PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is a program in which formal and informal educators spend 3-6 weeks participating in hands-on field research experiences in the polar regions. The goal of PolarTREC is to invigorate polar science education and understanding by bringing educators and polar researchers together.
Scientists use bathymetry to understand the ocean floor. This lesson is a basic introduction to bathymetry using salad trays to help students understand how bathymetric maps work.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify the advantages to using a bathymetric map.
2. Students will be able to transform a bathymetric map into a three-dimensional model.
3. Using just
PolarTREC teacher Andrea Skloss’ lesson was inspired by her Chukchi Sea Ecosystem Study aboard the USCGC Healy. In order to understand why this area is a biological hot spot of productivity, scientists must study components such as the trophic levels and more.
Objectives
In organisms and environments, the student knows that interdependence occurs among living systems and the environment
Students complete a physical puzzle based on a scientific poster about Bowhead Whales. Students then research the content of the poster and present their findings.
Objective
To familiarize students with:
* the scientific method
* real polar scientific posters
* real polar scientific research
* real polar scientific terminology
* real polar scientific technology
* real polar
One of the first things to understand about the Antarctic ecosystem is what kinds of animals actually live there. This lesson provides a basic introduction to important Antarctic wildlife and how they interact with each other.
Objectives
Students will be able to create a food web of the Antarctic ecosystem.
In this article, PolarTREC teacher Elizabeth Eubanks recounts her experience bringing her students - three eighth-graders and two seventh-graders to a week-long research conference in Alaska. "Having my students present at an international professional science conference is above and beyond any experience that I can offer them as a science teacher".