Antarctica fact file
Research Antarctica: where it is, what it is known for, three interesting facts, and a drawing.
Browse all fact file continent
Antarctica reading map
Compare English fiction and informational readings connected to Antarctica. Choose a passage by its text type and grade-band label, then plan a discussion or writing task.
4 readings
Compare Antarctica readings by text type
Choose among informational readings and fiction connected to Antarctica, then review each passage before planning.
Antarctica printables & worksheets
Use a KWL chart to capture opening questions and new learning, or write a short comparison using details from two passages.
Build a Antarctica workbook Pro
One PDF with the reading passages, puzzles and worksheets you pick — start from a grade level and adjust from there, with the answer keys at the back.
Antarctica KWL chart
Write what you already know about Antarctica, what you want to find out, and what you learned.
Browse all kwl chartAntarctica story map
Plan a story set in Antarctica: characters, setting, problem, what happens first, next, and last, and how it ends.
Browse all story mapAntarctica word web
Put Antarctica in the middle and collect words and ideas connected to it.
Browse all word webCompare two things from Antarctica
Use a Venn diagram to compare two places, landmarks, animals, traditions, or other features from Antarctica.
Browse all compare two things from antarcticaAntarctica acrostic poem
Write an acrostic poem using the letters in the name Antarctica.
Browse all acrostic poemAntarctica word game worksheets
Printable word puzzles built from Antarctica words — download as PDF, answer key included.
Easy word search
8×8 grid · 6 words across and down · answer key included
Medium word search
10×10 grid · 8 words with diagonals · answer key included
Tricky word search
12×12 grid · 10 words with backwards words · answer key included
No printer at hand? Play the Antarctica word search right here on screen — free.
About Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest of Earth's seven continents.
It contains about 90 percent of the world's ice and about 70 percent of its fresh water.
There are no permanent human residents on the continent, only visiting scientists and support staff.
Select an Antarctica text for your lesson
This collection is focused on readings connected to Antarctica. It includes informational texts and fiction, so begin by choosing the kind of reading that fits your discussion. The labels can help you shortlist a passage; read it and review its questions before deciding what support a group needs.
Compare an explanation and a story
The Brave Penguin Dads is labeled a Lower Elementary explanatory article and informational text. Pip's Antarctic Dream is a Middle School short story. Ask readers to identify what each text asks them to notice, then support their comparison with details from the passages.
Follow a question across two informational texts
For a second informational choice, Antarctica's Brief Awakening: A Polar Spring is labeled Middle School. Invite students to write one question before reading and revisit it afterward, citing a detail they found. This keeps the task tied to the selected text instead of assuming the same background knowledge for every reader.
A KWL chart can record questions and learning; a short comparison can help readers explain differences between a story and an explanatory article. For related topic-led selections, browse geography reading passages. See available printable formats under worksheets. For a wider geographic view, open the world reading map.
Antarctica reading map FAQ
Are the Antarctica readings all informational?
No. The collection includes explanatory and informational texts as well as short stories and fiction. The passage labels show which type each reading uses.
How can I compare the story and informational choices?
Pair one fiction passage with one informational text. Ask readers to find details in each and explain how the text type shapes what they notice.
Does the grade-band label decide who should read a passage?
Use it as a selection clue, then review the passage, its questions, and the task. The label alone does not determine the support a reader may need.
What is a useful follow-up after reading?
Readers can record an opening question and new learning in a KWL chart, or write a brief comparison supported by passage details.