April 6 is North Pole Day! Stars1 review (Do you like this day? Rate it!)

North Pole Day You may have heard that polar bears can be found near the North Pole while penguins can be found near the South Pole. We know that these poles are very cold and very far away, but have you ever stopped to think about exactly where they are? Our planet Earth spins around on an imaginary line running through it. This line is called the Earth?s axis. The North Pole is at the northern end of this axis, and the South Pole is at the southern end. You might say that these poles are at the ends of the Earth! The area around the North Pole is called the Arctic, while the area around the South Pole is called the Antarctic. The North Pole and the South Pole are at opposite ends of the Earth, and they have their differences. For example, the North Pole is warmer than the South Pole, so the North Pole can support more life (like animals and plants). Also, the North Pole is in the middle of the ocean (the frozen Arctic Ocean), while the South Pole is in the middle of land (the continent of Antarctica).

Books & Videos | Make A Compass | North Pole Facts |

Books & Videos
  Ice is Nice! Ice is Nice! by Bonnie Worth
The Cat in the Hat takes Sally and Nick to visit the North and South Poles, where they mingle with native animals-reindeer, musk oxen, polar bears, caribou, and all sorts of penguins. They discover how the animals stay warm in the freezing cold, learn why it's colder at the South Pole than at the North Pole, find out that one pole is located on land and the other isn't, and learn that scientists are studying climate change to keep both poles icy cold.
  The Last Polar Bears The Last Polar Bears by Harry Horse
Letters from Grandfather, who has gone on an expedition with his little dog Roo, to find the last polar bears at the North Pole.

Make A Compass

Where's the North Pole? Follow the instructions below and you will make your very own compass pointing to the North Pole! The Earth is like a giant magnet, with one end in the North Pole and the other end in the South Pole.
 
What You'll Need:
 
  • Pie pan or round dish
  • Water
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Needle
  • 1/4" slice of cork
  • Magnet

   
How To Make:
 

1. Fill a pie pan with water. Add a little dishwashing liquid.

2. Next, you need to magnetize the needle. To do this, use a bar magnet with the north end marked. Scrape the needle across the north end of the magnet, from the eye of the needle to its point. Do this about 15 times. It's important to scrape the needle in the same direction every time -- don't rub it back and forth on the magnet.

3. Carefully poke the needle through the cork. Float the cork in the middle of the pan. Like magic, the needle will always point north. If you walked far enough in that direction, you would end up at the North Pole!
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North Pole Facts

Where is the North Pole?
The North Pole is at the top of the earth, along the northern axis where the Earth spins. The North pole is in the arctic circle, and in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The North pole is located on frozen ice!

What it the weather like on the North Pole?
Cold! In the winters, temperatures can reach 90 degrees F below zero! Since the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the sun during the winter, the North Pole is dark all winter. In the summer, temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees F. From the months of May to September, the sun never sets! The arctic ice reduces by half in the summers and grows to the size of the US in the winters. Although, it is believed that in a few decades, there may be no ice in the summers at all due to increased temperatures, which is concerning for animals such as polar bears that will have lose their habitat.

Who lives at the North Pole?
At the North Pole, you will find polar bears, seals, whales, walrus, snow geese, and the puffin. Penguins do not live on the North Pole, which is a common misconception. No humans live on the North Pole...unless you're that magical guy named Santa Claus!
North Pole Facts

   
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