Welcome to Discovering the Arctic, an education resource for schools, developed by the Royal Geographical Society with IBG, in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, British Antarctic Survey and the Scottish Association for Marine Science. This is not a 'scheme of work' but a resource to dip into depending on your curriculum needs and priorities. It is aimed at GCSE and A Level in England and Wales (14 - 18 year olds) but is suitable for other age groups with some adaptation.
Curriculum links
Information about the curriculum can be found at https://www.rgs.org/schools/curriculum-and-professional-support/national-curriculum,-gcses-and-a-levels/
The learning activities are devised for individual, pair or group work. Many are in interactive multimedia format for use either on an Interactive Whiteboard or for students to complete individually.
Wherever possible there are text-based alternatives, usually in Microsoft Word. You can download these to use away from the computer and/or to adapt them to meet your students’ needs.
For more detailed notes on Accessibility see https://staging.discoveringthearctic.org.uk/accessibility.
There is information and tips on the activities in each section to help you plan how to use the site.
Introducing the Artic
Learning Objectives
- To locate the Arctic.
- To identify the countries within the Arctic.
Where is the Arctic?
This introduction to the Arctic helps pupils to locate but also understand how the boundaries of the Arctic have been drawn.
It helps in the understanding of what life is like for those living in region in terms of temperature extremes.
Countries of the Arctic
The Arctic covers over one sixth of the earths’ landmass; more than 30 million km2 and twenty-four time zones. It has a population of about four million, including over thirty different indigenous peoples and dozens of languages.
There are 8 Arctic States, and people live in remote Arctic regions of each of them. But for many of these states those living in the Arctic are a minority, with most of the population living outside of the Arctic. There are a range of political structures to govern the relationship between the nation states and their northern regions.
The indigenous people who have lived there for centuries had a nomadic lifestyle following their oral laws. Leaders got their authority by being great hunters or a combination of ability and birth-right.
The Physical Landscape – Learning Objectives
- To understand the glacial processes which have shaped the landscape.
- To understand the role periglacial processes play in shaping the landscape.
Glacial processes
Look at the different way ice has shaped the landscape in different parts of the Arctic.
Periglacial landscapes
Parts of the Arctic that are not permanently frozen, where the less extreme climate means that ice and snow melt for a period during the summer months, are described as being periglacial. As the climate continues to change in the Arctic, so will the influence of periglacial processes.
The Cryosphere Learning Objectives
- To understand what the Cryosphere is.
- Explore the opportunities and challenges the Cryosphere has to offer.
What is the Cryosphere?
The cryosphere involves a series of elements: Snow + Sea Ice +Ocean + Frozen Ground + Rivers + Glaciers + Atmosphere = The Cryosphere
The absence of liquid water means that there is little vegetation, and those plant species which can survive tend to grow close to the ground and incredibly slowly.
The Arctic cryosphere is explored at SWIPA (Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic). The SWIPA website has been developed as part of AMAP (the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Project), a long term project to monitor change in the Arctic region. Increased warming as a result of climate change may affect the frozen regions of the cryosphere first, before the effects spread to other parts of the globe.
The ‘new’ Arctic
The UK’s Natural Environment Research Centre supported Arctic research centre is based at Ny-Alesund, on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard. Led by the station commander Nick Cox, scientists are undertaking ongoing research into the cryosphere to better understand its features and how it is changing.
Permanent Permafrost
Permafrost is frozen soil and bedrock, which underlies much of the land north of the Arctic Circle.
The word ‘permafrost’ is perhaps a little misleading. It suggests that the ground is permanently frozen, whereas many areas have undergone periodic thawing and refreezing, and by definition, permafrost is ground that has been frozen for as few as one or two summers.
Boom or bust?
The Arctic is experiencing significant changes to its environment which will present challenges and new opportunities. These fishing boats in Ilulissat harbour, West Greenland illustrate the growth in the fishing industry in this region. Discover more about how scientists record existing changes and are projecting how this region might change in the future.
Why has your Facebook account been frozen?
In 2013, Meta’s Facebook open a huge new data centre near the town of Luleå in northern Sweden.
