ICE AGE FLOOD

Classroom Activities - Pre-Viewing Activities

WHAT IS GEOLOGY?
Begin this unit by reviewing the definition of geology so that students are aware that it is the scientific study of the Earth and earth processes. To assess their basic knowledge of geology, describe the geological cycle which consists of the processes of uplift, erosion, and deposition. Ask students to brainstorm where they could find examples of these three processes in their community.

HOW OLD IS THE EARTH?
Ask students to brainstorm how old the Earth is. Write their guesses on the chalkboard, and use them to assess the students' range of knowledge and to set the stage for showing the video. Teachers might give a brief overview of the geologic eras and epochs so students realize when the last ice age occurred and what kinds of life were present on earth at that time (no humans!). (An interesting extension of this lesson might be to invite students to ask their parents and neighbors how old they think the Earth is and then "teach" the adults.) Some geologists argue that the Great Ice Age is not over yet. If all of Earth's history were compressed into one year, with Earth forming at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, the Great Ice Age only began at 7 p.m. on December 31 … and today we are still part of December 31. The bottom line is that the Earth is still changing. Warning: the next ice age is predicted for 70,000 years from now!

EROSION AND FLOODS
Review the definition and causes of erosion. Find examples of erosion at home or at school. Look for places where water collects after a hard rainstorm. Note how the presence of the water both does and does not impact the soil and plants nearby. Talk to adults about how they prevent erosion by using landscaping, composting, changing the slope of a hill, adding plants, adding plastic netting, etc. Ask how they protect their property from erosion.

SHOW AND TELL GLOSSARY
To help students prepare for the geology vocabulary words that are included in the video "Ice Age Flood," assign each student one of the words in the glossary at http://www.opb.org/lmd/iceageflood/glossary/index.html. Ask them to SHOW and TELL what their geology word means by creating a large poster explaining in words and also showing in a drawing or sketch what their term means. Have the students share these posters with the class. When the vocabulary terms come up during the video, you might wish to stop the video to refer students to the appropriate poster to remind them of the definition, and invite the student who prepared the poster to personally help explain his or her word.

FREE-WRITING/FREE-DISCUSSION PREPARATION FOR "ICE AGE FLOOD"
To assess students' knowledge about Ice Age geology, ask them to answer the following questions in writing or through class discussion. Clarify terminology as the need arises.

· How long ago did the Ice Age occur?

· Where do you think the Lake Missoula flood started? Where do you think it flowed?

· What kind of geologic evidence do you think an ice age flood would leave behind?

· How do you think a flood that occurred in the past might affect your life today?

Classroom Activities - Post-Viewing Activities

GEOGRAPHY/GEOLOGY
To help make the Glacial Lake Missoula flood "come alive" for students, ask them to paint a mural, sketch out a large poster map, or make a 3-D relief model of the geographic area affected by the Glacial Lake Missoula flood. Locate and label the following geographic locations that are mentioned in the video program:

Missoula, Montana
Lake Missoula
Clark Fork River
Camas Prairie
Dry Falls
Frenchman Cataract
Wilson Creek, Walla Walla Valley
Snake River and main tributaries
Columbia River and main tributaries
Phillipi Canyon
John Day River
Willamette Valley
East Portland
Alameda Ridge
West Portland and Beaverton
Rocky Butte
McMinnville
Pacific Ocean
Present states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana

Then, review the video and label on the map the Ice Age geologic evidence found at each of these geographic locations (for example, ripple marks, scablands, silt, boulders, gravel, erratics, etc.) In groups, ask students to use their geographic/geologic map to visually, and as dramatically as possible, tell the cataclysmic story of the Ice Age floods.

WRITING AND SPEAKING PROMPTS
Ask the students to use the following writing and speaking prompts to demonstrate their knowledge about Ice Age floods:

a. Expository: Explain what caused the Missoula Floods.
Explain how the angle of the Earth's axis contributed to the Ice Age.

b. Imaginative: Imagine a legend or myth to explain the cause of the floods.

(See the book Stories of the Flood in the Print Resources List at http://www.opb.org/lmd/iceageflood/resources/printresources.html for nine examples of flood myths.)

