This mini lesson helps students visualize how the Hydrosphere and Cryosphere interact to produce changes in land and sea ice.
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Arctic sea ice is the cap of frozen seawater blanketing most of the Arctic Ocean and neighboring seas in wintertime. It follows seasonal patterns of thickening and melting. Students view how the quantity has changed from 1979 through 2018.
This mini lesson engages students in writing a commentary for a NASA video regarding changes in global temperatures from 1880 to 2017.
Students examine the two time series images to determine the differences between seasonal ice melt over water versus land.
By investigating the data presented in a model that displays extreme summer air temperatures, students explain energy transfer in the Earth system and consider the impact of excessive heat on local communities.
Check out the Arctic and Earth SIGNs video to explore how climate models are used in climate change research.