Teaching pack: How are we connected to Antarctica? – Upper KS2
Embark on an expedition to Antarctica with your students and learn how we can protect this frozen continent
Antarctica, the Earth’s frozen continent and one of its greatest wildernesses, is under threat. An ever-growing body of scientific evidence confirms that across our planet, the climate is changing. The UK alone has experienced its ten hottest years on record since 2002, according to Met Office data, and all around the world, a greater number of extreme weather events are occurring. In certain locations on our planet, temperatures are rising faster than in others and this is particularly evident in the polar regions.
This teaching pack provides everything teachers need to start exploring Antarctica with their students, from the explorers who have ventured there (and who venture there still) and the living things that call it home, to the effects on the Antarctic ecosystem of retreating sea ice and the part we can play in halting global warming by rethinking our use of energy. It invites students and teachers alike to embark on their own Antarctic journey – a journey of learning that challenges them to work towards achieving a healthier future for our planet.
On their educational expedition to Antarctica, children will consider their own personal skills and attributes and how these allow them to contribute to a team and to achieving a shared goal. They will identify ways in which our own actions, through our use of energy, are changing the Antarctic landscape and the lives of the species that live there – and consider what we can do to tackle this so that we significantly reduce our use of fossil fuel energy. They will immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of this awe-inspiring continent and learn about some of the species that call it home, expressing their understanding through creative writing and art.
This pack was created by The Harmony Project in collaboration with Reboot the Future as part of its ‘We Are Antarctica’ campaign. As we become more focused on the need to reduce energy costs and work with ever-stretched budgets in our own homes and schools, it can be easy to forget that our actions not only impact ourselves and our communities but ripple all the way to the southernmost point of our planet.
Aimed at upper KS2, this pack brings the wonders of Antarctica to life through English, Maths, Art, Science, PSHE and more.
