The Race to the South Pole · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

The Race to the South Pole

Science · Polar Regions · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. What pulled Amundsen's supply sledges?

    • Teams of dogs
    • Teams of ponies
    • The explorers alone

  2. Who led the first team to reach the South Pole?

    • Robert Falcon Scott
    • Roald Amundsen
    • Ernest Shackleton

  3. All 28 people who sailed on Endurance survived.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Why did moving supplies take hard physical work for Scott's final five-person pole party?

    • The men pulled their own loaded sledges.
    • The men walked beside dogs doing all the pulling.
    • The men rode on sledges pulled by their ponies.

  5. How many days after Amundsen did Scott's team reach the South Pole?

    Amundsen arrives34 days passScott arrives

    Answer: ______________

  6. Which event happened before the Endurance crew reached Elephant Island?

    • Ice trapped and damaged their ship.
    • Shackleton reached help on South Georgia.
    • A rescue ship collected the waiting people.

  7. A map caption says all 28 people from Endurance sailed from Elephant Island to South Georgia. Which correction fits the story?

    • All 28 stayed on Elephant Island until the rescue ship arrived.
    • Twenty-two sailed to South Georgia while six waited on Elephant Island.
    • Six sailed to seek help while 22 waited on Elephant Island.

  8. Leo says, 'Dogs alone explain Amundsen's success; preparation did not matter.' Which detail challenges his claim?

    • His team waited until arriving at the Pole to plan its food.
    • His team had polar experience and food supplies along the route.
    • His team depended on supplies carried by Scott's final pole party.
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The Race to the South Pole W1-mt_islVn_P28Z-s1

  1. Teams of dogs · Amundsen used dog sleds to move supplies.
  2. Roald Amundsen · Amundsen's team arrived in December 1911, before Scott's team in January 1912.
  3. True · The lesson says all 28 people who sailed on Endurance survived.
  4. The men pulled their own loaded sledges. · The final pole party pulled the loaded sledges themselves.
  5. 34 · The timeline gives a gap of 34 days.
  6. Ice trapped and damaged their ship. · The ship was lost before the crew traveled to Elephant Island in lifeboats.
  7. Six sailed to seek help while 22 waited on Elephant Island. · Shackleton and five others made the boat journey. The other 22 waited on Elephant Island.
  8. His team had polar experience and food supplies along the route. · Polar experience and food supplies placed along the route were parts of the preparation that helped Amundsen.
Worksheet · LightMySky