Explore! Ice Worlds!

Explore! Ice Worlds!

Examine different types of ices, discover where these different ices occur in the solar system, how scientists determine what ice is where, meet some of the scientists who are exploring these ice worlds, and explore why their work is so important!

Explore Ice Worlds! was originally developed through a generous education grant (Number NNXO7AO03G) from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate for the project entitled "Sharing The International Polar Year Through Library and After-School Program Networks".

Learn more about ice in the solar system.

Explore other activities:

Activities Overview

Ice and Seek: What is Ice?
Examine three types of ice — dry ice, alcohol ice, and water ice, and identify them based on clues and then match the type of ice to the planet or moon on which it occurs.

Reflections on Ice: How We Look for Ice
Examine the ice with black lights, flashlights, and colored lenses to understand how scientists study ice properties remotely.

Ice Zones: Where We Look for Ice
Use a clay ball, ice cubes, and a heat lamp to model the permanently-shadowed polar regions of planets and moons that may harbor ice.

Ice Quest!
Take on the roles of NASA scientists, in a game to seek information collected from remote locations to ultimately answer questions about ice on Earth and in our solar system and discover why ice is so important.

Make a Comet
Construct a model of a comet using various art supplies.

Dry Ice Comet
Make a model of a comet with dry ice and other ingredients to demonstrate the comet nucleus, coma, and outgassing.

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