Global Warming

®Vol. 24, No. 3

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Level C

DID YOU KNOW??

Antarctica is the coldest,

windiest and driest

continent on Earth.

DID YOU KNOW??Sea ice is like a

refrigerator. It keeps thenorthern oceans cold.

Land ice is fresh water ice found inglaciers. Glaciers (gla-ciers) are frozenrivers of fresh water ice.

Sea ice is made from frozen seawater.Sea ice is found in the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic continent (Ant-arc-tic con-ti-nent) called Antarctica (Ant-arc-ti-ca).A continent is a large body of land.

The Arctic Circle is an invisible(in-vis-i-ble) circle at the top of the world. It is made up of sea ice, seawater, andsome land! The North Pole lies in the Arctic Circle.

The South Pole is located in Antarctica.Antarctica is covered in land ice and snow.

Global WarmingMeteorologists (me-te-o-rol-o-gists)

are scientists who study the weather.For many years, Earth’s temperature(tem-per-a-ture) has been gettingwarmer. The sun’s heat can be trappedin Earth’s atmosphere (at-mo-sphere).The atmosphere acts like a big blanketof mixed gases. It traps heat thatcauses global (glo-bal), or worldwide,warming. More ice is melting. Summersand winters may get warmer. Earth maybe heating up too fast. Why do youthink global warming is important?Antarctic continent (Antarctica)

South Pole

North Pole

glacier

Vocabulary

Weekly Lab

You need: shortening, 2 zip-close plastic quart-size bags,bowl of ice water with ice cubes, thermometer,spoon, clock or watch, paper or notebook, pencil

Step 1: Place the thermometer in the ice water bowl.Measure the temperature. Write the temperature down.

Step 2: Use a spoon to half-fill one plasticbag with shortening. Zip the bag closed.

Step 3: Place your hand in a second plastic bag.

Step 4: Open the shortening bag. Place your bagged hand inside the shortening-filled bag. Moldthe shortening “mitten” around your hand.

Step 5: Place your free hand and the shortening“mitten” hand in the ice water. Try to keep both hands in for 20 seconds. Which hand is cold?

How cold does your hand feel inside the “blubber” mitten? What does the blubber do?

ice

notebookpencil

shortening“blubber”

mitten

shortening

zip-closebags

watch

ice water

thermometer

Adult Supervision Recommended

Fill in the missing letters tocomplete the hidden word.

Make a Blubber Mitten – Scientists study animals in the Arctic Circle and Antarctica. Many animals haveblubber (blub-ber). Blubber is a thick layer of fat.

Science says…Blubber helps keep

animals warm in coldtemperatures.

I C E B E R _________ S

M E _________ T I N G

W E _________ T H E R

C O N T _________ N E N T

A N T A R _________ T I C

H _________ A T

E N E _________ G Y

_________ N O W

The hidden word is: What does this word mean?

What isglobal

warmingmelting?

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SCIENCE WEEKLY, Level C (ISSN 8756-1778), September 21, 2007 is published monthly in August, November, December, February, April and May; and, twice-monthly in September,October, January and March. Copyright © 2007 (Level C) CAM Publishing Group., Inc., 2141 Industrial Pkwy., Suite 202, Silver Spring, MD 20904-7824 U.S.A. (301) 680-8804 (800)4-WEEKLY. Classroom subscription rate: (minimum 20 subscriptions to same address): $4.95 per student, per school year. Individual rate for orders less than 20 subscriptions: $19.95per student, per year, payable in advance. Periodical postage paid at Silver Spring, Maryland and additional mailing of fices. Postmaster: Send address changes to ScienceWeekly, Level C, P.O. Box 70638, Chevy Chase, MD 20813-0638. Visit our web site at www.scienceweekly.com.C-2

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Published by CAM Publishing Group, Inc., Silver Spring, MD • Publisher/Editor, DR. CLAUDE MAYBERRY, JR. • • Associate Editor, DR. LAURA GEHL • Writer, LISA P. HILL • Artist, LINDA KING • Graphic Design and Production, LINDA KING • • Materials in this issue may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without special permission from the publisher.DISTINGUISHED

ACHIEVEMENTAWARD WINNER

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Writing in Science

MathScientists measure melting glaciers. In Austria, the Pasterze (Pas-ter-ze)Glacier is 8,000 meters long. For 106 years, it has melted 15 meterseach year. One meter equals about 3 feet.*

walruses

arcticfox

leopard seal

DID YOU KNOW??The Goldenrod Gall Fly larva freezes untiltemperatures warm up. It is a true “bugsicle!”

20062005200420032002

In your WEEKLY LAB, you learnedabout blubber. Which animals haveblubber? Which animals have thickfur? What will happen if the air andwater temperature becomeswarmer? Would blubber help orhurt the animals? Write your ideas below.

1. In five years,how manymeters havemelted?

2. In 2003, the glacier meltedtwo times the 15 meters.How many meters did itmelt in 2003?

3. How many feetdid the glaciermelt in 2003?

4. How many meters will melt in 10years?

Meter Stick 39.4 inches( or 1 meter)

Yard Stick 36 inches (or 3 feet)

meters meters metersfeet

*

“How do birds fly?”“Maybe they fly the same way airplanes fly.”

“You will find out in our next issue!”

ChallengeSaving energy and water may help slow down global warming. What can you do to save energy and water? Answer yes or no.

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Where in the World?

Glacier Name Location

1.

2.

3.

4.

Look at the world map. Where are the glaciers located? Write down the glacier names and locations.

Saves Energy? (yes or no)

1. Eat more pizza.

2. Turn off water while brushing your teeth.

3. Ride your bike to the library.

4. Recycle plastic bags.

5. Hop on one foot.

6. Turn off lights.

7. Take short showers.

8. Plant trees at home and in parks.

DID YOU KNOW??Polar bears and seals liveon sea ice. Without sea ice,polar bears and seals willnot have a home.

DID YOU KNOW??

Sea ice is frozen seawater.

Icebergs come from melting

glaciers. Icebergs are huge

chunks of frozen water.

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Pasterze Glacier – AustriaSheldon Glacier – AntarcticaGrímsvötn Glacier – IcelandKolka Glacier – Republic of Georgia/Russia