Stonewall first-graders ‘visit’ Alaska
Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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Toward the end of the videoconference, each student took a small lump of clay and molded a harbor seal.
Why do some marine mammals pack on blubber while others sport thick coats? Why does one have flat, smooth teeth while another’s are sharp and pointed? It’s all about adaptation, according to an expert at the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Educator Darin Trobaugh showed first-graders at Stonewall Elementary how animals’ bodies have developed special features that help them survive where they live. Harbor seals, for instance, have the thick layer of fat to withstand the frigid waters, while polar bears have insulating fur instead. Also, a sea otter crunches his crabs and clams – shells and all – while a sea lion snags slippery fish and swallows them whole.
Trobaugh didn’t visit Lexington, and the Stonewall youngsters certainly didn’t take a field trip to Seward, Alaska, but they communicated in real time through an interactive videoconference, complete with a hands-on craft.
Paula Setser-Kissick, a technology resource teacher for Fayette County Public Schools, discovered the Alaska resource through the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), which is a sort of clearinghouse for videoconference providers. When Kirsten Murphy noted that her class was studying animal habitats, they searched on CILC for options and found several recommendations for the SeaLife program.
“We’ve really focused on animals and their environment and what they need to survive. And as the weather’s been changing here, we’re looking at how animals survive in different kinds of temperatures, (particularly) cold, snow and ice,” Murphy said.
She liked the idea of introducing her students to Arctic critters since they don’t see those kinds of marine mammals in Kentucky.
“I love to come out and meet with the teachers to help them think about all the different aspects, especially how to choose a videoconference,” said Setser-Kissick, who sets up the equipment in the classroom and handles the long-distance hookup. “I emphasize that the pre and the post are a valuable part of it. It’s going to have so much more value when you can link it back to the curriculum.”
Murphy found that the accompanying packet of materials could be tailored for grades 1-4, with simple science experiments, art projects and questions for reflection supplementing the videoconference. Even during the one-hour exchange, her youngsters used lumps of modeling clay to fashion their own tiny harbor seals.
The Stonewall kids paid close attention as Trobaugh explained how a diver’s wetsuit works and shared video clips of various animals living at the SeaLife Center. He also held up samples of fur to the camera to illustrate the thickness of their coats.
In addition, Trobaugh touched on a little geography, talking about the size and location of Alaska and pointing out the Pacific and Arctic oceans and the Bering Sea. He brought in science as well, noting that since the water temperature hovers around 40 degrees, the ocean there doesn’t freeze.
“There’s only so much they can learn by reading about it. This is a new and innovative way to teach them a lesson and connect them to the real world,” Murphy said in praise of videoconferences.
Setser-Kissick said the goal is for every school here to host at least one videoconference each year. In the broader picture, the aim is to foster collaboration among schools around the country or even around the world, creating meaningful interaction between students.
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Paula Setser-Kissick, technology resource teacher in FCPS
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