Polar News and Notes Science

Tonight at 7pm EST we’re having an online chat in the TappedIn online learning community - http://tappedin.org. We’ll be working our way through the November 2008 issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears online magazine. If you can’t join us, you can see “our trip” below. We meet the first Thursday of each month […]

Millions of southern Californians are expected to take part in the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history at 10 a.m. on November 13.
The Great Southern California ShakeOut drill is based on a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the southern San Andreas Fault.
Not only is the drill unique in its size but it is also […]

Looking for an exciting way to incorporate polar science into your curriculum? A polar festival might just be your answer! Festivals are flexible, informal learning events that engage students as they learn science through hands-on activity. A festival might be a daylong event for the entire school, or a special family science night.
Our latest issue […]

Tonight, Carol Landis and Jessica Fries-Gaither will present the second Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears web seminar as part of the NSDL/NSTA web seminar series. Physical Science From the Poles discusses the many types of ice found in the polar regions and how elementary teachers can use ice and the polar regions as a real […]

Saying the world is in an “extinction crisis,” the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released its 2008 Red List of Threatened Species during a meeting in Barcelona, Spain, October 5-14.
 A new study to assess the world’s mammals shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 wild mammal species, or almost one in four, […]

One of the world’s largest and most prestigious prizes has been awarded to the climate researcher who is credited with coining the term “global warming.” The geochemist from Columbia University, Wallace S. Broecker, receives the $885,000 Balzan Prize for his breakthrough studies in climatology and his early warnings about changes in the climate.
In 1987, Broecker […]

“Climate Connections” is the theme of the 2009 LEGO League challenge sponsored by the organization founded by well-known inventor Dean Kamen — FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).
Teams of children ages 9 to 14 in 40 countries are challenged to research climate and use robotics in climate-based tournaments. In the project part […]

The University of Rhode Island’s Office of Marine Programs is now accepting applications for the ARMADA Project - Research and Mentoring Experiences for Teachers. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, provides K-12 teachers an opportunity to participate in ocean, polar, and environmental science research and peer mentoring.
Teachers with five or more years teacher […]

Teachers of grades 3, 4, and 5 now have the opportunity to apply for an all-expense paid trip to the 2009 Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy’s math and science professional development program. Selected participants will spend five days next July at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ building math and science content knowledge, learning […]

The National Ice Center reported last week that a passageway opened up due to retreating sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, rendering an open ring of potentially navigable ocean around the Arctic ice cap. According to the National Ice Center, “This is the first recorded occurrence of the Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route both […]