TEACHERS EXPERIENCING ANTARCTICA AND THE ARCTIC

Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) partners K-12 teachers and research scientists in polar field experiences. TEA is funded by the National Science Foundation and facilitated by Rice University, the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). The program immerses teachers in research investigations in order to bring attention to real science processes. Teacher-participants were mentored by Dr. Peter Michael from the University of Tulsa and included on an expedition that took us to the Gakkel Ridge area of the Mid- Atlantic Rift aboard the USCGC Healy, the Coast Guard's newest and most powerful icebreaker. During the two month expedition, teachers experiences ranged from sample preparation and data collection to breaking pack ice to reach the North Pole. Using e-mail, teachers were able to communicate daily with students, other educators, and the community. Upon returning from the Gakkel Ridge expedition in the fall of 2001, it was found that several thousand people followed the field journals posted daily to the TEA website. As a result of being a TEA participant, classroom teaching has broadened to include the relevance of science research and the real processes of science. By offering local and regional presentations, students and educators can see more clearly the relevance and value of science received from the TEA experience.