Sra: Imagine It!, Themes, Risks and Consequences, Nature's Delicate Balance, a changing America, Science Fair, America on the Move, Dollars and Sense, Level 4 [Grade 4]
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- Navigate this page:
- Natures Delicate Balance: Theme Connections
- Social Studies Inquiry: Water Rights
- Vocabulary: Warm-Up Read the article to find the meanings of these words, which are also in "The Great Kapok Tree": ancestors smoldering
- The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
- Meet the Author and Illustrator
- Science Inquiry: Plants and Their Cells
- Circle of Songs
- Yellow Leaf by Fredrick Zydek
- Mold, Mold by Jack Prelutsky
- Identifying and Using Important Words
- Test-Taking Practice Read the article "Making Soil." Then answer Numbers 1 through 4.
Meet the Author Elizabeth Ring Ring knows a lot about nature! She has written a lot of books about animals, their homes, and how things in nature work. Many of these books have been for the National Wildlife Federation. This group works to protect America's wildlife. Ring also worked as a teacher. For a while, she helped make the children's nature magazine Ranger Rick. She lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.
Dwight Kuhn Getting a close-up photo of an animal can be tricky, but that is what Kuhn is good at. Kuhn learned about biology in college. He worked as a teacher for many years. These days, he is a full-time photographer. Many children's books have Kuhn's photos in them. He has also published magazine photo essays. These are groups of photos that tell stories. Because of his skill, his photos teach while being beautiful. Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 202 and page 203 in the print version. 203
Within the Selection 1. How does moss reproduce? 2. How do earthworms help enrich the soil? Across Selections 3. How does this selection add to what you learned about food chains and webs described in "Who Eats What?" 4. What does rot have to do with energy? Beyond the Selection 5. Many people have a compost pile in their yard where they toss leaves, rotten leftovers from the fridge, potato peelings, apple cores, etc. Why do you think someone would want a compost pile? 6. Why do people freeze some foods they plan to store for a long time? Write about It! Write a brief poem based on one of the photos in the selection. Remember to look for newspaper and magazine articles about nature's delicate balance to add to the Concept/Question Board. 204
Genre
Narrative Nonfiction blends elements of fiction with elements of nonfiction to make a more exciting story. Feature
Maps are a representation, usually on a flat surface, of a region of the earth. "Are we going to run out of water?" Jamie asked her dad one evening. Their family had just moved from New York to Nevada. Kids at school were talking about "water rights" and "droughts." "No, honey," her dad said. "There's no need to let your mouth droop . Most of our water comes from the Colorado River. It carries water to many states and Mexico. Farmers use its water for their crops. It is used in power plants. It provides people in the cities with water too. Almost 17 million people depend on it." "How can one river do all that?" Jamie asked. "It's 1,450 miles long," her dad said. "That's really long! It starts in Colorado and flows to Mexico." "Tell me more about droughts and water rights," Jamie said. "Well, a drought is when it doesn't rain much for a long time. There is not enough water to circulate to all the people who need it. Then people argue about who gets the water from the rivers. You can't really own a river, you know. The government has to make laws that say who has the rights to water." "It sounds complicated," Jamie said. "It is," said her dad. 205
Think Link Look at the map of the Colorado River system. What are some big cities that might get water from this river? You may need to find a more detailed map to use as a cross reference. What is a drought? What kinds of things happen during a drought? How much do you know about the water supply and annual rainfall where you live? Do some research to find out more. Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 204 and page 205 in the print version. Try It! As you work on your investigation, think about how you can use a map to show your facts. 206
Vocabulary Strategy Context Clues are hints in the text that help you find meanings of words. Use context clues to find the meanings of ancestors and smoldering. "This place is really old!" Jacob exclaimed. Jacob and his grandma were exploring an old country schoolhouse behind his grandparents' farm. "Our ancestors farmed all this land you see," his grandma told him proudly, "and my daddy, my granddad, and I all attended this school." "Can we go inside, or is it unsafe?" Jacob asked. Part of the roof was missing, and the walls did not look very sturdy. "We will just peek in," his grandma said. "Look!" Jacob said. "Some of the desks are still here--and a wood-burning stove."
