Jill Burns
COSEE-West Workshop
Lesson Plan
Glaciers As Indicators of Global Climate Change
Background: Indicators of global climate change can be found in a variety of places on Earth,
whether you investigate oxygen isotopes locked up in ice cores, ancient pollen samples found in
soil cores, or if you study the phenomena of El Nino and La Nina in recent history. A more
obvious indicator of global climate change would be the disappearance of glaciers and the break up
of ice shelves in our high altitude or arctic regions of the world. But how does this loss of ice and
snow have larger effects on our planet? How will the disappearance of these moving slabs of ice
have an impact on the different systems of our planet?
Intended audience: Junior/senior Earth systems science students
Length of lesson: 3 days over 70 minute periods
IL State Learning Standards:
State Goal 11A – Know and apply the concepts, principles, and processes of scientific inquiry:
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11.A.5a – Formulate hypotheses referencing prior research and knowledge
11.A.4f – Using available technology, report, display, and defend to an audience
conclusions drawn from investigations
State Goal 12E – Know and apply concepts that describe the features and processes of the Earth
and its resources:
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12.E.4a – Explain how external and internal energy sources drive Earth processes (e.g.
solar energy drives weather patterns; internal heat drives plate tectonics).
12.E.5. - Analyze processes involved in naturally occurring short-term and long-term
Earth events (e.g. floods, ice ages, temperature, sea-level fluctuations).
Lesson plan objectives:
The students will be able to:
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Understand the causes of glacial flow and glacial retreat
Explain the relationship between ice, insolation, albedo, and global warming
Identify specific examples of glacial retreat over time across the Earth
Gather pertinent details as to loss of glacial ice over time
Describe the difference between loss of land-locked glacial ice and sea ice
Analyze the effects of loss of glacial ice on the four major spheres of the Earth
Practice communication and listening skills in small, collaborative groups
Strengthen public speaking and presentation skills
Relevant vocabulary: glacial accumulation, glacial retreat, albedo, insolation, global warming,
global climate change, alpine glacier, continental ice sheet, sea ice, cryosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
Materials: computers or computer lab, Earth systems science textbooks, overhead projector,
transparency sheets, transparency markers, ice, water, beakers, Popsicle sticks, project handout and
rubric
Procedure: Ideally this assignment is designed for a 70-minute class period and would start on a
Thursday and be concluded with presentations on a Monday. However, plans and lesson can be
adjusted as needed due to different time schedules.
Day 1:
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Before class, set up two beakers. One will have water with ice cubes floating in it, the
other will be filled with water and have Popsicle sticks supporting ice cubes over the
beaker. Make sure to mark the starting water level for each beaker on the side.
Review with students the causes glacial flow and retreat. Using overhead transparency of
an alpine glacier and continental ice sheet, identify zones of accumulation and zones of
ablation. Review concepts of basal slip and plastic flow as mechanisms for movement in
glacial ice.
Introduce students to the concept of an Earth systems science analysis (ESS).
Demonstrate how to work through an ESS analysis to show how an event will impact the
major spheres (biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere).
Review connection between insolation, glacial ice, and albedo. Break students up into
small groups for critical thinking activity. Have students work on an initial ESS analysis
focused on the destruction of the cryosphere due to global warming. Options would be to
create bullet point lists for each sphere, concept maps, Venn diagrams, etc.
Ask students to share examples of side effects in large group discussion. Post answers on
the white board or on overhead transparency. See if anyone mentioned sea-level change.
If not, lead a short discussion as to how ice could influence the oceans.
Show students sea ice vs. continental ice sheet demo. Demonstrate how melting sea ice
does not influence sea level change, whereas land-locked ice sheets and glaciers would.
Have students discuss with a partner a possible explanation as to what they observed in
the two beakers. Share answers as a large group.
Introduce students to climate change project. Handout and go over project directions and
rubric. Break students up into project groups.
Day 2:
1. Project workday: either have students in computer/writing lab or have department laptop
carts available.
Day 3:
1. Presentations
Assessment: The students will be assessed on their presentation skills, project quality, accuracy
and relevancy of information, and small group participation by using the project rubric. The major
concepts addressed in the Day 1 lesson will also be included on the glaciers chapter quiz following
the presentation day.
Where Did All the Ice Go???
Glaciers As Indicators of Global Climate Change
Goal: For this project, you and your group members will be investigating how
glaciers can be used as evidence for global climate change. You will be asked to find
specific examples of such evidence around the world and explain what side effects
this loss of ice is having on both local and global environments.
Suggested locations to investigate:
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Glaciers National Park
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Antarctica
Greenland
Himalayas
Alps (Switzerland, Austria)
Andes (Patagonia)
Cascade Range
Rocky Mountains
Pyrenees
New Zealand
Required research:
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Three specific examples of glaciers from different locations on Earth that
have been in retreat over the last 100-200 years
Rate of glacial retreat for each and time period in which measured
Description of how glaciers have changed over time
Current size and status of each glacier
Visual evidence of change (before and after or time-lapse photographs) over
time for each glacier
Current side effects on local environment and society for each glacier
Current side effects on global environment and society
Presentation format:
You and your partners will create a presentation to be given on Monday. The
presentation is to be constructed using Google Documents Presentations.
Formatting requirements are as follows:
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Title slide
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Works cited/bibliography slide
Minimum of 10 slides
Easy to read (don’t overload them with info!)
Proper spelling & grammar
ALL research requirement satisfied
Visual aids
NO PLAGARISM!!!
Due Date & Time: Links to your final Google Documents Presentation must be
emailed to me by 7:45 am on Monday morning. If they are not, they will be
considered late.
Where Did All the Ice Go???
Partner names: _____________________________________________
Name of glaciers: ___________________________________________
Failed to
Meet
Requirement
Title slide (2
pts)
Glacier #1 (4
pts)
Rate
of
retreat
(8
pts)
Changes over
time (8 pts)
Current
status (8 pts)
Visuals
of
change
(8
pts)
Effects
on
local enviro (8
pts)
Glacier #2 (4
pts)
Rate
of
retreat
(8
pts)
Changes over
time (8 pts)
Current
status (8 pts)
Visuals
of
change
(8
pts)
Effect
on
local enviro (8
pts)
Below
Average
Average
Above
Average
Exceeded
Requirements
Glacier #3 (4
pts)
Rate
of
retreat
(8
pts)
Changes over
time (8 pts)
Current
status (8 pts)
Visuals
of
change
(8
pts)
Effect
on
local enviro (8
pts)
Effect
on
global enviro
(16 pts)
Works cited
slide (2 pts)
Minimum
of
10 slides (4
pts)
Spelling
&
grammar
(4
pts)
Easy to read
(4 pts)
Project grade: ___________________/ 164 points