Day 1: Web Idea Organizer

Day 1: Antarctica Facts

Day 1: Web Idea Organizer

Day 3: Science Graphic Organizer

Weather Climate Activity:

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Animal Atlas: Meet the animals of Antarctica

A group of Adelie penguins jumps from ice pebble to ice pebble on a beach on the tip of Antarctica. Photo from: WolfgangKaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images. Illustrations: Lucy Letherland, “Atlas of Animal Adventures”/Newsela.

Antarctica is a continent at the bottom of the Earth. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest

continent on Earth. Animals who live there work hard to survive. Let's meet some of the most

amazing animals on the planet!

Flying Long-Haul With The Arctic Terns Over The Weddell Sea

The most northern part of the Earth is called the

Arctic. This is where the North Pole is found. The

Arctic tern is a small bird. This little bird has a big job.

It travels more miles than any animal on Earth. An

Arctic tern flies from the North Pole to the South Pole

and back again in one year. It flies more than 43,000

miles!

The tern departs from the Arctic at the end of each

summer. It heads south toward Antarctica. It will

By Rachel Williams and Emily Hawkins, "Atlas of Animal Adventures," adapted by Newsela staff on 09.05.17Word Count 417Level 610L


spend about four months here. Then it will fly back to the Arctic. Why such a big journey? One

reason is food. The Arctic tern can always locate plenty of food to eat when it flies to new places.

Another reason is to avoid the coldest part of winter. The tern heads north when winter hits the

South Pole. Then the tern heads south when the North Pole gets too cold.

Huddling With The Emperor Penguins On The Shackleton Ice Shelf

Welcome to the coldest place on Earth. Hundreds of

penguins live on the ice in Antarctica. They are called

emperor penguins. They are the largest penguins in

the world. The male penguins stand more than 3 feet

tall. Their job is to keep the eggs warm while the

females find food. The penguin balances an egg on his

feet. The egg is tucked safely under a fold of skin.

These penguins know how to stay warm in

Antarctica's freezing storms. They get together in big

groups and huddle together. The penguins take turns

moving toward the warm center. Brrrrr!

Deep-Diving With The Weddell Seals In The Ross Sea

The Weddell seal has the coldest home on Earth. It

inhabits the freezing waters of Antarctica. This seal

must work hard for its meals. It dives deep into the

dark waters to catch fish. It can dive almost a half mile

down! Humans cannot dive this deep. We would get

hurt. The seal has some strategies to stay safe. It can

fold down its ribs and flatten its lungs so they are

protected during a dive. The seal can also stay

underwater for more than 45 minutes!


Quiz

1 What are the environmental conditions like in Antarctica?

(A) cold, still and wet

(B) cold, windy and dry

(C) warm, still and wet

(D) warm, windy and dry

2 Read the second paragraph in the section "Flying Long-Haul With The Arctic Terns Over The Weddell Sea." Which question isanswered in this paragraph?

(A) How long does it take the Arctic tern to fly from Antarctica to the Arctic?

(B) How is the Arctic tern able to fly for such a long time?

(C) Why does the Arctic tern fly from the North Pole to the South Pole?

(D) What food does the Arctic tern look for when it flies to new places?

3 Why does the Arctic tern fly thousands of miles?

(A) to colonize snowy areas

(B) to avoid harsh winter climates

(C) to find the water it needs

(D) to get plenty of exercise

4 Look at the diagram of the Weddell seal in the section "Deep-Diving With The Weddell Seals In The Ross Sea." How does thediagram help the reader understand how the seals can handle the freezing cold?

(A) It shows their torpedo-shaped body.

(B) It shows their thick layer of blubber for warmth.

(C) It shows their eyes that can see well in bad light.

(D) It shows their strong flippers for swimming.

5 How do penguin dads and moms care for eggs?

(A) The dad and mom eat fish in the sea together.

(B) The dad feeds while the mom warms the eggs.

(C) The dad warms the eggs while the mom feeds.

(D) The dad and mom warm the eggs together.

6 Based on the graphic at the end of the article, what is located to the east of Antarctica?

(A) Indian Ocean

(B) South America

(C) Pacific Ocean

(D) Atlantic Ocean


7 How does a Weddell seal deal with water pressure?

(A) The seal makes its lungs flatter.

(B) The takes more breaths.

(C) The seal has lots of blubber.

