Teacher Resource Book B
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Captain R F Scott 13 April 1911
H Ponting Photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
HOW TO USE THE EDUCATION RESOURCES
Antarctica, Robert Falcon Scott, and the historical debate about his Terra Nova
expedition, as well as scientific endeavour, all intersect in this exhibition,
Scott’s Last Expedition.
A wide variety of activities for students working at level 2 - 5 are offered in the
resources.
Resource Kit A is designed to provide a general introduction to Scott and the
Terra Nova expedition and includes focus questions to get you started.
Resource Kit B focuses on Antarctica, the planning of the Terra Nova expedition and the setting up of base camp at Cape Evans.
Resource Kit C turns to the scientific endeavours that were carried out by
Scott and his men and what scientists are doing on the Ice today.
Resource Kit D examines the journey to the South Pole and the subsequent
death of Scott and the Polar party.
These activities can be used for pre-visit, post-visit, revision, or as stand alone
activities in the classroom. Teachers may freely adapt the activities to suit the
needs of the their own students.
Many of the activities have associated web links to other resource material. All
websites are correct at the time of publication.
Many thanks to the Australian National Maritime Museum who developed all of
these activities for Scott’s Last Expedition.
Exhibition Sub-themes
RESOURCE KIT A
RESOURCE KIT B

Timeline Activity

Geography and Mapping


Mapping

Landscape and Fauna

Glaciology

Climate Change
Introducing Antarctica
Animals in Antarctica

Identifying Animals

Food Web
RESOURCE KIT C

Clothing

Food

Medical Issues

Science and Geography

Antarctic Ecosystem

Adaptation

Penguins and sponges - a comparison

Scientific Data Collection

Fossils

Geological Wall Chart

Documentation

The Dry Valleys

Dry Valleys and Life on Mars
RESOURCE KIT D

Exhibition Overview
Historical Inquiry
Planning the Terra Nova expedition
Base Camp at Cape Evans
Science and Human Endeavour
The journey to the South Pole
The last camp
The death of Scott and Polar Party
Reflections
CURRICULUM LINKS
SCIENCE:
PLANET EARTH AND BEYOND
LEVEL 2:
Students will:

