Arctic Expedition Survival: A 6th Grade Challenge
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as a team of arctic explorers, design and execute a survival plan that prioritizes safety, warmth, and navigation, while also addressing the unique environmental and psychological challenges of the Arctic?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How do the priorities of survival change in an arctic environment compared to other environments?
- What are the most effective methods for building shelter and maintaining warmth in extreme cold?
- How can you navigate accurately and safely across arctic terrain?
- What are the psychological challenges of arctic survival, and how can they be overcome?
- How do you apply problem-solving skills in real time during a survival scenario?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Plan an arctic expedition, focusing on shelter, warmth, and navigation.
- Explain the priorities of survival (shelter, water, fire, food, signaling) and their importance in different environments.
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop survival plans for specific scenarios.
- Demonstrate decision-making under pressure through scenario-based simulations.
- Reflect on ethical and safety considerations when facing real or simulated survival challenges.
Teacher Specified
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsArtifact Analysis: Arctic Expedition Gone Wrong
Students examine a collection of 'artifacts' (photos, journal entries, gear remnants) recovered from a failed Arctic expedition. By analyzing these clues, they piece together the story of what went wrong, identifying critical errors in planning and execution related to shelter, warmth, and navigation, thus motivating them to avoid these mistakes in their own plans.Message in a (Melting) Iceberg
Students receive a mysterious coded message frozen in a block of ice, purportedly from a stranded Arctic explorer. Deciphering the message requires them to understand key survival priorities, sparking immediate investigation into the explorer's fate and how to avoid a similar one.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Shelter Design Challenge: Arctic Edition
Students design an arctic shelter prototype considering available materials, insulation, and weather protection. They will learn about the properties of different materials and their effectiveness in extreme cold.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed shelter design prototype with a written justification of design choices and material usage.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Plan an arctic expedition, focusing on shelter, warmth, and navigation. Directly aligns with applying problem-solving skills to develop survival plans for specific scenarios (SS.2.2).Arctic Navigation Simulation: Lost in the Whiteout
Students participate in a simulated arctic navigation exercise using maps, compasses, and simulated weather conditions. This activity reinforces navigation skills and decision-making under pressure.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA documented navigation route with reflections on the decision-making process during a simulated arctic whiteout.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Demonstrate decision-making under pressure through scenario-based simulations. Aligns directly with SS.2.3, which focuses on decision-making under pressure.Ethical Dilemma: Arctic Resource Allocation
Students explore ethical considerations related to resource allocation in a survival situation. They will analyze a scenario where resources are scarce and decisions must be made about who receives them.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA written proposal for resource allocation in an arctic survival scenario, justified by ethical principles and a reflection on the decision-making process.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Reflect on ethical and safety considerations when facing real or simulated survival challenges. Directly aligns with SS.2.4, emphasizing ethical considerations in survival scenarios.Arctic Survival Priorities Pyramid
Students create a prioritized pyramid of survival needs specific to the Arctic environment. This activity emphasizes understanding the environment's unique challenges and how they affect survival priorities.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA visual pyramid diagram illustrating arctic survival priorities with written justifications for the order.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Explain the priorities of survival (shelter, water, fire, food, signaling) and their importance in different environments. Directly aligns with understanding how environmental factors change survival priorities (SS.2.2)Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioArctic Expedition Survival Portfolio Rubric
Shelter Design & Justification
Evaluates the quality and rationale behind the student's arctic shelter design, including its suitability for the environment and the justification for material choices.Design Effectiveness
Assesses how well the shelter design addresses the challenges of the arctic environment (insulation, wind resistance, ease of construction).
Exemplary
4 PointsThe shelter design is highly innovative and effectively addresses all key arctic survival challenges with detailed specifications. The design demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of arctic conditions and material properties.
Proficient
3 PointsThe shelter design is appropriate for the arctic environment and addresses most key survival challenges. Specifications are clear and material choices are well-considered.
Developing
2 PointsThe shelter design shows some consideration of arctic survival challenges, but may lack detail or effectiveness in certain areas. Material choices are not always well-justified.
Beginning
1 PointsThe shelter design is poorly suited for the arctic environment and fails to address key survival challenges. Specifications are lacking and material choices are inappropriate.
