Website Review: Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears

BEYOND PENGUINS AND POLAR BEARS is an online science resource for educators.

Produced by The Ohio State University, the resource focuses on preparing elementary educators to teach polar science concepts in an inquiry-based learning environment. Twenty thematic topics explore both the Arctic and Antarctica.

Each theme includes professional learning resources, science and literacy materials, stories from researchers and connections across the curriculum. These resources are aligned with the National Science Education Standards.

The Stories of Students section links to feature stories for specific grade levels including K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. These resources are excellent for informational reading activities.

A dozen podcasts tackle common misconceptions related to the poles. These would be excellent for listening activities.

Web seminars and print-on-demand resources are also available to extend the experience.

The Polar Pinterest social media site is used to share interesting visuals related to the polar regions including plants, animals, icebergs, and more.

Librarians will find a wealth of resources to connect children with information about the polar regions. Connect these informational and instructional resources with the science curriculum and extend the experience with your nonfiction collection. The website’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning fits well with the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

Although it appears that the website is not being expanded, the resources are all functional. A companion website called Beyond Weather focuses on weather and the water cycle.

To visit the website, go to http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/.
To visit the companion website, go to http://beyondweather.ehe.osu.edu/.