           |
Northern Websites
These websites are all specific to the north. They are sorted into three
categories to help you find the sites you need:
- Teacher Sites - Including Lesson Plans/Projects/ Backgrounders
- Research Sites – Primarily useful for student research
- Calculators – Sites where students input data to get immediate
results
To find the site you’re looking for, click on the linked list
below, or browse through the alphabetical list of sites. The list includes
brief description of each site.
Northern Teacher Sites –
Including lesson plans/projects/ backgrounders
Northern Research Sites – Information for students
and teachers
Northern Calculators – Students input information
for immediate feedback
|
In a Nutshell:
This site focuses on monitoring three areas of northern data: climate
change, contaminants and regional development. It contains a wealth
of detailed information, graphs, and community project ideas. |
Don’t Miss:
Created by: Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge
Society
Scope: Northern
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Background info, project ideas. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
An Alaska-based site on climate change, with a special emphasis
on polar bears. |
Don’t Miss:
- Global Warming – Backgrounders at beginner
and advanced levels
- Past Question – FAQ of students’
questions to scientists
- Lesson Plans – http://www.arm.gov/docs/education/twplessons.html
- an impressive collection, particularly for science teachers
- About the Bear – Scroll down for a list
of links to polar bear information. Don’t miss Shrinking
Polar Bears, based on research from Churchill, Manitoba.
Created by: The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement
(ARM) Program, U.S. Department of Energy’s
Scope: Northern – Alaska and northern Canada
Target Grades: 5–12
Relevance: Excellent background information on
climate change in the north and polar bears; good lesson plans for
science teachers. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
A forum for sharing information on methods and results of studies
designed to monitor impacts of global climate change on arctic and
alpine tundra and taiga ecosystems in Canada. |
Don’t Miss:
- Searchable listing of northern Canadian research projects
Created by: The EMAN-North network, coordinated
by Environment Canada staff in Whitehorse and Yellowknife
Scope: Northern and National
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Useful for teachers identifying references
for further research. Provides contact information for specific
monitoring projects and an introduction to the northern environmental
monitoring network approach. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
A site designed to link researchers and stakeholders concerned
with climate change in Canada’s three northern territories: Nunavut,
the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. |
Don’t Miss:
- Contacts – List of C-CIARN climate change
resource contacts in NWT, Nunavut, Yukon and Ottawa
- Databases – Links to three northern
climate change databases
- Links – Climate-Related Sites
- Nunavut – Includes link to an Inuktitut
glossary of climate change terms, & a community project to
collect observations of changes in sea ice off the southeastern
shores of Baffin Island
Created by: C-CIARN, a partnership between Natural
Resources Canada, the Yukon Government, Yukon College, Aurora Research
Institute and Nunavut Research Institute
Scope: Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon
Target Grades: 9–12
Relevance: Background info, Useful links to identify
research projects in specific areas related to climate change. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
This site supports a series of seven posters depicting the regional
impacts of climate change in Canada (FREE ordering info on this
site). Lots of region-specific information on Nunavut,Yukon &
NWT. An excellent, informative site. |
Don’t Miss:
- Nunavut/Western Arctic – Regional-specific
information – Click on regional names under the Canadian
map to bring up lots of information about climate change specific
to Nunavut and Western Arctic (Yukon and NWT).
- Health & Safety, Communities, Land Resources, Water
Resources, Coastal Regions – All these topics,
listed down the side, contain links to specifically northern information.
- Teacher’s Guide –
http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/posters/teachers/
guide_e.asp This guide (also downloadable) contains background
information for Nunavut and Western Arctic, and lesson plans for
teaching the posters.
- View and Order Posters – Click on the
poster you want to order, and the ordering information will appear.
These posters are free. Note: The Nunavut poster is available
in Inuktitut (refer to order # M27-01-1787N).
Created by: Natural Resources Canada
Scope: Nunavut, Yukon, NWT & Canadian
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Excellent regional information, teaching
activities to go with posters. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
This website, posted by the University of Texas Marine Science
Institute, is chock full of lesson plans, student work samples,
and useful links. |
Don’t Miss:
- Lesson Plans – At elementary, middle
school and secondary levels.
