Blog Posts

Updates from Crestwood Primary!

1/12/2012

Updates from Crestwood Primary!

It looks like students from Crestwood Primary have been busy learning about Antarctica. Check out the Student Work page to see what they have been doing! Thank you to my wonderful students, Mrs. Sorrick, and Mrs. Haumann for making the special movie!

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Our Arrival to Palmer Station, Antarctica

1/10/2012

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Our Arrival to Palmer Station, Antarctica

Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island
Antarctic Peninsula

rucool.marine.rutgers.edu

On Tuesday January 3rd, the research team and I safely made it to Palmer Station, Antarctica. As our ship approached the station, there was a flurry of activity to get the ship docked at the pier.

Palmer Station will be our new home for the next four weeks. It is the smallest of the three U.S. research stations in Antarctica. It houses up to 44 scientists and support staff in all. Right now, we have 42 people living here.

Stepping onto the Continent

What would be the first thing you would do in Antarctica??? Since I am an avid hiker, the very first thing I did was check out the enormous glacier in my new "backyard!" It is part of the Marr Ice Piedmont, whose cliffs rise above Arthur Harbor and Palmer Station, covering the entire Anvers Island.

Here I am at the top of the Backyard

Some friends and I hiked the safe area of this enormous glacier. This area is actually called "The Backyard." It was a 450 foot uphill climb in thick, icy snow.

For safety, we needed to first alert the staff of our plans and take a walkie talkie. The safe zones are marked to help us avoid dangerous areas, such as crevasses and slippery ice. Check out the incredible view!

Check out the marine animal also hiking the glacier! This lone Gentoo penguin was sitting about halfway up the glacier. He seemed to be admiring the view too! Check out the photos I took of him.

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To the Bottom of the World

1/7/2012

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To the Bottom of the World

On Wednesday December 28, 2011, we continued on our journey to Palmer Station, Antarctica. Only 800 miles away, we needed to cross the Southern Ocean to reach our final destination. Can you find Punta Arenas and Palmer Station on the map? Which mode of transportation do you think we need (airplane, ship, car, etc?) to get there?

Map provided by www.frozenfly.edublog.org

Here I am standing in front of the LMG.

The Icebreaker Ship

Since there is no place to land an airplane at Palmer Station, ships play a critical role to support scientific research in and near the Antarctic peninsula. The Laurence M. Gould (LMG) is a 230 foot research vessel that is designed to transport personnel, scientists, and cargo from Punta Arenas to Palmer Station.

The LMG has been in operation since 1997, and it is named after renowned geology professor and Antarctic expedition leader Dr. Laurence Gould. The ship is constructed to withstand year-round ice conditions to support science operations on the vessel and at Palmer Station. Scientists working on the ship study the geology, geophysics, biology, and chemistry of the peninsula.

Ship Talk

I had never been on a ship before, so I had a lot to learn for my voyage. The following are some ship terms that were commonly used by the crew and passengers. See if you can match them up with the picture!

portside deck smokestack

anchor superstructure propeller

bow stern bulbous bow

The answers are available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship.

Leaving the Bay

As we sailed through the Chilean Bay, I stood on the bow of the ship and watched the beautiful blue water around me. Then some playful animals swam alongside the ship wishing us a bon voyage! These are Commerson's dolphins. They have a distinct black and white pattern to them, making them exceptionally beautiful and easy to spot in the water. But, their quick agility does not make them easy to photograph! Check out my photos below!

The Drake Passage

The most challenging part of the voyage was crossing the Drake Passage. Here, several ocean currents merge and create the roughest waters in the world. Fortunately, we had a somewhat smooth crossing with only... 22 foot waves! I pretty much stayed in bed to avoid being sea sick. Watch my video for some highlights.

After discussing the Drake Passage with the ship's captain, I learned that he has experienced 30-40 foot waves during stormy weather when navigating through the Drake Passage on the LMG. Below is a video that demonstrates a difficult crossing for a Russian ship back in 2006. I never though that I'd be thankful for 22 foot waves!

