Excerpts from the NATURE episode “Kilauea: Mountain of Fire”

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Video Clips

1) Volcanic Views

Describes many aspects of volcanic activity.

2) Lava Landscapes

How volcanic activity affects the surrounding land.

3) Stormy Seas

What happens when lava flows meet the ocean.

(Click here for a printer friendly version of this lesson.)

LESSON TITLE: Vibrant Volcanoes

GRADE LEVEL: 2 – 4

TOPIC/SUBJECT MATTER: Earth Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: 1-2 class periods

OVERVIEW:

This lesson will introduce elementary students to the fiery and explosive nature of volcanoes, using segments from the NATURE film, “Kilauea: Mountain of Fire.” Students will get to know different features of volcanoes and volcanic activity: what volcanoes are like, where they are found, how and why they erupt, and what happens after an eruption. Students will begin by learning key terms about the earth’s structure and plate tectonics, and followed by a hands-on demonstration of plate tectonics. Students will then view video clips to provide an overview of volcanic activity and the effects on the surrounding landscape. As a culminating activity, students will explore the locations of volcanoes around the world.

MEDIA RESOURCES:

NATURE: Kilauea: Mountain of Fire, selected segments

Video Clips

1) Volcanic Views

2) Lava Landscapes

3) Steamy Seas

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web sites

National Geographic Decade Volcanoes

This map highlights sixteen volcanoes that have been designated as Decade Volcanoes, due to both their potential activity and proximity to populated areas.  There are photos of each volcano on the map, as well as information and statistics about its activity.

WorldAtlas Ring of Fire

This map shows the series of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that are known as the “Ring of Fire.”  More than half of the world’s active volcanoes are in this region, which coincides with the edges of tectonic plates.

Volcano Cross-Section

This image shows the basic components of a volcano.

Standards:

National Science Education Standards, Grades K – 4

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962

Content Standard B:

PROPERTIES OF OBJECTS AND MATERIALS

• Materials can exist in different states-solid, liquid, and gas. Some common materials, such as water, can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling.

LIGHT, HEAT, ELECTRICITY, AND MAGNETISM

• Heat can be produced in many ways, such as burning, rubbing, or mixing one substance with another. Heat can move from one object to another by conduction.

Content Standard D

PROPERTIES OF EARTH MATERIALS

• Earth materials are solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere. The varied materials have different physical and chemical properties, which make them useful in different ways, for example, as building materials, as sources of fuel, or for growing the plants we use as food. Earth materials provide many of the resources that humans use.

CHANGES IN THE EARTH AND SKY

• The surface of the earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

Content Standard F

CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTS

• Environments are the space, conditions, and factors that affect an individual’s and a population’s ability to survive and their quality of life.
• Changes in environments can be natural or influenced by humans. Some changes are good, some are bad, and some are neither good nor bad. Pollution is a change in the environment that can influence the health, survival, or activities of organisms, including humans.
• Some environmental changes occur slowly, and others occur rapidly. Students should understand the different consequences of changing environments in small increments over long periods as compared with changing environments in large increments over short periods.

MATERIALS

For each student:

• Volcanic Vocabulary Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Lava Landscapes Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)

For each group of 3-4 students:

• Medium-cooked egg (boiled for 5 – 8 minutes, depending on the size of the egg)
• Paper towels

For the class:

• Volcanic Vocabulary Terms and Definitions Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
• Lava Landscapes Student Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
• World Map
• Computer with internet access
• Chart paper, chalkboard, or whiteboard
• Raw egg (optional)
• Push pins or small sticky notes

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Recognize key characteristics of volcanoes and volcanic eruptions
• Define vocabulary terms relating to volcanoes and volcanic activity
• Understand how volcanic eruptions change the Earth’s surface
• Identify locations of volcanoes around the world

PREP FOR THE TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Make copies of the student organizers for each student in the class.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Prepare chart paper or chalkboard/whiteboard by writing the vocabulary terms from the Introductory Activity: Crust, Mantle, Magma, Lava, Plates.  Leave enough room to write the definitions as you cover them in the lesson.

