Why Scientists Are So Worried About This Glacier

• This video explains how the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is falling apart, directly impacting sea level rise. 
• Students will learn that while the ice shelf of the Thwaites Glacier is sea ice, the glacier itself is land ice because it rests on the bedrock of the continent. 
• The video explains that eliminating greenhouse gas emissions could slow the glacier's collapse. 

Positives

• This video provides excellent illustrations for visual learners.
• A wide variety of maps will help students understand Antarctica's topography.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• This video begins with an advertisement.
• Students will need to understand the difference between sea ice and land ice. This lesson from ACE will teach students about both types of ice.
  

Differentiation

• Biology classes could learn more about the Thwaites Glacier ecosystem to find out how the disappearance of the ice shelf is impacting wildlife.
• Social studies and geography classes could discuss what three meters of sea level rise would mean for coastal communities around the world. Students could discuss the following questions:
  • What would happen to the people who live in coastal communities if their communities were underwater?
  • If places such as Miami, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and New York City disappear, what happens to the culture of those places?
  • Do you think it is more important to invest money into preparing coastal communities for rising sea levels or to invest money into finding alternatives to fossil fuel use? Why?
• Other resources on this topic include this NASA video on ice loss in Antarctica between 2002-2020, this article on the future of sea level rise, and this interactive simulation about glaciers.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.