Activity Summary: Students will be able to analyze and interpret data taken from core samples of the sea floor to identify patterns, draw conclusions from the patterns in the data about changes in climate periods where the data
was sourced, and postulate the cause of the climate changes as evidenced from the patterns in the data.

First, students will use a self-created map of important events in a year of their own life as an analogy to understand that ocean sediment cores record important climate changes throughout Earth’s history. Then, students will analyze and interpret data of climate proxy variables that show a pattern of climate warming and cooling. Finally, students will hypothesize why climate has had a pattern of warming and cooling in the past.

This lesson has been revised and updated based on Inquiry into High-Resolution Ice Core and Marine Sediment Records.