Permafrost Lessons and Activities

A variety of lessons and videos that can be used to introduce students to permafrost are available from the the National Snow and Ice Data Center, including: How Permanent is Permafrost? which explores the relationship between surface air temperature and permafrost (soil) temperature using data obtained from boreholes at five locations in Russia; data are provided in Excel spreadsheets and can also be viewed in Google Earth. This lesson is included in the collection of peer-reviewed resources available from the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN); the CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.


In addition, some lessons provide opportunities for students to create their own permafrost:

Permawhat? by PBS
In this lesson, students identify the contents of permafrost found in the Denali Wilderness of Alaska and create permafrost.

Hot Times in Alaska by Scientific American Frontiers
This lesson provides an introduction to permafrost, the opportunity to create and examine frozen soil, and a hands-on activity where students quantify the effects of frozen soil on water percolation.