below
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Connecting the Dots of Climate Change and Health
Background Information:
Climate change is occurring throughout the world. Right here in Minnesota, climate change will
likely cause average temperatures to increase. Therefore, scientists predict milder winters and
hotter summers. Specifically, the number of extreme heat events during the summer will likely
increase. An extreme heat event is a period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and humid
weather that lasts two or more days. Note that what is considered hot depends on the area. For
example, what would be hot for Minnesotans would not be considered hot for those in Arizona.
Another term for an extreme heat event is a heat wave.
During a heat wave, high temperatures and high humidity can lead to several human health
problems. For example, heat waves in Minnesota may lead to an increase in heat-related
illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. A person with heat exhaustion has one or
more of the following symptoms:
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Heavy sweating
Weakness
Rapid breathing
Dizziness
Nausea
Muscle cramps
Headaches
Heat stroke is more severe than heat exhaustion. It usually occurs when the internal body
temperature rises above 104°F. Heat stroke can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Heat waves can also make asthma worse. Asthma is a disease that affects people’s lungs and
makes it difficult to breath. Air pollution, allergens, heavy exercise, and certain weather
conditions can trigger an asthma attack. Heat waves are especially likely to make asthma worse
for three reasons:
1. The intense heat makes the body work harder to cool itself down, especially in young
children and older adults. (You need to sweat more!)
2. The high humidity makes it difficult for the body to cool itself since sweat does not
evaporate off of the skin as easily. (Hence the “sticky” feeling when it’s humid out.)
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
3. High temperatures also increase ozone levels in the air. Ozone is a gas made up of three
atoms of oxygen bonded together. Ozone high in the atmosphere protects the Earth
from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. However, close to earth, ozone is a
pollutant created from other pollutants that react with each other. During a heat wave,
high temperatures increase the amount of ozone close to earth. This increase in ozone
levels can make asthma worse.
As you can see, climate change begins a chain of events similar to the way dominos fall in a line.
Take a look at the flow chart below to see a summary of how climate change in Minnesota can
affect heat-related illnesses.
Figure 1. How climate change in Minnesota can affect heat-related illnesses
In this lab, you will analyze several maps and graphs related to asthma and heat-related
illnesses in Minnesota. While you are looking at the data, keep in mind the effect that climate
change might have on these results.
Questions that need a written response are in RED.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Pre-Lab Exercise -- Map of Extreme Heat Events:
We will first look at a map that shows the history of extreme heat events in Minnesota from
1995 – 2012.
Refer to the map on the next page to answer the following questions:
1. What county do you live in?
2. Locate your county on the map and circle it. How many extreme heat events were
counted between 1995 and 2012?
Students should write down a range of the number of extreme heat events, not a single
number.
3. Describe any patterns you see on the map. Write down two reasons why these patterns
might exist. Hint: one concept that may be helpful in answering this question is the urban
heat island effect. Click on this link to learn more:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/urban-heatisland/?ar_a=1
The number of declared extreme heat events increases as you move from north to south.
Additonally, the metro area demonstrates the highest category of declared extreme heat
events. One reason for more extreme heat events in this area is that southern Minnesota is
warmer in general. However, the main reason is because of the urban heat island effect.
Cities are usually warmer because impervious surfaces (such as concrete) soak up heat
during the day and release the heat at night. This causes urban areas to be warmer than
nearby rural areas. Increasing the amount of plants and trees in a city can help to decrease
the urban heat island effect.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Figure 2. Number of Extreme Heat Events in Minnesota by County from 1995 to 2012
Data Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), 2013.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Computer Lab Part A: Asthma
1. Copy and paste the link below into a web browser:
https://apps.health.state.mn.us/mndata
This link will bring you to a website called: Minnesota Public Health Data Access. Here, you
will be able to find information and data about the health of Minnesotans. Today, we will
focus on two health issues: asthma and heat-related illness.
2. Under the Topics A to Z tab, click on Asthma.
3. Click on Map the Data at the top of the page. A box will come up that will give you
information about asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota. You do not need to read this.
