We began our 4th day of PolarTREC Orientation Week with several presentations focusing on communication technologies, including posting journals, resizing and storing photos, and planning for 'real-time' events from the field, like live calls and webinars. After lunch, former PolarTREC teacher Ute Kaden gave us a glimpse into 'life after PolarTREC,' discussing exciting and inspiring opportunities that can arise from participating in PolarTREC. She reminded us that through this experience we have the chance to change the lives of many, many students and her enthusiasm left us all feeling truly inspired!
More excitement surfaced when snow started falling - yes, spring snow came to Fairbanks! Teachers became little kids again, sneaking out the back door of the meeting room to watch the snow, take some pictures, and call home to say, 'Guess what? It's SNOWING!'
Snowy Boots
Snowy Trees
Next we piled in the PolarTREC van for a field trip to the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Before we entered we took our group photo in front of the impressive building, still marveling at the snow steadily falling. I only see snow when I head to the mountains to go skiing, and usually it is not actually snowing when I go, so watching the snow fall was a big treat for this Southern Californian. The teachers from Utah, Montana, and Wyoming were not as impressed with the snow. I guess they get lots of it every winter!
PolarTREC 2010
We began our museum tour in the basement. Why the basement you may ask? Well, that's where they store all the specimens and artifacts not currently on display to the public. Imagine rows and rows of shelves, lockers, boxes, and trays filled with preserved animals,bones, skulls, shells, baskets, masks, and more! A serious treasure trove for science teachers! We could have spent hours down there!
Bones
Next we headed upstairs to the main museum level to visit the Gallery of Alaska, which focused on the history and cultures of Alaska, organized by geographic areas and the native Alaskan tribes who lived in each area. It was fascinating to see how the geography, wildlife, and resources of each area were utilized by the native people living there.
Totem Pole
My favorite exhibit in the gallery was 'Blue Babe,' an Ice Age steppe bison that was killed by a lion 36,000 years ago and preserved in a mummified state in the permafrost. It was fascinating to imagine that the animal in front of me lived so long ago, in a world so different from our world today. I wonder how many other mummified animals like 'Blue Babe' are still out there, waiting to be discovered?
Blue Babe
After the museum, we made a quick stop at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks bookstore to pick up some souvenirs and gifts for friends and family back home. But, soon we would learn our visit was not quick enough...
Several of us had entered the Golden Heart Utilities Water Walk and Run 5K thinking it would be a fun way to get some exercise and take home a unique souvenir t-shirt. That sounded great before it started snowing, and before we arrived back at the hotel at 6:05 when the run started at 6:30! But we were determined to make the most of our 'Alaska experience.' so we raced upstairs, changed into our running gear and set off for the starting line, with only vague directions to guide us. We ran through the streets of downtown Fairbanks, hardly noticing the damp snow still falling.
Bank Sign
After running about a mile to the starting line, all four of us checked our watches, '6:30 perfect timing!' But where was everyone? Why did the race clock say '3:03, 3:04, 3:05?" We missed the start of the race! Apparantly Alaska race time is not the same as PolarTREC teacher race time! Not be be deterred, off we jogged, trailing the slowest walkers. We slowly passed the walkers and made it up to the running group, Claude Larson and I jogged together, while Josh Dugat and Karl Horeis ran ahead. 30 minutes later we crossed the finish line, feeling quite pleased with ourselves! We all received blue 'I'm A Winner' ribbons for our efforts.Coffee, hot dogs, popcorn, and cookies kept us relatively warm and occupied as we awaited the finish of our walking teachers, Chantelle Rose and Bill Schmoker. After they finished we walked quickly back to our warm hotel, shivering in the cold, but feeling very pleased with ourselves!
Four Runners
Anne Marie at the race
Lesson Learned: Being 3 minutes early is always better that 3 minutes late.