Float Your Boat is an outreach project of the International Arctic Buoy Programme. It is a project for community members and students to learn about the Arctic Ocean – its' circulation, its' sea-ice cover, and how it’s changing. Participants learn about the Arctic Ocean and sea ice, decorate a small wooden boat, and then watch via an online map, their
This mini exhibit explores the science behind climate change and introduces current climate change research to the public. Panels cover the topics of changing climate, ocean acidification and sea level rise, giving examples of how data is collected and current research in these fields. The exhibit also provides websites for further exploring climate change impacts.
This video shows divers investigating microscopic life forms living under the arctic sea ice. The video accompanies a presentation given by researcher Rolf Gradinger at the 2012 Arctic Ocean Ecosystem Workshop in Barrow, Alaska.
We hope that this activity will be completed by a multitude of classrooms, students, scientists, and teachers around the world in celebration of International Polar Week - a global celebration of the Polar Regions during the equinoxes each year. Please find more information about this activity, including translations in many languages at [Flakes
Glaciers are slow-moving masses of ice that exist where more snow falls than melts. They occupy about 10% of the Earth’s land, mostly in Greenland and Antarctica. Here, glaciers can be as much as 2 miles thick and weigh more than millions of tons. As they move, glaciers can widen and deepen valleys, flatten forests and grind boulders
Follow the Polar Expedition is a booklet designed for students to help them learn about the 2012 Chukchi Sea Offshort Monitoring in the Drilling Area (COMIDA) Hanna Shoal Ecosystem Study with PolarTREC teacher Deanna Wheeler. The expedition is August 5-25, 2012, aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter.
The booklet has terms used on the ship as well as several activities
View sequential still images of thermokarst (thawed permafrost) at Horn Lake in northern Alaska during the summer of 2010. The video was made by researchers studying the responses of Arctic landscapes to permafrost degradation.
This polar-themed unit plan provides a resource for teachers looking for ways to integrate a variety of challenging lessons and activities into their curriculum. The lessons touch on a variety of subject areas including language arts, math, and science. The unit is designed for a 3rd grade class but can be adapted for other grade levels. A helpful media list
Sea ice, the thin layer of ice that covers most of the Arctic Ocean and surrounds most of the Antarctic continent, represents a distinctive feature of our planet. The attached flyer, produced by the International Polar Year (IPY) Programme Office, includes a summary of information about sea ice including sea ice formation, movement, monitoring, seasonal patterns, and forecasting. A follow-up