Created by: University of Texas Marine Science
Institute
Scope: Northern
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: Good teaching resource for northern
teachers. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
Links to green power and energy efficiency initiatives in Yukon. |
Don’t Miss:
- Quick Links to the Major Programs (scroll down a little to find
these):
- Green Power Initiative
- Energy Efficiency Initiative
- Yukon Housing Programs
- CANMET Energy Technology Branch
- Office of Energy Efficiency
- Moving on Sustainable Transportation
- EcoAction 2000
Created by: Yukon Development Corporation and
Natural Resources Canada
Scope: Yukon, Northern, Canadian
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Good background info on current Yukon
energy initiatives. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
A site designed to link GLOBE schools and students across Canada.
Offers additional northern field protocols, and hotlinks with other
Canada-specific sites for monitoring environmental and climate change
(under construction Dec 10, 2003). |
Don’t Miss:
- Field studies – for teachers and students
to understand climate change first hand – permafrost studies,
dendrochronology (tree ring growth) studies, environmental monitoring
for climate change
- Contacts – Canadian scientists involved
in field protocols, other GLOBE Canada teachers and students
- Links – GLOBE, Naturewatch sites (e.g.
Plantwatch, Frogwatch)
Created by: Yukon Teachers Association in partnership
with Yukon Government, and Yukon College, and with funding provided
by NSERC.
Scope: Northern, Canadian
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: Adds a Canadian northern element to
the GLOBE Program, providing hands-on activities for teachers and
students to undertake environmental monitoring for climate change.
These field protocols are under development with Canadian scientists. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
An Inuit environmental perspective on several issues, including
climate change. |
Don’t Miss:
- Climate Change – To reach the climate
change page, click on Welcome, then Activities,
then Climate Change.
|
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
An interactive database that displays the current status of our
knowledge about climate change impacts in the North. |
Don’t Miss:
- The 3 topic areas – Community, Ecosystem,
Economic – Click on any topic under one of these headings,
then click on the Matrix Maker, and you’ll have a graph
containing the information currently known on this topic.
Created by: Northern Climate Exchange
Scope: Northern
Target Grades: 9–12
Relevance: Excellent data on climate change impacts
in the north. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
This site is a treasure-trove of information, much of it specific
to the north. As well as up-to-date background information, tips,
and links, it contains a schools site that is reviewed separately
below. |
Don’t Miss:
- What’s Hot – current issues and
events in climate change - news programs, reports, etc.
- Are You Doing Your Bit? – links on emission
reduction - don’t miss the slide show
- Bulletin Board – Check out the up-to-date
media articles
- Kyoto InfoCentre – Information on the
Accord, and a chance for students to record their opinions and
comments
- Knowledge Site – A great northern site,
including projects, database, contacts
Click on the Right Hand Homepage Buttons for:
- Circumpolar North Climate Change Summit –
proceedings from the 2001 summit on climate change held in Whitehorse
- Whitehorse Declaration on Northern Climate Change
- Northern Climate Change Schools Program (see
below)
- NCE Matrix Maker – interactive grid
detailing northern climate change information (see separate write-up)
- 100 Years of Climate Change – a Quicktime
video of projected temperature changes globally
Created by: Northern Climate Exchange
Scope: Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon
& Global
Target Grades: 7–12
Relevance: Very relevant background information. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
An excellent educational site for teachers and students in Yukon,
NWT and Nunavut. It includes resources, links, and classroom projects. |
Don’t Miss:
- Teacher’s Corner – Click on Climate
Change Resources for some great informational links, then on Instructional
Resources for class projects related to northern climate change
- Student’s Corner – Student-friendly
links to resources, plus Ask the Expert, a chance to post email
question.
- Pilot Project – Information on an ambitious
inter-school project on climate change in the north.
