Name Date © 2011 TIME

READING A Exploring Antarctica TIME LINE For thousands of years, people imagined the existence of Antarctica. But it was the last of the seven continents discovered. For Kids, Early explorers set out to prove that it was there. Some wanted new places to hunt for seals and whales. Other explorers wanted the honor of being the first to reach the continent and different locations there.

timeforkids.com The time line below lists some famous Antarctic explorations. Use it to answer the questions.

Antarctic Explorations

, Edition This 5–6. page may be photocopied for use with students. • Vol. 1, No. 13 • January 14, 2011 1772 Captain James Cook of December 14, 1911 Roald 1914–1916 Ernest Shackleton leads a British expedition England circles Antarctica by Amundsen of Norway on the Endurance. The ship is crushed by ice and ship. He never reaches land becomes the first person to destroyed. The team survives by drifting on ice masses because of the heavy ice. reach the South Pole. for five months before being rescued.

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1750 1800 1850 1900 4

1820 Three men, from the 1840 American naval January 18, 1912 Robert Falcon Scott of November 29, 1929 Rear United States, Russia and officer Charles Wilkes England reaches the South Pole. On the return Admiral Richard E. Byrd, England, lead trips to the recognizes Antarctica as trip, Scott and his team members freeze to an American, becomes the area. They are known as the a continent. death when they run into a terrible blizzard. first person to fly over the first people to see Antarctica. His journals are later recovered. South Pole.

1. Captain James Cook and his crew spent two years trying to 4. Why do you think researchers continue to explore reach Antarctica through thick ice, heavy fog and extreme Antarctica and its unique environment? cold. About how many years ago did they sail around the ______continent? ______2. What happened on December 14, 1911? ______BONUS: Early Antarctic explorers were men who came from a ______few countries. Today’s explorers include men and women from ______around the world. What are some of the same challenges that explorers continue to face? What tools and gear available today 3. Robert Falcon Scott reached the South Pole about how make exploring Antarctica easier? List your ideas on the back long after Roald Amundsen? ______of this page.