Planet Earth Activity Pack

The power of

You know humans are changing Earth’s climate, and you probably know trees can slow that change. But did you know itty bitty plankton are involved? Check out this sneak peek at the book Antarctica: The Melting Planet by Karen Romano Young and illustrated by Angela Hsieh, which is out now.

My job in Antarctica was to help my team of scientists: Peter ‘Pete’ Countway, Patricia ‘Paty’ Matrai, and Carlton Rauschenberg, from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science in the US. This team was at the bottom of the world to track down invisible, microscopic beings in the rollicking sea off the Antarctic Peninsula. You might not realise it – I sure hadn’t! –but plankton (algae, protozoa, microbes and even tiny animals) living at the surface of the sea play a big role in the way clouds are formed above it.

From our small inflatable boat lurching in waves that tossed up icy spray, I helped launch a rosette of tubes that would sink below the surface, then

suck in water samples chock full of plankton. These microscopic floating plankton live near the shore at the edge of the ice. They hold secrets to how Antarctica changes, and its future.

Like plants, some plankton photosynthesise sunlight to create food. This means they use the sun’s energy to transform simple materials into the food and energy they need. One

type of plankton called Phaeocystis produce tiny air-borne gases that get churned up and spewed higher by the waves. Some scientists call them plankton farts, others call them seeds for clouds. Water molecules stick onto these gassy ‘cloud seeds’ and ride them high into the sky. This is what helps make Antarctica so cloudy – a phenomenon that impacts the weather patterns of the rest of the world, as clouds contribute to the cooling or warming of Earth’s surface.

This all leads to Pete and Paty asking: as the ice retreats and Antarctica warms, what will happen to these clouds? And what will happen to the rest of the Antarctic food chain, the living things found here in surprising abundance? The research I helped with aims to answer those questions.

The author in an inflatable boat called a zodiac off the shore of Antarctica. She’s the farthest right, waving. Turn the page to see what she’s wearing to stay warm.

What are penguins’ favourite type of food?

There are 18 species of penguin worldwide, but only 7 live in Antarctica.

DRESSING UP

Surviving while working in Antarctica requires all kinds of special clothes and equipment, from thermal boots to a balaclava helmet. Follow this step-by-step guide to getting ready for a day on the polar ice.

Couple of pairs of socks

Sun lotion and sunglasses

Long underwear

Insulating fleece layer

Jumper or fleece

Snowpants

Layers of lightweight jackets and tops

Balaclava helmet that covers your face

Parka

Hand warmers in gloves

Fur mitts sometimes called ‘bear paws’

Thermal boots

Flotation jacket (if you’re boating)

Foot warmers in boots

Iceberg-ers!

EARTH’S STORY

Most scientists believe that our Earth formed roughly 4,54O,OOO,OOO (4.54 billion) years ago, give or take 5O million years. That’s when a big swirling mass of gas and dust began to pull itself together under the force of gravity. The big clumps formed the Sun and planets of the solar system. Others became dwarf planets or asteroids. Here’s how Earth has changed since it first formed.

541 million years ago

Cambrian explosion

4.54 billion years ago

Earth forms

When the Earth first formed it was bombarded by asteroids and comets. The surface was a molten mass of super-hot lava, which eventually cooled to form the solid crust of the planet we know today.

3.5 billion years ago

Cyanobacteria develop

For the first few billion years of Earth’s history, life was very simple. It was mostly made up of single-celled organisms such as bacteria. The first animals we might recognise – such as sponges and jellyfish – appeared during the Cambrian period.

47O million years ago

Plants take over the land

Time Marches On

We use several different units to measure time. Two important units are the day and year, which are both based on the movement of the Earth. A day is defined as the length of time it takes for Earth to complete one full rotation, or spin around once, on its axis. A year is defined as the amount of time that it takes for the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun. It takes 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun.

