Bell task
Swap your fact file with someone in your group
and peer assess each other’s work using SIR.
Strength (something they did well)
Improvement (something they could work on)
Respond (swap back and respond to the
feedback you have been given)
Success criteria:
Who they are
What they did
Details of their journey (weather conditions,
equipment needed etc.)
Did they make it?
If not, why?
Any interesting facts about their journey
Today’s BIG Question:
What is unique about Antarctica?
1)To be able to
identify Antarctica’s
plants and animals
2) To be able to create
an Antarctic food web
3) To be able to explain
why the biodiversity of
Antarctica is unique
Starter – Watch the clip and write a
list of at least 5 facts about
Antarctica and the Emperor penguin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-U8h1SCDbU
Today’s BIG Question:
What is unique about Antarctica?
1)To be able to
identify Antarctica’s
plants and animals
2) To be able to create
an Antarctic food web
3) To be able to explain
why the biodiversity of
Antarctica is unique
Main Activity – a learning carousel
Working in groups, go round the
carousel and complete the tasks
to find out what is unique about
Antarctica. Don’t forget to use
classroom voices and listen for
the timer!
1 MINUTE TO READ THE
WORKSHEET SECTION AND 8
MINUTES TO COMPLETE TASK
Today’s BIG Question:
What is unique about Antarctica?
1)To be able to
identify Antarctica’s
plants and animals
2) To be able to create
an Antarctic food web
3) To be able to explain
why the biodiversity of
Antarctica is unique
Homework - due next lesson
Write an acrostic poem describing Antarctica – don’t forget to use
adjectives, similes, metaphors, personification... Be creative!
Plenary – Odd one out!
Watch the clip and make a note of the flora and fauna that
are NOT found in Antarctica in the back of your books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hObov-E540o
1 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrgqRKRvms
E 3 mins
Have any of your post-it questions
been answered this lesson?
Today’s BIG Question:
What is unique about Antarctica?
1)To be able to
identify Antarctica’s
plants and animals
2) To be able to create
an Antarctic food web
3) To be able to explain
why the biodiversity of
Antarctica is unique
Task 1 – Biodiversity of Antarctica (fauna)
The term biodiversity refers to the variety of life
(plants and animals) on Earth at all its levels and the
processes that sustain it.
We are going to look at the biodiversity, in terms of
fauna, of Antarctica. Endemic species are those
only found in that particular location.
Endemic fauna
Non-endemic fauna
Task 1 – Biodiversity of Antarctica (fauna)
Looking at the images of Antarctica’s fauna on the other
sheet, match the descriptions and names below to the
images in order to categorise them on your worksheet.
Adelie penguin – small size with distinct all-black head with bright
eyes. Think John Lewis, Christmas 2014! Eat krill, fish and squid.
Crabeater seal – medium-sized seal with smooth, pale grey fur (no
distinctive markings). They don’t eat crabs, but they do eat krill!
Wandering albatross – largest wingspan of any bird allows them to
travel great distances. Predominantly white, often black wing tips.
Krill – small, semi-transparent marine crustacean (shrimp-like).
Elephant seal – Males are large with elephant trunk-like snout that
masks large teeth used for fighting other males.
Orca/Killer whale – large, distinct black and white whale
capable of propelling itself far out of the ocean to attack
prey which include: minke whales, seals, penguins, fish .
Antarctic Petrel – little bigger than a pigeon, these distinct
dark grey and white birds are capable of swooping down on
surface water prey such as small fish and krill with their
small, hooked beaks.
King penguin – large, elegant ‘dinner jacket’ penguin with
dark orange markings on head and chest.
Antarctic dragonfish – little is known about these orange,
deep-sea fish. Not fished commercially.
Weddell seal – large seals who are good divers and can
spend large periods of time underwater. Distinct grey and
white markings, clear, expressive, facial features.
Snow petrel – pigeon-sized, all white.
Right whale - member of the baleen whale species (large size)
which feed using distinctive baleen plates in their mouth to sieve
their prey (mainly krill) from the water they take in.
Wingless midge – one of a small number of terrestrial
invertebrates, all well-adapted to harsh conditions including
being tiny (0.2 – 13mm in length).
Emperor penguin – not to be confused with the King penguin
which has the darker orange chest and head markings, these are
the largest penguins and have more modest paler yellow markings.
Chinstrap penguin – the clue is in the name!
Leopard seal – large seals with spot markings and sharp
teeth for killing and eating wide variety of prey including
other seals and penguins. Not the best divers, they
ambush their prey - capable of high speeds. Few
predators.
Blue whale – largest marine mammal, long and sleek with a small
dorsal fin. Light grey/blue in colour whilst on the water surface, they
appear luminous aqua blue when seen underwater. Survive on a
diet of krill – eating their own body weight in a day!
Antarctic skua – large, predominantly dark grey with
lighter markings. Reputation for being aggressive, they will
prey on unguarded penguin eggs and chicks. They will also
dive for fish and krill.
Task 2 – Unique Animal Adaptations
How do animals survive in Antarctica’s harsh and hostile
climate? One of the processes all living things go through in
order to sustain themselves is adaptation – they change in order
to survive in their environment.
I am warm blooded, so
I have adapted to
ensure that I retain as
much of my body heat
as possible.
• Four overlapping layers of scale-like
feathers.
• Form large huddles to share body warmth
and shelter from the blizzard winds.
• Small extremities - very small bill and
flippers, which means less blood is required
to these areas, thus less heat is lost.
• Stiff tail feathers for support when
standing.
• Males and females alternate
feeding times in breeding season.
