Classroom Resources / "Antarctica Lesson Collection"
Collection
Antarctica Lesson Collection
18 resourcesDive into the wonders of Antarctica with this multi-grade lesson collection! Tailored for K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, each unit includes engaging activities, thought-provoking discussions, and hands-on projects to uncover the mysteries of the frozen continent. Enhance your teaching with stunning BBC video clips showcasing Antarctic wildlife, research stations, and breathtaking icy landscapes. Printable resources like animal fact sheets, scientist journal templates, and conservation challenges bring the learning to life for your students. Perfect for science, geography, and environmental lessons!
Collection Details
Lesson Units
Lesson Plan
Create Your Own Cartoon Penguin: Antarctica K-2 Lesson In this activity, your students will watch captivating BBC videos from Andy’s Animal Babies and Go Jetters and then create their own Antarctic penguin character! They'll begin by learning about the coldest continent — Antarctica — and the penguins that live there. Then, students will be challenged to create their own penguin cartoon characters based on what they have learned about the characteristics and behavior of real penguins.
Lesson Plan
Journey to Antarctica: A Penguin StudyIn this activity, students will step into the boots of Antarctic research scientists as they uncover the secrets of penguin life! They’ll start by sharing what they already know about Antarctica before "traveling" there through a BBC Frozen Planet video, which will let them experience the continent up close. Then, each student will select a penguin species to research and they will use a BBC video from Seven Worlds, One Planet or Frozen Planet to gather their observations. Students will synthesize their notes as they create a research journal page, and they will then wrap up by discussing what new questions they’re curious to investigate next!
Lesson Plan
Exploring Antarctica: Let's Be Research ScientistsTake your students on a research journey to Antarctica! In this lesson, students will become Antarctic scientists as they explore the continent’s unique wildlife using video clips from BBC’s Seven Worlds One Planet and Frozen Planet. Students will watch the videos, then research an Antarctic animal of their choice. They will explore what is known about the animal, identify gaps in scientific knowledge, and suggest future research areas. Finally, students will present their findings in a class display to inspire others to learn more about this amazing environment!
Lesson Plan
Exploring Antarctica as ScientistsIn this lesson, your students will step into the shoes of Antarctic scientists! They'll dive into the fascinating world of Antarctic research stations and unique wildlife with video clips from BBC’s Seven Worlds One Planet and Frozen Planet. After exploring the videos and researching more about this frozen continent, your students will write a creative journal entry from the perspective of a research scientist sharing their experiences in Antarctica. You’ll wrap up the lesson with a meaningful class discussion about why studying Antarctica matters and how the discoveries made there could shape our world.
Lesson Plan
Create Your Own Cartoon Penguin: Antarctica K-2 Lesson In this activity, your students will watch captivating BBC videos from Andy’s Animal Babies and Go Jetters and then create their own Antarctic penguin character! They'll begin by learning about the coldest continent — Antarctica — and the penguins that live there. Then, students will be challenged to create their own penguin cartoon characters based on what they have learned about the characteristics and behavior of real penguins.
Lesson Plan
Journey to Antarctica: A Penguin StudyIn this activity, students will step into the boots of Antarctic research scientists as they uncover the secrets of penguin life! They’ll start by sharing what they already know about Antarctica before "traveling" there through a BBC Frozen Planet video, which will let them experience the continent up close. Then, each student will select a penguin species to research and they will use a BBC video from Seven Worlds, One Planet or Frozen Planet to gather their observations. Students will synthesize their notes as they create a research journal page, and they will then wrap up by discussing what new questions they’re curious to investigate next!
Lesson Plan
Exploring Antarctica: Let's Be Research ScientistsTake your students on a research journey to Antarctica! In this lesson, students will become Antarctic scientists as they explore the continent’s unique wildlife using video clips from BBC’s Seven Worlds One Planet and Frozen Planet. Students will watch the videos, then research an Antarctic animal of their choice. They will explore what is known about the animal, identify gaps in scientific knowledge, and suggest future research areas. Finally, students will present their findings in a class display to inspire others to learn more about this amazing environment!
