Extreme Environments (90 minutes)
How have people adapted to extreme environments such as deserts, jungles or polar regions? How do these environments impact their way of life and culture? These are some of the questions students will think about as they look at and handle objects from around the world.
Rituals and Beliefs focuses on the scene from a plaster cast taken of a stone lintel from the doorway of a temple in the city of Yaxchilan, now in modern day Mexico, and dating from 709AD.
The images depict a blood-letting ritual being performed by Lady K'ab'al Xook and her husnabd King Shield Jaguar. Lady K'ab'al Xook can be seen pulling a rope of thorns through her tongue in order to collect blood in a bowl filled with bark paper. Both figures are wearing jade and obsidian jewellery and dressed in resplendent costumes made fo fur and elaborate fabrics.
Gravel Hunters is an educational resource that aims to encourage budding explorers of all ages to discover fossils for themselves on their doorsteps. From gardens to car parks and driveways, fossils can be unearthed in flint gravel from all sorts of environments - all you need to do is collect them.
This resource gives examples of some of the most common fossils found in flint gravel.
Antarctic Midwinter celebrations were started over a century ago by Captain Scott and his team. 21 June is the turning point of the Antarctic winter and people working there celebrate as they look forward to the lengthening of the days and the return of sunlight.
Modern Midwinter celebrations still include a special meal, speeches, the awarding of prizes, entertainments, and the giving and receiving of presents. Modern technology also allows for the exchanging of messages with friends and family via the radio and internet.
What does Frank need on his polar adventure? What will he eat? How will he stay warm? How will he stay cheerful?
Download our activity sheet to give him a helping hand.
A series of activities inspired by some of the newspapers made on polar expeditions from our collection at the Scott Polar Research Institute. Enjoy designing your own news report.
A series of activities inspired by some of the diaries in our collection at the Scott Polar Research Institute.
Enjoy recording your observations during your own expeditions.
This resource is designed to help you Look, Think, and Do inspired by this incredible hoard of over 1800 silver and gold coins.
Some of the most amazing discoveries of objects from the past have been made by accident. This collection of coins was unearthed while workers were digging a sewage pipe on Chesterton Lane in Cambridge in 2000.
