Amazing Antarctica LEVELED BOOK • J

A Reading A–Z Level J Leveled Book

Amazing
Word Count: 271

Connections
Writing
Pretend you are a scientist
studying Antarctica.
Antarctica
Use the facts in the book to write
a journal entry about what you
see and do in a day.
Science
Learn more about emperor
penguins.
Make a poster about them that
includes words and pictures.

•P
J•M

Written by Sean P. McCollum

Visit www.readinga-z.com
for thousands of books and materials. www.readinga-z.com
 Amazing continents
Words to Know
globe

Antarctica
dangerous protect
frozen scientists
Title page: Giant icebergs can be found throughout the waters
of Antarctica.
Page 3: Tourists take a boat to see one of Antarctica’s many
icebergs.

Photo Credits:
Front cover, back cover: © iStock/Antrey; title page: © iStock/HuntedDuck;
page 3: © David Doubilet/National Geographic/Getty Images; page 4: courtesy
of Reto Stöckli/NASA Earth Observatory; page 5: © Frank Hurley/Scott Polar
Research Institute, University of Cambridge/Getty Images; page 7: © Hiroya
Minakuchi/Minden Pictures; page 8: © Auscape/UIG/Getty Images; page 9:
© DeAgostini/Getty Images; page 10 (top): © José Gieskes Fotografie/Moment/
Getty Images; page 10 (bottom): © Fred Olivier/NPL/Minden pictures; page
11: © Vittoriano Rastelli/Corbis/Getty Images; page 12: © Danita Delimont/
Gallo Images/Getty Images; page 13: © Carsten Peter/National Geographic/
Getty Images; page 14: © iStock/Grafissimo; page 15: LOOK Die Bildagentur der
Fotografen GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

Written by Sean P. McCollum

www.readinga-z.com

Focus Question Amazing Antarctica

Level J Leveled Book Correlation
© Learning A–Z LEVEL J
How does Antarctica compare Written by Sean P. McCollum
Fountas & Pinnell J
to other continents? All rights reserved. Reading Recovery
DRA
17
18
www.readinga-z.com
 The Seven Continents

3 5
1

2
6

1 North America 4 Africa 7 Antarctica

2 South America 5 Asia
3 Europe 6 Australia

The Seventh Continent

Table of Contents Give a globe a spin.
The Seventh Continent . . . . . . . . . 4 On it you can easily find
Freezing Antarctica . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 six continents.
Life on and Around Antarctica . . . 8 Now look at the bottom
A Playground for Scientists . . . . . 11 of the globe.
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 There you will find continent
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 number seven: Antarctica.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 3 4
 Antarctica

SOUTH ATLANTIC
OCEAN

Tallest mountain
on Antarctica

South Pole

SOUTH PACIFIC Floating piece of ice

OCEAN the size of France
INDIAN
OCEAN

In February 1915, the ship of British explorer Ernest Shackleton

became stuck in ice.
Antarctica is the coldest continent.
People did not find Antarctica until It is also the continent with the
about two hundred years ago. strongest winds.
Since then, we have learned Less rain and snow fall in Antarctica
a lot about this amazing place. than in any other continent.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 5 6
An ice shelf is a floating piece of ice connected to land.

Freezing Antarctica
Water covers most of Earth.
Almost all of it is salt water.
Most of the fresh water on Earth
Emperor penguins, the largest penguins in the world, live
is frozen in the ice in Antarctica. in Antarctica.

Snow does not melt during the cold Life on and Around Antarctica
summers there. The freezing weather in Antarctica
The ice builds up over many years. makes it a dangerous place to live.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 7 8
 A leopard seal yawns on a piece of ice.

Penguins and seals are some of

the larger animals in the icy waters
of Antarctica.
Wowser!
A male emperor
penguin has a big job
Antarctic hair grass grows in rocky places. when it comes to a
baby penguin. It takes
Most plants and animals can be care of an egg for
two months. During
found near the coasts or in the sea. that time, it does not
eat. Once the mother
There are no trees, but there are comes back, she feeds
the chick.
other plants, such as moss.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 9 10
 Scientists study an emperor penguin chick. A million of its kind
live in Antarctica.

A Playground for Scientists

When blizzards happen in Antarctica, scientists at Australia’s
People have taken steps to make Mawson Station stay indoors. They can read or watch movies.

sure that scientists can study Many countries send scientists

in Antarctica. to study in Antarctica.
Do You Know? Some work there all year, even
No country is in charge of Antarctica. Many countries signed
a special agreement in 1961 that does not allow wars to happen during the cold winter.
in Antarctica.
Others work only in summer.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 11 12
These scientists drill into Antarctica’s ice to learn what the weather
was like there long ago.

Many kinds of scientists come Most people visit Antarctica during its summer months, between
November and March.
to Antarctica.
They study animals, ice, Thousands of visitors also come to
and many other things. learn about Antarctica each year.
Amazing Antarctica • Level J 13 14
 Glossary
continents the main sections of land
(n.) on Earth, including Africa,
South America, Asia,
Europe, North America,
Australia, and Antarctica
(p. 4)

dangerous able or likely to cause

(adj.) harm (p. 8)

frozen (adj.) turned into ice as a result

Colorful clouds fill the sky above Antarctica. of very cold temperatures
(p. 7)
Conclusion
People do not know a lot globe (n.) a ball-shaped map of the
about Antarctica. world (p. 4)

The cold, ice, wind, and rough seas protect (v.) to keep from harm or
make it a difficult place to visit. danger (p. 15)
However, people around the world scientists (n.) people who work in one
know how important it is to protect or more areas of science
and study Antarctica. (p. 11)

Amazing Antarctica • Level J 15 16