The main attraction of this site for Facebook is the cold climate, where temperatures average -20°C in winter. The racks of computer equipment that host and transfer 350 million photos, 4.5 billion likes and 10 billion messages each day generate a lot of heat, and have to be cooled down. This usually requires large amounts of energy, but in Luleå, the freezing air is pumped into the buildings. There is also access to cheap hydroelectric power here, and a university which supplies a skilled workforce.
Ecosystems
Learning objectives
- To understand how animals and plants adapt to living in the Arctic
- To investigate a migratory species, the barnacle goose
- To investigate the fragility of the ecosystem
- To explore Arctic marine ecosystems
- To undertake an enquiry into the effects of climate change
Cold feet
Whether it is feet and paws or roots animals and plants are adapted to the climate. Some animals insulate their paws with fur, others with blubber (fat) while plants grow in niches/cracks in the rocks to minimize wind chill or grow close to the ground.
Red or Dead
An enquiry into the fragility of the Arctic environment and the animals which are at risk of extinction.
Long haul travel
Many species that live in the Arctic migrate south to find food and to breed thus escaping the worst of the Arctic winter. Barnacle geese migrate to the north of Scotland. This section investigates their migration with some mathematical opportunity to calculate one bird’s migration and feeding pattern. The bird loses 27% of its body weight over the month of migration. There is also an opportunity for some descriptive writing.
The sounds of barnacle geese were supplied by Sounds Natural.
In the waters
An enquiry into ‘How might less sea ice and affect the Arctic marine ecosystem and its exploitation?’ using information in this section, the climate change chapter and web investigation.
A fine balance
An investigation of whales and polar bears and the effects of climate change and the use of them by indigenous people.
Climate Change
Learning objectives
- Evaluate the impacts of climate change on people and the environment.
- Identify the factors which are affecting the thickness of ice in the Arctic.
- Explore the different systems that influence the climate of the Arctic.
Arctic Climate Challenge
Investigate the positive and negative impacts climate change could have on the Arctic by participating in the Arctic Challenge Find out about how life is affected by climate change.
Shrinking Sea Ice
The most recent sites could be investigated. The thickness and area of summer sea ice is shrinking dramatically. Scientists link this to global warming. They have run climate models which predict the sea ice disappearing in a hundred, fifty, or even thirty years. Scientists need comprehensive data in order to predict more accurately. The results from the European Space Agency’s Cryostat Project help to inform the climate models.
Sensitive Arctic
Explore how the Arctic is influenced by climate systems and the Thermohaline circulation as well as how, as a feedback mechanism, the Arctic is sensitive to climate change.
Watch a video from the perspective of those who live in the region on how the Arctic has changed in a short space of time.
Losing the ice
The IPCC states that over the last 30 years the average sea ice extent in the Arctic has decreased by 8%. Traditionally the summer melt season begins in March and ends sometime during September. Now the season is growing longer, and the sea ice minimum is occurring later.
Look at how we can measure the shrinking ice and how it is impacting people and the environment.
Front line of climate change
Using technology to monitor the reduction in permafrost is one way in which scientists can measure how much the climate is changing in the Arctic.
Explore the different ways to measure the permafrost as well as the key findings from the 2017 SWIPA report looking at challenges facing the Arctic.
What happens next?
People, animals and plants that live in the Arctic environment will have to adapt to these changes, in some cases quickly! Plants adapt quickly, invading new areas as they become suitable for growth. Invasive species of fish and invertebrates colonise the freshwater and marine environments as they become warmer but animals, especially those that use the ice for breeding such as the polar bear and the walrus will take longer to adapt.
Global warming – good or bad for Greenland?
The Polar Regions are more susceptible to climate change than other areas of the world. In the Arctic large areas of snow and ice reflect heat from the sun, and keep this region cool. As temperatures rise over the globe, the ice and snow is melting, leaving bare land and open dark water which absorbs the sunlight. This is making the region warmer, causing changes in wind and water currents, effecting weather around the world.
