The Arctic Ocean Curriculum Unit was created by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States with funding from the North Pacific Research Board. This project aimed to update and revise existing Arctic Ocean-related lesson plans originally created by PolarTREC program teacher alumni. The format used lends itself to the changes in education - providing student-facing slide decks that allow
Learn more about seasonal migrations of species around the world. These multidisciplinary hands-on activities focusing on art, observation, movement, and adventure. Resources can be used in formal and informal learning environments. All activities are designed to be possible as at-home/distanced activities.
Objectives
* Learners will understand the diverse forms of seasonal migration of animals.
* Learners will make connections
Learn more about the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere through these multidisciplinary hands-on activities focusing on art, observation, outdoor engineering, movement, and adventure. Resources can be used in formal and informal learning environments.
Objectives
* Learners will understand the astronomical phenomenon of solstice.
* Learners identify the differences in how solstice impacts their local, sub-arctic
After spending 5 weeks in the Arctic learning about tundra vegetation and phenology, Alejandra Martinez wanted to have her students observe the growth of plants in their school. In this lesson, students will grow plants in multiple locations and track their growth to compare their phenology.
Objectives
Students will learn what phenology is and make observations about plant growth
NASA’s Operation IceBridge uses remote sensing techniques to build a picture of parts of our world not accessible or easily observed by humans. Flying 1500 feet above sea and land ice, the science team uses LiDAR, Radar, Infrared imaging, and high resolution digital imagery to collect information about our polar regions year after year. In this classroom project, inspired and
Students create a life size model of a bowhead whale based on information they have collected.
Objective
Students will be able to organize specific technical information from a variety of resources to develop a "blue print" or pattern to create a life size model of a bowhead whale.
Procedure
Introduction to project, student research on whale
Small groups of students will establish their own phenology plots for long term study. Students will make a field sketch of a sample plot and turn it into a scale map. The map will accurately place plants the students have identified for tracking phenophases, so that the plots can be monitored long term. Phenology is a vital part of
Students will use guidance from the Project Budburst website (http://neoninc.org/budburst/index.php) to make observations and keep records on trees found on the school grounds. While this lesson applies to more temperate locations, similar work is undertaken in the Arctic to monitor changes in the timing of plant phenology. Major phenological events (first leaf, first flower, leaf fall, etc) will
Students chose a research project, from one of seven suggested projects, to complete in class with a partner. Upon completion they will present their information to the class.
Objectives
Students will present a scientifically accurate project on a topic related to the PolarTREC Winter Sampling expedition.
Lesson Preparation
Introduce students to the PolarTREC website. Any expedition could be selected
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