On Ice

Unit Plan

On Ice

Social Studies Online

TEACHER Jacinda Andrews

YEAR
11

CURRICULUM LEVEL
6

NCEA LEVEL
1

DURATION
5-6 weeks

Achievement Standard Being Assessed	Achievement Criteria
Social Studies 1.4 Examine differing values positions	- Explain why people hold differing values positions. - Describe some consequences of people holding differing values positions.
Social Studies 1.5 Decide on social action(s) in relation to a social issue	- State possible social actions in relation to a social issue and identify their likely consequences. - Identify, with reason(s), the preferred action(s).
Curriculum Achievement Objectives	Learning Outcomes
Resources and Economic Activities How and why individuals and groups make decisions about the use of resources, goods and services	Students will be able to: - Explain what goods and services can be found in Antarctica. - Examine how individuals (e.g. explorers and scientists) make decisions about the use of these resources, goods and services. - Explain how groups (eg. the countries with claims to Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty signatories, tourist operators) have made decision about the use of resources, goods and services.
Place and Environment The implications of changes to places for people and for the environment	Students will be able to: - Explain what changes have occurred and are occurring in Antarctica as the result of the decisions of these individuals and groups. - Explain the impacts of these changes on the environment of Antarctica. - Explain the impacts of these changes on people.
Processes	Learning Outcomes
Social Decision Making	- State a wide range of possible social actions in relation to a tourism development in Antarctica and outline, in depth, their likely consequences. - Identify the preferred action(s) and justify with reasoned argument.
Requirements
Settings:	New Zealand; Global
Perspectives:	Current Issues; the Future.
Essential Learning About New Zealand Society (ELANZS):	New Zealand's participation in significant international events and institutions and its possible roles in world affairs in the future

Assessment

Choose from either a 1.4 values assessment or a 1.5 social decision making assessment according to your needs.
Achievement Standard 1.4 Examine differing values positions
The Last Great Wilderness
Assessment Schedule
Assessment Sheet
Achievement standard 1.5 Decide on social actions in relation to a social issue
Talkback host: Antarctic tourism
Assessment Schedule

Teacher Background Reading

Lonely Planet Guide

TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Select and adapt these learning activities to best meet the needs of your students, and to fit the time available:

