Author does book signing in Antarctica

This is an interesting article about the author Patrick Woodward launching his new book in Antarctica. The book is called Beneath the Ice, which is a thriller set in Antarctica being released on January 1, 2015.

Photos and notebook discovered in/near Terra Nova expedition hut

Here is an interesting article about photos and a notebook discovered last year in and near one of Scott's Terra Nova expedition huts. The photo negatives were from Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition when he used Scott's hut. The notebook is quite amazing to have survived as it was found outside. It contains notes on photos taken during Scott's 1910-1913 expedition. The notes were able to be matched to the photos held by the Scoot Polar Research Institute.

New bird flu found in Adele penguins

Here is an interesting brief article about the a new bird flu virus being found on Adele penguins in Antarctica.  This is the first time a live strain has been reported found in penguins in Antarctica.  The study found it in 3% of the penguins sampled (8 out of ~300 it sounds like) and the penguins did not appear to be sick.

1,600 year-old Moss in Antarctica

Plant life existing at all in Antarctica is pretty amazing for most to hear about in the first place, but even more unbelievable is that recently moss that has been frozen in Antarctica for over 1,600 years was found to come back to life when put in an incubator.  Frozen plant life coming back to life is not new, but how long it was frozen before being regenerated is much longer than previously done, as before this the oldest plant material regenerated was only frozen for 20 years.  Read more about this here.

Russians install bust in honor of 'discover' of Antarctica

A bust of Russian Faddey Bellingshausen was recently installed in Antarctica to honor his discovery of Antarctica.  Whether he was the actual discoverer is somewhat debatable, as Bellinghausen, British Edward Bransfield, and American Nathan Palmer first sighted it in the same year (1820).  Also, the discovery depends on the definition, as it could also go to those that first set foot on the continent in 1821 (also debatable whether it was John Davis, Nathan Palmer, etc) or the first to realize he had discovered a whole continent, Charles Wilkes.

Related Article

• Bust of Antarctica discoverer Faddey Bellingshausen installed on 6th continent

Explosion at Argentine Esperanza Base Kills Army Officer

On January 14, an explosion at Argentina's Esperanza base on the Antarctic peninsula killed one army officer. The explosion was caused while retrieving inflammable material leftovers.

Related Links

• Deadly blast at Argentine base in Antarctica (Washington Post, January 14, 2014)

Antarctic Book Review: Deacon Leeds and the Pyramid of Symbols by Grant Morris

Deacon Leeds and the Pyramid of Symbols by Grant Morris is a science fiction and fantasy novel set in modern day Antarctica.  The book is geared towards a teenage audience with the main character, Deacon Leeds, being a teenager spending his winter break with his dad, who is doing research in Antarctica.  This is a fascinating read that goes back and forth between the perspective of a 70,000 year old civilization in the South that uses magic symbols on a pyramid and modern day Antarctica when they find the golden pyramid when drilling in the ice.  It is a great mix of the realistic world of
Antarctica and the fantasy world related to the pyramid colliding.  In particular, it is nice that it uses real information about how Antarctica is now, such as mentioning that dogs are no longer allowed on the continent, which gives the book a layer of realism even though it is partly fantasy.

This book is the first in The Pyramid Adventure series.  Here's hoping more come soon.

Diamonds in Antarctica?

I have read about minerals and the threat of the exploitation in Antarctica before, but I was quite surprised how my Antarctic news alert today was full of articles about diamonds in Antarctica.  The Antarctic Treaty does prohibit mining, but there is geological research allowed and they discovered kimberlite, which is a volcanic rock known to often bear diamonds.  Actual diamonds were not found, though.  Seems like there is a reasonable chance there would be diamonds in Antarctica somewhere with the volcanic activity, but the remoteness still makes it not worthwhile commercially beyond just the fact that it would be illegal.

Related Links

• Antarctica may hold diamonds (stuff.co.nz, December 18, 2013)
• Possible diamonds found in Antarctica (PBS Newshour, December 17, 2013)

Antarctic Book Review: Something to Tell the Grandcows by Eileen Spinelli

 Something to Tell the Grandcows by Eileen Spinelli is a historical fiction picture book written about a cow’s experience as part of Admiral Byrd’s 1933-35 expedition to Antarctica. The book does not provide much historical information other than being loosely based on the fact that Byrd did take cows with him. However, it does provide an interesting perspective of the cow experiencing the cold, 24 hours of sunlight in the Antarctic summer, and 24 hours of darkness in the Antarctic winter. This book is appropriate for grades K to 2. This can be a good book for engaging animal lovers into the topic of Antarctica, especially its climate.

