Adapting to Antarctica (Primary)

(Or “How come ice fish don’t freeze?”)

Introduction

Antarctica is an excellent place to start your studies on why animals are different. The tough environment has led to the adaptation of many plants and animals over time. Organisms ranging from bacteria to large mammals have developed ways to survive Antarctica that will fascinate you and your class.

'Big Questions' this activity can be used to discuss:

• How do animals adapt to survive in cold environments like Antarctica?
• Why are there so many different kinds of animals?

Background

Antarctica has a very strange type of animal living in the freezing sea water called an ice fish. Most fish that you find in the sea would freeze to death in Antarctica. However, ice fish have a special substance in their blood that stops them from freezing. Ice fish also have other clever tricks that help them live in the freezing Antarctic waters including special eyes that work best in very little light.

Learning Outcomes

Students will observe how different substances change the freezing point of water. Student will work toward making a connection between this and adaptation strategies of ice fish in Antarctica. Student will become aware of the ways in which animals have adapted to live in different environments.

Activity: Changing the Freezing Point of Water

Materials:

• 2 jelly moulds (fish-shape would be ideal - or just ice cream containers would do)
• Honey
• Thermometer

Note: this demonstration works best if it is started first thing in the morning and observed regularly throughout the school day (approximately once every hour).

Method

1. Fill one jelly mould up with water.
2. Fill the other jelly mould up with equal amounts of honey and water (mixed together).
3. Place moulds into freezer.
4. Over the course of the day, check the temperature and amount of ice crystals forming every hour and record your results on the board.
5. By the end of the day, the pure water mould should be just about frozen and the water/honey mould should not.
6. Conduct a class discussion about what you have seen.

Assessment Opportunities

• Students plan another similar experiment using other kitchen/household materials to see if they can change the freezing point of water. Can they identify any patterns?
• Ask students to create their own “creature” adapted for living in Antarctica. What would it look like? What would eat? How does it survive?
• Students can create their own adapted creature on a poster, construct it out of cardboard boxes, bottles and crafty stuff, or (if your feeling brave) paper mache.

(Adapted from Antarctic Science – A resource book of ideas for teachers for National Science Week, 2007, ASTA)