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To Reflect or Not to Reflect, That is the Question

Data Puzzle

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Driving Question:

Does the measurement of the Arctic's albedo relate to the observed decline in sea ice?

What You Will Be Doing:

Analyze and interpret Arctic albedo (energy) data to evaluate the effect of declining (change) sea ice on the Arctic system.
Construct a model to explain how declining sea ice is changing the Arctic’s albedo (energy).

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Opening Scenario

What do you notice/wonder about the following scenario?

Be prepared to share your thinking with the class.

Watch the “Surface Matters” video

Instructions

Prepare the demo, video, image- link to “Surface Matters” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLF8ZmqoPCc&feature=emb_title
If applicable, begin by referencing how this Data Puzzle builds upon or may be connected to what has recently been studied in class.
Then introduce the scenario using one of these:

“I recently saw something that puzzled me…”
“We are going to do an activity that will help us understand…”
“Let’s think about this story and what kind of sense you make of it…”

As the opening scenario (demo, video, image) is enacted, students gather (maybe record) noticings and wonderings.
Optional - Teacher could create a whole class list to publicly display/represent student noticings and wonderings.

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Turn and Talk

Why was the asphalt so hot when the grass is so cool?

Be prepared to share your thinking with the class.

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The Color of a Surface Matters!

It turns out that some surfaces reflect energy from the Sun better than others. Why? Much of it has to do with color.

Lighter colored objects tend to reflect a lot of the energy from the Sun back into space.

Darker colored object reflect less energy from the Sun back into space.

Can you explain why some cities are painting their rooftops white?

Be prepared to share your thinking with the class.

Turn and Talk

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Dr. Jen Kay studies the amount of sunlight reflected off the Earth’s surface

Jen Kay, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, uses satellite data to measure the amount of sunlight reflected off the Earth’s surface.

The amount of sunlight the Earth reflects vs. absorbs can impact surface temperatures.

Jen is particularly interested in how the amount of sunlight reflected from the Arctic might be changing in response to melting sea ice.

Image: NASA

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Puzzle Plot Reading

Teacher note: Distribute pages 1-2 of student worksheet

Instructions

Learn more about Dr. Kay’s research by reading the Puzzle Plot text individually or as a whole class. When reading the text, be sure to complete the following tasks:

Circle the investigative question the scientist is seeking to answer

Underline similarities between the reading and the opening scenario (be ready to discuss)

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Turn and Talk

Do you think there are similarities between the reading and the opening scenario? Why or why not?

Be prepared to share your thinking with the class.

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Identifying Important Science Ideas

Teacher note: Distribute page 3 of student worksheet

Instructions

Now that you’ve read the Puzzle Plot, it’s time to summarize the important science ideas presented in the text by completing the following tasks:

Draw and describe how sunlight shining on sea ice differs from sunlight shining on ocean water.
Record the investigative question
Make a prediction (based on evidence from the text) about the investigative question

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Data Analysis

How does Jen get her data?

CERES instruments have been launched aboard the Terra, Aqua, and S-NPP satellites to measure how much of the Sun’s energy is reflected off of the Earth’s surface (albedo).

When it comes to the Arctic, the albedo of the surface can vary a lot!

SW_down

SW_up

Albedo = SW_up/SW_down

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Albedo of sea Ice and ocean

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Blue pond

Bare MY ice

Dry snow

Melting snow

Bare FY ice

Light blue pond

Dark pond

Leads

Credit: Don Perovich

Low Albedo

High Albedo

FY = First-year ice (new ice)

MY = Multi-year ice (old ice)

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Let’s look at some Arctic Albedo data collected

from CERES instruments!

Albedo = SW_down/SW_up

SW_down

SW_up

Arctic shown by the green circle

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Data Analysis

Turn and Talk:

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

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Data Analysis

Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

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Data Analysis

Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

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Data Analysis

Turn and Talk:

What do you predict the average summer albedo will be when average summer sea ice extents are above 9.0 million km^2?

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Data Analysis

Turn and Talk:

What can we say about the data now?

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Data Analysis

Teacher note: Distribute pages 4-5 of student worksheet

Instructions

Answer questions #4-6 by analyzing and interpreting patterns in the Arctic sea ice and albedo dataset.�
Do the data support your prediction for the investigative question, “Does the measurement of the Arctic's albedo relate to the observed decline in sea ice?”