Prepare medium-cooked eggs for the Introductory Activity.  These eggs should be boiled for approximately 5 – 8 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs, and should be thoroughly cooled before distributing to students.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/vibrant-volcanoes/lesson-overview/5159/feed/ 1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/seasons-greetings/lesson-overview/4809/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/seasons-greetings/lesson-overview/4809/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:06:01 +0000 eva glaser http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4809 (Click here for a printer-friendly version of this lesson.)

GRADE LEVEL: 5-8

TOPIC/SUBJECT MATTER: Earth Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: 1-2 Class periods

OVERVIEW:

This lesson uses video segments from the NATURE film “Earth Navigators” to explain what causes the Earth’s seasons and seasonal changes.  Students will explore the causes and effects of the changes in the Earth’s seasons using a hands-on activity and a Web interactive.  As a culminating activity, students will learn about seasonal milestones using video segments from ‘Earth Navigators.”

MEDIA RESOURCES:

Video

Access the streaming and downloadable video segment for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Clip 1: Earth’s Seasons

Web sites:

Seasons Interactive

This Web interactive contains seasonal information for four cities around the world over the course of one year.

Times Solstices & Equinoxes 2000 – 2010

This Web site gives the times and dates of the solstices and equinoxes from 2000 – 2010, using information drawn from the U.S. Naval Observatory

Standards:

National Science Education Standards, Grades 5-8

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962

Earth and Space Science

Content Standard D

As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding of

• Structure of the earth system
• Earth’s history
• Earth in the solar system

EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

[See Unifying Concepts and Processes]

• The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets. The sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system.
• Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion. Those motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.

The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth’s surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the sun’s energy hitting the surface, due to the tilt of the earth’s rotation on its axis and the length of the day.

MATERIALS:

For each student:

• Seasonal Milestones Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Seasonal Milestones Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

For each pair/group:

• Seasons Interactive Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Seasons Interactive Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

For the class:

• Globe
• Large beach ball
• Seasonal Milestones Organizer Answer Key
• Seasons Interactive Organizer Answer Key

Objectives:

Students will be able to;

• Explain Earth’s pattern of orbit around the Sun
• Describe seasonal milestones
• Identify factors that contribute to seasonal changes
• Compare seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Before the Lesson/Prep for Teachers:

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Make copies of the Student Organizers for each student in the class.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES

Downloadable QuickTime version of the video segment:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Earth Seasons

Excerpts from NATURE: “American Eagle”

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Clip 1: Challenges of Incubation

Clip 2: Hatching

Clip 3: Fledglings

Clip 4: Growing Independent

GRADE LEVEL: 2 -3

TIME ALLOTMENT: One to two 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW:

Students learn that living things experience diverse life cycles. For example, baby birds go through distinct stages as they grow up into adult birds. This lesson uses the eagle to model universal avian life stages: from egg, to chick, to fledgling juvenile, to adult.

Students begin by creating a collage of bird images, discussing the characteristics that all birds share. A well-known story, The Ugly Duckling, is then read to introduce the concept of change over the life span. Students then use segments from the NATURE film American Eagle to learn how eagles look and act in different stages of their life cycle. At the conclusion of the lesson, students diagram the eagle life cycle, and may enhance their science learning with vocabulary and math activities.

SUBJECT MATTER:

Science, Language Arts

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of birds;
• Understand that different kinds of birds display a wide variety of similarities and differences;
• Identify the stages in the life cycle of birds;
• Understand vocabulary associated with the life cycle of birds;
• Diagram the life cycle of the American Bald Eagle.

STANDARDS:

From the National Science Standards for Science Content, Grades K-4.

