Tundra Connections
PBI's video conferences and webcasts are shot live from Tundra Buggy One on the shores of Hudson Bay, with polar bears just outside. Photo © Mike Lockhart. Click image to enlarge.
Frontiers North's distinctive “Buggy One” once again rolled across the tundra during the fall polar bear migration, serving as a window into the polar bear's world. This year we offered a mix of webcasts in October and November that focused on polar bears and climate change. They included live shots and video clips of bears on the tundra. Panelists included key scientists and educators, and viewers were able to submit questions via email and have them answered in real time.
If you missed the live webcasts in October and November—or would like to view them again—we've archived them for you on the Apple Learning Interchange.
This year's topics included:
"Polar Bears and Climate Change"
"Global Impacts, Warning Signs, and Inherent Issues"
"Conversations: Polar Bears, the Arctic, and Climate Change"
"Taking Action, Making a Difference"
November Panelists:
We've prepared a Tundra Connections FAQ to help answer any questions you may have.
Lesson Plans
In addition to the webcasts, the Apple Learning Interchange hosts a comprehensive set of lesson plans that may accessed at the Tundra Connections learning module.They complement the Rolling on the Tundra module that educator Julene Reed created last fall. The curriculum is designed so that elementary educators can easily adapt the content.
The plans were developed by Julene Reed, an Apple Distinguished Educator and PBI Advisory Council member. In addition to her volunteer work with PBI, Reed serves on the Advisory Council of Dr. Jane Goodall's Root & Shoots and is director of academic technology at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, Tennessee.
Reed created the lesson plans with the assistance of Bill McClain, an environmental science teacher from St. George’s. The comprehensive set of interdisciplinary lesson plans integrate technology and 21st century skills—especially focusing on authentic learning experiences surrounding real-world problems. They include pre- and post-broadcast activities, plus follow-up grading rubrics and assessment activities. At the end of the unit of study, students are encouraged to formulate a solution and take action to solve the problem they have chosen to address.
PBI wishes to express our gratitude to our corporate sponsors, Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy Adventure, the Platinum Sponsor, and Parks Canada. We also wish to thank our educational partners, Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots and Immersion Learning.
Special thanks to Apple Inc. for their continued support of our educational outreach.
If you missed the live webcasts in October and November—or would like to view them again—we've archived them for you on the Apple Learning Interchange.
This year's topics included:
"Polar Bears and Climate Change"
"Global Impacts, Warning Signs, and Inherent Issues"
"Conversations: Polar Bears, the Arctic, and Climate Change"
"Taking Action, Making a Difference"
November Panelists:
- Facilitator, Julene Reed (St. George's Independent School, Apple Distinguished Educator, PBI Advisory Council, Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Advisory Council)
- Dr. Andrew Derocher (University of Alberta, PBI Advisory Council)
- Dr. Don Moore (Smithsonian's National Zoo, PBI Advisory Council)
- Martyn Obbard, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
- Dr. Thomas S. Smith (Brigham Young University, PBI Advisory Council)
- Geoff York (WWF-Arctic Program, PBI Advisory Council)
We've prepared a Tundra Connections FAQ to help answer any questions you may have.
Lesson Plans
In addition to the webcasts, the Apple Learning Interchange hosts a comprehensive set of lesson plans that may accessed at the Tundra Connections learning module.They complement the Rolling on the Tundra module that educator Julene Reed created last fall. The curriculum is designed so that elementary educators can easily adapt the content.
The plans were developed by Julene Reed, an Apple Distinguished Educator and PBI Advisory Council member. In addition to her volunteer work with PBI, Reed serves on the Advisory Council of Dr. Jane Goodall's Root & Shoots and is director of academic technology at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, Tennessee.
Reed created the lesson plans with the assistance of Bill McClain, an environmental science teacher from St. George’s. The comprehensive set of interdisciplinary lesson plans integrate technology and 21st century skills—especially focusing on authentic learning experiences surrounding real-world problems. They include pre- and post-broadcast activities, plus follow-up grading rubrics and assessment activities. At the end of the unit of study, students are encouraged to formulate a solution and take action to solve the problem they have chosen to address.
PBI wishes to express our gratitude to our corporate sponsors, Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy Adventure, the Platinum Sponsor, and Parks Canada. We also wish to thank our educational partners, Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots and Immersion Learning.
Special thanks to Apple Inc. for their continued support of our educational outreach.