Lesson Title: Sea Level Rise Simulation
Lab
Grade Level: 11-12
Preparedå by: Molly Nation
Subject Area(s): Marine Science
Associated with: Marine History and Technology
Time Required: 1 class period (beginning and end of experiment)
Summary
Students will design their own Sea Level Gauge to determine the effects of
factors that impact Sea Level Rise. Including continental ice melting, change of
ocean basin, and thermal expansion of water.
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
SC.9-12.L.15.13- Describe the conditions required for natural selection, including:
overproduction of offspring, inherited variation, and the struggle to survive, which result in
differential reproductive success.
Next Generation Science Standards:
HS.ESS2-4- Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of
Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.
HS.ESS3-1- Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of
natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced
human activity.
Associated Common Core Standards:
RST.9-10.2- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s
explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an
accurate summary of the text.
RST.9-10.7- Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text
into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or
mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
RST.9-10.8- Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the
author’s claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.
SL.9-10.5- Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning,
and evidence and to add interest.
WHST.9-10.1- Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.9-10.8- Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital
sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain
the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will be able to define sea level and mean sea level.
2. Students will be able to design a sea level measurement instrument and build a
simple working model.
3. Students will learn the history of sea level measurements.
4. Students will understand why it is difficult to measure long-term trends in sea level.
5. Students will be able to link changes in sea level to climate change.
Procedure:
Teacher lead discussion about the effects of Global Climate Change, and how it
can relate to Sea Level Rise.
Students will test the sea level rise effects of floating ice melting in their body
of water (Or do as a teacher Demo)
Students should brainstorm about ways to increase the water level in their
Tide Gauge simulators. (Remembering the contributing factors to Sea Level
Rise; Sea Floor Spreading, Continental Ice melting, Thermal Expansion)
Name: _______________________________________________ Date: __________ Period: ____________
Materials:
- 1 gallon milk jug
- Measuring Tape
- Ice
- Water Bottle
- Sand/Rocks, etc.
- Scissors
- Glue/Adhesive
- Heating Pad
- Water
- Refrigerator
- Thermometer
-Aluminum Foil
Creating the Sea Level Rise Gauge:
1. Remove the top from the milk jug using a pair of scissors.
2. Tape measuring tape to the side of the handle.
3. Adhere the water bottle to the bottom of the milk jug upside-down (so that
the cap is glued down to the bottom of the jug and the bottom of the water
bottle is facing up).
4. Fill the milk jug with tap water so that the water level falls within the
measuring tape area.
5. Continue the experiment testing different factors that will contribute to the
rise of sea level.
What factors Influence Sea Level Rise?
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Discuss with your group Members and design an experiment that would test
this hypothesis.
Teacher can provide Students with the following information to testSea Floor Spreading: Adding aggregate to the bottom of their “sea floor” (milk
jusg) and measuring the change in sea level
Continental Ice Melting: Placing a paper plate that has holes in it on top of the
milk jug and allow the ice to slowly melt into the gauge and measure the
change in sea level
Thermal Expansion: By placing the gauge in a cooler environment (fridge,
freezer, etc) and measuring the difference in sea level followed by placing the
jug of water in a warmer environment (microwave, outside, on an insulated
heating plate, etc) and measuring the change in sea level
Record your Methods:
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Record your Observations
Treatment
Change in Sea
Level +/- (mm)
Record before and
after
Observations, what changes happened within
the simulator? Why do you think this happened?
To simulate
iceberg and
glacier melting,
add 10 cubes of
ice to your
simulator. (Allow
time for ice to
melt)
To simulate a
change in the sea
basin.
To simulate
continental ice
melting.
Thermal
Expansion-Colder
Thermal
ExpansionWarmer
Conclusions and Data Analysis:
1) Which treatments increase sea level in your simulator, why do you think this
happened?
2) Which treatment caused the greatest amount sea level rise, why do you think this
is the case?
3) How could climate change factors influence the Phenomena of Sea Level Rise?
Explain.