2. Glaciers: Formed by ice, by snow accumulated over
hundreds of years that moves slowly down hill by the
force of gravity.
Polar Ice Sheet: A frozen field of ice covering either
the North Pole or the South Pole
Global Warming : An increase in earth`s average
atmosphere temperature
3. Snow falls below 0°c and it melts if temperature
is above 0°c
The amount of snow that falls depends on
how far away you are from the North – South
pole
4. Snow that doesn’t melt in Spring accumulates over time.
The un melted snow of the top layer is compressed with the older
snow underneath, and turns it into ice. This ice will eventually form
glaciers, icecaps and polar ice sheets.
Snow is fresh
Having a grainy
or granulated
surface of snow
the snow
line on a
glacier
The very
bottom layer
which is now
very firm
6. Our Views
Glaciers, ice caps and polar ice
sheets are very helpful to identify
changes in climate.
If glaciers increase in size or
polar ice sheets become larger,
it could be a sign that
temperatures are dropping
around the world.
If glaciers and polar ice sheets
start to shrink, it could be a sign
that temperatures around the
globe are increasing.
This all comes down to the
numerous animals that are going
extinct because of these causes. If
you didn’t realize, we’re responsible
7. Fill In the Blanks Activity
Glaciers and ____________ do not stay
the same size year after year, or even
within a year. These enormous stretches of
ice respond to fluctuating ____________
of the seasons, to ____________, and to
global ____________ change. Sometimes,
when all factors equal out, they may stay
____________ for a time. But usually they
are dynamic, ____________ and retreating
at distances often only noticeable over
years.
- Use the words at the right to help you fill in the blanks in the following
paragraph.
Word Bank:
• stationary
• advancing
• precipitation
• climate
• temperatures
• ice caps
Global warming causes polar ice melts.
This melted ice (Water) flows into the
oceans raising sea levels.
ice caps
temperatures
precipitation
climate
stationary
advancing
8. Question Time
1. How is global warming create a massive part in
our lives? How might it affect us and marine life
animals in the future?
2. What happens when snow accumulates? (Explain
the entire process).
9. Notes
• Snow falls below 0°c and it melts if temperature is above 0°c
• The amount of snow that falls depends on how far away you are from the North – South
pole
• Snow that doesn’t melt in the Spring accumulates (packs together) over time; Un melted
snow of the top layer compresses with older snow underneath, and it turns into ice. This ice
will eventually form glaciers, ice caps and polar ice sheets.
• Less ice melts in the summer when the climate is cold for centuries (during ice age). During
this time, glaciers build up and land covered in ice will increase.
• The ice cover starts to shrink if there’s less precipitation than usual for several years. This
affects the glaciers, forcing them higher up the mountainsides, and polar ice sheets cover
smaller areas.
• Global warming causes polar ice melts. This melted ice (Water) flows into the oceans
raising sea levels.