Ringing in the New Year

It took about two days to cross the 500 mile wide Drake Passage. Luckily, the seas had calmed down just in time for a New Year's Eve celebration.

The Antarctic Peninsula

As we approached the Antarctic peninsula, the scenery changed drastically. The fog gave way to majestic snow capped mountains, icebergs glowing in the water, and mysterious sea life below.

On board our ship, there were many different kinds of scientists. Some planned to stay on the ship to conduct research, and some were heading to Palmer Station like me. One of these scientists staying onboard is Dr. Ari Friedlaender. He studies the Antarctic marine life, with a special focus on whales. During the ship ride I often helped Ari search for whales in the waters around us from the ship's bow. Once we arrived in the Antarctic, he and his research team launched a zodiac boat into the icy sea to search for whales.

You can learn more about Dr. Friedlaender's research by watching his t.v. interview below.

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Blown Away by Chile!

1/5/2012

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Blown Away by Chile!

Here is the 2012 Antarctic Research team posing in front of a whale statue at the National Science Foundation's base in Punta Arenas, Chile.
L: Dr. Dave Denlinger, Dr. Richard E. Lee,Jr., Natalie Harr, Dr. Shin Goto.

While there, we were issued all of our cold weather gear to protect us on our Antarctic expedition. Here I am trying it all on to make sure it fits!

Brrrr! It's Chilly in Chile!

Since Punta Arenas is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite here. You may have noticed that we are wearing heavy coats. "Chile" is quite "chilly" in the summer, often with high winds. They were unseasonably strong the day we were there. Watch us above almost get blown away!

We had a few hours to tour the city. It is helpful to be bilingual in Chile. Do you know what two languages most Chileans speak?

Thank You Buckeye! We are Bilingual!

A backwards glance... We skyped with Mrs. Soos's high school Spanish class each Wednesday before I left for my trip. They helped my students and I learn important vocabulary to be bilingual! Did I mention that Mrs. Soos is my wonderful, incredible, amazing sister too? She teaches Spanish at Buckeye Local High School in Rayland, OH.

Watch us skype with Mrs. Soos's class. Here we are learning to say the days of the week in Spanish.
Hablas Espanol?

Giving Back to my Hometown
During NEOEA weekend in October, I visited Buckeye Local High School and gave a presentation about the Antarctica Connection to the students. I graduated from Buckeye in 2000, and I was proud to share this experience with the upcoming graduates and my former teachers. Thank you for all your support of this project!

Stay tuned to learn about the icebreaker ship and my journey across the Drake Passage to reach Antarctica! By the way, be thinking about the items that I may have packed in my suitcase for the Antarctic adventure. We'll be discussing that soon too!!!

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Greetings from Palmer Station, Antarctica!

1/4/2012

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Greetings from Palmer Station, Antarctica!

After 8 days of travel by air and ship, the research team and I have safely made it to Palmer Station, Antarctica! We traveled by air to the tip of South America and then road on an icebreaker ship for 6 days to the station. Yesterday we were busy moving off the ship and getting settled here.

Meet the Antarctic Welcoming Committee!

As we unloaded the ship yesterday, this curious penguin came ashore and gave us a warm welcome to his Antarctic home!

Photo by Google Images

Backward Glances...

Let me take a moment to recap my traveling adventures... If you recall, each research team member departed for Antarctica on December 26th. The four of us met up in Miami, FL, where we then flew across the ocean to Santiago, Chile, and then to Punta Arenas, Chile. Can you find Punta Arenas on the map below? What continent is it on? Is it north or south of where you live?

photo below provided by http://www.hotelnogueira.com

Punta Arenas is a port city. It is considered the southern-most city in the world. We arrived late in the evening on December 27th. While there, we stayed one night at Hotel Jose Nogueira. This is one of the oldest buildings in the region and declared a national monument.