(D) The seal floats on the surface.

8 Which sentence from the section "Huddling With The Emperor Penguins On The Shackleton Ice Shelf" explains HOW emperorpenguins avoid getting too cold?

(A) Hundreds of penguins live on the ice in Antarctica.

(B) Their job is to keep the eggs warm while the females find food.

(C) These penguins know how to stay warm in Antarctica’s freezing storms.

(D) They get together in big groups and huddle together.


Weather and Climate: What is weather?

A thunderstorm lights up the sky over the country of Portugal. Photo from: Wikimedia Commons.

Weather is how hot, cold, wet or dry it is outside. It is the state of the air in a certain place, such as

your town or school playground.

Climate is weather over a long period of time. "It rained yesterday" describes the weather. "The

city gets only 10 inches of rain a year" describes the climate.

The weather is important to people. It affects how comfortable they feel. It affects how much food

they can grow. Sometimes weather is dangerous. So it can even affect people's safety.

What Makes Up Weather?

Weather is made up of many different elements. Temperature is one of these elements.

Temperature is how warm or cold it is outside.

Wind is another element of weather. It is the air moving across Earth's surface. Winds may be

gentle or strong.

By Encyclopaedia Britannica, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.27.17Word Count 445Level 520L


A third element of weather is humidity. Air contains

water. Humidity is how much water it holds. Warm

air can hold more water than cold air can.

Precipitation is a fourth element of weather.

Precipitation is wet weather. It comes in many forms.

Rain, hail, sleet and snow are all forms of

precipitation. The type of precipitation depends on

other weather conditions, such as temperature. On a

warmer day, precipitation will be rain. On a colder

day, it might be snow or sleet.

A fifth element of weather is atmospheric pressure.

This is the weight of the air. The air pressure can change. These changes help people predict a

storm. A change could mean a thunderstorm or hurricane is on its way.

Studying Weather

Meteorology is the study of weather science. A

meteorologist is someone who studies and predicts

weather.

Meteorologists use many instruments to gather

information about weather. The thermometer and the

barometer are two of the oldest weather instruments.

They are also the most common. The thermometer

measures temperature. The barometer measures how

much the air weighs. This is called barometric

pressure. Another name for it is atmospheric

pressure.

Another common instrument is the wind vane. It shows the direction the wind is blowing.

Satellites Collect Weather Information

Today, satellites in space orbit the earth. These machines collect information about the weather.

They send that information back to scientists on Earth. Meteorologists also use computers.

Together, these tools help scientists track the weather and make weather predictions.


Quiz

1 How many elements make up weather?

(A) 1

(B) 3

(C) 5

(D) 7

2 What information do you get from the introduction [paragraphs 1-3]?

(A) how people feel during different types of weather

(B) where different types of weather happen

(C) the difference between weather and climate

(D) the difference between safe and unsafe weather

3 What instrument do homeowners use to measure the direction of the wind?

(A) satellite

(B) barometer

(C) wind vane

(D) thermometer

4 Which sentence from the article helps you to understand how the temperature affects weather?

(A) Temperature is how warm or cold it is outside.

(B) Sometimes weather is dangerous.

(C) The thermometer measures temperature.

(D) Warm air can hold more water than cold air can.

5 What is air pressure?

(A) It is how heavy the air is.

(B) It is how air moves across the Earth.

(C) It is how hot or cold the air is outside.

(D) It is how much water the air can hold.

6 What is the main idea of the section "Studying Weather?"

(A) Meteorologists have very difficult jobs.

(B) There are many different tools used to measure weather.

(C) The thermometer and barometer are the oldest weather instruments.

(D) Gathering information about weather is a difficult job.

7 What is a meteorologist?

(A) It is a machine to collect information about the weather.

(B) It is a measurement of how much moisture is in the air.

(C) It is an instrument that measures the barometric pressure.

(D) It is a scientist who tracks the weather and makes weather predictions.


8 Which sentence from the article best states a MAIN idea of the entire article?

(A) Weather is made up of many different elements.

(B) Climate is weather over a long period of time.

(C) Today, satellites in space orbit the Earth.

(D) Rain, hail, sleet and snow are all forms of precipitation.

My Favorite Weather Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Directions: Draw a picture of you in your favorite kind of weather. On the Class: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Date: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ lines below, describe what your favorite weather is like.


