Engineering Earth: How Humans Control & Impact the Environment

Environmental Science Grades High School 13:28 Video
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Lesson Description

Explore the history of human attempts to control the environment, from weather modification to the Green Revolution, and analyze the intended and unintended consequences of these interventions.

Video Resource

Controlling the Environment: Crash Course History of Science #39

CrashCourse

Duration: 13:28
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Environmental Control
  • Unintended Consequences
  • The Green Revolution
  • Sustainable Agriculture

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify historical attempts to control the environment.
  • Students will be able to analyze the intended benefits and unintended consequences of these interventions.
  • Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of different agricultural practices.
  • Students will be able to discuss the ethical implications of large-scale environmental modification.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by introducing the concept of human attempts to control nature and highlight the duality of progress: advancements often come with unintended negative consequences. Briefly mention the Crash Course video that will be used to explore this topic.
  • Video Viewing (13 mins)
    Play the Crash Course History of Science #39 video: 'Controlling the Environment.' Instruct students to take notes on the various examples discussed, focusing on both the intended benefits and unintended consequences.
  • Discussion (15 mins)
    Facilitate a class discussion based on the discussion questions, encouraging students to share their thoughts and analyze the complexities of environmental control.
  • Interactive Exercise: Case Study Analysis (15 mins)
    Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a specific case study from the video (e.g., Operation Popeye, the Aswan High Dam, the Green Revolution, DDT). Have each group research the topic and then prepare a presentation summarizing the intervention, its goals, its impacts (positive and negative), and its long-term sustainability.
  • Wrap-up and Assessment (7 mins)
    Summarize the key takeaways from the lesson. Announce that students will take the multiple choice and fill in the blank quizzes on the material learned. Have students take the quizzes individually. Review and discuss the quiz answers with the students.

Interactive Exercises

  • Case Study Analysis: The Green Revolution
    Students work in groups to research and present on the Green Revolution, focusing on Norman Borlaug's contributions, the impact on crop yields, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and the long-term consequences of monoculture farming. Consider the social and economic implications, as well.
  • Debate: Geoengineering
    Divide the class into two teams: one arguing for the potential benefits of geoengineering to combat climate change, and the other arguing against it, highlighting the risks and uncertainties. Encourage research and evidence-based arguments.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some examples of human attempts to control the environment that were discussed in the video?
  • What were the intended benefits of these interventions?
  • What were the unintended consequences of these interventions?
  • Was the Green Revolution ultimately a success or a failure? Explain your reasoning.
  • What role does technology play in our ability to control the environment?
  • How can we balance the need for food production with the need to protect the environment?
  • What are the ethical considerations of large-scale environmental modification?
  • Can you think of any current environmental issues that are the result of past attempts to control nature?
  • What solutions exist for more sustainable farming practices?
  • What are some ways we can reduce the negative impacts of human activities on the environment?

Skills Developed

  • Critical Thinking
  • Research and Analysis
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
  • Problem-Solving

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What was the name of the U.S. rainmaking project during the Vietnam War?

Correct Answer: Operation Popeye

Question 2:

What is the process called when excessive nutrients from fertilizers runoff into waterways, causing algae blooms and oxygen depletion?

Correct Answer: Eutrophication

Question 3:

Which of the following is a negative consequence of monoculture farming?

Correct Answer: Easier spread of pests and diseases

Question 4:

What was the name of Paul Ehrlich's book that predicted widespread famines?

Correct Answer: The Population Bomb

Question 5:

Who is often credited as a key figure in the Green Revolution?

Correct Answer: Norman Borlaug

Question 6:

What crops provide more than half of the world's food today?

Correct Answer: Wheat, Maize, Rice, and Soy

Question 7:

What pesticide was widely used to control bugs that spread human illnesses?

Correct Answer: DDT

Question 8:

Who wrote the book 'Silent Spring,' which warned about the dangers of pesticides?

Correct Answer: Rachel Carson

Question 9:

What was released during the Bhopal disaster?

Correct Answer: Methyl Isocyanate Gas

Question 10:

What is geoengineering?

Correct Answer: The modification of the climate

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The Aswan High Dam in Egypt allowed for more control over planting and harvests in regions subject to seasonal ______.

Correct Answer: flooding

Question 2:

The Haber-Bosch process is used for synthetic __________ fixation.

Correct Answer: nitrogen

Question 3:

Growing only one plant in commercial fields is known as ________.

Correct Answer: monoculture

Question 4:

The series of severe droughts in the 1930s in the U.S. led to massive dust storms collectively called the _______ ________.

Correct Answer: Dust Bowl

Question 5:

The _______ Revolution increased crop yields in less industrialized countries through hybrid seeds and new techniques.

Correct Answer: Green

Question 6:

__________ __________ developed a hybrid wheat that withstands a common fungus called rust blight.

Correct Answer: Norman Borlaug

Question 7:

IR8, a high-yielding semi-dwarf rice, is sometimes called “__________ rice.”

Correct Answer: miracle

Question 8:

The use of synthetic ___________ was intended to control bugs that spread human illnesses.

Correct Answer: pesticides

Question 9:

___________ is the worst industrial disaster in history.

Correct Answer: Bhopal

Question 10:

The melting down of a nuclear reactor in _________ sent clouds of radioactive material billowed across Europe.

Correct Answer: Chernobyl

Educational Standards

EN.LS2.6:[Standard] Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. EN.LS2.7:[Standard] Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.* EN.ESS3.4:[Standard] Evaluate design solutions for a major global or local environmental problem that reduces or stabilizes the impacts of human activities on natural systems.*

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