Integrating science and literacy content gets a boost every March when the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Children’s Book Council release their list of Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12. Each year since 1973, the two organizations have been selecting high quality, engaging, and scientifically accurate books from publishers of books for […]
Polar News and Notes
Animals
Outstanding Science Books for K-12 Students Named
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 10:55 am
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
Join Schools Across the Country in the Iditarod
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 11:21 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
Rick Holt, a 2008 Iditarod finisher, near Finger Lake. Photo courtesy of John Concilus.
It’s that time again – the 37th annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race across Alaska will begin at 10 am, March 7, 2009. This ceremonial start is in downtown Anchorage, with the competitive start (or “restart”) scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2009 in […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Arctic, Education, Polar News & Notes, Reading, Science, Technology, Upcoming Opportunities, Writing, social studies
Camera Crew in the Air Captures Narwhal Migration
Monday, February 23rd, 2009 3:09 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
Aerial views of migrating land mammals are not that unusual today, but videos of migrating Arctic marine mammals were—until this past summer.
A camera crew aboard a helicopter captured the summer migration of the narwhal, an elusive, medium-size whale, for a natural history unit of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). According to a news story […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Arctic, Current News, Education, Oceans, Polar News & Notes, Scientists in the field
Issue 11: Arctic and Antarctic Birds
Sunday, February 1st, 2009 1:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
The February issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine is now available!
Arctic and Antarctic Birds was co-produced with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This partnership allows us to bring you exciting and engaging ideas for incorporating birds into a life sciences unit.
Do you want to know more about birds and their adaptations? This […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Antarctica, Arctic, Cyberzine Issues, Life Science, Mathematics, Reading, Science, Technology, Writing
Count the Birds in Your Backyard or Schoolyard in February
Friday, January 30th, 2009 1:48 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
The Great Backyard Bird Count will take place February 13-16, 2009. The sponsors, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, invite people of all ages throughout North America to contribute to knowledge about bird population trends.
Anyone, from novice bird watchers to experts, can participate by counting for as little as 15 […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Current News, Education, Science, Upcoming Opportunities
Issue 10: Polar Mammals
Thursday, January 1st, 2009 1:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
The January issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine is now available!
Polar Mammals was co-produced with the American Museum of Natural History, and includes a wide range of engaging and informative content!
Do you want to know more about polar mammals and the adaptations that help them survive in these cold environments? This […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Antarctica, Arctic, Cyberzine Issues, Education, Life Science
Polar Bears May Prefer Seals for Dinner but Goose Eggs May Have To Do
Friday, December 19th, 2008 1:24 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
Until now, images of polar bears have not brought to mind a bear snacking on goose eggs. That may change with the reporting of Robert Rockwell, a research associate in ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), and graduate student Linda Gormezano in the magazine Polar Biology and other researchers’ observations.
While the polar […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Arctic, Current News, Polar News & Notes
Scientists Discover New Penguin Species…But It’s Extinct
Thursday, November 27th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
Scientists studying the rare yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes), an endangered species found in New Zealand, made a surprising discovery: a new penguin species. The only catch? It’s extinct.
Researchers used genetic analysis as well as morphological evidence from bones and discovered that the oldest specimens were different enough to represent a new species (Megadyptes waitaha). They theorize […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Current News, Polar News & Notes
Thousands of Underwater Species Identified, Many from the Polar Regions
Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 12:34 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, meeting in Valencia, Spain, in mid-November, received the fourth report on the Census of Marine Life, which is being compiled by 2,000 scientists from 82 nations. It will be officially released in October 2010.
This report revealed some amazing new findings about life in the ocean depths. In a […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Antarctica, Arctic, Current News, International Polar Year, Oceans, Polar News & Notes, Science
The Arctic’s Ivory Gull at Risk from Climate Change and Banned Chemicals
Thursday, November 6th, 2008 12:08 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
The dangers of climate change to Arctic mammals, such as polar bears and seals, have been studied and publicized widely. Sea birds seem to have received less attention. For one species, the ivory gull, the reason may be the sheer inaccessibility to its habitat — sea ice and the high cliffs of nunataks (hills or […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Arctic, Current News, Polar News & Notes
Posted in Topics: Animals, Current News, Education, Polar News & Notes, Reading, Science
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