Introducing the Bering Sea Collection, a body of educational resources focused on understanding the impacts of climate change and dynamic sea ice cover on the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem. The Collection was developed during a four day workshop that brought together teachers who had traveled to the Bering Sea during teacher researcher experience programs; Bering Sea community teachers from St. Paul, Emmonak, and Nome; as well as project scientists interested in gaining expertise in broader impacts activities.

The Bering Sea Collection uses BEST-BSIERP hypotheses and focal areas as a guide. Both the Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST) and the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (BSIERP), programs seek to support meritorious scientific research that will improve understanding of how the highly productive marine ecosystem of the Bering Sea may respond to climate change, particularly as mediated through changes in sea ice cover. The Collection includes individual activities, lesson plans, videos, and presentations all that will educate the next generation about this complex ecosystem study.

Bering Sea Ecosystem Collection Partners
Bering Sea Ecosystem Collection Partners

The Bering Sea Collection and the Bering Sea Ecosystem Professional Development Workshop, which led to creation of the collection, were funded by Arctic Research Consortium of the United States, National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs, North Pacific Research Board, COSEE Alaska, Monteray Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and NOAA Teachers at Sea Program.


Displaying 176 - 200 of 236

1-2 page essay by Dr. Vera Alexander (UAF) discusses unique biological productivity in Bering Sea and impacts of changing conditions to the Bering Sea Ecosystem

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Arctic
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Current and recent radio and newspaper articles about Bering Sea science

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Arctic
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1-2 page essay by Dr. Nicholas Bond (UW) discusses trends toward warmer summer and winter weather in the Bering Sea

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Arctic
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1-2 page essay by Dr. Sue Moore (NOAA/NMFS) about cetaceans and their role in the Bering Sea Ecosystem

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Arctic
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Overview of Bering Sea ecoregion, wildlife species, and issues

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Arctic
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1-2 page essay by Dr. Lyn McNutt (UAF-GI) about the role of sea ice in the Bering Sea ecosystem and how it is changing

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Arctic
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The Alaska CoastWatch Activity Guide was developed to help educators incorporate stewardship of our coastal resources into their classroom.  It includes activities that range from the basic level of exploration and discovery of intertidal biodiversity to data collection and research on marine invertebrates.  Background on beach etiquette as well as conducting a CoastWalk/Marine Debris Clean-up are also included. For Grades

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Arctic
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The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is an integrated art and science curriculum developed to teach environmental science and habitat conservation. The program combines art, science, and cultural curricula to teach a greater awareness of our nation's natural and cultural resources. Students learn about conserving habitats while they explore the aesthetic qualities of wildlife and nature. A

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Arctic
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A state-wide poster and literature competition to be published in the Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar. K-12 students (public, private or home-schooled) residing in or adjacent to the following Bering Sea area National Wildlife Refuges: Yukon Delta, Togiak, Izembek, Alaska Peninsula/Becharof, Alaska Maritime may enter.
The purpose of the contest is to encourage local children to learn about bird conservation. Several

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Arctic
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Each winter, Alaska holds a regional ocean sciences competition as part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). Unique to the Alaska regional NOSB is the research component of the competition, in which teams of four or five students prepare a 20-page research paper that is submitted in December, and present a 20-minute oral presentation at the Tsunami Bowl in

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Arctic
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Alaska students act as weather observers, collecting and recording data on temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation, frost depth, snow depth, sea ice, visibility, sea state, and clouds. Data is shared with the Citizen Weather Observer Program, the National Weather Service, and the Science Observation Network for use by scientists and the public. Weather data is sent every 15 minutes

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Arctic
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Overview

The following PowerPoint presentation is part of an anticipatory set used to excite and introduce students to the many wonders of the Bering Sea. The PowerPoint is to be presented at the beginning of a unit about the Bering Sea.

Objectives

At the start of a unit on the Bering Sea this PowerPoint video presentation will engage

Lesson
Arctic
Less than 1 period
All Aged
n/a

Through activities, video observation, experimentation and the construction of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) students will learn about the chemical and physical properties of sea ice.

