ICE WORLDS

You don’t need a parka to explore the polar regions of Earth. Ice Worlds takes you on a journey from the frigid waters of Antarctica to the frozen landscapes of distant worlds across our solar system. Planetary scientists search for water beyond Earth and examine how ice shapes other planets and moons. Studying Earth’s neighbors in space increases human understanding of the natural cycles and human influence on ice, snow, and water on Earth.

Ice Worlds is narrated by Emily Watson, star of The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. Evans and Sutherland Digital Theater produced Ice Worlds in cooperation with the University of New Hampshire, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and with the support of the National Science Foundation.

Ice Worlds is not currently showing in the Sudekum Planetarium.
Watch the Trailer

For More Information

Web sites

Books

  • The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World by Andrew Revkin
  • Unmasking Europa: The Search for Life on Jupiter's Ocean Moon by Richard Greenberg
  • Frozen Earth: The Once and Future Story of Ice Ages by Doug Macdougall
  • The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850 by Brian M. Fagan
Ice Worlds is recommended for Grades 4 and up.

TN State Science Standards (2008)

  • Earth And Its Place In The Universe 7.0
  • Forces and Motion 11.0
  • Energy 14.0

Pre-visit Activities

  1. Have students compare and contrast the different biomes and their climate conditions on the Earth.
  2. Have students investigate how ice freezes and melts. Experiment with melting ice cubes in different liquid solutions at different temperatures. Examples include hot and cold water, fresh or salt water, cola, juice, etc.
  3. Have student compare and contrast the environmental conditions on the planets and moons in our solar system. On which objects could there be liquid water or ice? Expand the discussion to include Pluto, comets, and Kuiper Belt Objects.

Post-visit Activities

  1. If you have not already done so, consider building the various scale models listed under pre-visit activities.
  2. In addition to the planets, have students, individually or in small groups, investigate other objects in the solar system: moons, asteroids, comets, TNOs, KBOs, etc.
    • An example of how our knowledge is constantly expanding can be found in the current count of moons orbiting the planets. How many are there now? How are they discovered?
    • Have students investigate the origin of names of solar system objects and their features. It can be very interesting.
  3. Have students investigate some of the many robotic spacecraft that have been launched to explore the planets and other objects in our Solar System. Mariner, Venera, Vikings 1 and 2, Voyagers 1 and 2, Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner, Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity are just a few. Note that not all missions have been successful while others have accomplished much more than originally planned. Using a solar system model in the classroom, plot where each spacecraft visited and what happened to it. Explore why a mission beyond our solar system is unrealistic.
  4. Hold a debate on the usefulness of space exploration. How can information about other planets help us on Earth? What benefits has the space program had on our everyday lives? What are the costs? Explore web sites on the Internet to learn how others feel about this issue. Each year NASA publishes a free booklet called Space Spin-offs that shows how space technology is used to improve life on Earth. Send for the booklet and share it with students.
  5. Many students hear that Neptune and Pluto switch orbits. This is a misconception. Pluto’s orbit is elliptical and tilted which occasionally carries Pluto inside the orbit of Neptune. The two planets are still billions of miles apart. Challenge students to find out the details of Pluto’s orbit. When will it happen again? In their lifetimes, will Neptune ever again become the farthest planet from the Sun? Have students create ellipses and circles so they can understand the differences in orbits. Find other objects in the solar system that may have elliptical orbits.
  6. Astronomers are debating whether Pluto qualifies to be considered a planet. Have students collect information about the definition and characteristics of planets and other objects. Have teams choose sides and present arguments for their case.

Vocabulary

  • algae
  • amplifier
  • Antarctica
  • Arctic region
  • atmospheric composition
  • carbon dioxide
  • climate
  • iceberg
  • comet
  • complex chemicals
  • core
  • crustaceans
  • currents
  • dense
  • desert
  • Earth’s crust
  • equator
  • glaciers
  • Greenland
  • Gulf Strem
  • habitable
  • ice age
  • ice cap
  • industrial revolution
  • krill
  • landmass
  • methane clouds
  • natural gas
  • peninsula
  • photosynthesis
  • primitive life
  • time capsule
  • time-lapse
  • tropical
  • vapor
  • ind patterns