When I first started blogging in the homeschool area, every once in awhile I would post a unit study starter. This is essentially, a list of resources and ideas that you can use to build your own unit study around. If you need a break from the daily grind, this is a great way to venture off course for a few days. Still don’t know quite what to do? Consider lapbooking the information that you learn!
Must-Visit Websites
Arthropolis–this is the be all and end all to kid friendly polar regions sites. Anything you want to know is linked somewhere on this page. Tip: Use their polar map to chart temperatures around the Arctic circle. Note the difference in average temperatures in inland areas vs closer to the pole.
International Polar Year-IPY also sponsors “Polar Days” where families can go and learn about the polar regions. We went to our local Polar Day at the Museum of Natural History and it was excellent. Everyone from my oldest (almost) nine year old to the twins learned something new and interesting.
Ideas
Make sure to get out a map or globe and note all the countries that are in the Arctic circle. While Antarctic (south pole) is its own continent, the Arctic circle is mostly ocean and the includes the Northern most tips of Russia, Canada, Greenland, and Asia.
Studying polar animals is fascinating. One key question to ask as you study each animal is: How do they survive such harsh conditions. You’ll discover that each animal was designed with unique features to allow survival.
Another thing you’ll want to make sure to study is the Northern Lights. Discover what causes this visual effect. Also, take a look at the sunrise and sunsets of each area. Have your child write about what it would be like to live in darkness for several months of the year. Then study Inuit peoples to discover how they do it.
Science Experiment
Ode to Blubber–Blubber is a thick layer of fat that many Polar Region animals have in order to keep warm and cozy in cold weather. Make a blubber mitten to find out how animals keep warm. For an older student, test several insulators to see if blubber really is the best way to stay cozy! (Look for directions in my next homeschool blog.)
Books I Like
Poles Apart: Why Penguins and Polar Bears Will Never Be Neighbors
Little Polar Bear and the Reindeer
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