Key Terms Glossary

AIM: To be able to understand some key terms relating to Glacial Environments.

Before we begin delving into the subject of Glaciers, I thought it appropriate to sift through all the physical geography jargon and provide a simplistic glacier related glossary of the key terms, which I can refer back to in order to make the learning process that much simpler. 

CRYOSPHERE: The portion of the Earth’s Surface where water takes a solid form, as snow or ice. 

FLUVIOGLACIAL: Processes and landforms associated with the action of glacial meltwater.

GLACIAL: Describes a landscape occupied by glaciers and the associated processes and landforms.

GLACIER:  A mass of snow and ice which, if it accumulates to sufficient thickness, deforms under its own weight and flows moving slowly down a valley.

PERIGLACIAL: Process and landforms associated with the fringe of, or the area near to, an ice sheet or glacier.

Other terms relating to the processes and landforms of glacial environments will be defined as this blog goes along with the end result being a final glossary of all the terms used that can be produced on paper and used within future lessons.

IN PRACTICE: This glossary could be filled in throughout a module to keep students engaged with the topic and keep referring back to it to avoid it being forgotten. It could possibly be completed as regular key terms quiz’s and ‘match the term with the description’ as starter exercises.

Video Clip: The Current Ice Age 

Taken from Dr. Iain Stewart's Earth: The Power of The Planet, the above clip provides a visual introduction into ice and glaciers.