The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Modeling Glacial Change and Sea Level Rise
Modeling Glacial Change and Sea Level Rise
A 7th Grade STEM Lesson
Cody Yeakel
June 2023
Notes for Teachers
This lesson is best aligned with 4th, 7th or HS earth and space science standards.
This lesson will take time for the ice to melt. A heat source such as hair dryer or heat lamp will help speed to process to complete in one class period.
Teachers can use discretion on how much support to provide in setting up and carrying out the investigation based on student ability.
List of Materials
Arizona Standards
Earth Science
4.E1U1.6
Plan and carry out an investigation to explore and explain the interactions between Earth’s major systems and the impact on Earth’s surface materials and processes.
7.E1U1.5 Construct a model that shows the cycling of matter and flow of energy in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
HS.E1U1.12 Develop and use models of the earth that explain the role of energy and matter in earth’s constantly changing internal and external systems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere).
Science and Engineering Practices
Crosscutting Concepts
Math
National Standards
Earth Science
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.
MS-ESS2-1
Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
Science and Engineering Practices
Crosscutting Concepts
Math
Objectives:
Agenda (~2 class periods)
Essential Question:
What interactions are occurring among Earth’s four spheres to cause global sea level rise?
Students will observe the phenomena of changing glaciers through the Google Earth timelapse tool
Engage
Introduction and observing the phenomena
Step 1 - Ask students the driving question “What interactions are occurring among earth’s four spheres to cause global sea level rise?”
Step 2 - Students open the Google Earth timelapse link and observe the phenomena of changing glaciers
STEP 3 - show students the video, ~4 minutes, for background information on the science and technology behind studying glacial change and sea level rise
Discussion Questions
How do the glaciers change from 1982 - 2022?
What changes do you observe on a year to year basis?
Why do you think these changes are occurring?
What interactions between spheres are occurring to cause the glaciers to change?
When the extent of the ice is smaller, where does it go? What other changes does that lead to?
What do you predict will happen to the glaciers in the future?
How do you think this will this affect global sea levels?
Explore
Planning and Carrying out the Investigation
*While completing the investigation, it is best to have students in groups of 3 or 4.*
Setting up the investigation:
Guide students through the investigation sheet up through “procedures”.
Carrying out the investigation:
Facilitate student work in carrying out the investigation following the procedures.
Gathering and Analyzing the data and constructing explanations:
Guide students through the remainder of the investigation sheet. *This section is ideal for the assessment.*
Assessment
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (on lab document)
Graph from data table (lab document)
Analysis and Conclusion
In which container did the water level rise more?
Did the data support your hypothesis?
Make a claim to answer the scientific question.
What evidence was used to write your claim? Refer to specific parts of the data table or graph.
Explain your reasoning and why the evidence supports your claim. Does melting land and sea ice contribute to global sea level rise? Connect your data to the background research in your explanation.
Differentiation
Provide sentence stems for writing the claim and reasoning.
Based on teacher discretion, you can provide varying levels of support for setting up the investigation. Ideally, students would be able to set up their own investigations. Students who need more support can be provided with step-by-step procedures for the investigation.
Students who need more support graphing the data can be provided with an outline of the graph with the axis already labeled.
Additional Support
Extension/Enrichment
Students can design another investigation to examine the effect of temperature of rate of rise.
Have students use an online graphing tool to graph the data.