1 rotation = 1

1 orbit = 1 year

When did life appear on Earth? Some of the oldest possible evidence for living things are from hematite tubes that could have been made by ancient bacteria. But more well-understood fossils come from a simple life form called cyanobacteria.

The first plants grew in wetland environments. Known as liverworts, these simple plants still have relatives living today.

NOW

Today’s humans

Humans continue to change and evolve even today. Can you imagine where we will be in another million years?

25O million years ago

Mammals

Humans belong to a group of animals called mammals. The ancestors of mammals split off from reptiles around this time. Early mammals lived side by side with the dinosaurs. Most early mammals were quite small, about the size of modern-day mice or squirrels.

3OO,OOO years ago

Modern humans

Modern humans (called Homo sapiens) have only been around for about 3OO,OOO years. The first Homosapiens Africa, but our ancestors had probably spread around the world by about 7O,OOO years ago.

4.51 billion years ago

The Moon forms

Most scientists believe that the Moon is only a little bit younger than Earth. The current theory is that the Moon formed when an object roughly the size of Mars, called Theia, slammed into the young Earth. Gravity pulled together the leftover debris to form the Moon.

4.2 billion years ago

Zircon crystal

Hematite tubes form Hematite tubes are possibly the first signs of life on Earth.

Crystal containing hematite tubes

4.4 billion years ago

Zircon crystals form These minerals from the Jack Hills of Australia are the oldest known on Earth.

Close-up of hematite tubes

4.3 billion years ago

Liquid water forms

As Earth cooled, a huge amount of a gas called water vapour was released into the atmosphere. Eventually, the water vapour cooled enough to become liquid water and begin filling the oceans.

4.28 billion years ago

Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt

The oldest Earth rocks found so far come from this rock formation in Canada that was originally formed by a volcano but later changed. The metamorphic rocks are thought to be a leftover chunk of Earth’s earliest oceanic crust.

24O million years ago

Dinosaurs

The first dinosaurs made their appearance around this time and they dominated Earth for the next 175 million years. However, the dinosaurs’ rule came to a sudden end roughly 65.5 million years ago when a large asteroid struck the Earth. The impact helped to create a climate catastrophe that caused all of the non-avian dinosaurs to go extinct.

2.4 million years ago

‘Handy man’

One early species of human is called Homo habilis. They lived in Africa between 2.4 and 1.4 million years ago. Standing about 1.37 m tall, Homo habilis had a bigger brain than earlier species and was an active tool maker. In fact, its name Homo habilis is Latin for ‘handy man’.

13O million years ago

Birds

Most palaeontologists believe that today’s birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods. Many of these dinosaurs had feathers. Fossils of one early bird ancestor from China, called Archaeornithura, are over 13O million years old.

4.4 million years ago

Human ancestors

Humans are relative newcomers on Earth. There is still a major debate among scientists about who the first true human ancestor is. One problem is that new fossils are being found all the time. Each one adds to the story.

Test your family’s brainpower by playing the BIG Earth Day Quiz together. Don’t worry if you don’t know them all, though – the answers are at the end of the quiz!