Explore and describe natural features and resources
 Describe how natural features are changed and resources affected by
natural events and human actions
LEVEL 3:
 Appreciate that water, air, rocks and soil, and life forms make up our
planet and recognise that these are also Earth’s resources
 Investigate the water cycle and its effect on climate, landforms, and life
LEVEL 4:
 Develop an understanding that water, air, rocks, soil and life forms
make up our planet and recognise that these are also Earth’s Resources
 Investigate the water cycle and its effect on the climate, landforms, and
life
LIVING WORLD
LEVEL 2:
 Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can
stay alive
 Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat
 Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and
that they can be grouped in different ways
LEVEL 3 and 4:
 Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and
that these occur in different ways
 Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how
they respond to environment changes, both natural and human-induced
 Begin to group plant, animals, and other living things into science-based
classifications
LEVEL 5:
 Investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in
an ecosystem
CURRICULUM LINKS
SOCIAL SCIENCES:
SOCIAL STUDIES
LEVEL 2:
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience
to:
 Understand how people make choices to meet their needs and wants
 Understand how places influence people and people influence places
 Understand how people make significant contributions to New Zealand
society
LEVEL 3:
 Understand how people view and use places differently
 Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of re-
sources
 Understand how people remember and record the past in different ways
LEVEL 4:
 Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and
challenges for people, places and environments
 Understand that events have causes and effects
TECHNOLOGY:
NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEVEL 2:
Students will:
 Understand that technology both reflects and changes society and the
environment and increases people’s capability
 Understand that technological outcomes are developed through technological practice and have related physical and functional natures.
LEVEL 3:
 Understand how society and environments impact on and are influ-
enced by technology in historical and contemporary contexts and that
technological knowledge is validated by successful function
 Understand that technological outcomes are recognisable as fit for purpose by the relationship between their physical and functional natures
LEVEL 4:
 Understand how technological development expands human possibili-
ties and how technology draws on knowledge from a wide range of disciplines
 Understand that technological outcomes can be interpreted in terms of
how they might be used and by whom and that each has a proper function as well as possible alternative functions
ICONS
Icons are used next to activities to indicate skills being
addressed.
Think carefully about the question and what you want to say in
reply.
Discuss something with a friend, within a group or with your
teacher.
Write a response in the space provided. This could be following
discussion.
Perform mathematical calculations.
Read some information.
Look at some visual material.
Research an issue.
This is an interactive activity.
Make something.
GLOSSARY
Antarctic bottom water
The coldest and densest water mass in the ocean. Formed in
particular places in Antarctica when surface water cools and
becomes more dense and so sinks to the ocean floor.
Anthropologist
Anthropologists examine, analyse, report on and compare different communities and how they grow, develop and interact.
Avalanche
A fall or slide of a large mass of snow and ice which has detached from where it rested.
Biologist
Biologists study humans, plants, animals and the environments in
which they live.
Calve
When ice from a glacier reaches a body of water it may break off
and form an iceberg. This is known as calving
Desert
An area where precipitation is low and evaporation is high creating very little moisture in the air. Antarctica is a “white desert”.
Ecosystem
A system formed by the interactions of the living organisms
(plants, animals and humans) and physical elements of the
environment.
Environment
The total physical and biotic features and influences surrounding
a place or organism.
Geographical issues
Areas of concern that arise due to changes in environments and
which can be in spatial and ecological dimensions.
Geologist
Geologists study the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the
Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it.
Glaciers
Glaciers are snow, compressed over many years, which thicken
into ice masses. They are like rivers of ice and move slowly.
Habitat
The environment in which an organism lives: the land and resources (food and shelter) required to support an organism.
Hypothesis
A predictive statement which can be tested using a range of
methods: most often associated with experimental procedure.
Ice floe
A large, flat, sheet of sea ice that has broken off contact with the
coast where it was formed and is floating in open water.
Ice sheet
A large, thick mass of ice that covers the land beneath it and is
greater than 50,000 square kilometres. Ice sheets cover
Antarctica.
Ice shelf
A large flat sheet of ice that is attached to land along one side
and floats in the ocean. Formed where a glacier or ice shelf has
reached the water and kept flowing.
Ice tongue
A mass of ice projecting from a glacier into the sea. It is still fixed
to and forms a part of the larger glacier.
Iceberg
A massive piece of floating ice that has calved off a glacier or ice
shelf. Icebergs occur in lakes and the ocean and can be the size
of islands or small countries. Only about 10% of its mass is above
the surface of the water.
Inuit
The Inuit is a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples
inhabiting the Arctic regions.
Investigation
Systematic inquiry.
Physical environment
Includes water, air, living things, sunlight and natural features of
the earth’s environment .
Phytoplankton
(Plant plankton) Microscopic plant organisms which grow and live
in the upper layers of the ocean and form the basis of the marine
food web.
Primary materials (History)
Original material written, composed, constructed at the time that
is being studied and about the topic that is being studied.
Primary materials (Science)
Original material collected by the author. It includes measurements, survey responses, photographs, digital images, maps and
sketches.
Secondary sources
(History)
Material written, composed, constructed after the event being
