Climate Wisconsin is an educational multimedia collection featuring stories about the impact …
Climate Wisconsin is an educational multimedia collection featuring stories about the impact of climate change in Wisconsin. LEARNING GOALS: Expand understanding of how climate change impacts life in Wisconsin. Connect personal observations to the study of climate and environmental science. Identify actions that may impact changes to our climate.
Hear about how respect for Earth can help us attain a more …
Hear about how respect for Earth can help us attain a more sustainable lifestyle in the face of climate change in this video segment adapted from United Tribes Technical College.
In this video adapted from Storyknife Productions, Alaska Native pilots share how …
In this video adapted from Storyknife Productions, Alaska Native pilots share how they use traditional knowledge to read the landscape and predict the weather.
In this video adapted from KUAC-TV and the Geophysical Institute at the …
In this video adapted from KUAC-TV and the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska Native students contribute to research on how their environment is changing as a result of global warming.
Students are introduced to the concepts of biomimicry and sustainable design. Countless …
Students are introduced to the concepts of biomimicry and sustainable design. Countless examples illustrate the wisdom of nature in how organisms are adapted for survival, such as in body style, physiological processes, water conservation, thermal radiation and mutualistic relationships, to assure species perpetuation. Students learn from articles and videos, building a framework of evidence substantiating the indisputable fact that organisms operate "smarter" and thus provide humans with inspiration in how to improve products, systems and cities. As students focus on applying the ecological principles of the previous lessons to the future design of our human-centered world, they also learn that often our practices are incapable of replicating the precision in which nature completes certain functions, as evidenced by our dependence on bees as pollinators of the human food supply. The message of biomimicry is one of respect: study to improve human practices and ultimately protect natural systems. This heightened appreciation helps students to grasp the value of industry and urban mimetic designs to assure protection of global resources, minimize human impact and conserve nonrenewable resources. All of these issues aid students in creating a viable guest resort in the Sonoran Desert.
Wisconsin's occupied bear range is expanding, which means residents can expect to …
Wisconsin's occupied bear range is expanding, which means residents can expect to see black bears in areas outside of the bear's traditional range. An abundant population and suitable bear habitat have facilitated the southerly movement of occupied bear range in Wisconsin. Wisconsin's black bear population is considerably higher than it was 30 years ago.
Wisconsin's bear population was estimated to be about 9,000 bears in 1989. The most recent data indicates the bear population is currently estimated to be a little over 24,000 bears. DNR manages bear population size through regulated hunting. The number of hunting permits have steadily increased following studies showing higher numbers of bears. In the near future, opportunities will be provided to the public to comment on the desired numbers of bears in each of the state's bear management regions as the DNR prepares a new bear management plan.
Wisconsin is not alone in its expanding bear range. The results from a 2008 survey of eastern United States and Canadian Provinces that actively manage black bear populations indicated that 75% of these jurisdictions report an increase in bear range. Only Vermont reported a contracting bear range.
The lessons in this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom introduce the …
The lessons in this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom introduce the work of botanists and botanical illustrators, specifically their race to make records of endangered plant species around the world. “Very little of the world’s flora has been fully studied,” says one Smithsonian botanist, “and time is running out.” In the first lesson, students gets to know six endangered plants. They examine illustrations, photographs, and dried specimens of the plants as they consider this question: If a scientist can take a picture of a plant, are there advantages in having an illustration? They go on to consider some of the big questions that botanists themselves must ask: Which of these species are most in need of conservation efforts? Are any of these plants more worth saving than others?In the second lesson, the students try their own hands at botanical illustration, following the methods of a Smithsonian staff illustrator. All that is required for the lesson are pencils, markers, tracing paper, and access to a photocopier.
This activity lesson plan is called “Build a Better Wall” where students …
This activity lesson plan is called “Build a Better Wall” where students are planners and constructors who are trying to construct a wall using various materials that can withstand an earthquake.
Common Plants of Wisconsin - developed by UW Stevens Point Department of …
Common Plants of Wisconsin - developed by UW Stevens Point Department of Biology. Pictures and descriptions of each common plant found in Wisconsin. Organization topics include: Seedless Plants, Gymnosperms, Woody Dicots, Dicot Herbs, and Monocots.
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This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that …
This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that determine a planet's surface temperature, learners will use an interactive spreadsheet model of a planet's atmosphere to determine if greenhouse gases, luminosity of the source, the distance of the planet from the source and the albedo of the planet can be manipulated so that the average surface temperature on Mars or Venus could support human life. Learners will then be asked to make some conclusions about these methods and suggest improvements for the spreadsheet model (see related resources for link to this model). The activity requires use of Microsoft Excel software. This is Activity D in the fourth module, titled "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?," of "Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate?."
In this video produced for Teachers' Domain, learn about MIT professor Cathy …
In this video produced for Teachers' Domain, learn about MIT professor Cathy Drennan's research into microorganisms that remove carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere.
Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum …
Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum based on magnetic properties as is frequently done in recycling operations. To complicate the challenge, the magnet used to separate the steel must be able to be switched off to allow for the recollection of the steel. Students must ultimately design, test, and present an effective electromagnet.
This video adapted from KTOO takes a look at Earth's warming and …
This video adapted from KTOO takes a look at Earth's warming and cooling cycles and the current atypical trend of warming that is impacting the glaciers in Alaska's Inside Passage.
Some bird species appear to respond to extreme weather changes in their …
Some bird species appear to respond to extreme weather changes in their native habitat by moving to more hospitable environments. This article discusses the role of NASA satellites, along with field and citizen scientists, in studying that movement. The article also includes an activity on constructing a bird feeder. The Climate Kids website is a NASA education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change.
This question is addressed through a series of questions and answers, each …
This question is addressed through a series of questions and answers, each providing related introductory information such as how climate change is studied, the history of Earth’s climate, and the effects of climate change on Earth’s geology and biology. The Climate Kids website is a NASA education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change.
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