Children's Lecture Activity Booklet

Children’s lecture Activity booklet

5 December 2020 www.rgs.org/childrenslecture Welcome! About the 2019 Weddell Sea Expedition

Our speakers today: Bringing together world-leading experts in polar and marine exploration in a mission to solve unanswered Isla Hodgson from the University of Stirling, who is questions about one of the most remote and least- going to tell us about our extraordinary oceans and studied wilderness areas on our planet. some of the creatures we may find in them. The expedition:

Catherine Gemmell from the Marine Conservation Investigated the ice shelves around the Weddell Society who is going to take us on a virtual beach Sea and, in particular, the Larsen C Ice Shelf from clean in Scotland and tell us about what we may find. which a giant iceberg broke off in July 2017.

Kate Winter from Northumbria University, who will Documented the rich and little-studied marine life of be telling us about how we can conduct research in the western Weddell Sea ecosystem. Antarctica and what the impact of climate change may be. Attmpted to locate and survey the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance, which was trapped Joanna Grochowicz, all the way from New Zealand, and crushed by the ice and sank in the Weddell who is a polar historian and author and will tell us the Sea in 1915. Conditions in the Weddell Sea sadly story of Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. prevented the team from reaching Endurance in 2019. To link all of these talks together, we have created some activities for you to complete and learn more The Society worked with the 2019 expedition to about the Weddell Sea Expedition. You’ll also find provide educational resources to inspire young some wild flower seeds to plant and a decoration to people about science, engineering and technology, design with your favourite sea creature! as well as the protection of Antarctica.

Odd one out - How do you get to the Weddell Sea? Odd one out - how do you get to Football on ice - the Weddell Sea? spot the difference

Activity for KS2:

Which ofWhich these of these transport transport modes modes will not will get you not to theget Weddell you Sea? to What do you think is happening and why?

the Weddell Sea?

Think about the difference between the clothing, the 1 2 people and the ship.

Football on ice Why might these images play such an important role in communicating what it is like to be on an expedition in

KS2/KS3 –the The importance Antarctic? of imagery on expeditions

Using the two images below, ask students to work in pairs to discuss what they think is happening and why. You could use the 5 W’s as an approach. Prompt them to think about the difference between the clothing, the people and the ship. Encourage them to use key terms associated with the power of imagery. How does it make them feel? Why might these images play such an important role in communicating what it is like to be on an expedition in the Antarctic.

3 4

6 The Endurance team playing football on the ice, The Weddell Sea Expedition team playing football on the ice, New Year’s Day 1915 New Year’s Day 2019

https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/ The answer is number 1. This is a commercial airline which is actually pictured in the Arctic. Look closely for the name of the airline “Icelandic”.

A tale of two ships Endurance and SA Agulhas II

Activity for KS2:

Compare and contrast the ships Endurance from 1914 and SA Agulhas II 2019.

Below are some images, one a drawing of the Endurance taken from The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Prospectus, along with an extract from the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition Prospectus; and an information sheet about the SA Agulhas II.

Tasks: Draw up a table of the similarities and differences between the two ships. Think about their size, the materials that they are constructed from and what they are able to carry. In small groups, discuss why you think the Endurance was crushed by sea ice but the SA Agulhas II is able to sail through it.

Resources: The SA Agulhus II:  Cargo capacity of 4,000 m3 the equivalent of 40 school buses A tale of two ships  Space for 500 m3 fuel  Capable of carrying piston bullies (ice tractors) that weight 35 tonnes Endurance and SA Agulhas II  The piston bullies can be stored below deck  The main crane can lift 35 tonnes up to 45 meters into the air  The two smaller cranes can lift 10 tonnes each  The helicopters on board can lift up to 1 tonne of cargo

Compare and contrast the ships Endurance from An extract from the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Prospectus. 1914 and SA Agulhas II 2019. © RGS-IBG

Below are some images, one a drawing of the What are the similarities and differences between the Endurance taken from The Imperial Trans-Antarctic two ships? Think about their size, the materials that Prospectus, along with an extract from the 1914 they are constructed from and what they are able to Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition Prospectus; and carry.

an information sheet about the SA Agulhas II.