"Last summer, I walked back here and found some embers still smoldering in the stove," his grandma said. "Someone must have used the schoolhouse as a campsite." "Look at all the spider webs clinging to the walls and rafters!" Jacob said. "I am not a big fan of spiders," his grandma said, making a face. "I want to show you something." She led Jacob to an open meadow and pointed to a rickety fence. "I am too old to sit on that fence and dangle my legs like I used to do," she said. "These legs of mine are starting to wither . But I can still lie on the soft grass and breathe in the sweet smell of wildflowers and watch the bees pollinate them." Grandma and Jacob found the perfect spot and stretched out on their backs while the sun beamed down on them softly. "Ahh ... breathe in that clean oxygen ," Jacob said with a yawn. In a matter of minutes, he had dozed off. "Jacob, wake up!" his grandma called. Jacob awoke with a start . "This meadow makes a pretty good bed!" he said. Game: Fill In the Blank On a sheet of paper, write eight sentences using one of the selection vocabulary words in each sentence. In place of each vocabulary word, draw a blank line. Hand your paper to a classmate, and have him or her try to fill in the correct words. Concept Vocabulary This lesson's concept word is ecosystem. An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things in a certain area that are linked together. A rain forest is an example of an ecosystem. In a rain forest, you might find spider monkeys, sloths, toucans, poison arrow frogs, fig trees, orchids, and rivers. Think of three other ecosystems. Now choose one of them and think of ten living and nonliving things that are a part of that ecosystem. 208 Genre
A fantasy is an imaginary story that contains characters, settings, or events that are impossible and do not exist in the real world. Comprehension Skill: Classify and Categorize As you read, put like things together to understand the relationships set up by the author.
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The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 208 and page 209 in the print version. Focus Questions What happens when part of a system is removed? How does a single tree fit into nature's delicate balance? 210
Two men walked into the rain forest. Moments before, the forest had been alive with the sounds of squawking birds and howling monkeys. Now all was quiet as the creatures watched the two men and wondered why they had come. The larger man stopped and pointed to a great Kapok tree. Then he left. The smaller man took the ax he carried and struck the trunk of the tree. Whack! Whack! Whack! The sounds of the blows rang through the forest. The wood of the tree was very hard. Chop! Chop! Chop! The man wiped off the sweat that ran down his face and neck. Whack! Chop! Whack! Chop! Soon the man grew tired. He sat down to rest at the foot of the great Kapok tree. Before he knew it, the heat and hum of the forest had lulled him to sleep. A boa constrictor lived in the Kapok tree. He slithered down its trunk to where the man was sleeping. He looked at the gash the ax had made in the tree. Then the huge snake slid very close to the man and hissed in his ear: "Senhor, this tree is a tree of miracles. It is my home, where generations of my ancestors have lived. Do not chop it down." 211
212 A bee buzzed in the sleeping man's ear: "Senhor, my hive is in this Kapok tree, and I fly from tree to tree and flower to flower collecting pollen. In this way I pollinate the trees and flowers throughout the rain forest. You see, all living things depend on one another." A troupe of monkeys scampered down from the canopy of the Kapok tree. They chattered to the sleeping man: "Senhor, we have seen the ways of man. You chop down one tree, then come back for another and another. The roots of these great trees will wither and die, and there will be nothing left to hold the earth in place. When the heavy rains come, the soil will be washed away and the forest will become a desert." A toucan, a macaw, and a cock-of-the-rock flew down from the canopy: "Senhor!" squawked the toucan, "you must not cut down this tree. We have flown over the rain forest and seen what happens once you begin to chop down the trees. Many people settle on the land. They set fires to clear the underbrush, and soon the forest disappears. Where once there was life and beauty only black and smoldering ruins remain." Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 212 and page 213 in the print version. 213
214 A bright and small tree frog crawled along the edge of a leaf. In a squeaky voice he piped in the man's ear: "Senhor, a ruined rain forest means ruined lives . . . many ruined lives. You will leave many of us homeless if you chop down this great Kapok tree." A jaguar had been sleeping along a branch in the middle of the tree. Because his spotted coat blended into the dappled light and shadows of the understory, no one had noticed him. Now he leapt down and padded silently over to the sleeping man. He growled in his ear: "Senhor, the Kapok tree is home to many birds and animals. If you cut it down, where will I find my dinner?" Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 214 and page 215 in the print version. Four tree porcupines swung down from branch to branch and whispered to the man: "Senhor, do you know what we animals and humans need in order to live? Oxygen. And, Senhor, do you know what trees produce? Oxygen! If you cut down the forests you will destroy that which gives us all life." 215
