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 5 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? 2 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.