I am passing this opportunity along to participate in Polar Science This project was last year’s winner of the Edublog Awards “Best example/case study of use of weblogs within teaching and learning.” Please pass this opportunity to interested educators.

Educators: Use internet communication and collaboration tools that help engage students in learning through this unique experience.

Administrators: Teachers are supported through experienced project leaders, who are able to help educators through any challenges they may face.

IT Geeks: Encourage your staff to participate in the read/write web, and watch communication and collaboration grow in your schools.

YES I Can! Science has now opened registration for what is promising to be a fantastic learning experience for students – *Polar Science 2006*.

Building on the tremendous success of last year’s project with York University scientist Dr. Thomas Hawke, we are following Dr. Shane Kanatous from Colorado State University on a scientific expedition to Antarctica. From October to December, 2006, Dr. Kanatous and his team will be investigating the adaptations that allow young Weddell seals to develop into elite divers. Studying these adaptations may have tremendous implications for human medicine. By understanding how another mammal has successfully overcome the debilitating effects of working under low oxygen conditions, scientists may be able to learn new therapeutic approaches to assist humans with heart or lung disease.

Students from grades 4-12 will have the opportunity to read the expedition team’s weekly updates, conduct their own experiments and research, and communicate with the scientists through the Polar Science web site.

We are very excited about the upcoming expedition. This year we have added something new to the project; an /Ice Team/ and a /Lab Team/. The /Ice Team/ led by Dr. Kanatous will be performing the field research, analysis and collecting samples from the Weddell seals in Antarctica.

The /Lab Team/, led by Dr. Thomas Hawke will be performing experiments and analyzing samples in his lab at York University in Toronto. The Teams will be in constant communication via email and web logs (that you will get to look in on!). This is a great opportunity to see how research is conducted and students will get the chance to see discoveries made in real-time!

For complete information about the project and to register your class visit:

http://www.polar06.yesican-projects.ca .

(As with all YES I Can! Science project, there is no cost to take part.)