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Ice change over time
I can describe the way that the global climate has changed over time and the extent of the British-Irish ice sheet.
Lesson 1 of 12
New
New
- Year 9
Ice change over time
I can describe the way that the global climate has changed over time and the extent of the British-Irish ice sheet.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Earth has experienced periods of global warming and global cooling throughout its history.
- The last ice age ended around 19 000 years ago.
- The north of the UK and part of Ireland were covered in the British-Irish ice sheet.
Keywords
Climate - an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)
Ice sheet - a large mass of ice covering an area of over 50 000 square kilometres
Ice age - a period of time during which thick ice sheets covered vast areas of land
Common misconception
There has only been one ice age.
There have been numerous periods of warming and cooling throughout Earth's history. This has meant there have been a number of ice ages throughout history.
Put students in a line to represent a timeline of historic global warming and cooling.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these places is known for being very cold all year?
Which of these places is known for being very cold all year?
Africa
Australia
India
Q2.Where does rain come from?
Where does rain come from?
Trees
The ocean floor
Deep underground
Q3.What happens to snow when the temperature gets warmer?
What happens to snow when the temperature gets warmer?
It turns into sand
It freezes into ice
It stays the same
Q4.What do we call the water that falls from the sky as rain, snow, or hail?
What do we call the water that falls from the sky as rain, snow, or hail?
Evaporation
Collection
Condensation
Q5.Which of these increases the amount of sunlight that is reflected?
Which of these increases the amount of sunlight that is reflected?
Sand
Rocks
Grass
Q6.What happens when water vapour cools down in the sky?
What happens when water vapour cools down in the sky?
It turns into steam
It melts into water
It evaporates into air
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is a cause of global warming?
Which of the following is a cause of global warming?
A decrease in the amount of sunlight
More volcanic eruptions
Cooler ocean currents
Q2.Which historical period is known for being warmer with longer growing seasons in Europe?
Which historical period is known for being warmer with longer growing seasons in Europe?
Little Ice Age
Last Ice Age
Current Warming Period
Q3.When did the last Ice Age end?
When did the last Ice Age end?
1700 years ago
19 000 years ago
400 000 years ago
Q4.What did the British-Irish Ice Sheet cover?
What did the British-Irish Ice Sheet cover?
Only the southern part of the UK
The whole of the UK and France
Just the Scottish Highlands
