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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Edible Glacier

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students complete a KWL chart on what they know about glaciers. Then they gather together around a table containing Jello and Cool Whip cookie mixture and are introduced to the parts of a glacier by observing this model.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacier Climbing

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students model the movement of a valley glacier by using a cornstarch mixture to test the rate at which it flows when poured on a titled surface. Students model how a valley glacier flows by using a super thick, viscous fluid. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Properties of Ice

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the different properties of ice. They make predictions and experment with ice. Students discover that ice melts faster under pressure. Students create a flipbook what what happened after each experiment. This...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tip of the Iceberg

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers discover the percentage of an iceberg that is above and below the water surface. They compare salt water icebergs and fresh water icebergs and if they behave the same of differently. They work with their lab group to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Icebergs Ahead!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students experiment with density of ice, and examine how density affects how icebergs float in water.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Have All the Glaciers Gone?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Pupils examine how climate change is affecting sea ice, vegetation and glaciers in the Arctic region.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacial Change

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students research the ways in which scientists study glaciers and glacial change. They interpret real time data and calculate the estimated global sea level rise potential. A very good lesson to illustrate global warming.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glaciers Leave Their Imprint

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study various types of glaciers and the landforms they create. Working in pairs, they research a type of glacial landform and construct a calendar page illustrating and describing it. The pages be compiled to create a class...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glacier Climbing

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss glaciers and the current distribution of glaciers around the Earth. They create simulated glaciers using cornstarch, shoeboxes, water, and pebbles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glaciers

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders summarize how Earth processes today are similar to those that occurred in the past, and explain how slow geologic processes have large cumulative effects over long periods of time.
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Unit Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Rocks and Landforms

For Students 6th - 8th
Eight hands-on lessons module where students learn about rocks and landforms. These inquiry-based investigations explore the different types of rocks, how they are formed, the different types of landforms, and the effects of glaciers on...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: James Balog: Time Lapse Proof of Extreme Ice Loss

For Students 9th - 10th
In this video, James Balog describes how evidence for glaciers receding due to climate change can be seen through time-lapse photography. [19:20] Includes a brief quiz and a list of additional resources to explore.
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Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Rapid Changes in Glaciers and Ice Sheets

For Students 9th - 10th
The world's glaciers and ice sheets are melting according to this extensive report. It makes recommendations on how to monitor this situation, explains what we know about the past when there was much less ice in the world, describes what...
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Handout
Curated OER

National Park Service: Varying Valleys

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
The NPS offers a good description of the three main types of valleys, lesson objectives, and modeling activities.
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Handout
Curated OER

National Park Service: Denali Park: Glaciers

For Students 9th - 10th
Denali Park in Alaska is home to a number of glaciers. Learn all about them at this site. Of particular interest is the link at the bottom of the page to a virtual tour of paired photographs that reveal changes in the landscape over time.
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Graphic
National Snow and Ice Data Center

National Snow and Ice Data Center: Glacier Gallery

For Students 9th - 10th
This website has a variety of photos that show types of glaciers and their effects. There are also links to other sites that contain glacier photos.
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Handout
NASA

Nasa: At the Edge: Monitoring Glaciers to Watch Global Warming

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn why scientists have been observing glaciers since before global warming came into the forefront. Learn about the different types of glaciers and the ways to monitor them. Some of the information may be dated. (April 14, 1999)
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Website
Other

Parks Canada: Glacier National Park of Canada

For Students 9th - 10th
Glacier National Park of Canada is located in the Interior of British Columbia. This site has a wealth of information about the park, its history, management, geography, etc.
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Article
US Forest Service

Usda Forest Service: Investi Gator: Pacific Northwest Climate Change Ed. [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
This journal is written for upper elementary students. This issue offers four articles, written by scientists, about climate change issues that affect the Pacific Northwest. In addition, students get to meet the scientists who did the...
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Activity
Other

Landforms

For Students 9th - 10th
The education department of Prince Edward Island has a great page with information pertaining to landforms. Starting with a definition, it then moves to the specific types like valleys, mountains, plateaus, etc.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Trb 4:1 Investigation 1 Where Is Water Found?

For Teachers 4th
Activity helps with understanding the distribution of water on earth.
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Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Climate & Water Teaching Box

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Investigate water in a warmer world. This teaching box is filled with explorations and readings that help secondary students learn how climate change is affecting the water cycle.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Geologic Stories: Retreating Waterfalls and Fossils

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A geology field investigation where students investigate fossiliferous limestone, the study local stratigraphy, and understand how glaciers and rivers have shaped the community.
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Handout
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Polar Discovery: Compare the Poles: Ice

For Students 9th - 10th
A comparison of the features of ice in the Arctic and the Antarctic. Looks at glaciers, icebergs, pack ice, and multi-year ice.