Lesson Plans & Activities

Long-term Spatial Transformation of the Glacier Basin System text with tundra and glacier landscape in the background

PolarPASS Module 2: Long-term Spatial Transformations of the Glacier Basin System

Module 2 is designed to follow after Module 1. Instructors may choose to use Module 2 independently, but may want to consider some additional introductory materials if they are not beginning with Module 1.
Module 2 consists of four Units. The Units begin by exploring past ice margin retreat and processes of ice margin retreat and elevation change. The material then explores natural climate variability and anthropogenic forcings, and then examines potential future ice margin response to climate change.

Unit

Virtual field trip

University/College

A graph of temperature anomalies with flattened map with red, orange, and yellow shades.

Arctic Feedbacks: Not All Warming Is Equal

This storyline unit consists of 10 lessons, each tied to NGSS Earth's systems standards
In this MS/HS unit, students engage with 360° virtual field trips, authentic Arctic datasets, and app-based labs to construct models and explanations for the unit driving question, "Why might the Arctic be warming four times as fast as the rest of the world?"

Unit

Virtual field trip

Middle School

High School

MOSAiC scientists drill through the Arctic ice with the research vessel Polarstern illuminated in the background.

Exploring the New and Old Arctic

This unit consists of 6 lessons, each tied to NGSS nature of science understandings
In this MS/HS unit, students compare and contrast Arctic expeditions of the past (1893-1896 Fram expedition) and the present (2019-2020 MOSAiC expedition) to prepare for the Arctic of the future.

Unit

Virtual field trip

Middle School

High School

Lesson Plans & Activities