Polar Ecosystem: The North

*Please note, early ClassVR headset models (155) may take longer to load this scene and performance could be affected.* In this Polar adventure, students will embark on an exciting expedition to the Arctic, where they can explore one of Earth’s most extreme environments. From the polar tundra to the icy Arctic Ocean, they’ll discover a world teeming with life. As research scientists, having just arrived in the Arctic on board the Polar Opposite, a scientific research vessel, they will meet clever arctic foxes, speedy hares, majestic polar bears and mighty walruses, along with resilient plants like sedges and reindeer moss. In this frozen wonderland, students will uncover how these amazing species thrive in hostile, subzero conditions. Get ready for a cool expedition full of discovery! **Note to Teachers** This experience is designed for students to discover the typical climate, landscape, flora and fauna of the northern polar region, an ecosystem where land meets the Arctic Ocean. Set in the summer season, when the region experiences months of daylight, students will observe how animals are adapted to this frozen and hostile world. ## Learning Objectives 1: Describe the climate in the northern polar ecosystem{.info} 2: Describe the flora and fauna of the northern polar habitat{.info} 3: Describe how animals are adapted to the polar habitat{.info} # Preparing for the Experience Before entering the polar ecosystem experience, ask students what they already know about the North Pole as a habitat and biome. Explain that the North Pole is an ice shelf that sits on the Arctic Ocean. There is no land beneath it. The North Pole is part of the northern polar region, also known as the Arctic, which includes parts of the coastal regions of the northernmost points of Canada, Russia, USA, Norway, Finland, Sweden Iceland and Greenland. As this region is the furthest point north of the equator, the temperature remains below 32^o^F (0^o^C) most year-round. During the summer, temperatures can reach above 32^o^F (0^o^C) due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis that points toward the sun. The region experiences long periods of daylight as the sun does not set. The temperature is able to reach above freezing. In winter, the Earth’s axis points away from the sun. As the sun barely rises above the horizon, the region experiences long periods of darkness, and the landscape is freezes as the temperature remains below 0^o^C (32^o^F). Animals and plants that live in the Arctic have specific adaptations to survive the cold, and water is hard to come by as it is frozen as ice. **Preparation Questions** Encourage your students to think about the following questions to help guide them through the experience: 1: Why does the North Pole have a lot of snow and ice?{.task} 2: How would you describe the climate in the Arctic?{.task} 3: What features would animals need to tolerate the freezing conditions?{.task} # Step-by-Step Experience Guide Teachers can use this step-by-step guide to read aloud and lead students through the experience once they are in the headset. Alternatively, students can use the guide independently or in a group. # Docking in the Arctic{.objective .objective1}  Welcome to the Arctic! Get ready to embark on an expedition through this frozen coastal landscape on the Arctic Ocean. It’s early summer, and your scientific research vessel has just docked - with you and your crew ready to explore this habitat and the flora and fauna within it. You can already see how stark and barren the terrain is. Take a moment to look around—while much of the ground is still blanketed in snow and ice, The ice shelf has receded from the coast, and some areas of the tundra are starting to peek through as the snow begins to melt. # The Climate{.objective .objective2}  Now the research vessel has docked, walk down the ramp. Make your way and stop part of the way down before you reach the beach. Take a look around from this slightly elevated position. What do you notice about the climate and the landscape? As you begin to explore the Arctic landscape, you’ll notice signs that it is summer. The weather is sunny and areas of exposed terrain near the coastline indicate that snow and ice have melted. The ice shelf is less extensive than it might be in winter, with sections breaking off into the ocean—further evidence of the warmer season. Despite this, the Arctic's low sun angle, and reflective snow and ice, limits the temperature rise, preserving its chilly ecosystem. In summer, surface ice and snow melt, but deeper ice stays frozen as temperatures rarely rise above 50°F (10°C). Typically, in the Arctic Ocean, the area covered by sea ice extends and shrinks over the course of the year. During the winter months, generally from September onward, the ice shelf grows due to subzero temperatures that can plummet as low as -58°F (-50°C). The maximum size is reached around March. From April onward, it will start to shrink as the temperatures start to climb, reaching its minimum size around September. On the tundra, the extreme environment experiences a year-round permafrost. The Arctic also undergoes dramatic seasonal light changes. During winter, the Earth’s tilt away from the sun places this region in complete darkness for up to six months. With no sunlight, temperatures stay bitterly cold. In summer, the opposite occurs: the Earth’s tilt points the region toward the sun, resulting in continuous daylight for up to six months. