Antarctica Connections

Overview

Students locate Australia and Antarctica, identify Antarctic features, and investigate how Australia connects with this special environment. The lesson develops mapping, inquiry, collaboration and care for places through an age-appropriate Australian Curriculum v9 Geography focus, interpreted for Tasmanian planning.

Curriculum note: The curriculum search returned no directly matching descriptor. Teachers should verify the specific Australian Curriculum v9 and Tasmanian curriculum code against the school’s selected planning documents.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• locate Australia and Antarctica on a world map or globe
• describe Antarctica’s ice, cold climate, wildlife and remoteness
• explain simple connections between Australia and Antarctica
• use maps, evidence and discussion to ask and answer questions
• recognise that Antarctica is a special environment requiring care

Success criteria

• I can point to and label Australia and Antarctica.
• I can describe at least three features of Antarctica.
• I can explain two ways Australia connects with Antarctica.
• I can suggest one way people can help protect Antarctica.

Curriculum links

• Geographical knowledge: places, environments and connections between Australia and other parts of the world.
• Geographical concepts and skills: place, interconnection, mapping, observation and communicating information.
• Inquiry learning: asking questions, sorting information, using evidence and sharing explanations.
• Sustainability and responsible citizenship: recognising the value of environments and ways to care for them.

Prior knowledge

Students should know that Australia is a country and be familiar with simple maps, oceans, directions and the idea that some places are colder or warmer than others.

Vocabulary

Antarctica, Southern Ocean, climate, ice sheet, wildlife, remote, research, scientist, station, territory, environment, protect.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 minutes – Mystery hook Open with the mystery image and object hook. Show an image of an icy landscape and an object or picture such as a penguin, snow goggles, research notebook or map. Ask: “Where could this be? What clues can you see?” Students think, pair and share; record predictions without confirming immediately.

2. 7–17 minutes – Map challenge Display the world map and locating challenge and provide a large world map or globe. In pairs, students find Australia, then trace south towards Antarctica and identify the Southern Ocean. Invite several students to demonstrate. Students complete the locating section of the Antarctica mapping and inquiry sheet by labelling Australia, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and adding a compass direction.

3. 17–27 minutes – What is Antarctica like? Reveal the answer to the hook using the Antarctica features slides. Briefly teach that Antarctica is a continent covered by ice, has an extremely cold and windy climate, is remote, and is home to wildlife such as penguins, seals and whales. Clarify that people do not live there permanently in ordinary towns; scientists and support staff work there for periods of time. Students add three feature words or sketches to their worksheet.

4. 27–37 minutes – Connection-card sort In groups of five, students sort teacher-prepared cards into “Australia connects to Antarctica” and “Not a connection”, then explain their choices. Use cards with these copy-ready statements: “Australia has an Antarctic Territory”; “Australian scientists work in research stations”; “Ships and aircraft carry people and supplies”; “Scientists study weather and climate”; “People work together to protect Antarctic environments”; “Australia is joined to Antarctica by a road”; “Antarctica has Australian suburbs”. Correct misconceptions through discussion. Use the connection-card instructions and discussion prompts. Formative check: each group shares one accurate connection.

5. 37–51 minutes – Design a research station Groups design a research station on the worksheet or a sheet of paper. They must include a labelled location, sleeping and working areas, food and water supplies, transport access, a way to reduce waste, and one wildlife or environmental protection rule. Display the research-station design task. Assign roles such as mapper, recorder, designer, resource manager and speaker. Groups present a 30-second explanation: “Our station helps Australia connect with Antarctica because…”

6. 51–56 minutes – Share and reflect Invite three groups to present. Ask: “Which feature of Antarctica affected your design?” and “How did your group show care for the environment?” Students add one improvement to their design after listening to others.

7. 56–60 minutes – Exit ticket Finish with the question-stem cards used to prompt oral rehearsal, then students complete the final section of the Antarctica mapping and inquiry sheet: “Antarctica is important because…” and “Australia connects with Antarctica by…” Collect responses as students leave.

Resources

• the complete Antarctica lesson slide deck
• the Antarctica mapping and inquiry sheet
• Globe or large world map
• Five groups of connection cards, handwritten or printed from the statements above
• Mystery image and object or photograph
• Blank paper, pencils, coloured pencils and rulers
• Board and markers
• Optional sticky notes for group ideas

Teacher preparation

• Check the classroom globe or map clearly shows both Australia and Antarctica.
• Prepare one mystery image and object, and place students in five mixed-ability groups.
• Copy the worksheet and connection-card statements; cut the cards apart.
• Avoid presenting Antarctica as an empty or ownerless place. Explain that it is a protected environment where people from different countries cooperate, and that Australia administers the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Assessment

• Observe map-pair work and question students about relative location, direction and the Southern Ocean.
• Listen to card-sort explanations and research-station presentations for accurate connections and environmental care.
• Use worksheet responses and exit tickets to identify students needing reteaching about location, features or connections.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a labelled reference map, picture vocabulary cards, sentence starters such as “Antarctica is…” and “Australia connects by…”, and allow oral answers or scribing.
• EAL/D and students needing additional support: pre-teach vocabulary with images, pair with a supportive peer, model one card-sort example and reduce the number of required labels.
• Extension: ask students to explain why Antarctica’s remoteness makes transport and research difficult, or add a labelled renewable-energy feature to the station.
• Use flexible roles, drawing and oral presentation options so students can demonstrate understanding without relying only on extended writing.

Cultural and safety considerations

Use respectful language when discussing places, people and environments. Reinforce that Antarctica is a shared area of international cooperation and a home for wildlife, not a place for unrestricted human use. Do not use real ice, food or equipment that could create hazards; keep movement controlled during group work and check for latex, food or material allergies.