Similarities Differences

A drawing of the SA Agulhas II © www.shipbucket.com Further information http://www.histarmar.com.ar/Antartida/BuquesAntarticos- Logisticos/AgulhasII/AGULHAS%20II%20PLANSx12.jpg

A drawing of the Endurance ship taken from the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Prospectus 1914 © RGS-IBG Why you think the Endurance was crushed by sea ice but the SA Agulhas II is able to sail through it?

DesignDesign your your own Weddellown Weddell Sea equipment Sea equipment to to searchsearch below below or above or above the ice the ice

What would you like to discover more about? Using theActivity key forfeatures KS2 and below,KS3: design a piece of equipment that will enable them to carry out the task Ask children to decide what they would like to discover more about in the Weddell Sea. Using the key features below, ask them to design a piece of e.g.equipment ROV’s that take will imagesenable them of tothe carry deep out the sea. task e.g. ROV’s take images of the deep sea

Area of Equipment Key functions Video clip for inspiration Images for inspiration Further information study Deep sea Remotely  Take photographs https://youtu.be/WZsGx-7- http://www.eclipse.us.com/spec creatures Operated  Track locations huM ifications.html Vehicle  Collect samples of (ROV) animals (different types/sizes etc)

Deep sea Autonomous  Move easily https://youtu.be/5F- https://oceaninfinity.com/wp- creatures Underwater  Transmit data w34oqqCY content/uploads/AUV_Factshee Vehicle  Observe marine life t.pdf Shipwrecks (ROV)  Study sea floor  Search for shipwrecks

Sea ice Aerial Drones  Camera https://youtu.be/SxSLg9kYy https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/s  GPS Oc cience/science-news/2018/uc-  Laser duo-prepare-to-join-search-for- shackletons-lost-ship.html

Geology of Sediment  Drill down into the sea the sea bed corer floor and collect N/A http://seatechnology.co.za/ sediment samples

https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/

S.A. Agulhas II The Weddell Sea Expedition 2019 research ship

S.A.Did you Agulhas know that Agulhas” II is Portuguese for “Needles”.

TheTechnical Weddell overview Sea Expedition 2019 research ship

 Built in 2012 by STX in Finland Technical Gross overview tonnage: 12,897 Research facilities on board • Built inLength: 2012 134m by STX in Finland Imagine having your science classrooms on board  Power: 4 x 3000kW engines • Gross Polar tonnage: Class 5: 12,897 Can break ice 1m thick at 5 knots an ice breaker in the middle of the Weddell Sea. • Length: 134m The S.A. Agulhas II has fully functioning biology, Research facilities on board • Power: 4 x 3000kW engines chemistry and geology laboratories.Credit: Patrick Woodhead • PolarImagine Class having 5:your Can science break classrooms ice 1m on thick board atan ice5 knots breaker in the middle of the Weddell Sea. The S.A. Agulhas II has fully functioning biology, chemistry and geology laboratories.

S.A. Agulhas II

The Weddell Sea Expedition 2019 research ship

Biology Lab Chemistry Lab Wet Geology Lab Dry Geology Lab

Did you know that Agulhas” is Portuguese for “Needles”. KS3 Activity: In pairs, discuss the challenges that you think the scientists might encounter on board, when trying to carrying out their research. TechnicalWhat overvieware the challenges that you think the scientists mighthttps://weddellseaexpedition.org/ encounter on board, when trying to carrying out https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/Built their in 2012 research? by STX in Finland  Gross tonnage: 12,897  Length: 134m  Power: 4 x 3000kW engines  Polar Class 5: Can break ice 1m thick at 5 knots

Research facilities on board Credit: Patrick Woodhead Imagine having your science classrooms on board an ice breaker in the middle of the Weddell Sea. The S.A. Agulhas II has fully functioning biology, chemistry and geology laboratories.