Weather and Climate: What is climate?

Adelie penguins sit on an iceberg in Antarctica. They live in a polar climate. Photo by: Jason Auch via Flickr.

Different places around the world have different kinds of weather. The weather can change from

day to day. But some places have certain kinds of weather more than others. For example, some

places are very sunny and dry. Others are cold and rainy. The weather over a long period of time is

called the climate.

"It rained yesterday" describes the weather. "The city only gets 10 inches of rain a year" describes

the climate. The climate includes many weather elements. Some of them are temperature, rainfall

and wind.

Studying Climates

Scientists have many tools for studying climates. On Earth, they use weather stations. These

measure rainfall, temperature and wind speed. Scientists also use weather balloons. These take

measurements from up in the sky. Then they send helpful information back to Earth.

Factors That Affect Climate

Many things affect climate. The sun, winds and human activities are all examples.

By Encyclopaedia Britannica, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.26.17Word Count 443Level 530L


Sunlight falls on Earth unevenly. The equator is the

imaginary line around Earth's middle. Places near the

equator get lots of strong sunlight. This gives them a

hot climate. Places far from the equator get weaker

sunlight. This gives them a cooler climate.

Winds affect climate by carrying warm or cool air.

They carry this air to different places. Winds also

carry rain and snow.

Human activities also affect climate. One example is burning fossil fuels. These are fuels such as

oil and coal. People burn them to run their cars and heat their homes. Burning the fuels releases

greenhouse gases. These gases trap heat on Earth. As a result, the Earth is heating up. Scientists

call this global warming.

Types Of Climates

There are a few common climate types. They are

called tropical, subtropical, cyclonic, polar and

highland.

Tropical climates are warm all year. They have no

winter. These climates lie near the equator. Some

tropical climates have a lot of rain. Others are dry.

Subtropical climates are found north and south of the tropical climates. Some subtropical

climates are very dry. Others are humid. That means the air holds a lot of water. This makes the

weather muggy.

Cyclonic climates are found mostly north of the equator. These areas have rain and snow. They

usually have warmer summers. The winters are colder in these climates.

Polar climates are very cold. Snow and ice often cover the land.

Highland climates are found in the mountains. They are usually cooler than the lower lands

nearby.


Quiz

1 Which of these sentences is about climate?

(A) It rained yesterday.

(B) I hope it will snow tomorrow.

(C) It usually rains a lot here in June.

(D) I hope it will snow in December.

2 Which selection from the section "Types Of Climate" explains why some weather is muggy?

(A) They are called tropical, subtropical, cyclonic, polar and highland.

(B) Others are humid. That means the air holds a lot of water.

(C) Polar climates are very cold. Snow and ice often cover the land.

(D) They are usually cooler than the lower lands nearby.

3 Which of these things MOST affects climate?

(A) distance from the equator

(B) which crops people grow

(C) whether people go outside

(D) when scientists take measurements

4 Which question is answered in paragraph 4 of the section "Factors That Affect Climate"?

(A) What happens to animals because of global warming?

(B) What makes global warming happen?

(C) How can we stop global warming?

(D) Who invented the term global warming?

5 Do human activities affect climate?

(A) Yes. Taking fuels out of the ground warms earth.

(B) Yes. Burning fuels warms up earth by trapping heat.

(C) No. The earth is too big for humans to affect climate.

(D) No. People make the climate warmer, but also cool it off.

6 Which sentence from the introduction [paragraphs 1-2] describes the MAIN idea of the article?

(A) Different places around the world have different kinds of weather.

(B) "The city gets only 10 inches of rain a year" describes the climate.

(C) The climate includes many weather elements. Some of them are temperature, rainfall and wind.

(D) For example, some places are very sunny and dry.

7 What are polar climates like?

(A) Polar climates are only south of the equator.

(B) Polar climates are cold and icy and snowy.

(C) Polar climates have hot summers and cold winters.

(D) Polar climates are warm like tropical climates.


8 What is the MAIN idea of the section "Factors That Affect Climate"?

(A) Winds carry rain and snow, which affects climate.

(B) Human activities affect climates the most.

(C) Wind, sun and human activities all change the climate.

(D) The sun falls unevenly on the Earth.


What's the difference between weather andclimate?

