Shrubs Snow and Nitrogen in the Arctic 2019 Resources

Objectives

Students will be able to: * Analyze graphical data to draw conclusions * Compare and contrast the chemical structures of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide * Explain how differences in the structure of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide lead to differences in their reactivity and functions as a greenhouse gas * Argue how changing shrubbery impacts climate change

Objectives

Students will be able to: * Graph, analyze, and predict data * Develop claim, evidence, and reasoning * Explain how permafrost is made, current conditions, and its impacts on climate and humans

Preparation

* This lesson plan can be taught either in the classroom or virtually online. Instructions on how to teach both ways are given in the Procedure

Bringing the Science Back to my Classroom

It’s sometimes a common and depressing comment to hear from your students, “I’ll never use this in my life! Teach me something practical like how to pay my taxes!” As teachers, we strive to make learning relevant to student’s lives, but for a multitude of reasons sometimes your lessons just don’t have that

PolarTREC educator Kate Steeper and researcher Dr. Syndonia Bret-Harte discuss the 2019 fieldwork and research that is occurring on a project looking at shrubs, snow, and nitrogen in arctic Alaska. This event was broadcast live from Toolik Field Station, Alaska on 15 August 2019.