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. Can you describe the typical climate of the Arctic?{.task} 2. What causes the long periods of darkness and daylight in the Arctic?{.task} # The Flora{.objective .objective3}  Due to the permafrost beneath the ground, water stays frozen year-round, making it challenging for plants to absorb it through their roots. However, along the beach and tundra terrain, you’ll find a few resilient plants like grasses, sedges and reindeer moss (lichen) that have adapted to survive in these harsh conditions. But how do these remarkable plants manage to grow in such a frozen, inhospitable environment? **Grasses** Many types of grasses thrive in the Arctic tundra, including ice grass, cotton grass and other flowering varieties. These grasses rely on wind and insects for pollination, but their standout feature is their ability to grow and reproduce quickly—perfectly suited to the short summer season. Their shallow root systems allow them to absorb the small amounts of water that melt above the permafrost, close to the surface of the ground. **Sedges** Arctic sedges, like grasses, are flowering plants that grow quickly. Their shallow root systems enable them to absorb the water that melts near the surface, above the permafrost, during the summer. **Reindeer mosses** Reindeer lichen, which grows in tufts, is common in the Arctic because it can survive where many plants cannot. Adapted to freezing conditions, it requires very little water and absorbs the moisture it needs directly from the air. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. What feature do plants have to allow them to absorb water?{.task} 2. Why are reindeer mosses able to grow more successfully than plants?{.task} # The Arctic’s Predators{.objective .objective4}  Now that you have finished surveying the flora, it’s time to observe some of the animal wildlife found here. Make your way along the beach and look around. Can you find any predators? Despite the challenges of finding food and drinking water, some of the world’s most impressive predators thrive here. Along the beach, you might encounter the arctic fox—a cunning, medium-sized carnivorous mammal (though it occasionally eats non-animal food sources). One of its biggest challenges is maintaining body temperature in this frigid environment. Its thick fur coat provides excellent insulation by trapping a layer of air close to its skin, preventing heat loss. Its compact body, short snout and limbs, and small ears further minimize heat loss by reducing surface area for heat loss by radiation. The fox’s feet are covered with thick fur, acting like natural snow boots to protect against the icy ground. As a carnivore, the arctic fox preys on small mammals and birds, with arctic hares being a favorite. Using its sharp hearing, it can pinpoint the location of a hare burrowing under the snow. The thick fur on the fox’s feet muffles its footsteps, allowing it to approach stealthily, often catching the hare by surprise. Watch as the fox employs a specialized hunting technique: once it detects a hare, it leaps into the air, slamming its front legs onto the snow to try and break through and catch its prey. With limited food and water and harsh conditions, it cannot afford to waste energy during a hunt. What other adaptations would help an arctic fox catch its prey? Take a look at the fox’s coat. What color is it? Stealth and efficiency are critical for the arctic fox’s survival. Its white winter coat provides excellent camouflage against the snowy landscape, while its gray summer coat blends seamlessly with the exposed tundra as the snow melts. This year-round camouflage is vital for approaching prey unnoticed and conserving energy in a challenging environment. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. What feature helps camouflage the arctic fox in the Arctic during winter?{.task} 2. What is the arctic fox’s main source of food{.task} # Apex Predator of the Arctic{.objective .objective5}  The arctic fox isn’t the only predator in the Arctic. Nearby, a polar bear and her cub are feasting on a walrus that couldn’t reach the water in time to escape. Polar bears are the Arctic’s largest land predators, weighing up to 1,600 pounds (725 kilograms). Their primary hunting grounds are along the coastlines, but they’ll trek miles across the ice shelf during winter to find food. Seals, a favorite prey, create breathing holes in the ice, and polar bears often wait near these holes to ambush seals as they surface for air. Remarkably, polar bears are also capable of hunting underwater, aided by their strong swimming ability and webbed feet. Polar bears are formidable predators with powerful limbs, sharp claws, and thick fur that camouflages them against the snow and ice, making it easier to stalk their prey. However, climate change is causing the ice shelf to melt earlier each year, making hunting on ice increasingly difficult. This forces polar bears to scavenge for alternative food sources. Their thick, long fur also provides excellent insulation, trapping a layer of air near the skin to reduce heat loss and maintain body temperature. Like the arctic fox, this adaptation enables them to endure the harsh, freezing conditions of the Arctic. