Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears -- Peoples of the Arctic

Stories for Students

In this article, we've included links to the Feature Stories from the past issues of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears. Our stories are available at K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 grade levels in three formats:

Text only: A pdf file that includes only the text and a glossary. This prints as an 8.5" by 11" handout and is 2-4 pages in length.

Illustrated book: A full-color pdf file that can be printed, cut, and folded to form a 2 1/8" by 2 3/4" book (directions below). Each book contains color photographs and illustrations; some books contain activity pages.

Electronic book: Onscreen versions of the books, accessible from the Content Clips web site. Recorded narration allows students to listen to the story as they read along on the screen. Highlighted vocabulary words have individually recorded definitions so that students can hear the definition with a single click.

For each story, we've included an overview of the content and a link to the original article and its related activities. We've also included direct links to all grade levels and formats.

Read about:

The art and science of building igloos

How glaciers shape the landscape

Blue whales and a Southern Ocean food chain

The relationships between plants, insects, and animals on the tundra

Lichen - a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga

The life cycle and yearly migration of sanderlings

The life of an arctic wolf

Mt. Erebus - Antarctica's most active volcano

How dark and light objects reflect solar energy

Polar geology

Why ice floats

Antarctica's weather and climate

The aurora

Polar dinosaurs

The characteristics of the Arctic and Antarctica

Notes for assembling the illustrated books:

You can put this book together a couple of different ways. You can print out the pages, cut them in half and then order the pages back to front. Fold the stack in half and then staple the spine of the book. Pairs of pages can then be stapled or glued along the right edge.

You can also assemble the book as a foldable book.

To assemble the books this way, print the four pages and align the document pages so that the following book page numbers are in the lower right-hand corner: front page, page 6, page 2, and page 4. (The cover page should be on top and page 4 on the bottom.) Set your copier to copy single pages into double pages and run the four document pages in the order specified. Cut along the dotted line in the center of the double-sided page, place the book pages in order, fold, and staple along the spine.

Igloos

A House of Snow and Ice
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories explore how and why igloos are built and how ice can act as an insulator. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Glaciers

Ice Sculptures
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories explore how glaciers have eroded and shaped Earth's landscape. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Blue Whales

A Whale of an Ocean
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories explore the characteristics of blue whales and a simple food chain of the Southern Ocean. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Tundra Ecosystem

A Tundra Tale
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories explore the relationships between various tundra species: marsh marigolds, bot flies, and caribou. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Lichen

Partners
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to lichen, a plant-like organism that results from a symbiotic relationship between an alga and a fungus. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Birds

The Dance of Life
by Stephen Whitt

Sanderlings: Traveling Birds
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to the life cycle and migration of the sanderling, a bird that winters on beaches in the Southern United States and South American but breeds in the Arctic during the summer months. The original magazine article includes activities on migration and templates to help students practice questioning strategies while reading content text.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Polar Mammals

White Wolf
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to the life cycle and life of the arctic wolf. The original magazine article includes related activities and templates to help students develop listening comprehension skills during a teacher read-aloud.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Mt. Erebus

The Heart of Erebus
by Stephen Whitt

Mt. Erebus: A Surprising Volcano
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to Mt. Erebus, a volcano located on Ross Island, just off the coast of Antarctica. Mt. Erebus is the world's southernmost active volcano. Students in grades 4-5 read about Dr. Philip Kyle, a scientist with the Mt. Erebus Volcano Observatory (MEVO), while younger students read about the volcano in a simplified manner. The original magazine article includes related activities and a graphic organizer that can help students take notes while reading.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Solar Energy

The Shiniest Moon
by Stephen Whitt

Getting Warmer
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to solar energy's role in warming the Earth's land and water and to the fact that dark-colored surfaces absorb more of the Sun's energy than do light-colored ones. Students in grades 4-5 also read about how the decline in Arctic sea ice is changing Earth's energy balance. The original magazine article includes related activities and a graphic organizer that can help students take notes while reading.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Polar Geology

Reader of the Rocks
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

Rocks Can Tell A Story
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to the discipline of geology, and specifically polar geology. Students in grades 2-3 and 4-5 meet Julie Codispoti, assistant curator of the U.S. Polar Rock Repository, and learn how she overcame an initial dislike of science to become a geologist. Students in grades K-1 learn that rocks, like books, can teach us about the world long ago. The original magazine article includes related activities and graphic organizers that help students master the strategy of determining importance in nonfiction text.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Ice

Growing Floaters and Shrinking Sinkers
by Stephen Whitt

Floating Ice
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories discuss the unique property of ice - that it floats in liquid water. Students in grades 4-5 learn why this occurs; younger students focus on real-world examples and how ice is necessary for life in the polar regions. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Antarctica's Weather and Climate

Antarctica: King of Cold
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither, Nancy Brannon

These stories explain that while both the Arctic and Antarctica are cold, Antarctica is much colder and drier - a polar desert. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Aurora

The Aurora: Fire in the Sky
by Stephen Whitt

Colors in the Night Sky: The Aurora
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to the colorful phenomenon known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) and the southern lights (aurora australis). In Fire in the Sky, students in grades 4-5 explore the cause of the aurora. Colors in the Night Sky, written for students in grades K-1 and 2-3, introduces the aurora in a simplified manner. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Polar Dinosaurs

Dinos in the Dark
by Stephen Whitt, Jessica Fries-Gaither

These stories introduce students to the dinosaurs found near the polar regions and discuss the adaptations that allowed these dinosaurs to survive in a dark and cold environment. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades K-1 Text Only	Grades K-1 Illustrated Book	Grades K-1 Electronic Book
Grades 2-3 Text Only	Grades 2-3 Illustrated Book	Grades 2-3 Electronic Book
Grades 4-5 Text Only	Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

Polar Geography

The Top (and Bottom) of the World
by Stephen Whitt

In this story, students explore the geographic uniqueness of the North and South Poles. This story is available for grades 4-5 only. The original magazine article includes related activities.

Grades 4-5 Text Only

Grades 4-5 Illustrated Book

Grades 4-5 Electronic Book

The Arctic and Antarctica: Are They the Same, or Different?
by Jessica Fries-Gaither

In these stories, students compare and contrast the polar regions. Available for grades 1-2 and 3-5.

Grades 1-2 Text Only	Grades 1-2 Illustrated Book	Grades 1-2 Electronic Book
Grades 3-5 Text Only	Grades 3-5 Illustrated Book	Grades 3-5 Electronic Book

Copyright 2009 - The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0733024. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License

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