Abstract:
This investigation provides an opportunity for students to identify the importance of ice sheets in the global climate. With the increasing awareness of global warming, any associated change within the global climate structure, resulting from these ice sheets, will have an impact on human life and global sea level. The primary interest in this investigation, is the ice sheets of Greenland http://www.greenland-guide.dk/gg_img/frame_2315-051.jpg and Antarctica http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/pub/info/facts/atlas/Byrd2.gif .
By understanding the climactic nature of these two extreme geographical regions students can, through associated worksheets and laboratories, establish and demonstrate the important link between atmospheric warming and the melting of these ice sheets.
The term mass balance will be introduced where mass input and mass loss associated with ice sheets will be determined by regional climates, amount and areas of snowfall, solar energy influencing temperature fluctuations, and other physical and chemical weathering processes. Melt-sensitivity ratio will be introduced as concept to try to develop identifiable signals for predicting climate changes and resulting sea level rise.
Outcomes:
The student will:
Suggested Grade Level & Duration:
Grades 5-8; 2 fifty-minute periods
Materials:
Student Activity Packet "Mass Balance"
calculator
ruler
Internet Capable computer
Internet accessibility
Any spreadsheet application - alternative graphing (may be done by hand)
* game cards may be used as alternative to graphing
