I really enjoyed this activity. I liked the hands-on aspect of it and it reminded me about why my students get so excited about lab days. It was a nice change from all of the reading. It also gave me a clear visual referenct to connect tot he reading I did about global warming. I now have an experience that I can use to relate to any further information I gather on this subject.
If the polar ice caps melt, there will be a definite rise in the water levels of our oceans. When I conducted the experiment, I thought there would be overflow from my ice as it melted and the bowl was completely full of water. I wisely put a plate under the bowl. I reasoned that part of the total volume was outside of the bowl and would add to the total volume of the water, leading to an overflow. This was contrary to a statement in the Time magazine article which stated, "Icebergs don't raise sea levels when they melt because they're floating, which means they have displace all the water they're every going to."(Kruger, 2006). Ummm, no. If an object floats on water, the water that is displaced is NOT the total volume of the object. A whole lot of the total volume of icebergs is above the surface and will add to the overall volume of water as it melts. At least, I think my logic is correct. The runoff from the polar ice caps will be similar to what happens to river levels as snow melts in the spring.
Additional questions I have are:
Will some students have varying opinions based on the research they do? They will be able to find information that supports both believers and non-believers of global warming. How do I guide students toward choosing one side or another on an issue?
What resources are available for finding activities similar to this where students are active participants in forming a conclusion based on content, observation, and scientific reading?
Hi Roesera, I to enjoyed hands-on activity verse the reading. I was really engaged in this activity. It called for reading as I research my own curiosity and quest for answers. I would like to suggest first explaining to the students and providing an activity that would give them insight on the controversy topic of global warming and its effects. This will foster ability to take side based off their own belief and knowledge gained from the activity or lesson. You could pose a guiding question which wills result in them agreeing or disagreeing as they discover research the topic.
ReplyDeleteMy hypothesis was the same as yours. I thought the water would overflow my glass. I too, put a plate under my glass and waited for the water to overflow. I was intrigued when the water did not overflow. I wanted to investigate and find out more information. I think the students will have the same reaction.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this weeks application!