Antarctica and Aotearoa: connected by science
Carol Brieseman and Dianne Christenson are educators with a passion for science – both received The Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize. Their love of science and commitment to using climate change as a rich context for learning led them to an adventure in the Antarctic. Carol and Di tell us why they travelled south and why Antarctica should be part of classroom teaching.
Di and Carol at Scott Base
Educators Dianne Christenson and Carol Brieseman travelled to Antarctica with the Antarctica New Zealand Community Engagement Programme.
They’re standing at the sign marking the entry to Scott Base. The sign and the pouwhenua called Tahunui-a-rangi (seen partially to the left) were carved by Ngāi Tahu master carver Fayne Robinson.
Educators on the ice
In late November 2024, we had the privilege of travelling to Scott Base through the Antarctica New Zealand Community Engagement Programme. This unique initiative invites artists, educators, writers and media professionals to visit one of the most remote and pristine environments on Earth. It aims to build awareness and strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand’s long-standing relationship with Antarctica.
The selection process is highly competitive and rigorous. Even after being accepted and boarding the plane, arrival is never guaranteed – Antarctica reminds you who’s in charge. If weather conditions aren’t favourable, the plane simply turns back.
Arriving in Antarctica
Carol and Dianne in front of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Hercules they flew to Antarctica on.
Connected to Aotearoa
For many, Antarctica may seem like a distant, isolated place. But in reality, it’s deeply connected to Aotearoa. Our country is one of the first to feel the ripple effects of changes happening at the bottom of the world. We’re the first bus stop for all things weather and ocean current related. Rising ocean temperatures and shifts in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current are already influencing extreme weather patterns across New Zealand. Melting ice shelves in Antarctica are expected to drive a significant portion of global sea-level rise – one of the many consequences of a warming climate.
Real-world contexts
As kaiako, we are always looking for meaningful, real-world contexts to engage our ākonga and support other teachers. Climate change is a global challenge – complex, urgent and ever-evolving. Fortunately, New Zealand scientists are playing a leading role in Antarctic research, investigating what a warming world means for the future of our environment, oceans and communities.
What struck us most during our time on the ice was the deep sense of passion and urgency shared by the scientists. Projects such as SWAIS2C (Sensitivity of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to 2 degrees Celsius of warming) aim to provide early warning signs of sea-level rise and equip communities and governments with the tools to respond effectively.
Camping on ice!
During their Antarctic Field Training (AFT) Dianne and Carol camped out on the ice with members of the SWAIS2C team, who were preparing to head out to the Western Ice Shelf.
All newcomers to Scott Base undertake AFT to equip them with the necessary skills to operate safely and responsibly in the Antarctic environment.
Helping students navigate climate anxiety
Going south had been a long-held aspiration for Dianne, and fulfilling that goal brought a renewed urgency to using climate change as a rich context for learning. One metaphor, shared by microbiologist Dr Matthew Stott, deeply resonated with us – particularly when considering how to support tamariki with climate anxiety.
Matthew asked, “If you had to walk into an old, unfamiliar house at night with no lights, would you feel anxious?” We answered yes. He then asked, “If you had a torch, would that help?” Our answer again was yes.
Matthew’s point was powerful: science is the torch that will help us navigate the unknown. We are facing uncertain levels of global change, but the research being carried out in Antarctica is lighting the path ahead.
Our goal in travelling south was to connect directly with the science and scientists – to see, hear and experience the work being done so we could bring it back to the classroom in meaningful ways.
Beyond the science
Antarctica also offers rich opportunities beyond the science. Exploring the stories of early polar explorers like Scott and Shackleton – who both departed from Aotearoa – can spark students’ curiosity and historical thinking. In our own school communities, we uncovered remarkable personal connections – the great-granddaughter of Louis Bernacchi (a physicist on Scott’s Discovery expedition), a letter from Shackleton addressed to a student’s great uncle and even a taxidermied emperor penguin believed to have returned with Shackleton. These authentic, local links help students place themselves within the bigger narrative of exploration, science and global change.
Listening to Weddell seals
Carol and Dianne had an opportunity to accompany film-maker Antz Powell. He set up a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) so the women could listen to Weddell seals under the ice.
Classroom support
There is a wealth of support available to educators. The Science Learning Hub, Science Alive, Antarctica New Zealand Education Hub and Antarctic Heritage Trust offer accessible, high-quality resources for teachers and students alike. These platforms provide excellent opportunities to deepen understanding, provoke inquiry and encourage action.
Bringing Antarctica into the classroom is about more than delivering a science lesson – it’s a way to explore identity, history, sustainability and citizenship. It encourages tamariki to see that their choices matter, their voices are powerful and their futures are interconnected with the rest of the world.
Antarctica may be physically distant, but its story is tightly woven into our own. Understanding that connection is essential – for our students, for our communities and for the future of Aotearoa.
Additional resources
Check out resources that we’ve made with the help of Carol and Dianne:
Measurements and monitoring in Antarctica – interactive
Managing wastes at Scott Base – article and video
Mount Erebus – extreme habitats – interactive
Tardigrades and rotifers – life on the edge – article and video
Related content and activity ideas
The Hub has a wealth of resources on the topic of climate change – use the filters to narrow your search.
A land of ice and ambition looks at different types of ice in Antarctica. The podcast in the resource touches on the SWAIS2C project research that is contributing knowledge on Antarctic ice mass balance (a negative mass balance is an indication of sea-level rise).
Douglas Walker, Head of Science at St Patrick’s College, Wellington, also spent time in Antarctica. He's created the activity: Investigating the relationship between measured brightness and length of ice cores. It simulates research carried out by polar scientists.
Dianne Christenson features in these Hub resources.
Carol Brieseman features in these Hub resources.
Pedagogical support
Agency in the Anthropocene and Climate change – classroom competencies have helpful information when preparing and guiding ākonga through the complexities of climate change.
Climate change resources – planning pathways groups climate change resources into key science and teaching concepts.
Climate change – a wicked problem for classroom inquiry has suggestions for bite-size inquiries – along with pedagogical support.
Exploring climate change education in secondary schools and Exploring climate change education in primary schools webinars offer support on how to teach climate change.
Useful links
Learn more about Antarctica New Zealand’s Community Engagement Programme.
Visit the SWAIS2C (Sensitivity of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to 2 degrees Celsius of warming) website.
Acknowledgement
This article was written by educators Carol Brieseman and Dianne Christenson. Carol and Dianne travelled to Antarctica as part of Antarctica New Zealand’s Community Engagement Programme.
