Discovering Antarctica: A Journey Through History and Geography

• Geography
• History
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• Primary Education

Discovering Antarctica: A Journey Through History and Geography

Svitlo School geography lesson

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe the history and geography of Antarctica.

Introduce the learning objective of the lesson to the students and explain how they will achieve it.

What do you already know about Antarctica?

Where is Antarctica?

Antarctica is located in the Southern Hemisphere and is the fifth largest continent in the world.

Show a map of the world and point out the location of Antarctica. Explain its size and location in relation to other continents.

The Discovery of Antarctica

Antarctica was first discovered by a Russian explorer, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, in 1820.

Explain the history of the discovery of Antarctica and show an image of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen.

The Race to the South Pole

In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole, beating British explorer Robert Falcon Scott.

Who was Amudsen?

Roald Amundsen was originally destined for a career in medicine. He started his studies in the field in 1890, but after the death of both his parents, he decided to give up medicine and devote himself entirely to polar research.

What did he do in Antarctica?

Amundsen set out with 4 teammates, 52 dogs and 4 sledges on 19 October, 1911. He arrived at his destination two months later, on 14 December.

Explain the race to the South Pole and show images of Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott.

Give me a fact about Amundsen

British explorer 

Robert Falcon Scott

Discovery

Who was he?

"Scott of the Antarctic" is one of the most famous of all the Polar explorers. He is best known for his legendary and fatal attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole, a month after the Norwegian Amundsen and his party.

How did Scott end up going to Antartica?

After 18 years in the Navy Scott was chosen as leader of a joint Royal Society and Royal Geographical Society Antarctic expedition, receiving news of this appointment in 1900. This was to become the "Discovery Expedition" of 1901 - 1904

Give me one fact about Scott

The Discovery

The ship "Discovery" was built especially for this expedition, a wooden sailing ship with auxiliary engines. 

More facts

She was 172 feet long, 34 feet wide and was 485 tons unladed. She left Dundee where she had been built on July 31st 1901 sailing south to Antarctica.

Where is the Discovery now?

Today, over 100 years after leaving Dundee, Discovery sits proudly as the centrepiece of the Discovery Point Visitor Centre in Scotland

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

An Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.

Rediscovering the lost "Endurance"

The sailors couldn’t stop shivering. It was November 21, 1915, and they were stranded on sea ice off the coast of Antarctica. In the distance, they could see their abandoned ship, named Endurance, stuck in the ice and flooding with seawater. Suddenly, the crew heard the ship’s wood groan and crack. The ice forced itself against the vessel, then quickly retreated. The ship “then gave one quick dive and the ice closed over her forever,” wrote the expedition leader, Ernest Shackleton. For the next 106 years, Endurance would remain lost 10,000 feet beneath the sea.

What was the name of the abandoned ship?

1. Challenger
2. Endurance
3. Venture
4. Discovery

Adventure gone wrong

Shackleton and 27 crew members set out in 1914 to try to cross Antarctica by land—but first they had to sail there. The 144-footlong ship was specially built for the chilly polar waters, with extra-thick wood planks to keep the dangerous pack ice floating in the ocean from damaging the ship.

What year did Shackleton set out for Antarctica?

1. 1920
2. 1905
3. 1910
4. 1914

Voyage

Crew

Adventure gone wrong

But just three months after setting sail from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the boat became stuck in pack ice too thick to sail through. The worthy vessel held up for nine months as the ice pushed it north. But in October, the pressure from the ice buckled the planks, and water slowly poured in.

On October 27, Shackleton ordered his crew to gather their equipment and supplies and abandon the ship, pitching tents on the ice about a mile and a half away. A few weeks later, they watched Endurance sink beneath the Weddell Sea.

What caused Shackleton's ship to sink?

1. Crew negligence
2. Storm damage
3. Buckled planks of the ship
4. Pressure from the ice

Long journey home

At first, the crew tried to drag their lifeboats on the ice, but the snowy and icy terrain was too difficult to cross on foot. So the group camped out on the pack ice as it drifted north. The crew spent the next five months surviving off of penguins, seals, and seaweed.

