Page background

Arctic Biodiversity

Recommended for Grades 4-7
Join us as we launch an exciting new program from within our Canada’s Arctic exhibit offering students the opportunity to get up close and personal with Arctic life on display at the Aquarium. They’ll discover and explore the vast diversity of living organisms supported by the Arctic environment with particular emphasis on the marine realm. 

This program will help students to understand how such an unexpected variety of life is able to persist in the harsh Arctic habitat by highlighting important adaptations and connections which enable animals and plants to survive there. Your class will also investigate key issues that affect Arctic biodiversity with especial emphasis on climate as a critical feature of the Arctic environment playing a huge role in the diversity of life that it supports and learn how human actions can play a significant role in the conservation of the Arctic ecosystem.  

Arctic Biodiversity

Program Details

Availability

Arctic Biodiversity is offered over one semester from October 12 to December 14, 2011. Please see below for semester details.
Register for this program

Fall Semester

Days: Wednesdays
Time: 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Class Size And Duration

Classes require a minimum of 20 students to register. The maximum capacity of the class is limited to 30 students. The duration of the class is 1.5 to 2 hours.
Register early to book your program.

*Note: As part of this program pilot we will be conducting trial videoconferences between students here and their counterparts from various Canadian Arctic communities. Please also note that we do not guarantee that a videoconference will be in trial on the day or time of your session.

Learning Outcomes

These programs support the Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the B.C. Ministry of Education's Integrated Resource Packages (IRPs) and the Aquarium's conservation mission.

Communication Skills

  • Describe Aboriginal peoples' relationship with the land and natural resources (Social Studies: Human and Physical Environment)
  • Describe potential environmental impacts of using BC's living and non-living resources (Earth and Space Science: Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources)
  • Explain why sustainability is important (Social Studies: Human and Physical Environment)
  • Compare the structures and behaviours of local animals and plants in different habitats and communities (Life Science: Habitats and Communities)
  • Demonstrate awareness of the Aboriginal concept of respect for the environment (Life Science: Habitats and Communities)

Critical Thinking

  • Analyze how different organisms adapt to their environments (Life Science: Diversity of Life)
  • Analyze impacts of weather on living and non-living things (Earth and Space Science: Weather)
  • Analyze simple food chains (Life Science: Habitats and Communities)
  • Analyze the roles of organisms as part of interconnected food webs, populations, communities, and ecosystems (Life Science: Ecosystems)
  • Analyze how the Aboriginal concept of interconnectedness of the environment is reflected in responsibility for and caretaking of resources (Earth and Space Science: Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources)

Assessment Skills

  • Assess survival needs and interactions between organisms and the environment (Life Science: Ecosystems)
  • Assess the requirements for sustaining healthy local ecosystems (Life Science: Ecosystems)
  • Determine how personal choices and actions have environmental consequences (Life Science: Habitats and Communities)
  • Evaluate human impacts on local ecosystems (Life Science: Ecosystems)
  • Assess the relationship between cultures and their environments (Social Studies: Human and Physical Environment)
Jellyfish

Share Your Thoughts

How was your visit? Fill in our comment card and let us know.
Find it here

Babies

Penguins

There's a new bird in town!
Now Open!
Read more

Starfish

Did You Know?

A butterfly’s top speed is approximately 19 km/hour. Read more