Antarctica is one of the seven continents.
This is the coldest place in the world. It is at the bottom of the globe.
Can you find Antarctica on the map?
Jim McMahon/Mapman® (map); goinyk/Getty Images (mountain); Charles Lehman (Nosey Illustration); British Antarctic Survey/SCIENCE SOURCE (scientists); Shutterstock.com (humpback whale, Child); Anton Rodionov/Getty Images (crabeater seal); Martin Ruegner/Getty Images (emperor penguin)
The Coldest Place
Find out about Antarctica. Then read a true story about explorers who got stuck there!
From the December 2022/January 2023 Issue
Lexiles: 380L
Guided Reading Level: I
Vocabulary: globe, caves, frozen, continent
Topic:
Science,
Common Core Standards
TEKS Standards
1. It is very, very cold.
2. Ice is everywhere.
Ice covers the land. There are icy mountains and caves. Most of the ice in the world is there!
3. People don't live there.
It is too cold to live there all the time. But scientists go there to learn about it.
4. Some animals live there.
These animals don’t mind the cold. They live on the frozen land. They swim in the icy water.
video
(1)
Activities
(3)
Skills Activities
Answer Key
(1)
More About the Article
Science Focus
Animal behaviors
Environments
Climate and weather
Vocabulary:
globe, caves, frozen, continent
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
The essential question of this issue is What happens in cold places? The articles below connect to this theme.
- Picture This: “Grandma Shark,” p. 2
- Background Builder: “The Coldest Place,” p. 8
- Big Read-Aloud: “Escape From the Ice,” p. 10
- Mini History: “The True Story of Popsicles,” p. 30
- Poetry: “Snow Mail,” p. 32
Through the above genres, students will discuss:
- Have you ever been to a cold place?
- What do people need to survive in the cold?
- What are snow and ice like?
- What happens in cold places?
IMPLEMENTATION SUGGESTIONS
Small Group/Partner Read
- This article gives children background knowledge to help them better understand the “Big Read-Aloud.” Read it in small groups. Children can read it again later on their own or with a partner.
Word Work
- “The Coldest Place” features four rich vocabulary words: globe, caves, continent, and frozen. Reinforce these bold vocabulary words with our slideshow.
1. BEFORE READING
Show Video (10 minutes)
- Tell students they are going to watch a video about cold places. (This video also goes with other stories in the issue). Ask them to think about the essential question: “What happens in cold places?”
Preview the Article and Set a Purpose for Reading (3-5 minutes)
- Help children see the main idea of the article using the headline and opening text.
- Point out the globe and remind students that this tells us Antarctica is a place. Tell them that they will read to learn what Antarctica is like. Then they will collect facts about the place.
2. READ THE ARTICLE (15-30 minutes)
- The numbers and colored text will help guide students through the pages. After reading the headline and opening text, start at number 1.
- Have children discuss each section of text. Can they imagine what Antarctica might be like? What makes Antarctica special?
- Point out the question at the end of the article. Would they want to go to Antarctica? Why?
- After reading, have children go through the article again, highlighting a fact in each section. (Make sure children know that a fact is a true statement.) This will prepare them to fill out the skills sheet Nosey’s Fact File.
3. AFTER READING: Focus on Skills
ELA Focus: Vocabulary (10 minutes)
- Use Nosey's Fact File to check comprehension and reinforce key details.
ELA Focus: Key Details (15 minutes)
- This version of Nosey’s Fact File allows you to provide the same content at a lower skill level.
Text-to-Speech