Susy Ellison: Dreaming of the Cool North, July 22, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Susy Ellison
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
September 9-26, 2013

Mission:  Hydrographic Survey
Geographic Area: South Alaska Peninsula and Shumagin Islands
Date:  July 22, 2013

In September I will be heading north for 3 weeks as a NOAA Teacher at Sea (TAS).  Right now it’s over 90F outside and I am happily visualizing wearing layers of fleece and waterproof raingear on the deck of the NOAA Ship Rainier assisting with hydrographic survey work along the South Alaska Peninsula and Shumagin Islands.

How am I preparing for my experience?  First and foremost, it’s important to actually practice blogging and communicating using the TAS website.  Since this is the platform that will enable me to communicate with my coworkers, students, and all of you out there in the blogosphere, it’s important to learn how to manipulate all the nuances of electronic communication.  Second, I need to learn about the work I will be involved in during my TAS cruise.  Third, since I will be gone during the school year, I need to design lessons and unit plans that will enable students and staff at school to follow along during my experience.  Finally, since it’s still summer vacation, I need to make sure that I get out there!!

I am Susy Ellison, a teacher at Yampah Mountain High School in Glenwood Springs, CO.  Yampah is a public, alternative high school serving students from 4 school districts.  Our students come to us for a variety of reasons, although most are united in their search for a high school experience that helps them identify and pursue their passions while providing information in a relevant, hands-on manner.  I am the sole science teacher for our school, responsible for teaching earth, life, and physical science classes, as well as taking students outdoors for weeklong trips in the nearby mountains and deserts. My passion is environmental literacy, creating connections between people and their planet.  My students will tell you that, no matter what class they are taking, they learn about the planet and how their actions matter.

If you’ve been a good follower of the TAS blogs, you will already know that there have been 4 teachers cruising along on the Rainier (2 of them are on the ship right now).  I have been following their blogs to learn about the science and daily life aboard the ship.  It is exciting to know that there are still places that need to be mapped. I am looking forward to gaining firsthand knowledge of the mapping technology that is used. The one thing that I have noticed is always mentioned in their blogs, besides the science, is the fact that no one is malnourished onboard the ship!

In the coming weeks I will be designing lesson and unit plans for my science classes so that they will be able to follow along while I am at sea. Since Yampah takes an integrated approach to education, I am also creating lessons that our math, language arts, and social studies teachers will be using to add a little hydrographic science to their classes.  The lessons will revolve around the theme of ‘Mapping Our World’, which just happens to be this year’s theme for Earth Science Week.

Finally, my preparations include having an action-packed summer vacation.  I am lucky enough to live in western Colorado, close to mountains, rivers, and deserts.  I have spent part of the summer floating rivers in Utah and Idaho with my husband and friends.  Now, as the waters ebb, I am heading to the mountains for some altitude-adjustment and hiking.  The wildflowers are lovely, and the high-elevation hiking helps me beat the heat (and stay in shape!).

Stay tuned as my cruise approaches for more of my preparations and, perhaps, some glimpses of the lessons I will be preparing for my students.