Photo below: Google Images

Meet Sir Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Shackleton is considered one of the greatest explorers in history. Soon after the South Pole was discovered in 1911, he wanted to be the first to cross the 2,000 mile wide continent. Unfortunately, when he approached the Antarctic in his wooden ship called Endurance, disaster occurred. His ship was destroyed by the icy sea and the entire crew were forced to live on the ice and hostile islands for several months until rescued. Click here to see photographs of his incredible survival story.

The Shackleton Connection

In the end, Shackelton went to the same building that now houses Hotel Jose Nogueira for help. Here, he put together a recovery team in order to save the rest of his crew still stranded in the Antarctic. I had goosbumps as I visited Shackleton's Lounge in the hotel, where I discovered these incredible paintings portraying his incredible leadership throughout his expedition.

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Heading South

12/29/2011

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Heading South

....I'm leaving on a jet plane... don't know when I'll be back again...

This classic Peter, Paul, and Mary song kept strumming through my mind as I stood in the airport ready to board my flight on Dec 26th. It was hard saying goodbye to my family over the holidays, but their unwavering support gave me much comfort. I safely met up with the rest of the research team, including Dr. Lee, in Miami, FL later that day. We then had a 9 hour flight across the Atlantic to Santiago, Chile. From there, we landed in Punta Arenas on December 27th, which is the southernmost tip of Chile. It's summertime here in the southern hemisphere, but a chilly and windy one! I can't wait to give you more details about my trip so far, but it will need to wait till I have a better internet connection.

I am sitting here now on the Lawrence M. Gould icebreaker ship, waiting to depart on the final four days of the voyage to Palmer Station, Antarctica. I won't have an internet connection till I arrive and get settled. It won't be the smoothest boat ride, but I look forward to this next part of my adventure! Bon voyage and I wish you a Happy New Year!!!!

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Frozen Flies?

12/26/2011

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Frozen Flies???

Can you survive being frozen solid like a popsicle? Of course not! But, Belgica antarctica is a wingless fly that has this incredible adaptation (and many more) to help it survive the cold harsh Antarctic environment. Believe it or not-it can survive being frozen solid for a long time!!!! Do you know any Ohio animals that can survive being frozen all winter???

The bio-swales, Crestwood Primary School

Nestled in our schoolyard, there is a fly that has similar adaptations as Belgica antarctica! It lives inside this tall yellow flowering plant found in our schoolyard in early September. It is called golden rod. There is a remarkable relationship between this plant and the golden rod fly!

Here my students are taking a habitat hike through the same natural area in our schoolyard in the fall. Notice that the golden rod plant is now brown and brittle. Do you notice anything unusual about the golden rod plant now?

These round structures are called golden rod galls. The golden rod fly lays its eggs in the plant's stem early in the spring. Then, the plant forms this round growth around it. The egg then hatches into a larva and lives inside all winter. It freezes solid, thaws in the spring, and then flies away unharmed by the cold!

To learn more about the galls and the cold-hardy fly inside, my first graders and I collected several of them for Dr. Lee's visit. Since the outside air is so cold this time of year, we stored the galls in the freezer until his visit.

Dr. Lee is an extreme entomologist. This means that he studies insects living in extreme conditions, especially cold weather. He is an expert on the golden rod fly. By studying the golden rod fly in our schoolyard, we can better understand the Antarctic fly surviving at the bottom of the world!

Since so many students were curious about this insect, Dr. Lee conducted scientific investigations with students K-8 during his Crestwood visit. The students used their observation skills as they dissected the gall and made predictions about its contents.

Middle schoolers use scientific tools to examine the larva living inside!

Here's the larva we found inside. It started wiggling and crawling away once it thawed in the classroom!

Students even discovered a parasitic wasp living in the galls too! Dr. Lee taught us how the gall can contain a community of organisms!

How do you think the golden rod fly is alike and different from Belgica antarctica???

Belgica antarctica, adult

Nature Detective Challenge:
Name an Ohio animal (besides the golden rod fly) that can survive freezing during the winter months. Conduct research and respond back with the answer!

