[MACEP] IPY Resource: Polar Palooza

[Gus Frederick]

Howdy All!

I've been pretty quiet these last few years since they closed OPEN. My 
main current project I keep meaning to share with my fellow MACEP 
educators, but keep forgetting about is the "POLAR PALOOZA" (PPZA) project.

PPZA is a project of Geoff Haines-Stiles' "Passport to Knowledge," a 
science-education content provider. Some on this list may have seen or 
participated in several of his past projects, such as "Passport to Mars, 
Pluto, etc." done in conjunction with NASA TV and various universities.

This new project, funded by NASA, NSF and others, if focused around the 
"International Polar Year," (IPY), which started last March. Actually 
slated for two years, the IPY is modeled after the 1957 International 
Geophysical Year, and Geoff's team was tasked with setting up an 
interactive media-intensive Website, blog and Wiki as an educational 
resource for this project.

For this, they hired me to setup the initial Website, and keep it 
updated. Additionally, I have setup a WordPress blog with reports from 
the field and various video podcasts, plus a MediaWiki for the various 
teachers and researchers to use "behind the scenes" for planning 
purposes. Sony donated a number of HD Camcorders for our "HD Video 
Camera Corps," and Apple a pair of "screaming weasel" Quad-core MacPros 
for editing.

Over the last several months, the content has been flooding in, so I 
thought that I would point this group to the sites:

   Main Polar Palooza Site:
   http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/
   (Quicktime 7+ required to view the splash video)

   Stories from Changing Planet Blog:
   http://passporttoknowledge.com/blog/

Currently we have an on-going series of dispatches from High school 
science teacher Betty Carvellas who is traveling the Bering and Chukchi 
Seas aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Service icebreaker Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

We also have a number of video podcasts from Greenland Summit Station, 
meteorite hunters in the Antarctic, some clips from the Bering Sea about 
the USCG Icebreaker Healy and more.

Besides being a super-cool project to work on, I get to use one of those 
MegaMacs! Additionally, this 'old dog' is having to learn new tricks 
like setting up a blog & wiki, with integrated video podcasts. Wow!

Anyway, please pass this info along to your schools, districts and ESDs! 
This is GREAT STUFF! There will be MUCH MORE to come, so STAY TUNED! And 
let us know what you think. Feedback is good!

Cheers!

Gus Frederick
Silverton, OR