This document provides information about traveling to Antarctica. It describes how getting to Antarctica requires boat or plane trips through rough southern oceans and includes an airport built in 2008. Upon arrival, there are no hotels, just dormitories at research stations where scientists and staff live for short periods. Survival gear is needed outside as it is very cold, windy and bright, and water must be obtained through melting snow or processing seawater. Researchers study the coastal wildlife and ocean life, while those at the South Pole focus on astronomy.

1. Text
by
E.
Kissner
Have
you
ever
wanted
to
go
to
Antarctica?
It’s
not
an
easy
trip.
Antarctica
is
the
coldest,
windiest
place
on
earth.
But
for
the
brave
people
who
go
there
each
year,
it
is
a
destination
like
no
other.
What
is
it
like
to
go
to
this
cold
and
icy
continent?
Getting
to
Antarctica
First
of
all,
don’t
expect
a
hotel
or
a
theme
park.
No
one
really
lives
in
Antarctica.
Many
countries
have
research
stations
there,
but
the
scientists
and
the
staff
members
spend
only
a
few
months
at
a
time
on
the
frozen
land.
So
there
are
few
tourist
attractions
besides
penguins,
researchers,
and
lots
and
lots
of
ice.
One
way
to
get
to
Antarctica
is
by
boat.
The
Southern
Ocean
is
rough
and
choppy,
and
many
people
get
seasick.
The
waters
around
Antarctica
are
filled
with
ice,
which
means
that
a
ship
has
to
be
very
strong!
The
voyage
by
sea
may
take
as
long
as
one
week.
People
have
traveled
around
Antarctica
by
airplane
since
1929.
Some
planes
have
skis
on
the
bottom
so
that
they
can
land
on
the
ice.
In
2008,
the
country
of
Australia
built
an
airport
in
Antarctica.
This
makes
travel
much
easier
for
scientists
and
researchers!
But
this
airport
is
open
for
only
a
few
months
each
year—October
through
May,
Antarctica’s
warmest
months.
And
it’s
only
open
to
scientists
and
other
staff.
Which
means
that
one
of
the
best
ways
to
get
to
Antarctica
is
to
get
a
job
there!
Many
scientists
work
at
research
stations
across
the
continent.
But
there
are
other
jobs
too.
Cooks,
doctors,
mechanics,
and
plumbers
are
all
needed.
And
a
few
artists,
writers,
and
photographers
are
invited
each
year
as
well.
Ships
that
go
to
Antarctica
need
to
have
strong
hulls.
This
ship,
the
Nathaniel
B.
Palmer,
is
an
ice-­‐breaking
vessel.
It
can
actually
break
the
ice
as
it
moves
through
the
ocean
around
Antarctica!
NOAA
photo
Welcome to Antarctica

2. Text
by
E.
Kissner
Where
to
stay
If
there
are
no
hotels
or
houses,
where
do
people
live?
Each
research
station
has
its
own
dormitory.
A
dormitory
is
a
place
for
people
to
stay.
No
fancy
rooms
here—most
dorm
rooms
have
only
a
bed,
a
dresser,
and
a
desk.
People
usually
share
rooms.
Research
stations
are
heated
and
comfortable.
While
they’re
not
working,
scientists
and
staff
can
relax
in
the
lounge,
play
games,
or
use
the
computer.
Many
researchers
also
enjoy
exploring
the
outdoors
around
the
stations.
In
some
places,
they
can
see
penguins,
seals,
and
killer
whales.
Because
it
never
rains,
water
is
hard
to
come
by.
In
some
research
stations,
people
use
a
process
to
turn
seawater
into
drinking
water.
In
other
research
stations,
workers
melt
snow
to
collect
water.
No
wonder
that
people
living
in
Antarctica
are
only
allowed
to
take
showers
once
per
week!
What
to
wear
What
should
you
wear?
Many
visitors
are
provided
with
survival
clothing
that
they
keep
with
them
whenever
they
go
outdoors.
Survival
gear
includes
heavy
gloves,
goggles,
and
coats.
Most
clothing
is
bright
orange,
yellow,
or
red
so
that
people
are
easy
to
spot
on
the
white
snow.
Special
boots
have
spikes
to
make
it
easier
to
walk
on
ice.
But
don’t
get
too
attached
to
the
new
clothes.
They
need
to
be
returned
when
you
leave.
Surprisingly,
sunglasses
and
sunscreen
are
important
for
working
in
Antarctica.
The
sun’s
reflection
on
the
snow
can
cause
a
condition
called
snow
blindness.
The
bright
light
can
actually
make
you
blind
for
a
day
or
two.
Many
people
bring
several
pairs
of
sunglasses,
and
take
very
good
care
of
them.
After
all,
there
are
no
stores
for
a
long,
long
way!
These
are
some
of
the
dormitories
at
McMurdo
Station.
photo
by
Alan
R.
Light

3. Text
by
E.
Kissner
What
to
do
Researchers
in
Antarctica
are
there
to
study
many
subjects.
At
the
coastal
research
stations,
scientists
are
learning
about
the
animals
of
Antarctica,
such
as
penguins
and
skuas.
Others
study
the
ocean
to
learn
more
about
the
odd
creatures
that
live
there.
After
all,
where
else
can
you
find
sea
spiders
and
carnivorous
sponges?
No
animals
live
at
the
South
Pole,
far
away
from
the
coast.
Scientists
there
study
the
skies
instead.
Some
research
our
atmosphere,
while
others
use
powerful
telescopes
to
study
the
sky.
One
project,
called
Ice
Cube,
uses
the
ice
of
Antarctica
to
help
observe
tiny
particles
called
neutrinos.
At
all
of
the
research
stations,
scientists
are
monitoring
global
temperatures.
Antarctica
seems
to
be
rapidly
warming
up.
By
watching
the
skies
around
Antarctica,
scientists
can
learn
more
about
climate
change.
A
trip
to
Antarctica
can
be
difficult
and
cold.
For
the
scientists
and
workers
who
have
been
there,
however,
Antarctica
is
an
amazing
place.
Researchers
study
ice
cores
that
they
have
drilled
in
Antarctica.
Studying
these
cores
helps
them
to
learn
about
climate
change.
photo
by
Michael
van
Woert,
NOAA

4. Text
by
E.
Kissner
More
informational
texts
by
Emily
Kissner
I
write
low-­‐cost,
high-­‐interest
texts
for
classroom
use.
Here
are
some
other
collections
of
my
work:
Main
Ideas
and
Details
in
Nonfiction
Text
Cause
and
Effect
Texts
for
Teaching
Text
Structure
Description
Texts
for
Teaching
Text
Structure
Compare
and
Contrast
Texts
for
Teaching
Text
Structure
Problem
and
Solution
Texts
for
Teaching
Text
Structure
Chronological
Order
Texts
for
Teaching
Text
Structure
Reading
Intervention
Emily’s
page
on
Frolyc