studied; not first-hand knowledge.
Secondary sources
(Science)
A range of forms of information and data that have resulted from
the investigations of other people, including graphs, diagrams,
South Pole
The southern-most point on the surface of the Earth where the
Earth’s axis of rotation intersects.
Validity of first hand data
The extent to which the processes and resultant data measure
what was intended.
Zooplankton
(Animal plankton) Microscopic animal organisms, such as tiny
crustaceans and fish larvae, that drift in bodies of water. Zooplankton cannot produce their own food so are consumers.
PRIMARY STAGE 3
Timeline
Construct a timeline of exploration in the Antarctic region and
other world events to understand the significance of Scott’s
expedition. The timeline needs to be to scale and record at
least ten of the events listed below. Label each event with a
date and title.
1642
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman discovers New Zealand in his search
for Terra Australis Incognito—The Great Southern Land.
1773
British explorer James Cook crosses the Antarctic Circle in
January and circumnavigates Antarctica. He does not sight land,
but finds evidence that a southern continent exists. .
1819-1821
Thaddeus Bellingshausen, a Russian naval officer, circumnavigates Antarctica and is the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle
since Captain Cook.
1823
British whaler James Weddell discovers the sea later named after
him and reaches the most southerly point to date. No one else
penetrates the Weddell Sea again for 80 years.
1840
British naval officer and scientist James Clark Ross takes two
ships, the Erebus and the Terror, to within 80 miles of the Antarctic
coast. He is stopped by a massive ice barrier, known as the Ross
Ice Shelf. He also discovers an active volcano that he names after
his ship Erebus.
1840
The Treaty of Waitangi is signed by Iwi and Crown
1850
The First Four Ships arrive in Canterbury NZ
1885
Karl Benz builds the first motorcar.
1899
Carsten Borchgrevink leads a British expedition to Cape Adare and
builds huts. This was the first time that anyone had spent a
winter on land in Antarctica.
1902
Robert Falcon Scott leads his first Antarctic expedition to the
South Pole, with Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson. They are
forced to turn back two months later having reached 82˚ south,
suffering from snow blindness and scurvy.
1903
The Wright brothers make the first powered airplane flight.
1907 - 1909
1912 - December
1912 – January
Ernest Shackleton leads an expedition to within 156 km of the
South Pole, but turns back after supplies are exhausted.
Norwegian Roald Amundsen is the first to reach the South Pole.
Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole three weeks after
Amundsen.
1914
World War One begins
1915
Ernest Shackleton returns to Antarctica in October in an attempt
to complete the first crossing of the continent. The attempt is unsuccessful.
1956
A United States of America aircraft lands at the South Pole, the
first people to arrive at this place since Scott in 1912.
1958
The first successful land crossing via the South Pole is led by
British geologist Vivian Fuchs with New Zealander Edmund Hillary
leading the backup party.
1961
Antarctic Treaty comes into effect.
Geography and Climate
Getting Started
Map Work
Use an atlas or other reference to identify geographic features
A blank outline of Antarctica is
available for free download from
the following web page:
www.worldatlas.com/webimage/
countrys/polar/anaroutl.htm
and significant sites within Antarctica.
Locate each of the places listed below and mark them as
directed. Use a black pen unless otherwise instructed.
1.
Mark the Trans Antarctic Mountain Range with a series of
small black crosses and label it.
2.
Label East and West Antarctica.
3.
Label the Antarctic Peninsula.
4.
Mark the South Pole with a black spot and label it.
5.
Add Ross Island by drawing its outline and labelling it.
6.
Draw a line to show the Ross Ice Shelf, the Ronne Ice Shelf
and the Larsen Ice Shelf. Colour each ice shelf pink.
7.
Label the following seas: Ross, Amundsen, Bellinghausen,
Weddell, and colour them light blue.
8.
Use a compass to draw the Antarctic Circle and label it.
9.
Mark Scott’s base at Camp Evans with a black spot and
label it.
Research
Use an encyclopaedia or the internet to learn about how Scott
travelled from Cape Evans to the South Pole..
On the map where you have already marked the geographical
features draw a dotted line to show the route that Scott’s party
followed from their base to the South Pole.
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Entering the Pack.
Fo’castle of the Terra Nova
10 December 1910
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
1975.289.20
Collage
Create a visual summary of the environment in Antarctica by
making a collage. Collect images of Antarctica from travel
brochures, magazines, reference books and the internet
which depict the landscape and fauna (land and sea) evident
on the continent.
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Lt Evans washing up
7 January 1911
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
Pennell Album 108
Glaciology and Rising Temperatures
View:
www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2886106.htm
This can be streamed from the ABC website or alternatively
can be downloaded. In addition, the narration is available for
download.
Once you have viewed the programme, answer the questions on the following page.
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
F Drake bringing ice to ship
10 January 1911
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
1975. 289.26
Questions - Glaciology and Rising Temperatures.
1.
What percentage of the world’s snow and ice are found in
Antarctica?
2.
What is happening to the world’s biggest ice sheet?
3.
If air temperature has increased by half a degree Celsius
for each decade over the past 50 years, what is the overall
increase in temperature in that time?
4.
What is one effect of this increase in temperature?
5.
What is the major concern about the ice shelves collapsing?
6.
Why is water warming in the Southern Ocean?
7.
How can scientists measure the depth of the ice mass?
8.
How is ice melting from below the ice mass?
9.
Explain how sea levels may rise.
10.
How many metres do scientists predict that sea levels may
increase this century?
Something to Think About - Rising Sea Levels
Half of the world’s population live in low-lying places close to
the coast. A rise in sea level would have a huge impact on
many communities.
Here are some scenarios of what would happen if the sea
levels rise by one metre.

