Global climate change and its effects are real and immediate. Students must gain an understanding of climate science so they can participate in public debate about how to reduce the emission of heat-trapping gases and how their communities can mitigate the effects of global warming. In this activity, students model these effects on Earth's oceans and predict sea-level rise due to thermal expansion. They then compare their predictions with those of IPCC scientists and see how a simple laboratory activity can model global phenomena. In addition, this investigation allows students to make real-world connections about sea-level rise in a place-based setting, make predictions about the future for coastal regions, and engage in authentic collaborative science practices.