Internet Field Trip for Children

Mammals & Birds-Arctic Style

---

Meet Me in the Arctic, Artie Meet me at the Pole!

 

Wow! It's time for you to have some fun.

Let's go on the field trip to on the Information Highway. Ready?

• Rev up your computer.
  
• Get your browser going.
  
• Put your imagination to work.

 

We're taking off through cyberspace. You might want to bring some friends or your family along.

What will you find on this field trip?

• Birds that look like flying cigars
  
• Animals that are brown in the summer and white in the winter
  
• Birds that sleep on automatic pilot
  
• Whales that are called Sea Canaries
  

It will be rather cold, so don't forget your winter coat, your boots, your hat, and gloves. You might want to bring your sun glasses, for it will be very bright. We are heading to the Arctic Ocean and the lands around it. Brrrr....

Where's the Arctic? You may know it better by the name the North Pole. It's at the northern part of the earth. If you look at a globe, the Arctic is the part that is near the top of the globe. To see where the Arctic is, go to the map site. When the picture of the earth comes on your screen, click on the top. You'll see a part of the Arctic. Click on "out" and you'll see the Arctic region a little better. You can try clicking on "out" again to see what happens. Have fun at this site as you click on other parts of the Arctic region, and if you want, on other regions in the world. See if you can find where you live on the map. Then find the Arctic from where you live.

What animals and birds do you think live this part of the earth? Can you name some? You can find Arctic animals, birds, and sea mammals by playing the Arctic Game. This is a game of memory. You'll have lots of fun playing it. Try it now.

Did you concentrate? What happened when you matched all the pairs? Did you read the facts about them?

Why do you think some of the animals are white?

How much more does a polar bear weigh than you? Can you figure that one out? If you haven't learned borrowing in subtraction, get your parents to help you.

You might want to draw a picture on paper or on the computer of one of the sea mammals, mammals, or birds which live in the Arctic. Which one is your favorite? Write a short story about it and share it with your grandparents.

If you want to see more pictures of the Arctic and its creatures, click here to find a polar bear and a whale. Click on the small pictures you like and they'll get larger so that you can see them better.

If you travel the Arctic Studies Center, you'll learn about a very interesting bird, the Puffin. Find out how Puffins swim under water. They are only the size of a pigeon, but they catch lots of fish in their beaks as they swim underwater. How many fish can they hold in their beaks? No, they can't carry whales in their beaks! ;-) How do Puffins arrange fish in their beaks? Do you like the colors of the puffins?

You'll want to check out the sea mammals, birds, and mammals to see more pictures and learn more interesting facts about Arctic creatures.

Did you find which bird looks like a flying cigar? (Tufted Puffin) Which little animal turns white in the winter? (Lemming) Which bird can sleep while gliding in the air? (Albatross) Which whale "sings" like a canary? (Beluga)

We'll have to leave the Arctic Studies Center and go home now. It's been a long day and you traveled so many miles. Maybe your parents will help you figure out how many miles the Arctic Circle region is from your home.

No, no, don't bring any pets along from the Arctic as you travel home from cyberspace. You can bring their pictures, though, and maybe you'll want to write a funny story about your day in the Arctic.