ANTARCTIC JOURNAL:

FOUR MONTHS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

Written by Jennifer Owings

Dewey

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Day 4
Day 5

Vocabulary Definitions
Vocabulary Sentences
Additional Resources

Study Skills

Genre: Journal
Comprehension Skill: Main
Idea
Comprehension Strategy:
Text Structure
Review Skill: Draw
Conclusions
Vocabulary: Word

Genre: Journal

A journal is a record of
thoughts and events that
are important to the
writer. Think about what
is important to Jennifer
Owings Dewey as you
read entries from the
journal she kept in

Summary
Jennifer Owings Dewey is given
a wonderful opportunitythe
chance to see Antarctica
herself. During her four-month
trip, Jennifer witnesses the life
cycle of penguins, watches orca
whales swim by her boat,
experiences life without night,
and narrowly escapes a deadly
fall into a glacier crevasse.

Comprehension Skill Main

Idea

A topic is what a piece of

writing is about.
The main idea is the most
important idea about the topic.
Think about the overall idea of
a paragraph, section, or article.
The main idea is often the first
sentence of a passage or
paragraph.
Supporting details give small
pieces of information about the

Day 1 - Question of the Week

What
does a
person
sacrifice
to
explore
the

Vocabulary - Say
It

anticipation
continent
convergenc
e
depart
forbidding
heaves
icebergs

More Words to Know

abundanc
e
exposure
splendor
supply
survived
wily

Comprehension Strategy
Text Structure

Good readers use text structure,

or the way text is organized, to
help them understand why they
read.
For example, a non fiction article
may compare and contrast two
things, put events in sequence,
or be a series of clear main ideas.
When you preview, look for text
feature such as titles, heads, and
underlined words to help you

Listen to the Story

STEPS IN A PROCESS
Telling the steps in a process
means telling the order the steps
needed to complete an action.
Identifying the steps in a process
helps you understand exactly what
you need to do to complete a task.
Look for clue words such as first,
next, then, and last to help you
identify and order steps in a
process.

Comprehension Skill Review

Draw Conclusions
A conclusion is a
decision you reach after
thinking about what you
have read.
Good conclusions can be
supported with facts and
details
from
the
story.
Think about how the author feels
about whales and how you know

Main Idea and Details

1. Main Idea
Scientist know much about the distant
continent of Antarctica.
2. Detail
They have explored the continent and walked
upon its ice.
3. Detail
They have discovered mountain ranges.
4. Detail
They have mapped out the mountains.
5. Detail
They have used special equipment to study
hidden features of Antarctica under the ice.

1. Do you need a pasport

to
travel to Antarctica.
2. I dont know if its
easiest to go by ship

How Do Adjectives
Function?
Adjectives add specific
information to noun
forms:
Guys with slow cars want
faster ones.
Adjectives tell us what
kind of:
What kind of test is it
going to be?

How Do Adverbs Function?

Adverbs tell us when, how or

to what degree.
They modify verbs and
adjectives:
1. Kalil drove quickly to college.
2. Rocio went rapidly past the
police car.
3. Vera is very pretty.
4. Khan sees poorly without
glasses.

Do All Adverbs End with

-ly?
1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

Is the
professor __
upset?
The semester
ends __.
We were __ in
the afternoon.
The team
played __
enough to win.
__ is the last
day to enroll.

Fill in the
blanks with
the words:

A. soon
B. there
C. well
D. very
E. tomorrow

Here are the answers:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Is the professor
very upset?
The semester
ends soon.
We were there
in the afternoon.
The team played
well enough to
win.
Tomorrow is
the last day to
enroll.

Fill in the
blanks with
the words:

A. soon
B. there
C. well
D. very
E. tomorrow

How About Comparative Adjectives?

1.
2.
3.
4.

In the comparative, short,

one syllable adjectives and
adverbs add er.
Chinese is tougher than
English.
Maria studied harder than I
did.
Gabriella looks better than
her younger sister does.
Do you feel worse today
than yesterday?

