Polar News and Notes Science

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is currently accepting applications. Teachers are invited to submit an application to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2009 (Arctic) or 2009-2010 (Antarctic) field seasons.
Through the PolarTREC program , over 40 K-12 U.S. teachers will spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working […]

Get a more in-depth view of content and literacy strategies from Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears and interact online with our presenters and other educators across the country!
The National Science Digital Library is starting up its professional development series of free web seminars for educators in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association again on […]

Would you like to add some real-time data to your penguin unit this year? Thanks to education outreach resources from an Antarctic research team, you can!
Dr. David Ainley studies Adelie penguin populations in Antarctica. His long term research of 30 years has recently shown indication of the penguin populations reacting to climate change. His web […]

Amazingly well-preserved moss and insect fossils discovered in the McMurdo Dry Valleys are providing a detailed look at Antarctica approximately 14.1 million years ago - just prior to an abrupt drop in temperature and transition from a cool tundra environment to a cold barren polar desert.
The fossils, found in ancient lake beds, are remarkable for […]

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 […]

New York Times journalist Andrew Revkin recently wrote an interesting article about the ongoing tension between journalistic and scientific reporting of research, specifically addressing issues related to global warming and other “hot topics” in the news. With such attention given to these issues that lend themselves to alluring headlines and controversial discussions, Revkin […]

Want to learn about polar research? Check out the In the Field: Scientists at Work department in Issue 4 of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears - Weather and Climate: From Home to the Poles!
In this issue:
Read about current news from polar researchers.
Read how a surprising discovery led to a better understanding of Earth’s climate 5,000 years […]

Interested in extending your science and literacy lessons into other content areas? Check out the Across the Curriculum department of Issue 4 of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears - Weather and Climate: From Home to the Poles!
In this issue:
Discover free podcasts on climate and climate change from the NSDL on iTunes U collection.
Learn how weather […]

Interested in refining your teaching practice? Using science notebooks? Creating a web site or publishing a resource list for students or parents? Helping English Language Learners develop science and academic vocabulary? Check out the Professional Learning department in Issue 4 of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears - Weather and Climate: From Home to the Poles. In […]

Interested in integrating science and literacy? Need to find quality children’s literature and expository text to use in your classroom? Check out the Science and Literacy department in Issue 4 of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears - Weather and Climate: From Home to the Poles!
In this issue:
Learn about how hands-on science can assist in vocabulary […]