Sea Level: Ice Volume Changes

In this exercise, students observe simulations of melting sea ice and a melting continental ice sheet in order to investigate the relationship between the melting of the ice and the water level in the tank. The water tanks simulate the world oceans. In the first example, the ice is floating in water. This would be an example of icebergs or Arctic ice floating on the ocean. In the second example the ice lies on a wood structure. The structure simulates a continent. The block of ice on top of the structure simulates ice grounded on top of a continent. This would be an example of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school