Objectives

Students will be able to answer main questions of where sea ice is, how it is formed, why the ice is important, how it is classified by indigenous people and scientists, how

Lesson
Arctic
More than a week
All Aged
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The title of this lesson, 'Ssssno Seals' is a play on words. Will the ice seals survive? Yes or No? Paul Lukosi is a high school teacher in the lower Yukon River Delta, 6 miles from the Bering Sea...as the slough goes. The village he teaches in is heavily focused on family and culture, and has survived for thousands of

Lesson
Arctic
More than a week
High school and Up
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This lesson came out of a desire to connect the plankton research that I did during the 0902 Healy cruise with my young "researchers" back in Washington, DC. I wanted them to understand that plankton not only feed the Arctic but that much of the world relies on these little critters that come to life for us when we look

Lesson
Arctic
About 1 period
Elementary and Up
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Nature creates its own density column in marine systems, which is extremely important for the triggering of the spring bloom of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are an important food source for all organisms- from microscopic zooplankton to large marine mammals such as walrus and whales. The different salinities (and therefore, different densities) of water help to stabilize the water column (by limiting

Lesson
Arctic
Less than a week
Middle School and Up
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What happens to the salinity in the Bering Sea during ice and no ice conditions? Does it change throughout the year and at different depths during different seasons? Create a model of the Bering Sea in ice conditions. Change the conditions based on seasonal changes to explore the effects of runoff on salinity.

Objectives

The students will understand: *

Lesson
Arctic
Less than a week
Middle School and Up
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This is a food web activity that I developed after my spring 2006 TREC expedition on board the USCGC Healy, for 30 days in the Bering Sea. It is a set of lessons that include setting the context with a map activity, researching the organisms in, on, and around the Bering Sea, reading an article or book on connections between

Lesson
Arctic
About a week
All Aged
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Polar researchers Jackie Grebmeier and Lee Cooper, joined PolarTREC teacher Deanna Wheeler in a presentation about their work in the Bering Sea. The presentation was at the Old Durham Church in Maryland.

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Overview

Students will sing a song to learn about ice algae and its role in the arctic ecosystem.

Objective

Students will learn about the Bering Sea arctic ecosystem, particularly the role of ice algae, plankton, krill, fish, birds and mammals through song.

Description

Review the song 'The Ice Algae Grew All Around' (attached), sung to the tune

Activity
Arctic
Less than 1 period
Elementary and Up
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Overview

Students will sing a song about the Bering Sea ocean ecosystem.

Objective

To sing a fun science-themed song!

Preparation

* Teach students about the Bering Sea ecosystem or have them review journal entries from Maggie Prevenas’ PolarTREC expedition (see Resources section for address). * Hand out song sheet or project words onto a screen

Description

Activity
Arctic
Less than 1 period
Elementary and Up
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Overview

Students are asked to predict what will happen to styrofoam objects lowered down to the bottom of the Bering Sea. Students make the appropriate calculations related to the actual experiment which took place on Maggie Prevenas' PolarTREC expedition.

Objective

Students will make hypotheses and calculations regarding deep sea experiments that took place in the Bering Sea on

Lesson
Arctic
Less than 1 period
Middle School and Up
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Overview

The Aleutian Islands, between Alaska and Siberia, have earned the name "Cradle of the Storms" due to their wild weather. Students will view a two-part series about the Aleutian islands and answer questions related to the film.

Objective

Students will learn about the Aleutian Island chain in Alaska and answer questions to reinforce learning.

Preparation

Hand

Activity
Arctic
About 1 period
Middle School and Up
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Overview

This activity is meant to help students authentically learn the scientific method through comparing and contrasting oral history (storytelling) as a way to pass along information and solve problems with the scientific method. It also helps connect the students' cultural identity with the curriculum.

Objective

Compare and contrast oral history traditions to the scientific method as a

Lesson
Arctic
Less than a week
Middle School and Up
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This series of three labs challenges students to think about the role of plankton in different ecosystems and waterways in the world. By modeling the research methods of scientists on the Healy icebreaker, students can conduct a small-scale change study to examine reproductive behavior of an isolated type of local plankton.

Objective

Students will learn what plankton is and

Lesson
Arctic
About a week
Elementary and Up
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