Free Mini-Course on Polar Bears and Climate Change

The New Media Consortium is sponsoring a free mini-course on polar bears and climate change. Here is some information about the course.

Polar Bears in a Changing Climate
Polar Bears International will engage teachers through innovative STEMx educational activities and lessons designed to communicate concepts of global warming and its impact on keystone species. This mini-course will use integrative technologies to explore the relationship between polar bears and their dependency on sea ice. Teachers will learn to use STEMx education content and real–world application to bring climate change and polar bears into the classroom and inspire actions related to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Teachers will also learn how to take students into the field by connecting them to field biologists and researchers, analyzing data collected by field researchers, and introducing students to innovative technology and engineering tools used to study polar bears. Through the lessons, activities, and resources included in this mini–course, teachers will help students learn how their daily actions impact polar bears and their sea ice habitat. The polar bears are closer than you think.

Here's what participants will take away from this self-paced course.

• Understand polar bears and their habitat. Basic information on polar bears will be presented, including physical characteristics, food sources, reproduction cycle and offspring, behaviors, and threats. Participants will join the Tundra Connections Academy Google+ community for communication and collaborative opportunities with fellow participants.
• Understand the primary causes of climate change and the resulting effects. Information regarding the impact of CO2 emissions, greenhouse gases, and other variables that affect the climate will be included in this module. An understanding of environmental sustainability options and clean energy alternatives will complete the unit.
• Gain an understanding of the Polar Bear Tracker and related data analysis. Teachers will learn how to “take students into the field” by connecting them to field biologists and researchers, analyzing data collected by field researchers, and introducing the use of innovative technology and engineering tools used to study polar bears. The importance of the relationship between polar bears and sea ice will be highlighted.
• Capstone. Taking action is an important part of empowering students to make positive change in our world. Environmental sustainability and conservation opportunities will be the focal points of this final Quest, and action plans related to these topics will be developed by participants. Included in this module is Project Polar Bear, which is an exemplary unit that promotes the creation of sustainable action plans for environmental conservation.

Today is the last day for enrollment, so if you're interested follow the link below.

Polar Bears in a Changing Climate Course