THE COLDEST, DRIEST, WINDIEST HIGHEST CONTINENT

Take a day, a week, or a whole month to explore Antarctica at a glance. This overview introduces Antarctica’s extreme environments, describes the conditions under which researchers live and work, and explains how Antarctica is important to the Earth as a whole.

• If you want teacher strategies, assessment, and a schedule for the unit, start with Curriculum Materials. Then download all the activities (with handouts) and readings.
• If you want stand-alone, hands-on, or research on the Web activities and don't need teacher strategies to go with them, go directly to Activities.
• If you want accessible content readings that will help your students connect to Antarctica’s extreme environments, go straight to Articles. You'll find interviews with real scientists as well as content readings written by or about Antarctic researchers.

		The Coldest, Driest, Windiest, Highest Continent Curriculum Materials for grades 7 through 10 Other than for novelty's sake, why are scientists so interested in studying the coldest, driest, windiest, and highest continent? Because Antarctica is important to the rest of the globe. Find out why.
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		Antarctic Photo Gallery Article for grades 6 through 12 Working in the extreme environment of Antarctica calls for supreme gear and machines—that is, unless you're naturally outfitted, like an emperor penguin or elephant seal.
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		Research on the Web: Snapshots of Antarctica Activity for grades 6 through 12 How many times could the U.S. fit into Antarctica? Why does the true location of the South Pole keep changing? Learn the best Web sites for an introduction to the fifth largest continent.
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		Antarctica in Images Activity for grades 6 through 12 Take a "no parka required" tour of this extreme continent for a close-up look at what life's like for its inhabitants—and for the researchers who study them and their habitat.
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		Let's Talk with Stephanie Shipp about Glaciers, Sea Ice, and Life on Antarctica Article for grades 6 through 12 If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet breaks apart, it could release enough water to raise the sea level by six meters (19.7 feet). Meet a scientist studying the ice sheet's past in order to predict its future.
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		Let's Talk with Marge Porter about Sea Ice in Antarctica Article for grades 6 through 12 This Connecticut teacher traveled to Antarctica to research ice cores. Learn more about the time she spent on an icebreaker and why she's continuing to study sea ice in a graduate program.
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		Letter from Stephanie: Keeping a Journal Article for grades 6 through 12 "Keeping a good journal is kind of like having an extra brain," says this glacial geologist. Find out what Shipp records in her second brain when she's conducting field research in Antarctica.
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		Some Background on Antarctica Article for grades 6 through 12 Despite extremely harsh conditions, about 3,500 people go to work in Antarctica each year. And the number of research applications is on the rise. What, exactly, is so alluring about Antarctica?
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