Svalbard, Norway

Ship's Journey

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole. One of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, it's known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra sheltering polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. The Northern Lights are visible during winter, and summer brings the “midnight sun”—sunlight 24 hours a day. (Wikipedia)

I spent six days aboard the National Geographic Explorer with Lindblad Expeditions in early June 2017 with leading naturalists, photographers, and adventurers.  As part of the fellowship, I meet Fran Ulmer, chair of the Arctic Research Commission (USARC), who informed me about the importance of the Arctic Council in the global management of the Arctic.

photo credit: Becky Hale

Lesson Overview

Essential Questions:
1)  What is the Arctic Council and how does it function?  What is its significance in regulating and managing the Arctic?  
2)  How do perspectives of members and permanent participants compare and contrast?  How do they work together to create consensus for decisions?
3)  How are the happenings of the Arctic (environmental, cultural, economic, political) interconnected to the rest of the world?   

National Geographic Learning Framework:

attitudes

Skills

Knowledge

This lesson is designed to engage students in development of global competence.  As they progress through the simulation, students will develop the attitudes, skills, and knowledge to be a geographic explorer.
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Learning Activities:

DAY 1	DAY 2-3	DAY 4
GEOGRAPHY	TOPIC SELECTION	SIMULATION
360 EXPLORATION	RESEARCH	CONCENSUS BUILDING
ROLE ASSIGNMENT	-	RECOMMENDATIONS

Assessment:
Students will demonstrate skill and content mastery through the Arctic Council Simulation performance assessment.  

Teacher guide

The Arctic calls. Will you answer?

Student-Centered

Global Competence

Authentic Assessment