Debra J. Housel, M.S. Ed. Author

Transcription

1 Editor Eric Migliaccio Managing Editor Ina Massler Levin, M.A. Editor-in-Chief Sharon Coan, M.S. Ed. Illustrator Bruce Hedges Cover Artist Brenda DiAntonis Art Coordinator Kevin Barnes Art Director CJae Froshay Imaging Rosa C. See James Edward Grace Product Manager Phil Garcia Publisher Mary D. Smith, M.S. Ed. Author Debra J. Housel, M.S. Ed. Teacher Created Resources, Inc Industry Way Westminster, CA ISBN: Teacher Created Resources, Inc. Reprinted, 20 Made in U.S.A. The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written permission from the publisher.

2 Table of Contents Introduction Meeting Standards and Benchmarks How to Use this Book Achievement Graph Practice Passages When the Earth Shakes Your Genes Science Passages Making Energy from the Moon Ocean Dwellers Disappearing Fossils Tell Us About the Past Gravity: The Invisible Force We Live On a Giant Magnet Animal Adaptations Geography Passages The Birds that Swim Instead of Fly Dry as a Desert The Water Below Us Turning Plastic Bottles into Benches The Dust Bowl The Great Barrier Reef History Passages America s First Nurse The Man Who Gave the First Shot A Female Moses The Story of the Brooklyn Bridge Horses Helped Humans Algonquin Native Americans Answer Key #3383 Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Grade 3 2 Teacher Created Resources, Inc.

3 Science Standard: Understands motion and the principles that explain it Benchmark: Knows that an object s motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time Making Energy from the Moon Tides are the regular rise and fall of the water in the seas. You can see the difference between high and low tides at an ocean dock. At high tide, you cannot see the posts that hold up the dock. At low tide, you may be able to see them. What causes this big change in the level of the water? The moon! As the moon goes around the Earth, its gravity pulls on the water. This pull makes the water move. This movement is called the tide. Long ago, people believed that the Earth was alive. They thought that the Earth s breathing caused the tides! Other people saw that the high and low tides followed the crossing of the moon overhead. But it wasn t until 1687 that people figured out just how the moon caused the tides. The tides rise and fall twice each day. Because people know how the moon moves, they can tell when the tide will be high or low. Tides are so constant that France built a power plant that uses the rise and fall of the tides to make electric power. When the tide is high, a gate opens. Water rushes into a space. Then the gate is closed. At low tide, another gate opens. The stored water flows down to a turbine. The turbine spins and makes electricity. This is a good way to make power. But power plants that use tides can be built only in a few places. #3383 Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Grade 3 12 Teacher Created Resources, Inc.

4 Making Energy from the Moon Comprehension Questions Fill in the bubble next to the best answer. You may look back at the story. 1. In France the tides are used to a bring in visitors. b make waterfalls. 2. What happens first? a The tide is low. b The water is trapped in a dam. c The tide is high. d The water goes through a turbine. c fill up dams. d make electric power. 3. What happens as the moon s gravity pulls on the Earth? a It causes all of the sea water on Earth to be salty. b It causes the oceans to have high and low tides. c It causes all of the oceans to have the same amount of water. d It causes all of the oceans to keep the same water level all of the time. 4. The opposite of constant is a irregular. b regular. c high. d low. 5. What is one of the best things about using tides to make electric power? a It uses a nonrenewable resource. b It causes no pollution. c The power costs more, so people use less. d The power plants can be built anywhere. 6. Picture yourself playing in the sea up to your hips. As the tide rises, what do you notice? a The water is down around your knees. b The water level stays the same. c The water is up around your waist. d The water is pulling you out to sea. 7. Would you like to visit the moon? Explain. Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 13 #3383 Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Grade 3

5 Science Standard: Understands how species depend on one another and on the environment for survival Benchmark: Knows that all organisms (including humans) cause changes in their environments, and these changes can be beneficial or detrimental Ocean Dwellers Disappearing Today two of the world s biggest sea animals are disappearing: there are fewer great white sharks and blue whales than ever before. People have killed too many of them. People have killed what these creatures eat for food. And ocean pollution has hurt their homes. The great white shark lives in the warm parts of oceans all over the world. This huge fish eats large fish, dolphins, sea turtles, and seals. They will also attack people. This makes people very afraid of them. The great white shark does something very unusual for a fish. It gives birth to live babies. But it cannot make any milk for its babies. The babies must start to eat other animals right away. The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. If a land animal got as big, it would not be able to move! Blue whales can be huge because the water holds up their weight. A blue whale can live to be 100 years old. This mammal is found in oceans all over the world. Like the great white shark, it eats other animals. But what this giant eats is krill! Krill are very tiny animals that look like shrimp. Unlike the great white shark, the blue whale never attacks humans. But humans have killed many of them for their body fat (blubber), oil, and meat. Both the great white shark and the blue whale are endangered ocean animals. No one wants these interesting sea creatures to completely disappear. That is why people are working to save them. #3383 Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Grade 3 14 Teacher Created Resources, Inc.

6 Ocean Dwellers Disappearing Comprehension Questions Fill in the bubble next to the best answer. You may look back at the story. 1. What is the world s biggest animal? a great white shark b blue whale c elephant d giraffe 2. What happened first? a People found out that blue whales were useful. b People wanted to save the blue whales. c People killed the blue whales. d People used the whales fat, oil, and meat. 3. How are the blue whale and the great white shark different? a The blue whale is endangered; the great white shark is not. b The great white shark is endangered; the blue whale is not. c The blue whale has warm blood; the great white shark does not. d The great white shark has warm blood; the blue whale does not. 4. If animals are endangered, a they are extinct. b their survival as a species is in danger. c they are dangerous to people. d they are big. 5. Why are the blue whale and the great white shark disappearing? a They started having fewer babies. b The ocean water got too cold. c People polluted sea water with chemicals. d People started to feed them the wrong kinds of food. 6. Picture yourself in a lifejacket floating in the sea after your ship sunk. What animal do you hope you don t see? a a blue whale b a dolphin c a tuna fish d a great white shark 7. Do you think it s important to save the blue whale and great white shark? Explain. Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 15 #3383 Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Grade 3