How Does Melting Ice Affect Sea Level?

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How Does Melting Ice Affect Sea Level?
https://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/files/nesta/howdoesmeltingiceaffectseal.pdf.pdf

LuAnn Dahlman, ANDRILL

Students investigate how sea levels might rise when ice sheets and ice caps melt. By constructing a pair of models, students can observe the effects of ice melt in two different situations.

Activity takes one hour. Additional materials required.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Performance Expectations: 1

MS-ESS2-4: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

MS-ESS2.C1: Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation and crystallization, and precipitation, as well as downhill flows on land.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity

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Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity

MS-C1.4: Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data.

MS-C2.2: Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.

MS-C3.1: Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.

MS-C4.2: Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions—such as inputs, processes and outputs—and energy, matter, and information flows within systems.

MS-C5.1: Matter is conserved because atoms are conserved in physical and chemical processes.

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Developing and Using Models, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Asking Questions and Defining Problems

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Developing and Using Models, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Asking Questions and Defining Problems

MS-P1.1: Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena, models, or unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information.

MS-P2.5: Develop and/or use a model to predict and/or describe phenomena.

MS-P6.2: Construct an explanation using models or representations.

MS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information (e.g. about a proposed object, tool, process, system) in writing and/or through oral presentations.

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High School

Cross Cutting Concepts: 4

Cause and effect, Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Stability and Change

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Cause and effect, Systems and System Models, Energy and Matter, Stability and Change

HS-C2.2: Cause and effect relationships can be suggested and predicted for complex natural and human designed systems by examining what is known about smaller scale mechanisms within the system.

HS-C4.3: Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.

HS-C5.4: Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

HS-C7.1: Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

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Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

HS-P1.2: ask questions that arise from examining models or a theory, to clarify and/or seek additional information and relationships.

HS-P2.3: Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system

HS-P6.2: Construct and revise an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

HS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).

Grade Level

Intermediate (3-5)
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Middle (6-8)
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High School (9-12)
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Regional Focus

Polar Regions
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Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Climate change has consequences

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:A) Processes that shape the Earth
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.3 Humans and Their Societies:D) Global Connections
Other materials addressing:
D) Global Connections.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

To get all of the activities related to this topic and see where this activity fits into a larger sequence, go to http://www.andrill.org/flexhibit/flexhibit/materials/activities/index.html
Choose items for the land-based portion that are engaging to your particular students.

About the Content

Activity effectively models difference between melting sea ice vs land ice.
Comments from expert scientist: This activity shows that ice melting on land will raise sea level and that sea ice melting will not raise sea level. Good for the elementary school level.

About the Pedagogy

The illustrated directions for students are exceptionally well done and each step is accompanied by excellent images to guide students.
An excellent use of models to illustrate how scientists determine past climate history.
Students should use their markers to predict the increase of water in each box before the ice melts.
Students present results to visitors in a kind of science exhibit/presentation format.
Learning objectives listed in Leader Notes.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

The teacher guide for all the Andrill activities is housed at a separate site: http://www.andrill.org/flexhibit/flexhibit/materials/activities/Leader_Notes.pdf.
The clear and well-written directions are easy to follow.

Entered the Collection: January 2013 Last Reviewed: November 2016

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Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Performance Expectations: 1

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

High School (see details)

High School

Cross Cutting Concepts: 4

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Grade Level

Regional Focus

Climate Literacy

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

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