GLOBAL WARMING AND THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR AS A CONTEXT FOR TEACHING INNER-CITY CHILDREN EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Public concern about the effects of climate change on Earth's polar regions is increasing. Because of positive climate feedbacks, polar regions are particularly sensitive to global warming. The Third International Polar Year (IPY), designed to increase knowledge and awareness of polar regions, is set to run from March 2007-March 2009. The goals of IPY are (1) to enhance international polar research collaboration and (2) to educate the public about polar regions. The Buffalo Geosciences Program (BGP), whose goal is to promote diversity in the geosciences through outreach and education in Buffalo, NY, merged efforts with the University at Buffalo Paleoclimate Lab to address the IPY goal of educating the public. BGP interns and Paleoclimate Lab volunteers are designing outreach modules to address issues of global warming in polar regions. These modules are presented in several venues, including in Buffalo Public Schools and at the Buffalo Museum of Science.

BGP interns deliver plays about global warming to groups of children at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Immediately following the performance is a “Myth Busters” power point presentation addressing important global warming facts and misconceptions. BGP interns and volunteers also design lesson plans for presentations in Buffalo Public Schools. These presentations include a game that illustrates the effects of pollution and global warming on the ecology of polar regions.

To assess the effectiveness of these efforts, pre- and post- presentation surveys are given to each student participant. Preliminary results illustrate that although few (2%) K-5 children in Buffalo understood the concept of global warming, the vast majority (88%) want to learn more after participating in our outreach. With the IPY as a driving force, BGP interns and volunteers are successfully educating the Buffalo public about climate change in polar regions.