• Large size (larger the animal, the smaller
the surface-area : volume ratio) means less
relative area there is to lose heat.
• Able to dive for long periods for
food by greater ability to store
oxygen in blood.
• Thick fat/blubber layers for insulation.
• When its really cold, emperors rock
backwards onto their heels so only a small
area touches the ice.
• Streamlined body for fast
swimming.
• White underside and black above
makes them harder to see in water.
Emperor Penguin
Change can be physical
changes that happen over
generations...
Or changes in behaviour.
Task 3 – Biodiversity of Antarctica (flora)
Biodiversity is the different types of life (plants and
animals) found on earth. We use it as a measure of
the variety of organisms present in different locations
– the higher the biodiversity in a place the better!
We are going to look at the flora of Antarctica – both
on the continent itself and surrounding ocean.
Biodiversity of flora is limited here compared to
other places around the world...
Lichen (flora)
• 3 main species in continental Antarctica.
• Formed as a result of a symbiotic
association between fungi & algae.
• Very slow growth rate
• Adapted so that they can still
photosynthesise while frozen.
• When covered in snow, lichens can still
absorb water either from the saturated
atmosphere or the snow itself.
• Able to survive long periods of drought.
Moss (flora)
• Not as widespread as lichens, but well adapted to the
continent’s climate e.g. tightly-packed stems and
shoots to minimise water loss.
• Need snow cover to protect them from wind,
windblown ice and snow particles – if removed, growth
rates decrease.
• Good indicator of climate change and sensitive to
atmospheric pollution.
Marine phytoplankton (flora)
• Microscopic single cells that produce
energy from sunlight.
• Around 350 species in Antarctic
waters.
• Important role in influencing global climate as the Southern
Ocean absorbs carbon dioxide by its take up by the
phytoplankton.
• And, they release compounds that promote cloud formation
(clouds reflect much of the Sun’s energy).
Task 4 – Antarctic Food Web
Top Level Consumers
A food web is a series of interconnected food chains - it
shows what eats what in a habitat. The flows of energy in
the food web are represented by arrows, so once
something is eaten by something else, the energy flows
from the prey to the predator for example. Start at the
bottom where the producers can be found...
Primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers
such as the Antarctic Cod, Antarctic petrel, Adelie
penguins and Weddell seals – last three also eat fish! Top
level consumers such as Leopard seals will eat some of
the primary consumers as well as secondary consumers –
just look at that Orca eating a seal!
Krill
Producers are at the base of food webs –
they convert sunlight into energy – often
producers are plants. In Antarctica’s case,
these are the marine phytoplankton that
live in the Southern Oceans.
Krill are the Antarctic’s primary consumers – they consume (eat)
the producers. They are large and there is an abundance of them
drifting around in enormous swarms. Due to these factors not only
do birds and fish feed on them, but many large animals such as
seals, penguins and baleen whales do too.
Phytoplankton are abundant in
Antarctic waters due to the deep
waters bringing great upwellings of
dissolved nutrients which are like
fertilizers for the phytoplankton. The
24-hour sunlight in summer months
adds to the favourable conditions.
Task 1 Antarctica’s Unique Fauna
Match the pictures to the names of the animals, then categorise
Antarctica’s fauna into either mammals, fish, birds or
invertebrates and complete the table below (you only need to
enter the animal’s name). Extension – underline endemic fauna in
red and non-endemic fauna in green.
Mammals
Fish
Birds
Invertebrates
Task 3 Antarctica’s Unique Flora
Discuss then answer these questions using bullet points:
1. Why is it that lichens can grow in Antarctica, but not trees?
2. How does moss indicate climate changes such as global warming?
Antarctic cod
3. How do marine phytoplankton influence the weather?
Challenge - The continent of Antarctica is less biodiverse than
the surrounding Southern Ocean. Why do you think this is?
Task 2 Unique Animal Adaptations
Annotate the drawing below to show how Emperor penguins have
adapted to survive in Antarctica’s hostile climate. Extension –
underline physical changes in red pen and behavioural changes in
green pen.
Task 4 The Antarctic Food Web
Using the information sheet, create a basic food web for
Antarctica. Don’t forget the arrows and to label the plant/animal
and its level in the web!
Challenge – which is the most important species in the Antarctic
food web and why is it so important?.
Task 1 Antarctica’s Unique Fauna
Match the pictures to the names of the animals, then categorise
Antarctica’s fauna into either mammals, fish, birds or
invertebrates and complete the table below (you only need to
enter the animal’s name). Extension – underline endemic fauna in
red and non-endemic fauna in green.
Mammals
Crabeater seal
Fish
Birds
Invertebrate
King penguin
Task 3 Antarctica’s Unique Flora
Discuss then answer these questions using bullet points:
1. Trees cannot grow in Antarctica, but lichens have adapted so
that they can. What are their three main adaptations?
2. Moss needs the snow cover in order to grow - why?
3. What might happen to the moss if the temperatures in the
Antarctic increased?
Challenge – How are marine phytoplankton able to change the
weather?
Task 2 Unique Animal Adaptations
Annotate the drawing below to show how Emperor penguins have
adapted to survive in Antarctica’s hostile climate. Extension –
underline physical changes in red pen and behavioural changes in
green pen.
Task 4 The Antarctic Food Web
Using the information sheet, create a basic food web for
Antarctica. Don’t forget the arrows and to label the plant/animal!
TOP LEVEL CONSUMERS
SECONDARY CONSUMERS
PRIMARY CONSUMER
PRODUCER
Stiff tail feathers
for support when
standing.
Challenge – which is the most important species in the Antarctic
food web?