25 March 2013 Elvis has left the building.

So This is What 5° Looks Like!

Orientation Day 2: Information Sponge

The majority of the day was spent in a conference room, which has its pluses and minuses.

• Plus: Lee Cooper gave a phenomenal overview of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans and the changes that are happening in those regions. I learned SO much from his presentation, and I’m already thinking about how I can take some of the datasets he shared and incorporate them into upcoming units.

• Minus: Sitting in a conference room without much moving around is tiring. I’m so used to being on my feet all day, running from one activity to the next, that I never have time to get tired. Now I can empathize with my students. I guess I need to get them moving more!

• Plus: Elvis sunglasses. Several past PolarTREC teachers have told us that life in the field can often involve long hours and high stress and sometimes you just need something silly to break the tension. Like Elvis sunglasses. Or a Miss Universe costume. Something tells me I should bring it to Toolik…you never know!

Seems like PolarTREC teachers live by the motto "work hard, play hard." All joking aside, these teachers continue to be unbelievably knowledgeable and creative - I've already learned so much from them!

World Ice Art Championship

This is what Alaska is all about! A few teachers decided to head to the “Ice Park” after dinner…here are some highlights!

Well, now that I've seen the Northern Lights I guess it's time for me to call it a day. Tomorrow we are taking a trip to the Museum of the North and the UAF Hibernation Chamber, so stay tuned for videos!