Warmer Water and Rising Sea Levels Experiment
Activity - Classroom
GradesK, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Physics, Geography
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by NJ Agriculture in the Classroom
What it is
- In this experiment, students will see how heating up water increases its volume and they will understand how this helps make the sea level rise.
- The demonstration will teach students that increasing global temperatures lead to thermal expansion and glacial melt, which cause sea levels to rise.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The simple experiment helps students visualize the rise of water levels due to high temperatures and what it means in today's global warming.
- This resource is well-tailored to K-5 students because it breaks down scientific phenomena into easy-to-understand content.
- After the experiment, students have the opportunity to practice reflection and global thinking by discussing what sea-level rise could mean to people in different parts of the world.
Prerequisites
- The teacher will need to prepare the experiment materials (plastic bottle, heat source, clear plastic straw, water-resistant clay) before the class begins. The teacher may also need the book Understanding Climate Change, Facing a Warming World by Melissa McDaniel to help explain the concept of sea level rise.
- Students should know the states of matter and how water changes from one state to the other.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can be assigned chapters to read in Melissa McDaniel's Understanding Climate Change, Facing a Warming World, to better understand the effects of global warming.
- Younger students can discuss what they observed from the experiment verbally, while older students can write an essay about the experiment in regard to the rise in sea level and what effects it might have on people.
- Students can research about greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases to better understand how global warming comes about.
- Teachers can follow this experiment with another to demonstrate glacial melt, such as this one demonstrating melting from land and sea ice (LINK HERE)
From the scientist review
This resource features a simple example of thermal expansion to explain sea level rise due to climate change. The background is based on sound science, and all directions are exceedingly clear. This experiment is a great way for students to visualize how warming causes water to expand and sea levels to rise. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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