In a recent paper published by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, scientists report that computer models of climate change specific to the Antarctic may not be as accurate as they were originally believed. Computer models based on data of Earth’s climate help scientists make predictions of climate change over time. From these […]
Polar News and Notes
Antarctica
Antarctic Temperatures Lower in Contrast to Climate Change Computer Models
Friday, May 9th, 2008 1:53 pm
Written by: Robert Payo
Issue Three Highlights: The Aurora and Researcher Stories
Monday, May 5th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
The northern lights over Kulusuk, a small island on the east coast of Greenland. Photo courtesy of Nick Russill and subject to a Creative Commons license.
Want to learn more about the northern and southern lights - the aurora? Look to Issue 3 of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears - Polar Patterns, Day, Night, and Seasons!
In […]
Issue Three of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: Polar Patterns
Thursday, May 1st, 2008 1:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
A new month brings a new issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine! The online magazine is written for elementary teachers to help develop their content knowledge of the polar regions and use best practices in integrating science and literacy instruction. Our second issue is called “Polar Patterns: Day, Night, and Seasons” and […]
Polar News & Notes: April 2008 News Roundup
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
News from the polar regions in April 2008 included research into pollution’s role in Arctic climate change, documentation of a massive and rapid drainingof a glacial lake in Greenland, and surprising results from the summer Antarctic field season. Missed these stories the first time? Read on!
Indigenous people, who have the smallest ecological footprint on Earth, […]
Pierre the Penguin: Teaching About Heat and Insulation Through Adaptations
Monday, April 28th, 2008 12:38 pm
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
Meet Pierre
A recent news article profiled Pierre, a 25 year-old African penguin at the Academy of Sciences. Biologists became concerned when Pierre, who was going bald, refused to swim in the penguin tank and shivered on the sidelines instead. Unlike polar bears, seals, and other marine mammals, penguins do not have an insulating layer of […]
Posted in Topics: Animals, Antarctica, Current News, Lesssons and activities, Life Science, Polar News & Notes, Science
Polar News & Notes: Taking the Pulse of the Southern Ocean
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 1:50 pm
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
On April 17, the RSV Aurora Australis docked in Hobart, Australia, with what the chief scientist aboard called “a remarkable data set of observations from the Southern Ocean, covering a wide range of physical, chemical and biological variables.”
A team of scientists had spent the past four weeks on the research and supply vessel measuring ocean […]
Posted in Topics: Antarctica, Current News, International Polar Year, Oceans, Polar News & Notes, Scientists in the field
Polar News and Notes: Thanks to High School Graduates, A New Perspective on Antarctic Habitats
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 1:22 pm
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
Working with National Science Foundation-funded researchers, two high school graduates have built an underwater, camera-equipped “rover” to observe fish in Antarctic environments.
Ryan Garner and Amanda Wilson, both female graduates of Cabrillo High School in Lompoc, California, began working with marine biologist Gretchen Hofmann of the University of California, Santa Barbara, when they were high-school seniors. […]
Posted in Topics: Antarctica, Current News, Oceans, Polar News & Notes, Technology
Polar News & Notes: Environmental Groups Ask for ‘Ice-Worthy’ Vessels in Antarctic
Monday, April 14th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
At its meeting in London, March 31-April 3, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) heard a call from environmental groups to tighten restrictions on shipping around Antarctica. The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) said many of the ships carrying the growing number of tourists are not ice-strengthened. Vessels that are not reinforced to withstand ice […]
Posted in Topics: Antarctica, Current News, Polar News & Notes
Polar Notes News & Notes: NSTA Web Seminars in May Focus on the International Polar Year
Friday, April 11th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Carolyn Hamilton
Three of the Web Seminars scheduled by the National Science Teachers Association in May will offer teachers at all grade levels an opportunity to enrich their teaching about the polar regions. Each seminar is presented at 6:30 p.m. on its scheduled date and lasts for 90 minutes. Participation is free.
Presenters for the two-part seminars on […]
Issue Two Highlights: Read Expository Text, Assess Misconceptions, Integrate Science and Literacy
Monday, April 7th, 2008 9:00 am
Written by: Jessica Fries-Gaither
Our second issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine contains several articles to help you include expository text in your reading instruction, support struggling readers, integrate children’s literature, and assess student misconceptions. Interested? Check out the following highlights from this month’s issue:
Expository articles for students
This month’s feature story, “Dinos in the Dark,” discusses […]
Posted in Topics: Antarctica, Arctic, Cyberzine Issues, Earth and Space Science, Reading, Science, Technology, Writing
Posted in Topics: Antarctica, Current News, Earth and Space Science, Polar News & Notes, Science, Scientists in the field
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