Simply click Next and then Done.
4. Look at the map on the left. As the title states, this is a map of the rate of asthma
hospitalizations broken down by county from 2009 to 2011. Notice how different shades of
GREEN represent different rates of hospitalizations. Remember that a rate compares two
numbers (such as 15 miles per hour or $3.50 per 1 gallon of gas). In this case, the rate
describes the number of asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 people.
5. Note that the legend says: “age-adjusted rates per 10,000”. “Per 10,000” means for
example, in Ramsey County, there were 9.0 asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 people in
Ramsey County. In other words, nine people out of every 10,000 people were hospitalized
because of asthma in Ramsey County.
6. Place the curser over the county where you live. How many people were hospitalized
because of asthma in your county? Hint: this is also called the “count”.
__________
7. What is the rate of asthma hospitalizations for your county? Hint: this is also called the
“age-adjusted rate”.
__________ per 10,000
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
8. Many times, scientists refer to a rate as an “age adjusted rate”. When a rate is ageadjusted, this means age no longer affects the data. For example, some counties have more
65-year-olds while other counties have more 20-year-olds. Since asthma affects people who
are 65 differently than people who are 20, we carry out additional math equations to adjust
the data so that age is no longer a factor.
9. Compare and contrast the rate of asthma hospitalizations in your county to the other
Minnesota counties. Is the rate in your county generally higher, lower, or the same as
other counties? Why do you think that is?
Students should understand that there is quite a bit of variation throughout the state.
Therefore, students’ Home Counties may exhibit higher, lower, or the same rates as
surrounding counties. This variation of asthma hospitalization rates may be due to several
factors, such as race/ethnicity, living conditions, health status, household income, access to
a hospital or clinic and proximity to the metro area (there tends to be more air pollution
near the Metro area, which can worsen asthma in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and surrounding
cities). Students might also make the connection between higher numbers of extreme heat
events near the Metro area (from the pre-lab activity) and higher asthma hospitalization
rates in the Metro areas.
10. It is important to look at the rate of asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota as a whole.
What is the overall rate for asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota? Hint: Look at the table
on the right.
___6.8___per 100,000
11. Is the rate for your county higher, lower, or the same as the overall rate for Minnesota?
12. Climate change can make asthma much worse. If Minnesota’s climate becomes warmer
over time, what do you think will happen to the rate of asthma hospitalizations in
Minnesota? Explain.
If the climate becomes warmer, summer temperatures will be more intense with more
extreme heat events, which will likely increase the rate of asthma hospitalizations in
Minnesota. This is because hot and humid weather can make it very difficult for individuals
with asthma to breath. In addition, a warmer climate would likely increase air pollution,
which would also negatively affect asthma.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Computer Lab Part B: Heat-Related Illness
13. We will now investigate heat waves in Minnesota. Return to the Minnesota Public Health
Data Access homepage by clicking on Home & Topics in the upper left corner.
14. Under the Topics A to Z tab, scroll down and click on Heat-Related Illness.
15. At the top of the page, click on Facts & Figures.
16. Click on the first link titled Heat-related illness hospitalizations.
(Adaptations: provide direct link for teacher’s guide)
17. Scroll down until you see the first graph titled Heat-related illness hospitalizations and
temperatures by year in Minnesota.
18. Take some time to study the graph. Notice that there are two trend lines. The ORANGE line
represents the average summer temperature, and it corresponds to the LEFT Y axis. The
PURPLE line represents the rate of hospitalizations due to heat-related illness, and it
corresponds to the RIGHT Y axis.
Similar to the map of the asthma hospitalizations from above, scientists used an ageadjusted rate. Also, note that the scientists used “per 100,000” instead of “per 10,000” like
before.
For example, a rate of 3.41 per 100,000 means that 3.41 people out of every 100,000
people were hospitalized because of heat-related illnesses.
19. What is the age-adjusted rate of heat-related illnesses for the year 2011? Hint: place your
cursor on the data point you are interested in and the rate number will pop up!
