Ice Sheets
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
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 NASA
What it is
- NASA's Vital Signs resource on ice sheets displays interactive graphs of ice sheet mass variation for Antarctica and Greenland since 2002.
- The data and graphs can be downloaded and there are links to other NASA satellite missions.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The data are very clear, showing students the observable and verifiable facts.
Prerequisites
- Students should know how to read a graph.
- Teachers may need to create an Earthdata account to access the information.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Advanced students could investigate the positive feedback loop created when large ice sheets melt.
- Any class could use this resource for fact-checking, research, or data analysis related to climate change and sea level rise.
- Other resources about this topic include this table of solutions to climate change and this interactive data resource about the causes of greenhouse gas emissions.
From the scientist review
This resource, updated monthly, shows the continued decrease in both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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Hosted on climate.nasa.gov
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