Introduction to Glacial Change in Greenland
In this lesson, students will observe and measure the advance and retreat of glaciers in Greenland to see how glaciers change over time and how they respond to a changing climate. Students will compare glaciers in different locations to identify trends in glacier behavior.
Learning Goals and Outcomes
Students will...
Measure the change in position of the glacier terminus to see how glaciers change over time
Identify trends in the behavior of glaciers by comparing the change in 2 or more glaciers
Describe how the behavior of the glaciers may be affected by climate change
Context for Use
Topic | Glaciology, Climate Change |
|---|---|
Course Type | Curriculum |
Audience | Introductory Undergraduate |
Instructional Time | 80 minutes |
Context | This lesson is aimed at introductory students with little to no geology background knowledge. It is helpful for students to have some GIS knowledge that can be acquired through the QGreenland Beginner's Tutorial Series, either in class or students can watch videos on their own. |
Materials | Computers that have QGIS and QGreenland installed. See requirements at www.qgis.org. |
Materials Prep | Install software for QGIS and QGreenland on students' own machines or a computer lab if available. Instructor should be familiar with how to complete the QGIS exercises in the lab. |
This lesson aligns with these standards:
Polar Literacy Principle 2A: Ice is dynamic and comes in many shapes and sizes- big, small, floating in water or layered, thin or thick, solid or porous soft.
Polar Literacy Principle 2B: Ice shapes the Polar landscape.