Optional Activities
- Glacial Erratic Detective: A “glacial erratic” is a rock carried far from its origin by a glacier. Research the “Big Rock” in Alberta, Canada — a 15,000-ton quartzite boulder transported 300 km by glacial ice. How do geologists know it was moved by ice and not a river?
- Ice Core Timeline: Look up NASA or NOAA images of ice core samples. Each layer is one year of snowfall; trapped air bubbles preserve ancient atmosphere. Draw a simplified ice core showing what scientists can read from different layers: temperature, CO₂ levels, volcanic eruptions, ancient pollen.
- Milankovitch Cycles: Earth’s ice ages follow predictable cycles linked to changes in Earth’s orbit, axial tilt, and wobble. Research the three Milankovitch cycles and draw a diagram showing how each affects how much sunlight Earth receives and how that connects to ice age timing.
- Modern Glacier Watch: Use NASA’s Worldview satellite imagery (worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov) to find a glacier in Greenland, Alaska, or Antarctica. Compare images from different years, can you see retreat? Write a short observational report with dates.