In the Frozen Kingdoms project, the children will learn about the regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. They will learn about the similarities and differences between these two regions, including the climate, landscape and natural resources. They will learn how to use grid references, lines of latitude and longitude, contour lines and symbols to identify the geographical locations of the Arctic and Antarctic, and how these, along with the tilt of the Earth, affect day length and warmth. They will investigate polar oceans to learn how they differ from other oceans on Earth and how climate change increases Earth's temperature and leads to rising sea levels. They will learn about the indigenous people of the Arctic, including how their lives have changed over time, and about the positives and negatives of tourism in Antarctica. They will also learn about classifying animals, animal adaptations and evolution, and polar exploration and discovery.

Home Learning Ideas

1. Use the internet and other source materials to sketch and label a diagram of

the Earth. Include the equator, Prime Meridian, lines of latitude and longitude,

Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the polar regions.

2. Research and record the characteristics of each of the following climate zones:

polar, temperate, desert, tropical and equatorial. Give examples of places within

each climate zone.

3. Polar landscapes have many interesting natural features, including icebergs,

glaciers, mountains, ice fields, tundra and boreal forests. Record a definition and

description of each feature in a table.

4a. The Arctic is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, wood, freshwater and

hydropower. Draw a mind map to write a short description of each.

4b. Which of these natural resources are used, and which are largely untapped?

5. Many people are concerned about the impact of climate change on the polar

regions. Gather evidence to find the answers to the following questions.

• What is global warming?

• What is climate change?

• What are four causes of global warming?

• What is the impact of climate change on the planet?

• What is the impact of climate change on wildlife?

• What are your thoughts and feelings about climate change?

6a. Polar animals include polar bears, emperor penguins, Siberian salamanders,

Greenland sharks, emerald rockcod, walrus and Arctic terns. Compare two of

these species, recording where they are found, their habitats and what they eat.

6b. Draw a detailed diagram of the two species that you compared. Add labels to

identify their key features and adaptations.

Arctic region

The Arctic region consists of the Arctic Ocean and the

northern parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia, Finland, Sweden,

Norway, Greenland and Iceland. Winter temperatures can

reach -50°C and summer temperatures can reach 10°C.

The Arctic region has a varied landscape including

mountains, tundra and boreal forest. It is home to

small populations of people and an amazing variety

of plants and animals including the polar bear,

Arctic fox, Arctic hare and walrus.

Antarctic region

Antarctica is the world’s fifth-largest continent and is

covered in an ice sheet that is up to 4800m thick. It is the

coldest, driest, highest and windiest continent on Earth.

Temperatures can drop to -89°C, there is little precipitation,

and wind speeds can reach 80km per hour. There are only

two native species of flowering plants in Antarctica, but there

is a rich sea life, including the emperor penguin, humpback

whale and leopard seal. No people live permanently in the

Antarctic. However, scientists stay for part of the year to

carry out research and tourists visit in the summer months to

see the landscape and wildlife.

Oak Class Curriculum Map for 2020-21

Shows the outline of all our planned learning this year.

Term 3 Overview

Gives more detail about what we plan to learn this term

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