CONTENT STANDARD C: Life Science
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of:

LIFE CYCLES OF ORGANISMS

• Plants and animals have life cycles that include being born, developing into adults, reproducing, and eventually dying. The details of this life cycle are different for different organisms.
• Plants and animals closely resemble their parents.
• Many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents of the organism, but other characteristics result from an individual’s interactions with the environment. Inherited characteristics include the color of flowers and the number of limbs of an animal. Other features, such as the ability to ride a bicycle, are learned through interactions with the environment and cannot be passed on to the next generation.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Video:

NATURE: American Eagle, selected segments

Clip 1: “Challenges of Incubation”

Eagles must protect their eggs from cold, snow and predators.

Clip 2: “Hatching”

For eagles, getting the hang of parenting takes practice.

Clip 3: “Fledglings”

Fledglings begin to fly.

Clip 4: “Growing Independent”

Young eagles learn to catch food.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

MATERIALS:

For the class:

• Nature and wildlife magazines (or pictures of birds from other sources)
• Scissors and glue
• Oaktag, posterboard or construction paper
• Feathers (optional)
• Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling (or any other storybook demonstrating changes in the bird life cycle)
• Photo of an American Bald Eagle
• Computer and projection system for class viewing of video segments

For each student:

• Eagle life cycle student organizer (PDF) (RTF), or 4 sheets of paper to complete life cycle drawings
• Pencil and crayons or markers

Prep for Teachers

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Ask students to bring in nature and wildlife magazines from home.

Preview all of the video segments used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

If desired, make a word wall of any of the following vocabulary words your students do not yet know: Egg, chick, eagle, eaglet, incubate, fledgling, hatch, instinct, endangered species.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES

Background:
Diamonds are minerals that are valued for their durability, beauty, and rarity. They form deep in the earth under conditions of extreme heat and pressure, and are brought to the surface of the earth by the forces of volcanism and weathering. Generally, diamonds – and the rocks they’re found in – are very old. Studying diamonds, therefore, can help scientists reconstruct the processes that were central to the formation of the earth itself.

The physical properties of a diamond are determined more by the crystal structure of the diamond than by its composition – consider that diamond and graphite, despite their vastly different physical properties, are both composed of pure carbon. Every mineral is characterized a particular type of crystalline structure that is largely responsible for its physical properties.

These excerpts from the NATURE episode “Diamonds” demonstrate the characteristics of these rare gems, and explore the value they hold for scientists and the general public.

Suggested Focus Questions:

Clip 1: Diamonds Everywhere

1. What do diamonds symbolize in our society?
2. Explain the saying “a diamond is forever.” What are the different meanings of this phrase?

Clip 2: Diamond Formation

1. What materials and conditions are essential to the formation of a diamond?
2. How do you think artificial diamonds might be manufactured? What engineering problems might be involved in doing so?

Clip 3: Aging Diamonds?

1. How do diamonds get to the surface of the earth?
2. Why are diamonds valuable to scientists?
3. How do scientists determine the age of rocks and minerals? Why is it that “a diamond never grows old”?

Clip 4: Inclusion Conclusions

1. How hard are diamonds?
2. What is meant by the term “inclusion”?’
3. What can scientists determine by studying diamonds and their inclusions?

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To downoad a video, right-click on the video title and click “Save Link As…” or “Save Target As…” On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)
Clip 1, “Diamonds Everywhere”
Clip 2, “Diamond Formation”
Clip 3, “Aging Diamonds?”
Clip 4, “Inclusion Conclusions”

GRADE LEVEL: 9-11

TIME ALLOTMENT: Two to three 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW: The rarity and unique physical properties of diamonds have earned them an important and valuable place in our society. The NATURE episode “Diamonds” investigates the origins of this brilliant gemstone, as well as how it is mined and sold.

In this lesson, students will explore the characteristics of diamonds, and begin building an understanding of their formative environment, the resulting crystal structures and the physical properties of earth materials. Students will also be introduced to the silica tetrahedron and the silicate minerals, build physical models of silicate structures, and determine the physical properties of several common silicate mineral samples.

Prior to commencing this lesson, students should have already been introduced to the concepts of minerals and the physical properties used to identify them (i.e. luster, hardness, and cleavage/fracture).

