How much do you know about the frozen poles of our home planet?

In this activity, students use satellite images from the NASA Landsat team to quantify changes in glacier cover over time from 1986 to 2018. 

The advance-and-retreat cycle of snow cover drastically changes the whiteness and brightness of Earth. Using these two 2017 maps created using NASA satellite data, have students review the seasonal differences of snow and ice extent.

Students analyze data from graphs for sea ice extent (area) in both polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) to learn about seasonal variations and over a 30-year period to learn about longer-term trends.

This lesson walks students through the use of false-color imagery from Landsat and the identification of different land cover features using these as models.  Building from an original GLOBE lesson, this resource features Google Slide and Jamboard to assist in both face-to-face and virtual learni