Middle School Scientists Curriculum

Research is easier than you might think! We are all researchers. Every time we ask a question, we gather information to help make good decisions. Come find out how Glacier Bay researchers are making good decisions for your national park with the following science curriculum. Enjoy!

 

Glacier Bay's Middle School Scientists

NPS

 

Research and resource management are essential to the National Park Service (NPS) Mission :

" ... to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

Researchers at Glacier Bay study natural, historical, geological, and cultural resources, in order to make well informed management decisions based on solid data. The Middle School Scientists Project was designed to help teachers and students learn and appreciate the value and importance of this research and how it helps fulfill the NPS Mission.

There are six, 7-10 minute videos that introduce Glacier Bay scientists as they conduct their research and interact with local middle school students. These videos were produced in "question and answer" format to allow teachers to pause and solicit answers from their students. They may also "stand alone" by introducing the topic and encouraging further discussion. The accompanying investigations can be used together or individually to support each topic. Either way, we hope you find this curriculum useful and beneficial.

 

• Underwater Acoustics
• Glacier Bay Bears
• Glacier Bay Harbor Seals
• Humpback Whale Identification
• Kittlitz's Murrelets
• Stories from the Past-Tlingit Culture

 

This curriculum was developed for middle school teachers to be used in combination with six interactive videos as a resource aide in the classroom. Although designed as a project sponsored by Glacier Bay National Park and The Ocean Alaska Sciences and Learning Center in Kenai, AK, the information is applicable anywhere in the country. Each curriculum guide follows a format that is intended to be user-friendly and resource-rich: a unit overview provides general information concerning the specific topic and three follow-up investigations supplement each video. National Science Education Standards, a glossary, and additional resources are also provided.

 

Researchers use simple trigonometry to learn more about humpback whales and harbor seals in Glacier Bay National Park.

Extra! Extra! Calling all math teachers!

Discover the basic trigonometry used by humpback whale and harbor seal researchers in Glacier Bay in Take Your Math Outside!, an engaging video and worksheet.

 

For additional information concerning other curriculum materials, contact

Education Specialist,
Glacier Bay National Park,
P.O. Box 140,
Gustavus, AK 99826

or on the web at www.nps.gov/glba