By the time you get this, it'll be just before our first webinar. Tune in on your computer to see a picture presentation and to talk to us live from Antarctica. We'll be ready at 6 am our time on Thursday, Oct. 21 - which could be 10 am your time on Wednesday, Oct. 20, if you're in California! If you still need to register, check http://www.polartrec.com/polar-connect.
We have received several more WATER DROPs in the last couple of days. We got one from Kim Dowling’s Computer Literacy class with the Santa Cruz Adult School and one from DeLaveaga Elementary in Santa Cruz.
A WATER DROP from Delavega Elementary School
While our door is decorated with various WATER DROPs, others are out with various scientists and helpers on their “Day at Work”. Stay tuned for stories of their adventures.
What do these WATER DROPs see during their days from their home on our door?
Below I have one story about a friend one WATER DROP made. This WATER DROP is from the CAPS group which is a group of teachers from Cabrillo College, California State University at Monterey Bay, and Hartnell College that work together to help college students succeed in basic math and writing skills. Enjoy the following story about one of the many wonderful people that help us do the things we need to do. (This story is for elementary school children to read on their own or with help from their teacher or parents. There is a little bit of math in this story as this WATER DROP is from a group of math teachers. There are also some questions for the kids to think about. Enjoy this activity and give us feedback to make the next stories even better.)
WATER DROP – Story #3: Tony the Mechanical Equipment Manager
Tony is one person that helps us every day. Tony is from Rockford, Illinois. He came here after a friend told him about Antarctica. His friend said he would have a lot of fun here. Tony always has a lot of fun.
Tony getting bolts and nuts for us
Tony has spent many months down here on the ice. He comes for a few months. Then he leaves again. He has been here for 85 months out of the last 12 years. Does that mean he has spent half of the last 12 years here? Has he spent more or less than half of the last 12 years here?
Let’s do the math! There are 12 months in one year. If we multiply 12 years by 12 months we have 144 months. Tony has not been here for 144 months. He has only been here for 85 months! When we divide 85 months by 144 months, we get 0.59. This means Tony has spent 59% of his time in Antarctica. He has spent more than half of the last 12 years here on the Ice! That means he has spent more time In Antarctica than his home in Illinois.
The building we call the eyebrow building. Can you tell why? Tony works here.
Tony is the supervisor for the Mechanical Equipment. He is the boss of the things that have engines. He helps the scientists us with all of their mechanical needs. When our Tucker is broken, we call Tony. When we need screws for drills, we call Tony. When we need help with our Pisten Bully, we call Tony. Tony also showed us how to drive the Tucker. He knows many things about all kinds of machines.
Tony teaching the ICE AGED group how to drive this Tucker.
Tony helps many of the 300 scientists at McMurdo that do research in Antarctica. He helps about 80% of them. How many is that? The answer is 300 people x 0.8 = 240 people. How would you help 240 people at the same time? He answers the phone all day long. He also answers about 150-200 emails a day.
For fun, Tony likes to race cars with his assistant, Sally.
Tony and Sally racing cars around the WATER DROP
He loves the people here the most. He thinks they are all unique and fun loving. Some people here want to be a scientist. Scientists study seals, penguins, or sponges and sea urchins like us. Many scientists get to go to interesting places on the ice or under the ice. Tony says that “you may not be a scientist, but you can always help them!”
He also says that no matter what you learned, you can always do something different. Most of the people that work here in Antarctica went to school for something different. Tony studied to be an electrical engineer but now he is a manager. His friend studied to be a physicist but now he is a carpenter. School is important and it will help you in many ways. If you learn math, then later you will be able to do many more things – like drive machines, help people, or build cool snow ski-doo motorcycles.
The CAPS WATER DROP with Tony and the ski-doo motorcycle his friend built.
Tony’s friend Toby built this cool machine. He built it from pieces he found in the garbage can. It is two years old and they drive it when they play rugby on the ice. They play rugby against the Kiwis. Kiwis are people that come from New Zealand. They have a research station about 3 miles from our research station. Sometimes we visit them and sometimes they visit us.
We are happy that Tony is here to help us.
Would you want to come to Antarctica to help people with their machines?
Would you want to be a scientist? What would you study?
What else would you want to do down here?