A is for Antarctica ~ Blogging through the Alphabet

It's that time of year again to start Blogging Through the Alphabet. I really like participating in this because you can do so much with it. I asked the kids if they would like to do something and make it a theme this year. We talked about several different topics that we could use, but in the end they agreed on Places around the World.

So, once a week we will be visiting a place that starts with our letter from of the week, and learning fun facts about it. This week, the kids have chosen Antarctica for A!

ANTARCTICA

is the Greek word for 

"opposite to the North"

This week's destination is: A Continent! Antarctica is actually the southern most continent on Earth! It is surrounded by the Southern Ocean, and is where the South Pole is located.

What kind of Government does this place have? Antarctica doesn't have a government. It does not belong to any one country.

What are the people called that live there? This is actually funny, because people do not reside in Antarctica permanently. There are people that live and work in the the research facilities there. 

What kind of animals is this place known for? The well known animals that live in Antarctica are whales, seals, albatrosses, sea birds, and penguins.

Famous people in history: This is kind of a hard question for Antarctica. The people have been mainly explorers who have gone on expeditions here, the first being not that long ago in 1911!

Fun Facts: 

• The first confirmed sighting of this continent was in 1820
• Around 90% of the ice on Earth is found on Antarctica!
• It is the largest desert in the world!
• It is the coldest, windiest, driest, and highest place on Earth.
• Seasons in Antarctica are the opposite of seasons in the North. Summer runs from October to February and the rest of the year is winter. 
• There are no countries in Antarctica.
• About 70% of the Earth's fresh water is in the Antarctic ice cap.
• Ice in Antarctica can get to more than 4 km thick in some places!!

We have enjoyed our quick study of Antarctica this week. The kids were really impressed with how thick the ice can get! I can't wait to see where they want to learn about next week!

If you would like to see what other's have written about this week, please head over to our hosts, A Net in Time and Hopkins Homeschool to check them out!