edHelper.com
Animal Themes
Polar Regions

Introduction to Polar Regions

Introduction to Polar Regions
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 3 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   8.35

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    biome, despite, extremely, northernmost, underground, layer, environment, effective, blubber, opposite, whales, landscape, attack, however, sneak, settle
     content words:    Arctic Ocean, North Pole, South Pole, Because Antarctica

Print Introduction to Polar Regions
edHelper.com subscriber options:
     Print Introduction to Polar Regions  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)
     Quickly print reading comprehension
     Print a proofreading activity

Feedback on Introduction to Polar Regions
     Leave your feedback on Introduction to Polar Regions  (use this link if you found an error in the story)

Other Languages
     Spanish: Introducción a las Regiones Polares

Introduction to Polar Regions   
1     The Arctic and Antarctic, covered by snow and ice almost all year round, are the world's coldest biome. The Arctic is the Earth's northernmost area, and it has the Arctic Ocean encircling the North Pole. At the opposite end from the Arctic is Antarctica. Antarctica is an isolated continent with ice more than 12,000 feet thick! The South Pole is on Antarctica. Because Antarctica is very cold, no humans settle there permanently. Together, we call the Arctic and Antarctica the polar regions.
 
2     Despite the cold weather, the Arctic and Antarctica are home to many animals. Whales, walruses, puffins, reindeer, penguins, seals, lemmings, snowy owls, and polar bears all have their own special ways to fight off cold and survive in this extremely harsh environment. Walruses, for example, have a thick layer of yellowish fat, called blubber, under their skin. Blubber is a very effective insulator that allows walruses to swim in icy-cold water and sleep on ice.

Paragraphs 3 to 4:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Copyright © 2008 edHelper