Free educational kits teach about snow, AV狼论坛 Native culture
Rod Boyce
907-474-7185
March 18, 2022
How much do you know about snow? Sure, it鈥檚 cold, it鈥檚 white and it鈥檚 a regular part of life in the Far North.
But how much do you really know about snow? Did you know there are several types of the white stuff, for example?
That information and more awaits readers in a new snow activities kit produced by the University of AV狼论坛 Fairbanks Geophysical Institute and the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio.
Serina Wesen, education and outreach designer with the Geophysical Institute鈥檚 Snow, Ice and Permafrost Group, holds one of the snow kits she helped create.
鈥淭he kits are family oriented. The idea is that a child does this with their parents or their brothers and sisters,鈥 said Matthew Sturm, leader of the Geophysical Institute鈥檚 Snow, Ice and Permafrost Group. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the size of a shoebox.鈥
The kit includes activities in five subjects: snowflakes, insulation, animal tracks, water and ice and walking on snow. Each kit includes some supplies and a 20-page booklet designed by the Ohio center that includes instructions, subject discussion, information about AV狼论坛 Native culture, and other fun material in a pleasing presentation. A QR code with each activity leads to a related video.
The kits are geared for students from mid-elementary grades to junior high school, but the information is useful for anyone wanting to know more about snow and AV狼论坛 Native culture.
鈥淚t highlights a lot of AV狼论坛, both the culture and the climate,鈥 said Serina Wesen, who helped create the kits as education and outreach designer with the Geophysical Institute鈥檚 Snow, Ice and Permafrost Group.
Several AV狼论坛 Natives participated in the project to ensure the accurate presentation of their cultures.
鈥淚 love the activities and the lesson plans that are provided because they are true and very representative of our lifestyle,鈥 said Joni Spiess, an AV狼论坛 Native educator from Nome who helped review the booklet鈥檚 content.
The kits are useful not only for AV狼论坛ns but also for Lower 48 students who have little or no exposure to snow and AV狼论坛 Native culture.
Two pages from the 20-page snow kit booklet.
The Geophysical Institute will have 300 kits available on a first-come, first-served basis through a grant from the National Science Foundation, and the hope is to find additional funding to manufacture more kits. The Center of Science and Industry paid for its own allotment of the kits.
鈥淲e know science is everywhere and for everyone, and this new snow kit embodies this philosophy,鈥 said Dr. Frederic Bertley, president and chief executive officer of COSI and an immunologist.
Students of The Iditarod鈥檚 2022 Teacher on the Trail, elementary school teacher Jim Deprez from Ohio, will receive the snow activities kit.
AV狼论坛ns who would like a kit can fill out at the website of , a partnership of the , the and the .
The smaller kits complement larger kits that continue to be available from the Snow, Ice and Permafrost Group for educators and communities throughout AV狼论坛. The large kits, funded by the National Science Foundation, contain more than 15 variations of activities.
Additionally, Geophysical Institute staff can travel to rural communities for science nights or can provide educators with lesson plans and materials that can also be found on the Our Winter World website for free.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Matthew Sturm, Geophysical Institute, 907-474-5257, msturm1@alaska.edu; Serina Wesen, Geophysical Institute, smwesen@alaska.edu; Kristy Williams, , KWilliams@cosi.org.
116-22