Welcome to the Arctic

Discover frozen animals and drink hot chocolate as Nigel the Nervous Narwhal introduces you to the Arctic!

Lesson steps

Prior to children entering, create an Arctic scene!

Freeze Arctic animals in bowls of water, scatter the world map and arctic photos provided in the Arctic Clues worksheet.

Arctic Clues

A selection of downloads to use as clues in the classroom. Includes: a map of the world with the Arctic located and Arctic photos.

Pretend the weather has suddenly turned extremely cold

When puffins get cold they huddle. Encourage children to huddle together.

Nigel's Rubber Duck

Use Nigel the Nervous Narwhal's rubber duck to talk about your worries!

Get a large pot of blue eco-glitter and throw it over the children. Describe how you feel?

Arctic Intro

Fun video introducing the Artic, featuring Nigel the Nervous Narwhal and friends!

Create a frozen chant using the icy vocabulary children provided e.g cold... cold... cold... I am cold. Freezing... freezing... freezing... I am freezing!

Experiment with the words and you could add some body percussion.

Which words would you use to describe our environment?

What can we do to get warm?

Listen to suggestions which could include moving their bodies, eating or clothing.

Invite children into the classroom for them to discover a frozen world

Find Nigel’s Rubber Duck. Speculate who the owner could be. Who would own a rubber duck, a person or an animal?

Do you think they live somewhere hot or cold?

Play the Arctic Intro video and meet Nigel the Nervous Narwal!

Learning outcomes

Compare the Arctic to my local environment

Create a group frozen chant

Questions

What animals might you see in the Arctic?

What will happen to the Arctic toy animals that are in the ice?

How is the Arctic different to where I live?

Vocabulary

Arctic

freeze

melt

liquid

cold

warm

ice

water

Activity ideas

Explore the Arctic on the Earth Cubs game

Use the tablets to introduce or revisit the Earth Cubs game. Some children may be familiar with the game. If so, allow them to guide you through the level.

Make a working wall

Start off by asking children what they know about the Arctic? What would they like to know? Make a working wall by scribing their questions and thoughts.

Hot chocolate!

Finish off the session by providing a hot chocolate drink to warm up!