Little Ice Age

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/little-ice-age

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the approximate temporal range?Circa 1300 CE to circa 1850 CE
2. What is the estimated magnitude of cooling?Approximately 1-2 degrees Celsius (2-4 degrees Fahrenheit) below preceding averages
3. Why did glaciers grow during the Little Ice Age?Because more snow fell and there was less melting in summer, so glaciers pushed into valleys and even destroyed farms.
4. How did the Little Ice Age affect farmers?The seasons were shorter and frost could damage crops, so farmers had trouble growing food and many people faced famine.

Little Ice Age (LIA): A period of regional and global cooling, characterized by lower average temperatures and increased glacial activity, lasting several centuries.
Paleoclimate Proxies: Natural archives (like ice cores, tree rings) used to reconstruct past climate conditions before direct measurements were available.
Volcanic Activity: Eruptions of volcanoes that can release aerosols into the atmosphere, potentially leading to temporary global cooling.
Solar Irradiance: The amount of energy from the sun that reaches Earth, which can fluctuate and influence global temperatures.