Arctic Webcasts – February 10-12, 2010

Immersion Learning presents a week of live Marine Mammals of the Arctic webcasts, during which viewers will have the opportunity to interact directly with scientists and trainers who work with marine mammals to better understand their behaviors and physiology, as well as the impact of humans and climate change on these animals. Kids watching the programs will also be able to participate in an online question-and-answer session and polling features as they hear from these experts and learn how they can help protect the oceans.  For more information go to the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Classroom website or contact Maryann Scholl (mscholl@gso.uri.edu).

Live Events with PolarTREC Teachers in Antarctica

Live from IPY: Antarctic Undersea ROV (Second Event)
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 – 10am Alaska Standard Time [11am PST, 12pm MST, 1pm CST, 2pm EST] Live from IPY! with Michele Cross and the SCINI ROV Team.

Live from IPY: Dissolved Organic Matter in the Cotton Glacier, Antarctica
Wednesday,  December 9, 2009 – 8am Alaska Standard Time [9am PST, 10am MST, 11am CST, 12pm EST] Live from IPY! with Sarah Diers and the Dissolved Organic Matter team.

To register for these free event and to receive instructions on how to join

These events are hosted through the PolarTREC Live from the International Polar Year! program and allow participants to learn more about the polar regions. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and chat with others during the presentation.

Live Webcasts from Dr. Robert Ballard

Oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard will discuss his recent deep-sea discoveries;  introduce the new, state-of-the-art ship of exploration; and reveal the details of his 2010 expedition via a live webcast. On December 3, Immersion Learning™ brings Dr. Ballard’s world of ocean exploration live to audiences via webcasts at immersionlearning.org. The live webcasts are the first to take place from Dr. Ballard’s new Inner Space Center at the University of Rhode Island Narragansett Campus, which serves as “mission control” for undersea exploration.

Dr. Ballard will share stories and underwater video from the Institute for Exploration’s recent expedition to the Aegean Sea, where they discovered five shipwreck sites from aboard the E/V Nautilus, Dr. Ballard’s new ship of exploration. The ship is linked to the Inner Space Center, allowing scientists and Immersion Learning students to “step aboard,” regardless of their location. Dr. Ballard will introduce audiences to the Nautilus and discuss his 2010 expedition, a six-month trip that includes a return to the Aegean and Black seas, as well as his first-ever exploration of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

The 30-minute live webcasts can be watched on immersionlearning.org at 1:30, 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Viewers may submit their questions and comments before or during the webcast for the question-and-answer session.

Educational Videos, Live Webcast, Multimedia Resources on Ocean-Climate Connection from NASA

Understanding Climate is the theme of NASA’s Earth Science Week 2009 (ESW09), October 11-18, focusing on the connection between climate change and our oceans. A series of five short educational videos, entitled “Tides of Change”, focuses on the ocean-climate connection. Each educational video features a specific aspect of this connection, such as the water cycle or life in the ocean, and includes custom animation, data visualization and expert interviews.  Watch the videos. NASA’s Global Climate Change website hosts a wealth of ESW09 content, including the interactive 3-D Eyes on Earth. This application allows users to fly around the planet on the wings of a satellite, observing the planet’s vital signs from space. The Climate site is also a one-stop shop  for all of NASA’s best Earth science education resources related to the understanding of climate.  One of the highlights of Earth Science Week is alive educational webcast on October 14 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.  Classrooms around the country will participate in this live event focused on Earth science discoveries and careers. NASA oceanographers will discuss their careers, illustrate NASA’s unique view of the oceans from space, and answer questions submitted by participants.

Immersion Learning Website

Immersion Learning, one of three divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc. (Mystic Aquarium and the Institute for Exploration are the other two), is a dynamic, hands-on science education program that provides schools and informal learning organizations with the opportunity to host interactive science experiences for students in grades 4 through 8. Live webcasts from oceanographer Bob  Ballard’s scientific expeditions, hands-on activities and Internet resources are all part of the themed curricula that brings ocean adventures and discoveries into classrooms, igniting students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and showing marked increases in students’ attention levels, scientific knowledge and language arts skills.

Immersionlearning.org features mission logs, videos and photos from Dr. Ballard’s deep-sea expeditions, as well as interactive puzzles and games. Kids can map their own shipwrecks, build a remotely operated vehicle, create their own movie about the Titanic and more, while educators can download classroom activity ideas and other resources, as well as communicate via message boards. New is the Kids Explore online video series, which shows young explorers how they can become environmental ambassadors. The five-minute videos feature kids across the country engaged in conservation and science projects related to oceans and aquatic life.

Contact Becky Giantonio for more information. bgiantonio@mysticaquarium.org