Introduction
Starter
Complete the starter on Antarctica to find out what people know and don't know. This could be completed in class or given as research at home. Check the answers.
Where in the world is Antarctica?
Locate and label Antarctica on a world map.
What you know
Describe the natural environment of Antarctica This can be done by completing an MTW.
Ice words
What do some of the unusual 'Ice Words' mean? Use OneLook to find out the meaning of the following words, and any others you come across, eg. Ice Shelf, Dry Valley, Glacier, Gondwana, Sea Ice, Ice Berg, Pack Ice.
A Cold Place to Live
Construct a climate graph to show the temperature of Scott Base, the South Pole and the place where you live.
Find out more about Antarctica
Use the Cool Antarctica Web site to create an ABC Grid of Antarctica.
Virtual Antarctica
Go on a virtual tour of Antarctica.
Resources, Goods and Services found in Antarctica
The Last Great Wilderness
Read about the natural environment and landscape of Antarctica. Construct a Concept Web on the Antarctic Environment.
Minerals
Using the information on minerals create an annotated map of Antarctica.
How do people survive in this environment?
Choose from the following activities (depending on class time available):
1. What to wear?
  Using the information about clothing New Zealanders wear in Scott Base, create a T Chart to show whether each piece of clothing is for keeping out cold, wind or light.
2. Health hazards
  Many people work in Antarctica on the scientific bases scattered around the continent. As you have seen with the climate graphs, Antarctica is a very cold place. Because of the climate and environment, people can be affected in certain ways. Attempt the Wintertime Quiz. Then create a Health pamphlet for future visitors to Antarctica.
How have Individuals made Decisions about the use of these Resources, Goods and Services?
1. Explorers
  - Read the sheet on the Antarctic Explorers. Complete the Mubbles activity to see what people thought of the explorers.
  - So many explorers
    There were many people who went to Antarctica to explore. Complete the mini inquiry "Men Wanted" on an Antarctic explorer. Use the Explorer websites.
  - Video
    The BBC 2 part series on Ernest Shackleton, called Shackleton shows the experience of Antarctic explorers very well. Only part 2 is really of relevance (from when the boat gets crushed by ice and sinks).
  - Explorers Today
    Today, people are still exploring Antarctica and setting out on expeditions. Examples of recent expeditions:
    - Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen who attempted to be the first women to cross Antarctica
    - Eric Philips, Peter Hillary and Jon Muir who attempted to be the first to ski to the South Pole and back.
    Choose one of the above expeditions and complete the chart on preparing for a trip to Antarctica.
2. Scientists
  - Examine how scientists make decisions about the use of these resources, goods and services. Complete the chart. Create a business card for a scientist.
  - The "Opening up of Antarctica"
    The information collected by the explorers on Antarctica, opened up the continent to many other people. This led to the International Geophysical Year in 1957. Write a newspaper article about the IGY as if you were alive in 1957. More about the IGY.
  - Implications of the IGY
    Create a T Chart.
3. Nations with an interest in Antarctica
  - Ownership
    Who owns Antarctica? Study the map and state how can all these countries work together in the best interests of Antarctica. Why doesn't the USA have a claim in Antarctica, yet they have many bases there?
  - A Piece Of New Zealand On Ice
    Read about New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica. Create a History Road to show what New Zealand has been doing in Antarctica.
4. Tourists
  - Read about Tourism in Antarctica. Create a spider map describing main tourism attractions and smaller details of these on the 'arms'"
What Changes have Occurred and are Occurring as a result of the Decisions made by these Individuals and Groups
The Real Treaty
Read a summary of the treaty and how it works. Create a jigsaw on the Treaty.
A job at Scott Base
Complete the Info Gap based on the experiences of a RNZAF helicopter engineer when he was in Antarctica.
What are the Impacts of these Changes on the Environment of Antarctica
Waste
Why is waste such a problem in Antarctica? Complete the chart and then compare with the actual solutions to waste in Antarctica. Each base in Antarctica has to deal with its waste. What happens to waste at Scott Base?
Environment
There are many environmental issues in Antarctica. All of them could create changes to the environment of Antarctica. What many people don't realise is that these environmental changes in Antarctica will also impact on the rest of the world. Complete the environmental Tri-circle.
Waste in the past
Read the story about the lack of concern for the environment in Antarctica in the past. Compare it to what it is like today.
Overall human impact
Read about the different types of human impact in Antarctica. Create a Jigsaw.
What are the Impacts of these Changes on People
The implications of tourism
Complete the diagram to show the impact tourists may have on Antarctica. Show the implications of change to the Antarctic for people and the environment.
Achievement Standard 1.4 Examine differing values positions
The Last Great Wilderness
Assessment schedule
Antarctica: The Road Ahead
What of the future?
Read people's view on the future of Antarctica and complete the problem solving chart.
The Future
What might happen to Antarctica in the future? Construct a Future timeline.
Achievement standard 1.5 Decide on social actions in relation to a social issue
Talkback host: Antarctic tourism
Assessment schedule
Other Activities
'Classroom videos' have a video called Life On Ice that has good information on living in Antarctica, the explorers and the wildlife.
For schools in the Christchurch region there is the International Antarctic Centre which is full of wonderful information and lets students experience the coldness of the climate in Antarctica.
For schools in the Auckland regions there is Kelly Tarltons Underwater World and Antarctic Encounter where students can see a replica of Scotts hut, read the Antarctic Treaty and see live penguins.

RESOURCES

Print

Cherry-Garrard, A. The Worst Journey in the World Penguin books: London
Cubitt, S., Irvine, R., Dow, A. Top Tools for Social Science Teachers Longman: Auckland
Rubin, J. Lonely Planet Antarctica, Lonely Planet Publications: Melbourne

Electronic

Videos

Heart of Ice: A Blakexpeditions Project TV One from Whitcoulls
Life on Ice Classroom Videos (Wild South)

Other

Andy Gollings for his story about working in Antarctica

This material has been produced by UNITEC Institute of Technology
under contract to the Ministry of Education.

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