- What’s New – http://www.taiga.net/nce/schools/new.html
– Great links – some interactive – including
games and learning materials
- Classroom Data Exchange – Links to northern
school projects
Created by: Northern Climate Exchange
Scope: Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories &
Global
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: Excellent teaching resources |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
A good “check-in” website for NWT folks, including
current programs and events, links and ideas. |
Don’t Miss:
- Library – A listing of climate change-related
videos, games, books and teaching resources available for loan
- Programs – What’s going on in
NWT? A listing of programs and events relating to climate change.
Created by: Northwest Territories Climate Change
Centre
Scope: NWT
Target Grades: K–12
Relevance: A good source of information and resources
for NWT teachers. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
An excellent polar bear site that allows students to track Lena
and Yana, two polar bears, as they journey through the Arctic. Plenty
of polar bear background info, too. |
Don’t Miss:
- About Polar Bears – Good background
information on the characteristics, habitat, and feeding of polar
bears
- Polar Bears at Risk – Detailed description
of the current impacts of climate change on polar bears.
Created by: World Wildlife Fund
Scope: Northern territories
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Good information for students and teachers
on the impacts of climate change on polar bears. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
The Sedna IV, a three-masted sailboat filled with scientists and
filmmakers, has just completed their Arctic voyage, examining the
impacts of climate change. This site contains great pictures, video
clips, articles and teaching suggestions. |
Don’t Miss:
- Special bulletins for teachers – Especially
“Wildlife” and “Global Issues.” These
are linked to photos, video clips and articles.
- Virtual Missions – A set of projects
targeted at different grade levels
- Photos Gallery – On topics like wildlife,
climatology, peoples of the North, global issues. Click on the
photo to get related information.
Created by: National Film Board of Canada
Scope: The Arctic
Target Grades: 1–12 |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
Taiga Net is a network of sites concerned with northern environmental
and community issues. It includes up-to-date databases on information,
educational resources, and links to a host of northern organizations
concerned with environmental issues. |
Don’t Miss:
- Databases:
- Arctic Borderlands Database of Information Sources
– Listing of ecological information for the Northern
Yukon
- A Database of Climate Change Information Sources
for Northern Canada – Searchable database of
information sources related to climate change in northern
Canada
- Focus on Caribou – http://www.taiga.net/top/caribou.html
– Pay special attention to Caribou and Climate: a slide
show, and both of the Porcupine Caribou Population Model: Demo
Versions – wonderful, interactive graphs.
- Focus on Climate Change – http://www.taiga.net/top/climatechange.html
– Links to good general information on climate change in
the north, and project reports
Created by: Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge
Society
Scope: Northern and International
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Background information, Educational
resources. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
Information on the World Wildlife Fund Arctic programs, many relating
to climate change. Also, lots of information on polar bears. |
Don’t Miss:
- Climate Change – Click on the button
at the left to read more about Climate Change issues.
- Polar Bear Central - Click on icon at bottom
left for lots of interesting polar bear info.
Created by: World Wildlife Fund
Scope: Arctic
Target Grades: 6–12
Relevance: Good background info on current WWF
Arctic programs. |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
A page with links to downloadable PDF backgrounders on topics relating
to climate change and the Yukon, plus a paper on the initiatives
currently underway. |
Don’t Miss:
- Downloadable PDF backgrounders:
- Climate Change: A Primer
- Climate Change in the Yukon
- Reducing Home Energy Use
- Transportation and Greenhouse Gases
- Yukon Climate Change Research
- Yukon Climate Change Initiatives – Also
in PDF format
Created by: Department of Environment, Government
of Yukon
Scope: Yukon
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Background information for student
research |
Top
|
In a Nutshell:
Good information – with great pictures – on the work
Yukon Power is doing in various forms of renewable energy. |
Don’t Miss:
- Under the Environment Button (on the top):
- Wind Power – Contains a list of
downloadable articles
- Solar Power – Current info about
the portable Solar-Hybrid Unit
- Green Power – Material on Yukon’s
Green Initiative
Created by: Yukon Power
Scope: Yukon
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Good background info on current Yukon
energy initiatives. |
Top |
