In this introductory lesson, students read an article about Arctic Ocean ecosystems and then play a board game in which they take on the role of researchers.
Objectives
The purpose of this introductory activity is to:
* Identify the main components of complex arctic ecosystem and describe predator/prey relationships between phytoplankton, ice algae, zooplankton, bowhead whales, polar
As the homepage of the website describes, "The beauty of the Arctic, its precious and fragile nature, its critical role in maintaining a stable climate for the planet, and the rapid rate of change that is occurring there must all be conveyed to the general public. Here, through digital story telling, we put a human face on science, life, societies
SCINI stands for Submersible Capable of under Ice Navigation and Imaging. She is an underwater robot specifically built to complete science missions beneath the frozen surface of the ocean in Antarctica. Learn more about the project, team, and read the "Daily Slog" from the team.
Stacy Kim is a benthic ecologist; she studies the animals that live on and in the seafloor and how they interact with one another in a community. Follow Stacy through blogs, videos, and more via the Ice Stories website.
John Whiteman says that most of his fun comes from thinking about how events outside an animal affect events inside an animal. For his PhD research, he’s studying how warm weather during summer can make hunting difficult for polar bears, forcing them to make seasonal adjustments such as living off of their own body fat. He’s also investigating how these
Lake El'gygytgyn (also called, Lake E) permafrost drilling started in mid-November of 2008. The ICDP (International Continental Drilling Program) is posting news reports and images to this blog several times each week. Check out early reports from Lake E.
This website provides information on the Arctic ground squirrel including facts and pictures explaining the adaptations the squirrel has to survive the harsh Arctic winters.
Taken from website:
Today an international team of scientists funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and supported by its Office of Polar Programs and the U.S. Antarctic Program is researching how penguins are coping with a rapidly changing climate, as well as to equally profound changes caused by commercial fishing.
Researchers have come to Ross Island to study penguin
A great resource that includes content and lessons for all grades. You can sign up to receive seeds that have either been in space or on Devon Island plus seeds that have not been exposed to harsh conditions. Students will be able to participate in a blind study to see if they can determine which seeds are the harsh environment
WHOI is the world's largest private, nonprofit ocean research, engineering and education organization. This site has information on oceans from climate to ocean life to ships and technology.