Imagine what life near ancient Lake Missoula would have been like the day BEFORE the flood started, and the day AFTER. Remember, there were no humans around then, so you'll have to take the role of something else to tell your story! Also, remember that ice cubes float … so the remnants of the ice dam would have floated in the lake!

c. Descriptive: Describe the effects of the flood on the surface of the land. Describe the geologic evidence that has been found on the surface of Mars.

d. Persuasive: Persuade the reader to add a dam to the Columbia River to prevent flooding. Persuade the reader to either support or campaign against federal legislation and funding to build the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

e. Narrative: Tell the sequence of events leading up to the flood.
Geologists predict another ice age in the future. Tell what you think would happen if a flood were to occur at that time in your community. Where might the floodwater come from, and where would it go? Where is the safest place to be during a flood?

UNSOLVED EARTH MYSTERIES
Divide students into groups to write a script and produce a "mock television" skit for the GBC (Geologic Broadcasting Company) news program "Unsolved Earth Mysteries." If possible, assign a group of students to direct and videotape the news program. Encourage the student groups to role-play "on the scene" reporters, geologists, farmers, archeologists and other eyewitnesses; use props; and develop creative visuals to help explain and show their theories. Either assign the roles of news commentators to a group of students, or the teacher can serve in this capacity to move the skits along and help interview the reporters and eyewitnesses. Emphasize the fact that these are actual ongoing investigations, and that we really have much to learn to help us finally understand these geologic mysteries:

The Mystery of Glacial Lake Missoula
What is the significance of Glacial Lake Missoula? How can we know how large it was and how it affected us in the Northwest in the past and in the present?

The Mystery of the Missing Soil
What happened to all of the soil that used to be in eastern Washington? How can we know it was ever there? What difference does knowing this information make in our lives today?

The Mystery of the Fantastic Floods
What evidence has been found to show there were giant floods in the past? How many floods were there and how large were they? What effect do they have on our lives today and how might they affect our lives in the future?

The Mystery of the Mars-Missoula Connection
What can the study of the geology of Mars contribute to our understanding of Glacial Lake Missoula -- and vice versa? Explain what scientists have uncovered about the geologic history of Mars, and what questions still remain about the mysteries of Mars.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST ICE AGE FLOODS
Investigate other Ice Age floods (Glacier Lake Agassiz, Ice Age Lake Bonneville, Altai Mountain Floods in the Kuray Basin, Siberia, etc.). Describe where, when, why, how and what effects each Ice Age flood caused on the earth's surface. Describe the geologic evidence that suggests these floods occurred. Compare them with the effects of Glacial Lake Missoula.

BUILD A MODEL
Make a model of the Earth and sun and use it to show how variations in the Earth's angle contributed to the ice ages. Try to find out what caused the Earth's angle to change in the past, and whether it could ever happen again in the future.

ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL TRAIL
Review the current proposal to create an Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, which would include an auto-tour route with trail markers and interpretive signs to guide tourists as they follow the general route of the Ice Age floods. See http://www.thenaturecenter.org/glm2.html for more information. What historic, geologic, educational, cultural, and economic benefits and costs do you think such a trail would have? Develop a brochure with information for several interesting points that should be highlighted on this future trail.

GUEST SPEAKER
Invite a geologist to visit your classroom and help you take an imaginary aerial tour of the area around your school. Make a map of the geologic features of your community. Then develop a "Backwards Timeline" to show how geologic history and cataclysmic geologic events formed your community "footprint." Share your Backwards Timeline with other students and parents in your community.

BIOGRAPHIES
Review the biographies of the two geologists featured in the video program: J Harlen Bretz (1882-1981) and Joseph T. Pardee (1871-1960). What theories did each of them advance? What personal experiences and geologic evidence led them to develop their theories? Compare and contrast their contributions to the geologic knowledge of this time period.

AMERICAN FIELD GUIDE LESSONS:
Go to http://www.pbs.org/americanfieldguide/teachers/floods/floods_sum.html for the teaching unit entitled "Floods: Rising Waters and You." It contains three activities: E-Sheet Introduction to Floods, Stream Table Experiments, and Living on a Meander: Will the Rising Water Get My House