What About Longer Comparatives?

1.
2.
3.

Adjectives and adverbs of

more than one syllable
become comparative by
adding the word more.
My accident was more
expensive than yours was.
Your car drives more
smoothly than mine does.
Students are more
comfortable writing on the
computers.

What About Words Ending with

-y?
Comparatives ending in y
become ier.
1. Ana is happier than ever
before.
2. Michelle seems funnier than
her older brother does.
3. Your ink pen is messier than
mine.
4. This joke is funnier than that

Can We Use Double Comparatives?

1.
2.

People sometimes use incorrect

double comparatives.
McDonalds is more better than
Burger King.
Express Avenue is more nosier
than Solitude Lane.

Do
Use Thatuse
or Than?
Comparatives
Some ESL writers
that

1.

2.

3.

instead of the proper than

in comparatives.
The ESOL class in high
school was easier (that,
than) college ESL.
US football players are
most often clumsier (that,
than) soccer players.
No one knew (that, then)
our class ended next
month.

What Is Beyond Comparative?

Comparatives note differences
between two things.

Superlatives make differences

among three or more things.
1. Her bell is loud.

Our bell is louder.

Your bell is the loudest of all.

Superlatives indicate
extremes:

Who was the meanest teacher

that you ever had?

What About Longer

Superlatives?
Superlatives of one syllable
add est.
Of the girls, her skin is the
darkest.
Superlatives of two or more
syllables add most.
Of all the students in this
class, he is the most
dependable.

When Can We Use the

Superlative?
1. The superlative is used only
for more than two things.
Between red and blue, red
is the (hotter, hottest)
color.
2. This is the (funnier,
funniest) picture of the two
you have.
3. Of the three papers, this
one is (a better, the better,
the best).

Can We Use Most and -est?

1.

2.

Never combine most with

est.
Prince Charles did the (best,
most best) thing that he
could for her.
Everyone likes Adri because
she has the (nicest, most
nicest) smile and disposition.

Can You Use the Superlative?

Jose is the ___ person I know.

a. funny, b. funnier, c.
funniest.
The champions won the ___
games.
a. many, b. most, c. more.
An orange is ___ a lemon.
a. sweet, b. sweeter, c.
more sweet.

Spelling Words
Latin Roots

dictionary
abrupt
predict
import
locally

verdict
locate
portable
transport
bankrupt

Spelling Words
Latin Roots

dictate
location
erupt
passport
export

contradict
rupture
interrupt
disrupt
dislocate

CHALLENGE
vindictive
portfolio
jurisdiction
corruption
interruption

Day 2 - Question of the Day

What are
some reasons
to travel to
Antarctica?

anticipation

act of
anticipating;
looking forward
to; expectation

continent

one of the seven great

masses of land on Earth.
Can you name the 7
continents?

convergence

act or process
of meeting at a
point; joining

depart

to go away;
leave

forbidding

causing fear or
dislike; looking
dangerous or
unpleasant;
threatening

heaves
rises; rises and
falls
alternatively;
hoist

icebergs

large masses of ice

detached from glaciers
and floating in the sea.
About 90 percent of an
icebergs mass is below
the surface of the water.

abundance

quantity that is
much more than
enough

exposure

condition
of being
without
protection;
condition
of being

splendor
magnificent
show; glory

supply

quantity ready
for use; stock

survived
continued to
exist; remained
alive

wily
using subtle
tricks to
deceive; crafty;
cunning; sly

Weekly Fluency Emotion

Reading with emotion keeps

listeners interest in a story
and help them understand
characters better.
Good readers adjust their tone
of voice, volume, pitch, and
tempo to convey emotions
expressed in the story, such
as sadness, joy, pride,
determination, surprise, and
love.

3. It is hard to lokate our

tent in all these ice and
snow.
4. If we had an orange
tent we could see it more

Group Work

Readers & WB 234

Spelling WB 94
Language WB 93
Trifold Section 2
SmartBoard Vocabulary
Game

SmartBoard Voc
abulary Game

Day 3 Question of the Day

What are some of

the dangers and the
excitements of
exploring
Antarctica?

