Springfield Catholic Schools celebrated its alumni, Sarah Johnson for being selected as a 2020 PolarTREC educator. On Facebook, they shared a post celebrating the excitement in this expedition.
Melissa Lau spent a month in the tundra ecosystem gathering data using a device called a Greenseeker. This device measures exactly how green a plant is by calculating its NDVI or Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. In this lesson, students will explore light waves, how they interact with plants, and find out how green is green.
PolarTREC, funded by ARCUS (Arctic Research Consortium of the United States) and the NSF (National Science Foundation), endeavors to connect educators and researchers in real field work experiences. Educators then take that experience back to their learners and community and share their experience in the form of lessons, lectures, and enhanced experiences in the classroom. As
PolarConnect event with teacher Melissa Lau and researchers Jeremy May and Matthew Simon discussing their research on Phenology and Vegetation Change in the Warming Arctic. This presentation was broadcast live from Toolik Field Station, Alaska on 20 June 2018.
PolarTREC teacher Lisa Seff and the "Upwelling and Ecology in the Beaufort Sea Research Team" discuss the many research projects being carried out aboard the R/V Sikuliaq. This event was broadcast live on 14 September 2017 from the research vessel located in the Beaufort Sea.
Abstract
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines have become key focus areas in the education community of the United States. Newly adopted across the nation, Next Generation Science Standards require that educators embrace innovative approaches to teaching. Transforming classrooms to actively engage students through a combination of knowledge and practice develops conceptual understanding and application skills. The partnerships between
Plan and run a family fun afternoon or evening with several hands-on activities. Students help run the activity stations and share what they have learned about the Polar Regions. A great culminating activity for a unit on the Arctic, Antarctica, or both, and a fun way to involve families in the learning experience.
PolarConnect event with Anne Marie Wotkyns and the team aboard the Swedish Icebreaker Oden en route from Punta Arenas, Chile to McMurdo Station, Antarctica.