About

David Lipson, a scientist from SDSU, Kaare Sikuaq Erickson, the UIC Science outreach coordinator, artist Kim Reasor, and 100 fifth graders and their teachers at Fred Ipalook Elementary in Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska teamed up to learn about the science of sea ice loss in October 2019. The students embellished a poster showing a graph of Arctic sea ice decline with art depicting things they love about their home and lifestyle, both of which are under grave threat from climate change.

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Reasor scanned the students' artwork and recreated the poster in digital form. The air temperature stripes and red graph line correspond to the more dire prediction for the future. In the classroom, Reasor painted a green graph line on the poster depicting the more optimistic scenario in which a portion of the sea ice can be saved. Calling this "the green line of hope", we had a classroom discussion of ways in which this might be achieved. We hope to develop this website as a tool to further that discussion.

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Acknowledgements:

National Science Foundation, San Diego State University, UIC Science, and the fifth grade students and teachers at Fred Ipalook Elementary