To accompany “Extreme survival: Managing the deadly cold”

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

1. What kinds of risks do you think you could suffer from spending time outdoors in extreme cold?                   

2. Have you ever gotten so cold that you worried it might be dangerous?       

During Reading:

1. What factors increase the risk of frostbite?   

2. What happens inside the body to cause frostbite?

3. If frostbite isn’t treated in time, what might happen?   

4. What is trench foot?   

5. Define hypothermia.  

6. What are two ways a person can get hypothermia?   

7. Name some symptoms of hypothermia.    

8. What is a normal human body temperature?  

9. What’s the lowest body temperature a person has ever survived?  

10. What type of fabric should you especially avoid wearing when you’re going to be outside in the cold?

After Reading:

1.  Does this article make you feel more nervous about cold-weather activities, or more confident because you know the risks? Explain  your reasoning.

2. Imagine you’re preparing for a weekend cross-country ski trip. What precautions would you take to keep yourself safe?