Biology Lab Chemistry Lab Wet Geology Lab Dry Geology Lab

KS3 Activity: In pairs, discuss the challenges that you think the scientists might encounter on board, when trying to carrying out their research. https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/

Life on board the S.A. Agulhas II The expedition team will live on board the ship for 45 days.

• The vessel has 10 Decks • The Business Centre, Auditorium, Laundry, Gym

• PassengerLife on board thecabins S.A. Agulhasare located II on deck 4, 5, 6 and Sauna is on Deck 4 • DeckThe expedition 3 and team8 accommodation will live on board the is ship for for the 45 Ship’sdays. • The Passenger Dining Room and Canteen is on Officer’s• The and vessel Crew has 10 Decks • DeckThe Business 4 forward Centre, Auditorium, Laundry, Gym and Sauna is • Deck• Passenger9 is where cabins the are Wheelhouse/Bridge located on deck 4, 5, 6 is located •on Deck 4 • Deck 3 and 8 accommodation is for the Ship’s Officer’s and • TheThe Passenger Library, Dining Helicopter Room and briefing Canteen isroom on Deck and 4 forward Hospital • Deck Crew10 is an open upper deck with a partially • areThe onLibrary, the Helicopterport side briefing of deck room 5 and Hospital are on the enclosed• Deck viewing 9 is where cubicle the Wheelhouse/Bridge is located •port side of deck 5 • Deck 10 is an open upper deck with a partially enclosed viewing • ScientificScientific Laboratories, Laboratories, moon pool, moonside door pool, and sideaft deck door is on and aft • Outer cubicledecks are accessible to Passenger’s, deckdeck 3 is on deck 3 however,• Outer it is decks controlled are accessible to Passenger’s, however, it is controlled

ImagineActivity: thatImagine you that are you on are board on board the the ship.ship. Write Write an email/recorda postcard a messageto someone to someone at home. at home. Describe where you are, what you are feeling and whether are you missing anything? Remember that you have been away for a long time. Describe where you are, what you are feeling and whether are you missing anything? Remember that you have been away for a long time. https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/

Life below the ice in the Weddell Sea

Due to its depth and inaccessibility, there is currently little known about life beneath the ice in the Weddell Sea. One of the aims of the Weddell Sea Expedition 2019, is to discover more. Using state of the art Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV’s) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV’s) the team

are hoping to photograph and classify species that have never been seen before. These might be very small organisms, alongside larger animals such as

star fish. Classifying deep sea animals in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica Weddell Sea, the in animals sea deep Classifying Using photographs from the British Antarctic Survey/

JR17003a expedition, classify (group) the fauna (animals) that you can see in the images. You could classify (group) them according to size, colour or

how many arms they have.

Write which group they belong to into the box below the images.

Most of these species are not officially named, so you could also come up with some names for them! JR17003a © BAS/ https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/

Life above the ice in the Weddell Sea

The Weddell seal lives farther south than any other Using the website: https://www.zooniverse.org/ mammal. They are impressive divers, and can projects/slg0808/weddell-seal-count reach 600m depth and spend as long as 82 minutes underwater. In the photograph there are mothers and pups, seals and pups. We want to count how many Weddell seals there are in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. Only then Your task is to classify the seals. can we tell if they are being adversely affected by human fishing for toothfish, or by the ice melting Before you begin, read through the tutorial. The away beneath them due to climate change. ButLife it is aboveproject the aims iceto measure in the variation in the number really hard to count seals – they live in very remoteWeddell Seaof seals on the ice throughout the daily cycle. So we hard-to-reach locations where weather conditions need good counts. are extreme, and they spend a lot of their time in the water. But during the summer they haul out onto the Place a green spot over a mother with her pup ice for some time each day. If we can count them beside her, a blue spot over a pup on its own, and a then, and also understand the typical pattern of red spot on all the other seals. When in doubt if it’s a Activity for KS3: numbers out on the ice, then perhaps we can make pup, use the red spot. Include seals at the edge of reasonable estimates of the population. The Weddell seal lives fartherthe image. south than Do any not other count mammal. dead seals. They are impressive divers, and can reach 600m depth and spend as long as 82 minutes underwater. Are Antarctic Weddell seals threatened by fishing?We want to count how many Weddell seals there are in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. Only then can we tell if they are By climate change? Help us find out. being adversely affected by human fishing for toothfish, or by the ice melting away beneath them due to climate change. But it is really hard to count seals – they live in very remote hard-to- reach locations where weather conditions are extreme, and they spend a lot of their time in the water. But during the summer they haul out onto the ice for some time each day. If we can count them then, and also understand the typical pattern of numbers out on the ice, then perhaps we can make reasonable estimates of the population.

