Unit Overview
Week
1
Science
Introduce topic- Antarctica
-view and discuss Antarctica PPT
SOSE
Mapping- Where is Antarctica?
-locate, label & colour continents of the world on a blank map using an
Atlas.
Explicit teaching: latitude, longitude, compass points
View DVD ‘March of the Penguins’: Discuss with the students the
content of the DVD. What have they learnt about Antarctica and
its wildlife?
PPP: Antarctica
Blank World map
DVD: March of the Penguins
Atlas
2
Speaking task handout.
Flora & Fauna in Antarctica
-view website Antarctica: Journey to the frozen continent
-record 5 important notes/ facts about plant and animal life
Food chains & Food webs
-view food chains/webs PPT
-discuss difference between food chain and web
-view website: Feeding relationships
-Introduce terminology: producers, consumers, herbivores,
carnivores, omnivores.
The Antarctic’ activity sheet (mapping revision)
Websites: http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215022/animals.htm
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase3delivery/Wales/Science/Keystage
4/Livingthingsand/Feedingrelation/Introduction/act2.swf
Look at a map of Antarctica. Using the Antarctica Bases worksheet, ask
students to find the location of the three bases and record it on their
map. Students are to create a scale for their map and also a legend with
shading or symbols.
Read and complete the Antarctica Bases worksheet.
Blank map of Antarctica
PPP: Food chains and Food webs
3
In ICT lessons: introduce creating a wiki (explain what it is and
why it is used-assessment piece).
Discuss the weather trends in Antarctica over the course of a year.
Ask the students to create a number of food chains for humans.
They are to use these food chains to then create a food web for
humans. Ask the students to write down which of these are
producers and which are consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary
etc.)
Read the PPP: Antarctica – weather trends.
Look at weather chart and answer the questions.
Food Web Scavenger Hunt worksheet
Fact sheets
Antarctica Food Web worksheet
Plant and animal life in Antarctica worksheet
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/antarctic.htm
4
Ask students what would happen if a particular animal (e.g.
penguin, seal, krill) was removed from their food web? Ask them
to discuss this with a partner and record their ideas. Discuss the
possible implications of this as a whole class.
Read and discuss the PPP Antarctica: ecosystems.
Explain to the students that the decisions we make now will affect
the future of Antarctica and its inhabitants.
In groups, students are to read one of the following information
cards: sealing, whaling and fishing, the Ozone layer, tourism and
climate change, energy – polar issue. Students are to answer the
related questions and share their learning with the class.
Introduce the term ‘sustainability’. Ask the students how actions
today affect environment in the future? What might the future in
Antarctica be like?
PPP: Antarctica – Ecosystems
PPP: The Green House Effect
http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/ecosystem/ecosystem.html
5
Discuss the conditions of both Australia and Antarctica – climate,
lifestyle, flora and fauna etc.
Give students two scenarios: living in Antarctica and living in
Northern Australia. Ask the question how would humans adapt to
suit their environment? How have animals adapted to suit the
climate and lifestyle of Antarctica? Record ideas. Look at PPT:
Adapting to Antarctica. Students to take notes.
Explain to the students that in groups they will be researching a
sustainability topic e.g. whaling, sealing, fishing, Ozone depletion, climate
change, tourism etc. The students are to write a short exposition either
for or against the topic they choose. They must provide structured and
well-researched arguments either supporting or opposing their topic.
Note: the students will be given time during SOSE and English (writing)
lessons to complete their exposition.
Expositions will be explicitly taught during Writing lessons.
PPT: Adapting to Antarctica
Exposition planning template
Animal OHTs
http://www.classroom.antarctica.gov.au/5-southern-life
internet/books
6
Introduce adaptations- explain what adaptation is (survival of the fittest). Discuss with students particular animals that have
adapted over time to suit their environment. Explain that this can come in a variety of forms e.g. camouflage, features to adapt to
climate, features to adapt in order to catch food etc. Look at the PPT: Animal Adaptation. Discuss the information and ask
students to complete the activities.
Students will begin to research information about a particular Antarctic animal. Their focus will be to identify the animal’s
place in the food web and also how it has adapted to suit its environment. The students will create a wiki and display
their information and facts on a specific adaptation and how the animal exists in the food chain/web of
Antarctica.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/school/Antarctica/Animalprintouts.shtml
Websites for research:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/school/Antarctica/Animalprintouts.shtml
http://www.readyed.com.au/urls/AYL/antarctica.htm
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/emperor-penguin.html
http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/wildlife/whales/food%20web.htm
7
Experiment: Melting Arctic Ice (ocean levels)
Ask the students what could happen to Antarctica due to global
warming? Discuss ideas which arose from the previous
experiment and build on these ideas. Explain that we will be
conducting an experiment to investigate whether melting Arctic
ice and melting icebergs would cause ocean levels to rise. Look at
PPP: melting Arctic Ice. Discuss the variables and constant factors
Students to work on their sustainability exposition.
The students will also have extra time this week to put the finishing
touches on their Wiki projects.
of the experiment and how it will be carried out. The students are
to complete the aim, prediction, method and diagram sections of
the experiment worksheet. Once they have completed the
experiment, they are to complete the results and reflection
section. The students are then to use the information gathered
from the experiment to comment on how rising sea level could
affect the Earth and its inhabitants. (Answer questions on PPP).
Look at website: NOVA: warnings from the ice. Discuss with
students how the melting ice will impact on the rest of the world.
8
View DVD ‘Life in the Freezer’.
Ask the students to write down and then discuss what they have learnt over the term and how they are going to use this knowledge and
understanding in the future.
Reflect on learning over the term Complete the Antarctica quiz on the Cool Antarctica website
DVD: Life in the Freezer
http://www.readyed.com.au/urls/AYL/antarctica.htm