ADAPTATION: Ice Stupas of Ladakh

Alize Carrere, Public Broadcasting Service

In this video, learn how communities in the arid high-mountain region of Ladakh rely on glacial water to feed streams and water crops during the spring and summer months. Global warming is dramatically reshaping the future of these areas. Meet a Ladakhi teacher and engineer who devised a method to capture and store glacial runoff into magnificent ice pyramids that are used as water resources throughout the summer and during peak agricultural months.

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Notes from our reviewers

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This would be an excellent introduction or ending to a class period related to climate adaptation strategies or technological/infrastructural advances and resilience. This could also lead to a capstone project where students work in groups to investigate a climate change adaptation strategy and build a poster or presentation about it to share with the class. One of the links assigned is an ecological footprint and how the fluid dynamics of the stupah work. This would be a good climate anxiety neutralizer.
This video provides an applied solution to climate change adaptation and maintains Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) standards. Students learn about how a community in the high-mountain region of Ladakh is adapting to the rapidly changing climate by storing glacial run-off as ice stupas for use in the peak growing season of the region. It reminds listeners about disparities in climate change vulnerability and the different ways that communities are acting to adapt to climate change. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
The lesson is a documentary-style video. This video is very engaging and will get students thinking about ways of living differently and the resourcefulness of communities. Students should have an understanding that the global climate is changing and some regions (often regions whose people did not contribute to the rise in carbon dioxide emissions) are more impacted than others. There is no instructor guide provided, and educators will likely have to construct a discussion or activity around this video. There are "pop-up" supporting materials (they do not open in a new window or new tab) such as how to use this resource, teaching tips, and an activity that goes along with the resource. These can be printed. Alternatively, this resource could be used in a larger curriculum that includes the other 3 videos in the ADAPTATION PBS series, as well as a [link https://thinktv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/your-place-in-focus-lesson-plan/adaptation/ 'lesson plan'].