Glaciers Interactive Simulation
Provided by: PhET Interactive Simulations|Published on: April 27, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Data, Graphs, and Maps
Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: PhET Team, University of Colorado at Boulder
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 →
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 →
Synopsis
- In this interactive simulation, students will learn about how certain conditions such as precipitation and temperature affect glaciers.
- The simulation is available in many languages and teachers can access additional activities and resources to go with the simulation.
- This resource is also included in the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network's (CLEAN) collection.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The simulation will help students understand glacier mass balances and the effects of climate change on glaciers because students can manipulate different parameters to see the effects over time.
- Tools are provided in the animation to measure glacial thickness, glacier velocity, and glacial budget.
Additional Prerequisites
- The activity page has other labs, lessons, and activities that can go with the simulation, but you must register for a free account to access them.
- The simulation is not self-explanatory. Teachers will need to practice using the tool before showing students how to use it.
- Some Mac/OS users may have trouble running the simulation.
Differentiation
- The simulation has two different levels, introduction and advanced, for middle school and high school students.
- The simulation is available in 35 languages. To view the simulation in another language, click on the Translations tab below.
- After working with the simulation, students can write a paragraph explaining what they learned about glaciers from the simulation.
- Math classes can use this simulation to estimate future effects by drawing a graph of the data and then using a best-fit line to estimate future conditions.
This web-based simulator allows students to see how rainfall rate and average sea level temperature can affect the growth of a glacier. These two factors are critical to the development of glaciers. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
