Module 2 - Natural History

Essential Question:

• How have Alaska's natural systems changed over time?

As we all know, the world we live in is constantly changing. These changes aren't which new restaurant arrived in town or the new stoplight at the corner of A Street and 5th Ave. After enjoying the materials in this module it is now more evident to me than ever that this planet is active and changing constantly. We often see on the news how and where things are changing around the world, for example earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, volcanic eruptions in Iceland, but Alaska is experiencing a changing at a rapid pace as displayed in the various resources viewed in the module. I will share some information in regard to Southeast Alaska.

One change observed in my area is the habits of whales that people believe may be related to the increasing temperatures of the water. I have asked many life-long residents of Craig, Alaska about the changes they have observed over time. Some answers are directly related to Alaska's natural systems. One observation is in regard to whale migration. From what I understand, the whales in the area typically migrate to warmer waters in the winter to breed and give birth. Locals have observed over time that whale habits have been changing. It is now common to see whales in the area all year long. I can't help but wonder WHY?

Click on the pictures to learn more.

Picture from www.alaskahumpbacks.org.

Also, because of the temperature increase, residents claim that other species are being impacted as well. One species is the Canadian Goose. I have heard that Canadian Geese migrated through these areas but now are found here year round. Again, you have to ask, what is happening in the natural system that is making this kind of change in behavior? Sometimes we don't have all of the answers but we do have evidence of changes in the natural system.

Picture taken from Wikipedia.org.

Examine Question:

• How has Alaska's climate changed over millions of years?

History has shown that change is inevitable. We have learned this through scientific research. Alaska has experience much change over time and is currently experiencing change at accelerated speeds when compared to other regions of the planet. What was Alaska like in the past? Let me share some interesting information I learned from the resources on the module.

I did not realize that at one point in history a sheet of ice thousands of feet thick covered from Alaska to New York. This planet is not the same planet of the past. This is evident in Alaska by researching and observing the glaciers. Learn more about glacial changes by clicking on the picture at the right.

Climate Change Impacts Alaska Glaciers

The Warming Trend and the Greenhouse Effect

The extensive research that is being conducted reveals that currently Alaska, as well as the rest of the planet, is heating up. Because Earth is changing, we are learning that there are several negative impacts of the warming. Several examples were exhibited in the module we read. These changes will impact the future of our students. As we have viewed there are many educational resources readily available for classroom use. We can use these resources to help our students gain a global perspective on climate change and how Alaska has changed over millions of years.

Extend:

*How might you use content from this module in your professional practice?

We learned in Module II that changes are occurring to climates on Earth. In my blog I shared information about changing water temperatures in Southeast Alaska. I would like to use some new science tools to help students learn about the changing water temperatures in and around Craig. Recently our technology department purchased some WebQuest sensors that can test temperature as well as the salinity of water. I would like to involve my students in the research of changing water temperatures. I could use many of the videos on Teachers' Domain to help students get a perspective outside of Craig. Looks like some field trips! :)

Evaluate:

The module material took much longer to go through than I had anticipated. I did enjoy it though, as it was very educational and entertaining. I will have to plan more time for the viewing of materials next week.

The blogging is getting easier. It is a cool resource. I can see many useful applications for blogging. I am sure I will learn more about it as I go.