How are Greenhouse Gases Similar to a Blanket? — Reading Comprehension

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This audio-integrated reading passage, "The Earth's Cozy Blanket," is designed for 4th-grade students to introduce the complex topic of climate change in a simple, relatable way. It uses the familiar analogy of a blanket to explain the function of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere. Students will learn about key terms like carbon dioxide, methane, and the greenhouse effect in a clear and accessible format. The passage explains that while the natural greenhouse effect is essential for life on Earth, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are making the "blanket" too thick, leading to global warming and climate change. The content is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), specifically supporting the disciplinary core ideas of Earth and Space Science. The goal is to build foundational knowledge on how human activity impacts the Earth's systems, encouraging an understanding of environmental responsibility. This passage provides an engaging and informative way to explore this critical subject.

CONTENT PREVIEW

unnamed — The Earth's atmosphere acts like a warm blanket.

Have you ever snuggled up in a warm blanket on a cold night? That cozy feeling is a lot like how our planet stays warm! The Earth has a special blanket of gases around it called the atmosphere. A very important part of this blanket is made of gases called greenhouse gases.

The sun sends energy to Earth as light. When this light reaches the planet, some of it is reflected back into space, but a lot of it is absorbed by the land and water, which makes our planet warm up. As the Earth warms, it sends some of that heat back out. This is where the greenhouse gases come in. They act like a real blanket, trapping some of the heat and keeping it from escaping into space. This natural process is called the greenhouse effect, and it's a good thing! Without it, Earth would be too cold for us to live on.

The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor. For a long time, the amount of these gases in our atmosphere was just right. But lately, people have been adding more and more greenhouse gases to the air. We do this when we burn fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas to power our cars, light our homes, and run our factories. This is like adding extra blankets to the Earth.

With too many blankets, the Earth gets warmer than it should be. This extra warming is what we call global warming, and it's a big part of climate change. This change can cause big problems, like melting ice, stronger storms, and changes in weather patterns. We can help by finding ways to use less energy and make fewer greenhouse gases, so we can keep our planet's blanket just right.

Fun Fact: A single tree can absorb about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year!

What is the name of the layer of gases around Earth?

the blanketthe atmospherethe greenhousethe shield

What is one main greenhouse gas mentioned in the passage?

oxygennitrogencarbon dioxidehelium

Based on the passage, what is a likely result of adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?

Earth will become colderThe sun's light will be blockedEarth's average temperature will increaseThe atmosphere will disappear

Why is the greenhouse effect considered a good thing?

It makes the sun's light strongerIt keeps the Earth from getting too coldIt removes gases from the airIt causes storms to be less strong

How is the greenhouse effect like a blanket?

Both trap heat to keep things warmBoth are made of thick fabricsBoth can be used to grow plantsBoth reflect light back into space

If a new factory starts burning lots of fossil fuels, what effect would it likely have on the atmosphere?

It would help cool the planetIt would add more blankets to EarthIt would get rid of greenhouse gasesIt would not have any effect

Imagine a car that uses a new kind of fuel that doesn't release greenhouse gases. What problem would this new fuel help solve?

The sun's light being too brightThe atmosphere getting too coldThe Earth getting too warmThe moon's temperature

A scientist invents a machine that can remove carbon dioxide from the air. This machine would be most useful in helping to:

make the Earth's blanket thinnercause more water vapor to formcreate a thicker atmospheremake the Earth cooler

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