Science: Glaciers: North America
These websites are about glaciers. Learn what a glacier is, how they are formed, and the impact that they have on the landscape. See maps of where glaciers once covered large areas of North America and pictures of landforms that were created by glaciers thousands of years ago. There are also classroom experiments and activities for deeper understanding of how glaciers behave.
Grades
- 3,
- 4
Links
-
All About Glaciers
This site is all about glaciers. There is general information, quick facts, an image gallery, and more.
-
BBC: Glaciers
Find out about glaciers and glacial formation. After you've read about the different types of glaciers, advancing and retreating glaciers, and the effects of global warming on glaciers, try a short quiz to test what you've learned.
-
Dragonfly TV: Glaciers
Read about an experiment on glaciers conducted by kids in Alaska. Included are two activity ideas that you can try in the classroom. NOTE: This site links to a comments board.
-
PBS: Life Cycle of a Glacier
Launch this interactive slide show to learn about the life cycle of a glacier, from snowflakes to icebergs.
-
PBS: Anatomy of a Glacier
Read this multi-part article about glaciers and their relationship to the water cycle, weather, and geology. Included are several colorful photographs.
-
Physical Effects of Glaciers
What are glaciers, and how often to ice ages occur? Find out how glaciers shape the landscape on this site.
-
Glacial Features of North Dakota
Here is a photo index of North Dakota landscape features that were formed by glaciation. Click on an image to read a description of the landform and see a larger image.
-
Illustrated Glossary
Here is a glossary of landforms that are created by glaciers. Click on a term to see an illustrated example.
-
Class Lessons and Experiments
How do Glaciers Move? What is a glacier, anyway? This four-page PDF provides several in-class activities about glaciers that you can try.
-
Glaciers and Geography
This page has lots of maps and illustrations of glacial deposits and landforms. Scroll down to see the evolution of the Great Lakes over the last 14,500 years.
-
Glaciers and Landforms
This page has diagrams and illustrations of how glaciers change the landscape.
-
North Dakota Before the Glaciers
Here is a five-page PDF file about how the geology of North Dakota. Find out what the landscape looked like before, during, and after the last glacial age.
-
Outline Map of North America
Here is a printable outline map of North America that could be used to show where glaciers and their landforms are or were in the past.
Education Standards