Antarctic Book Review: Rescue in Antarctica by Emily Sohn

Rescue in Antarctica: An Isabel Soto Geography Adventure by Emily Sohn is a graphic novel appropriate for grades 3 to 5. This book is part science fiction with the main characters traveling through time and space through a portal. This book can also be partly considered contemporary realistic fiction because it is mainly about a rescue operation that is similar to how researchers may end up stranded and rescued in Antarctica today. This book is a good selection to introduce children interested in graphic novels to the topic of Antarctica. The book also provides a quick introduction to the concept of climate change and how it is affecting the continent.

Antarctic Book Review: Tom Crean Ice Man, the Adventures of an Irish Antarctic Hero by Michael Smith

Tom Crean: Ice Man, the Adventures of an Irish Antarctic Hero by Michael Smith is a biography of Tom Crean. The book focuses on his experiences as part of three Antarctic expeditions during his career with the British Navy. This book is appropriate for grades 3 to 5. This book is a good biography that covers the life of an early Antarctic explorer that is not as well known individually as Scott or Shackleton, but was part of two of the most famous Antarctic expeditions (Scott’s 1910-1913 Terra Nova South Pole expedition and Shackleton’s 1914-1917 Endurance expedition). Being about a lesser-known explorer might make this book appealing to students that want to learn more about Antarctic explorers.

This book also provides an alternative perspective that other resources on the expeditions do not always cover, especially in regards to Crean not getting selected for the final push to the South Pole with Scott after getting within 150 miles and their return party almost facing death like Scott’s party did. The book may also be considered multicultural in that Crean was Irish and it discusses him not talking much about his polar experiences later in life because he felt it made him too connected to Britain in a time that Ireland was fighting for independence.

Penguin Book Review: Antarctic Antics A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra

Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra is a picture book featuring a variety of poems about Emperor penguins and their life in the Antarctic. This book is appropriate for grades K to 2. This book has painting style illustrations that rather realistically portray the penguins, the actions, and the feelings that the poems describe, such as penguins hatching and taking their first swim. The poetry makes it a great read aloud book that could also be used to inspire students to develop performances to act out the poems. The book may also be useful for helping open discussion about feelings children may also identify with such as doing something new like the penguins going swimming for the first time.

Antarctic Book Review: Ann and Liv Cross Antarctica: A Dream Come True! by Zoe Alderfer Ryan

Ann and Liv Cross Antarctica: A Dream Come True! by Zoe Alderfer Ryan book is a brief biography of the American Ann Bancroft and Norwegian Liv Arnesen’s experience of fulfilling their dream of crossing Antarctica, which was the first time women skied across the continent. This book is appropriate for grades K to 2. This book is an inspirational story about determination and following dreams. This book is unique for providing a perspective on female accomplishments in Antarctica, since the literature on Antarctic explorers is mostly about men.

Penguin Book Review: The Emperor Penguin's New Clothes by Janet Perlman

In The Emperor Penguin's New Clothes by Janet Perlman, penguins become the main characters in a modern twist on a classic Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. This is a picture book appropriate for grades K to 3. This book is a rare selection with an Antarctic theme that can somewhat fit the traditional literature genre. It is also a good selection for discussing topics such as fact vs. fiction (realistic penguins, but unrealistic clothing and setting), peer pressure (not wanting to be thought stupid for pointing out the new clothes are non-existent), and honesty (the young penguin telling the somewhat harsh truth about the clothes do not exist).

Antarctic Book Review: Who Counts the Penguins? Working in Antarctica by Mary Meinking

Who Counts the Penguins? Working in Antarctica by Mary Meinking is an informational picture book for grades 2 to 4. This book provides an overview of different jobs in Antarctica including highlighting what different types of scientists do such as glaciologists studying climate history using ice core samples and astronomers studying the stars. This book gives students a general overview of what jobs there are in Antarctica as well as what different types of scientists research. This book also provides a good explanation of how planes and ships deliver people and goods to Antarctica.

