Polar Activity in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

In the context of a scientific program for children in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the environmental research station Schneefernerhaus – Germany’s highest research station at 2650 m height – organized an event called ‘life in polar regions’.

Around 25 children in the age of 8 – 14 years had the possibility on the 4th of November 2019 to accompany Dr. Inga Beck from the environmental research station on a virtual journey to the poles. The event was hosted at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), campus alpin.

The journey started in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: After clarifying what should be put in the suitcase, the group took the bus to the airport, Munich and headed north.

During the expedition the children learned something about the life in the Arctic Region, the vegetation and the animals, as well as about some specials such as the northern lights. Thereby not only Ms Beck was explaining, but also the children themselves added a lot of interesting things.

After the stay in the Arctic the group accompanied an arctic tern as well as a whale southwards to Antarctic.

Finally, the children had the possibility to experience a whale in life-size: In the courtyard of the KIT, a sheet having the form and size of a whale was spread.

Very impressed the children walked around the whale and estimated its size. After an hour and full of new impressions the ‘young scientists’ came back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. And really: Some of them expressed the wish to become a glaciologist.