Marine Environment Activity #3: Changing The Scene

1. The Natural History of Glacier Bay
Divide the resources below among eight student groups to read.

• Student Group 1: Glacier Bay: A Maritime Wilderness
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/
  http://www.npca.org/stateoftheparks/glacier_bay/
• Student Group 2: Natural History of Glacier Bay - Geology
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/geology.htm
• Student Group 3: Natural History of Glacier Bay - Geography
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/geography.htm
• Student Group 4: Natural History of Glacier Bay - Plants
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/plants.htm
• Student Group 5: Natural History of Glacier Bay - Animals
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/animals.htm
• Student Group 6: Natural History of Glacier Bay - Change
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/natural-history-of-glacier-bay.htm
• Student Group 7: Human History of Glacier Bay
  http://www.nps.gov/glba/historyculture/people.htm
• Student Group 8: Glacier Bay Ecosystem GIS - Effect of a Keystone Species, the Sea Otter
  http://www.inforain.org/alaska/glabaycd/CATALOG/htm/seaotter.htm

Provide each group with a copy of the brochure map of Glacier Bay and the Marine Environment Glossary. Map of Glacier Bay National Park (Shows glacial retreat timeline) http://www.nps.gov/applications/parks/glba/ppMaps/ACF30C1.pdf

Distribute the Student Worksheet: Glacier Bay Over Time. This worksheet provides a note-taking guide for students as they read their assigned resource. The information they gather on this guide will be used in Step 2 of the activity.

 

2. An Annotated map of Glacier Bay
Once the groups have completed their reading, hold a class discussion on what they have learned. Use the Student Worksheet to guide your questioning. How has Glacier Bay changed over time? What is it like today? What might it have been like when the glacier covered the entire region?

Briefly discuss the changes Glacier Bay has seen over time. At what point in its history do students think they would most like to visit the bay? Explain.

Invite students to choose one aspect of the history of the bay and illustrate it. They should write captions to explain their illustrations. Share these in a class display or short presentation.

 

3. Climate Change
Now, share the following interactive resources with students. If appropriate, use a classroom computer to guide students through each site.Discuss the information in the sites, focusing on what scientists believe are the underlying causes of climate change today. How have humans contributed to this change? What effects will global warming have on Glacier Bay? Explain. What could they do right now that would slow down the effect of climate change? Explain.

• The EPA Global Warming Kids Site
  http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/index.html
• Global Warming: Early Warning Sites
  http://www.climatehotmap.org/index.html

4. The Future of Glacier Bay
In a class discussion invite volunteers to share predictions they have for Glacier Bay's future.

They should discuss consequences for both the natural and human aspects of the area. What will happen to the glaciers? How will climate change? How might the changing climate affect the animals and plants that live in the area? What about the humans?

Following the discussion, divide students again into groups and divide the following topics among them to research on the Web. Each group should find and prepare 2-3 examples of their topic that could be put into a time capsule for Glacier Bay.

• Artifacts
• News articles
• Photographs
• Scientific papers
• Personal anecdotes
• Artwork
• Music or natural sounds

Each group should write a 1-2 page paper describing Glacier Bay as they think it would be in 50 years. Share the artifacts in class and discuss class predictions.

 

>>National Education Standards
The Marine Environment