Tuvalu is a tiny country made up of a group of islands in
the South Pacific. It would be almost completely underwater
with a one metre rise of the ocean. Its entire population of
11,000 people would have to be evacuated.

London, the capital city of England, would completely
change as the Thames River would flood putting important
landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament at risk.

China is the world’s most populated country. If the sea level
rises by one metre one third of Shanghai would be underwater. Throughout the country more than 70 million people
would be affected.
Handout: What happens when icebergs melt?
nsidc.org/quickfacts/icebergs.html
An informative handout about icebergs. Others also
available on ice sheets and ice shelves.
Experiment: Melting ice
www.theteacherscorner.net/lesson-plans/science/
experiments/turnice.php
An excellent experiment which demonstrates the
behaviour of ice as it melts.
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
The first warm sunny spring day
17 September 1911
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
1975.289.15
Climate Change – Should we be worried?
To encourage discussion on climate change and other environmental issues view and discuss this eight minute extract from
ABC’s Catalyst: Southern Ocean Sentinel. This extract is in two
related parts about the effects of climate change.
1.
Focus on the Mertz Glacier, which snapped off the
Antarctic mainland in February 2010.
Extension Activity - View
Antarctica is the most pristine and
untouched environment in the
world. Scientists believe that
signs of climate change will
become evident first in Antarctica.
The rest of the world can then
be informed about possible risks
and the impact on the environment so that necessary precautions and action can be taken.
www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2886137.htm
This can either be streamed from the ABC website or
downloaded. Also, the narration is available for download.
2.
Look at pteropods (phytoplankton) and how they can warn
society of future climate change.
Exposition, Debate or Oral Presentation
Consolidate learning in this area and express a point of view.
Students will be required to do additional research.
Use resources in the library and the internet to research the topic.
Students could write an exposition covering some or all of the
points OR conduct a debate on one of the questions listed below
OR make an oral presentation.
1.
Are you concerned about how environmental change will
affect the Antarctic region? Consider land, air and sea when
responding.
2.
As Antarctic tourism increases, the pressures on the environment will only grow. Should tourism be permitted in Antarctica and if so how should it be managed?
3.
What are the consequences of Antarctic environmental
change?
4.
How are science and technology used to limit the impacts
of human activities in Antarctica?
Just for fun!
www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/education-resources/
puzzles-and-games
A source of PDF puzzle handouts available for students who
finish work early:
1.
The Antarctic Environment
2.
A Journey South
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Curious penguin
November 1911
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
Pennell Album A110
Animals in Antarctica
Australian Antarctic Division Resources
www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/fact-files/animals
Detailed information about animals in Antarctica which can
be viewed for discussion or note taking. It provides excellent visual images of the animals.
www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/educationresources/whos-eating-who
Who’s eating who? This is a wonderful PDF resource that
can be printed off for classroom use.
education-resources/whos-eating-who
Identifying animals from Antarctica
Play the interactive game as a pre-activity or reward
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/crittercam-virtual-worldThere are PDF sheets available
for download for each animal.
These would provide good visual
aids for the classroom wall or
could be utilised by the students
to locate and record a few key
points of information about the
animal.
antarctica/
These animals from Antarctica provide important links in the food
web within that ecosystem. Some of these animals are unique to
Antarctica.
The objective is to identify different animals. Once selected,
photographs appear on screen plus general information about the
animal including their prey and predators.
Research and then draw and appropriately colour each
of the following onto A4 paper