1 What awesome natural phenomenon is known as a tsunami?

a. A giant tree

b. A giant wave

c. A giant fish

d. A giant flower

2 On which continent is Victoria Falls, pictured right, the waterfall with the world’s largest sheet of falling water?

a. North America

b. South America

c. Africa

d. Asia

3 In what year is it estimated that Jonathan the tortoise, the world’s oldest living land animal, was born?

a. 1632

b. 1732

c. 1832

d. 1932

The

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BIG Earth

4 Which animal has the largest number of legs?

a. Millipede

b. Woodlouse

c. Caterpillar

d. Centipede, pictured

5 Which planet in our solar system is closest in size to Earth?

a. Jupiter

b. Venus

c. Mars

d. Mercury

6 The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, is found off the coast of which country?

a. United States

b. India

c. New Zealand

d. Australia

7 What is the fastest breed of dog?

a. Whippet

b. Dalmation

c. Greyhound

d. Afghan hound

8 What is the fastest speed at which a chameleon, pictured above, can stick out its tongue to catch an insect?

a. 40 km/h

b. 60 km/h

c. 80 km/h

d. 100 km/h

9 As far as scientists are aware, which is the only mammal that cannot fart?

a. Blue whale

b. Sloth

c. Bat

d. Hedgehog

10 Stratus, cirrus and cumulus are all examples of what natural phenomenon?

14 What are the three primary colours of light?

a. Red, brown and purple

b. Blue, green and yellow

c. Red, green and blue

d. Blue, white and pink

15 How many toes does a cat, pictured right, typically have?

a. 12

b. 16

c. 18

d. 20

16 Which of these natural objects is there the largest number of in total?

a. Grains of sand on planet Earth

b. Human beings on planet Earth

c. Trees on planet Earth

d. Stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way

17 Including all the glaciers and both the polar ice caps, what percentage of Earth’s surface is covered in ice?

a. 2%

b. 5%

c. 10%

d. 20%

18 Hummingbirds, which are named after the sound created by their beating wings, are the only birds that can do what?

a. Blink

b. Fly backwards

c. Lay eggs

d. Quack

Earth Day Quiz

a. Lightning

b. Waterfalls

c. Waves

d. Clouds

11 How many humps does a bactrian camel have?

a. None

b. One

c. Two

d. Three

12 Which is the hottest of these four things?

a. A bolt of lightning

b. The surface of the Sun

c. Earth’s core

d. Inside a volcano

13 Which of the following animals could you never encounter on an expedition to the North Pole?

a. A walrus

b. A penguin

c. A polar bear

d. An artic fox

19 Chutes, fans and cascades are all types of what natural phenomenon?

a. Tornado

b. Mountain

c. Waterfall

d. River

20 How many times a second can a woodpecker peck on a tree trunk?

a. 2

b. 5

c. 10

d. 20

March of the trees

Did you know that forests move? That’s right! Here’s how they do it, and why today – thanks to some of the problems caused by global warming – the forests are literally running into a problem.

By Chris Harrison

Illustration by Natalia Rojas Castro

The first thing to understand about a ‘migrating’ forest is that the individual trees don’t actually move. Each tree has a system of roots dug into the ground which keeps it firmly in one place for its whole life.

However, a tree’s seeds are sometimes carried by the wind – or by animals such as birds – beyond the boundaries of the forest. If these seeds land in a place that provides them what they need to develop into adult trees, then the forest will grow into that place.

dying on the other, then the forest as a whole is considered to be ‘migrating’.

It takes many generations of trees for the location of a whole forest to move in this way. But it does happen – and scientists have estimated that some forests can migrate at a rate of 1 kilometre per year.

Forests have been slowly migrating across the surface of the Earth for tens of thousands of years in response to natural changes in the environment.

It takes many generations of trees for a forest to move its location. But forests really can ‘migrate’ in this way.

At the same time, on the other side of the forest, the environment might be changing to make it harder for the trees. Perhaps the climate is becoming hotter or colder, drier or wetter. Then the trees living in that area could struggle to survive and even die off. If a forest is growing on one side and

However, as you probably know, human-caused climate change is making global temperatures rise more quickly than before.

In fact, in some places, global warming is happening as much as twice as fast as the forests can migrate. This could spell disaster for millions of trees as deadly changes in climate catch up to them. And if the trees die

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Above: baby trees on one side of a forest show the direction the forest is migrating. Right: dying trees on the edge of another forest show an area the forest is migrating away from.

trees

off, then so will the other plants and animals that depend on them. Of course, other things can also get in the way of forest migration. A forest cannot migrate through a big city, for example, or across a large body of water or a desert. But it’s amazing to see how much trees actually can do to find their way to places they can grow and thrive. One of the best examples is how the forests of the far north, in places including Alaska, Canada, Scotland, Scandinavia, and Russia, are moving towards the Arctic, growing in places that used to be too cold for them.

