The Tip of the Iceberg
Activity - Classroom
Grades2, 3, 4, 5Science
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Provided by Universities Space Research Association
What it is
- In this experiment, students observe ice cubes in water to understand the buoyancy of ice in water, how chunks of ice can impact water levels, and the density of ice compared to water.
- In addition to the experiment, students will review related concepts, analyze the experiment's results, record their findings in a journal, and have a post-experiment discussion about icebergs.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This experiment can be completed in one class period.
- The required materials for this experiment are relatively easy to find.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students need to have a basic grasp of fractions.
- It's a good idea to do the Amazing Expanding Ice experiment before doing this one.
Differentiation
- This experiment can fit within a larger unit on the distinct qualities of water and how these attributes manifest in the natural world.
- To extend the experiment, teachers can encourage students to observe and record how melted ice impacts the containers' water level.
- This experiment can support a classroom discussion on why icebergs are important for the environment.
- This experiment can augment a classroom discussion on how melting icebergs impact global sea levels.
From the scientist review
This resource is from the CLEAN collection. “The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.”
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