https://serc.carleton.edu/eet/seaice/index.html
Betsy Youngman, Earth Exploration Toolbook Chapter
Activity could take a week's class time to do all parts adequately but can be considerably shortened. Requires computer and Internet access for each small team of students.
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»Grade Level
Regional Focus
Topics
Climate Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.
Notes From Our Reviewers
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Be sure to use the "real scientist" context to hook students.
- Create small groups of students to work through the activity; each group needs at least one technically advanced student to support others who may struggle.
- Activity might be a good candidate for a science project or science fair given the scope of the chapter and the time it takes to do it thoroughly.
- Educator might also be able to "chunk the chapter" and do some as a demo to reduce the overall time required.
- Educator needs to invest time required to determine extent to which the chapter can be used in class.
About the Content
- High quality activity with robust science.
- Lots of links and necessary background information especially on sea ice research for educators and students.
About the Pedagogy
- The activity provides a hands-on case study that illustrates changes in Arctic sea ice cover and its relationship to surface temperature data. The activity is well motivated, clearly organized and interesting. It should provide students with a deeper appreciation for ongoing changes in the arctic system and how scientists use a variety of data sources, including remote sensing model reanalysis, etc., to understand these changes. It also provides interesting context on how the changes identified and discussed through this activity may have other repercussions for wildlife and people in the region.
- Structure of activity involves many detailed steps to access, download, display, and analyze data - may be engaging for some students and overwhelm others.
- This resource engages students in using scientific data.
See other data-rich activities