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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
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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. |
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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://education.arm.gov/teacherslounge/lessons.stm
- 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. |
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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.
- Curriculum Tools –
Contain 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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. |
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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 then Activities/Initiatives,
then Environment.
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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 new – current issues and
events in climate change - news programs, reports, etc.
Created by: Northern Climate Exchange
Scope: Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon
& Global
Target Grades: 7–12
Relevance: Very relevant background information. |
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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 |
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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. |
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In a Nutshell:
An excellent polar bear site that allows students to track 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. |
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In a Nutshell:
A page with links to downloadable PDF backgrounders on topics relating
to climate change and the Yukon, plus the Yukon Government Climate
Change Action Plan. |
Don’t Miss:
- Downloadable PDF fact sheets:
- What is Climate Change?
- Physical Impacts
- Ecological Impacts
- Impacts on People
- Response
- Yukon Climate Change Action Plan – in PDF format
Created by: Department of Environment, Government
of Yukon
Scope: Yukon
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Background information for student
research |
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In a Nutshell:
Good information – with great pictures – on the work
Yukon Energy is doing in various forms of renewable energy. |
Don’t Miss:
- Wind Power – With
downloadable articles
- Solar Power – Current info about
the portable Solar-Hybrid Unit
- Geo-Thermal Power – About the fish hatchery’s
heat pump
- Hydro Power – Info on Yukon Energy’s
three hydro facilities
Created by: Yukon Energy
Scope: Yukon
Target Grades: 8–12
Relevance: Good background info on current Yukon
energy initiatives. |
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