This lesson allows students to consider navigation around Antarctica, where longitudinal lines converge at South Pole. Through this study, students should learn about polar stereographic projection, satellites, navigation using various instruments, Antarctic geography, and NASA’s Operation IceBridge airborne mission. In the first part of this 55-80 minute lesson, students will be faced with a dilemma. Their task will be
NASA’s Operation IceBridge (OIB) flies airborne missions each year over both Polar Regions, collecting ice thickness and extent data on glaciers, ice caps, ice shelves and sea ice. This data is useful to many disciplines studying climate, weather, ocean circulation, sea level and many related fields. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) houses and organizes the data
The Revitalizing Power of Teacher-Researcher Collaboration
The nature of science is continually moving us forward; from a fresh set of findings we rush ahead excitedly to the next batch of questions. From this continual pursuit, new ideas, methods and instruments are designed by scientists and technicians at a rapid pace, in turn yielding new data. As science teachers, we need
Copy of online article from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on Operation IceBridge. NASA’s airborne survey of changes in polar ice, is closing in on the end of its eighth consecutive Antarctic deployment, and will likely tie its 2012 campaign record for the most research flights carried out during a single Antarctic season. Maggie Kane and PolarTREC are both mentioned
Using photos from a variety of websites, including the PolarTREC and SCINI websites, students will identify organisms to phylum and/or class level (e.g. polychaetes, starfish, brittle stars, sponges) and then research the primary foods that these organisms eat. They will then develop a simple food web for these organisms.
This Live from IPY! Event was held with PolarTREC Teacher Cameo Slaybaugh and her project PI, Stacy Kim who are members of the Antarctic Undersea ROV '08 PolarTREC expedition. The team talked about the underwater ROV, SCINI, and the research they are conducting in the waters surrounding Ross Island, Antarctica.
Few people are familiar with the fascinating stories that Arctic and Antarctic explorers have to share. Students will research an explorer and create a dangling string with key information and highlights from the expedition(s) of that explorer.
Objective
To learn about polar explorers and polar expeditions.
Preparation
Gather needed materials. Have the explorers' information and photos
Craig Kasemodel is joining researcher Lee Cooper aboard the USCGC Healy in the Bering Sea. This live event highlights some of the research and activities taking place on board the ship. There were about 11 parties who joined the event, and there were about 60 students.