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Crestwood Students Meet Antarctic Researcher!

12/22/2011

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Crestwood Students Meet Antarctic Researcher!

Photograph by Jen Zajac

Dr. Richard E. Lee., Jr.,a Distinguished Professor of Zoology from Miami University, OH

In early December, Crestwood students across the district were intrigued by Dr. Lee and his fascinating research at the bottom of the world. His research team studies the largest land animal in Antarctica. What do you think it is???

Polar Bears???

No...Polar bears only live at the North Pole.

Penguins???

No, penguins are a marine animal.

Seals???

No. Seals are another marine animal.

Drumroll please...

A wingless Fly!

Belgica antarctica

And...its the size of a pencil tip! Dr. Lee and myself will travel 8,000 miles to research the southernmost insect in the world. Why do you think this fly is wingless?

Dr. Lee held assemblies at all four Crestwood schools to help students to learn about life on the frozen continent, including Belgica antarctica. Check out these highlights below!

Crestwood Primary students perform our Antarctic theme song "There Are No Polar Pears in Antarctica" during their assembly with Dr. Lee.

Click on the gray triangle above to hear the full song "There are No Polar Bears in Antarctica." Thank you Mrs. Gilles for recording my students!

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First Graders Draw a Scientist

12/4/2011

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First Graders Draw a Scientist
At the beginning of the school year, I was curious to find out my students' perception of a scientist. Do children know that scientists.... are people? ...that common stereotypes exist (ex, a mad scientist, Frankenstein, a genius)? Do children know what scientists do today?
A main goal of my outreach program is to help students understand the important role of a 21st century scientist. So, I needed a starting point...

Draw a Scientist Test

All first graders participated in the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST). Based on the work of David Wade Chambers (1982), this simple test helps to measure a child's perception of a scientist.

First, the students were asked to draw a person on a blank sheet of paper.

Drawing 1a By: Crestwood First Grader

Then students were asked to draw a scientist, without any prior discussion of the word "scientist."

The scientist pictures were then analyzed for common stereotypical features...

Percentage of First Graders

26% of students drew a Lab coat

20% of students drew Eyeglasses

27% of students drew untamed hair

44% of students drew scientific tools (desk, table, test tubes)

51% drew a male scientist

27% drew a female scientist

22% drew no gender preference

To get a deeper understanding of a child's perception of a scientist, my students were interviewed based on their drawings. The following movies were created at the start of the school year.

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Survey Results

12/4/2011

1 Comment

And the Survey Says...
Last week I posted a survey about one's image of a "scientist." I want to thank each individual person and class for participating. View the graphs below to see the results!

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3:

Question #4:

Question #5:

Nature Detective Challenge: Do you agree with the results? Why or why not? Figure out how many participants responded in all.

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Our Arrival to Palmer Station, AntarcticaArthur Harbor, Anvers IslandAntarctic Peninsula

rucool.marine.rutgers.edu

Palmer Station will be our new home for the next four weeks. It is the smallest of the three U.S. research stations in Antarctica. It houses up to 44 scientists and support staff in all. Right now, we have 42 people living here.

Stepping onto the Continent

What would be the first thing you would do in Antarctica??? Since I am an avid hiker, the very first thing I did was check out the enormous glacier in my new "backyard!" It is part of the Marr Ice Piedmont, whose cliffs rise above Arthur Harbor and Palmer Station, covering the entire Anvers Island.

Here I am at the top of the Backyard

To the Bottom of the World

Map provided by www.frozenfly.edublog.org

Ship TalkI had never been on a ship before, so I had a lot to learn for my voyage. The following are some ship terms that were commonly used by the crew and passengers. See if you can match them up with the picture! portside deck smokestackanchor superstructure propellerbow stern bulbous bow

The answers are available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship.

Leaving the Bay

Ringing in the New YearIt took about two days to cross the 500 mile wide Drake Passage. Luckily, the seas had calmed down just in time for a New Year's Eve celebration.