Review Questions
1. How is the author different from the
woman on the airplane?
2. What is the main idea of the
November 17th entry?
3. What would happen to the whales if
the ships did not stop for them?
4. Why did the author want to go to
Antarctica?
5. What is a generalization about the
environment in Antarctica?

Review Questions

6. What information can you

gather from the pictures on page
592?
7. Why does the author tell you
about the moss in Antarctica?
8.What term did the author use to
describe the lack of sleep caused
by it never being dark in
Antarctica?
9.Why did the author survive

Review Questions
10. What fact from the journal
entries supports that icebergs
are dangerous?
11. Why did the author choose a
egg that would never hatch to
take home?
12. What did the author likely use
to protect the egg on her journey
home?

Antarctica is the
windiest, coldest,
most forbidding
region on Earth,
and I am heading
straight for it.

Antarctica is the
windiest, coldest,
most forbidding
region on Earth,
and I am heading
straight for it.

I depart from
home in the
morning to go
to school.

I depart from
home in the
morning to go
to school.

The airplane
heaves off the
ground with a
shuddering roar.

The airplane
heaves off the
ground with a
shuddering roar.

Antarctica has
the coldest
climate of all
the other
continents.

Antarctica has
the coldest
climate of all
the other
continents.

I shiver with
anticipation when
we leave the calm
waters and enter
Drake Passage.

I shiver with
anticipation when
we leave the calm
waters and enter
Drake Passage.

Joe became a
clever and wily
hunter.

Joe became a
clever and wily
hunter.

The lady
survived the dog
attack.

The lady
survived the dog
attack.

They sail
through fields of
icebergs to the
frozen poles.

They sail
through fields of
icebergs to the
frozen poles.

It may be the
convergence of
two needs: the
hunger to know
and the desire to
be the first.

It may be the
convergence of
two needs: the
hunger to know
and the desire to
be the first.

You will need to

take a supply of
warm clothing to
Antarctica.

You will need to

take a supply of
warm clothing to
Antarctica.

Many penguins
and their chicks
will die of
exposure to the
cold and wet.

Many penguins
and their chicks
will die of
exposure to the
cold and wet.

7. The sun shine, all day

and night in December.
8. Each day the sun rises
highest in the sky than
the day before?

Group Work

Partner Read & WB 237238

Trifold Section 3
Language Arts WB 94
Spelling WB 95
SmartBoard Game Synony

SmartBoard Syno
nym Game

Day 4 Question of the

Day

What sacrifices
did Lynne Cox
make to prepare
for her swim to
Antarctica?

Academic Vocabulary
Terms Reading

genre a particular
type or category of
literary, musical, or
artistic composition
audience group that
listens or watches

Academic Vocabulary
Terms

authors purpose-the
reason for writing; may
be more than one
reason; reasons include
to inform, to entertain,
express feelings, and to
persuade

Academic Vocabulary
Terms

myth is a story often

describing the adventures of
super human beings that
attempts to describe the
origin of a peoples customs
or beliefs or to explain
mysterious events
fable a short fictitious story
especially one intended to
teach a lesson and in which
animals speak and act like
human beings

SmartBoard Spell
ing Game

5. I sees weller with

these snow goggles.
6. The director gived a
pair of goggles to Meg
and I.

Can We Use Most and -est?

