Located in interior Alaska, the city of Fairbanks was founded in 1903 as a trading post after gold was found in the area. Today, nicknamed the Golden Heart of Alaska, Fairbanks and the surrounding area are home to more than 80,000 people with numerous species of migratory birds passing through or stopping every year.
Fairbanks sits along the winding Chena River just north of the much larger Tanana River. Whenever my family is passing through town, we always stop at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Do you think they might be there now?
The UAF campus is located West of Downtown Fairbanks and North of the Fairbanks International Airport, just across the Chena River. The Airport can be identified by its long straight runway and adjacent float pond. Can you help me by clicking on the campus? Use this city map for more clues. (interactivity and more information 5.1)
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is Alaska's premier research and educational institution. At the Geophysical Institute in particular, studies are conducted related to natural processes that control the planet, especially those both occurring in and affecting Alaska. (interactivity 5.2)
I don't see my family here. Let's look elsewhere.
Perhaps they are in Creamer's Field, an old dairy that has been turned into a refuge for migratory birds. Can you click on it and help me find my family?
The refuge is North of the Chena River and Downtown Fairbanks, and off of College Road. (interactivity 5.3)
Oh! Oh! There is my family! You found them! They are about to head north though, so I'll see you later. Thank you for all your help. I hope you love Alaska now as much as I do! Goodbye and maybe I'll see you around here again!
(Last page) - Picture of the Canada Geese flying in a 'V' formation over an Alaskan field. An animation shows the lead bird flying off the screen to right.
The End.
Interactivity and more information 5.1:
Find University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) on a satellite image. Directions for
locating UAF are provided in the text. The more information button opens a map
of West Fairbanks that provides additional clues to locate UAF. The map clearly
shows the Fairbanks International Airport, the Winding Chena River and the location
of the campus.
On correctly identifying the UAF and clicking on it, the next screen comes up. On clicking some other 'wrong' spots on the image a pop up window appears telling what the particular feature is and asking the user to try again. Only on identifying the UAF can one go to the next screen. Else the continue button is disabled.
Interactivity 5.2:
A small subset of the satellite image of Fairbanks, showing
the UAF area is shown. The user can toggle between a road overlay on/off link.
'On' overlays the prominent roads in the campus is red color, on the satellite
image. 'Off' removes this road overlay.
Interactivity and more information 5.3:
Find Creamer's Field: This interactivity is very similar to interactivity 5.1.
The image of Fairbanks is provided again. Directions for locating the Creamer's
field are provided in the text. The more information button opens a map of a
part of Fairbanks that provides additional clues to locate Creamer's field.
The map clearly shows the UAF, the Chena River, College Road and down town Fairbanks.
On correctly identifying the Creamer's field and clicking on it, the next screen comes up. On clicking some other 'wrong' spots on the image a pop up window appears telling what the particular feature is and asking the user to try again. Only on identifying the Creamer's Field can one go to the next screen. Else the continue button is disabled.