Are Antarctic Weddell seals threatened by fishing? By climate change? Help us find out.

Using the website: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/slg0808/weddell-seal-count

In the photograph there are mothers and pups, seals and pups.

Your task is to classify the seals.

Before you begin, read through the tutorial. The project aims to measure the variation in the number of seals on the ice throughout the daily cycle. So we need good counts.

Place a green spot over a mother with her pup beside her, a blue spot over a pup on its own, and a red spot on all the other seals. When in doubt if it's a pup, use the red spot. Include seals at the edge of the image. Do not count dead seals.

Teachers: For further information visit https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/slg0808/weddell-seal- count/about/research

https://weddellseaexpedition.org/ https://www.facebook.com/weddellseaexpedition/

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: Glue : Fold : Assembly ANTARCTICA OVERVIEW MAP

This map shows the major geographical features on the Antarctic continent and the USA and UK research stations, to accompany the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA). For information about LIMA and to access the imagery, go to http://lima.usgs.gov

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N G H Å K O N V South Orkney Is K O I I H Signy (UK) AV BULISEN FIM S bulheimen Fim O South A DRONNING MAUD T ho rs N LAND ha Shetland BRUNT vnheine T ICE ENDERBY A W E D D E L L Scott Mtns U SHELF LAND Is G R R A C H Halley (UK) A T T M IC S E A Anvers I.

L P KEMP LAND A LARSEN E COATS LAND Dome Palmer (USA) N N D ICE SHELF I NS Fuji H U (Valkyrie) L FILCHNER Adelaide I. P A ICE Shackleton MACROBERTSON A Berkner Rothera (UK) LM SHELF Range tns E E Island Pri rles M R nce Cha AMERY RONNE L ICE SHELF A Alexander I. N ICE P r y d z

P R D B a y SHELF e LAND n

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M Dome ELIZABETH N Vinson tn B E L L I N G S H A U S E N s Argus T Massif LAND 40 s 00 4892m n r t M a E

S E A A l l s r t h Thiel South Pole B w o

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i Elizabeth Subglacial LAND ICE C Maud c Range Lake Vostok

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00 McMurdo V 2 H IC (USA) T O Mt Erebus R I E A

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R O S S S E A D R GEORGE V ADÉLIE LAND N OATES LAND D u m o n t d ’ U r v i l l e S e a

O Balleny Is 0°S C 6 180° E A 0 1000 2000

N Km 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Miles Key Ice-free rock To find more detailed maps of Antarctica: Ice sheet Order maps and posters from the LIMA website: http://lima.usgs.gov/order.php British Antarctic Survey Map Catalogue: http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/magic/newmapcat/mapcat.html Ice shelf SCAR (Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research) map catalogue: http://aadc-maps.aad.gov.au/ Contours at For a composite gazetteer of placenames in Antarctica visit: http://www3.pnra.it/SCAR_GAZE/ 500m intervals For a map showing all research stations operating in Antarctica visit: http://www.comnap.aq/

To find out interesting facts about Antarctica see: ‘Antarctica in Context’ on http://lima.usgs.gov/download.php

To find out more about Antarctica and British Antarctic Survey research, visit: www.antarctica.ac.uk