In 1959, representatives of 12 countries signed a treaty in Washington setting aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, free from military activity.

RECOGNIZING that it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord…

–The Antarctic Treaty, December 1, 1959

At the southern end of the world lies Antarctica, a land both remote and inhospitable, yet brimming over with possibilities for scientific discovery. Sometimes called the “last continent,” Antarctica is a land mass covered in ice, in contrast to the Arctic, which is a mass of ice floating on water. The environment of Antarctica is challenging—a permanent covering of ice and snow blankets all but two percent of the land area; it is encircled by floating mountains of ice; and it has the world’s lowest temperatures and strongest winds. In spite of the harsh environmental conditions, Antarctica offers many opportunities for advancing the frontiers of science. The seas around the continent teem with life, as do the fragile coastal areas. The location at the bottom of the Earth offers unique opportunities for atmospheric and climatic research. The untouched nature of the land allows for study of the Earth’s past through ice-core research. The challenges to human occupation in Antarctica are many, and cooperation is often required. That cooperation was formalized in a treaty signed in 1959, designed to make Antarctica a peaceful haven of cooperation and scientific discovery. The signatories to the treaty were the governments of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, the French Republic, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Union of South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.

Xpeditions
In Antarctica: A Cold Desert Ecosystem (3–5), students construct a rough map of Antarctic ecosystems and explore relationships among the creatures that populate them. This lesson can be adapted to focus on other regions, including the one in which students live.

The Antarctic Ecosystem: Where Would It Be Without Krill? (6–8) asks students to investigate the importance of krill, a thumb-sized, shrimp-like animal, to the Antarctic ecosystem by researching the animals that depend on it and drawing a food web. They conclude by writing paragraphs explaining the potential consequences of a decline in krill populations.

In The Antarctic Food Chain (K–2), students are introduced to the animals of Antarctica and to the Antarctic food chain. Students draw pictures of a variety of animals and attach the pictures to a wall collage. They then listen to or read statements about each animal's diet and draw arrows to show which animals eat which. Students will end up with a food web that illustrates the importance of krill to the Antarctic ecosystem.

In the activity The Arctic and Antarctic Circles (K–12), students research the ends of the Earth—the Poles—to compare and contrast the regions. Background information is provided, giving insight into the nature of these two areas and outlining their differences and similarities.

In What Do People Know About the Arctic and Antarctic? (6–8), students research the landscapes, climates and animal life of the polar regions. They then interview people to find out what they think and know about the regions.

Students read a National Geographic News article about the impact of ice building on penguin breeding in Antarctica in <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpedi