North and South Pole activities

I have used this photo from Odyssey Montessori School. They have a curriculum spotlight on Geography at this link.

It’s winter here in Australia and even in Brisbane it is starting to feel cold. While we don’t have snow and ice this is the time of year that I turn to the North and South Poles on the globes and the continent map.

One immediate point of interest is that the Artic Circle is temporary (seasonal as ice freezes) an Antarctica is a continent with is permanent (it may change in size and shape through the seasons).

I love these activities which show another difference, the animals of the poles.

Penguins live in Antarctica (and other places in the Southern Hemisphere … but NOT in the Arctic Circle). So you don’t get Penguins and Polar Bears in the same place.

This set is made up of some fabric to look like snow, a felt hole in the ice of unfrozen water, some pebbles for the penguins to build their nests. These are not Emperor Penguins.  I’ll try and remember where I got the set because they are lovely. Having the chicks keeps the play gentle and focused on penguin like activities like nesting and finding food.

Heading North this great set Sri Toys Igloo set is lovely. Set it up again on some icy fabric with a felt waterhole for hours of fun.

There are so many learning opportunities with this kind of play. have some information books to hand or do so reading before hand so you have your facts at the ready. I love introducing a new activity as it is always an opportunity for me to learn something too.

For example: As the driest continent Antarctica is actually considered a desert!

What have you learnt recently while preparing a lesson or activity?

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