Glaciers


 * [|Glacier Instructional Video]**

CE8 Glaciers · How does the study of properties and patterns help us to understand the natural world? · How do forces cause change? · How do models help us understand patterns and change? · To what extent, do changes over time occur due to weathering? Erosion? Deposition? 4.2B Collect and record data by observing and measuring, using the metric system, and using descriptive words and numerals such as labeled drawings, writing, and concept maps. 4.2D Analyze data and interpret patterns to construct reasonable explanations from data that can be observed and measured. 4.2E Perform repeated investigations to increase the reliability of results; and 4.2F Communicate valid oral and written results supported by data. 4.7B Observe and identify slow changes to Earth’s surface caused by weathering, erosion, and deposition from water, wind, and ice. Students will create a model of a glacier to observe and identify changes to the Earth’s surface caused by weathering, erosion, and deposition from glaciers. Students will be able explain orally and in writing their observations of weathering, erosion, and deposition from glaciers and ice. Students will record and describe the changes caused by glaciers on the Earth’s surface using Microsoft notebook. Students will be able to identify similarities and differences in the glacier model to real-world glaciers. Students will respond to the question, What are some examples of how ice causes slow changes to the Earth’s surface?  1. Have students respond to the pre-assessment question, What are some examples of how ice causes slow changes to the Earth’s surface? Allow student to share their ideas and responses.  2. Begin the lesson by asking students, What is a glacier? Allow students to share their thoughts and ideas. Show students the glacier picture. Ask the students, What do you notice about the glacier? What is the glacier made of? Where would glaciers most likely be found? Is this something that we would see in Texas? Why or why not? Have the students share their thoughts and ideas with a partner and then share with the class.  3. Next, ask the students, How would a glacier change the surface of the Earth? Does a glacier move? Have the students share their thoughts.  4. Using the laptops, have students view the videos: // Glaciers // and // Formation of Glaciers: An Accumulation of Ice and Snow // in the Glacier Student Notebook. Have the students record their thoughts and observations below the links on the Glacier Student Notebook.  5. Explain to the students that they will be creating a glacier model to show how weathering, erosion, and deposition change the Earth’s surface from ice. Review with students what the words, weathering, erosion, and deposition mean. Ask students, How might a glacier cause weathering, erosion, and/or deposition?  6. Begin by having the students cover the tray half way with topsoil.
 * Unit of Study: ** Changing Earth
 * Lesson Title: ** Glaciers
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 * Note: The day before, water will need to be frozen in the ½ liter container for each student group. **
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 7. Incline the tray using blocks or other material. Note: It is beneficial to take a picture of the model before adding the glacier.  8. Remove the ice from the ½ liter container, and place it on soil at the top of the inclined tray. Use the ruler to mark the “glaciers” location on the side of the tray. Place a sticky note on the side of the tray to mark the initial placement of the glacier.  9. Have students draw and label their model and make a prediction about what they think will happen to the glacier models in their Science Notebook. // Note: It is beneficial to take pictures of the model at various intervals to note to progression of the glacier model over time. //  10. Allow student to make observations throughout the day. Have students record I notice/I wonder statements in their Science Notebook as well as other observations regarding placement, “glacier” size, weathering, erosion, and deposition. // You may want to suggest that the student use the ruler to mark the progression of the glacier using a sticky note on the side of the tray. //  11. Allow models to sit overnight. // 12. // The next day, have students draw and label their models and record observations. Ask students, How did the glacier model change the topsoil? Is there evidence of weathering, erosion or deposition in the model? How is this similar to glaciers in the natural world? Allow the students to share responses. // Observations might include, moistness of soil, water and soil at the bottom of the tray, soil movement from its original location, etc. // // 13. // Next, using the laptops, have the students view // Glacial Movement: A Process of Melting // and // Freezing and Glacial Valleys: A Look at the White River Valley. //  14. Have students complete the blue tab, Glacial Movement, and green tab, Glaciers Changing the Earth, in the Student Glacier Notebook. Students can use the glacier picture folder found on the Elementary Science website, [] to assist in showing how glaciers change the surface of the Earth.  15. Ask the students, How is this model similar to a real glacier? Different? Allow students to share thoughts. Have the students complete the orange tab, Compare to Model. Once the students are finished, have them print their Venn diagrams.  16. Conclude the lesson by asking the students, What force caused the ice in the model and glaciers in the real world move? // Gravity. // <span style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .25in; text-indent: -.25in;"> 17. Using an index card, have the students create an exit ticket to respond to the essential question, To what extent, do changes over time occur due to weathering? Erosion? Deposition? from ice? // If pictures of change in the glacier models have been recorded during the previous day, allow students to observe the changes that occurred over time. What changes do they notice? //   · Allow students to explore I noticed/I wonder questions through investigation · Video tape or photograph the changes in the glacier in intervals · Allow students to create “glaciers” using a variety of materials and sizes 6 trays, 500 mL of top soil for each student group, 6 plastic ½ liter container, small sticky notes, ruler, water, 2” x 2” x 9.5” blocks for incline. Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. Glaciers form when snow remains in one location long enough to transform into ice. What makes glaciers unique is their ability to move. Due to sheer mass, glaciers flow like very slow rivers. Some glaciers are as small as football fields, while others grow to be over a hundred kilometers long. Presently, glaciers occupy about 10 percent of the world's total land area, with most located in polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland. Glaciers can be thought as remnants from the last Ice Age, when ice covered nearly 32 percent of the land, and 30 percent of the oceans. An Ice Age occurs when cool temperature endure for extended periods of time, allowing polar ice to advance into lower latitudes. For example, during the last Ice Age, giant glacial ice sheets extended from the poles to cover most of Canada, all of New England, much of the upper Midwest, large areas of Alaska, most of Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and other arctic islands, Scandinavia, much of Great Britain and Ireland, and the northwestern part of the former Soviet Union. http://www.extremeicesurvey.org/index.php/new_gallery/ http://nsidc.org/glaciers/questions/what.html
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