Resource Type
Activity
Region
Arctic
Completion Time
Less than 1 period
Grade
All Aged
Permission
Download and Share
Author(s)
IPY Programme Office
Materials
Two clear, wide-mouthed plastic jars (approximately 500 mL each)
Ice cubes
Toothpicks
Modeling clay
Water
Topic
General Earth Science
General Life Science
Life Science
Ecology
Earth Science
Evolution and Diversity
Organisms and Their Environments
Environmental Studies
Water Cycle, Weather, and Climate
Polar Science
General Environmental Studies
General Polar Science
Snow and Ice Science
Climate Change
Geography

The attached Lands and Life flyer, produced by the International Polar Year (IPY) Programme Office, includes a summary of terrestrial polar ecosystems, from southern cold maritime islands to dry continental deserts in Antarctica and from tree line across the continental tundra to remote northern islands in the Arctic. An attached activity allows students to build a small scale model of a landscape dominated by permafrost and to then witness what happens when it thaws.

Attachment Size
Download Activity (PDF - 212KB)211.57 KB 211.57 KB

This program is supported by the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed by this program are those of the PIs and coordinating team, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.