SUBJECT MATTER: Earth Science, Mineralogy, Crystallography, Science and Society

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to:

• Determine some physical properties of minerals;
• State and illustrate, with examples, that the physical properties of minerals are a function of their crystal structures;
• Connect the scientific significance of diamonds to its cultural and historical significance;
• Construct simple models of olivine, pyroxenes, amphiboles, and micas using 3 dimensional silicate tetrahedron models.

STANDARDS and CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT:
National Science Education Standards

CONTENT STANDARD A: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop

Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understandings about scientific inquiry

USE TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
A variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, should be an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection, analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results.

CONTENT STANDARD B: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF MATTER.

• Bonds between atoms are created when electrons are paired up by being transferred or shared. A substance composed of a single kind of atom is called an element. The atoms may be bonded together into molecules or crystalline solids. A compound is formed when two or more kinds of atoms bind together chemically.
• The physical properties of compounds reflect the nature of the interactions among its molecules. These interactions are determined by the structure of the molecule, including the constituent atoms and the distances and angles between them.
• Carbon atoms can bond to one another in chains, rings, and branching networks to form a variety of structures, including synthetic polymers, oils, and the large molecules essential to life.

New York State Regents Core Curriculum Alignments:
Physical Setting: Earth Science Core Curriculum

Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design in order to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

Key Idea 3. The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional and invented methods, provide new insights into phenomena.

Standard 2: Information Systems
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information, using appropriate technologies.

Key Idea 1. Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information as a tool to enhance learning

Standard 4
Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Key Idea 3. Matter is made up of particles whose properties determine the observable characteristics of matter and its reactivity.

Performance Indicators 3.1
Commencement: Students explain the properties of materials in terms of the arrangement and properties of the atoms that compose them

MEDIA COMPONENTS:
Video
NATURE: Diamonds, selected segments:

Clip 1: “Diamonds Everywhere”

A brief introduction the socio-economic value of diamonds

Clip 2: “Diamond Formation”

An expert describes the carbon composition of diamonds, as well as the conditions necessary for diamond formation.

Clip 3: “Aging Diamonds?”

Geological detectives use the ancient diamonds to learn more about the earth’s inner layers.

Clip 4: “Inclusion Conclusions”

Inclusions trapped within diamonds help geologists determine the age of diamonds and other information about where diamonds originate.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web sites
The Virtual Museum of Minerals and Molecules:
Graphite crystal visualization
Diamond crystal visualization
This site features 3-D crystal models for graphite and diamonds.
Please Note: These images require a plug-in download. See instructions under Prep for Teachers.

Silicate Structures
From the University of Wisconsin-Madison Web site:
Silica Tetrahedron

From the University of Arkansas Web site:
Olivine
Augite (Single Chain)
Hornblende (Double Chain)
Muscovite (Sheets)

From McGraw-Hill HIgher Education Online Learning Center Web site:
Animations of Silicate Structures

MATERIALS:
For each student:

• Tetrahedron Cutouts
• Envelopes or plastic zip-top bags for student tetrahedron cutouts
• NY Earth Science Reference Tables (ESRT) or a copy of pages 8-9 of the ESRT
• Diamond Discussion Worksheet (PDF)(RTF)
• Tetrahedron Worksheet (PDF)(RTF)

For each group of 3-4 students:

• A mineral testing kit consisting of one sample each of olivine, augite, hornblende, and muscovite mica, one streak plate, and one glass hardness testing plate
• Envelopes or zip-top plastic sandwich bags to hold mineral testing kits
• Glue sticks or paste
• Paper and pens
• One computer with broadband internet access and updated browser installed

For the Classroom

• One computer for the teacher with a digital projection system
• Diamond Discussion worksheet Answer Key (PDF)(RTF)
• Tetrahedron worksheet Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

PREP FOR TEACHERS:
Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video clips and Web sites used in the lessonload the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

The ideal setup for this lesson would be a workstation or laptop at a small lab table or station for each group of 3 or 4 students. If that setup is not possible, read through this lesson and decide how best to make it work in your classroom situation.

