1. Exhibit curiosity
a. In what way do humans contribute to global warming?
Pollution – car emissions – factory pollution
b. How long do we have until the polar ice caps melt completely?
Scientists don’t know how long we have until the polar ice pas melt, but the rate at which they are melting is much faster than in the past.
c. Write two other questions about global warming.
1. What are some ways that humans can lesson their carbon footprint?
2. What is being done by governments/companies to stop global warming?
2. Define questions, from current or background knowledge
a. What will happen when the ice melts? Write your prediction your science journal.
Low lying coastal areas will be flooded. People will loose homes and businesses.
Yes, the water overflows because the ice was floating on top of the water and sticking out of the water. If the ice was completely submerged the water would not overflow because the melted ice would take up the same amount of space as the ice did. But since the ice was sticking out of the water, there is an excess of water.
3. Propose a possible explanation
a. As the ice melts, does the water overflow? Explain
No, the ice did not melt. I thought it would because the ice was sticking out of the top of the water. The water level seemed like it rose a little, but I did not measure it, so that is just a guess. I think that if I used more ice, then the water would overflow. I should have filled the bowl completely with ice.
5. Gather and record evidence from observation
a. Document observations in science journal
After the ice melted, the water overflowed the bowl.
6. Respond to question based on evidence
a. What happens when the ice melts?
After the ice melted, the water overflowed the bowl.
If the ice was completely submerged the water would not overflow because the melted ice would take up the same amount of space as the ice did. But since the ice was sticking out of the water, there is an excess of water.
7. Consider other explanations
a. Conduct research and complete a Venn diagram that compares various points of view on global warming issues.
8. Communicate explanation
a. Describe the impact of global warming. Take position on global warming and support this viewpoint with reasons, facts, and examples gathered during lesson activities.
The effects of global warming will drastically change the earth. People’s lives will be changed and the surface of the earth will be changed. Some example of how the earth will be changed are the polar ice caps melting, the temperature of the oceans rising, the climates of regions changing, habitats of animals being affected by climates changing, and the list goes on. I think that humans have a duty to lesson the effects of global warming on the earth. Every person who lives in a country that contributes to global warming should do their part. The result has direct connections to NASA-funded studies conducted last year that found perennial, or year-round, sea ice in the Arctic is declining at a rate of nine percent per decade and that in 2002 summer sea ice was at record low levels. Early results indicate this persisted in 2003. (www.nasa.gov)
Researchers have suspected loss of Arctic sea ice may be caused by changing atmospheric pressure patterns over the Arctic that move sea ice around, and by warming Arctic temperatures that result from greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere. (www.nasa.gov)
Comiso's study also finds temperature trends vary by region and season. While warming is prevalent over most of the Arctic, some areas, such as Greenland, appear to be cooling. Springtimes arrived earlier and were warmer, and warmer autumns lasted longer, the study found. Most importantly, temperatures increased on average by 1.22 degrees Celsius per decade over sea ice during Arctic summer. The summer warming and lengthened melt season appears to be affecting the volume and extent of permanent sea ice. (www.nasa.gov)
The Arctic ice cap is melting faster than scientists had expected and will shrink 40 percent by 2050 in most regions, with grim consequences for polar bears, walruses and other marine animals, according to government researchers. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602499.html)
9. Extended Questions
a. What happens if the polar ice caps melt?
There are many things that could happen if the polar ice caps melt:
1. change of habitats for animals – for instance, there are many animals that call the Southern Ocean their home and if the ice caps melt in Antarctica their habitats could be destroyed (http://www.eolss.net/ebooks/Sample%20Chapters/C10/E5-05-17.pdf)
2. change of climates – Warmer winters are bad news for wheat farmers, who need freezing temperatures to grow winter wheat. And in summer, warmer days would rob Kansas soil of 10 percent of its moisture, drying out valuable cropland. (http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/qthinice.asp#)
3. ecosystems/food webs being affected – if ice caps melt in the Arctic Ocean and the fish that live there dies, this can affect the bears that eat the fish (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602499.html)
b. What other questions do you have about this Science Inquiry Experience?
I don’t have any questions about this Science Inquiry Experience.
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