A hailstorm is a weather event. It is different than climate. Here, large amounts of hail cover a landscape in Marion, Kansas. Image by RogerHill/Science Source Image by Roger Hill/Science Source

It can be very cold during winter. But even so, average

temperatures on Earth are rising. It's happening

around the world. This is known as global warming.

Almost all scientists agree that global warming is real.

They also agree that humans are causing it.

How can we still have cold weather and global warming? It's because weather and climate are two

different things.

Weather Is What's Happening Right Now

Weather is what happens in the air closest to Earth. It can be hot and sunny or rainy and cold. It

can be cloudy, windy and stormy. It can rain or snow.

By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.29.20Word Count 590Level 550L


The sun heats the air. Warm air rises, or goes up. Cold air rushes in to fill its place. This causes

wind. Air also holds water gas called water vapor. The wind and the water in the air cause clouds,

rain and snow. It causes storms to form and move.

The weather is always changing. Scientists study the weather. They look at satellites, weather

stations, and instruments that float in the ocean. They try to tell what weather is coming in the

next few days or weeks. This is called a forecast. Weather forecasts are very important. They warn

people. Big storms can cause floods. Dry winds can spread forest fires.

Climate Describes Conditions Over A Long Time

Weather can last for days or weeks or months. Climate is what the weather is like over a long time.

This is usually 30 years or more. A very cold winter can happen even when the world is getting

warmer.

Climate is different around the world. Different types of plants and animals live in different

climates.

Weather and climate are connected. A change in climate can lead to changes in weather patterns.

This Time, Humans Are Changing Climate

Climate change is not new. The climate has changed many times in Earth's history. Now, it is

changing much faster. Humans are causing the change.

People burn coal, gas and oil. These are called fossil fuels. They formed from plants and animals

that were buried a long time ago. We use fossil fuels to power our cars, trucks, buses and trains.

We use them to turn on the lights, heat our homes, and run factories.

Burning fossil fuels puts carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide is a kind of greenhouse gas.

These gases are like the glass roof in a greenhouse. They allow heat from the sun to come into the

atmosphere. They trap the heat. The Earth gets warmer.

The Earth Is Getting Warmer

Global warming is already happening. In the last 100 years, Earth has warmed by more than 1

degree Fahrenheit. Sea ice is melting. Glaciers are shrinking. Sea levels are rising. Events, like

floods, wildfires and hurricanes, happen more often. When they do, they are stronger. Animals

and plants are moving to cooler areas.

Scientists first learned about how greenhouse gases affect the atmosphere in the 1800s. In the late

1930s, scientists found that Earth was already getting warmer. In the 1980s, people started to do

something about the warming.

In 1988, the United Nations formed a group. It is called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change. Since then, countries have agreed to lower how much carbon dioxide they put out.

In 2015, almost 200 countries agreed to lower the greenhouse gases they make. This is called the

Paris Agreement. In 2017, the United States left the agreement. On a list of countries that put out

greenhouse gases, the United States is second.


Quiz

1 Read the section "Weather Is What's Happening Right Now."

Which sentence from the section explains HOW scientists can tell what type of weather is about to happen?

(A) Weather is what happens in the air closest to Earth.

(B) The wind and the water in the air cause clouds, rain and snow.

(C) They look at satellites, weather stations, and instruments that float in the ocean.

(D) They try to tell what weather is coming in the next few days or weeks.

2 Read the section "Climate Describes Conditions Over A Long Time."

Which question is answered by this section?

(A) How is climate different from weather?

(B) How much warmer is Earth than it used to be?

(C) How many different climates does the world have?

(D) How do weather patterns affect plants and animals?

3 According to the section "This Time, Humans Are Changing Climate," WHY is climate changing faster now?

(A) because people burn fossil fuels that trap heat

(B) because plants and animals were buried long ago

(C) because the sun's rays have gotten hotter

(D) because the climate has changed many times

4 Which event happened FIRST in the section "The Earth Is Getting Warmer"?

(A) The United States left the Paris Agreement.

(B) The United Nations formed a group about climate.

(C) People started to do something about global warming.

(D) People discovered the effects of greenhouse gases.

Venn Diagram

Name: ________________________ Class: ____________ Date: _______

Map Image Response Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Directions: Look at the two maps below and give each map a title based Class: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Date: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ on what it is showing.

What is the difference between the two maps? What does each map show? Explain the purpose of each map.

Documents

Day 1: Web Idea Organizer