Krill: groups

Fish: icefish, toothfish, cod

Squid

Flying birds: South Polar skua, petrel, albatross

Penguins: Adélie, Emperor, Chinstrap, Gentoo

Seals: crabeater, Weddell, fur and leopard

Whales: humpback and Orca (killer)
Allocate an animal to each child to ensure that suitable
numbers of each animal are represented to create a food
web.
Cut out the pictures and keep for use later when building a
food web representing Antarctica.
The Food Web
Food webs are representations of the predator-prey relationship
between species within an ecosystem. Organisms are connected
by the fact that each member of the group feeds on the one below it.
Watch:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9L_k_GJEo
View this four minute David Attenborough clip from BBC Worldwide. It provides a good introduction to krill and the humpback
whale, which is relevant for constructing a food web.
Create an Antarctic Food Web
Start to understand the ecosystem in Antarctica by creating a
visual food web on the classroom wall. Follow the instructions
below.
Step 1:
On the classroom wall mark out a large triangle, with the base at
the bottom. Divide this into four layers to represent different
levels of the Antarctic food web.
Step 2:
Discuss and define what a food web is. Label each level as:

Tertiary Consumers (Predators)

Secondary Consumers

Primary Consumers

Primary Producers
Step 3:
Have students create small drawings, paintings or craft items to
represent life from the Antarctic seabed. eg: small crustaceans,
worms, shellfish, molluscs, sea urchin, starfish, sea cucumbers,
small corals and sponges.
Step 4:
Paint the lowest level at the base with sponge technique and
finger painting to demonstrate the mass of micro-organism life
forms. Explain phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Step 5:
Along the very bottom of the base paste the art and craft
representing the seabed.
Step 6:
Scatter the drawings of animals from the activity in C1 on the
floor of the classroom. Select various pictures, identify the animal
and get the students to name it and give some basic information
about it. Discuss what it might eat and where it belongs in the
food web. Start categorising different groups and then pin the pictures into each relevant section of the food web, ensuring that the
top level has the least pictures to demonstrate that at the top
there are very few.
Do animals adapt to their environment?
Experiment:
The “Blubber Glove” experiment demonstrates how
Teacher information only
animals such as seals and penguins have adapted to their
The class should produce a web
that reflects the following:
environment, allowing them to keep warm in such a freezing
Tertiary Consumers (Predators):
Orca (Killer) whales
environment. It is an excellent exercise.
Secondary Consumers: whales,
seals, large fish, penguins
www.gma.org/surfing/antarctica/blubber.html
Primary Consumers: krill, shrimp,
small fish, squid
Primary Producers: phytoplankton, zooplankton and seabed
communities
Conclusion
To summarise what has been learned write an exposition explaining the food web, specifically with reference to krill.
Exposition:
Just for fun!
Puzzle sheet about krill. It is available for download as a PDF
www.antarctica.gov.au/aboutantarctica/education-resources/
puzzles-and-games
Make penguins out of pipe
cleaners
What is the importance of krill to the Antarctic ecosystem?
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Captain Scott, Simpson, Bowers
and Evans leaving for the Western Mountains.
15 September 1911
H.G. Ponting photograph
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
Clothing
How do you dress to survive in the coldest, windiest place
on earth?
Polar explorers both in Scott’s time and now need to wear clothes
that protect them from ferocious winds and extreme cold temperatures that could drop to 50˚ Celsius below freezing. Layers
work best as air is trapped between each layer and this air acts
as insulation. Layers could be added or removed depending on
the current weather conditions. Headwear and footwear was very
important too.
The clothing had to:

