Researcher Elizabeth Webb discusses her experiences working in the field with a PolarTREC teacher. She worked with John Wood in 2011 and 2012, and Tom Lane in 2013, on the Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra expedition near Healy, Alaska. (She primarily discusses her time with John Wood since this interview was taken in 2013, before Tom Lane's expedition.)
How a PolarTREC Teacher Makes a HUGE impact with Polar Day!
PolarTREC alumni teacher John Wood organized a Polar Day at his school and it was a great success. This event is part of his ongoing commitment to sharing polar science with his students, many years after his expedition! Here is John's synopsis of the events, with some photos and
Soil decomposers, such as some bacteria and fungi, obtain energy needed for life from dead and decomposing plant and animal remains, known as soil organic matter. Soil organic matter is important to local ecosystems because it affects soil structure, regulates soil moisture and temperature, and provides energy and nutrients to soil organisms. It is also important globally, because
PolarTREC teacher Jacquelyn Hams' expedition is featured in Foundations: the Newsletter of the Geo2YC division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers.
Before leaving for the South Pole in late 2009, I received many suggestions for things to try down under. Liz Ratliff’s math classes suggested we try making ice cream! So, before I left, I had my students follow her recipe to make ice cream in our classroom in balmy California. After arriving at the pole, I was able
Students will individually weigh a random sample of pennies. The data will be graphed to look for patterns, then explanations will be sought to explain these patterns. Some of the key ideas are using graphical representations of data to help identify patterns. This is a key concept in all sciences, including in the IceCube Neutrino Observatory - data
The local on-line newsletter interviewed Mr. Wood over the phone and talks about the upcoming expedition to the interior tundra of Alaska and how it will involve the students at Talbert Middle School in Fountain Valley.
PolarConnect event with John Wood and Dr. Sue Natali participating in the Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra expedition in Healy Alaska. There were some technical difficulties in the archive, so you can access Part 1 of the archive here and Part 2 of the archive is here.
This was a real-time event with PolarTREC teacher Casey O'Hara being broadcast from the South Pole Station, Antarctica. Casey presented on the IceCube telescope project and covered a bit about life at the South Pole station.
This article from the San Francisco Chronicle is about Casey O'Hara's upcoming expedition to Antarctica. It also includes some great photos from a pre-expedition icecream making lab. You can visit the article online here.