Excel: Global Warming Analysis With Excel

The student will learn how to apply Excel to analyze climate data. We will look at average high temperature data for one weather station from 1948 through 2019, sourced from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  I will provide the data in an easy to access file. The student will provide their own computer running Excel, and should have a basic knowledge of using Excel. They will experience the process that data analysts and data scientists use. 

I will provide some introduction to the topic, then coach the students as they perform each step in the analysis. First the student will see me perform a step, and they will perform the same step on their computers with their own copy of Excel. They are encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts.

The student will open the data file with Excel and inspect the data to understand what each column of data means and the range of values for each column. Then some minor editing of the data will be done. The student will make a line chart showing how the temperature changed from year to year. We will visually inspect the chart and discuss what they think the chart is telling them.

Our analysis continues with the student applying a linear trend line to the chart. They will see if the data shows an increase in temperature over time, as one would suspect from global warming, or if the temperatures are constant or declining over time. We will use an Excel formula to determine how much the temperature trend has changed from 1948 to 2019.

We will calculate trends to see the outcome when using different techniques. This is done by clicking on options for the trend line. We will then forecast the prediction of the temperature 10 years into the future. The student will learn about what makes forecasted outcomes very different depending on the type of trend used. They will edit their chart's colors and style to highlight the most important data. The student can use their chart to tell a story about global warming and how they analyzed their data.

Upon completion, the student will have increased their Excel skills, developed insight into how a data scientist works, and they will have increased their vocabulary about global warming.