As a high school or undergraduate Geography, Environmental Sciences or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to teach about permafrost, the nature and distribution of permafrost in the Earth’s cryosphere, thawing of permafrost due to global warming which in turn, results in the release of a potent greenhouse gas methane; and therefore, the possible impacts of permafrost thawing on climate.
This lesson plan introduces the topic of permafrost and the observed thawing of permafrost in recent times due to rising global temperatures. A computer-based activity/model helps in exploring the possible impacts of permafrost thawing on the Earth’s climate. Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Geography, Environmental Sciences or Earth Sciences.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
Teacher-contributed lesson plan by Dr. Vandna Luthra, Gargi College (University of Delhi), India
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| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Geography, Environmental Sciences, Earth Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Cryosphere, Glaciers, Greenhouse Effect, Disasters and Hazards, Carbon Emissions, Permafrost, Methane, Thawing of Permafrost, Global Warming, Methanogens, Greenhouse Gases, Emissions, Active Layer of Soil |
| Climate Topic | Climate and the Cryosphere, Greenhouse Effect |
| Location | Global |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online |
| Approximate Time Required | 50 – 60 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Video (~7 min)
Play the video “Thawing Permafrost” by NBC Learn to introduce the topic of permafrost. Use the video to describe the characteristics of permafrost and its distribution across the globe. Then, discuss how permafrost is used to study soil conditions for periods dating back to several thousands of years by drilling boreholes and extracting ice cores for analyses. Discuss how higher surface temperatures cause changes in permafrost conditions, leading to the thawing of permafrost in many regions. Further, describe how this thawing has led to local environmental 2 Step-by-step User Guide perturbations such as sinkholes, landslides, increased vegetation, and an enhanced active-layer bacterial activity. Finally, discuss how permafrost thawing can lead to the release of greenhouse gases such as methane to the atmosphere which can in turn, impact the Earth’s climate.
Classroom/Laboratory activity
a. For high school students:
Use the laboratory plan “Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak”, developed by Missy Holzer, Jennifer Bergman, and Roberta Johnson, Windows to the Universe team members from the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA), to enable students to
Follow the instructions provided in the plan to complete these laboratory activities. Each activity can be conducted separately. The relevant reading material and links for datasets and worksheets are given in the main text or in the table (under the “Materials” section).
b. For undergraduate students:
Use the model/simulation “METHANE in the Atmosphere” by Prof. David Archer, University of Chicago, to observe the methane concentration in the atmosphere under different hypothetical conditions and timescales.
Large-scale thawing of the Earth’s permafrost can lead to a sudden release of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere. Go to Click Here. Then, click the “Overview” tab to read about the model. Next, play the “Video Introduction” to understand how the model can be used to simulate sudden methane perturbations in the atmosphere. Observe the subsequent impact on its atmospheric concentration.
Now, run the model to
when different amounts of methane are released into the atmosphere over varying time scales. Use the data points generated to draw graphs representing different scenarios of methane perturbations. Use these representations to discuss the implications of methane release in the atmosphere due to the large-scale thawing of permafrost.
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Teaching Module (60-90 min) (High School) | A laboratory module “Part B: Permafrost, a Frozen Soil starting to Thaw” from the Science Education Research Centre (SERC), Carleton College, to introduce the topic of permafrost and engage the students in discussions about thawing of permafrost and its impact on “Soil and the Carbon Cycle”.
This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Video (~12 min) | An animated video, “Permafrost- what is it?” by Lars Grübner, Alfred Wegener Institute, Norway, that explains permafrost and the effects of permafrost thawing on the Earth’s climate and environment.
This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Video, “Thawing Permafrost” | Created by NBC News Learn as part of the “Changing Planet” series, in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| 2 | a. Laboratory plan, “Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak” b. Model/ Simulation, “Methane in the atmosphere” | Presented by Missy Holzer, Jennifer Bergman, and Roberta Johnson of the “Windows to the Universe” team of the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) Prof. David Archer, University of Chicago |
| 3 | Additional Resources | “Part B: Permafrost, a Frozen Soil starting to Thaw”: Science Education Research Centre (SERC), Carleton College “Permafrost- what is it?”: Lars Grübner, Alfred Wegener Institute, Norway |
| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Geography, Environmental Sciences, Earth Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Permafrost, Methane, Thawing of Permafrost, Global Warming, Methanogens, Greenhouse Gases, Emissions, Active Layer of Soil |
| Climate Topic | Climate and the Cryosphere, The Greenhouse Effect |
| Location | Global |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online |
| Approximate Time Required | 50 – 60 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Video (~7 min)
Play the video “Thawing Permafrost” by NBC Learn to introduce the topic of permafrost. Use the video to describe the characteristics of permafrost and its distribution across the globe. Then, discuss how permafrost is used to study soil conditions for periods dating back to several thousands of years by drilling boreholes and extracting ice cores for analyses. Discuss how higher surface temperatures cause changes in permafrost conditions, leading to the thawing of permafrost in many regions. Further, describe how this thawing has led to local environmental 2 Step-by-step User Guide perturbations such as sinkholes, landslides, increased vegetation, and an enhanced active-layer bacterial activity. Finally, discuss how permafrost thawing can lead to the release of greenhouse gases such as methane to the atmosphere which can in turn, impact the Earth’s climate.
Classroom/Laboratory activity
a. For high school students:
Use the laboratory plan “Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak”, developed by Missy Holzer, Jennifer Bergman, and Roberta Johnson, Windows to the Universe team members from the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA), to enable students to
Follow the instructions provided in the plan to complete these laboratory activities. Each activity can be conducted separately. The relevant reading material and links for datasets and worksheets are given in the main text or in the table (under the “Materials” section).
b. For undergraduate students:
Use the model/simulation “METHANE in the Atmosphere” by Prof. David Archer, University of Chicago, to observe the methane concentration in the atmosphere under different hypothetical conditions and timescales.
Large-scale thawing of the Earth’s permafrost can lead to a sudden release of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere. Go to Click Here. Then, click the “Overview” tab to read about the model. Next, play the “Video Introduction” to understand how the model can be used to simulate sudden methane perturbations in the atmosphere. Observe the subsequent impact on its atmospheric concentration.
Now, run the model to
when different amounts of methane are released into the atmosphere over varying time scales. Use the data points generated to draw graphs representing different scenarios of methane perturbations. Use these representations to discuss the implications of methane release in the atmosphere due to the large-scale thawing of permafrost.
Suggested questions/assignments for learning evaluation
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Teaching Module (60-90 min) (High School) | A laboratory module “Part B: Permafrost, a Frozen Soil starting to Thaw” from the Science Education Research Centre (SERC), Carleton College, to introduce the topic of permafrost and engage the students in discussions about thawing of permafrost and its impact on “Soil and the Carbon Cycle”.
This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Video (~12 min) | An animated video, “Permafrost- what is it?” by Lars Grübner, Alfred Wegener Institute, Norway, that explains permafrost and the effects of permafrost thawing on the Earth’s climate and environment.
This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Video, “Thawing Permafrost” | Created by NBC Learn as part of the “Changing Planet” series, in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| 2 | a. Laboratory plan, “Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak” b. Model/ Simulation, “Methane in the atmosphere” | Presented by Missy Holzer, Jennifer Bergman, and Roberta Johnson of the “Windows to the Universe” team of the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) Prof. David Archer, University of Chicago |
| 3 | Additional Resources | “Part B: Permafrost, a Frozen Soil starting to Thaw”: Science Education Research Centre (SERC), Carleton College “Permafrost- what is it?”: Lars Grübner, Alfred Wegener Institute, Norway |
