1. Warm Up: on p. 11
Describe the characteristics of a good scientific diagram
Explain how to properly compare and contrast two subjects.
Date
Session #
Activity
Page
1/30-31
Diagram warm up
What is a proxy? 11
Climate Proxy Lab…formal grade 12
Homework:
Finish essay (formal grade).
Lab & Essay due Friday 2/3 B Day, Monday 2/6 A Day

2. 8.E.2 Understand the history of Earth and its life forms based on evidence of change recorded in fossil records and landforms. 8.E.2.1 Infer the age of Earth and relative age of rocks and fossils from index fossils and ordering of rocks layers (relative dating and radioactive dating) 8.E.2.2 Explain the use of fossils, ice cores, composition of sedimentary rocks, faults, and igneous rock formations found in rock layers as evidence of the history of the Earth and its changing life forms

3. TLW complete a lab and writing assingment that compares and contrasts the history provided by climate proxies and rock layers using video, reading and student generated diagrams of proxy samples.

4. Climate Proxy
Climate ‘proxies’ are sources of climate information from natural archives such as tree rings, ice cores, corals, lake and ocean sediments, etc. For a proxy to be useful it must first be established that the proxy (i.e. tree-ring width, stable isotope composition of ice, sediment composition) is in fact sensitive to changes in temperature (or some other environmental parameter). Ice cores and ocean sediment provide global climate information, while tree rings and coral bands provide regional climate information.

5. Lab Form
You will draw a scientific
diagram of two different
climate proxies. Then read
a short piece of text about
the proxy, taking notes and
making any necessary
notations to your diagram.
But first, keeping in mind
the purpose of informational
text:
Brainstorm the qualities of
a good scientific diagram

6. Tree Ring Diagram: Ice Core Diagram:
Sketch your tree ring, discuss physical characteristics you see, label them on your diagram.
Read “Reading the Rings of a Tree”….add descriptions to the physical characteristics in your drawing
Ice Core Diagram:
Sketch your ice core, discuss physical characteristics and inclusions you see, label them on your diagram
Read Ice Core infographics…..add descriptions to the physical characteristics in your drawing

7. Video
For each video clip, write a summary of the evidence found in the proxy and how it is used.
Ice Cores
tree ring video

8. Articles
Read each of the remaining small articles. Add information from each to your note sheet.

11. Tubular sample showing layers of ice/snow built up over time
ICE CORES
Tubular sample showing layers of ice/snow built up over time
Vertical Timeline revealing
AIR QUALITY: pollen, CO2 levels (air bubbles within the ice core layers), dust
CLIMATE (temp changes, precipitation)
MAJOR EVENTS (volcanic eruptions, radiation from nuclear accidents/weapons)

12. Writing Assignment
Compare and contrast the history revealed by ice cores and rock layers. Make sure your explanation is
complete. This is a formal grade. (Springboard subject-by-subject or feature-by-feature format p93)
Before you being writing, create an organizer below the rubric.
Subject by Subject Feature by Feature
Subject A Ice Core Feature a
Feature a Subject A: Ice core
Feature b Subject B: Rock Layers
Feature c Feature b
Subject A: Ice Cores
Subject B Rock Layers Subject B: Rock Layers
Feature a Feature c
Feature b Subject A: Ice Cores
Feature c Subject B: Rock Layers

13. Writing Assignment
Compare and contrast the history revealed by ice cores and rock layers. Make sure your explanation is
complete. This is a formal grade. (Springboard subject-by-subject or feature-by-feature format p93)
Before you being writing, create an organizer below the rubric.
Feature by feature or Subject by subject
Ice cores…….
Rock layers……
A word about plagiarism and cheating…….