keep the body warm

cover extremities such as ears and fingers

allow sweat to disperse

be light and comfortable to allow for movement
British explorers to the South Pole used clothing made from woollen and cotton fabrics, favouring gabardine. They rarely wore fur
except for their long wolf skin outer mittens. The Norwegians
adopted Inuit clothing, wearing animal skins (seal, fox, wolf, reindeer, bear) from head to foot. Modern synthetic materials have
revolutionised cold weather clothing. They are thermally efficient,
breathable and windproof.
Watch: What to wear in Antarctica?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkNWIKaPX70
View this four minute film from the Natural History Museum
showing what types of clothing are worn in Antarctica today.
It references Scott’s base and puts it in the geographical context of being on the Ross Ice Shelf.
Modern Antarctic Clothing
Read: Modern Antarctic Clothing.
www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/
clothing_in_antarctica.htm
What do you wear? This article discusses different clothing
required for active and passive situations in Antarctica.
www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/fact-files/people-inantarctica/clothing
Table:
Use the YouTube video, previously read articles and catalogues to find pictures of appropriate clothing for living and
working in Antarctica today.
Create a table following the sample below. From your research cut out and paste in or draw the garments.
Example of Layers of Clothing
Garment
Picture
Socks
Fabrics
Natural – wool.
Or synthetic
Outer Shell
Add your own
View photos:
www.spri.cam.ac.uk/library/
pictures/catalogue/bae1910-13/
gallery/page3.html
View photographs online from the
Scott Polar Research Centre to
see examples of the clothing that
Scott and his party wore during
their expedition. Note that these
photographs cannot be
downloaded or printed.
Alternatively use resources from
the library.
Clothing used by Scott: 1910-1912
Four main layers were worn over the body, but often multiple
items were worn making seven or eight layers. Imagine wearing
that many layers of clothes!

snow goggles

neck gaiter (you will need to research the meaning of this)

woollen cap and helmet

thick shirt

woollen sweater

jacket

underwear; vest and long johns

woollen socks

woollen gloves

wolf skin mittens

gabardine trousers

puttees (you will need to research the meaning of this.)
How many layers?
Make a model of a polar explorer wearing multiple
layers of clothing. Go to:
www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/educationresources/puzzles-and-games
Blank outlines of polar explorers and their layers of clothing
are available as PDF sheets from this website. There is a
male and female character. Download and make the required number of copies so each student can have one
blank outline and enough copies of the relevant clothing.
Have samples of appropriate fabric available: woollen fabric of varying textures, thick
gabardine, fur, various cotton fabrics, etc.
Goggles used by William Lashly
ca 1910
Canterbury Museum
2010.10.2
Step 1:
Select which items of clothing to dress the figure in and cut them
out, removing the tabs.
Step 2:
Use the paper clothing to trace the shape onto a piece of suitable
fabric for the item. Cut out the shape and paste the piece of fabric
over the paper. Repeat this process for every item. Extra fabric
can be cut out to represent multiple layers.
Step 3:
Piece together the clothing of the explorer by pasting every layer
onto the blank outline. Make sure that the under garments are
pasted on first and the outer garments are pasted on last.
Which materials provide the best insulation for extreme cold
conditions?
Experiment:
Working in pairs, conduct an experiment to test the
insulating properties of different fibres and fabrics.
Follow the instructions below.
Materials required:
Procedure:
Outcomes:

Empty baby food jar with lid

Warm water

Rubber band

Thermometer

Graph paper

Fabrics cut into 20cm squares. Try polar fleece, T-shirt
material, woollen fabrics, towelling, woven linen, sweatshirt
fabric, fur, various knits
Select a square of material and describe its properties. eg: type,
thickness, knitted or woven, natural or man-made synthetic.

Pour warm water into the jar. Take the temperature of the
water and record.

Immediately put the lid on the jar, wrap the fabric around
and fasten it with a rubber band. Record the exact time that
the lid was put on.

After exactly 20 minutes remove the fabric and the lid.
Record the temperature of the water.

Work out the difference between the start and finish
temperatures.

