Teacher Betsy Wilkening and researchers publish an article in the Journal of Geophysical Research stemming from their work on the PolarTREC OASIS project.
Students will use marshmallows to simulate toxins in the environment. Concentrations of these toxins will be modeled and calculated as they bioaccumulate up the food chain. Methylmercury and POPs are substances that bioaccumulate in the Arctic food chain. OASIS scientists studied these in Barrow, Alaska. (See Ocean Atmosphere Sea Ice and Snow (OASIS) Project at www.polartrec.com)
Students will discover how a simple action such as turning on a television will lead to toxins in our food supply. Many of these toxins concentrate in the Arctic because of long-range transport of pollutants in the atmosphere. Scientists in the OASIS project (http://www.polartrec.com/ocean-atmosphere-sea-ice-and-snowpack-interactions) study these pollutants in the Arctic. Students will learn about actions that they can take to
In this lesson students research scientific field expeditions and learn what it is like working in the field. Students are able to ask questions of the research team as part of their project. Students then share what they have learned with their classmates.
Objective
1. Students understand what really goes on in the field during a scientific study.
2
This Live from IPY! event was part of the International Polar Week in October 2009. The theme of the week was was 'What happens at the poles affects us all'. This live event was held with PolarTREC teacher Cristina Galvan and the University of Wyoming polar bear research team on 8 October 2009. They were working on the USCGC Polar
Field Notes, the newsletter of Polar Field Services highlights a number of PolarTREC expeditions and 2010/2011 application period. Visit the article online.
This short article is an U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fact sheet about Ursus maritimus, the Polar Bear. It covers basic information, including: appearance, feeding habits, reproduction, adaptations, and protection.
An important science skill that needs to be developed is asking significant questions that advance knowledge. This activity helps students to understand the difference between significant and trivial questions.
Objective
Students should be able to distinguish between significant questions that advance knowledge and trivial questions.
Procedure
1. Have the students define significant question and trivial questions in a