Glaciers

Topics

• Glaciers
• Climate

Description

Adjust mountain snowfall and temperature to see the glacier grow and shrink. Use scientific tools to measure thickness, velocity and glacial budget.

Sample Learning Goals

• Explain how environmental conditions (temperature and precipitation) impact glacial mass budget; identify where snow accumulates in a glacier and justify why.
• Explain how ice moves within a glacier; describe and illustrate flow within a glacier.
• Explain or illustrate (demonstrate) how glaciers (i) stay at equilibrium, (ii) grow/advance, (iii) shrink/retreat, and (iv) form; compare climatic conditions leading to each.
• Determine and illustrate how multiple advance-retreat cycles affect the record of glacial end moraines.