Record the difference in temperature on the graph, labelling
the type of fabric used.
Make a judgement about which materials provide good insulation.
Discuss the common features of good insulators.
Decide what fibres/fabric you think provide the best insulation.
Record responses on the next page and graph the data.
What is the best insulator?
Polar fleece
T-shirt material
Materials Tested
Wool
Towelling
Woven linen
Sweatshirt fabric
Fur
Knitted
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Heat Loss - Degree of Difference
Which fabrics are best for extremely cold weather?
What were some of the common features of good insulators?
Which fibres/fabric provides the best insulation?
16
E. Food
Food was very important to the men who were on expeditions to
the Antarctic. Scott planned to be in Antarctica for two summers
and a winter, at the very least, so a huge amount of food had to
be taken with them. There was no access to shops. Fodder and
food also had to be taken for the horses and dogs. These animals
were of critical importance to their mission so they had to be well
cared for. All food supplies were taken on board the Terra Nova.
Rowntree’s cocoa tin ca 1907
Canterbury Museum
19XX.4.464
Food was rationed to ensure that they would have enough for the
duration of their stay. The Antarctic explorers did not have access
to enough fruit and vegetables. These foods were often dried or
powdered as they were not able to grow food in the Antarctic climate. The lack in nutrients from fresh fruit and vegetables often
resulted in illnesses such as scurvy. It was important that the Antarctic explorers ate a good diet, to provide sufficient nutrition and
energy. The cook had to be very resourceful and create new
dishes with what was available. Local wildlife was often captured
for food.
Kilojoules – Calories
Every item a person eats each day adds to the energy that they
are able to use. Today this energy is measured in kilojoules, but
at the time of Scott’s expedition to Antarctica it was measured as
calories. The explorers had to eat food that was high in calories
to keep their energy levels high while living in the difficult Antarctic conditions.
Convert these figures into kilojoules.
These two web pages outline
what types of food were available
to Polar explorers in the early
1900’s and why diet was
important to their health. Includes
Instructions for making pemmican
www.coolantarctica.com/
Antarctica%20fact%20file/
science/food.htm
www.coolantarctica.com/
Antarctica%20fact%20file/
science/food2.htm
Today children need about 2100 calories a day.
Today adult men need about 2500 calories a day.
In the early 1900s explorers in Polar regions needed about
6000 calories a day.
4.2 kilojoules = 1 calorie.
E1. Compare your diet to that of a polar explorer
Table
Track your eating habits for one day. Construct a table in
order to compare this to the diet of an explorer in Antarctica
to understand the significance of nutrition and energy in their
daily diet. Use the table provided and follow the instructions
below.
Step 1:
Over the course of one day track everything you eat. Record it on
the table in the relevant category of carbohydrate, protein, fat,
and fruit and vegetables. Try to work out an accurate amount of
kilojoules per item. A list of some foods has been included as a
guide.
Step 2:
Compare the total amount of kilojoules you consumed in one day
to the sledging rations in the web document at:
www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/
food.htm.
Step 3:
Calculate the kilojoule differences for each item of food.
Step 4:
Discuss why explorers in Antarctica needed to consume more
calories than an adult male living in normal conditions.
Kilojoule Count Chart
Meal
Food
Kilojoules
Breakfast
Porridge
470
Toasted muesli
510
Rice Bubbles
450
Corn Flakes
455
Weetbix
420
Piece of toast
300
English muffin
500
Raisin toast
355
Boiled or poached egg
300
Milk 1 cup
700
Banana
360
Orange Juice
200
Slice of bread
300
Slice of ham
135
Slice of cheese
340
Butter
460
Tomato
60
Peanut Butter
515
Apple
265
½ Mango
280
Popper
465
Soft drink
625
Water
0
Hamburger pattie
660
Roast beef
895
Steak
985
Chicken breast baked
940
Lamb chop
1015
Roast lamb
890
Grilled bacon
810
Pork butterfly
810
Grilled fish finger
235
Snapper grilled
245
Potato
270
Spaghetti
285
Rice
445
Peas
160
Spinach
15
Carrots
90
Lunch
Dinner
My Daily Food Intake
Food
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
TOTAL KJ
Carbohydrate
Protein
Fat
Fruit & Veg
Kilojoules
British Antarctic Expedition
1910-1913
Midwinter Day tree
22 June 1911
Pennell Collection
Canterbury Museum
1975.289.98
Read more from Scott’s diary:
www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/
diaries/scottslastexpedition/
1911/06/22/thursday-june-22nd1911-midwinter/
A Midwinter Meal
Scott and his men had an extravagant meal to celebrate
Midwinters Day on 22 June 1911. They had been in Antarctica for
five months. It was the middle of winter and dark for most of the
day. The special meal was like a celebration of Christmas and
everyone looked forward to it. They decorated the hut with Union
Jacks and sledging flags. The table was set with glassware
instead of the enamel mugs which they usually drank from and
the cook served up a feast!
The Menu for Midwinter Day Feast
Starter
Seal Soup
Main
Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding
Fried Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts
Dessert
Flaming Plum Pudding
Mince Pies
Savoury
Anchovy & Cod’s Roe
Garnishes
Burnt Almonds
Crystallised Fruits
Chocolates
Drinks
Champagne
Liqueur
Tasty or terrible?
The men who accompanied Scott
on his expedition were extremely
excited about the Midwinter meal.
As well as decorating the hut,
some of them made special menu
cards for the table.
Display the menu on the board. Discuss the different foods
that were served and think about what ingredients would have
been sourced locally from Antarctica.
Create:
Design an illustrated menu card for this feast. Write up each
item and decorate the menu appropriately using images relating to Antarctic animals, flags, winter, etc. Gloves and/or
mittens can be worn during this exercise to help recreate the
conditions that the explorers experienced and to understand
how difficult it was to use pens/pencils/paints in extreme
cold
F. Medical Issues in Antarctica
For Robert Scott and his men on the Terra Nova expedition racing to the South Pole, the conditions for exploration in Antarctica
were very difficult. The weather was extreme. Many experts say
that it was some of the worst weather ever recorded in Antarctica.
Their diet was very limited and rationed to ensure they would not
run out of food. Living conditions were not comfortable at the
base camp and particularly harsh when trekking and camping in
the ice and snow. These three things impacted the health of the
explorers and there were many medical issues and illnesses that
were common. Some of the problems experienced were frostbite,
snow blindness, hypothermia, dehydration, scurvy and sunburn.
Memory Game:
Create cards to memorise six different illnesses or medical
conditions experienced by Polar explorers. Use the cards to
play a memory matching game. Use the table and follow the
instructions below.
Students require:

