All About Antarctica

Construct a twelve-sided paper globe to display facts learned while exploring Antarctica.

• 1.

  Research the continent of Antarctica to learn about its land forms, resources, climate, industry, agriculture, and wildlife. What special characteristics do animals have in order to thrive in such a frigid climate? Why is the Antartic Peninsula particulary sensitive to changes in global temperatures? Collect facts and pictures about this South Pole continent.

• 2.

  To make a globe that displays facts about Antarctica, use a compass and Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils to draw 12 circles, each with a diameter of approximately 5 1/2 inches (14 cm). Within each circle, draw a pentagon, with each line measuring about 3 inches (7.6 cm). Each point of the pentagon must touch the sides of the circle. Cut out the circles with Crayola Scissors.

• 3.

  Using colored pencils and/or Crayola Crayons, color the background of each pentagon in soft, light colors. Write important information about Antarctica on each of the 12 pentagons. Include illustrations of items such as maps, birds, insects, animals, and housing.

• 4.

  To assemble your globe, fold all five lines on each of the 12 pentagons upward. Place one circle face down, resting on its edges. Attach one edge from each of five more circles to it with a Crayola Glue Stick. Continue to join the edges until you have six circles connected, forming one-half of a ball. Make another half-ball in the same way with the remaining six circles. Attach the edges of the top half to the lower part of the globe.

Benefits

• Students research the continent of Antarctica to find important facts about its topography, resources, climate, industry, agriculture, and wildlife.
• Students identify Antarctica's animal life and learn what special needs and habitats these creatures require to live in this frigid land.
• Students create a three-dimensional display globe that shows 12 different interesting facts about Antarctica.

Adaptations

• Students use information on each other's globes to write lists of nouns and adjectives that describe Antarctica. Students share information about the continent in preparation for a test or presentation.
• Create an Antarctic bookmark by drawing a scene from that continent and then adding a few words that describe this land mass.
• Admiral Richard Byrd, born on October 25, 1888, in Virginia, was the first person to fly over the South Pole. He was also the first to lead an exploratory expedition to Antarctica, and the first to spend a winter on the continent. Research more information about Byrd and other Antarctic explorers such as Sir Ernest Shackleton.