Getting into hot water – global warming and rising sea levels
Activities
Research Institute for Sustainable Energy
Greenhouse activities – provides a number of activities related to the greenhouse effect. One of these activities, Sea level change, demonstrates that the melting of land-ice has a different effect on sea level from the melting of floating ice.
Australian Antarctic Division
Classroom Antarctica: deep freeze – activities such as 'Sea ice', 'Ice melt' and 'Sea levels' help students to recognise the influence of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in global processes.
Global Education (Australian Agency for International Development)
Climate change and sea levels in the South Pacific – students analyse data on estimated sea level trends. A Case study and Teacher's notes are also available.
The Helix teachers guide (CSIRO, Australia)
The impacts of rising sea levels – students do a range of activities related to the impacts of rising sea levels, including debating, writing, research and drama activities. Experiments involving thermal expansion are also included.
Surfing Scientist (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
When
icebergs melt - students find out what happens to water levels
when floating ice melts.
Science upd8 (UK)
Watching the ice – students discuss using government funds for science projects and investigate changes of state and expansion. Access to activities is free to subscribers.
Digital Library for Earth System Education, USA
Global ups and downs: Changing sea level – provides a series of six lessons, each of which includes a number of activities, related to sea level change.
Human impact (Gulf of Maine aquarium, USA)
Melting ice – students examine the potential impacts of the warming of the atmosphere.
Sea level rise – students examine changes in the volume of a flask of water.
Salt water incursion – students show that salt water can replace fresh water in a well along the shoreline
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (USA)
These lesson plans and background information were developed in association with the National Tidal Facility at Flinders University, Australia. (The lessons were originally printed as part of the Curriculum Modules for the Pacific Schools – Climate change and sea level. The lessons are primarily aimed at junior high school students, but teachers can modify them for senior high school students.)
Coastal erosion – students graph and analyse sand volume data from a beach on Samoa
Ocean currents – students demonstrate how cooling and heating water affects currents.
Sea water and agriculture – students observe the effect of sea water on plant growth.
Estimating local sea level – students observe the local environment for indicators of sea level variations.
Sea Education Association (USA)
Stacking water – students use clear straws to layer coloured water of different salinities.
Ocean Drilling Distance Learning Program (Texas A&M University, USA)
Sea level: Ice volume changes – provides four exercises to help students identify the relationship between global climate change and Earth's ice volume and sea level, and to interpret climatic history. Teachers notes are also available.
New York Times Learning Network (USA)
Ice breakers – students demonstrate several physical properties of ice, then relate these properties to the effects of global warming on icecaps.
Walking on thin ice? – students examine scientific evidence of changes in the Arctic ice cover.
Page updated March 2009.