24 cardboard cards the same size

Pictures collected from the internet - at least one for each of
the illnesses

Scissors, glue, pen/pencil

Table of information

(see next two pages for template)
Name
Symptoms
Prevention
FROSTBITE
Partial freezing of exposed body parts such as
fingers, ears, toes, and
nose. Includes tingling,
blister formation, and gangrene.
Avoid tight fitting boots,
being wet; change wet
clothes ASAP. Wear
beanies, mittens instead
of gloves. Maintain good
circulation.
SNOW
BLINDNESS
A loss of vision and inflammation of the eyes.
Caused by the bright
glare off ice and snow.
Serious and painful, but
usually temporary.
Wear protective goggles
with UV protective lenses.
HYPOTHERMIA
An abnormally low body
temperature resulting
from extreme exposure to
cold weather.
Wear layers of waterproof
and windproof clothing to
create insulation. Avoid
sweating too much;
change wet clothes
ASAP.
DEHYDRATION
Excessive loss of water
Carry good water supplies
from the body. If unor a stove to melt snow
treated can lead to shock. when travelling.
SCURVY
(LACK OF
VITAMIN C)
Spongy and bleeding
gums, bleeding under the
skin, and extreme
weakness.
Eat lots of fresh food. In
particular eat fruit and
vegetables that are high
in vitamin C.
SUNBURN
Inflammation or blistering
of the skin caused by
overexposure to direct
sunlight.
Wear sunscreen when
outside and reapply
hourly. Cover as much
skin as possible.
Picture
Aim of the game:
To match and group four cards together for each medical
issue.
How to prepare:
There are 24 cards, six of which are blank. There are four cards
for each illness: Name, Symptoms, Prevention, Picture
Pack of playing cards in case
ca 1910
De Larue & Co Ltd playing cards
Whitford collection
Canterbury Museum
2008.36.12
For each blank picture card do a Google image search and find a
suitable picture for that illness. Print the image and paste onto the
card.
Cut out the cards.
How to play:
· Shuffle the cards and lay all of them face down.
· Select a card and turn it over to display the information
· Select another card and turn it over. If the information matches,
take the cards and have another turn. If the information does not
match, turn both cards face down.
· Memorise where the cards are so that you can remember where
matching cards lie
Players may only keep cards when all four matching cards have
been found
What was life like?
Imagine you are an explorer in Antarctica. You are ill and have
been suffering from some of the complaints mentioned above.
How are you feeling? What are you going to do?
Diary:
Write a diary entry, while wearing gloves or mittens, to experience empathy with the men from Scott’s party. Imagine
you are ill with one or two of the medical issues experienced
by polar explorers. Explain where you are, what you are doing, what your condition is and express how you feel physically and mentally.