How to use the ESPERE climate encyclopaedia?

The ESPERE climate encyclopaedia is both, an online atlas and working material for web-based learning. We offer an overview of key topics on the climate system and climate change on about 250 web-pages. Here, you will find background texts, which are useful for classes, as well as for readers interested in the topic. You will also find worksheets, which are primarily designed for classroom usage.

In the climate encyclopaedia, the structure of the site and the navigation bar both indicate where on the ESPERE pages you are and also, to which part of the climate system the issue being studied belongs. The pages are structured as explained below:

In the main menu bar, the language can be found below the ESPERE logo. Below the banner, you find the horizontal main menu x x x x x, which is accessible from all encyclopaedia pages.

First choose a topic in the table on the top right. This table is serving as the main navigation. While choosing it you can decide at the same time, if you would like to read in the Basics (I) or More (II) levels. The More level is usually more advanced. In the table of topics and levels you cannot click on the topic itself, but for each topic you have to choose directly the level, either I Basics or II More. With the choice made, the background colour of the page will change. Apart from the colour, each topic is represented by a round icon standing top left in the white part of the page.
For more detailed selection, the navigation bar on the left is used. Here the Units (1. _ 2. _ 3. _ ..) are now shown. After clicking on one unit,
- background texts or
* worksheets appear respectively

As you see, we distinguish 3 (or 4) layers or levels .

1) Within one topic we choose the level Basics or More (table on the right).

2) Afterwards, we choose a Unit (sub-navigation on the left).

3) Finally we choose either a text or a worksheet in this unit (sub-navigation on the left)

On each encyclopaedia page this hierarchy is well visible:

On each page, the topic, unit and text you have selected are shown in bold letters, as can be seen above. The arrows mark where you click in order to choose between the texts, units and levels.

Further tools

Internal and external links

We distinguish between internal links (such as those that point to other pages of the climate encyclopaedia) and external links (such as those that point to Internet pages beyond the ESPERE area). External links, if clickable, are marked with the arrow shown on the left, if this is possible. The team of ESPERE authors rejects any responsibility for the content of external pages. Due to the high fluctuation in the Internet we also cannot guarantee, that the pages that we link to, will be available in the mid- or long-term.
On the bottom of many encyclopaedia pages you will find internal links to related pages in the climate encyclopaedia. This is to help the reader to recognize intertwined issues in the climate system.

Printable version

If you click on the printer icon (underneath the ESPERE logo) it does not mean that the page will immediately be printed. In fact it causes a new version of the same page to pop up, which is more suitable for printing. On this page you will find neither frames nor navigation. Additionally a path indicates, how to go back to the printed page if you look for it again later on the Internet.

Worksheets and solutions for download

Some worksheets (for example such as those with 'fill in the gaps' exercises or areas for own notes) are not suitable to be used as a hardcopy in classes even if printed from the printable version. If possible in the time frame of the project, we are going to try to make such pages available as a downloadable Word- or PDF version. You will download the page immediately if you press the 'worksheet' button. Please note, that some of the worksheets may have a size of up to 1 MB.

For some worksheets we are also offering a solution or suggestion of a solution. It can be helpful for the teacher in order to show what we would expect. It can also serve the pupils as it can provide an opportunity of self-controled learning. The quizzes are also offered as a self test and are ideally carried out online.