Chocolate and Glaciers?!
25th February 2023
As Kenya continues to battle drought after 5 consecutive below average rainy seasons, it can be easy to forget that we at BNIS sit in the shadow of eleven glaciers. Mount Kenya is one of only three places on the continent of Africa to still have glaciers. This makes it a perfect case study for the Year 7s during their topic of Glacial Landscapes. This year the children have been looking at how chocolate is related to glaciers. Delicious I hear you say!
After learning the terminology related to glacial erosion, transportation and deposition. Children drew diagrams to help visualise these processes. The following week the children were challenged with how a Mars Bar could represent these processes. Through experimenting, they discovered that the chocolate could become the glacial till, the caramel acted as melt water and by reenacting the force of gravity with their hands and dragging the Mars Bar downhill towards the zone of ablation they were able to leave chocolate lines on the valley floor - these became glacial striations.
Next we investigated what a Toblerone Bar has to do with glaciers. The children quickly noticed the mountain on the front of the packaging, The Matterhorn -Switzerland, realising it was an example of a Pyramidal Peak. A glacial landform created when three or more corries form back to back. Our conclusion was that not is chocolate very much related to glaciers, it also makes a very good mid-lesson pick me up!
The children were very interested in a photographic project that we explored that used long exposure and fire to capture the rate of glacial retreat on the Lewis Glacier, Mount Kenya. As with all glaciers in Africa, the rate of retreat is shocking. It acts as a stark reminder of the fragility of our planet and the need for us all to be environmentally conscious and to take action now. We hope to inspire all our BNIS children to not only know what is happening around them but to equip them with the tools to make a significant change.
In just a few weeks time year 7 and 8s will be putting on their hiking shoes and beginning their own epic journey up to the summit of Point Lenana as part of our now biennial school trip. They are looking forward to spotting lots of the glacial features we have learnt about and I’m pretty sure they will also be reaching for the chocolate to help motor them along!
