Visiting Beringia
An archaeologist for the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve of Alaska looks into the lens of a small, digital camcorder and sees newly uncovered artifacts. She invites her fellow travelers to follow her to the next dune to see what evidence of human history they can find in this isolated landscape.
As she moves forward, the tundra grasses are alive with wildflowers dancing in
the summer wind. Birds from as far away as Southeast Asia and Africa sing
their songs in the foot-tall willows that hug the sand.
She may have tens of thousands of fellow travelers, but they will leave no footprints in the sand. Rather, they visit Beringia's tundra from middle school classrooms across North America, experiencing virtual travel to one of Earth's most remote, beautiful and significant environments, via television and the Internet.
Why would middle school students want to visit Beringia?
The Bering Land Bridge, or Beringia, is a living laboratory for the exploration of crucial
ecological relationships. Located near the Arctic Circle, the area's fragile
systems of animals and plants provide scientists and students of science with a
wealth of data on ecological relationships, adaptation and trends inherent in
changes over time. Anthropological studies bring to light important information
about North America's wide ranging settlement patterns with their rich cultural
and anthropological history.
Armed with knowledge that can be gained from Beringia, students can participate in a meaningful fashion in finding answers to some of their world's most pressing cultural and scientific questions. They will deal with issues concerning the possibility of global warming to the preservation of ancient culture. Their visit to this remote area in which they have an owner's interest should incite dreams and aspirations for their own futures, as well as the future of their planet.
 |
arctic home | travel guide | ticket holder | teacher notes |
| explorations | order
|