UNIT: Processes that Shape Earths Surface

LESSON: Glaciers

DATE: November 24, 2014

TIME LENGTH: 30-35 minutes

ACADEMIC STANDARDS:
1. 3.3.8.A1: Distinguish between physical and chemical weathering. Compare and contrast
the types of energy that drive Earths systems.

ASSESSMENT ANCHORS:
1. S8.D.1.1.2: Describe natural processes that change Earths surface (e.g., landslides,
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, glaciers, mountain building, new land being formed,
weathering, erosion, sedimentation, soil formation)

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Given the experiment, students will describe at least two properties of glaciers, with no
error.
2. Given PowerPoint slide 4-5, students will explain how glaciers form, with 90% accuracy.
3. Given the worksheet on glacial features, students will compare and contrast the glacial
features that are formed by deposition, with 90% accuracy.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. Name and describe at least two properties of glaciers.
2. Explain how glaciers form.
3. Compare and contrast the glacier features that are formed by erosion and deposition.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS:
1. Walk around while students complete the experiment and ask each group what they are
observing. If they are having trouble, give them hints, such as how could we use the
food dye to test which parts of the glacier moves the fastest?
2. Ask essential questions during closure to ensure students understanding of the
demonstration and how GAK shares properties of glaciers.

LESSON TYPE: Inquiry-based learning

Comment [K1]: INTASC 1: Content pedagogythis experiment allows for hands-on Science,
allowing students to construct meaningful subject
matter for themselves.

LESSON OUTLINE:
I.

Engage- Introduction to glaciers (5-6 minutes)

A. Motivational device: Show a video on glaciers introducing how they form and
move. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkWmOoMYXSw)
B. Introduce students to glaciers using slides 3-7 on key facts about glaciers.
1. Glaciers are huge masses of ice that move under the influence of gravity.
2. In the winter seasons, if more snow falls than snow that melted the
previous summer, glaciers can start to move.
3. In areas with a lot of snow, deeper snow gets buried and becomes
crystallized snow, called firn.
4. When snow falls on top of these layers of firn, the weight is too large, so
the ice, firn and snow begins to move.
a. The weight of the glacier causes itself to spread out and move.
b. If there is a lot of pressure on a glacier, ice will crack or break.
c. When the pressure is lower or the strain rate is small and
constant, ice can bend.
5. Snow and ice fall within a valley and even as the glacier begins to move, it
stays within the valley walls. These glaciers move slowly downhill.
a. These are called valley glaciers.
6. In places where snow falls all year long and never really has a chance to
melt, it forms huge land masses made completely of ice and snow.
a. These are called continental glaciers.

II.

Explore- Science inquiry (15 minutes)

1. Students will be given GAK (made and prepared before class) to play with and
manipulate to figure out the properties of a glacier.
1. They will be given the following properties to test: speed, weight, shearing,
flow, and bending.
2. They will also be given a baking sheet and markers if they choose to use them
in their inquiry.

Comment [K2]: INTASC 1: Content Pedagogy:

This lesson makes use of the 5 Es of inquiry. It
engages, allows students to explore, the teacher
explains, its elaborated on, and students are
evaluated.

3. Students need to come up with ways to test each of the properties, using the
materials given, if they choose to, and explain what they found out about each
property and how they came to that conclusion.
2. Explain- Class discussion- How did students work in groups to find out information
about each property? How did they come to those conclusions?
1. Speed- Glaciers move very slowly. The middle of a glacier moves faster than
the outside moves (this can be shown with the baking sheet held on a slope
and markers can be used to mark a line on the GAK to see that the middle
moves faster).
2. Weight- The weight of a glacier is what causes it to move. If you roll the
GAK up in a ball and place it down, its own weight will cause it to move
outward.
3. Shearing- GAK looks like its something in between a solid and a liquid, but
if you pull hard enough, it will shear, or break off, just as ice does.
4. Flow- If you hold the GAK in the air, it will flow under its own weight, just as
glaciers do.
5. Bending- GAK will bend and go around curves just as glaciers do.
III.

Elaborate using the glacial features worksheet.

A. Using the computers, students will complete their worksheets on glacial features,
explaining what each one is and if it is formed by erosion or deposition.
1. Have students share their answers to the worksheet.
a. Drumlins, truncated spurs, artes, hanging valleys cirque and glacial
troughs are caused by erosion.
b. Ground, lateral, medial, and terminal moraines and erratics are caused
by deposition.

IV.

Evaluate: Summary
A. Summary
1. Glaciers are huge masses of ice that move under the influence of gravity.
2. They move slowly under their own weight, flow, shear, and bend.
3. The middle of a glacier moves faster than the outsides do.
4. Glaciers cause erosion and deposition which causes Earths surface to change.

Comment [K3]: INTASC 4: Multiple Instructional

Strategies: Throughout this lesson there is a
constructivist experiment, lecturing, group work and
class discussion. To keep the interests of students, it
is important to have a variety of strategies.

B. Closure: Ask essential questions.

1. Name and describe at least two properties of glaciers.
2. Explain how glaciers form.
3. Which glacial features were caused by erosion? Which were caused by
deposition?
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
1. A worksheet will be given with the names of all the glacial features given. Students
are to define each feature and write whether it is caused by erosion or deposition.

Comment [K4]: INTASC 3: Diverse Learners:

Different students in the same classroom at any
given time will be at different achievement levels.
These three different variations of the same activity
allows ALL students to be doing the same activity,
just at different levels.

2. A second version of the worksheet is given, with glacial features sorted into two
groups: features caused by erosion and features caused by deposition. Students are to
define each feature.
3. A third version of the same worksheet is given, with the definitions of each feature
already given. Students are to sort the features by if they are caused by erosion or
caused by deposition.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES, MATERIALS, AND TECHNOLOGY:

A. Resources: (2006). Earth science reading study guides. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.
Spaulding, N. E., & Namowitz, S. N. (2005). Earthscience. (Teacher's ed., pp. 258-320).
Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.
B. Materials: GAK, baking sheet, markers, worksheets
C. Technology: Computers for each student, powerpoint, projector

HOMEWORK: Select one of the glacial features we went over. Draw and label a diagram
explaining how it forms. Be prepared to show the class tomorrow.
REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS:
1. Did the video at the beginning of the lesson help to grab students attention about
glaciers?
2. Was the GAK experiment useful as an inquiry-based experiment?
3. Did allowing students to use the computer instead of the textbook for the worksheets
seem effective?

Comment [K5]: INTASC 9: Reflective Practice:

Before even teaching this lesson, I have planned
ways to reflect on the lesson afterward. I know that
continuous reflection will help me grow as a
professional.