563595911-JOURNEY-TO-THE-END-OF-THE-EARTH.pdf

Journey to the end of the earth

1. CLASS XII
UNIT - 2
CHAPTER – 3
JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH
- By Tishani Doshi

2. INTRODUCTION
The writer presents a picture of Antarctica from a
different perspective and angle. The writer presents
knowledge not only about the history of Antarctica but
also the facts about the Ecology, Geography and Geology
of Planet Earth.

3. TITLE
The lesson deals with Tishani Doshi’s journey to
Antarctica with a bunch of students on board a
Russian ship. ‘End’ could refer to either the bottom
i.e. the South Pole or the top of the earth which
is the North Pole.
So the title is specific as the entire lesson deals
with the author’s experience of Antarctica.

4. o
THE ANTARCTICA JOURNEY
(Paragraph 1 and 2)
Writer’s
journey begin
by boarding a
Russian ship
called
‘Akademik
Shokalskiy.’
Heads towards
the coldest ,
driest and
windiest
continent.
Journey begins
from Madras
(now
Chennai).
Crosses nine
time zones, six
checkpoints,
three bodies of
water and
many
ecospheres.
Travelled for
100 hours by
an airplane,
ship and car.
Sees white
landscape and
blue sky which
are spread
wide.
Feels relieved
and wonders at
its immensity.
Cannot believe
that Antarctica
and India
could ever
have been part
of the same
landmass.

5. HISTORY OF ANTARCTICA
(Paragraph 3 and 4)
6.50 million years
ago, a giant
supercontinent
Gondwana existed.
There were no
human beings, warm
climate, huge variety
of flora and fauna.
Gondwana thrives for
500 million years.
Dinosuars wiped out,
age of mammals
begins.
Landmass forced to
split up into different
countries.
Part of landmass
pushed northward:
formed India and
shaped Himalayas.
Formation of South
America, drifts to
join North America
At present, Antarctica at the bottom of the globe, frigid and
desolate.

6. FEATURES
OF
ANTARCTI
CA
(Paragraph
5)

7. HUMAN
IMPAC
T
(Paragrap
h 6 and
7)
Human
beings on
earth for only
12,000 years.
Prove their
dominance
over nature.
Created
villages,
towns, metro
cities.
Continuous
burning of
fossil fuel,
increases
global
temperature.
Never has
sustained any
human
population.
Ideal to study
Earth’s past,
present and
future

8. ‘STUDENTS ON ICE’ PROGRAMME
(Paragraph 8)
Programme aimed at studying
Antarctica
Takes students on the Russian ship
to Antarctica.
Student will be inspired, have
better understanding, curiosity and
develop respect for their planet.
Geoff Green, a Canadian take
celebrities, but it proved to be of
no use.
He believes that students will have
a life-changing experience to
absorb, learn and act.

9. REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE
PROGRAMME (Paragraph 9)
Going near the South Pole, affects the
mind wisely.
Students saw with their own eyes, the
collapsing of ice shelves.
First time had a personal experience of
the threat of global warming.

10. ANTARCTICA – A PERFECT PLACE TO
STUDY CHANGES (Paragraph 10)
Has simple ecosystem and
lack of biodiversity.
Changes in environment can
have great repercussions.
Phytoplankton – grass of the sea,
nourishes and sustains the entire
Southern Ocean’s food chain.
Example for mankind – take care
of small things and big things will
fall into place.
This affects the lives of all marine
animals and birds and the global
carbon cycle.
Depletion in ozone layer will
affect phytoplankton.

11. WALK ON THE OCEAN
(Paragraph 11)
• Best experience occurred near Antarctica circle at 65.55
degrees
south.
• All were instructed to get down and walk on the ocean.
• 52 people wearing special kits and glares, walked on the
frozen
ocean.
• Walking on one meter thick layer of ice, over 180 meters
of salt
water, full of marine life.
• See strange sights like the seals sitting on floating ice.
• Strange experience left a permanent mark on everyone’s
mind.

12. Author overwhelmed with
the beauty of balance in
play on the earth.
If Antarctica became a
warm place – would it
mean human extinction?
Students bestowed with
idealism, can save the
world.
THE EXPERIENCE IN A NUTSHELL
(Paragraph 12)

13. THANK YOU