EQUATOR TO ARCTIC: YOUTH - MEASURING, MAPPING AND PLANNING FOR CHANGE

The Equator to Arctic project is a hands on curriculum development work, engaging students in real world action.

This presentation will highlight the intial stages of the development and progress to build and share a project based social/environmental curriculum through hands-on study: giving students and their community tools for understanding the changing climate, identifying local risks and making assessments and plans for adaptation and remediation.

This August 2016 a team of 6 Martha's Vineyard Island students will travel to Alaska to engaged in data collection of scientific and social indicators of climate related changes. The team will learn and use methods of gathering valid data and information in the field through working with Woods Hole Research scientist Susan Natali Phd. who has been conducting experiments in the Arctic for several years.

The culmination of the project is the development of a useful curriculum beginning in the 11th/12th grade and expanding to lower grades over time. The curriculum will engage students in real world work, where research, writing and planning may effect public action and the community may take steps to identify risk and work for adaptation and mitigation.

Students will record their findings and experience in several formats. They will take notes in the field and keep a diary of the experience. They will also digitally record the locations, vistas and experiments in which they take part. This work is part of an ongoing effort to create an interdisciplinary program in which science and social science are understood as partners in creating meaningful direction for communities.