Graph showing average albedo and sea ice extent (area of the Arctic covered by sea ice) during Arctic summers from 2000-2024. Note that summer is represented by the months June, July, and August

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Final Model Construction

Now that we’ve gathered some evidence (interactive reading and albedo and sea ice extent data interpretation) it’s time to construct a final model to explain the investigative question, “Does the measurement of the Arctic's albedo relate to the observed decline in sea ice?”

But what should be included in a final model?

And what does a model even look like?

Let’s look at an example together…

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Final Model Construction

Background Information

Scientists use models (e.g., annotated sketches, 3D replicas) to visualize explanations to questions they are investigating!

What should be included in a scientific model?

Relevant parts/concepts (What parts should be included?)
Connections between parts/concepts (What sign/symbols can we use to show how the parts relate to one another in the system?)
Data and Evidence (Do we have any data that supports our thinking?)

Example model to explain the following question,

“Why does the Black Panther get stronger after being punched?”

Turn and Talk:

Can you identify these three bullet points in the example model above?

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Signs and symbols to connect relevant parts

Arrows are useful in showing movements and connections between parts.

Text boxes allow you to explain a part of the model.

Timelines and partitions show change over time.

A key helps others understand symbols and ideas.

Zoom in windows allow you to show what is happening at a smaller scale.

Water is a polar molecule.

Key

Water (H₂O)

Oxygen(O₂)

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Past
Present
Future

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Final Model Construction

Teacher note: Distribute page 6 of student worksheet

Instructions

It’s time to construct your model (annotated sketch) to explain the investigative question. Be sure to discuss the bulleted list below as before you begin…

What should be included in a scientific model?

How could you show energy coming from the sun?
How could you show energy being reflected? absorbed?
Do we have any data that we could add to our model?

If possible, include actual numbers from the graph in your model

Investigative Question: Does the measurement of the Arctic's albedo relate to the observed decline in sea ice?

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Gallery Walk and Reflection

What similarities and differences do you see across the models? Are there things you’d like to add to your model?

As you walk, reflect on how your initial prediction may or may not have changed…

Be prepared to share your thinking with the group.

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Digging Deeper

Here’s what we know about the Arctic:

Sea ice is declining

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Digging Deeper

Here’s what we know about the Arctic:

Arctic sea ice is declining

2. Arctic Albedo varies with declining sea ice

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Digging Deeper

Here’s what we know about the Arctic:

Arctic sea ice is declining

2. Arctic Albedo varies with declining sea ice

3. The Arctic is warming at a rate 4 times faster than the rest of the world

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How is it possible that this remote region, covered by land ice and sea ice for much of the year, is warming so much faster than other places on Earth?

Use the graphic organizer on your student worksheet to describe how this cause-and-effect loop might work.

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End of lesson

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Digging Deeper

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But what about the Arctic’s albedo?

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Digging Deeper

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Digging deeper

How might the decline in sea ice affect temperatures in the Arctic?

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Data Analysis

Let’s test your prediction about Arctic sea ice and albedo by analyzing some data…

Turn and Talk:

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

What can we say about the data now?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

What can we say about the data now?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

What can we say about the data now?

Data Analysis

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Data Analysis

How does Jen get her data? Satellites!

Before we test our predictions, let’s look at how the Arctic albedo and sea ice datasets we’ll be analyzing was collected…

Watch this video (0-1:54 minutes) to learn how instruments aboard NASA satellites measure the Earth’s reflectivity

Instruments aboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites (pictured above) measure changes in environmental conditions, including Arctic sea ice!

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Data Analysis

Let’s test your prediction about Arctic sea ice and albedo by analyzing some data…

Turn and Talk:

What do you notice?

What do you wonder?

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

What can we say about the data now?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

How did what we just learned change your thinking?

Data Analysis

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Turn and Talk:

What new information did we just learn?

What can we say about the data now?

Data Analysis

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Data Analysis

Teacher note: Distribute pages 4-5 of student worksheet

Instructions

Answer questions #4-8 by analyzing and interpreting patterns in the Arctic sea ice and albedo dataset.�
Do the data support your prediction for the investigative question, “How might the Arctic’s albedo be affected by the observed decline in sea ice?”

Graph showing changes in average albedo and sea ice extent (area of the Arctic covered by sea ice) during Arctic summers from 2000-2021. Note that summer is represented by the months June, July, and August