Lesson 1: What do we already know, or think we know, about climate & Antarctica?

In this lesson, students will elicit initial ideas about climate, explore images of Antarctica, learn important vocabulary, and synthesize how satellite imagery can help us understand climate change in Antarctica.

• Use new vocabulary to describe Antarctic climate and environmental processes, and surface hydrology in particular
• Begin to interpret satellite imagery of the Antarctic ice sheet

Lesson 2: How does the changing climate impact the penguins around Antarctica?

In this lesson, students investigate the life history characteristics of different Antarctic penguin species and identify the changes that their populations have experienced.

• Describe penguins' general behaviors and habitat requirements necessary to survive in the harsh Antarctic environment.
• Interpret and summarize population trends.
• Connect the species' natural history with their population changes in light of climate changes occurring in Antarctica.

Lesson 3: Antarctic Life & Albedo

In this lesson, students explore the importance of albedo (or reflectivity) to penguins and the surfaces they inhabit and learn how penguin colonies may be mapped using satellites.

• Describe and demonstrate how satellite observations, field observations, and simple linear models can be used to track Antarctic penguin populations.
• Explain the concept of albedo and how this impacts energy absorption and reflection. 

Lesson 4: Why does the ice melt on the “Frozen Continent”?

In this lesson, students investigate various factors that can lead to surface ice melt in Antarctica by pairing a scientific mindset with hands-on exploration of datasets.

• Use a Climate Reanalyzer tool to compare melt areas in Antarctica with climatological variables.
• Build, test, and confirm or refute hypotheses using the claim, evidence, reasoning framework for an argument

Lesson 5: Human Impacts on Climate Change

In this lesson, students explore how human activities will continue to impact Antarctic ice, discuss human contributions to climate change, and investigate what we can do to stop/reverse these negative effects.

• Understand the models/scenarios of human activities and their potential impact on climate change (through ice melt)
• Recognize their own activities that increase greenhouse emissions and contribute to global warming
• Develop a list of efforts that students could make in different parts of their lives to help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions