This presentation to the District 128 school board highlighted the science and adventure of NASA's Operation IceBridge and why science, technology, engineering, and math are vital to all our students. Links and credits to videos in the presentation can all be found in the video information on YouTube.
Students will engage in a hands-on activity to help them consider what students in a tropical climate do to prepare for recess compared with students who live in the interior of Alaska.
Objectives
Students will:
* Compare what students in a tropical climate do to prepare for recess with students who live in the interior of Alaska.
* Learn
Students will sing a song and engage in an active game to learn more about ice algae and its role in the arctic ecosystem.
Objective
Students will learn about the arctic ecosystem, particularly the roles of ice algae, plankton, krill, fish, birds, seals, whales and polar bears through song and active participation.
Students will sing a song about the Bering Sea ocean ecosystem.
Objective
To sing a fun science-themed song!
Preparation
* Teach students about the Bering Sea ecosystem or have them review journal entries from Maggie Prevenas’ PolarTREC expedition (see Resources section for address).
* Hand out song sheet or project words onto a screen
Students will create a bookmark to help them remember that diatoms (ice algae) are the main producers in the Bering Sea ecosystem.
Objective
To create a tangible reminder of how the Bering Sea ecosystem's main producers (diatoms and ice algae) use sunlight and transfer that into food energy for use by most other creatures that live there
This lesson is intended to have the students think about the animals of the Arctic and which ones they think are the largest. This will help with misconceptions of some animals being smaller than they think and you sneak in the scientific method and measuring skills while doing this lesson. Students will love actively participating and comparing themselves