Life on Ice
Learn about how global warming is affecting Arctic ecosystems.
What You Need
- Large clear container, filled halfway with water
- Hot water
- Thermos (to store hot water)
- Large ice chunks
- Cooler (to store ice chunks)
- Towels
- White modelling clay (optional)
- Food colouring (optional)
- Life On Ice - Activity
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe delivery of virtual outreach to youth.
Be cautious when handling hot water.
What To Do
Pre-Activity Prep
- To make the ice chunks, fill a square/rectangular container with an inch of water and place it in your freezer the night before the event.
- Once frozen, break up the ice blocks by dropping it on the ground or other hard surface.
- Store the ice chunks in a cooler.
Activity
- Students can use the modelling clay to create polar bears or seal figures (optional).
- Add large ice chunks to the clear container filled halfway with water.
- Each student will choose an ice chunk and place their model on it. Food colouring can be used to mark the ice chunk if models were not made.
- The goal is to choose the ice chunk that will melt the slowest.
- The ice may sink when you add the model on it or the model may slip off the ice.
- Add approx. 2 cups of hot water to the container to encourage the ice to melt.
- Monitor the ice and explain how global warming is impacting Arctic ice and ecosystems.
Discovery
When sea ice breaks up and melts in the Arctic, like it did in our container, it threatens the survival and health of Arctic animals. Polar bears eat seals as part of their diet, which they find on sea ice! Seals also search for small fish and crustaceans to eat, which are also found along sea ice. Female polar bears will build dens on sea ice to have have their cubs and seals also have their pups on sea ice.
The Arctic plays an important role in regulating climate patterns all over the world. This is because sea ice is responsible for reflecting light from the Sun. Therefore, as the sea ice melts, less energy from the Sun is being reflected by the ice and more energy is absorbed by the ocean, which increases the effect of global warming on Earth. Humans are causing global warming by increasing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, but we can take actions to reduce this. This could include reducing waste and meat consumption, shopping locally and environmentally-friendly, composting and much more! What other actions can you think of?
What's Happening?
When sea ice breaks up and melts in the Arctic, like it did in our container, it threatens the survival and health of Arctic animals. Polar bears eat seals as part of their diet, which they find on sea ice! Seals also search for small fish and crustaceans to eat, which are also found along sea ice. Female polar bears will build dens on sea ice to have have their cubs and seals also have their pups on sea ice.
Why Does It Matter?
The Arctic plays an important role in regulating climate patterns all over the world. This is because sea ice is responsible for reflecting light from the Sun. Therefore, as the sea ice melts, less energy from the Sun is being reflected by the ice and more energy is absorbed by the ocean, which increases the effect of global warming on Earth. Humans are causing global warming by increasing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, but we can take actions to reduce this. This could include reducing waste and meat consumption, shopping locally and environmentally-friendly, composting and much more! What other actions can you think of?