Understanding Physical and Chemical Parameters of Ocean Water Using CTD Profiles
Overview
A focus of the PolarTREC Southern Ocean Diatoms expedition was to collect water samples and physical profile data using oceanographic technology. Oceanographers rely on the real-time data transferred from the water column to the ship-based computers using a CTD sensor. The CTD measures conductivity (salinity), temperature and depth
PolarTREC teacher Jillian Worssam was one of a handful of teachers singled out by the Rodel Foundation of Arizona as an exemplary teacher. This article gives a sneak peak into Ms. Worssam's very hands-on, field-based classroom and how she connects with her middle school students.
Students will develop an understanding of what it takes to interview scientists, and take the corresponding data and reformat it into an electronic medium.
Objective
Students will be able to write questions to scientists in the field, interview, take the data collected, and convert to an electronic format including MP3 clips and post to the Internet.
Marine debris is primarily human-created trash found floating in the ocean. It can cause serious health problems for animals in a marine ecosystem. Students will gain first hand knowledge about the types of garbage found in the ocean by participating in a waste clean up tally.
Objective
Students will collect marine debris or land-based garbage in order
Students will engage in a hands-on activity to build their own plankton nets and help them understand how scientists use the nets to study changes in the ocean ecosystem.
Objective
Students will gain an understanding of how scientists use plankton nets and microscopes to study changes in the ocean ecosystem.
Students are asked to predict what will happen to styrofoam objects lowered down to the bottom of the Bering Sea. Students make the appropriate calculations related to the actual experiment which took place on Maggie Prevenas' PolarTREC expedition.
Objective
Students will make hypotheses and calculations regarding deep sea experiments that took place in the Bering Sea on
The Aleutian Islands, between Alaska and Siberia, have earned the name "Cradle of the Storms" due to their wild weather. Students will view a two-part series about the Aleutian islands and answer questions related to the film.
Objective
Students will learn about the Aleutian Island chain in Alaska and answer questions to reinforce learning.
This activity is meant to help students authentically learn the scientific method through comparing and contrasting oral history (storytelling) as a way to pass along information and solve problems with the scientific method. It also helps connect the students' cultural identity with the curriculum.
Objective
Compare and contrast oral history traditions to the scientific method as a
Students will sort organisms found in the Bering Sea into food chains and gain an awareness of the flow of energy and nutrients in the Bering Sea Ecosystem.
Objective
Students learn about the different organisms that live in Alaskan waters by playing the Fabulous Food Chain Game. In playing the game, they become aware of the flow of energy
Teacher leads class through collaborative lesson. Language Arts, Social Studies and Science Book "Good-Bye My Island". Chapters of the 16 chapter book are read, summarized and taught by teams of students.
Objective
General Learning Outcomes:
Academic Achiever-by reading the assigned chapter and summarizing the important points.
Community Contributor-by giving information to the rest of the class so