Caring for the Arctic

This activity guides classes to take action to care for the Arctic. Caring for the Arctic is a job for all of us. If we reduce our impact on the planet overall, we will be helping this fragile and beautiful part of the world. Classes are asked to write one or more pledges to care for the Arctic on the Arctic animal pledge cards. These pledges can be displayed in class as a reminder to take action.

Ages 7+

(adult supervision)

20 mins

How to do it How to do it
What you'll need What you'll need
Find out more Find out more

Introduction

This activity is all about caring for the Arctic. There are three student sheets for students to use, which can be downloaded from the What you’ll need tab. Pledges can be shared as part of a class display and a template for creating a polar background is also available.

Activity steps

If you need to cover some background about the changes taking place in the Arctic, use the Student Sheet Impacts of a warming Arctic, available to download or in the Find out more tab.
Then, look at the Student Sheet Take action for the Arctic. This lists some of the broad areas of action that will help the Arctic, and specific pledge ideas.
Working alone on in groups, students should choose one or more pledges that they would like to make to care for the Arctic.
Students should then cut out one of the Arctic animal pledge cards from the Student Sheet Arctic pledge cards and write their pledge on this. Some students might prefer to cut around the oval outline, while others may prefer to cut the exact shape of the Arctic animal.
Pledges can be shared using a plenary discussion or using a class display using the template supplied in Student Sheet Arctic class display.

Safety guidance

Cutting with scissors should be done using child-friendly scissors and under adult supervision.

Activity materials

Scissors

Available online

Svalbard, the home for Arctic Live, is the fastest warming place on the planet. Between 1971 and 2019, temperatures have risen by 4°C, five times faster than global averages. In the winter, the average temperature has risen by 7°C. On current trends, Svalbard will hot 10°C of warming by 2100. The information below describes some of the impacts of a warming Arctic.

Arctic Live 2015 Arctic From Above — Glacier front in Svalbard

Sea level rise

Warming will cause more land ice (glaciers and the Greenland ice cap) to melt. This will add to sea level rise, affecting coastal communities around the world.

Try the sea level rise investigation

Staving starfish

Lots of animals that live on the bottom of the Arctic Ocean rely on food made by algae in sea ice. Warming means less sea ice, so less food for animals like starfish.

Positive feedback

Melting sea ice exposes more dark ocean, which absorbs more heat, which melts more sea ice, and so on. This is an example of a positive feedback loop that is not great for the Arctic.

Try the albedo activity

Ravenous Rudolph

Reindeer scrape through snow to find food during the winter. With warmer weather, this can mean winter rain. The rain freezes making an icy layer which cannot be scraped through.

Crowded seas

As the Arctic Ocean warms it becomes more suited to species that lived further south. Fish stocks are moving north at up to 160km per decade. This means that Arctic species can be ‘crowded out’.

Danger to circulation

Global ocean currents are driven by cold salty water sinking in the Arctic. As the Arctic water freshens and warms, this driving action can start to slow. Changing the pattern of ocean circulation can change the climate around the world.

Try the Ocean Circulation activity

Searching polar bears

Polar bears like to hunt for seals across the sea ice. With less sea ice, this traditional form of hunting and food is more difficult. Some bears are now turning to eating bird eggs. Not great for bears or birds.

More business

As the Arctic melts, this can make it easier for business activity such as shipping and oil extraction. Increased business activity can harm wildlife in this remote part of the world.

Cross-curricular | Ages 7-11

Frozen Oceans

Based on journeys undertaken by real explorers and scientists, the Frozen Oceans (Primary) education programme is designed to introduce students to what life is like in the High Arctic.

View unit

Geography | Ages 11-14

Frozen Oceans

The Frozen Oceans Geography resources are designed to take 11-14 year-olds on a journey to the Arctic following the expedition team of the Catlin Arctic Survey.

View unit

Science | Ages 11-14

Frozen Oceans

The Frozen Oceans Science resources introduce working scientifically concepts and skills to 11-14-year-olds through enquiry-based lessons which replicate work done by field scientists in the Arctic.

View unit

Ocean and climate

Polar photosynthesis

Paper plate polar bear

Arctic Food Web