Polar News and Notes Science

The Consortium for Ocean Leadership is seeking an enthusiastic teacher for a one-year fellowship (2008-2009)  in Washington, DC. The teacher will work with Deep Earth Academy staff to develop ocean science curricula, produce teacher-training workshops, maintain communication within a community of educators and assist with conference logistics. The position requires a minimum of 3 years […]

Girls on Ice is a unique eleven-day leadership program for teenage girls that combines leadership, mountaineering and science. The program takes place July 28-August 7, 2008 and is free to girls who qualify via a merit-based application process. It is open to girls 15-18 years old who have shown a keen interest in exploring the […]

Teacher to Ranger to Teacher (TRT) Summer Program
This National Park Service program provides teachers the opportunity to work in a national park, become park rangers for eight weeks, and develop lesson plans based on their experiences for use in their classrooms the following year.
Check the TRT site for a listing of participating national parks, job […]

WGBH, a public radio and television broadcast service located in Boston, Massachusetts, is surveying elementary science teachers. The goal of the survey is to help identify areas in the K-5 science curriculum where students have the greatest learning difficulties, and where future children’s programming and outreach materials (like Teachers’ Domain) can have the greatest impact. […]

Celebrate International Polar Day on March 12, 2008
Here’s an opportunity for you and your students to share your study of the polar regions with other classrooms and the world-wide community.
Every three months, the International Polar Year (IPY) organization sponsors a day of events to highlight polar research and increase public awareness. March 12 is […]

New South Pole Station Sits Atop Drifting Snow
While some call it an engineering marvel, Antarctic researchers may call the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station a warmer, safer place to work than they’ve known before. On January 15, 2008, the National Science Foundation dedicated the new South Pole station, which replaces the domed structure that served as […]

Free NSTA/NSDL Web Seminar Integrates Polar Geography, Literacy Skills
Polar geography is the subject of a free web seminar scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, 6:30-8 p.m., EST.
This is the first in a series titled Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: Integrating Science and Literacy for the K-5 Classroom. The seminars are an interactive, professional learning experience sponsored […]

Photo taken at Lake Bonney in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, by Carol Landis, subject to a Creative Commons license

Did you know that Antarctica was once a warm place? It is hard to imagine, but millions of years ago, the coldest, driest, and windiest place on earth was actually ice-free and inhabited by trees, plants, dinosaurs, and […]

Did you know that there isn’t one official definition for the Arctic?
In contrast with the more easily defined boundaries of Antarctica, the southern boundaries of the Arctic vary depending on interest and purpose. According to Rhian Salmon, education and outreach coordinator for the International Polar Year, “there is no official definition of the Arctic for […]

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is holding three free web seminars on the International Polar Year and the living systems in the Arctic and Antarctic. The presenters’ scientists and educators– will share their expertise, answer questions, and provide information that can be used in elementary and middle school classrooms. Each seminar is a stand-alone […]