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It was a slightly different approach to our workshops this week. Instead of the usual one day, virtual multi-schools event, we decided to trial spreading the content over the course of a week to enable youngsters and teachers to fully engage with the material, have more time to tackle some of the activities and challenges and facilitate a greater degree of reflection. On board with us today was an enthusiastic bunch of over 430 Key Stage 2 pupils and their teachers from six schools located throughout the UK, namely Linton-on-Ouse Primary School (https://www.linton.n-yorks.sch.uk/) and Green Hammerton C of E Primary School (https://www.greenhammertonprimary.co.uk/) in North Yorkshire, Moorgate Primary School in Bolton, Lancashire (https://www.moorgate.bolton.sch.uk/), Willow Wood Community Primary School in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear (https://www.willowwoodprimary.org.uk/), Brimington Junior School near Chesterfield, Derbyshire (https://thelearnerstrust.org/brimington-juniors/) and Holy Trinity C of E Primary School in Cookham, Berkshire (https://www.holytrinitysch.co.uk/). Rhianna Davies-Smith, Director at Wicked Weather Watch, also joined us from her relatively new home city of Stockholm in Sweden. On their arrival into the Zoom meeting, each class was given the name of a well-known Arctic explorer and their ‘claim to fame’ revealed.
Throughout our time together, we explored the following enquiry question: ‘What is so cool about the Arctic?‘.
After I had formally welcomed and introduced everyone, I took the opportunity to develop pupils’ (and teachers’) locational knowledge by using Digimap for Schools (DfS) to pinpoint where we all were. I then shared the learning objectives and format of the week so that our intentions were very clear; we had plenty to get through in the allotted time!
We swiftly moved onto the ‘starter’. I launched Google Earth Pro to transport pupils and teachers virtually to Svalbard in Norway and posed a number of questions to them relating to distance, direction, means of transport, cost, time and sustainability. Students were given the chance to access Google Earth Pro themselves and the historical imagery button on the toolbar to see how Svalbard has changed over time. Otherwise, they could watch my screen to observe the changes and then add their comments to the chat feed.
I threw a few questions at pupils to gauge their perceptions of the Arctic, before showing a short movie clip about this fantastic region (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx8sDJ1LMHA). Pupils (and teachers) were also surprised to discover that there are actually four North Poles!
During the ‘main’ session, we looked at what the Arctic is like through a continuum line and true/false activity, zooming in on the tundra biome, identifying animals that live there, analysing and interpreting a climate graph for Longyearbyen, Svalbard, as well as investigating what the weather was like in Longyearbyen, Svalbard today and how it was similar/different to our location and the reasons for this.
After a short break, we attempted to spot changes to the Lillihöök Glacier in Svalbard between 2019 and 2022, firstly by detailed observation and later via a 5Ws+ how? activity.
Next, we considered what we mean by indigenous communities, how they rely upon the Arctic and how climate change is affecting the people that are living there during ‘trios’, an oracy activity.
We were then treated to a visit from Nanou Blair Gould, who has travelled to the High Arctic Archipelago by tall ship. Among many extraordinary things, she witnessed the effects of global warming first-hand. Nanou was so invigorated by the adventure, e.g. the people; life outdoors; the sense of purpose, that she rejoined the ship, working among the small crew for almost four months. She talked about her Arctic experience and answered the youngsters’ questions confidently and comprehensively.
Rhianna then posed a number of questions to pupils afterwards, which they answered thoughtfully.
As the morning was drawing to a close, Rhianna reminded teachers about the three tasks that they may wish to conduct with their class over the next couple of days.
Further images can be found on the school’s X account: https://x.com/HTSchoolCookham
The event concluded on the Friday afternoon with pupils contemplating how they might reduce their carbon footprint. We can all have a positive impact upon our planet. Sustainability is certainly important for the climate of the UK, the Arctic and the world.
Some of our favourite quotes from the week were:
When the ice is melting, people may need to relocate due to their houses being flooded/destroyed. If the ocean is rising, this will affect them. Animals’ habitats will be destroyed, meaning their food/diet will be limited. Landmarks are affected, which affects history/tourism. Animals may migrate, again leaving humans with nothing to hunt.
How will climate change impact indigenous communities in the Arctic?
- It might be hard for them to adapt.
- People might have to leave their homes because of less opportunities to do their jobs.
- Animals could be increasingly dangerous.
- Animals which migrate won’t migrate to the Arctic due to the temperature and so food sources will deplete.
- Might lose the connection to the land if they move.
Questions to Nanou:
- Can you grow vegetables in Svalbard?
- Did you miss home?
- How did you sleep knowing there were polar bears outside?
- How would you describe your journey?
- How does it feel to be in the presence of a polar bear?
- How often do the Northern Lights occur?
- What was it about the walrus that was so interesting?
What surprised you the most from Nanou’s talk?
- Finding plastic inside the bodies of fish.
- How much rubbish they collected – wow!!
- That they didn’t have to kill polar bears to protect themselves.
- How hard it was to sleep on such a demanding journey.
- How people have to go to court if you kill a polar bear.
Would you like to explore the poles?
- No, because it’s cold and polar bears might eat you.
- Yes, to help with climate change and see polar bears!
- My class want to speak to the Headteacher about organising a school trip!
- No, because we don’t want to be so far away from family.
Should tourists be allowed to go to the polar regions?
- No, because we saw how much litter there was already and that was with very little tourism. So we think there would be more litter and that could hurt wildlife.
- People must agree to take care of the environment and not leave anything there.
- Most agree that tourists should be banned, it is far too fragile.
- Yes, it’s how we learn and discover new things.
Some of staff and pupils’ ‘concluding comments‘ can be found below:
Summing up this week’s initiative in five words or a sentence or two:
To learn about the Arctic and think about our carbon footprint.
Exciting; engaging; informative; thrilling; splendid.
Interesting; surprising; fun; unexpected; exciting.
A fun-filled experience with new, interesting facts.
Helping; Arctic; polar bears; building; Arctic fox.
Arctic and sugar cube fun!
Thank you for the week.
Thank you so much! We’ve had a wonderful morning!
Thank you so much for this morning! We have had a great time!
Thank you so much for having us! We have really enjoyed it!
Thank you very much for this great session, we have very much enjoyed it!
So sorry to leave, I need to take Year 3 to lunch. We will see you all again on Friday! We have all had a brilliant morning.
We’re having to head to lunch – thank you for the session and we will catch up with you on Friday!
Our next virtual adventure to the Arctic is scheduled for mid-May 2025. Do get in touch if you wish to be involved; it would be great to have you on board (contact Rhianna Davies-Smith: schools@wickedweatherwatch.org.uk).