Antarctica Workshop

Antarctica Virtual Workshop

For Third Grade Social Studies Teachers

Introduction:

Antarctica is listed as one of the areas of geographic study for grade 3. Studying Antarctica can cover several other objectives at the same time. (Objectives #4, 5 9, 10, 11, 12, and connections to #16, 21, 23, and 35.)

The following plan:

gives background information on Antarctica,
presents a map study that can be simplified or expanded as needed,
looks at exploration
studies life species in Antarctica, with an emphasis on penguins
presents a virtual field trip
discusses who owns and rules Antarctica

1. This site http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/2/t_guide/activity_A1.html

gives more background information than you might want, but it is thorough, yet fairly concise and understandable. This was originally written for a live telecast for older students, so be selective. Most of these would be teacher- guided activities.

There is an interesting T/F pre-test to get students (and us) thinking. Try it!

Antarctica is the largest continent. (F)
There are cities in Antarctica. (T: McMurdo in summer swells to over 1,500 people)
You will find polar bears in Antarctica. (F)
Antarctica doubles in size and shrinks each year. True or False, and Why? (T: The ice sheet grows and melts from winter to summer.)
Antarctica is a continent covered by ice and snow, just like the Arctic.
(T: for Antarctica. F: for the Arctic, which is ice over water, and is not a continent)
Daylight lasts for six months at the South Pole. (T)
There are rivers and volcanoes in Antarctica. (T)
There is water under nearly all the ice. (F)
Penguins live only in Antarctica. (F: Penguins live elsewhere south of the equator, including coasts of South America, Southern Africa, and islands north of Antarctica.)
Antarctica is a territory of the United States. (F)

For your information, this table contrasts the Arctic and Antarctica. It’s a bit too advanced for grade three, but good background for teaching and the questions that may arise. http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/antarctica2/t_guide/blackline_4.html

Antarctic facts: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.sonrisa.com/teacher.htm&original=http://www.proteacher.com/090069.shtml&title=Antarctica%20Teacher%20Resources

2. Blackline masters for map study are included as well as. You might make an overhead of the map outline, and/or enlarge it for students.

I would think the best way to introduce Antarctica would be with a globe, since its location to the rest of the earth’s continents is best shown that way. A K-W-L chart would also be very appropriate – find out what students think they know about Antarctica.

Map skills www.abcteach.com/themeunits//Map.htm

Outline map: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/antarctica2/t_guide/blackline_2.html

With features located: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/antarctica2/t_guide/blackline_3.html

Guided map study: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.sonrisa.com/teacher.htm&original=http://www.proteacher.com/090069.shtml&title=Antarctica%20Teacher%20Resources

“Answers” to above: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.sonrisa.com/teacher.htm&original=http://www.proteacher.com/090069.shtml&title=Antarctica%20Teacher%20Resources

On the map of Antarctica, locate:

East, West, peninsula

Coldest (central area), warmer (outer areas), warmest areas (peninsula)

Surrounding oceans

Geographical South Pole (moves)

Nearness to South America

McMurdo Station

Amundsen-Scott Station (S Pole)

2. Explorers http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/2/t_guide/activity_A2.html

Students should know Amundsen and Scott. The “Sidebar” link provides a brief intro to Amundsen and Scott. Students can research them further in any appropriate reference.

Shackleton’s expedition is a great children’s read aloud. (Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Journey, by Alfred Lansing)

3. This would be a good time for a

Virtual field trip http://www.tramline.com/sci/antarctic/index.htm

There’s so much information here, you will want to preview the site and select what you want to “take” with the children. Be sure to read #2 stop on the filed trip – All about Antarctica.

Students might then decide what to take on a field trip to Antarctica. Themes here are conservation and survival. http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/2/t_guide/blackline_9.html

Students might make up their own lists first. They should understand why they would take some things and not others. They might also categorize items as to whether they support survival or conservation.

4. Antarctic life

This site lists the 17 species of penguins that are found in Antarctica, and information about them (names, comparative sizes; life cycle, survival). You might study the main ones (Emperor and Adeli penguins) together, and have groups or individuals research the others. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_and_Barbara_Barham/frame_photos.html

5. A Fact File index can provide just about everything else you want to investigate. http://www.tramline.com/tours/sci/antarctic/_tourlaunch1.htm

6. Who owns/rules ? The unique governance of Antarctica is worth discussing. www.nsf.gov/od/opp/antarct/anttrty.htm

7. Additional resources:

Online crossword puzzle:

http://www.abcteach.com/wordpuzzles/onlinepuzzles/antarctica.html

Antarctic animal word search: http://www.abcteach.com/Themeunits/Antarctica/wordsearch.htm

General Antarctica word search:

http://www.abcteach.com/Themeunits/Antarctica/AntarcticaWordSearch.htm

Eight different penguin coloring masters:

http://www.abcteach.com/directory/theme_units/animals/penguins/

ICAIR (International Center for Antarctic Information and Research)
http://www.icair.iac.org.nz/tourism/visitor.html

Logic puzzles (and answers): http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.sonrisa.com/teacher.htm&original=http://www.proteacher.com/090069.shtml&title=Antarctica%20Teacher%20Resources