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. When do polar bears prefer to hunt for food?{.task} 2. What is a polar bear’s favorite food source?{.task} # Arctic Wildlife{.objective .objective6}  The Arctic isn’t just home to predators—these animals couldn’t survive without a food source. A familiar sight here is the arctic hare. Can you find it? Keep a sharp eye near the arctic fox or you might miss it. They are fast. Arctic hares are small omnivores that primarily feeds on grasses, tough woody plants, and lichen found across the North American tundra. Arctic hares are a common prey for arctic foxes. Unlike some animals, arctic hares do not hibernate, so they are well-adapted to endure the freezing conditions. You might observe a hare escaping as an arctic fox tries to break into its burrow. These hares often dig shelters under the snow, where groups huddle together to share body heat—a common behavior that helps them share warmth and maintain body temperature. To survive in the cold, arctic hares rely on several adaptations. Their short ears and low surface-area-to-volume ratio minimize heat loss, while their thick white fur provides excellent insulation and camouflages them against the snowy landscape. This camouflage makes it harder for predators to spot them, giving the hares an advantage. In addition to blending in, arctic hares are equipped with strong, powerful legs that allow them to reach speeds of up to 40 mph (64 km/h)—perfect for outrunning predators like arctic foxes when spotted. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. What behavioral adaptations do hare have to keep warm?{.task} 2. Can you list adaptations hares have to avoid being caught by predators?{.task} # The Arctic at Risk{.objective .objective7}  Take a look at the graph displayed by the explorer on the ship. This NASA data shows how arctic sea ice cover has changed since 1979, what can this tell you about the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem? The Arctic biome is characterized by a cold climate with long winters and short summers. This climate was typically perpetuated by the reflective properties of the ice cover across the region reflecting solar heat energy. However, over the past two decades, scientists have observed a concerning trend: the Arctic ice shelf is shrinking. During summer, the ice recedes further than before and in winter, it no longer extends as much as it once did. The total ice cover today is significantly smaller than it was 40 years ago. Exploring the scene, you may notice large chunks of the ice shelf breaking off and floating into the ocean—a phenomenon that is accelerating each year. Scientists have linked this rapid decrease in sea ice to global warming. Rising global temperatures mean that the Arctic is experiencing a shift in climate during winter and summer. At the same time, the darker ocean surface, now exposed, absorbs more heat from the sun. This process amplifies local warming, causing temperatures in the Arctic to rise faster than anywhere else on Earth. Consequently, the shrinking of the ice shelf is not only continuing but is accelerating over time. **Quick Fire Questions** 1. What causes the ice shelf to extend each inter?{.task} 2. Why does the ice shelf melt in the summer{.task} 3. What impact is climate change having on the ice shelf?{.task} # Cross-Curricular **Geography** Ask students to create an infographic of the Arctic as a biome. Students should highlight the biome’s climate and features. They should include how climate change is affecting the region. **Art & Design** Create a landscape art piece of the Arctic. Students should choose an art style and choice of technique from pencil, pastel, pain, etc. ## Download the Science Teacher Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/UH-01JDkyNGN9o5vt8UCpErkDz6SUvl9hNF2NJLedbE?size=4893917&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Polar+Ecosystem+%E2%80%93+The+North+SS+Version+Teacher+Notes+-+Teacher+Version.pdf) ## Download the Geography Teacher Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/Y_xHb7Ufyel3NemWqhGT-67Ri4AV_BvKEXWRNz5rBlM?size=4876087&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Polar+Ecosystem+%E2%80%93+The+North+EE+Version+Teacher+Notes+-+Teacher+Version.pdf) ## Download the Science Student Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/cToEo8v1PAICGOR6fxEZOP3KG5SCcUArs9xb8aFhSKM?size=4297290&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Polar+Ecosystem+%E2%80%93+The+North+SS+Version+Teacher+Notes+-+Student+Version.pdf) ## Download the Geography Student Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/TNwwePDACnc0Rb5bYIxZ6DrEd5ypp8vqiHmTF8NJ88U?size=4248442&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Polar+Ecosystem+%E2%80%93+The+North+EE+Version+Teacher+Notes+-+Student+Version.pdf)