The polar seasons dictate the forming and melting of sea ice. Traditionally the summer melt season begins in March and ends sometime during September. Now the melting season is growing longer and the sea ice minimum is occurring later. Sea ice minimum is when the sea ice extent is at its lowest.
Science and Research
Learning objectives
- To understand the nature of the Northern Lights
- To investigate some of the research which is being undertaken in the Arctic
- To undertake an enquiry into the pollutants and their effects in the Arctic
Arctic Science
Find out about the significance of Arctic research and the role of UK scientists. Explore some of the important work being carried out in the Arctic region, including that of the UK Research Station on the Svalbard Archipelago in Northern Norway. Look into the impact of pollutants, including plastic, on both people and ecosystems in the Arctic.
Arctic pollution
Investigate the concentration of pollutants in the Arctic. Students could look at the map showing proportional circles and time and ask why there is a concentration of pollutants and why some areas have higher concentration than other areas.
Arctic Research Programme
Students work in groups to find out more about the aspects of scientific research undertaken in the Arctic, using the web links. They might be surprised by the amount of daylight or darkness at various times of the year and about the amount of snow that is still around, for example at the airfield at Ny-Alesund in May.
Northern Lights
An investigation into why the Northern Lights happen and their characteristics.
Svalbard Science
Staying at the Arctic Research Centre. Webcams located in Ny Ålesund can give us an up to date idea of whScienceat it might be like to stay at the Arctic Research Centre. Students could look at existing blogs and write their own to describe what it is like to live and work in the Arctic.
Social Science
Explore the way in which social science can help unearth the viewpoints of people living in the Arctic.
Living in the Arctic
Life on the edge – Learning objectives
- Understand how people live in the Arctic
- Evaluate the opportunities and challenges of living in the Arctic.
Living on the edge interactive
Use the interactive map (which will take you to Google Maps once you have connected the places) to explore four different Antarctic settlements: Resolute, Qaanaaq, Iqaluit and Longyearbyen. Each have a unique way of life in the Arctic.
Arctic homes
1822 – Igloo, etching taken from the book ‘Journal of a second voyage for the discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific performed in the years 1821-22-23, in His Majesty’s Ships Fury and Hecla, under the orders of Captain William Edward Parry, R.N., F.R.S., and commander of the expedition’
The articles in the igloo are all obtained from local sources, the indigenous people of the Arctic had to be self sufficient. For example:
- Bows for hunting made from bone and sinew
- Spears made from ivory, for example from narwhal
- Bowls from the root of musk ox horn
- Skins for clothing and shoes
- Stone for cooking pots
- Bone for fishing hooks and arrow heads
- Seal and whale blubber oil for heating, lighting and cooking.
Some materials came from outside the region, although found locally, for example:
- Chips of iron-nickel meteorites, a limited source of iron metal, to form the cutting edges for tools such as an ulu and spear tips.
- Driftwood for a variety of items including snow goggles. The need for wearing goggles could be discussed.
2009 – Simon’s house, image taken on the Arctic Voice Expedition
Old meets the new. The computer and furniture will come from Europe or America.
The meat is from caribou hunted locally and prepared using an ulu, single bladed cutting tool. A similar tool can be seen in the 1822 image. Meat is still prepared on the floor in the traditional manner.
Students could be asked to look at the similarities and differences between the two images.
Using the land
This section explores the changing nature of subsistence husbandry. Students could be asked to develop a programme for the protection and management of reindeer herds.
Activity “What is the role of the Arctic in meeting future energy demands?”
This is a very complex subject with many lengthy reports. Students could be asked to work in groups on one of the sources and report back to the class when the information can be pooled and then a discussion take place as the role of the Arctic in meeting future energy demands.
Students could also discuss the extent to which those increasing demands could be mitigated and the extent to which people, flora and fauna are adapting to change. Teaching resources | Module 12: mitigation and adaptation at Climate4classrooms would be useful.
Change, cost or benefit?
Evaluate the winners and losers of the fast changing climate in Greenland.
The long journey
The long journey of the changing generations. Read about some of the people who live in the Inglefield area of Western Greenland and find out about how they make their living from the land and sea.
