Polar Explorers for Kids: Historic Expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic with 21 Activities

by Maxine Snowden

Overview

Heroism and horror abound in these true stories of 16 great explorers who journeyed to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, two exquisite and unique ice wildernesses. Recounted are the exciting North Pole adventures of Erik the Red in 982 and the elusive searches for the “Northwest Passage” and “Farthest North” of Henry Hudson, Fridtjof Nansen, Fredrick Cook, and Robert Peary. Coverage of the South Pole begins with Captain Cook in 1772; continues through the era of land grabbing and the race to reach the Pole with James Clark Ross, Roald Amundsen, Robert Scott, and Ernest Shackleton; and ends with an examination of the scientists at work there today. Astounding photographs and journal entries, sidebars on the Inuit and polar animals, and engaging activities bring the harrowing expeditions to life. Activities include making a Viking compass, building a model igloo, making a cross staff to measure latitude, creating a barometer, making pemmican, and writing a newspaper like William Parry’s “Winter Chronicle.” The North and South Poles become exciting routes to learning about science, geography, and history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556525001
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/01/2003
Series:	Chicago Review Press For Kids Series , #5
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	653,142
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.38(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent source for research." —Children's Literature

From the Publisher

Each story is told in a fascinating yet simply style that kids can understand.

Los Angeles Family

Gr 4-6-This odd work is a combination of biographical information and factual material about explorations of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, ranging from Erik the Red in 981 until the 1994 studies of Antarctic Lakes. The activities, such as making marshmallow-cream covered igloos and building a snow cave, have only tangential connections to the explorations and some require the purchase of some unusual materials such as lodestones. A note to readers incorrectly states: "A.D., which stands for `after death,' refers to a time in history after the death of Christ." There is a lot of interesting and often fascinating information here, but the approach is scattered, and the black-and-white photos are poor and sometimes only vaguely relevant. A marginal purchase.-Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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