Notes

Igloos, or the Ice Houses are generally built of snow and ice in very cold places. An igloo is a dome-shaped building, with blocks of ice built up in a spiral. The roof has a small hole for ventilation. The short door opening and a tunnel in front of the dome structure stops the heat from flowing outside and keeps the igloo warmer than the outside weather.The construction process of igloo is very interesting. Compact bricks of snow are cut from snow so that they are strong, and the structure is built without using any cement. The heat from the humans living inside melts the bricks and fuses them together. Wow!people like the Eskimos or the InuitsThey build larger igloos that they use as permanent home for their families. In fact sometimes when they have more than one family living close by they build a network of igloos connected together by tunnels.Why is an igloo dome shaped? Well, an arched dome shape is a balanced shape. It can support itself and stay strong even during arctic storms when powerful winds blow. In addition to the strength the shape provides, it also provides good insulation due to minimal surface area of the spherical section.


The Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic create stone structures known as the Inukshuk In their language, known as Inuktitut, Inukshuk means "in the image of man". Where the landscape is void of trees and most vegetation, there are very few distinguishing landmarks making the Inukshuk an important marker along the rugged coastline of the Arctic.

The large stones used to make the Inukshuks aIgloos, or the Ice Houses are generally built of snow and ice in very cold places. An igloo is a dome-shaped building, with blocks of ice built up in a spiral. The roof has a small hole for ventilation. The short door opening and a tunnel in front of the dome structure stops the heat from flowing outside and keeps the igloo warmer than the outside weather.The construction process of igloo is very interesting. Compact bricks of snow are cut from snow so that they are strong, and the structure is built without using any cement. The heat from the humans living inside melts the bricks and fuses them together. Wow!people like the Eskimos or the InuitsThey build larger igloos that they use as permanent home for their families. In fact sometimes when they have more than one family living close by they build a network of igloos connected together by tunnels.Why is an igloo dome shaped? Well, an arched dome shape is a balanced shape. It can support itself and stay strong even during arctic storms when powerful winds blow. In addition to the strength the shape provides, it also provides good insulation due to minimal surface area of the spherical section.


The Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic create stone structures known as the Inukshuk In their language, known as Inuktitut, Inukshuk means "in the image of man". Where the landscape is void of trees and most vegetation, there are very few distinguishing landmarks making the Inukshuk an important marker along the rugged coastline of the Arctic.

The large stones used to make the Inukshuks are supported through balance alone and represent strength through unity within the Inuit community. In very real terms, if an Inukshuk were to topple through adverse weather, a returning party could get lost and put the survival of an entire community at risk.Today Inukshuks are found throughout Canada as guideposts, garden structures, and in advertising. The 2010 Winter Olympics have adopted the Inuit symbol welcoming the world to Vancouver. The outreach of arms extends hospitality and those fortunate enough to have lived in the North know first hand that one is welcomed in an Inuit community.




Those same mesmerizing skies arrive each fall as darkness returns to Yukon nights. You might first see a hint of neon colour, then a jagged burst of green, and soon you're transfixed by shimmering aurora borealis. Dependent on auroral activity and clear skies, every appearance of the northern lights is special and unique.

The name 'Aurora' comes from the Latin word for sunrise or the Roman goddess of dawn.

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, usually of greenish color but sometimes red or blue.

This natural phenomenon usually occurs in areas known as the 'auroral zone' near the poles of the Arctic in the north and Antarctic in the south.

The effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the Northern Lights) in Northern hemisphere latitudes.

In Southern hemisphere latitudes the effect is known as the aurora australis (or the Southern Lights).

Aurora is caused by the collision of energetically charged particles with atoms in the high altitude thermosphere within our atmosphere.

Auroras are associated with the solar winds that flow past Earth. These winds flow out from the Sun and contain plasma particles (ionized gas) which gets pulled into the Earth's magnetic pole fields.

As they accelerate towards the Earth, collisions occur between these ion particles and nitrogen and oxygen atoms in our atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of amazing aurora lights.

Auroras also occur on other planets in our solar system including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Mars. Similar to Earth's aurora, the lights have been seen close to other planets magnetic poles.

The aurora often appear as "curtains" of folding light constantly changing shape.

Old folktales have suggested that the aurora can create brief and faint noises such as claps, static, or crackles heard on rare occasions by those on the ground. Recent scientific research has shown that this could in fact be true with clapping sounds recorded during an aurora display.re supported through balance alone and represent strength through unity within the Inuit community. In very real terms, if an Inukshuk were to topple through adverse weather, a returning party could get lost and put the survival of an entire community at risk.Today Inukshuks are found throughout Canada as guideposts, garden structures, and in advertising. The 2010 Winter Olympics have adopted the Inuit symbol welcoming the world to Vancouver. The outreach of arms extends hospitality and those fortunate enough to have lived in the North know first hand that one is welcomed in an Inuit community.




Those same mesmerizing skies arrive each fall as darkness returns to Yukon nights. You might first see a hint of neon colour, then a jagged burst of green, and soon you're transfixed by shimmering aurora borealis. Dependent on auroral activity and clear skies, every appearance of the northern lights is special and unique.

The name 'Aurora' comes from the Latin word for sunrise or the Roman goddess of dawn.

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, usually of greenish color but sometimes red or blue.

This natural phenomenon usually occurs in areas known as the 'auroral zone' near the poles of the Arctic in the north and Antarctic in the south.

The effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the Northern Lights) in Northern hemisphere latitudes.

In Southern hemisphere latitudes the effect is known as the aurora australis (or the Southern Lights).

Aurora is caused by the collision of energetically charged particles with atoms in the high altitude thermosphere within our atmosphere.

Auroras are associated with the solar winds that flow past Earth. These winds flow out from the Sun and contain plasma particles (ionized gas) which gets pulled into the Earth's magnetic pole fields.

As they accelerate towards the Earth, collisions occur between these ion particles and nitrogen and oxygen atoms in our atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of amazing aurora lights.

Auroras also occur on other planets in our solar system including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Mars. Similar to Earth's aurora, the lights have been seen close to other planets magnetic poles.

The aurora often appear as "curtains" of folding light constantly changing shape.

Old folktales have suggested that the aurora can create brief and faint noises such as claps, static, or crackles heard on rare occasions by those on the ground. Recent scientific research has shown that this could in fact be true with clapping sounds recorded during an aurora display.