Immersion Learning - Marine Mammals of the Arctic

The vast and relatively unexplored Arctic is undergoing many changes, and researchers around the globe are working with native communities to gather information on how these changes might impact marine mammals and their ocean home. Immersion Learning’s Marine Mammals of the Arctic program focuses on key species such as beluga whales, ice seals, narwhals, and polar bears. Hands-on activities introduce students to the general biology and population dynamics of these animals. Additional reading selections, activities, videos, and interactive games detail current threats to the animals and highlight conservation efforts.

Through their Immersion adventure, students will:

Meet real-life scientists and learn about their work
Explore a wide variety of science topics including Arctic geography, climate change, adaptations, predator-prey relationships, marine mammal husbandry, research methods, conservation, and careers
Learn how to do their part to protect Arctic marine mammals and their ocean home

As with all Immersion Learning programs, Marine Mammals of the Arctic is designed to be implemented in a wide variety of informal and formal education settings such as after-school programs, summer camps, and elementary and middle school science classrooms. It includes enough material for eight to twenty lessons with activity notes, extensions, multimedia connections, adaptations for younger students, and additional educator resources.

The Marine Mammals of the Arctic multimedia curriculum includes...

	Educator Pack The educator pack includes a 126-page full-color copy of the print curriculum, a CD containing a PDF version of the curriculum, and a DVD containing corresponding video clips. Each of the eight hands-on activities in the print curriculum includes a student reading selection, activity masters, and comprehensive educator notes. The curriculum is written at a sixth grade level and can be used with students in grades 1 through 8.
	Website The Immersion website contains on-demand videos, interactive games and puzzles, photo galleries, interviews with featured researchers, a library of curated weblinks related to the program content, and information for educators.
	Videos A 40-minute DVD introduces students to key science concepts and offers a window into the exciting world of research and exploration by featuring the work of real-life scientists. The five video segments included on the DVD are also available on-demand on the Immersion website.
	Interactive Games and Puzzles The interactive games and puzzles on the Immersion website allow students to explore topics from Marine Mammals of the Arctic in an exciting gaming environment. In the Beluga University game, students learn about animal training tools and techniques and use them to train a virtual beluga whale. In the Seal Rescue game, students help stranded seals recover from illness and injury so they can be returned to the wild. Interactive crosswords and word searches puzzles help students test their knowledge of key terms from the Marine Mammals of the Arctic program.
	Marine Mammals of the Arctic Sampler Click here to download a Marine Mammals of the Arctic Sampler that includes a program overview, activity summaries, a FREE hands-on activity, science topics, standards correlations, and more. All the activities are correlated to the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices from the National Research Council’s A Framework for K-12 Science Education, on which the Next Generation Science Standards are based, as well as the 2013 Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts.
	Get Involved! Visit the JASON Store to purchase a Marine Mammals of the Arctic educator pack, which includes a full-color copy of the print curriculum, a CD containing a PDF version of the curriculum, and a DVD containing corresponding video clips. To purchase a Marine Mammals materials kit, contact immersionkits@jason.org to request current pricing and an order form. Each materials kit includes 95% of the materials needed to conduct all the hands-on activities in the print curriculum. The quantities in the kit are sufficient for 32 participants working on the activities individually, in pairs, or in groups as recommended by the curriculum.

To learn more about Immersion Learning, the Marine Mammals of the Arctic program, or to schedule a professional development workshop for your organization, contact info@immersionlearning.org.