Watertown Resident Deb Berlin Travels to Arctic Circle

For Deb Berlin, the trip to the Arctic Circle was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will greatly enhance the scientific learning in her classroom.

Deb and nine adventurous teachers joined scientists to observe the effects of global warming through the highly acclaimed Earthwatch Expedition program. Earthwatch, an international environmental nonprofit, engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education in climate science. The daily schedule was rigorous: Briefings, collecting data, gathering water samples, measuring the depth, pH, temperature and conductivity in various areas, mapping out the wetlands, studying organisms and attending nightly lectures. Significantly, Berlin's time in the Arctic Circle will allow her to infuse the curriculum with real-world experiences, exciting content and astute observations.

“My goal is to teach and inspire students to learn as much as they can, to examine their own impacts, and inspire them to do whatever they can to make a difference,” says Berlin. “I was able to observe, first-hand, how the effects of climate change are amplified in the Arctic and if, and how, the local wildlife populations are adapting.” Deb Berlin combines her passion for science with a teaching style that is beloved by her students. As she says, “I am a science teacher and I hold the belief that science is best learned actively.” Deb plans to start the school year by sharing photos and stories from her expedition. She hopes to inspire more action, more conservation work, and more awareness from her students on the impact of the environment.

The Rashi School’s 162-acre campus is located next to the Charles River and is surrounded by woodland and wetland. This setting provides a tremendous opportunity for the students to study the local ecosystem and its biodiversity, reinforcing the scientific concepts the students are learning in the classroom. “I’m really motivated by our school’s commitment to climate change education,” says Berlin. Rashi's middle school science curriculum utilizes an inquiry based approach, allowing students to learn through their own hands-on experiences and their questions about the world. Highlights of Rashi’s STEAM initiatives include multiple school-wide design thinking projects, a newly developed environmental science curriculum in 6th grade; student-developed experiments in 7th grade; and regular hands-on labs informing student learning in 8th grade.

Deb Berlin earned a BA in Psychology from Goucher College and a M.ED. in Elementary Education from Lesley University. She resides in Watertown.

This trip was made possible through funding from The Rashi School as well as the Teach Earth Fellowship, which is part of the Earthwatch Institute. The program offers teachers the opportunity to step away from their desks and out of the classroom for an outdoor environmental learning experience.

About The Rashi School

Located on a beautiful campus in Dedham, Mass., The Rashi School is a co-ed independent school for grades K-8 affiliated with the Reform Movement of Judaism. Rashi’s integrated, rigorous curriculum nourishes student curiosity; the school’s social justice program and spiritual life encourage critical thinking and meaning. Rashi’s diverse community welcomes all kinds of families, from traditional and non-traditional to interfaith and multiethnic, representing more than 20 towns across eastern Massachusetts.