The Frozen Worlds
Author: Jason Bittel, Illustrator: Claire McElfatrick
"When people think about the Arctic and Antarctic, they tend to picture ice. And while there's certainly a lot of that, there's also an unbelievable amount of life!
From clever orcas and superfast penguins, to globe-trotting terns and 400-year-old sharks, Earth's coldest and harshest environments support many creatures and hold many surprises! In summer, the Arctic explodes with colorful flowers. In Antarctica, scientists live year round in special laboratories that look like space stations.
Join me on an incredible adventure through the frozen worlds."
—Jason Bittel
Discussion Questions:
(1.) Compare and Contrast: Describe one or more ways in which the Arctic and Antarctic are similar environments. Describe one or more ways in which they are different environments.
(2.) The North and South Pole experience seasons differently than the rest of the world does. Can you think of one key way in which seasons are affected by these extreme locations? (Hint: Think about the sun and the moon!)
(3.) Speaking of seasons, as the weather changes, so too does animals' behavior. Identify at least one species that behaves or looks different throughout the year. (Hint: Think about migration and changes in fur color.)
Photo: © Jessica Bittel
Jason Bittel
Hi, I’m Jason Bittel.
As a National Geographic Society Explorer and Knight Science Journalism Project Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I consider it my mission to help everyday people reconnect with the wonder all around us—whether that’s an entire, adorable colony of ants hiding inside a single acorn or a botfly larvae wriggling around the nasal cavity of a white-tailed deer.
I’ve sniffed sloth turds, trapped invasive wild boar, and even once recorded the anal temperature of an elk. I also make a mean periodical cicada scampi, but the next batch won’t be ready until 2036.
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