How can you tell they’ve got it: Where Are the Poles??

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Point to the North Pole and South Pole on a globe or world map; Explain that the poles are the coldest places on Earth because they are farthest from the Equator; State that the North Pole is at the top and the South Pole is at the bottom of the Earth. Or just try it together: If you hand your child a globe, can they point to the North Pole and the South Pole and tell you they're the coldest places on Earth?

Science Polar Regions Ages 5–7

Where Are the Poles?

Your child can find the North Pole and South Pole on a globe. One is at the top of the Earth, one at the bottom. They are the coldest places on the planet.

In curriculum terms

Know that Earth has a North Pole and a South Pole — the two coldest places on the planet — and be able to find them on a globe, understanding that they are at the very top and very bottom of the Earth, as far from the Equator as possible

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Point to the North Pole and South Pole on a globe or world map
Explain that the poles are the coldest places on Earth because they are farthest from the Equator
State that the North Pole is at the top and the South Pole is at the bottom of the Earth

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If you hand your child a globe, can they point to the North Pole and the South Pole and tell you they're the coldest places on Earth?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Nothing on the map comes before this — it’s a starting point.

Where Are the Poles?this skill · ages 5–7

Unlocks

Arctic vs Antarcticages 5–7Must know where the poles are before comparing Arctic vs Antarctic

Brave Polar Explorersages 5–7Must know where the poles are before learning about explorers who went there

Ice & Snowages 5–7Must know about polar regions before learning about ice and snow there

Midnight Sun & Polar Nightages 5–7Must know about the poles before understanding extreme day/night cycles there

Habitats & Basic Needsages 6–8Polar regions enrich the curriculum habitats topic (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Arctic vs Antarcticages 5–7 Brave Polar Explorersages 5–7 Ice & Snowages 5–7 Midnight Sun & Polar Nightages 5–7

All Polar Regions skills →