Lesson Plan
Exploring Antarctica as ScientistsIn this lesson, your students will step into the shoes of Antarctic scientists! They'll dive into the fascinating world of Antarctic research stations and unique wildlife with video clips from BBC’s Seven Worlds One Planet and Frozen Planet. After exploring the videos and researching more about this frozen continent, your students will write a creative journal entry from the perspective of a research scientist sharing their experiences in Antarctica. You’ll wrap up the lesson with a meaningful class discussion about why studying Antarctica matters and how the discoveries made there could shape our world.
Video Clips
Video
The Amazing Teamwork of Emperor Penguin ParentsIn The Amazing Teamwork of Emperor Penguin Parents, host Andy Day journeys to Antarctica where emperor penguin fathers sit patiently with their egg on their feet for two months while the mothers fish for food. When the penguin parents are reunited, the egg has hatched and the mother takes over babysitting while the father goes to feed. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Andy’s Animal Babies, in which Andy Day explores the lives and experiences of baby animals.
Video
Adélie Penguin Chicks at the Bottom of the World [TEST 12/09]In Adélie Penguin Chicks at the Bottom of the World, host Andy Day highlights the Adélie penguins living in Antarctica. Starting out their lives on land, the penguin chicks practice walking and learn endurance by racing to get their portion of food from the parent who only has one portion for the two chicks. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Andy’s Animal Babies, in which Andy Day explores the lives and experiences of baby animals.
Video
Frozen Adventures: The Magic of Antarctica!In Frozen Adventures: The Magic of Antarctica!, Ubercorn and friends travel to Antarctica, the coldest and windiest place on Earth. In this frozen land, you'll discover huge ice rivers called glaciers, and even hear the ice creak as it moves! Learn all about the South Pole, where penguins live and play, and explore the world’s biggest glacier, the Lambert Glacier. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
Video
Antarctic Exploration: Discoveries at the South Pole In Antarctic Exploration: Discoveries at the South Pole, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how scientists on Antarctica work to learn about the atmosphere, how volcanoes influence the air we breathe, about cosmic rays that are just reaching Earth, and what the interior of Antarctica is made of. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
Chick Competition: Adélie Penguins In Chick Competition: Adélie Penguins, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how penguin chicks huddle together for warmth as they wait for their parents to bring them food. When the parent penguins arrive, it’s a feeding frenzy, and not every chick will get enough to eat. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
Strange Sea Creatures Thrive Under the IceIn Strange Sea Creatures Thrive Under the Ice, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us below the ice to see how life has diversified. Strange creatures, including nudibranchs, thrive there. Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites that possess both male and female reproductive organs making mating a matter of finding any other nudibranch. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
The Sophisticated Feeding Technique of Humpback WhalesIn The Sophisticated Feeding Technique of Humpback Whales, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Southern Ocean and the humpback whales that feed there. When Antarctica broke off from South America, it created swirling currents that sweep up nutrients from the bottom of the ocean, making it one of the richest waters on earth. In the summer, humpback whales come there to feast on shoals of krill, blowing curtains of bubbles and spiraling inwards to capture the swarm. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
Weddell Seal Pups: Surviving AntarcticaIn Weddell Seal Pups: Surviving Antarctica, narrator Sir David Attenborough reveals the challenges newborn seal pups face in one of the harshest environments on Earth. From enduring subzero temperatures and blizzards to entering the icy water for the first time, every decision impacts their survival. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
A Moment in the Sun: Spring in the Arctic In A Moment in the Sun: Spring in the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough walks us through time-lapse videography showing how the Arctic transforms during the spring and what this means for the Arctic poppy and the hearty, persistent woolly bear caterpillar. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
King Penguins: A Crowded ColonyIn King Penguins: A Crowded Colony, explore the remarkable life of the king penguins on South Georgia Island. Amid half a million birds, chicks must stay put to be found by their returning parents who rely on unique calls to reunite. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
The Amazing Teamwork of Emperor Penguin ParentsIn The Amazing Teamwork of Emperor Penguin Parents, host Andy Day journeys to Antarctica where emperor penguin fathers sit patiently with their egg on their feet for two months while the mothers fish for food. When the penguin parents are reunited, the egg has hatched and the mother takes over babysitting while the father goes to feed. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Andy’s Animal Babies, in which Andy Day explores the lives and experiences of baby animals.
Video
Adélie Penguin Chicks at the Bottom of the World [TEST 12/09]In Adélie Penguin Chicks at the Bottom of the World, host Andy Day highlights the Adélie penguins living in Antarctica. Starting out their lives on land, the penguin chicks practice walking and learn endurance by racing to get their portion of food from the parent who only has one portion for the two chicks. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Andy’s Animal Babies, in which Andy Day explores the lives and experiences of baby animals.
