Harcourt Storytown Lesson 12 “Mountains” Comprehension BOOSTER

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Monday Focus Skill: Text Structure: Cause and Effect

Text structure is the way an author organizes nonfiction text. Cause and effect is one kind of text structure. A cause is an action or event that makes something else happen. An effect is what happens as a result. Clue words can help readers identify the cause and effect. (because, if, then, since, therefore, so that, when, and as a result)

Comprehension Strategy for this week: Using Graphic Organizers Use sequence charts to organize the order of events. Use cause-and-effect diagram to keep track of causes and effects in text. Use a Venn diagram to show how things are alike and different. Use a web to list details related to a main idea.

Vocabulary Words

Use your glossary in the back of your reading book to help you fill in the blanks below:

predators traits lure avoid mimic obvious resembles deceptive

1. The guy who stole my mother’s purse is a ______person.

2. You can ______a mouse into a trap with some cheese.

3. That large gray dog ______a wolf.

4. Sharks, grizzly bears, lions, and tigers are all examples of ______.

5. My brother always tries to ______doing his chores.

6. When she uses a wig and wears a fancy dress, my sister can ______mom.

7. When we heard the thunder it was ______it was storming.

8. Kindness, honesty, and easy-going are all good character ______.

Tuesday Read page 289 and answer the following. Be sure to use complete sentences.

1. What does the author mean when she says, “The world is full of creatures that are not what they seem to be”? ______

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2. Why are mimicry and camouflage important to some living things? ______

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Read pages 290-291 and answer the following. Write your answers in complete sentences. Be sure to reread if you can’t find the answers.

3. Why isn’t the brown toad noticed? How do the toad’s color and markings help it survive?

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4. How does the information in the second paragraph connect to what you have learned about the toad?

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5. How does the “hiding game” help both predators and prey?

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Read pages 292-293 and answer the following.

6. How is the phasmid’s disguise different from the polar bear’s disguise that you read about?

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7. What does the author mean by “escapes the attention of ostriches”?

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8. On page 293, what clue words tell you that the author organized this paragraph by cause and effect?

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Wednesday Read pages 294-299 and answer the following in complete sentences.

9. Why would it be good for an insect to look like a common wasp??

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10. What is the difference between a Batesian mimic and a Mullerian mimic?

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11. Why do birds that have tried eating viceroy or monarch butterflies avoid both?

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12. Why is it a good thing that the turtle’s tongue looks like a worm?

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13. What is similar about the way alligator snapping turtles, anglerfish, and the African flower mantis all trick their prey?______

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14. When the male moth smells the female bolas spider, he expects to find a female moth. What happens instead?______

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15. How does the female Photuris firefly get its meal?

______Thursday When nonfiction authors write, they get their information from reference sources.

Use almanacs to find current facts about places, sports, weather and events. Use an atlas to find a specific place. Use a dictionary to learn the meanings of unfamiliar words, how to pronounce words, and how to spell them. Use encyclopedias, nonfiction books, and magazines to find specific information on a topic. Use a thesaurus to find words that will make your writing more interesting.

12. If you wanted to find the score of last night’s football game, where would you look?

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13. Where would you look to find the correct spelling for a word?

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14. Where would you find the current population of Atlanta?

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