A big day/night out in Resolute...
Our final day of the ACE Arctic Validation campaign outreach program got nicknamed the St. Patrick's Day blitz. The day was bitterly cold with blowing snow and wind chill factors between -46 and -50 C. It would definitely be an indoor recess day!
We started first thing with the Grade 6-8 class. It is not my favorite time of day and we could tell that it was not theirs. We started by talking about climate change and how we can use spectroscopic measurements (light analysis) to determine what is in the atmosphere and how much there is of it. Then we got them to make their own spectroscopes and look at different light sources. It went smoother than it had at Umimmak School now that we were acquainted with all the pitfalls. Jeff did a similar set up to the activity as he had done in Grise Fiord. All of the students had to imagine that they were working in my lab and I had asked them to analyze three different light sources. They were given worksheets to write down their observations and they compared the results from the classroom lights, an incandescent light bulb and scattered sunlight. Again, we had a good day for observing diffuse sunlight outside but all the students had to promise that they would not use their spectroscopes to stare at the Sun (and damage their eyes). By the time we had built the spectroscopes, the Grade 6-8 students were much more into the activity and we even got Jeffrey and Ragilee to participate. It was great to see the students making their notes and then comparing them. Finally, we had them look at a fourth source, a halogen bulb, and determine which of the sources it most closely resembled. Thanks to the Grade 6-8 class for their interest in our presentation and I hope that they enjoyed doing the activity as much as we did working with them. Thanks to Earl, Ragilee and Jeffrey for their help, support and interest during the workshop.
After a quick coffee/tea break during recess, we had the Grade 5 class arrive for a workshop on using satellites to study Earth and space. This was a neat group to work with because they are the largest class (and grade group). They were very enthusiastic as we started talking about all the different parts (or systems) that make up a satellite (power, commanding, payload etc.) and several Canadian satellites that study the land (Radarsat), air (SciSat-1, Odin), and distant stars (MOST) and as well as one that are used for communications (ANIK). Also, we made sure that we talked about Alouette, the satellite that started it all for Canada. The enthusiasm grew when each student got to build their own satellite. They had to think about what it was going to do, how they were going to power it, and how they were going to talk to it. We had lots of highly technical building materials for the students to use: toilet paper tubes, straws, pipe cleaners (the gold ones went fast), dixie cups, cardboard, foil along with lots of tape. They really got into the activity and we had a great time asking each one what their satellite was going to do. We also had the laptop projector display images of different Canadian satellites during the activity. This proved to be a good inspiration because we had one student who made an "Odin" like satellite with a dish antenna and the solar panels that deploy below it. At the end of the class, we hung up all of the satellites and had each student describe all of the different parts of their satellite. Great fun was had by all during this session and we thank the Grade 5 class for being really interested in satellites and space. Thanks also to Ragilee and Jeffrey for helping to keep everything moving during the building phase.
Our final presentation followed a hearty lunch at South Camp. Dejian, Jeff and Tobias got to start off the Grade 3-4 workshop on the solar system and using satellites to study them because Tracey and I had an interview scheduled with a reporter from Nunavut News/North, a weekly paper for all of Nunavut. I was supposed to be back after a few minutes so that I could help with an audience participation event. We used the students to make the solar system - each one acting as one of the planets. Dejian had looked up the distances and scaled them so we could fit our "solar system" across within the classroom or down the hall. This activity was a great lead in for when Tracey does the solar system in more depth later in the year. She usually draws the orbit track of each planet on the playground in chalk and then the students can rotate around the Sun each as a different planet! Needless to say the media interview ran longer than it was supposed to and I got back just in time to do my part of the presentation: Earth observing satellites. The other three team members had gotten the class into a great mood and they were eager to learn. After the presentation was completed, we moved on to a construction activity. Everyone got to build a rocket to take their satellite to study one of the planets. We tried to use lots of the leftover satellite building materials. We had some amazing rockets built and it was interesting to learn that most of them were going to Pluto! I don't know if it was because it was far away or very cold or we just don't know a lot about it but everyone wanted to send their satellite to Pluto. It was a real blast to work with the Grade 3-4 class and Pilapousee, the student support assistant, and teacher Tracey who provided us with such great help.
We spent some time after recess talking with Brian and Tracey about life at Qarmartalik School. Just before the girls started their throat singing class, we made sure that all of the students had received ACE Campaign, CSA, CANDAC and PEARL stickers and SCISAT-1 pins. Also, I thanked Brian and Tracey for my new Resolute Bay hat. It was made by one of the local artists, Sarah Nungaq and it will never get lost because my name is crocheted right into the pattern. It is wonderful that we have been able to continue our partnership with Qarmartalik school. Thank you to Brian, Tracey, and all the staff members for their support and making our visit so very enjoyable. I hope the students will keep up their enthusiasm for science and we hope to see them next year!
On the way home, we did a quick visit to the hamlet office and RCMP detachment. We had a brief opportunity to chat but found that everyone was busy at the end of the week. We made sure we left ACE sticker and pins everywhere we went. While I went home to do some other work, Tobias, Jeff and Dejian visited the Sustainable Development office to see what they had in their freezer.
The post-dinner entertainment was quite wide ranging. First, the ACE campaign team and 3 of the Ice Warriors went to the community centre to play bingo. This was the last Friday night in a series which was raising money for a group of students to go to Pond Inlet and learn more about cultural and traditional skills. We were up for this especially since it was a fund raiser. We realized quickly that to play properly you need to sit next to someone from Resolute who could explain the rules of each of the different games. No one in our group had ever heard of the "kite" (one diagonal line with a 2x2 square in the upper corner). Once we settled in, we discovered we have a bingo champion in our midst. Jeff had the touch for two games in a row. He then bought Nevada lottery tickets and snacks to share his winnings. In the end, Mona, the MetTech we had met in Grise Fiord, split the $800 jackpot with another person. We returned to South Camp for phase two of the evenings activities - movie and Chinese herbal medicine (if you dare). Jeff had promised that he would try Dejian's herbal medicine on St. Patrick's Day and he did not back out. Several of the Ice Warriors were also convinced to partake of the medicine in addition to Jeff and Tobias. The look on everyone’s face convinced me that it was not worth a try. In the end, I stuck to chocolate.
With our last sessions at Qarmartalik School, the campaign is drawing to a close. Tomorrow, we pack up and head south.
Best regards,
Kaley.