Antarctica is a continent that captures the imagination and overwhelms the senses. Even though this icy wilderness is thousands of kilometres away, it has a significant impact on our oceans and climate. Few people get to visit Antarctica, yet we can all learn from the science being done down on the ice.
Watch the video to meet scientists at Cape Evans in Antarctica. Take a tour of their field camp and discover more about living and working in Antarctica.
Ponder this
Consider the following questions. You could talk about your ideas with your favourite people at home or online.
- Why is it so important for people to take care of the Antarctic environment?
- How does this camp differ from a camp you might set up on a holiday in Aotearoa?
- Is there anything about the way this camp has been set up that surprises you?
- What will happen to this campsite when the science team has finished their field work?
Activities
Create your own camp. This camp could be in the form of a fort inside your house or a tent in the backyard. Autumn is here, what sleeping equipment and clothing will you need to keep warm?
Ask a parent or caregiver if you can test how well your camp works by sleeping in it overnight. If your tent is outside you could take an adult camping with you.
Share your camping experience in a photo, draw a picture, or create a news report, story, or poem.
Ask a parent to post a picture of your camp on Instagram. Use the hashtags #learnztrips, #campingathome, or email a photo to LEARNZtrips. Tell us about your discoveries and experience if you want to.
We’ll share some of your images on our Instagram space @learnztrips.
Want to know more?
Join scientists in Antarctica as they study sea ice. There are tiny organisms living on the underside of the ice; see how they fit into the Antarctic food web and discover the role they play on the Antarctic marine ecosystem.
