1. Reading for Information K.Rocquin.2014 The following article and questions discuss the animals of the arctic North Pole region. The Animals of the North Pole I can: I can read and comprehend texts to discover information. CCSS Connections Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. Directions: 1.Read the article information on each task card. 2.Read the included questions. 3.Refer to the text of the article to locate the answers to the questions. 4.Write your answers on your response sheet.

2. Informational Text: Page 1 What is life like in the Arctic? The Arctic is cold and windy. Snow and ice cover the ground for most of the year. The habitat is near the North Pole. A habitat is a place in nature where a plant or an animal normally lives. Bundle up! Meet some animals that live in the Arctic. 1. The article states that the Arctic is cold and windy. What might an animal need for protection from the harsh weather? _______________________________ 2.What covers the Arctic ground for most of the year? _________________________________ 3. What is a place in nature where a plant or an animal normally lives? _________________________________ http://cdn.cutestpaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/l-Baby-Harp- Seal.jpg Informational Text: Page 2 Harp Seal The harp seal lives in the water. It can also be found on the ice. The harp seal has thick fur. That helps it stay warm. The seal also has blubber under its skin. Blubber is fat that protects an animal from the cold. 1. The harp seal lives in the water. Can it also be found on the ice? _______________________________ 2.Why does the seal have thick fur? _________________________________ 3.What is the name of the fat that helps to protect the seal from the cold? _________________________________ http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/05/arctic-warming-ocean-acid.jpg?width=450 http://cdn.cutestpaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/l-Baby-Harp-Seal.jpg

3. Informational Text: Page 3 Arctic Fox The arctic fox travels on snow and ice. It has thick, white fur in the winter. The fur acts as camouflage (KA-muh-flahzh). It helps the animal match its surroundings. The fox uses bushy tail as a warm cover. The fox can curl its tail around its face. 1.What color is the fur of the arctic fox? ________________________________ 2. The fur of the arctic fox acts as c __ m o __ __ l __ g e 3.The fox uses its tail for several purposes. Name one of those uses as stated in the article. _________________________________ Informational Text: Page 4 Polar Bear The polar bear spends much of its time on the ice. It hunts for seals through holes in the ice. The polar bear can swim too. A layer of blubber keeps the bear warm. It also has thick, white fur. The fur blends in with the snow. That helps the polar bear sneak up on seals. 1. What is an animal that the polar bear hunts? _______________________________ 2.Can polar bears swim? _________________________________ 3.The article states that a polar bear blends in with the snow. What does the term blend mean in this sentence? _________________________________ http://www.ejphoto.com/images_MB/MB_ArcticFox04.jpg http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01964/BBX8JM_1964794c.jpg

4. Informational Text: Page 5 Exploring the Arctic Ocean A team of 47 scientists went on a trip this past summer. They studied the Arctic Ocean. The scientists left from Alaska on June 25. They stayed in the Arctic for five weeks. They traveled on a ship. It is called the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy. The ship is an icebreaker. It can break through the Arctic ice. 1.The article states that a team of scientists studied the Arctic Ocean. What may a scientist want to study while on this trip? ________________________________ 2. How long did the scientists stay in the Arctic? _________________________ 3.According to the article, what was special about the ship that the scientists used? ________________________ Informational Text: Page 6 The scientists are studying the sea ice and ocean life. Sea ice floats on top of the water in the winter. "Satellites have shown there is less sea ice in the Arctic now than there was 10 years ago," says Steve Cole. He is a NASA spokesperson. NASA is the U.S. space agency. "We are studying the details of how the sea ice is changing. We want to know how that is affecting life in the ocean." 1. According to the article, does sea ice sink or float? _______________________________ 2.Is there more or less sea ice now than there was 10 years ago? _________________________________ 3.Scientist believe that the changing sea ice could be affecting life in the ocean. How could less ice change the habitat? _________________________________ http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/USCGC_Healy_(WAGB-20)_north_of_Alaska.jpg

5. Pg. 11.2.3. Pg. 21.2.3. Pg. 31.2.3. Pg. 41.2.3. Pg. 51.2.3. Pg. 61.2.3. Animals of the North Pole Reading for Information Name: __________________________ Date: ___________________

6. Source Citation (MLA 7 th Edition) "Life in the Arctic: meet animals that live around the North Pole." Weekly Reader, Edition 2 [including Science Spin] Dec. 2011: 1+. Kids InfoBits. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. Document URL http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA273528 339&v=2.1&u=hamm78236&it=r&p=ITKE&sw=w&asid= f63b90c77f88643152378bb4a9008b98 Gale Document Number: GALE|A273528339 mycutegraphics.com Credits