SCIENCEACTIVITIESFORYOURCLASSROOM
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/polareducation
[email protected]
Lamont-DohertyEarthObservatoryofColumbiaUniversity
The following is a partial list of activities developed from NSF, NASA and NOAA funded
scienceandeducationinitiatives.Theyareavailableinstudentandteacherversionsonour
PolarEducationpage(weblinkabove).TheyareNGSSmapped.
Bergy Bits: Short, easy to use activities that introduce science concepts through student
experimentation.Eachinvolvesaphysicsconceptthatistiedtorealglacierbehavior.
*ExploringGravity–Whatdrivesglaciermovement?
*It’sFriction(basal)–Whydoestheglaciersurfacemovefasterthanthebase?
* It’s Friction (channel) – Why does the center of the glacier flow faster than the
edges?
*WhataDrag–Dragofmountainsandicerisescanredirecticeflow.
*ABitofForce–Thebackpressureforceofaniceshelf,orofseaiceslowsiceflow.
Careers:ExploresaseriesofSTEMcareersthatincludesscientists(geophysicist,
oceanographer)engineers(electrical,aviationsystems,datasystems),andcareerswiththe
AirNationalGuard(navigator,pilot,flightengineer,loadmaster).Studentscreateamatrixof
careers,necessarytrainingandskillsandthenpickonecareertoexploreindepth.
SeaLevel:Activitiesthatfocusonwhatsealevelisanditschangesthroughouthistory.
• MeasuringSeaLevel–Studentsusemapbaseddatavisualizations,chartsand
graphstoexaminechangesinsealevelthroughEarth'shistory.
• PolarExplorer:SeaLevelappfreefrom(www.polarexplorer.org)
o “Quests”–Science‘bigidea’storylinesthattaketheuserthroughsectionsof
theapp
o SeriesofScienceInteractives-
o SeaLevel&GlacialReboundInteractive
o RisingWaterLevelInteractive
o CalvingGlacier
• HandsonActivities:
o TheHydrosphere–Theoceantoiceconnection–itsallabouttheclimate.
o TheCryosphere–justhowmuchiceisthereinthepolaricesheets?
o GeologicTime–timetravelandexaminesealevel–checktheEemian,the
Pleistocene,theHolocene
o Predictingfuturesealevel–Howmuchdoyouthinksealevelhaschanged
inthelast100yrs?Howmightitchangeinthenext100years?Whatdo
scientistsestimatewillbethechange?
MeasuringChangeinthepolar-regions:Activitiesthatexplorechangesintheiceusing
datacollectedfromsatellites,radarandlidar.
• PineIslandGlaciera‘climatecanary’-usesIceSatdatatomeasureiceloss
Antarctica.Mainactivityand2labs.
• Lab1:Developingamodeltosupportdata
• Lab2:Collectingmeasurements:compareyourglaciertoP.I.G.
YoutubefromAGUGIFTworkshopforteachers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWorq8f2M0A
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ArticleinTheScienceTeacher:
http://mdk12.org/instruction/ccr_conferences/resources/H104/HS_Science_Evalu
ateNGSS_Antarcticas%20Pine%20Island%20Glacier_3of3%20-%20Copy.pdf
RemoteSensing-Usesradartoimagethroughtheicesheet.Buildanimageofthe
topographyundertheiceusingexcel’s3Dmodelcapabailities.
SL'ICEofScience–UsingRadartoUncoverIceMysteries-Useicepenetrating
radartolocateunusualfeaturesundertheicethatmightbeaffectingglacialiceflow.
SL'ICEofScience-HowmuchiceisintheGreenlandicesheet?Completea
contouringactivitytoseehowicelossinGreenlandequatestolandlossin
Delaware.
SL'ICEofScience–MeasuringEarth’sIceBoxes–Usingmathtocalculateice
volumetosealevelrise.
HowdoesourwarmingoceaneffectAlisonGlacierinGreenland–Developan
oceanwatercontourmaptoseewherethewarmwaterisaroundGreenland.
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/polareducation