NOAA
Where Have All the Glaciers Gone?
What happens when ice melts? Well ... water happens. When that melting ice is a glacier, the amount of water that results produces change throughout the world. Middle school science sleuths uncover the truth about global warming, the...
Global Oneness Project
At-Risk Communities
"Waiting to Move," a photo essay by Ciril Jazbec, brings into sharp focus the threats posed by climate change. Class members examine images of Shishmaref Island and the Native Alaskan Inupiate coastal villages that are impacted by rising...
Curated OER
March of the Polar Bears: Global Change, Sea Ice, and Wildlife Migration
Learners study global change and how these changes impact wildlife. In this polar bears lesson students analyze maps and data to understand climate change.
National Wildlife Federation
Wherefore Art Thou, Albedo?
In the sixth lesson in a series of 21, scholars use NASA data to graph and interpret albedo seasonally and over the course of multiple years. This allows learners to compare albedo trends to changes in sea ice with connections to the...
Space Awareness
The Big Meltdown
Explore the world (our world) of melting ice caps. Why are these caps melting? What is the effect of melting ice caps? Dive into the ever-present issue of global warming with a resource that has learners looking at data and participating...
Global Oneness Project
A Vanishing Island
The effects of rising sea levels on Isle de Jean Charles, located off the coast of Louisiana, are documented in Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee's poignant short video. Viewers are asked to consider not only the plight of residents but also what...
Curated OER
Glaciers: Then and Now
A large data table is given to your elementary earth scientists in which they record observations that they make while viewing pictures of Alaskan glaciers. They compare and contrast recent photos with older photos. Hold a discussion...
Curated OER
Rising Sea Levels: UK and Bangladesh
Learners explore the possible effects of global warming. In this geography/global warming lesson, students identify regions using an atlas and complete a global warming worksheet. Learners perform an experiment in which they simulate...
Curated OER
Biomes: The Threat of the Sea
Young scholars create posters to raise awareness about Global Warming as an immediate threat. In this environmental lesson, students respond to the video Biomes: The Threat of the Sea by researching global warming and making posters to...
Curated OER
Snow on Sea Ice
Young scholars examine different samples of ice and predict the amount of snow that has fallen in a given year. Using a calculator, they graph the various thicknesses. They analyze the graphs to determine the relationship between the...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Plankton to Penguins: Antarctic Food Web
A well-written lesson plan, second in a series of four, gets high schoolers exploring how the Antarctic food web is impacted by climate change and the associated melting of polar ice sheets. It begins with a PowerPoint presentation about...
Curated OER
Polar Bears in Peril - Climate Change Culprit?
High schoolers explore the changes in sea ice over several years. In this life science lesson plan, students review and examine 20 years of data. They use Excel to graph data and analyze trends.
Curated OER
Glaciers and Global Sea Rise
Students explain how melting glaciers affect global warming. In this earth science lesson, students investigate the change in ice density as it melts. They discuss the human and environmental impact of rising sea levels.
Polar Trec
Foraging for Fish in a Melting Arctic
How much do you know about the black guillemot of the Arctic region? With great background information, images, and a quick discussion, the class will learn all about the plight of the foraging seabird as they play a fun game. First,...
Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Students create a web connecting global warming, the Arctic, and wold climate. They write a paragraph explaining the role of the Arctic in world climate.
Curated OER
When Land Ice Melts
Students investigate what happens when land ice melts. They discuss how the melting of land ice is different than the melting of icebergs. Students observe what happens as the ice melts.
Polar Trec
Nature's Density Column
Nature provides density columns in the polar regions that provides food for many animals. Young scientists build their own density columns with water in order to answer analysis questions. Through a slideshow presentation, scholars...
Curated OER
Characteristics of Crystals
In this crystals worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by filling in the characteristics of the different crystal types including melting/boiling point and electrical conductivity.
Curated OER
Climate Change: What's Hot? What's Happening?
Students conduct a web-based project to analyze recent or on-going climate change research in the North. They are exposed to the application of science in current research on climate change.
Curated OER
Climate Change
Rising sea levels, strong storms, melting ice ... who or what is to blame? Scholars browse the website in preparation for a class discussion or debate about whether human activity is causing climate change. They gain a balanced...
Curated OER
Antarctic Meltdown?
In this geography worksheet, students read an excerpt about how scientist are examining changes in the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. They use the information in the excerpt and any other references listed to answer the three questions...
Curated OER
Melt Away
Students explore objects before and after heating using their senses. For this matter and energy lesson, students experiment with a variety of objects and use their senses (except taste) to make predictions and record observations about...
Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction to Climate
Begin a full lesson on climate change by demonstrating how carbon dioxide gas contributes to increased temperatures. Be aware that pressure inside the antacid-containing bottle in Activity 2 may cause the lid to fly off; keep viewers at...
Curated OER
The Energy Debate - Sea Level Rise
Students comprehend the impact of global warming on our coastal cities. They appreciate how geographic information systems can be used to represent scientific data. Students research the melting of the ice caps in Antarctica and the Arctic.