9 July, 2003

Cemetery Hill

Today in Kotzebue
It was a sunny day with a high of 51 degrees. In the early morning, with little wind, mosquitoes were a problem.

What Science Is Happening?
Today the boat went out with Alex Whiting, Dr. Will Ambrose, Kate Meltzer and Melinda Reynolds. I opted to stay behind (there are only so many people the boat can comfortably take) and run samples when they returned. So I was able to do some sight seeing in and out of town. I walked out of town to Cemetery Hill. It is very interesting and solitary. I was able to see out across the tundra. I hoped to find some shed caribou antlers but no such luck. The best I was able to do was a fin from a walrus or whale (haven’t identified it yet). I have earned the nickname “Amie, the collector of dead things”…it fits.

Classroom Connections:
I am, as yet, unable to identify the bone I found. What do you do when you find something in nature and you don’t know what it is? The next time you find something in nature, a flower, animals evidence, spot an unknown species, etc. don’t just say “that’s nice”, look it up. Local books on flora and fauna (plants and animals) and the Internet can be great resources to identify things that are found and help students become nature detectives. Teachers can take a nature walk, even with young students and can look for nature evidence. Have guiding questions: “Who lives here?” “What are the plants native to our area?” Then help students find books and sites and help them identify what they find. Then send them out in their own neighborhoods to collect more.

Reflections

It was a solitary journey to the burial ground where generations of past citizens of Kotzebue repose. Standing among these many loved ones keeping their vigilant watch over the ancient city was moving experience. The well-kept graves are an interesting juxtaposition to the unkept cemetery. Overall, it was a spiritual experience and I’m glad I got to see it.

Links

Learn more about our project here
View curriculum for this project, “Ask a Scientist” and learn about other Arctic Real Time research at Arctic Alive
City of Kotzebue Webpage
Listen to the local radio station KOTZ live

Notice Kotzebue in the background.

This is the whole arm from the unknown bone I found.

Me in protective gear, mosquitoes can be bad on the marshy tundra.

Cemetery Hill