1. Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World
Written by Jennifer Owings Dewey
Compiled by:
Terry Sams PES
Melissa Guinn PES

2. Study Skills Genre: Journal Comprehension Skill: Main Idea
Comprehension Strategy: Text Structure
Comprehension Review Skill: Draw Conclusions
Vocabulary: Word Structure

3. Summary
Jennifer Owings Dewey is given a wonderful opportunity—the 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.

4. 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 Antarctica.

5. 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 main idea.

6. 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 know what to expect.

7. 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 her feelings.

8. 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.
Detail
They have used special equipment to study hidden features of Antarctica under the ice.