Key questions
> What is a glacier?
> What is happening to glaciers?
Outline
Children will view and research images of glaciers through discussion and related activity. They develop knowledge on how glaciers form and retreat over time- appreciating more fully the effects of climate change.
Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
© istockphoto.com - Daniel Breckwoldt
Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
© istockphoto.com - Daniel Breckwoldt
© istockphoto.com - Daniel Breckwoldt
Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
© istockphoto.com - Daniel Breckwoldt
Preparation
The ‘Snow to Ice’ resource sheet (Investigation 16) should be cut into separate strips detailing how snow becomes ice.
Learning outcomes
On completing these activities all children will be able to:
> Recall the processes that create glaciers and ice sheets
> Recognise some of the impacts of climate change
Resources
Photos sourced from pack, magazines, newspapers, internet, etc
Investigation 16 ‘Snow to Ice’
Scissors
Images gathered online of retreating glaciers. See also: Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand (Resource Card no. 23)
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Learning activities
1. Children look at the photograph of the Franz Josef Glacier (Resource Card 23) and any other images they can find on glaciers.
2. Children talk about the question ‘How did this place get like this?’ Children discuss their ideas.
3. Children sort cards to the sequence of snow becoming ice:
> Snowflakes fall onto the mountains
> Snowflakes do not melt where temperatures stay under 0 o C
> More snowflakes fall
> Air is forced out of snowflakes by the weight of snow above
> Snowflakes become granular snow
> Air is forced out of granular snow by the weight of more snowflakes above
> Snowflakes and granular snow remains in places with little sun
> Granular snow becomes firn*
> Air is forced out of firn by the weight of snow above
> Firn becomes ice
> Ice contains little air
> Ice begins to move down the slopes
4. Children use sets of photographs of glaciers, if available. Children sequence photographs.
Children discuss why glaciers are retreating/shrinking.
Notes
• There are some excellent accounts of glacier formation online, however, some of these are designed for second level students, so take care to check them out carefully.
* Definition, Firn : n. Granular, partially compacted snow that has passed through one summer melt season but is not yet glacial ice.