___2.46___per 100,000
20. Compare and contrast the orange and purple trend lines. What pattern(s) do you see?
As the temperature increases, the rate of heat-related illness hospitalizations also increases.
As the temperature decreases, the rate also decreases. The data show a connection between
temperature and heat-related illness. However, the data does NOT prove that temperature
directly causes an increase or decrease in hospitalizations, only that they are somehow
related.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
21. On the same webpage, scroll down further until you reach a graph titled Heat-related
illness hospitalizations by age and sex in Minnesota.
22. What kind of graph is shown here?
Bar Graph
23. This time, scientists calculated an age-specific rate. This means that the overall rates that
you saw in the graph from Steps 15 to 19 were broken down in two ways: first by AGE and
then broken down further by GENDER.
For example, the age-specific rate for heat-related illness hospitalizations for females, ages
65+, was 3.1 per 100,000. This means that for every 100,000 females 65 years and older, 3.1
of them were hospitalized due to a heat-related illness.
You may be thinking: “How can there be 3.1 people instead of just 3?” Remember, scientists
used division to calculate the rates. Therefore, the rates might not be nice, even numbers
like we might want. Another way to think about 3.1 per 100,000 is to think that “a little
more that 3 out of every 100,000 people were hospitalized for a heat-related illness.”
24. What is the age-specific rate for males, ages 15-34? Hint: place your curser on the bar that
you’re interested in and the rate number will pop up!
___1.29___per 100,000
25. Let’s compare and contrast the rates for different age categories and for different
genders:
a. Which age category has the highest rate in both males and females?
65+
Why do you think this age group has the highest rate of heat-related illness
hospitalizations?
The elderly tend to be more sensitive to heat, since their bodies cannot cool
themselves as efficiently. Also, they might have other conditions, such cancer or
diabetes, which make them more sensitive to heat.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
b. Looking at all of the age groups, do males or females generally have higher rates?
Males
Why do you think this gender has a higher rate of heat-related hospitalizations?
One reason may be that more males than females have outdoor jobs as construction
workers, farmers, etc. Therefore, more males might be exposed to high heat during
the summer months and are more likely to suffer from heat-related illnesses.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Post-Lab Exercise:
1. You have seen data on asthma, heat-related illness, average temperatures, and number of
extreme heat events. Write a short paragraph describing how climate change affects
asthma and heat-related illness in Minnesota.
Students should demonstrate an understanding that climate change can lead to more
extreme weather events in Minnesota, particularly extreme heat events. As there are more
extreme heat events in Minnesota, more people may suffer from heat-related illnesses. In
addition, those with asthma will be negatively affected, especially since air pollution (such as
ozone) increases as a result of a warmer climate. Overall, students should understand that
climate change will not only affect the weather patterns, but will affect human health as
well.
2. What are three things you can do to keep yourself cool during the summer, especially
during a heat wave? Hint: here is a link to a tip sheet that may help you: Extreme Heat Tip
Sheet
Examples include the following: stand in the shade while outside; drink plenty of water; wear
light-colored clothing; wear a hat with a wide brim; stay inside where there is air
conditioning; use a personal fan and/or spray bottle while outside; and refrain from rigorous
physical activity while outside.
3. What are three things a person with asthma might do during a heat wave to prevent an
asthma attack?
Examples include the following: all those listed in #2 above; keep asthma medication at
hand at all times; if indoors without air conditioning, make sure the room is well-ventilated
using fans and open windows; stay indoors on days with high levels of air pollution (air alert
days); and develop an Asthma Action Plan at the Minnesota Department of Health’s website
listed here: Asthma Action Plan.
4. How can you help others in your community stay cool and safe during a heat wave?
Examples include the following: check up on friends, relatives, and neighbors who don't have
air conditioning and might need help; encourage each other to wear sunscreen and hats;
share your air conditioner with friends and neighbors who don’t have one; and set up a
buddy system to look out for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness in each other.
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ANSWER KEY: Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Minnesota Department of Health
Climate & Health Program
[email protected]
651-201-4899
August 2014
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