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Several anteaters climbed down the Kapok tree with their young clinging to their backs. The unstriped anteater said to the sleeping man: "Senhor, you are chopping down this tree with no thought for the future. And surely you know that what happens tomorrow depends upon what you do today. The big man tells you to chop down a beautiful tree. He does not think of his own children, who tomorrow must live in a world without trees." A three-toed sloth had begun climbing down from the canopy when the men first appeared. Only now did she reach the ground. Plodding ever so slowly over to the sleeping man, she spoke in her deep and lazy voice: "Senhor, how much is beauty worth? Can you live without it? If you destroy the beauty of the rain forest, on what would you feast your eyes?" A child from the Yanomamo tribe who lived in the rain forest knelt over the sleeping man. He murmured in his ear: "Senhor, when you awake, please look upon us all with new eyes."
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218 The man awoke with a start. Before him stood the rain forest child, and all around him, staring, were the creatures who depended upon the great Kapok tree. What wondrous and rare animals they were! Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 218 and page 219 in the print version. 219
220 The man looked about and saw the sun streaming through the canopy. Spots of bright light glowed like jewels amidst the dark green forest. Strange and beautiful plants seemed to dangle in the air, suspended from the great Kapok tree. Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 220 and page 221 in the print version. The man smelled the fragrant perfume of their flowers. He felt the steamy mist rising from the forest floor. But he heard no sound, for the creatures were strangely silent. The man stood and picked up his ax. He swung back his arm as though to strike the tree. Suddenly he stopped. He turned and looked at the animals and the child. He hesitated. Then he dropped the ax and walked out of the rain forest.
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Meet the Author and Illustrator Lynne Cherry Cherry wants to get children excited about the natural world. When planning her books, she ponders problems children should know about. She thinks about how children can help. Cherry likes to go to schools and talk about nature. She started a group that helps show teachers how nature can be a part of everything at school. When she wants to relax, Cherry hikes and canoes through the world she loves so much. Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 222 and page 223 in the print version. 223
Within the Selection 1. Why does the jaguar want to save the Kapok tree? 2. What happens when people start cutting down trees in a rain forest? Across Selections 3. What two forms of water are found in a rain forest? 4. Compare the hawk described in "Who Eats What?" and the jaguar in "The Great Kapok Tree." Beyond the Selection 5. The sloth speaks of the beauty of the rain forest. What do you think is the most beautiful thing in nature? 6. How does the Amazon rain forest affect you? Write about It! Describe a tree that is special to you. Remember to look at other people's questions and try to answer them on the Concept/Question Board. 224
Genre
Expository Text tells people something. It contains facts about real people, things, or events. Feature
Diagrams are drawings that are used to show the relationship among different objects. Just like people and animals, plants are made up of tiny units called cells. But plants are unique when it comes to what their cells can do. Plants are the only living things that can make their own food. When a plant makes food, it is called photosynthesis. Special parts of a plant's cells help it carry out this process. Leaf cells contain a green substance called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll traps energy from the sun. It uses this energy to change carbon dioxide and water into a sugar. The sugar is called glucose. Glucose is food for a plant. Plants also can change sugar into starch, which is stored to be used later. Plants produce oxygen , which keeps animals alive. The chloroplast is the part of the plant cell that holds the chlorophyll. This is where photosynthesis takes place. Plant cells also have a cell wall. The stiff cell wall gives structure to the plant. Human cells do not have chloroplasts or cell walls. But they do have a lot in common with plant cells. Every cell has a cell membrane that helps give the cell its shape. Both human and plant cells have a nucleus. The nucleus is like a brain that tells the cell what to do. Without cells, living things could not function. Cells are called the building blocks of life. 225
Think Link Look at the diagram of a plant cell. Locate the cell wall, the cell membrane, the nucleus, and the chloroplast. In which cell part do plants make their food? Describe the process of photosynthesis in your own words. Why do you think plant cells have cell walls and human cells do not? cell wall cell membrane nucleus chloroplast Production note: captions with the class attribute value "label" correspond to content that appears in the label contained in this image. Production note: this image crosses the gutter to appear both on page 224 and page 225 in the print version. Try It!
