As part of this research activity, students examine travel information prepared by the Antarctic Support Services. They begin by reviewing the U.S. Antarctic Program Participant Guide, which contains information to help researchers and staff prepare for life in this extreme environment. Students are asked to imagine sleeping with a snow shovel in their tent so they can dig out in the morning, what ... Full description.

These are excerpts from the diary of Robert Falcon Scott, who led an ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. After immense physical hardship, they reached the Pole, only to find that Roald Amundsen and his team had claimed the prize just a month before. The excerpts describe the long march back to the waiting ship, during which the party died one by one from exposure. A brief biography of Scott is ... Full description.

In this activity students explore the concept of climate. They will use temperature and precipitation data from their area and other regions to construct climate graphs. These graphs are used to help identify factors that influence climate. Climate graphs displaying data from locations in Antarctica allow students to explore that continent's unique climatic conditions. Student will compare and contrast ... Full description.

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Groundwater Hydrology Program seeks to provide educational and scientific/technical support on current and emerging groundwater resources and groundwater quality issues in rural areas of California. The components of the program include an integrated basic and applied research program, an extension program that provides educational and technical ... Full description.

This lesson addresses the topic of Harmful Algal Blooms. Students will discover that harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when algae, simple plants that live in the sea and form the base of the food web, produce toxic or harmful effects for people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. They will also learn that HABs have been reported in almost every coastal state in the United States, and that ... Full description.

This curriculum provides instructional units on the issue of dumping waste into marine waters. Students will understand that debris dumped into the ocean and onto beaches has become more than an eysore and is having serious impacts on wildlife, the environment, and our economy. There are three units that cover characteristics and sources of debris, potential impacts, and information on developing ... Full description.

This is a hands-on activity that fosters decision-making skills and emphasizes scientific principles such as objectivity and replication. It is designed to show that pollutants are not always obvious and not all contaminants pose a health risk. Students will learn that some contaminants can be detected by sight, smell, or taste and that others are not detectable except with sophisticated analytical ... Full description.

This lesson introduces ozone, where it is found, why it is important to understand, what role humans play in ozone production and depletion, how changes in ozone levels affect us, and how to manage basic ozone statistical data. Students will demonstrate numerous cooperative learning strategies in response to a presentation of basic concepts, and will interpret data regarding ozone levels and classify ... Full description.

In this activity students assume the role of United States Antarctic Program participants to understand that participants need months of careful preparation before they set out on their journey south. Students will review detailed guidelines (which they can find online). If students think attention to detail is only required when doing schoolwork, this activity will make them think again. The Antarctic ... Full description.

In this lesson, students learn that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tries to encourage communities near Superfund sites to become involved in the Superfund process. The types of activities communities can undertake to influence how hazardous waste sites are cleaned up are presented and discussed. Students discover that community involvement is an essential part of all Superfund ... Full description.