Living at 77o N
The Inuit people who live in Qaanaaq find it difficult to leave the area due to the costs and distances involved. Their lives can be affected by external factors from the outside world.
Life at 77° N is changing fast. Amongst the changes are increased tourism, retreating glaciers and increasing connections with the rest of the world.
Resources from elsewhere
Answer to the question ‘how do you think resources from elsewhere would affect the lives of indigenous people?’ This is an open ended question which should provoke discussion in groups or class using resources from elsewhere in the chapter. The picture is of the road to Qaanaaq airport. The airport has provided employment for 15 people, mostly clerical and managerial work for women, with a fire truck with a male crew, one male security officer and male baggage handlers as well. The provision of employment for the women allows the men in the family to carry on with the hunting traditions.
‘How many of the items in the pictures have been imported into the Qaanaaq region?’
Teachers could give some hints about possible origins using the answers below:
- Hickory sledge from USA
- Rope from England
- Primus stove from Denmark
- High grade fuel for stove from Nigeria
- Plastic bag from Denmark
- Trousers from China
- Ventile cotton for jacket from Egypt
‘Do you think these imports are beneficial?’
Open ended discussion, there is some improvement to the quality of life, but there is also pollution and rubbish as the bottom two pictures show.
Tourism
Postcard from the edge – Learning objectives
- To investigate the nature of the tourist industry in the Arctic
- To undertake an enquiry of the effects of tourism on the Arctic ecosystem and people
- To understand ecotourism and sustainable tourism and the difference between them
Santa where?
Discussion as to why difference Arctic countries want Santa to live with them.
Wish you were here?
Types of holiday could include:
- Skidoo trips
- Wilderness camping
- Trekking
- Reindeer safari
- Christmas with Santa
- Dog-sled tours
- Ice fishing
- Wildlife cruises
- Husky and sledge safari
The image of the North Cape was taken at midnight in mid-summer.
More about the Northern Lights can be found in the Science section.
The rest of the section is an investigation about the various attractions of the Norwegian Arctic region.
Last chance to see
An investigation of Doomsday tourism, other examples might be the Great Barrier Reef, the Maldives etc.
Using other areas of the site students could discuss which has the greater impact, tourism or climate change.
Students could investigate the rules for ecotourism, particularly whale watching.
The guidelines for principles tourism are discussed through role play. It should be noted that it is difficult to get exact numbers of tourists for the region, partly because of the difficulties in defining the region (see Arctic Circumpolar Governance chapter) and also because of the nature of some of the tourist activities such as cruising.
Ice Hotel
An investigation into ecotourism and sustainable tourism using the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden as a case study
Development
Development – Learning objectives
- To learn about the nature and extent of sea ice
- To discover what it is like to live and work on the ice covered water
- To understand the effect of climate change on the sea ice extent
Fabled passage
A journey through the Northwest Passage outlining the history of the search for a sea route through to link Europe and Asia. It could be used on an interactive whiteboard to introduce some of the themes explored in more depth in the main activities of the section.
The concrete sea
The first of the images is grease ice and the bottom one is pancake ice, students could discuss the appropriateness of these terms.
The NOAA’s Observers’ guide to sea ice could be used to look at different types of ice in more detail.
Do you think you could drink a glass of melted sea ice water? Answer -It is too salty, the brine in sea water gets trapped in the ice.
Polar expeditions use melted multiyear ice as a source of fresh water – why do you think multiyear ice is more potable than first year ice? Answer – the brine has had time to drain through the ice, and it’s nearly all gone – so you can drink it!
Breaking the ice
The section looks at how vessels break up the ice to open up sea lanes during the summer months. The mechanics of this is described.
The interview with Captain Snider can be used as a stimulus for class discussion on what it might feel like to be on one of these ships and also as a stimulus for the activity at the end of the section.
Polar patrol
The International Marine Organization (IMO) has developed an International Code of safety for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code), to cover the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in the inhospitable waters surrounding the two poles.
Northwest and Northeast passages
Students could list the reasons why these routes are so important. They could also discuss why Canada and Russia wish to have sovereignty over the areas and why other countries want the areas to be under international jurisdiction. What effect is global warming having on the accessibility of the routes?