The Antarctic PeninsulaAs we approached the Antarctic peninsula, the scenery changed drastically. The fog gave way to majestic snow capped mountains, icebergs glowing in the water, and mysterious sea life below.

You can learn more about Dr. Friedlaender's research by watching his t.v. interview below.

Here is the 2012 Antarctic Research team posing in front of a whale statue at the National Science Foundation's base in Punta Arenas, Chile. L: Dr. Dave Denlinger, Dr. Richard E. Lee,Jr., Natalie Harr, Dr. Shin Goto.

Brrrr! It's Chilly in Chile!

Since Punta Arenas is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite here. You may have noticed that we are wearing heavy coats. "Chile" is quite "chilly" in the summer, often with high winds. They were unseasonably strong the day we were there. Watch us above almost get blown away!

We had a few hours to tour the city. It is helpful to be bilingual in Chile. Do you know what two languages most Chileans speak?

Thank You Buckeye! We are Bilingual!

Watch us skype with Mrs. Soos's class. Here we are learning to say the days of the week in Spanish. Hablas Espanol?

Meet the Antarctic Welcoming Committee!As we unloaded the ship yesterday, this curious penguin came ashore and gave us a warm welcome to his Antarctic home!

Photo by Google Images

Backward Glances...

photo below provided by http://www.hotelnogueira.com

Photo below: Google Images

The Shackleton Connection

Heading South

The bio-swales, Crestwood Primary School

Belgica antarctica, adult

Crestwood Students Meet Antarctic Researcher!

Photograph by Jen Zajac

Dr. Richard E. Lee., Jr.,a Distinguished Professor of Zoology from Miami University, OH

Drumroll please...

Belgica antarctica

Dr. Lee held assemblies at all four Crestwood schools to help students to learn about life on the frozen continent, including Belgica antarctica. Check out these highlights below!

Crestwood Primary students perform our Antarctic theme song "There Are No Polar Pears in Antarctica" during their assembly with Dr. Lee.

The scientist pictures were then analyzed for common stereotypical features...

Percentage of First Graders26% of students drew a Lab coat20% of students drew Eyeglasses27% of students drew untamed hair44% of students drew scientific tools (desk, table, test tubes)51% drew a male scientist27% drew a female scientist22% drew no gender preference

To get a deeper understanding of a child's perception of a scientist, my students were interviewed based on their drawings. The following movies were created at the start of the school year.

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3:

Question #4:

Question #5:

Author

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Our Arrival to Palmer Station, Antarctica

Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island
Antarctic Peninsula

Ship Talk

I had never been on a ship before, so I had a lot to learn for my voyage. The following are some ship terms that were commonly used by the crew and passengers. See if you can match them up with the picture!

portside deck smokestack

anchor superstructure propeller

bow stern bulbous bow

Ringing in the New Year

It took about two days to cross the 500 mile wide Drake Passage. Luckily, the seas had calmed down just in time for a New Year's Eve celebration.

The Antarctic Peninsula

As we approached the Antarctic peninsula, the scenery changed drastically. The fog gave way to majestic snow capped mountains, icebergs glowing in the water, and mysterious sea life below.

Here is the 2012 Antarctic Research team posing in front of a whale statue at the National Science Foundation's base in Punta Arenas, Chile.
L: Dr. Dave Denlinger, Dr. Richard E. Lee,Jr., Natalie Harr, Dr. Shin Goto.

Watch us skype with Mrs. Soos's class. Here we are learning to say the days of the week in Spanish.
Hablas Espanol?

Meet the Antarctic Welcoming Committee!

As we unloaded the ship yesterday, this curious penguin came ashore and gave us a warm welcome to his Antarctic home!

Percentage of First Graders

26% of students drew a Lab coat

20% of students drew Eyeglasses

27% of students drew untamed hair

44% of students drew scientific tools (desk, table, test tubes)

51% drew a male scientist

27% drew a female scientist

22% drew no gender preference