Race to the South Pole – KS3 Reading

The Race to the South Pole – Nonfiction Reading Comprehension | Exploration & History | Years 7–9

Teach the dramatic 1911–1912 rivalry between Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott with this engaging nonfiction reading comprehension pack. This no-prep resource pairs a carefully levelled informational text with a full suite of comprehension and assessment activities, building historical understanding, critical thinking, and close reading skills across KS3.

Students explore the contrasting strategies of two rival expeditions, the brutal realities of Antarctic survival, and the devastating consequences of Scott’s return journey — balancing gripping narrative with key concepts including cause and effect, decision-making under pressure, and primary source analysis.

Written at 950–1050L, the text is suitable for Years 7–9 and uses domain-specific vocabulary scaffolded in context throughout.

What’s Included:

• Double-sided written response questions
• Cloze activity to build comprehension and recall
• 2 vocabulary-building crossword puzzles (with and without word bank)
• Word search with key terms
• Multiple-choice quiz
• True or False assessment
• Mixed-format question sheet

✔ Full answer keys included ✔ No prep – print and teach
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