As you work on your investigation, think about how you can use a diagram to illustrate your ideas. 226
Circle of Songs by Cynthia Porter Focus Question How do flowers know when to grow? The flowers sing a song of earth; bees sing a song of flowers. The wind that sings across the sky sings of sun and showers. The sun sings songs of shining light; the round earth sings of spinning. Birds sing a song of bright blue sky, and spring sings of beginning.
Focus Question How are nature's various cycles linked? A single yellow leaf slips from a tree, wafts its gentle way to the stream below. Yellow leaf, how do I draw you near? Shall I use the rain hissing on the pines, the lashes of ferns and lilies, a short stick? How shall I ever make you mine? Shall I wade out to my knees, face the wilds of the watery deep that sweeps you down the mountains to the waiting sea, the yellow sands of the waiting sea? 228 Mold, Mold by Jack Prelutsky Focus Questions Why are some parts of nature's balance more appealing than others? Why would someone write a poem about mold? Mold, mold, marvelous mold, alluring to look at, enthralling to hold, you are so delightful I can't help but smile when I nuzzle a smidgen of mold for awhile. 229 Slime, slime, savory slime, you're luscious and succulent any old time, there's hardly a thing that is nearly as grand as a dollop of slime in the palm of my hand. Some think you are miserable manners of muck, they can't stand to see you, you make them say, "Yuck!" But I think you're fetching, beguiling and fine, mold, you are glorious, slime, you're divine.
Test-Taking Strategy: Identifying and Using Important Words Pay attention to important words in directions and questions. These important words will help you find the correct answer.
All questions and answer choices have important words. When you read questions and answer choices, try to find the important words. They will help you answer the question correctly. Read the sample problem below. Think about the important words in the question and answer choices. According to this article, what should you do with a garden in the fall? A Use less water B Use more fertilizer C Pull all the plants out of the ground D Cover the plants with plastic The important words in the question are According to this article and fall . The words According to this article tell you that you should use the information in the article, not other information that you might have heard or read. The word fall tells you the time of year you should think about. In some questions, the important words can include less , more , and all . These words, even the small ones, help you understand the question and answer choices. It is important that you carefully read every word in the question and the answer choices. 231
Every day tons of trash end up in America's landfills. Almost one-third of the trash is kitchen and yard waste. To reduce this mountain of trash, many people turn to composting. This process is a way of helping piles of waste decay naturally. Compost is made by billions of microbes. Microbes are tiny, living things such as fungi and bacteria. They eat and digest waste. In short, they turn trash into compost. Compost is a dark, crumbly form of soil. The soil is added to gardens to make plants grow better. It is not a surprise to learn that most gardeners have compost piles. The best microbes are aerobic, which means they need air to work. If there is not enough air, anaerobic microbes take over. Anaerobic microbes do not need air, and they decompose trash more slowly. In addition, they smell bad. To limit anaerobic microbes in compost piles, people lift and turn the waste with a garden fork or spade. Turning the compost keeps it from sticking together. Adding straw can help create more space for air too. 232 Compost microbes also need water. Every piece of waste needs a thin coating of water so microbes can live. If the compost pile is too dry, few microbes can live there. The garbage will take longer to decay. If there is too much water, the waste gets soggy and clumps together. In wet areas, compost piles must be covered to keep them from getting too damp. In dry areas, a compost pile must be watered regularly. Finally, microbes need two major kinds of food: browns and greens. Browns are dry, dead plants such as wood chips, sawdust, dead weeds, straw, and dry leaves that have fallen from the trees. Because plants contain forms of sugar, microbes get energy from browns. Browns also are important because they make air pockets in the compost pile.
Test Tips Skim the questions, and do the easiest ones first. Think about the question. Look at each answer choice.
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