What Causes Sea Level Rise?
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Provided by: NASA|Published on: July 12, 2022
Videos
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This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video explains how scientists measure sea level and the differences between local sea level and global sea level.
- Using simple animated visuals, students learn how the Earth's sea level can rise over time.

Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: NASA
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video is designed for younger students and explains the concept of sea level rise in a simple format.
- Suggested comprehension questions and answers are provided in the video description.
Additional Prerequisites
- The video mentions that the Earth is getting warmer but it doesn't explain global warming, so you may want to review the greenhouse effect and causes of global warming with students.
- Vocabulary terms for the video include glaciers, local sea level, and global sea level.
Differentiation
- To increase student comprehension, go over the comprehension questions after viewing the video and have students write down their own definitions for local and global sea level.
- Students in science classes could do an extension activity in which they must work together to engineer a solution to protect coastal communities from sea level rise.
- Related resources include this video about sea level rise in Massachusetts, this interactive map of high water events in New Jersey, and this ebook about sea level rise and climate change.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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