Throughout the first 5 weeks of summer camp the staff and campers of Camp Talooli have participated in each of the scheduled PolarTREC webinars. Before most of the teleconferences I created paper copies of the last 2 weeks of online journals from the expedition so that the camper groups could review them and prepare questions for the teams. I also started the sessions by pointing out the remote field locations on the globe and a map of the Arctic, and I explained how the conversation would be transmitted through satellite phone and routed through Fairbanks. The campers were very excited, particularly when they realized how far their voices would travel and who would be listening.
We were using an Arctic map to find the location of the scientists during a webinar at summer camp.
Each week I would also explain my upcoming mission aboard the Oden and the campers would often ask about the animals that I hoped to see in Antarctica. To help them understand more about penguins, seals, and whales and just how big an albatross was, I worked with them to create life size models. First I copied images from an Antarctic field guide and transferred them to overhead transparencies. Next I found some really old (and stinky) tent canvas that has been up in the camp storage loft for about 20 years. With the help of Annie, our camp Art Director we tacked it up in the Art Barn and then the campers were able to project and trace the images on to the canvas at full life size. They then cut out and painted the canvas models. Everyone was very surprised to see how big some of the animals were. We even cut out a full size polar bear from the Arctic to compare it to the leopard seal from the Antarctic. Of course that lead to a very interesting discussion about who would win in a top predator showdown it the polar bear ever met a leopard seal!
In the Camp Talooli Art Barn we projected an 11 foot image of a leopard seal onto old tent canvas and then campers cut it out and painted it.
After the campers cut out and painted these life size penguins they compared them to their own bodies. Please Credit: Scott Schild
It took lots of campers to stretch out the largest flying bird in the world. With over an 11 foot wingspan, this albatross really impressed the campers at Camp Talooli.
I have also been busy sewing and sending out blank expedition flags to camps and classrooms across the country. Some of them have already been returned and I have now been able to send them my personal Antarctic expedition flag. If any classroom teacher would like to have their class create a flag that I can carry to Antarctica for them simply email me at jpeneston [at] polartrec.com and let me know. Remember to include your mailing address and I will get the blank flag right out to you.
As of the first week in August I have sent out over 70 blank flags to schools and camps across the country who requested them. Here are a few of the first to be returned.
Take care, have fun & make memories,
Jeff