Test student workstations for compatibility with jmol scripts by logging on to the Virtual Museum Web pages (newer computers and updated browsers should support jmol). If yours does not, ask your technical staff to make the proper adjustments and test the computers yourself before attempting this lesson.

Make copies of all print materials as outlined in the materials section.

Copy, cut-out and assemble a few tetrahedron models yourself, noting best practices for assembly to share with your students.

Prepare a mineral kit for each group of 3 or 4 students containing a sample each of olivine, augite (pyroxene), hornblende (amphibole), biotite or muscovite (mica), a streak plate, and a glass hardness testing plate.

PREP FOR STUDENTS:
Two days before the intended date of the lesson, hand out the Tetrahedron Cutouts and an envelope/plastic bag. Have students write their names on the envelope or bag. Instruct them to cut out their tetrahedrons at home, and bring the cutouts to class in the envelope/plastic bag the next day. Collect the envelopes/bags, and give students who forgot one more day to get them done. You may also hand out more sheets to students who are interested in cutting out a few more.

Next: Proceed to Activities.

Grade Level: 9-12

Time Allotment: Two to three 45-minute class periods

Overview: We don’t often think about glaciers in our everyday lives, even though their effects are all around us. Glaciers have played a large role in shaping the world around us, from the large boulders in Central Park to the rolling hills of Ireland to Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. For hundreds of thousands of years, the movement of glaciers has shaped land through erosion and deposition, creating landforms such as U-shaped valleys, drumlins, horns and arêtes, moraines, and kettle lakes. Currently, glacial retreat is implicated in the Earth’s changing climate patterns and may have a great impact on sea levels and weather cycles.

In this lesson, students learn how glaciers and glacial movement have affected the Earth through a series of Web interactives and hands-on activities. They learn fundamental information and terminology regarding glaciers and glaciation, and will then complete an activity using model glaciers to simulate effects on the landscape. Students then use video segments and satellite images to identify the effects of glaciation in various parts of the world. Lastly, they review current theories about cycles of climate change and relate them to glaciers and ice sheets existing today.

Subject matter: Earth Science\Glaciations\Erosion

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Define key terms pertaining to glaciers and glaciation;
• Describe the formation process of glaciers and glacial motion;
• Explain several ways in which glaciers erode the land;
• Describe features of glacial deposition and explain how they occur;
• Recognize features of glacial erosion and deposition on landscapes;
• Explain the relationship between glaciers/ice caps and climate patterns.

STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT:

National Science Education Standards

Earth and Space Science

CONTENT STANDARD D: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of

• Energy in the earth system
• Geochemical cycles
• Origin and evolution of the earth system
• Origin and evolution of the universe

Students find that the geologic record suggests that the global temperature has fluctuated within a relatively narrow range, one that has been narrow enough to enable life to survive and evolve for over three billion years. They come to understand that some of the small temperature fluctuations have produced what we perceive as dramatic effects in the earth system, such as the ice ages and the extinction of entire species. They explore the regulation of earth’s global temperature by the water and carbon cycles. Using this background, students can examine environmental changes occurring today and make predictions about future temperature fluctuations in the earth system.

Interactions among the solid earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and organisms have resulted in the ongoing evolution of the earth system. We can observe some changes such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on a human time scale, but many processes such as mountain building and plate movements take place over hundreds of millions of years.

NEW YORK STATE CORE CURRICULUM ALIGNMENTS

Earth Science Core Curriculum

STANDARD 1: Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering designs, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Key Idea 1: The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process.

STANDARD 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and earth science recognizing the historical development of ideas in science.

Key Idea 2: Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among components of air, water, and land.

Performance Indicator 2.1: Use the concepts of density and heat energy to explain observations of weather patterns, seasonal changes, and the movements of Earth’s plates.

2.1r Climate variations, structure, and characteristics of bedrock influence the development of landscape features including mountains, plateaus, plains, valleys, ridges, escarpments, and stream drainage patterns.

