Climate Clues

How do scientists know what Earth’s climate was like thousands-or even millions-of years ago? This engaging reading passage introduces students to the natural clues researchers use to study ancient climates. Readers learn how ice cores, tree rings, lake sediments, fossils, and pollen preserve evidence of past temperatures, rainfall, and atmospheric conditions. These remarkable records allow scientists to reconstruct Earth’s climate history and better understand the changes happening today.

As students read, they strengthen informational reading skills by comparing different sources of scientific evidence, identifying supporting details, and recognizing how scientists draw conclusions from observations. Vocabulary such as ice core, tree ring, sediment, fossil, climate record, and evidence expands scientific understanding in an approachable way. The conversational style helps students see that nature has been quietly recording Earth’s history for thousands of years.