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Secrets from the ice

Learning objectives

What is the role of creative thought in scientific enquiry?
Applying chemical tests for acids, carbon dioxide and oxygen in a new situation.

Try the activity

• Activity sheet
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• Teachers notes
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Curriculum link

11 - 14 (KS3)
ideas and evidence - how scientists work, including the role of creative thought
acids and alkalis QCA 7e - testing for acids
simple chemical reactions QCA 7f - testing for carbon dioxide and oxygen
rocks and weathering 8g - sedimentary layers and fossils

Running the activity

Suggested time: 20 minutes

Suggested starter: Show page 1, which sets the scene. Ask students to suggest why scientists went to so much effort to extract the ice core. Page 1 can be projected or printed onto transparency.

Main activity: Students read page 2, which is in the form of a strip cartoon - you could ask three students to take the roles of the scientists in the cartoon. The purpose of this page is to convey the importance of creative thought in scientific enquiry. Page 2 can be projected or printed onto transparency.
Students then do the task on page 3 in pairs. They devise tests to find out which chemicals are in the bubbles in two sections of the ice core. The test results give scientists clues about what gases were in the atmosphere at the time, and enable scientists to speculate where these gases came from. Each pair needs a copy of page 3, which can be photocopied in colour or black and white.

Possible plenary: Students prepare a one sentence answer to the question 'what can ice layers tell us about how things were in the past?' You could also tell students that the concentration of carbon dioxide in recent ice layers is extremely high - what does this indicate about global warming?

Possible extension:
'Secrets of the ice' on the ASE Science Year CD2 and the ASE website provides linked practical activities and an exciting context.

Web links

News links

BBC Science News

The news story including a photo of the ice core.

Time line

A straightforward account of the ice core as a timeline.

Carbon dioxide levels

A graph showing carbon dioxide levels in the ice, indicating that current carbon dioxide levels are the highest for a very long time

Ice cores

For teacher background information about ice cores

US Geological Survey

For teacher background information about ice cores

University of Arizona

Ice core slide show

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