Alaska’s Cold Winter

Introduction

Everyone knows that it is cold in Alaska in the wintertime. BRRRRRR! Sometimes VERY cold. But, why? Aliy and her teaching assistants will start by looking at our planet Earth and its orbit around the sun. Then they’ll explore why this effects Alaska in the winter. How cold does it really get?

Learning Objectives

Students will review the solar system. Then they will look closer the Earth and understand how the its revolution and tilt cause the seasonal differences on the planet. They will learn how cold gets in Alaska and understand the effects that these frigid temperatures have on the ocean.

Using Science Standards for Alaska 

1. Disciplinary Core Idea (DCI)
   1. Earth and space science
2. Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)
   1. Asking questions and defining problems
   2. Developing and using models
3. Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs)
   1. Patterns
   2. Cause and Effect
   3. Systems and System models
   4. Energy and Matter

Worksheets

After the lesson.

Additional Resources

Here are links related to this lesson.

“Spaceship Earth – An animated documentary of how Earth works”

“U.S. Climate Data”

“Walrus in Frozen Ocean of Alaska Shore”