Finally, the ice broke up enough to allow the crew to sail in lifeboats. For seven days, they sailed more than a hundred miles to the uninhabited Elephant Island. But the crew couldn’t survive there for long. So with five crew members, Shackleton made a dangerous attempt to get help: They sailed 800 miles over 16 days across freezing, stormy seas to South Georgia Island.

How long did the crew survive on pack ice?

1. Three months
2. Six weeks
3. Five months
4. One month

Long journey home

Once they arrived, the six men hiked for 36 hours across the island to reach a whaling station. They were dirty, cold, and exhausted—but alive.

With a new ship, Shackleton returned to the uninhabited island to rescue the rest of his crew. All 28 people survived the ordeal. But the Endurance remained lost under the sea.

How long did the men hike to the station?

1. 24 hours
2. 36 hours
3. 12 hours
4. 48 hours

Shackleton's leadership was crucial for survival.

Absolutely, he kept everyone motivated.

Partially, teamwork also played a role.

Not really, luck was more important.

Undoubtedly, his decisions were life-saving.

Antarctica Today

Antarctica is home to research stations from many countries and is protected by the Antarctic Treaty System.

Explain the current state of Antarctica and how it is being used today. Show images of research stations and the Antarctic Treaty System.

The Climate of Antarctica

Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth, with temperatures dropping to -128.6°F (-89.2°C) at the Soviet Union's Vostok Station in July 1983.

Explain the climate of Antarctica and show images of the extreme cold and harsh conditions.

The Wildlife of Antarctica

Antarctica is home to many species of penguins, seals, whales, and birds, including the emperor penguin, which is the largest penguin species.

Explain the wildlife of Antarctica and show images of the different species that live there.

The Ice of Antarctica

Antarctica is covered in ice, with an average thickness of 1 mile (1.6 km). This ice contains 90% of the world's freshwater.

Explain the ice of Antarctica and show images of the glaciers and ice formations.

Antarctic Exploration

Antarctic exploration has been ongoing since the early 20th century and continues to this day, with scientists studying the continent's climate and wildlife.

Explain the ongoing exploration of Antarctica and show images of scientists studying the continent.

Which is the largest penguin species?

1. Adélie penguin
2. Emperor penguin
3. Chinstrap penguin
4. Gentoo penguin

What is the coldest recorded temperature in Antarctica?

1. -100°F
2. -70°F
3. -128.6°F (-89.2°C)
4. -50°F

What treaty protects Antarctica?

1. Kyoto Protocol
2. Montreal Protocol
3. Paris Agreement
4. Antarctic Treaty System

Antarctica and Climate Change

Antarctica is one of the most important regions for studying climate change, as it is experiencing some of the fastest warming rates in the world.

Explain the importance of Antarctica in studying climate change and show images of the effects of climate change on the continent.

Why does it matter that Antarctica is shrinking?

Protecting Antarctica

The Antarctic Treaty System was established in 1961 to protect Antarctica and ensure that it is used for peaceful purposes only.

Explain the importance of protecting Antarctica and show images of the Antarctic Treaty System.

Antarctica in Art

Antarctica has inspired many artists and writers, including Jules Verne (opposite), Edgar Allan Poe, and Winslow Homer.

Explain how Antarctica has inspired artists and writers and show images of their work.

Research: What is Jules Verne famous for?

Antarctica in Popular Culture

Antarctica has been featured in many movies and TV shows, including The Thing, Doctor Who, and Happy Feet.

Explain how Antarctica has been featured in popular culture and show images from movies and TV shows.

Antarctica in Everyday Life

Antarctica may seem remote, but it has an impact on our everyday lives, as the ice sheets play a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate.

Explain how Antarctica affects our everyday lives and show images of the ice sheets and their impact on the Earth's climate.

Antarctica in the Future

Antarctica will continue to be an important region for scientific research and exploration in the future, as we work to understand climate change and protect the continent's unique wildlife and environment.

Explain the importance of Antarctica in the future and show images of future research and exploration.

Summary

Antarctica is a continent with a rich history and unique geography that is home to many species of wildlife and plays a critical role in regulating the Earth's climate.

Summarize the main points of the lesson and remind students of the learning objective.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.

Homework: Margo will send you the instructions