Video
Frozen Adventures: The Magic of Antarctica!In Frozen Adventures: The Magic of Antarctica!, Ubercorn and friends travel to Antarctica, the coldest and windiest place on Earth. In this frozen land, you'll discover huge ice rivers called glaciers, and even hear the ice creak as it moves! Learn all about the South Pole, where penguins live and play, and explore the world’s biggest glacier, the Lambert Glacier. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
Video
Antarctic Exploration: Discoveries at the South Pole In Antarctic Exploration: Discoveries at the South Pole, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how scientists on Antarctica work to learn about the atmosphere, how volcanoes influence the air we breathe, about cosmic rays that are just reaching Earth, and what the interior of Antarctica is made of. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
Chick Competition: Adélie Penguins In Chick Competition: Adélie Penguins, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how penguin chicks huddle together for warmth as they wait for their parents to bring them food. When the parent penguins arrive, it’s a feeding frenzy, and not every chick will get enough to eat. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
Strange Sea Creatures Thrive Under the IceIn Strange Sea Creatures Thrive Under the Ice, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us below the ice to see how life has diversified. Strange creatures, including nudibranchs, thrive there. Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites that possess both male and female reproductive organs making mating a matter of finding any other nudibranch. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
The Sophisticated Feeding Technique of Humpback WhalesIn The Sophisticated Feeding Technique of Humpback Whales, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Southern Ocean and the humpback whales that feed there. When Antarctica broke off from South America, it created swirling currents that sweep up nutrients from the bottom of the ocean, making it one of the richest waters on earth. In the summer, humpback whales come there to feast on shoals of krill, blowing curtains of bubbles and spiraling inwards to capture the swarm. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
Weddell Seal Pups: Surviving AntarcticaIn Weddell Seal Pups: Surviving Antarctica, narrator Sir David Attenborough reveals the challenges newborn seal pups face in one of the harshest environments on Earth. From enduring subzero temperatures and blizzards to entering the icy water for the first time, every decision impacts their survival. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Video
A Moment in the Sun: Spring in the Arctic In A Moment in the Sun: Spring in the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough walks us through time-lapse videography showing how the Arctic transforms during the spring and what this means for the Arctic poppy and the hearty, persistent woolly bear caterpillar. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Video
King Penguins: A Crowded ColonyIn King Penguins: A Crowded Colony, explore the remarkable life of the king penguins on South Georgia Island. Amid half a million birds, chicks must stay put to be found by their returning parents who rely on unique calls to reunite. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Printables
Printable
Create Your Own Penguin With These Delightful WorksheetsInvite students to create their own penguin cartoon characters based on what they have learned about the characteristics and behavior of real penguins. Use these printables with the K-2 Antarctica lesson: Create Your Own Penguin.
Printable
Take a Deep Dive on Penguins With This Penguin Research JournalHave each student select a penguin species to research and synthesize their notes by creating a research journal page.
Printable
Become a Research Scientist With These Grade 9-12 Antarctica Worksheets Embark on an Antarctic research expedition with your students! Write a journal entry from the perspective of a research scientist about their experience in Antarctica.
Printable
Become a Research Scientist With These Grade 6-8 Antarctica Worksheets Take your students on a research journey to Antarctica! Explore what is known about the animal, identify gaps in scientific knowledge, and suggest future research areas.
Printable
Create Your Own Penguin With These Delightful WorksheetsInvite students to create their own penguin cartoon characters based on what they have learned about the characteristics and behavior of real penguins. Use these printables with the K-2 Antarctica lesson: Create Your Own Penguin.
Printable
Take a Deep Dive on Penguins With This Penguin Research JournalHave each student select a penguin species to research and synthesize their notes by creating a research journal page.
Printable
Become a Research Scientist With These Grade 9-12 Antarctica Worksheets Embark on an Antarctic research expedition with your students! Write a journal entry from the perspective of a research scientist about their experience in Antarctica.
Printable
Become a Research Scientist With These Grade 6-8 Antarctica Worksheets Take your students on a research journey to Antarctica! Explore what is known about the animal, identify gaps in scientific knowledge, and suggest future research areas.
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