An Antarctica and South Pole global studies unit for homeschool, worldschool or just for fun.
This week was heavy on the non-fiction but the story of Ernest Shackleton read like an epic adventure so we barely noticed. Also, the girls are sucker for weeks where animals are part of the curriculum.
Printables
Here's this week's info, all wrapped up into an easy-to-read printable. Click here for the full color copy and click here for a low-ink black and white version.
On the Dining Room Wall
This chart that shows penguin sizes. (Compare penguin heights to your kids, their stuffed animals, your family pet, etc.)
This map that shows Antarctica including it's mountain range.
Books
One from each category plus an assortment of picture books is usually just perfect.
Not all book series are as good as the next. Get the scoop on some of our favorites here.
Base Non-Fiction Books:
Read every word or simply flip through and reach what catches your eye.
Top Pick:
Where is Antarctica? (Who HQ book) A solid introduction to Antarctica's landscape, history and people's attempts to explore it.
Who Was Ernest Shackleton? (Who HQ book) A really great adventure and everyone lives!
Other Ideas
Penguins and Antarctica (Magic Treehouse Fact Tracker #18) A companion guide to Eve of the Emperor Penguin.
Fiction Chapter Book & Other Notable Chapter-Type Books:
(Some of these books are part of a series but all of them work as standalone books.)
Eve of the Emperor Penguin (Magic Tree House "Merlin Missions" #12) Not my favorite of this series, but Jack and Annie are always a solid addition to the week, especially for younger learners.
Race to the South Pole (Ranger in Time #4) We didn't actually read this one but these books are so cute that I had to include it anyway. If you read it, let me know what you think!
Other Notable Books
Have more time? Try these too.
Can You Survive Antarctica? (You Choose Book) As always, be aware that you die a lot in this very fun series.
Sophie Scott Goes South Part picture book, part chapter book, this tells the story of a 9-year-old girl who gets to visit Antarctica with her ship captain dad.
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Polar Explorer! (You Wouldn't Want to Be Series) Great to flip through and read what catches your eye.
Picture Books
Library inventories vary so much with picture books. Rather than wasting time tracking down specific ones, I like to do keyword searches and just grab what's available.
Search these keywords: Antarctica, South Pole, Penguins, Shackleton.
We liked these:
Dandan's Dream (By Xiaowen Zhu)
Something to Tell the Grandcows (By Eileen Spinelli)
Antarctica (By Helen Cowcher)
Things to Watch
March of the Penguins documentary
This is a calm background video that we put on while we played Legos.
Interactive Learning: Crafts, Food, Activities
Visit a zoo or aquarium to see some penguins!
There's also about a million penguin craft ideas on Pinterest.
Make play dough penguins or a South Pole Lego research center.
Visit a zoo or aquarium to see some penguins!
Charitable Giving Suggestions*
*I have not done research on any charity listed on this blog. I personally liked the idea of teaching our kids to be charitable and thought it might be helpful to list a few ideas here as well. Please do your own due diligence it you have high expectations of charities.
End of Week Movie Night Ideas
Happy Feet (PG, 2006) This heartwarming movie tells the tale of a misfit emperor penguin and his quest to find his own way.
Segue Ideas... Climate Change, North Pole, Ice Age
Wrap Up
Overall this week was a hit. It would make a great Antarctica global studies homeschool unit or be perfect for kids who love learning about adventure.
Final Moment
Here's what I made for pancakes this week. I have to say, the penguins lost a little something when they were flipped.
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