1. Whats your __ moment of all?
a. most anxious, b. more anxious.
2. Which is your __ season?
a. good, b. better, c. best, d. bester.
3. Lets avoid __ sentence errors!
a. a bad, b. some worse, c. the worst
4. Who has __ errors on the essay?
a. the more, b. the fewest, c. the
less
5. When is __ that you can come
tomorrow?
a. the earliest, b. the earlier, c. the

Answers to Most and est:

1. Whats your __ moment of all?
a. most anxious, b. more anxious.
2. Which is your __ season?
a. good, b. better, c. best, d. bester.
3. Lets avoid __ sentence errors!
a. a bad, b. some worse, c. the worst
4. Who has __ errors on the essay?
a. the more, b. the fewest, c. the
less
5. When is __ that you can come
tomorrow?
a. the earliest, b. the earlier, c. the

Here are the comparative answers:

__1. Which river is __ in the world?
a. the longer, b. the more long, c. the
longest
__2. Eva has studied here __ Eduardo has.
a. longer than, b. more long that, c.
long as.
__3. It is __ to learn English as it is to learn
math.
a. so hard, b. as hard, c. too hard.
__4. The __ you study, the __ you will learn.
a. hardbetter, b. moremore, c.
lessfewer.
__5. No one knows __ about the lottery as

Can you use comparatives?

__1. Which river is __ in the world?
a. the longer, b. the more long, c. the
longest
__2. Eva has studied here __ Eduardo has.
a. longer than, b. more long that, c.
long as.
__3. It is __ to learn English as it is to learn
math.
a. so hard, b. as hard, c. too hard.
__4. The __ you study, the __ you will learn.
a. hardbetter, b. moremore, c.
lessfewer.

Group Work

Reading Computer Test

Language Arts WB 95
Trifold Section 4
Essay Questions
Create a Food Web for
the Artic Biome

Essay Questions

How was the author different

from the woman traveling to
San Antonio, Texas?
What did the author probable do
to make sure the penguin egg
did not get broken on the way
home?
Why was it important to the
author to take home a penguin

Day 5 - Question of the Week

What does
a person
sacrifice to
explore the
unknown?

Research/Study Skills

SPQ3R stands for Survey,

Question, Predict, Read, Recite,
and Review.
Survey: Look at the text to get an
idea of what is in it. Look at the
title, author, headings,
illustrations, maps, and any
questions or word lists.
Question: Ask yourself questions
as you survey, such as, What does

Research/Study Skills
SQP3R

Predict: Say what you think

the text will be about.

Read: As you read, look for

answers to your questions.
Confirm your predictions.

Recite: After reading,

summarize what you
learned.

Review: Look back at the

text. Did you find answers
to your questions? Did your
prediction match the actual
content of the text? What
did you learn from the text?

1. After surveying the title and illustration,

did you think the information would be
fiction or nonfiction?
Nonfiction because it was about a scientific
topic.
2. What are two questions you had before
reading?
What are glaciers? How do glaciers
move?
3. Before reading, what did you predict the
text would be about?
I predicted that it would be about
glaciers.
4. How far do some glaciers move in a day?
They move hundreds of feet.

6. What makes the unique features of

the land?
They are made by the movements of
glaciers.
7. Why is walking on a glacier
dangerous?
You might not see crevasses that are
covered with snow.
8. What did you learn from this text
that you did not know before?
I learned that glaciers have three
different layers.

9. How does making predictions

before you read help you?
It lets you predict the authors
purpose, then set your reading
pace.
10. How does reviewing your
questions and information help
you?
It helps me to make sure I found
answers to my questions, and to
remember the information from
the article.

Writing Assignment
Letter of Acceptance

Good writers keep in mind their

audience.
The audience can be a friend,
class, teacher, or a large group of
people you dont know.
You use different language when
you write to different audiences.
You would use more formal
language when you write a letter
of acceptance.

Writing Assignment
Letter of Acceptance

A letter of acceptance is a
response to an opportunity.
A letter of acceptance should be
brief, respectful, and written in
formal English.
Writing Prompt
Imagine that you lived long ago
and have been asked to
accompany a famous traveler or
explorer on a journey. Write a
letter accepting the offer.

9. Meg and me think this

is the more incredible
place we
have ever visited.
10. Wed like to return to

Group Work

Reading WB 239-240
Language 96
SmartBoard Game
synonym
Writing Assignment
Trifold Section 5

SmartBoard- Synon
ym Game (Tooth Fa
iry)

SmartBoard Gam
e- Adverbs

Additional Resources

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