Environmental impacts and other impacts can be discussed.
Nature’s Riches
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said that about 30% of the world’s undiscovered gas and 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil may be found north of the Arctic Circle, mostly under the sea in less that 500 meters of water. The Russian Arctic has the largest deposits of natural gas in the world.
Governance
Arctic Geopolitics – Learning Objectives
- To understand why early explorers wanted to find ways through the Arctic.
- To identify how different countries had interests in the area.
- Explore the challenges facing passage though the Arctic.
Conflict and geopolitical issues in the Arctic
Use the resources from the site and suggested characters for a role play/debate
Canadian politician
Issues to think about:
- Defence of national sovereignty
- Fishing, tax, shipping and smuggling laws
- Cost of mandatory ‘ice-breaker’ ships
Managing Director of Russian oil company
Issues to think about:
- Potential for collaboration with other national oil firms
- Cost of exploration for oil
Russian politician
Issues to think about:
- Economic impact
- Potential for exploitation of natural resources – nickel, iron ore, phosphate, copper, cobalt main market is China
- Cost of mandatory ‘ice-breaker’ ships
Norwegian cruise company
Issues to think about:
- Potential for tourism
- Consider the Search and Rescue capability of the area being visited
- The infrastructure of the area and the possibility of evacuating a boat safely and quickly
US shipping company
Issues to think about:
- Possibility for new shipping routes (Trans-arctic)
- Impact on transit time and fuel costs
- Increased access to regional resources
- Development in localised shipping for resource extraction and tourism
- Any environmental impacts
Indigenous community representative
Issues to think about:
- Thawing permafrost impact on infrastructure (buildings, roads and pipelines) in Alaska and Siberia
- Opportunities with industries such as mining, ship building
- Impact on fishing
- Social and economic changes
- How important is it to maintain a traditional way of life
- Will you community still be able to hunt whales and seals
- How can communities work alongside large business?
Environmental organisation
Issues to think about:
- Environmental impacts
- Global warming – good for Greenland?
There is really no right or a wrong answer to the question, what is important is the discussion.
Useful resources can be found on the National Geographic, Greenpeace and Greenland Government sites.
The Northwest passage – the Arctic Grail
Research into how early explorers thought about and attempted to find the Northwest Passage.
Arctic circumpolar governance – learning objectives
- To understand the complexities of Arctic governance
- To understand why there is a need for change in Arctic governance, particularly in light of climate change.
Where is the Arctic?
The section introduces the limits of the Arctic region and the complexity of defining these limits.
All of the definitions are correct!
Climate change will alter the temperature and vegetation limits, pushing the boundary of the Arctic Region by these definitions further north.
Western Europe is not in the 50 degree north boundary because the warm North Atlantic Drift keeps the western coast of Europe warm.
Countries of the Arctic
The development of the government of Nunavut is examined and why there is a need for change. Students can investigate the changes to governance.
Students are asked to choose an image to illustrate what they think the Arctic is like. Images of the Arctic are often used by the countries which have Arctic lands on their stamps. These are described in a virtual journey and students are asked to design a stamp.
The Arctic Council
The working of the Council and its members are explored. Reasons why countries without Arctic lands could be:
- Increased accessibility of resources
- Land as yet unclaimed
- Interest in the preservation of ecosystem
- Interest in the preservation of the indigenous way of life
- Concern over the rate of climate change
Changes to the Arctic could include:
- Less sea ice
- Globalisation
- Exposure of resources
- Changes in the indigenous way of life, etc.
Areas where there are disagreements might include
- Search and Rescue
Students should be encouraged to think of factors other than the centres being equally spaced around the Arctic. They could use other areas of the site to look at:
– Extent of ice cover and for how long during the year
– The sea routes and number of ships during the year
– The land sea balance – which is most likely to be used in a situation in the area, air, sea or both?
– The population of an area and how that might affect the need for search and rescue provision. - Oil Spill Preparedness Response
Students should be encouraged to link this to the section on oil and gas in Resources from the Edge – Nature’s riches. A class debate could be encouraged.