Justification of Choices
Evaluates the clarity and depth of the student's explanation for their design and material choices.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a comprehensive and insightful justification for all design and material choices, demonstrating a deep understanding of their impact on shelter effectiveness in the arctic.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and logical justification for most design and material choices, demonstrating a good understanding of their impact on shelter effectiveness.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a limited or superficial justification for design and material choices, with some gaps in understanding their impact on shelter effectiveness.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to provide a clear justification for design and material choices, demonstrating a limited understanding of their impact on shelter effectiveness.
Navigation Skills & Reflection
Assesses the student's demonstrated navigation skills in the simulated arctic environment and their reflection on the decision-making process.Navigation Accuracy
Evaluates the accuracy of the student's documented navigation route during the simulation.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe documented route is highly accurate, demonstrating a strong command of navigation techniques and an ability to overcome challenges in the simulated environment.
Proficient
3 PointsThe documented route is mostly accurate, with minor deviations that do not significantly impact the overall outcome.
Developing
2 PointsThe documented route contains significant inaccuracies, indicating a need for further development of navigation skills.
Beginning
1 PointsThe documented route is largely inaccurate, demonstrating a limited understanding of navigation techniques.
Decision-Making Reflection
Evaluates the depth and insightfulness of the student's reflection on their decision-making process during the navigation simulation.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a highly insightful and reflective account of the decision-making process, analyzing the challenges faced and the strategies employed with exceptional clarity.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and thoughtful reflection on the decision-making process, identifying the challenges faced and the strategies employed.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a limited or superficial reflection on the decision-making process, with some gaps in understanding the challenges faced and the strategies employed.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to provide a clear reflection on the decision-making process, demonstrating a limited awareness of the challenges faced and the strategies employed.
Ethical Resource Allocation & Justification
Assesses the student's ability to develop an ethical resource allocation proposal and justify their decisions based on ethical principles.Ethical Proposal
Evaluates the thoughtfulness and fairness of the resource allocation proposal in the given arctic survival scenario.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe resource allocation proposal is exceptionally thoughtful and fair, demonstrating a deep understanding of ethical principles and their application to the survival scenario.
Proficient
3 PointsThe resource allocation proposal is thoughtful and fair, demonstrating a good understanding of ethical principles and their application to the survival scenario.
Developing
2 PointsThe resource allocation proposal shows some consideration of ethical principles, but may lack fairness or thoughtfulness in certain areas.
Beginning
1 PointsThe resource allocation proposal is ethically questionable or demonstrates a limited understanding of ethical principles.
Justification Based on Ethical Principles
Evaluates the clarity and strength of the justification for the resource allocation decisions, based on ethical principles and potential outcomes.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a compelling and well-reasoned justification for all resource allocation decisions, clearly articulating the ethical principles and potential outcomes considered.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear and logical justification for most resource allocation decisions, articulating the ethical principles and potential outcomes considered.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a limited or superficial justification for resource allocation decisions, with some gaps in articulating the ethical principles and potential outcomes considered.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to provide a clear justification for resource allocation decisions, demonstrating a limited understanding of ethical principles and potential outcomes.
Arctic Survival Priorities
Assesses the student's understanding of survival priorities in the arctic environment and their ability to justify the order of importance.Prioritization Accuracy
Evaluates the accuracy of the student's prioritized pyramid of survival needs specific to the Arctic environment.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe survival priorities are accurately ranked and reflect a sophisticated understanding of the unique challenges posed by the arctic environment. Demonstrates synthesis of research.
Proficient
3 PointsThe survival priorities are generally accurate and reflect a good understanding of the challenges posed by the arctic environment.
Developing
2 PointsThe survival priorities show some inaccuracies or omissions, indicating a need for further understanding of the arctic environment.
Beginning
1 PointsThe survival priorities are largely inaccurate or incomplete, demonstrating a limited understanding of the arctic environment.
Justification of Order
Evaluates the clarity and evidence-based reasoning behind the student's prioritization of survival needs.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a clear, concise, and well-supported explanation for the placement of each survival priority, citing specific evidence from research to justify their choices.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides a clear explanation for the placement of most survival priorities, citing evidence from research to support their choices.
Developing
2 PointsProvides a limited or superficial explanation for the placement of some survival priorities, with some gaps in the evidence provided.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to provide a clear explanation for the placement of survival priorities or to support their choices with evidence.