2.1s Weathering is the physical and chemical breakdown of rocks at or near Earth’s surface. Soils are the result of weathering and biological activity over long periods of time.

2.1t Natural agents of erosion, generally driven by gravity, remove, transport, and deposit weathered rock particles. Each agent of erosion produces distinctive changes in the material that it transports and creates characteristic surface features and landscapes. In certain erosional situations, loss of property, personal injury, and loss of life can be reduced by effective emergency preparedness.

2.1u The natural agents of erosion include:

Glaciers (moving ice): Glacial erosional processes include the formation of U-shaped valleys, parallel scratches, and grooves in bedrock. Glacial features include moraines, drumlins, kettle lakes, finger lakes, and outwash plains.

Mass Movement: Earth materials move downslope under the influence of gravity.

2.1v Patterns of deposition result from a loss of energy within the transporting system and are influenced by the size, shape, and density of the transported particles. Sediment deposits may be sorted or unsorted.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Video:

NATURE, Ireland, selected clips:

Clip 1, “Forming the Burren”

This clip describes how glaciers eroded the bedrock of Ireland’s landscape.

Clip 2, “Glaciated Landscape”

This clip shows the many different features and effects of glaciers in Ireland.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web Sites:

Our Environment: Glaciers
This interactive describes valley and continental glaciers and gives an in-depth explanation of the features of the glaciers and their effects on the landscape.

Life Cycle of a Glacier
This interactive from NOVA shows how a single snowflake makes it to the bottom of a glacier.

New York Satellite Images – Satellite Photo Map
This map contains satellite image of New York State.

Milankovitch Cycles – Interactivity – MSN Encarta
This interactive explains the three periodic variations in the Earth’s orientation toward the Sun, which are believed to cause cyclical changes in climate.

Earth science reference table for Regents exam

Materials:

For each student:

• Earth Science Reference Table – page 8
• Glacier Overview Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Life Cycle of a Glacier Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Milankovitch Cycles Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• One model glacier
• Paper plate

For each pair/group:

• Computer with Internet access
• 5 oz. play dough (homemade or purchased)

For the class:

• Computer with Internet access, projector, and screen
• TV and DVD player
• Materials for model glaciers (to be constructed by teacher)
  • Dirt/gravel mixture (approximately 1 tablespoon per student)
  • Ice cube trays (enough for each student in the class to get one cube)
  • Water (enough to fill ice cube trays)

• Organizer Answer Keys:
  • Glacier Overview Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
  • Life Cycle of a Glacier Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
  • Milankovitch Cycles Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
  • Effects of Glaciers in New York State Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

PREP FOR TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video clips and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Make copies of Earth Science Reference Table, page 8, for each student in your class.

Make copies of all student organizers for each student in your class.

Prepare model glaciers for students by following these steps:

1. Prepare mixture of dirt and gravel. Particles should be of different sizes. You will need approximately one tablespoon of the mixture for each student in the class.
2. Add mixture to ice cube trays. Each ice cube slot should be filled about halfway with the mixture.
3. Fill trays with water.
4. Freeze overnight.

Next: Proceed to Activities

Background:
Ireland, like much of the Northern Hemisphere, was completely covered by glaciers during the Ice Age. As the glaciers advanced and retreated over the land, they shaped and changed the surface of the landmass through the processes of erosion and sedimentation. Segments from the NATURE episode “Ireland” provide examples of the effects glaciers can have on a landscape.

Suggested Focus Questions:

Clip 1: Forming the Burren

1. How did the glaciers change the limestone outcrops?
2. How did large boulders come to rest on flat stretches of land?
3. What might the Burren look like if the glaciers covering it had been larger, and had moved at a faster pace?

Clip 2: Glaciated Landscape

1. How did frost action change the rock faces?
2. Describe Ireland’s landscape during the Ice Age.
3. What features of the landscape appear to be sculpted by glaciers? How can you tell?

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right=click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Clip 1, “Forming the Burren”

Clip 2, “Glaciated Landscape“