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Glaciers and Ice Age Lesson Plan

This lesson plan for Stage 8 students focuses on glaciers and the Ice Age, aiming to explain the concept of Ice Ages, the differences between glacial and interglacial periods, and the evidence scientists use to study past climates. The lesson includes engaging activities, discussions, and materials such as images and maps to enhance understanding. Assessment includes an exit question and a homework assignment on Ice Age discoveries.

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Nahed Safi
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29 views3 pages

Glaciers and Ice Age Lesson Plan

This lesson plan for Stage 8 students focuses on glaciers and the Ice Age, aiming to explain the concept of Ice Ages, the differences between glacial and interglacial periods, and the evidence scientists use to study past climates. The lesson includes engaging activities, discussions, and materials such as images and maps to enhance understanding. Assessment includes an exit question and a homework assignment on Ice Age discoveries.

Uploaded by

Nahed Safi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson Plan: Glaciers and the Ice Age

Grade Level: Stage 8 (Cambridge Curriculum)

Lesson Duration: 45-60 minutes

Lesson Objectives:

- Explain what the Ice Age is and describe the difference between glacial and interglacial periods.

- Understand how Earth's climate changes over time.

- Identify evidence that helps scientists know about past Ice Ages (e.g., boulders, glaciers, peat bogs).

Materials Needed:

- Images of Yuka the mammoth and glacial landscapes

- World map showing Ice Age coverage

- Samples or images of glacial erratics (boulders) and peat bogs (optional)

- Whiteboard and markers

Lesson Structure:

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Engage students with the story of Yuka the mammoth, a 39,000-year-old woolly mammoth found in Siberia, preserved in

ice.

Discussion prompts:

- How do you think Yuka stayed so well preserved?

- What does this tell us about Earth's past climate?

Explain that Earth's climate changes over thousands of years, leading to warm and cold periods.

2. Explanation of the Ice Age (15 minutes)

Define Ice Age: A long period when global temperatures drop, and large parts of Earth are covered in ice.

Differentiate between:

- Glacial periods: Cold times when ice sheets expand.

- Interglacial periods: Warmer times when ice melts back (we are in an interglacial period now).
Lesson Plan: Glaciers and the Ice Age

Why does it happen?

- Changes in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch cycles)

- Changes in greenhouse gases (less CO2 leads to cooling)

- Ocean currents shifting

3. Scientific Evidence of Ice Ages (20 minutes)

A. Glacial Erratics (Boulders)

Glaciers carry large rocks over long distances. When the ice melts, these boulders (called erratics) are left behind, often

far from their original location.

Discussion: Why do these boulders look out of place? What does this tell us about moving ice sheets?

B. Glaciers and Landforms

Glaciers carve landscapes, leaving U-shaped valleys and moraines (piles of debris).

Discussion: How can these landforms tell us where glaciers once were?

C. Peat Bogs

Peat bogs are wet, acidic areas that preserve plants and animal remains. Scientists study pollen layers in bogs to

understand ancient climates.

Discussion: How can pollen in peat bogs show us what the climate was like thousands of years ago?

4. Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 minutes)

Review key points:

- What is an Ice Age?

- What causes glacial and interglacial periods?

- How do scientists know there were Ice Ages?

Quick Activity: Ask students to draw a simple diagram showing a glacier moving a boulder and depositing it after

melting.
Lesson Plan: Glaciers and the Ice Age

Assessment:

- Exit Question: 'What evidence do scientists use to study past Ice Ages, and why is it important?'

- Homework: Research and write a paragraph on another Ice Age discovery (e.g., another preserved animal or ancient pollen

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