We hope that this activity will be completed by a multitude of classrooms, students, scientists, and teachers around the world in celebration of International Polar Week - a global celebration of the Polar Regions during the equinoxes each year. Please find more information about this activity, including translations in many languages at [Flakes
Glaciers are slow-moving masses of ice that exist where more snow falls than melts. They occupy about 10% of the Earth’s land, mostly in Greenland and Antarctica. Here, glaciers can be as much as 2 miles thick and weigh more than millions of tons. As they move, glaciers can widen and deepen valleys, flatten forests and grind boulders
To apply prior knowledge of chemistry to the acidification of our oceans. This can be a computer lab or library based activity
Procedure
1. Set up a glass tank in your classroom and grow a population of algae in water. Local pet supply stores will most likely give you some for free from their fish tanks!
2
This polar-themed unit plan provides a resource for teachers looking for ways to integrate a variety of challenging lessons and activities into their curriculum. The lessons touch on a variety of subject areas including language arts, math, and science. The unit is designed for a 3rd grade class but can be adapted for other grade levels. A helpful media list
Sea ice, the thin layer of ice that covers most of the Arctic Ocean and surrounds most of the Antarctic continent, represents a distinctive feature of our planet. The attached flyer, produced by the International Polar Year (IPY) Programme Office, includes a summary of information about sea ice including sea ice formation, movement, monitoring, seasonal patterns, and forecasting. A follow-up
Students will take some time and look at the PolarTREC website journals, pictures, and forums to learn about a certain teacher, researcher, or polar science expedition that has already taken place or is currently taking place. Students will use the attached worksheet to think more deeply about a polar researcher's job and work.
Diatoms are one of the main kinds of phytoplankton we found blooming in the Bering Sea. They are so beautiful, little glass houses with green gems inside. They occur in huge numbers in the Bering Sea in the initial spring ice melting algae bloom. Having one to touch and look at puts a face on what it is