Students will conduct a demonstration that will help them gain a better understanding of the water cycle and runoff in a watershed. They will be able to replicate arctic and non-arctic watersheds by varying the size of the watershed. They will be able to visualize the difference in runoff by creating hydrographs of these different locations.
Students will investigate the breadth and depth of science taking place in the Polar Regions by reading and learning about one PolarTREC expedition and sharing it with the class.
Objectives
* To expose students to the wide variety of science happening in the Polar Regions
* To help students understand the process of science by examining one
This one hour event by Melissa Barker explains the research being done at Toolik Field Station, Alaska on nutrient transport in arctic watersheds. She is joined by team member Dr. Sarah Godsey.
Nature creates its own density column in marine systems, which is extremely important for the triggering of the spring bloom of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are an important food source for all organisms- from microscopic zooplankton to large marine mammals such as walrus and whales. The different salinities (and therefore, different densities) of water help to stabilize the water column (by limiting
Students will review charts of day length to determine when the sun will set at Toolik Lake.
Objective
Students will learn the following:
* The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth's surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle.
* Seasons result from variations in the
The students' task is to produce a brochure for both the Arctic and the Antarctic. These brochures will be used by the representatives of "Here We Go Travel" to advertise the virtues of traveling to both polar regions. The students will produce a 45 second radio spot that they will write and record as part of their overall
Article from The Shorthorn - University of Texas at Arlington's student newspaper detailing PI Laura Gough's participation in a PolarTREC Live from IPY! Event. Laura is working with PolarTREC teacher Cathy Campbell at Toolik Station, Alaska this summer.
This website has tables and graphs to show length of day for locations throughout the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic. Additional weather information is also included.
(permission to link and use the site was granted by Matt Tukianen, the site creator, on July 9, 2008)
This website provides information on the Arctic ground squirrel including facts and pictures explaining the adaptations the squirrel has to survive the harsh Arctic winters.
This web site, managed by the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service, tracks lightning strikes and fires in Alaska caused by lightning all the way back to 1939. See if you can find the lightning strike that caused the big fire of 2007.