Antarctic research iced even though U.S. government shutdown ended

October is when news stories about Antarctica tend to begin to pick up with the summer research season beginning.  As usual the number of stories in my Google news alert for Antarctica has increased this month, but most of it is not about the different research projects being undertaken this season.  Instead it has mostly been about the U.S. Antarctic bases being put into caretaker status and the start of the research season put on hold because of the U.S. government shutdown affecting funding for the National Science Foundation.

Now the government shutdown has ended, but since the window for setting up and beginning research is so small in Antarctica research cannot just be continued as usual.  While the Antarctic program is no longer in only caretaker status, the resources are not available in time for all originally planned research to be supported.  This leads to some research teams being told they have to wait until next year, which will affect some data of projects that are in the middle of multi-year research programs.  While it certainly affects the data and the people that arranged their lives to be in Antarctica for the research season, at least some of the U.S. Antarctic programs will get to happen this season.

Related Articles:

• Despite End of U.S. Shutdown, Antarctic Research Projects Still Getting Cancelled (Science, 20 Oct 2013)

Antarctic Book Review: The Mystery in Icy Antarctica: The Frozen Continent by Carole Marsh

The Mystery in Icy Antarctica: The Frozen Continent by Carole Marsh is a contemporary realistic fiction book. In this book a girl age 10 and a boy age 7 visit McMurdo Station in Antarctica with their grandparents. This book is appropriate for grades 3 to 5. This book is good for drawing in young readers to learn a little about what life is like at a modern Antarctic research station from main characters that are around the same age as the target audience. The book is particularly good for reluctant readers or those just starting to read chapter books, as it has illustrations that can make the reading experience more fun. In particular, the use of sound words being done illustratively can add to the excitement and draw the reader’s attention more into the story, such as when the ice is cracking and an illustration says CRAACK! with crack lines around it (p. 5). This book also involves a mystery of disappearing penguins, which might help readers in grades 3 to 5 be “challenged to use their mental ability to seek solutions to problems” (Travers & Travers, 2008, p. 254). The built-in book club sections at the back of the book are also useful for encouraging thoughtful discussion of the book and learning more about Antarctica.


 

Travers, B. E., & Travers, J. F.  (2008). Children’s literature: A developmental perspective (1st ed.).  Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Antarctic Book Review: Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antarctica by Sandra Markle

Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antarctica by Sandra Markle is an informational and biographical picture book appropriate for grades 3 to 5. This book discusses the history of Robert Falcon Scott’s expeditions to Antarctica in the early 1900s with a focus on the animals he saw and used. Photo, sketches, and watercolors fill the pages to illustrate the animals and expeditions’ experiences.

Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antarctica may be useful for engaging students with a naturalistic learning preference into the historical topic of Robert Falcon Scott and early exploration in Antarctica. Additionally, it is a good resource for both social studies and science curriculum use, as it is actually specifically designed to meet key concepts outlined by the National Council for the Social Studies and National Academy of Sciences (p. 6).

Antarctic Book Review: Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica by Jonathan London

Little Penguin: The Emperor of Antarctica by Jonathan London is an informational picture book that provides a brief story about an emperor penguin’s life from coming out of his egg to being a dad carrying the egg through the winter himself. This book provides K to 2 learners with an introduction to emperor penguins with text that is appropriate for their reading level and appealing realistic watercolor pictures that work with the text to enhance the story.

Antarctic Book Review: Antarctica Journey to the Pole by Peter Lerangis

Antarctica: Journey to the Pole by Peter Lerangis is a historical fiction novel for grades 4 to 5.  In this novel two teenage boys are among the crew for a 1909 American expedition led by their father. The expedition is attempting to be the first to reach the South Pole and features references to real Antarctic explorers such as Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.

This book could be an interesting multicultural education literature selection, as it includes a main character that is Inuit briefly dealing with racism and a Greek dog handler that speaks broken English. Thus, this book might be something that English language learners may relate to.

The book also has content that could lead to discussions that are relevant to issues the students might be going through or relate to. For example, the two teenage boys are stepbrothers who have both lost their moms, so it could be useful for discussing loss. There are also some scenes of the younger boy being mocked, which could be used to spark discussion on bullying.