Initial Publication Date: December 14, 2015

Assessment of Module Goals

This summative assessment can be administered as a high-stakes exam question, homework assignment after the module has been completed, or in-class exercise at the end of the module. Regardless, the summative assessment is lengthy and if administered during class will extend the module length beyond two weeks. If instructors feel as though the summative assessment is too lengthy, we suggest:

Choosing one site for analysis for questions 1 and 2 (Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica Peninsula, or Ice Stream C).
Substituting some of the level-2 and level-3 assessment questions with the level-1 questions provided. Note that we define level-1, level-2, and level-3 assessments throughout the module based on Bloom's Taxonomy levels and examples of skills/tasks/actions involved in answering the question. Guide to GETSI Assessment Levels 1, 2, and 3 (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 304kB Jun11 17)

Summative assessment is designed to assess the overarching module goals:

Students will interpret geodetic data to assess spatial patterns and causes of ice mass loss.
Students will evaluate the impact of ice sheet mass change on global and regional sea level and consider societal

Summative Assessment

Ice Mass and Sea Level Change module assessment instructor answers -- private instructor-only file

You have been provided with three data sets:

Figure 1. GRACE-derived estimates for changes in Antarctica ice mass from 2004–2013 and a map illustrating the locations of three study areas: the Antarctica Peninsula (green), Pine Island Glacier (red), and Ice Stream C (blue).
Figure 2. Air temperature changes over a similar time period as Figure 1.
Figure 3. Estimate of air temperature projections for Antarctica from several different climate models.

(1) (Level 2) On the blank graph, plot the approximate ice mass change for each year (2004–2013) and draw the trend in ice mass change for each of the following sites. Use a different color or symbol for each site's data.

--Antarctica Peninsula
--Pine Island Glacier
--Ice Stream C

Scoring: 3-point question, 1 point for each correctly plotted study area.

(2) (Level 1) Based on the graph that you created, describe the ice mass change (ice mass gain, ice mass loss, or no change) from 2004 to 2013 for each location.
Antarctica Peninsula:
Pine Island Glacier:
Ice Stream C:

Scoring: 3-point question, 1 point for each correctly characterized study area's ice mass change.

(3) (Level 3) Which location would you expect to demonstrate the most dramatic rebound? Why?

Scoring: scoring rubric below assuming that this is a 6-point question.
Summative Assessment #3: Rubric (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 80kB Oct13 15)

(4) (Level 3) Based on the data provided and your knowledge of ice sheet dynamics, suggest a process that is driving the ice mass changes that you observed for Ice Stream C.

Scoring: scoring rubric below assuming that this is a 3-point question.
Summative Assessment #4: Rubric (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 59kB Oct13 15)

(5) (Level 2) The global air temperature increase from 2000 to 2010 was 0.5°C and resulted in 1 mm of sea level rise (Rignot et al., 2011). Based on the temperature data alone, calculate Antarctica's projected contribution to sea level rise by 2100.

(6) (Level 3) Considering sea level projections for the year 2100:

(a) Describe one specific way that sea level changes could influence a community's economy, infrastructure, OR sociopolitical system;
(b) Provide an example of a strategy that could be used to minimize the impact of sea level change on the community.
(c) Briefly discuss 2 reasons that some communities are more vulnerable to sea level changes than others.

Scoring: scoring rubric below assuming that this is a 6-point question.
Summative Assessment #6 Rubric (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 98kB Nov8 15)

Alternative Level 1 assessment questions

(These could be used in substitution of the existing summative assessment questions for instructors who have limited time to administer summative assessment)

Alternative question 1:
Which of the following graphs (right) correctly illustrates the ice mass trends for Pine Island Glacier from 2004 to 2013 (Referring to Figure 1 above)?
(a) graph A
(b) graph B
(c) graph C
(d) graph D

Alternative question 2:
Which of the following locations experienced an ice mass gain from 2004 to 2013?
(a) Antarctica Peninsula
(b) Pine Island Glacier
(c) Ice Stream C
(d) None of the locations

Alternative question 3
Which of the following locations experienced the most dramatic change in ice mass from 2004 to 2013?
(a) Antarctica Peninsula
(b) Pine Island Glacier
(c) Ice Stream C

Alternative question 4
Which location would you expect to demonstrate the most dramatic rebound?
(a) The site with the greatest ice mass loss. Bedrock GPS data will show uplift.
(b) The site with the greatest ice mass gain. Bedrock GPS data will show subsidence.
(c) The site with the greatest ice mass loss. Bedrock GPS data will show subsidence.
(d) The site with the greatest ice mass gain. Bedrock GPS data will show uplift.

Alternative question 5
Figure 3 (above) is an estimate of air temperature projections for Antarctica from several different climate models. The temperature increase from 2000 to 2010, which was 0.5°C, resulted in 1 mm of sea level rise (Rignot et al., 2011). Based on the temperature data alone, how will Antarctic impact sea level by 2100?
(a) 5 mm of sea level rise
(b) 2.5 mm of sea level rise
(c) 0.5 mm of sea level rise
(d) 1 mm of sea level drop

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