Eunice Foote and the Greenhouse Gas Effect

Eunice Foote and the Greenhouse Gas Effect

Eunice Newton Foote collecting observations for her groundbreaking atmospheric research.

In this lesson, students will learn about Eunice Newton Foote’s 1856 discovery of the Greenhouse Effect of carbon dioxide. Students will recreate her experiment in the lab to learn about the Greenhouse Effect. (To cover the same material without conducting the lab, see the teaching guide “Eunice Foote: Climate Scientist.") Students will then learn about the constraints experienced by an American, female scientist in the 1800s and how the Greenhouse Effect contributes to global warming and climate change.

Supplemental Materials
Grade level(s)
9-12
Guide subjects
Earth Science
History
Physics
Minority Group(s)
Women
In-class time
75-90 minutes
Prep time
15-20 minutes
Technology Requirements
Student web access optional
Audio/Video optional
Common Core Standards
Speaking & Listening
History/Social Studies
Science & Technical Subjects
Next Generation Science Standards
Earth and Space Sciences
Earth and Human Activity
Earth's Systems
Last revised