What the Giant Panda and Earth’s Climate Share
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Provided by: The Nature Conservancy|Published on: July 3, 2025
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this virtual field trip from Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy, students will "visit" the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of China, learning about forests, the greenhouse effect, and carbon dioxide emissions.
- The virtual field trip includes a teaching guide with discussion questions, diagrams of the carbon cycle, a log for the field trip, and other resources.
Subjects: Science, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy
Region: Asia
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students will love seeing the mix of urban and wild areas in the virtual tour of China.
- This virtual field trip covers many advanced topics, such as climate change and deforestation, while remaining accessible for young learners.
Prerequisites
- Teachers can use this link to find the virtual field trip video. If teachers do not have access to YouTube, they can use this link and scroll down to China’s Great Forests.
Differentiation & Implementation
- After watching the virtual field trip, students can create travel brochures highlighting some of the important places in China mentioned and displayed in the video. Students can practice their mapping skills by creating maps with icons to mark the locations of the places they highlighted.
- After hearing about the endangered animals in China, students can select one to research its food web and other ecosystem services it may provide and predict what could happen if this species disappeared.
- Using the suggestions at the end of the video, students can create a guide for others to help them protect forests. Students can also add a section to this guide explaining why forests are important to people and the planet.
- Teachers can use this diagram of the carbon cycle for students to color and use as an anchor to remember what they learned during the virtual field trip. Students can also add some of the terms they may have learned, such as sequestration.
In this lesson, and included video, students will go on a virtual field trip to two areas in China to learn about forests, the role they play in the carbon cycle, how important forest habitats are for animals and humans, and what we can do to protect these forests and the animals in them. The video and associated discussion questions help students understand all parts of the carbon cycle and how it relates to climate change and climate impacts. This includes discussion about the greenhouse effect, carbon sequestration, and steps humans can take to help combat climate change. Additional lessons and resources are included for more information. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
