Teacher Guide
El Niño and Global Warming
Developed by: Ted Leuenberger
Activity Focus: Students investigate the cause and effect of El Niño events and how an
El Niño event might change climatic events around the world. Students discover current
thinking on the relationship between global warming and El Niño events.
Major Concepts: El Niño events are caused by a change in the Trade Winds and their
effect on the surface water of the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America.
Typically, the strong easterly Trade Winds near the equator force the warm surface
waters of the Pacific Ocean toward the west, away from the shoreline. The movement of
warm water away from the South American coast allows the cold, nutrient-rich waters
from the deep ocean to surface along the coast of South America. This cool water creates
an abundant supply of fish for the Peruvian fishing industry. Occasionally these strong
Trade winds slacken, allowing the warm surface waters to return toward the South
American coast, and preventing the cool, deeper waters abundant with fish from
surfacing, thus disrupting the fishing industry. This shift in the Trade Winds and its
effect on the ocean currents is known as an El Niño event. This shift in warm waters not
only affects Peru, but instigates climate variations all over the Earth. El Niño events
seem to correlate to global temperature patterns. Recently global temperatures have been
increasing. Also increasing are the frequency and duration of El Niño events. What are
scientists thinking about this relationship? Students will discover current views and
opinions on this issue.
Objectives: After completing this activity, students will be able to:
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identify the cause of El Niño events
describe climatic variations caused by El Niño events
recognize the relationship between El Niño events and global warming patterns
discover current views held by scientists concerning the El Niño – global
warming relationship
Materials and Preparation: You will need to prepare the following materials before
conducting this activity.
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Copy the El Niño and Global Warming data interpretation and visualization
activity (make 1 copy per student).
Provide each student/group with on-line access for the discovery phase of this
activity.
Make a transparency or PowerPoint slide for each data set (appendix) for use in
the class discussion. You may want to make color copies of the data sets for
groups of students. (Providing a computer with the student copy opened works
well as the students can see the color images in the context of the activity.)
Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change
Copyright © 2008, Revised 2014 Purdue University
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Procedures: Students may work individually or in small groups to complete the
activity. For the last phase of the activity, students need to be arranged in groups
of 3-5 students.
1. Introduce the activity by asking students about their current knowledge or ideas
concerning El Niño events.
2. Distribute the activity packet and ask students to read the Engage section. Have
students answer the “what I currently know and think” questions before starting
the activity. You may want to discuss these as a class.
3. During the Explore and Explain section, check student responses on an individual
basis. Take time to discuss and guide students who are having difficulty with the
concepts.
4. Allow computer time for students to search for information on the web
concerning the relationship between El Niño events and global warming.
5. Have students discuss findings in small groups, followed by small group
presentations. End group presentations with a class discussion.
6. Have students reflect on their ideas by re-answering the Engage questions, writing
their responses to the “what I now know and think” questions, and have them
reflect on their own thinking by completing the “how my ideas and thinking have
changed” question.
7. Collect student/group responses. Administer assessment item.
Assessments: The following assessments may be used as a pre/post activity assessment
or as part of a module assessment.
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What causes an El Niño event?
What effects do El Niño events have in Peru?
What do you think: do increased El Niño events cause global warming or are
increasing El Niño events caused by global warming? Give reasons for you
answer.
Quiz: The following quiz may be used as a post activity assessment.
Which winds force warm Pacific surface water westward?
Westerlies
Trade winds
Tropical Winds
Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change
Copyright © 2008, Revised 2014 Purdue University
Hurricanes
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Which industry in Peru is disrupted by El Niño events?
Shipbuilding
Coffee
Fishing
Rubber Tree
During which decade did El Niño events begin to be more frequent and longer lasting?
1950’s
1960’s
1970’s
1980’s
True or False:
___ El Niño events can cause climate variations in the United States.
___ Fishing is best off the coast of Peru during an El Niño event.
___ El Niño events are caused by the shift of warm surface water in the Pacific Ocean.
Bibliography
NOAA Cold and Warm Episodes, 2007
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ensoyears.shtml
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory
http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/people/klaus.wolter/MEI/
Scripps Experimental Climate Prediction Center
http://meteora.ucsd.edu/~pierce/elnino/history.html
NASA Kids Earth
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/intro.html
Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change
Copyright © 2008, Revised 2014 Purdue University
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Appendix: Data Masters
El Niño
Normal
NASA http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a002600/a002626/index.html
Normal Conditions (Non El Niño)
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/intro.html
El Niño Conditions
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/intro.html
Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change
Copyright © 2008, Revised 2014 Purdue University
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Source; data graphed from U.S. National Climate Data Center mean annual global temperatures 2007
Activities for Conceptualizing Climate and Climate Change
Copyright © 2008, Revised 2014 Purdue University
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