Globe Walk,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Globe Walk, Rob Snyder
IPY STEM Polar Connections
A “Globe Walk” can be used as a demonstration or classroom activity to guide students toward a better understanding of the affects that Earth’s axial tilt, rotation on Earth’s axis, and orbital motion have on the angles of incidence of sunlight, the lengths of daytimes, and solar insolation.
Polar Remote Sensing,
2010
Iowa State University
Polar Remote Sensing, Beth Caissie
IPY STEM Polar Connections
•Satellite sensors specialize in collecting data about specific wavelengths The Geostationary Operational Environment Satellites (GOES) operated by NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce provide continuous monitoring of weather conditions. Orbiting the Earth’s equatorial plane at a speed exactly matching the planet’s rotation, satellites in the GOES network seem to hover over fixed spots. They monitor atmospheric conditions that lead to hurricanes, flash floods, tornadoes, and hail storms.
Detecting Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide With Btb,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Detecting Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide With Btb, Stephan Schneider
IPY STEM Polar Connections
A study of the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in air samples requires an understanding of effective sampling techniques, the use of pH indicators, an understanding of chemical reactions that result on the formation of acidic compounds, and an understanding of the chemical processes that contribute to the composition and characteristics of Earth’s atmosphere.
Global Warming And Arctic Climate,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Global Warming And Arctic Climate, Ray Bradley
IPY STEM Polar Connections
No abstract provided.
Build A Remote Sensing Satellite,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Build A Remote Sensing Satellite, Rob Snyder
IPY STEM Polar Connections
•Build a model of a remote sensing satellite. •Use your model of a satellite to transform reflected visible of different frequencies into electrical signals with different voltages. •Use different colors of paper to calibrate the model. •Create a model of a landscape using three different colors of paper. •Create a “false color” image of the model of a landscape (if time permits).
Seasonal Changes In Sea Ice,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Seasonal Changes In Sea Ice, Rob Snyder
IPY STEM Polar Connections
No abstract provided.
Why The Arctic? An Overview,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Why The Arctic? An Overview, Julie Brigham-Grette
IPY STEM Polar Connections
No abstract provided.
Albedo Effects In Polar Regions,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Albedo Effects In Polar Regions, Morton Sternheim
IPY STEM Polar Connections
•Why are Polar Regions more affected by global warming than other parts of the globe? •One reason (there are others) is that as sea ice melts and more open water appears, more energy is absorbed, and warming accelerates. •This is a form of positive feedback and it makes the polar climate change faster than the climate in temperate areas. •Increasing vegetation on land also has a similar positive feedback effect.
A (Selective) History Of The International Polar Year,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
A (Selective) History Of The International Polar Year, Ray Bradley
IPY STEM Polar Connections
No abstract provided.
Atmospheric Co2 And Temperature. What Is Normal?,
2010
Iowa State University
Atmospheric Co2 And Temperature. What Is Normal?, Beth Caissie, Julie Brigham-Grette
IPY STEM Polar Connections
–How much of a change in CO2 concentration and other GHGs is natural? –What is the normal range of CO2 and temperature variability? How is normal defined in this context? –What is the relationship between CO2 and global temperatures?
Caribou, Whales, Andenvironmental Variability,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Caribou, Whales, Andenvironmental Variability, Craig Nicolson
IPY STEM Polar Connections
How many caribou are there? Increasing or decreasing? Carrying capacity? How do we measure habitat quality?? Satellite imagery. Whale migration patterns. Activities on caribou and whales. Also, see http://www.nfb.ca/film/being_caribou/ a video entitled Being Caribou..
Melting Ice And Sea Level Change,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Melting Ice And Sea Level Change, Morton Sternheim
IPY STEM Polar Connections
Global warming can melt snow or ice on Greenland, Antarctica, and other land areas. It can also melt floating ice in the Arctic Ocean. How do the two cases compare in changing sea levels?
Brine Rejection Activity,
2010
Iowa State University
Brine Rejection Activity, Beth Caissie, Rob Snyder
IPY STEM Polar Connections
As salt water freezes, the salt is pushed out of solution through channels in the ice. This process is called brine rejection or brine exclusion. These channels are often used as microhabitats by ice algae, zooplankton, and even tiny fish. You can easily demonstrate what these channels look like.
Play Doh Coring Sampler Teacher Guide,
2010
Iowa State University
Play Doh Coring Sampler Teacher Guide, Beth Caissie
IPY STEM Polar Connections
Sediment cores are one of the most valuable types of samples for researchers who would like to learn about past climate or ecological changes. Cores can be retrieved from lakes, marshes, swamps, fields, and the ocean. The layers often reveal striking changes in color (see photos) reflecting changing sediment composition (i.e. more clay deposition or more microfossil s). This easy activity illustrates the basic geologic principle that horizontal layers of sediment become older the deeper you go below the Earth’s surface (Law of Superposition). Each layer contains sediment, fossils and organic matter etc. that can inform us about past changes …
Sea Ice Food Webs—Hands On Sampler Teacher Guide,
2010
Iowa State University
Sea Ice Food Webs—Hands On Sampler Teacher Guide, Beth Caissie
IPY STEM Polar Connections
This activity is a variation on a food web game that I’ve seen played many times before, but it is adapted to reflect a sea ice food web and show the many organisms that are intimately connected to polar bears.
Glacier Goo Activity,
2010
Iowa State University
Glacier Goo Activity, Beth Caissie
IPY STEM Polar Connections
We provided the students with background information about what a glacier is, where they are, how they move. Then split the students into four groups each tasked with a question to answer through experimentation
Group s 1 and 2: How does temperature change the way a glacier flows? (we provided frozen, and room temperature goo, and a microwave for heating the goo)
Groups 3 and 4: How does friction or obstacles change the way a glacier flows? (we provided different pvc tubes—tubes with nothing done to them, tubes with paintable sand applied to them, and tubes with rocks glued to …
Carbon Travels Game,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Carbon Travels Game, Marie Silver
IPY STEM Polar Connections
Carbon cycle game.
Proportions for this activity are based LOOSELY on data from the Exploring the Environment website http://davem2.cotf.edu/ete/modules/carbon/effig11_full.html
They have a brief overview of the carbon cycle at http://davem2.cotf.edu/ete/modules/carbon/efcarbon.html
Recommended Books,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Recommended Books, Holly Hargraves, Ray Bradley
IPY STEM Polar Connections
No abstract provided.
Polar Literature,
2010
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Permafrost, Ice Sheets, And Sea Level,
2010
Iowa State University
Permafrost, Ice Sheets, And Sea Level, Beth Caissie, Julie Brigham-Grette
IPY STEM Polar Connections
Sea level rise and inhabited coastlines. Ice shelves and sea ice do not contribute to sea level but they can buttress the land ice sheets from rapid retreat. Causes of Sea Level Rise:
•Melting of glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets •Thermal expansion of sea water ••Small scale changes due to anthropogenic land water storage (damming rivers, over-pumping of water and fuels, wetland and forest destruction) •Relative changes in sea level due to tectonic movements (land subsidence or rebound)
