7. Snow Petrels

Snow Petrels

by margaret Maugenest

Winter in Antarctica

• Antarctica is a chilly place at the South Pole. It is the coldest place on Earth. Ice covers the ground all year. Winter in Antarctica begins in June. The days are very short. There is no light in the sky. It is dark all of the time. Few animals live in Antarctica. There is little food. Survival is very hard.

Multiple Choice

How does the picture support the main idea of this paragraph?

• it shows ice covering everything making it the coldest place

• it shows the degrees and weather in Antarctica

• it shows the animals that live there

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think the text will be about?

• how animals play outside

• details of winter in Antarctica

• how food gets transported

Multiple Choice

Where is the coldest place on earth?

• Africa

• Australia

• Antarctica

Multiple Choice

When does winter begin in Antarctica?

• December

• June

• January

• September

Warming Up

• Spring comes in September. The days get longer. The sun shines into the sea. The sea becomes rich with small plants. More animals come. Little animals called krill swim by. They eat the plants. Bigger fish come. They eat the plants and the krill. Other animals come. There is plenty of food. Seals, whales, and birds hunt smaller animals. They eat krill and fish. 

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Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• Penguins and animals

• Antarctica when the weather is warmer

• a natural disaster

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How does the picture support the main idea of this paragraph?

• it shows the animals who are endangered

• it shows the winter animals like penguin

• it shows some of the animals/plants that come out in spring

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How does the sea change in the spring?

• the water freezes and animals leave

• sea animals and plants come back

• the sea is always the same every season

Summer Days

• Summer begins in December. Whales migrate to the Antarctic waters. They feed on the krill. Now the sea is full of life. Flying birds come. They make nests on the shore. Some of these birds are petrels. Petrels are like sea gulls. Their strong wings let them fly far from land. Their thick coats keep them warm. Most birds can’t smell. Petrels can. They sniff out a meal. 

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• how a white bird and his family are

• what happens in the summer in Antarctica

• how it is in the month of July and August

Multiple Choice

What do petrels have that most birds do not have?

• good sense of smell

• a small beak

• little feet

Multiple Select

Which 2 animal comes to Antarctica in the summer?

• whales

• birds

• turtles

Snow Petrel Facts

• Snow petrels are much smaller than other petrels. They are about the size of robins. Their feathers are white. They blend in with the snowy landscape. Only their bills, eyes, and feet are dark. When they fly, they flutter like bats

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• facts and details about Antarctica

• facts and details about petrels

• facts and details about all birds

Multiple Choice

How does the picture support the text and the main ideas?

• the pictures show Antarctica in the winter time

• the pictures show petrels compared to other birds

• the picture shows the land of Australia

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What do the snow petrels white feathers do?

• blend in with the snowy landscape

• they look pretty and get attention

• they get dirty easily because they're light

Habits of Snow Petrels

• Snow petrels are shy. If bothered, they may just fly away. If something gets too close, they have a trick. They spit out a liquid that smells very bad! These birds fly low over the sea to find food. When they see their dinner, they dive into the water to catch it. Some birds roll in dust to clean their feathers. Snow petrels roll in the snow. That is how they clean up after they hunt.

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• the ocean in Antarctica and its environment

• things that snow petrels do often

• where snow petrels live and their environment

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How does the picture support the text and the main ideas?

• it shows how they swim in the water

• it show how they spit the liquid

• it shows how they fly over the land for food

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What do petrels do to defend themselves?

• they bite with their beak

• they fly away

• they spit liquid

Petrel Families

• A snow petrel finds a partner. Then the pair makes a nest. Like all birds, snow petrels look for a spot safe from other animals. Petrels make their nests in holes on rocky cliffs. Most birds make their nests with leaves and grass. It’s hard to find leaves or grass in Antarctica. Snow petrels line their nests with small pebbles. The female lays one egg. Six weeks later, the chick hatches. In seven more weeks, it will fly away. It may live up to twenty years. 

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• how a petrel fights other animals

• how petrels eat food and hunt it

• how petrels make and take car of their family

Multiple Choice

How does the picture support the text and the main ideas?

• it shows how petrels make friends

• it shows where petrel families nest

• it shows what petrels do for fun

Multiple Choice

Where do petrels make their nest?

• up on a tree top

• in the ground

• in holes of rocky cliffs

The North Pole (Arctic) and South Pole (Antarctic)

• In this diagram, the North Pole is at the top of Earth. The South Pole is at the bottom. The North Pole and the South Pole stay dark during the winter. They stay light during the summer. The North Pole and the South Pole are very cold places.

Multiple Choice

Look at the title of the text. What do you think this text will be about?

• holidays celebrated in Antarctica

• the north and the south pole of Antarctica

• how hot it is in Antarctica

Multiple Choice

What do the north and south pole have in common?

• they are in the same area of earth

• they are both dark in the winter

• they have the same seasons at the same time

Multiple Choice

Which pole is at the bottom of earth?

• north

• south

• east

• west

Multiple Choice

Which pole is at the top of earth?

• north

• south

• east

• west

Multiple Choice

What was the author's purpose of this text?

• entertain

• persuade

• inform