Students in Mr. Schuchman’s classes at P.J. Gelinas Junior High School modeled the formation of kettle holes while studying glaciers and their impact on earth’s surface. Kettle holes are glacial features which form when a large block of ice breaks off the main glacier, is subsequently buried in sediment and later melts, then leaves behind a depression. If they fill with water, these depressions are known as kettle lakes. There are numerous kettle holes and lakes around Long Island due to its extensive glacial history including Lake Ronkonkoma, Artists Lake, Lake Panamoka and Lake Success.

Students developed their model by burying large pieces of ice in sand, or sediment. After a day, the ice melted, and a depression was created. Students initially packed the sand too firmly, which resulted in a kettle cave. They retried the experiment the next day and had better success.

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Date Added: 1/16/2024