Glaciers have been shaping our planet for millions of years. This video will briefly define the formation, structure, types, and significance of glaciers. Glaciers are huge masses of ice that move slowly over land and are found in every continent except Australia. They can form on mountainous areas – alpine glaciers or form broad domes that spread to cover everything around them – ice sheets. Formed by the condensation of snow, glaciers move under their own weight and erode the land beneath or around them. Glaciers perform several important functions which include creation of landscape features, bringing down glacial till, sand, and gravel, and most importantly providing freshwater. Moreover, they serve as an early warning system for climate change.
This video satisfies the 4-ESS2-1 requirement of fourth-grade science proficiency.
Students who demonstrate understanding can: 4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
