00_cover_Biennial Report 05-06.qxd - INSTAAR - University of ...

The Lost Seal: A Scientific Children’sBook from the Long-Term EcologicalResearch (LTER) ProgramPainting of the lost seal beinglifted by a helicopter by Emily ofGranby Elementary, Worthington,Ohio, 2005–2006. Emily’spainting was part of a classroomactivity based on The Lost Seal.Emily wrote, “I drew this picture... because I thought it was coolwhen they scooted it into thetarp without hurting it. And theysaid that the winds were 144miles per hour. WOW, it mustbe cold out there!”Achance encounter between scientists working in theDry Valleys of Antarctica and a young Weddell seal isrecounted in the scientific children’s book, The Lost Seal.Diane McKnight and an international team of scientistswere working in the Dry Valleys in 1990 when they cameacross a Weddell seal, miles from his natural habitat onMcMurdo Sound. McKnight described the encounter in ahandout for K–12 classroom presentations. With theInternational Polar Year (IPY) approaching, the handout wasrevised and illustrated to become the second book in aseries published by the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Schoolyard Program and Moonlight Publishing, LLC,in collaboration with the NSF, CU Boulder, and Byrd PolarResearch Center at the Ohio State University.The Lost Seal is an engaging introduction to the environmentof the Dry Valleys and is consistent with sciencestandards for 2nd through 5th graders. The story is setwithin the context of historical exploration of the region,the harsh conditions for life, and ongoing research onhydrology, limnology, and microbial ecology.Illustrated by Dorothy Emerling, The Lost Seal also featuresillustrations and comments by dozens of elementaryschool students from countries performing research in theDry Valleys. The story, with footage of the seal and photosof the Dry Valleys on DVD, was sent to 28 elementaryschool classrooms across Australia, New Zealand, theUnited Kingdom, and the United States.The materials packet served as the basis of classroomactivities, and the children’s artwork and comments, 413 inall, were sent back to INSTAAR. All the children’s artworkcan be found on The Lost Seal web site (http://www.mcmlter.org/lostseal), along with the materials packet.Once The Lost Seal was completed, sets of books were sentto each participating classroom.The Lost Seal links several outreach efforts. Artworkfrom children in four countries emphasizes the internationalnature of interest in the Antarctic in a way particularly suitedto the IPY. Creating the artwork became an activity indozens of classrooms across these countries, and sets ofbooks returned to the classrooms enable future activities.The web site, linked to educational clearinghouses, helpsreach a broad audience of K–12 teachers and students.Teachers can link their own classroom activity web sites toThe Lost Seal site. The book is for sale through distributorsto libraries, bookstores, and Internet-based vendors. Ateacher’s guide, which is under development, will be distributedsimilarly and sent to participating classrooms.The success of The Lost Seal has helped launch theLTER Schoolyard Series; two more children’s books are indevelopment from different LTER sites.Painting of a seal that has justhad a meal by Brandon ofLeongatha Primary School,Victoria, Australia, 2005–2006.Painting of the seal stuck in themountains by Helen of CombeDown Primary, Bath, England,2005–2006.Cover of The Lost Seal children’s book,with words by Diane McKnight(INSTAAR) and illustrations byDorothy Emerling, published in 2006.An encounter between scientists and ayoung Weddell seal in the Dry Valleysof Antarctica has inspired the bookand its publication, which coincideswith the International Polar Year (IPY).The book links multiple outreachactivities of the McMurdo Dry ValleysLTER project.36 | SOCIETAL MISSION