One acre of forest can absorb as much carbon in a year as two cars give off during the same time.

Can we save the trees? Trees and other plants breathe the opposite way from the way we animals do. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. They breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Too much

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the causes of global warming, so adding more (a lot more!) trees to the environment is a great way to slow climate change. But as you now know, climate change is threatening the trees we already have, which will then speed climate change up even more. What can we do about it? We can reduce our carbon footprint to slow and stop climate change. We can ask our governments and companies to protect woodlands. We can help forests migrate by making it easier for them to move across barriers. And we can plant new trees – always making sure that the trees we plant are a type that will survive where we plant them, even if that area gets warmer pretty quickly.

Stumped? Don’t worry, you can find the answers to both puzzles on the next page. Planet Earth Crossword

PLANET EARTH CROSSWORD

Use your knowledge of planet Earth and the natural world to find the answers to this fun crossword puzzle!

Across

ACROSS

DOWN

3. The town in Italy that was buried by ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE

9. A giant wave that is set off by a volcano or an earthquake

3 Town in Italy that was buried by ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE (7)

10. The longest river in the world, located in Egypt

1 The remains of ancient life that are preserved in rock, often hard bits of animals such as shells (6)

7 The world’s largest hot desert, located in Africa (6)

11. The short form for the network of satellites that can pinpoint your location very precisely

12. The top layer of planet Earth, also the part of toast that you often cut off!

9 A giant wave that is set off by a volcano or an earthquake (7)

Down

10 The longest river in the world, located in Egypt (4)

2 A precious gem formed by extreme pressure 160km under the surface of the Earth (7)

1. The remains or molds of ancient life that are preserved in rock, often hard bits of animals

2. A precious gem formed by extreme pressure 100 miles under the surface of the Earth

8 The name scientists give to the zone that is the right distance from the sun for life to thrive on a planet. Also a character from a fairy tale about three bears (10)

4. The highest mountain in the world, found in the Himalayas, Mount .....

4 Mount , the highest mountain in the world, found in the Himalayas(7)

5. The fossil fuel that you fill up a car with

6. Fizzy drink cans are made from this metal

11 Short form for the network of satellites that can pinpoint your location very precisely (3)

5 The most common fuel used to power a car (5)

7. The world's largest hot desert, located in Africa

12 The top layer of planet Earth, also the part of toast that you often cut off! (5)

12 of 12 words were placed into the puzzle.

6 Fizzy drink cans are made from this metal (9)

8. The name scientists give to the zone that is the right distance from the sun for life to thrive

Can you find all 10 climate change words in this puzzle?

HOW TO TEACH GROWN-UPS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is happening – and it’s happening now. Thankfully, this empowering and entertaining guide to our planet’s pressing problem is here to help!

What you’ll find inside the book

 Real-life stories of young activists

 ‘What you can do’ tips

 A quiz to make sure your grown-up has been listening – and so much more!

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CLIMATE CHANGE WORD SEARCH DEFINITIONS

Atmosphere: All of the gases around Earth or another planet or moon.

Climate: The average weather of a place over many years.

Environment: Everything that surrounds us on Earth, including all living things, the air, ocean and land.

Fossil fuel: A fuel such as coal, oil or

gas that contains carbon and is made from the remains of ancient plants and animals.

Greenhouse gas: A gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.

Recycle: To process something so it can be reused.

Renewable energy: Energy that comes from natural sources, such as the wind or the S-un, that don’t run out.

Solar power: Renewable energy that is made by turning sunlight into electricity.

Weather: The state of the atmosphere (such as cold, hot, wet or dry) in one place at one particular time.

Wind turbine: A machine that turns the energy of the wind into electrical energy; sometimes called a windmill.