What happens if the polar ice caps melt?

I am answering this question in its simplest form, IF, which is a very big, every bit of ice in the ice caps melts the oceans would rise a good 200feet above their current level.  Based on prior knowledge I remember that the oceans have risen maybe 5 or 6 inches in the past 100 years.  This question is tied to global warming for the purpose of this exercise.  There is much debate about whether it is possible to completely melt the ice caps.  I think the larger concern at hand is the current damage occurring in the natural habitats of these areas due to the current levels of ice melting.  There is going to be more visible damage in the slow melting of the caps rather than in the total melting of the caps.

What other questions do I have about this Science Inquiry Experience?

I think I understand my students now, when they are given projects of inquiry.  I would want to know what I am supposed to focus on. 

Is this suppose to be about whether global warming is happening or not?

Is it about the effect on the slow melting of ice caps or the complete and total melting as a short event?

If I were to do this experiment are the students expected to have prior knowledge of displacement, the size of ice bergs, bouyancy?

Inquiry does open your mind, but as a student wanting to do well, it can be overwhelming to try and cover all the possible topics.

Reflection on STEM Lesson

I created the STEM lesson by first finding a standard that had some connection to one to the historical perspectives.  Although the 5 E’s strategy was helpful in creating this lesson, I think hitting each of the components produces a very lengthy lesson .  This was the most complicated lesson I have ever prepared and I feel it will be a very difficult under taking.  If I were to implement this lesson my first concern would be that the students are not prepared to work in such an environment. Although we may be ready to lunge into using the strategies, the students may not be prepared to handle it. Any time I ask the students to begin a project or do any type of assignment the first question they ask is “is this a grade?” That is usually followed by “how can I get an A?”  It makes for a difficult environment to have inquiry based lessons. Apart from that it would be easy enough to obtain the necessary resources to complete the lesson.