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
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
The Surface Archaeology Activity will allow you to develop some of the knowledge and skills that archaeologists use to do their work while also getting a chore done at home. The steps are really easy, and then you can decide to maybe tackle another room in the house.
Diatoms are one of the main kinds of phytoplankton we found blooming in the Bering Sea. They are so beautiful, little glass houses with green gems inside. They occur in huge numbers in the Bering Sea in the initial spring ice melting algae bloom. Having one to touch and look at puts a face on what it is