Educators' Science and Mathematics Institute Series

Winter Ecology Lesson Plan

Descriptive Title:  “The Tip of the Iceberg”

Submitted By:  Joan Schumaker-Chadde

Subject and Grade Level:  Science/Math gr 6-8

Overview/Purpose:

Students will discover what % of an iceberg is above and below the water surface.  Students will also compare if icebergs behave differently in fresh and salt water.

To be able to develop and test a hypothesis

Compare behavior of floating objects in fresh and salt water

Explain why icebergs are a threat to ships in northern oceans

Apply math skills for calculating volumes and % averages

Objectives (Learner Outcomes):

Hypothesize and develop an experiment to test their hypothesis about icebergs behavior in water

Measure H, W, L of iceberg and calculate total volume

Calculate % of iceberg above and below water's surface

Repeat experiment using salt water

Explain where saying “That's only the tip of the iceberg” may have come from

Activities and Procedures:

Ask students what % of iceberg is above water surface

In groups of 3, have students develop an experiment to determine the % of an iceberg above and below water's surface using materials available (total volume/volume above, or below = %)

Review with students how to calculate volume and %

Students collect data from floating ice block

Compare students groups' data and calculate average

Research literature and compare (~11%) with data

Research arctic shipwrecks

Oil spills

Titanic

Closure:

Discuss why ice floats in water.

Weigh ice block and equal volume of water

Show that ice floats because it is less dense than water @ 33ºF or 1ºC

Assessment Strategies:

Evaluate students' ability to:

Develop and test a hypothesis

Calculate volume and %

Discussion of arctic shipping and ramifications of hitting an iceberg

Write a lab report of process and finding

Materials:  (Per group of 3 students)

Plastic tub (~2)

Quart ice blocks (~2)

Ruler

Water

Calculator (optional)

Salt

Plastic qt. Container

Balance and scale

Standards Addressed:

Science

Constructing New Scientific Knowledge

Using Scientific Knowledge in Physical Science

Math

Data Analysis

Number Sense

Literature/History/Social Sciences