The Arctic and Antarctic
On Saturday afternoon Nature Detectives traveled to the opposite ends of the Earth, the Arctic and Antarctic to be precise. A life-sized emperor penguin and Inuksuk greeted kids and adults as they entered the program space in the Children’s Department at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Inside was a paper polar bear to scale, a variety of displays, activities, and specimens. It took three of us to transform the room into a space where the children could investigate question, and explore the wildlife and habitat of the two areas. We also talked about the similarities and differences of the opposite ends of the earth.
The paper polar bear was a focal point for a discussion about this amazing animal. We posted various facts about these noble creatures surrounding the life-sized image. The polar bear is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Excellent sources for information and background on the polar bear can be found at
Seaworld: Animals: Explore, Discover, Connect www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/polar-bear/index.htm
World Wildlife Federation www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/polarbear/polarbear.html
Polar Bear International www.polarbearsinternational.org/
National Wildlife Federation: Polar Bears www.nwf.org/polarbear/
The specimens for this program were from the Educational Loan Department of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. They included an African penguin and egg, snowshoe hare, ptarmigan, snowy owl, and polar bear skull. Materials such as these are so important to the programs that I present because they give the children an opportunity to see mounts and touch study skins of animals that they would probably never get that close to in nature. For example, last month in the same space was a “What’s in Your Neighborhood” program. The children were able to touch and investigate a racoon pelt and skull, as well as a red-tailed hawk study skin, wing, and tail. These were in addition to the other mounted specimens in cases. Each month materials are scheduled with Pat McShea, who is in charge of the museum’s Educational Loan Collection. A catalog and contact information can be found at http://carnegiemnh.org/doe/programs/loan.htm.
Books are always presented and integrated into displays to encourage further exploration.
An Inuksuk is a traditional structure constructed from stones carefully fit and placed one on top of the other to act as a beacon, guide, and sign for travelers and hunters. It can mean good hunting or fishing is nearby, a marker signifying shelter and supplies, or placed in a series over a large area can guide travelers across the Arctic tundra. For the Inuit, indigenous people of the Arctic region, the Inuksuk holds a sacred and important place in their culture. We can respect this in an educational way by explaining their significance to children and by demonstrating how much skill and care it takes to create one. Smaller rocks of various sizes and shapes were placed on a table. They were asked to investigate the rocks and determine which ones would fit together and balance well enough to construct an Inuksuk. Also, the question was asked, “What does this Inuksuk mean to you?” The kids were enthralled with this activity.
Children touch and balance stones.
An inuksuk created by a young artist.
