Winter Lesson: Search for Ice and Snow

Subjects

• Science
  --Physical Science
  ----Earth Science
  ----Environmental
  --Space Science
• Social Studies
  --Geography

Grade

• 6-8
• 9-12

Brief Description

Using an Earth Image database (Space Shuttle images) and world map, students identify places on Earth where there is ice and snow, and then create a table showing where they found the information, and the geographic location of the snow and ice.

Objectives

Students will:

• identify places in the world where there is ice or snow.
• use world maps to mark places where they find snow and ice, putting in places names and/or coordinates where possible.
• find and download images of Earth from the Web.
• determine ways to distinguish areas of ice/snow from clouds or other white features on the images of Earth.
• create a table showing where they found the information, the geographic location of the snow and ice, latitude, longitude, and any other pertinent information.
• present the information to their teacher.

Keywords

Winter, snow ice, weather, climate, latitude, longitude, geography

Materials Needed

• computer with Internet access
• paper and pencils
• a copy of the online world map for each student or group
• a data table for each student (optional)

Lesson Plan

Find the entire lesson plan, including objectives, vocabulary, extension activities, homework activities, and more at SEGway's Search for Ice and Snow.

Assessment

Students will be evaluated on their lists of snow/ice locations, with verification. To assess students' understanding of what they have learned, have them locate an image showing an especially interesting land feature, identify the image's coordinates, and name the land feature.

Lesson Plan Source

SEGway (Science Education Gateway)

Submitted By

Linda Starr

National Standards

SCIENCE
GRADES 5 - 8
NS.5-8.1 Science as Inquiry
NS.5-8.2 Physical Science
NS.5-8.4 Earth and Space Science
NS.5-8.5 Science and Technology
NS.5-8.6 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
GRADES 9 - 12
NS.9-12.1 Science as Inquiry
NS.9-12.2 Physical Science
NS.9-12.6 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions
NSS-G.K-12.3 Physical Systems
NSS-G.K-12.6 Uses of Geography

Update: 12/22/2014