assemblies - Teaching On Ice

I think that even the Top Gear presenters would struggle to put into words how quickly the school term gets up to speed. The students have woken up, parents evenings are underway, AS exams are racing closer and meetings seem to be a daily occurrence. But Antarctica, and the aims of the expedition, are not forgotten. In two weeks time I'll start the run of five assemblies required to talk to all the students in the school, I'm talking at other local schools before half term, I'm planning an evening for staff and ideas for the teaching materials I'm producing are coming along well.

Excitingly, planning for my next expedition has started! In 2009 I'm one of eight teachers and four guides taking around 65 students to Borneo for four weeks with True Adventure. The students have to raise nearly £3000 over the next 18 months. My experience of fundraising, as well as expeditioning, should enable me to motivate the students to have their trip of a lifetime.

And yes, we have been hit by the norovirus ... although not as badly as the scary 'infection' posters and alcohol gel in the toilets suggests!

I had the pleasure of giving an assembly today at an incredible new school who are a model of how to use the Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition to the full: Crawley Down Primary School in West Sussex.

1. This morning I gave an assembly to the whole school. The students listened brilliantly and asked excellent questions. Press were in attendance.
2. After the assembly a group of students gave me experiments they want me to perform in Antarctica (friction tests, reaction times, weather comparisons etc).
3. I will send back the results from the ice.
4. The results will be analysed during a Science Week, which revolves around the Poles. A TV crew will record the students using the expedition.
5. The students write an article on the school's involvement for a children's newspaper.

The students get an incredible educational experience, the school gets lots of publicity and I get sponsorship money and motivation (from the enthusiasm of the students)... a win, win, win situation!

My other task today was to complete some incredibly complicated packing: What can I not buy in South America as that needs to be in my hand luggage? (Answer: my boots). What won't I need until Antarctica? What will I need in Punta? What don't I need as I'm 5kg over my luggage limit?!

I think I'm about there, although some weight still needs to be lost. I will drop the kit with the expedition leader tomorrow at our testing in Portsmouth and meet back up with it on Friday for final checks. The whole process was quite therapeutic, it made me think through all the complications of travelling in Antarctica and what kit I have to cope; this was far better than the general worrying I had been doing... I admit, in this case, detail is better than the big picture... this expedition is changing me!

J: Jacobsen

Solveig Gunbjörg Jacobsen was the first person born in Antarctica.

Solveig was born on 8 October 1913 and lived on South Georgia island until she was 11. Her father Fridthjof was the manager of the island's whaling station, and Solveig's mother Klara went on to give birth to another child on the island.

The reason the Jacobsens settled in Antarctica was the booming whaling industry of the time, which grew to meet worldwide demand for whale oil and whale meat. The Jacobsens weren't the only family living in South Georgia. Hundreds of men worked at the whaling station and many wives and children lived there over the years. Solveig would have had other children to play with.

Eventually the Jacobsens left Antarctica, but further generations of children lived at the whaling settlement, until it declined and finally closed in 1966 due to depleted whale stocks.

The Grytviken whaling station is now an Area of Special Tourist Interest (ASTI) and is a popular stop for Antarctic cruise ships. The main draws for tourists are Shackleton's grave (he died at sea and was taken to South Georgia to be buried) and the small museum.

The museum at Grytviken contains many artefacts, along with visual and verbal records of life at the settlement. In this English enrichment activity, your students are asked to keep a diary using 'found' objects, clips and cuttings – to record their activities, thoughts and feelings without using their own words.

Key Stage 2 pupils can explore the idea of time capsules in this assembly.