How to teach glacial formation

I was just having a think about how to make the previous blogs of information more accessible and interesting for students. Here are some ideas I have thought about as to how it could be taught:

1)Diagrams and captions underneath each section to show the formation of a glacier. This would be very teacher led ideas. Little chance for student initiative but the work would be there for future reference and it would be correct.
2)Giving the students pictures of the glacier formation process and making them think of the time line prior to any teaching. This might be best for the younger years, but could be used for older students as well. Maybe for the older students captions could also be given and they have to be matched to the picture and then out in a time line order.
3)Creating a story of 'Wallace the water drop' and how he becomes a glacier and eventually turns into 'Ivon the iceberg'. Hopefully this is a more creative idea and the students might remember this more. It would also be helpful when trying to jog the memories of students in latter lessons.
4)The above story could be told and then allow students to create their own version of events for homework/lesson time to see what they can remember. This would allow students to put their own stamp on the work and hopefully make them remember it. Tell them there are say 8 different stages and see which ones they can remember, but in their own words. A more detailed version could be given after.
5)Use of videos here I think would be really useful as a visual reminder and explained. I think any visuals would be really important to help remember the stages.
6)Games could be played at the end of the lesson, especially with younger students with the new vocabulary which has just been learnt. Could be anything from matching sentences to the meaning or whole class activities using the board, making it more competitive and hopefully more interesting. Older students might enjoy a more pop quiz sorta style with a winning team/person. 

Human activities

This type of geography is more up my street. I really enjoy the human side of things. I find it really interesting when the two sides of geography meet though so I thought I would include some human related glacier information.

I always feel with human topic that there are more ways to teach as they are less regimented by facts and theories unlike physical. Maybe this is because I myself need to learn the facts first so that is one thing I am looking forward to learning from September.

The information has been adapted from bitesize and I chose to look at GCSE level.

Highland farmingThis could be presented as it is and students have to depict what they thinking highland farming is or with a picture and the same method. Whatever is mentioned can be summarized afterwards so the students know what highland farming is.
Students could then be asked to think of some positives and negatives surrounding activities and communities which are linked to glaciation in some respect. these can be tabulated on the board but only if the student/class can think of a valid reason.
Advantages - the shape of the valleys has helped farming, build up communities and is thus now vital to economies
Disadvantages - Farming may harm the natural environment, trees are cleared, too many animals over grazing.

Highland forestry
Advantages - jobs and the new conifers planted prevent soil erosion and counter the impact of deforestation.
Disadvantages - may push out other vegetation, loss of habitat, conifers debase the landscape

Tourism
Advantages - attract British and international, many activities, locals can enjoy the countryside and services
Disadvantages - tourists not always welcome, congestion, pollution, scar the landscape, spoil the landscape, loss of land/habitats/wildlife/vegetation.

Highland water works
Advantages - ideal for damming, jobs, more services, renewable electricity
Disadvantages - major impact on local environments, prevents use by farmers/tourists, equipment a blot on the landscape

LOWER GLACIAL LANDSCAPES - plains and rolling landscapes have been created with fertile material.
Settlements
Advantages - more suitable than highlands as less harsh
Disadvantages - displace vegetation/wildlife etc, pollution

Farming
Advantages - more fertile land more arable and pastoral land, jobs, boost economy
Disadvantages - if intensive it ruins the landscape, use of fertilizers, spread of disease.

Tourism
Advantages - recreational activities, fertile lands good for golf courses
Disadvantages - bad management will produce soil erosion, pollution, over fishing, interfere with local livelihoods, golf courses stop agricultural use of the land.

-Could ask them to put them into social, economic and environmental issues

-Create chains of events or chains that produce a domino effect e.g. golf course --> loss of land to farmers ---> loss of income --> loss of livelihood --> search for new job --> move out of the area. 

-think of areas in the UK where this might be going on 

-find and create a mini case-study for places where these effects are going on

Land forms

(Adpated from s-cool.co.uk)

Glacial Landforms

In Britain, glaciers once covered much of the North.

Erosional Features

Arêtes - Two corries which were formed back to back have now eroded backwards to create a narrow ridge.

Corries - Also known as cirques, they are the starting point of a glacier.

LAST ICE AGE - snow accumulated on hills --> ice --> gouged backwards through freeze-thaw and plucking -->large crevasses at the top of the ice (bergschrund's) allowed water to flow into the ice --> froze to more ice.

Bottom the the corries was eroded by abrasion. Where erosion was less at the front of the ice a rock lip was left. as ice flowed over the lip into the valley below, a glacier was formed.

Lakes were formed when the ice melted the corries. the rock lip and moraine acted as a natural dam. These lakes are called Tarns.

Glacial Trough - The other name for a U-shaped valley cut by a glacier.

