The Countdown Continues…

As I double check my list of gear, and continue to pack my bags for the trip, I am brimming with excitement and filled with wonder all at the same time. There have been so many details to address in addition to starting a new school year that I have been literally consumed with preparations. Even so, I know in my heart that this Expedition would not have possible without all the support and encouragement of my students, fellow faculty, administrators, and especially the love of my family. I am proud to represent you all on this unique Expedition.

I have given a great deal of thought to what I hope to accomplish through this exciting Earthwatch opportunity. As I have taken inventory of the questions and concerns of our school community on the issue of global climate change, I found that I will be representing a wide range of speculations with little first-hand knowledge. Legitimate and challenging questions have been posed like: Isn’t global warming just part of a series of natural geological cycles that occur cyclically? How can we really tell if mankind is responsible for an increased rate of climate change? How do changes in the Arctic affect the climate in other areas of the world? How is global climate change affecting the wildlife populations? How can we be so sure of the meanings we give to measurements we make? I have come to realize that this Expedition is Larkin’s chance to establish a real-time connection to the daily research efforts of climate scientists in the field. I get to help Larkin students have a rare glimpse and a remarkable reach into the real world of scientific investigation.

Throughout the course of this Expedition, I hope to use this Blog and an Earthwatch Student Journal as tools to engage my students through compelling questions and interesting activities. So here's a reflection question for your Journal today: Since this investigation focuses on environmental field testing, what kinds of data do you think would be necessary to get an accurate snapshot of climate changes? What specific variables do you think you would include and why? This is a nice, broad topic just to get you started. Use your Journals, reply to the Blog, have great classroom discussions, there's much more to come.

Legends say that this ancient Inukshuk [In-OOK-Shook] standing along the shoreline of the nearby Hudson Bay was built as a beacon to those looking for the right direction across a featureless and forbidding landscape. When it comes to the search for answers to understand how to navigate through the perils of global climate change, I am heading to Churchill for just that reason. Now, only three days away...