Lake Ice Out Lessons
Grades: 4-8
Group size: any
Duration: 1- 3 hours
Maine Learning Results:
Location: Class with internet access
Summary
This lesson explores ice out in our Maine Lakes. The Grade 4-6 lesson asks students to describe how ice out affects an animal or plant who lives in a Maine Lake. The 7-8 lesson asks students to graph ice out data and to discuss how we can determine if spring weather is coming sooner in our lakes.
Background -- The Greenhouse Effect & Global Warming
You probably know how a greenhouse works. Glass panels let light from the sun in, but trap the heat inside. But did you know that the Earth's atmosphere acts like a greenhouse? The Earth's atmosphere is all around us. It is the air that we breathe, and it is made up of gases. Gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH3) and water vapor (H2O) in the atmosphere are called "greenhouse gases" because they trap heat from the sun. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere behave much like the glass panes in a greenhouse. Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, passing through the blanket of greenhouse gases. Some of the sun's energy goes back out into space, but a lot of it remains trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases. When these gases trap heat, it warms up the surface of the earth. This is called the "greenhouse effect." Without the greenhouse effect, the earth would be too cold for life to exist. The greenhouse effect is a good thing, but its always possible to have too much of a good thing. Human activities, like driving cars and burning coal and oil, are adding A LOT of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, to the earth's atmosphere. All those extra greenhouse gases could be making the earth heat up more than it should.
What Is Global Climate Change?
The Earth has warmed by about 1 degree Fahrenheit over the past 100 years, and scientists expect the average temperature of the Earth to increase another 2 to 6 degrees in the next century. This may not seem like a big deal, but even a few degrees in temperature can make a big difference in the Earth's climate. About 18,000 years ago, the temperature of the Earth was only 7 degrees colder than it is today, and glaciers covered most of North America, including Maine!
Scientists don't really know for sure what will happen if the Earth continues to warm. Some changes could even be good. But scientists are pretty sure that a lot of the changes will not be good at all. Warmer temperatures mean more agricultural pests and more diseases. A lot of ecosystems and animal habitats are very sensitive, and an increase in temperature could make it very difficult for them to survive. Some birds have already changed their migration patterns! When water gets warmer, it expands. This means that as the ocean gets warmer, sea level rises. Glaciers are also beginning to melt, and this also makes sea level rise. Global warming could also cause droughts and floods. Scientists refer to all these possible changes as "global climate change."
Global climate change can sound pretty scary, but there are things we can all do to help slow it down.
What Can We Do?
People produce greenhouse gases everyday. Even just turning on a light or riding in a car produces greenhouse gases. But there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you and your family produce.
• Ride a bike or walk instead of driving. Cars produce a lot of greenhouse gases.
• Save electricity. Using electricity produces greenhouse gases. You can use less electricity by turning off lights or letting your hair air dry.
• Use energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs.
• Plant trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases.
• Recycle
• If your family is buying a new appliance, look for the Energy Star label on appliances like dryers and dishwashers. Energy Star products use less energy.
• Spread the word! The more people who know, the more people who can help.
Thanks to the EPA for this information.
Experiencing Lake Ice Out Activity and Resources
If for some reason you are unable to open any of these documents please contact Denise Blanchette, 207-287-7763. Please include Ice Out Essay in the subject line if email.
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