CNN Presents Classroom Edition - Educator Guide

Harsh Continent

Segment Summaries and Discussion Questions

Segment One

CNN's Kyra Phillips travels 14,000 miles from Atlanta to the "bottom of the world," Antarctica. After 32 hours in the air, she experiences the physical shock of the harsh climate and the first order of business, snow survival school.

• Who is Kyra Phillips? Why is she traveling to Antarctica?

• Where is Antarctica? How large is this continent? Why do you think Phillips refers to it as "the last frontier"?

• How many hours does it take to fly to Antarctica from Atlanta, Georgia, USA?

• What "shock to the body" do Phillips and the other travelers experience upon landing in Antarctica? How cold can it get there?

• What is McMurdo Station? When was it established?

• What is the first order of business for anyone who travels to Antarctica? Why do you think the main lesson of survival school is to "always prepare for the worst"?

• Who is Brett Miller? Why did he come to Antarctica? Why is firefighting a nearly impossible task there?

• What was the first night in Antarctica like for the visitors? How does survival instructor Brennan Brunner describe Antarctica? What do you think he means when he says, "It's peaceful but it's threatening. It keeps you honest"?

• What are crevasses? Why are they dangerous?

Segment Two

Life at McMurdo Station relies on the constant flow of supplies to its open harbor, so the U.S. Coast Guard sends ships to break the ice every season. McMurdo is an oasis of civilization on the harsh continent.

• What is the function of the ship "Polar Sea"? Why is it necessary to break the ice around McMurdo's harbor?

• What is "scarf cutting"? How thick is the ice the ships must cut?

• How is McMurdo different from towns in other parts of the world? How does it resemble life in other places?

• In the video, we hear the priest say, "You cannot survive here without help from one another." Why do you think a person's survival in a remote place like Antarctica is so dependent upon the help of others?

Segment Three

The bottom of the Earth has a special allure for another kind of pioneer. World-renowned scientists are drawn to Antarctica. As they chip away at its frozen mysteries, they make discoveries that have a global impact.

• What is Dr. David Ainley's nickname? What kind of penguins does he study?

• How are Adelie penguins key indicators of the state of the environment? How does the quantity of sea ice affect their survival? What challenge to their existence do Adelies face in the Northern part of the continent?

• What is B-15A? How large is it?

• What is iceberg calving? What impact could it have on sea levels?

• According to experts, how does Antarctica's current coastline compare to what it was in 1911, when it was first mapped by explorers? Why do you think this is so?

Segment Four

In spite of its starkness and isolation, today's life at McMurdo seems both high-tech and luxurious compared to the conditions faced by early explorers. Antarctica has attracted explorers for more than a century. Today's residents honor their achievements by preserving their stories and their dwellings.

• What is "Hut Point"? Why is it significant?

• Who was Robert Falcon Scott? When did he first attempt to reach the South Pole? When was his second attempt? Who beat him to the site? What happened to Scott's expedition?

• To what work has Nigel Watson dedicated his life? Who was Sir Ernest Shackleton? What does Shackleton's hut tell us about his expedition? Why does Nigel Watson think this hut should be preserved?

Segment Five

The South Pole is a scientist's paradise. Astrophysicists, geologists and seismologists find a wealth of information at the "bottom of the Earth." It's one of the best places to look deep into the Earth and up into space.

• What is the Polar Plateau? How many people have set foot there?

• What makes the South Pole "the ultimate field camp" for scientists?

• What has astrophysicist Erik Leitch learned from his research at the South Pole?

• What is the Ozone Hole? How do scientists at the South Pole measure the Ozone Hole?

• How does seismologist Rhett Butler look at what's going on inside the Earth? What is different about the effects of an earthquake at the South Pole as compared to other places on Earth?

• How does the shifting of the South Pole illustrate Shackleton's statement that, "What the ice takes, the ice keeps"?

Segment Six

The biggest construction project at the South Pole is the new science station. Building at the South Pole is like building on another planet. On a smaller scale, everyday life at the Pole presents its unique challenges, too.

• What engineering challenges confront the construction of the South Pole's new science station?

• Where do South Pole scientists currently live and work? Describe life inside "The Dome." How are even the most routine events a challenge in this environment?

• In the video, we hear that "Life in such extreme conditions attracts a special kind of 'character'"? Who are some of the characters we meet that have made Antarctica their home? Why have they come to this place?

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