Eyes on Eiders Header
       

WELCOME, TEACHERS!

The Alaska SeaLife Center and COSEE-Alaska are excited to present their latest virtual field trip (VFT), Eyes on Eiders. Join Dr. Tuula Hollmen and her team as they investigate the lives of Steller's eiders in Alaska and what it takes for eiders to breed successfully. Learn from field researchers, animal care staff, lab researchers, and the principal investigator (Dr. Hollmen) herself.

GRADE LEVEL: 5th-8th

TIME NEEDED: Between one and four 1-hour class periods (teachers may choose to use all or some of the supplementary lessons).

NUTSHELL: Students will learn about natural history of Stellers' eiders and their recent decline in Alaska. They will also explore the type of research that goes into planning the recovery of a species, as well as encounter several genres of scientific careers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

After completing this virtual field trip, students will be able to:

- Explain the life cycle of Steller’s eiders and how husbandry staff need to understand the life cycle and annual migration of these birds in order to care for the birds in captivity.

- Describe this eider research project in terms of the scientific method.

- Understand the scope of work, creativity, and inquisitiveness that goes into recovery efforts for a threatened species.

BACKGROUND:

In this virtual field trip, students will meet Dr. Tuula Hollmen (Principle Investigator), Tasha DiMarzio (Avian Curator), Nathan Bawtinhimer (Aviculturist), Sadie Ulman (Research Coordinator) and Dr. Katrina Counihan (Scientist). They compose the team at the Alaska SeaLife Center working with Steller’s eiders. Your students will follow the eider team into the field, a unique outdoor lab, and a traditional indoor lab as these scientists work to answer questions about Steller’s eiders.

This VFT can be used in a number of ways. Individuals may navigate through the pages on their own and meet all the scientists through the links on the right-hand bar. Self-guided exploration can be completed in about an hour. Alternately, teachers may facilitate a structured experience, working through each page of the VFT together as a class. Lesson plans (included in the right-hand column of this page) are available to supplement online content. Lesson plans include activities that help explain taxonomy, explore community ecology, and engage students with hands-on field techniques and an egg dissection.

TO USE THIS VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP YOU WILL NEED:

- Internet access, video-streaming capabilities
- Access to Eyes on Eiders the virtual field trip
- Projection system (with audio) to display content or a computer lab (with headphones)
- Corresponding lesson plans (arranged as PDFs in the right hand column of this page)

UNABLE TO RUN THE STREAMING VERSION? REQUEST A FREE COPY OF ALL MATERIALS ON CD BY EMAILING: education@alaskasealife.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

General information on Steller's Eiders:

US Fish & Wildlife Service: Steller's Eider Factsheet

US Fish & Wildlife Service: Steller's Eider Recovery Plan

US Fish & Wildlife Service: Species Profile for Steller's Eiders

General information about the Y-K Delta:

Video: Alaska's Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge

Education Resources Related to Climate Change:

NOAA Education Resources: Climate Change Impacts

Contact Us:

If you have any questions about this virtual field trip, please contact the Alaska SeaLife Center Education Department at education@alaskasealife.org or 907-224-6306. For more information on classes we offer, including our inquiry-based 50-minute Distance Learning programs, visit our website at www.alaskasealife.org.

 

 

 

 

CURRICULUM SUPPLEMENTS

Use the .pdf links below to access classroom activities for each section of the MELTDOWN virtual field trip.

 

Map of Alaska