Human Energy Systems Unit Activity 1.3: Graphing Arctic Sea Ice Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University Human Energy Systems Unit Activity 1.3: Graphing Arctic Sea Ice Image/photo courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder

How do we represent data? One way we represent data is in a pie chart. What are other ways that we represent data? (write student ideas here)

Why do we represent data in these ways? Why do scientists represent data in these ways? For example, why would a pie chart be better than a table? What about other ways (graphs, images, charts, tables, etc.) Consider what different information can be displayed in different representations. Year Km 1979 7.2 1980 7.8 1981

In this activity we are making a graph of data about arctic sea ice In this activity we are making a graph of data about arctic sea ice. Why? Image/photo courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder What will a graph allow us to see that these images don’t?

Graph Title Vertical Axis Vertical Axis Label Horizontal Axis Units Units Horizontal Axis Label

What do these graphs tell us? Average Rainfall in a Desert in Egypt What do these graphs tell us? What does the horizontal axis tell us? What does the vertical axis tell us? What do the graphs tell us about rainfall overall? Average Rainfall in a Coniferous Forest in Canada Credit: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/graphs.php Turn and Talk: With a partner, think of a 3-5 sentence description of the information in these graphs. Be prepared to share your explanation with the class.

Option 1: Go to http://nsidc Option 1: Go to http://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index/archives/image_select to find data about artic sea ice extent (Select Hemisphere Northern, Start Year  1979, Start Month September, and Image Sea Ice Extent, and check the “Fixed Month Animations” Box) Image/photo courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder

Option 2: Use the following slides to complete the table on Page 1 of your worksheet. Image/photo courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1979 Image/photo courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1980

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1981

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1982

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1983

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1984

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1985

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1986

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1987

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1988

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1989

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1990

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1991

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1992

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1993

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1994

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1995

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1996

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1997

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1998

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 1999

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2000

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2001

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2002

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2003

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2004

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2005

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2006

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2007

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2008

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2009

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2010

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2011

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2012

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2013

Arctic Sea Ice Extent: September, 2014