icon-background-square
New
New
Year 9

Antarctica: A frozen wilderness

I can describe the location of Antarctica and explain how it is studied.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 9

Antarctica: A frozen wilderness

I can describe the location of Antarctica and explain how it is studied.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Antarctica is a continent at the southern most point of the world.
  2. 91% of all glaciers are found in Antarctica.
  3. Scientists across the world work in Antarctica, but no-one lives there permanently.

Keywords

  • Glacier - a huge accumulation of ice and snow that moves slowly over land

  • Continent - a large continuous area of land on Earth

  • Antarctic Treaty - a natural area largely untouched by humans

Common misconception

Antarctica is an ocean covered in ice.

Antarctica is a continent, not an ocean. It has a landmass beneath its thick ice sheets, unlike the Arctic, which is sea ice floating on the ocean.


To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: Antarctica: A frozen wilderness, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There a lots of news articles documenting Antarctic research and recent changes to ice.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the primary reason Antarctica is so cold?
It is covered in mountains that trap heat
Correct answer: It is far from the equator and receives little sunlight
It is close to the Arctic Circle
Q2.
Which of the following is true about the landscape of Antarctica?
It is a tropical rainforest
It is mostly desert with no ice
It has lush, green forests
Correct answer: It is covered almost entirely by ice
Q3.
Why is Antarctica often called a 'desert'?
Because it gets little sunlight
Correct answer: Because it receives very little precipitation
Because it has no animals
Because it is covered in sand
Q4.
Antarctica is a ...
country
Correct answer: continent
county
Q5.
Which hemisphere is Antarctica located in?
Northern hemisphere
Correct answer: Southern hemisphere
Western hemisphere
Q6.
Which animal is famously associated with Antarctica?
Correct answer: Penguins
Kangaroos
Lions

4 Questions

Q1.
Antarctica is ...
an ocean covered in ice.
Correct answer: a continent, not an ocean.
a tropical archipelago.
Q2.
91% of all in the world are found in Antarctica.
Correct Answer: glaciers
Q3.
What is the primary characteristic of Antarctica’s climate?
Correct answer: Extremely cold temperatures
Hot and humid weather
Warm temperatures with heavy rainfall
Mild, temperate conditions
Q4.
Who inhabits Antarctica?
The indigenous population
Correct answer: Researchers and support staff
No one lives there