Pyramidal Peaks - Formed the same as an Arête but with three corries. Eventually erosion leaves a sharp pyramid peak e.g. the Matterhorn in the Alps.

U-shaped Valley -  Usually a glacier will follow the general direction of a river valley,but cuts through hard rock. This leaves behind a valley with steep sides. 

Rivers that were in the main valley which have been cut by glacial valleys flow over waterfalls from hanging valleys. the spurs have also been cut through to leave truncated spurs behind. a ribbon lake may form on the valley floor with a terminal or recessional moraine to hold the water in.

Depositional Features

Boulder Clay/Till - Material deposited as the glacier melts. Angular stones as they have not been rounded by the water actions (ground moraine). 

Drumlins - Deposited smooth material formed parallel to the direction of the glacier. Formed by moraine being deposited due to obstruction causing more friction for the glacier. Most material is deposited at one end of the drumlin. Ice which flows over it gives it its shape. 

Erratics - These are large boulders that have been carried and deposited by the glacier in an area of differing rock type, so that they look completely out of place. 

Moraines -  Moraine is the term used for any material carried or deposited by a glacier. The five main types of moraine are:

• Terminal Moraine: This is the material deposited at the snout of the glacier at the furthest extent of its growth. May act as a dam for a ribbon lake.

• Lateral Moraine: Runs parallel to the glacier and is the material that has been eroded from the valley sides by the actions of freeze-thaw and the glacier itself. Once the glacier melts this will be left on the valley floor.

• Medial Moraine: Where two glaciers meet, their lateral moraines meet to form a medial moraine, which runs down the centre of the glacial surface. Once the glacier melts this will be left on the valley floor.

• Ground Moraine: otherwise known as boulder clay or glacial till, this is the material deposited on the valley floor by the glacier. It is usually the result of plucking and abrasion.

• Recessional Moraine: Similar to a terminal moraine they were created when the glacier retreated and then stopped, allowing it to build up a pile of deposits. A recessional moraine could act as a dam to create a ribbon lake.

Glacial terminology

The picture above is from s-cool (and the words below have been adapted from the information on the website). Clear picture showing where terminology is used against glaciers. A good pictorial source to help visual learners as well as a connection between where a process happens to what the process means.

FORMATION: Glaciers are made from prolonged periods of snowfall. The weight of snow compacts each flake so the air pores between no longer exist. Ice is created when this compaction causes some snow to become freezing water and further compaction creates ice. 

TERMINOLOGY:

Ablation - This is when the ice melts at the lower end (snout) of the glacier, mostly during the summer months

Accumulation - When the glacier is built up due to compacted snow becoming ice

Calving - The splitting up of the glacier. This is how icebergs are formed if the glaciers lower end is at sea. 

Glaciation - The formation of glaciers (compacted snow --> ice --> glacier)

Ice Sheets - Large masses of ice which cover a land surface e.g. Antarctica 

Snout - the lower end of the glacier.

Valley Glaciers - Most common type of glacier. Valleys have already been carved out by a river and this type of glacier are found in all the main mountain ranges. 

Glacial Erosion

Abrasion - Just like with rivers, this is a form of erosion. With glaciers however, the rocks are embedded in the bottom of the glacier and as it moves, they erode away the bottom of the valley floor. This can create a polished or grooved expression in the valley floor and the grooves are known as striations.

Plucking - Main way erosion occurs. As the glacier moves, the ice melts slightly around large boulders and then re-freezes around them. When the glacier moves on, the boulders are ripped our of the ground and then become agents of abrasion. 

Freeze-Thaw - Water enters a rock during the day and freezes are the temperature drops over night. The water then expands in side the rock, creating a pressure which eventually causes the rock to crack and split. 

Glacial Transportation

Glaciers carry huge amounts of material for long periods of time and these rocks are called moraine. Rock are usually carried after plucking form the valley floor. Frost shattered material from the valley sides is also carried called lateral moraine (carried at the sides of the glacier). When two glaciers meet, the two lateral moraines form a medial moraine which runs down the middle of a new, larger glacier.

Glacial Deposition

Glaciers eventually start to melt as the move down a valley. Material is deposit as the glacier shrinks. The main depositional feature is terminal moraine. The glacier also creates recessional moraines and it will leave behind lateral, medial and ground moraines. 

The Ice Budget

A glacier size depends on how much precipitation enters the glacial system. A general rule is glaciers at the moment are retreating due to global warming. The growth/retreat depends upon accumulation compared to the rate of ablation. This is the ice budget. 

When the rate of accumulation is greater than the rate of ablation, the glacier will grow. This is called a positive regime.

When the rate of accumulation is less than the rate of ablation, the glacier will retreat. This is called a negative regime.