Changing Planet: Rising Sea Level

Notes from our reviewers

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• Teaching Tips
  The video can be enlarged to eliminate visual impact of the text and images surrounding the video.
• About the Science
  The video documents impacts of thermal expansion and melting of ice sheets and glaciers on coastal communities The video also shows the ways that sea level rise is determined. These include the use of sediment core data and satellite data to document rate of sea level rise in the past. The video also describes a laboratory model that examines how warming ocean currents reach Antarctica where they contribute to the melting of ice sheets. References to projected sea level rise in the coming decades is a highly dynamic field. Estimates change as research progresses and teachers need to be aware of this; seek up-to-date data as needed. Comments from expert scientist: Includes interviews with two leading scientists in the field and provides visuals of the sources of the data (sediment cores, satellite measurements, physical models, computer models).
• About the Pedagogy
  A companion lesson plan (along with the video embedded) is at Windows to the Universe: [http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/changing_planet/sea_level_rising_intro.html] This video can be part of a lesson or activity that explores issues of ocean circulation, the melting of continental ice sheets, and the impacts of sea level rise.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  A transcript accompanies the video. While a "full screen" button is not provided, it is possible to enlarge the image. The resolution is sufficient to make the image essentially full screen.