Polar News and Notes Physical Science

Image by Wilson A. Bentley. 
Did you know that while no two snowflakes are exactly the same, they are all six-sided? Snowflakes’ hexagonal shapes are due to the molecular structure of ice. As you might know, each water molecule is made of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom and looks something like this:
 
As water […]

Solar radiation, albedo, and the natural resources of the polar regions are all part of the newest issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: Energy and the Polar Environment. In this issue, you can:
Learn about the albedo (reflectivity) of Earth’s various surfaces and how increased melting of polar ice caps will affect Earth’s energy balance
Find […]

Starting September 30, NSTA will offer a online short course about energy for teachers of grades 3-9. Course participants will meet on five consecutive Tuesday evenings (Sept. 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 28) to ask questions and have discussions. A course listserv and self-paced completion of course materials round out the experience.
Fees, which include all […]

A new issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears magazine is ready to view! Issue Five, Water, Ice, and Snow, uses the polar regions to better understand the water cycle as well as states and changes of matter. As always, the issue includes:

Science and Literacy content knowledge
Misconceptions and assessment tools
Expository articles and differentiated text […]

During the last full week of May, science centers all over the world joined with area students to create “ice caps” from available white materials. At a scheduled time, the large white spots will be measured for reflectivity by NASA satellites. The effort, called the Albedo Experiment, is designed to increase public awareness of the […]

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 […]