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Project GLADWashoe County School District

TOP PREDATORS(Level 5)

IDEA PAGES

I. UNIT THEME: Humans affect and depend upon the Earth and its ecosystems.

Humans, animals, and plants depend on the Earth for life. Humans, animals, and plants interact within ecosystems. A variety of ecosystems and communities exist on Earth. Ecosystems have distinct characteristics and components that allow certain

organisms to thrive. Change in one or more components of an ecosystem can affect the entire

ecosystem. Changes in ecosystems can be beneficial or detrimental to different organisms. Cross-cultural sensitivity: beliefs about caring for the Earth differ from culture to

culture.

II. FOCUS AND MOTIVATION Cognitive Content Dictionary (CCD) Super Scientist Awards Scientist Notebooks Observation Charts Big Book Inquiry chart Poetry and chants Field trip to Animal Ark Realia Swamp Tiger DVDIII. CLOSURE Process all charts and learnings Ongoing assessment of learning log Team task presentations Evaluation of week, letter home to parents Teacher and student made quizzes Personal exploration Personal connection – letter to elected official Biography on a conservationist Research paper on top predator

Top Predators - Level 5 - NV 1Amy Hand-Haycock & Kelly Main - Washoe County - Project G.L.A.D (2/8/08 JB)

Idea Pages

IV. LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS – GRADE 5READING1.0 Students know and use word analysis skills and strategies to comprehend new words encountered in text:1.5.1 Read orally with rhythm, cadence, and expression, i.e. poetry and plays1.5.2 Use knowledge of phonics, structural elements, grammar, and syntax to read and to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.1.5.3 Identify and use knowledge of high-frequency Greek- and Latin-derived roots and affixes to determine the meaning of words.1.5.5 Use context clues such as restatement, definitions, and examples to determine the meaning of unknown words.

2.0 Students use reading process skills and strategies to build comprehension:2.5.1 Select and apply pre-reading strategies that enhance comprehension such as making a plan for reading; accessing prior knowledge; using text structures such as table of contents, heading, sub-heading, illustrations; choosing a graphic organizer; and selecting a reading rate.2.5.2 Apply self-correcting strategies to gain meaning from text.2.5.3 Select and use a variety of skills and strategies during reading such as rereading to internalize information, paraphrasing, identifying main ideas, identifying fact and opinion or cause and effect, predicting and verifying predictions, summarizing paraphrasing, and drawing conclusions to aid comprehension.2.5.4 Clarify understanding of text by note-taking, outlining, completing a graphic organizer, summarizing, and writing a report.2.5.5 Adjust reading rate to suit reading purpose and difficulty of text.3.0 Students read to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate literature from a variety of authors, cultures, and times:3.5.1 Distinguish main incidents of a plot that lead to the climax, and explain how the problem or conflict is resolved.3.5.2 Make inferences supported by the text about character traits and motivations, and make predictions about conflicts and resolutions.3.5.4 Compare stated and implied themes in a variety of works.3.5.5 Locate and interpret figurative language, including simile, metaphor, personification and idioms in text.3.5.6 Describe how authors’ purpose and writing styles influence reader response.3.5.7 Describe differences in purpose and structure among stories, plays, poetry, and non-fiction selections.


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4.0 Students read to comprehend, interpret, and evaluate informational texts for specific purposes:4.5.1 Use knowledge of text format, graphics, sequence, diagrams, illustrations, charts, and maps to comprehend text.4.5.2 Clarify and connect main ideas and concepts and identify their relationship to other sources and related topics.4.5.3 Read to evaluate new information and hypotheses by comparing them to known information and ideas.4.5.4 Draw conclusions and make inferences about text supported by textual evidence and experience.4.5.5 Identify authors’ ideas and purposes in texts including advertisements and public documents.4.5.6 Read and follow multi-step directions to perform procedures and to complete tasks.

WRITING5.0 Write a variety of texts that inform, persuade, describe, evaluate, or tell a story and are appropriate to purpose and audience:5.5.1 Write informative papers that develop a clear topic with appropriate facts, details, and examples from a variety of sources.5.5.2 Write well-organized communications such as friendly or business letters in an appropriate format for a specific audience and purpose.5.5.3 Write a narrative or story that develops a plot or sequence and uses “showing” rather than “telling” details to describe the setting, characters, and events of the story.5.5.4 Write responses to literary selections by supporting ideas with selected examples.5.5.5 Write summaries of oral and written stories, non-fiction texts and/or cross-curriculum content.6.0 Students write with a clear focus and logical development, evaluating, revising, and editing for organization, style, tone, and word choice:6.5.1 Generate ideas for future writing through activities such as clustering, brainstorming, and listening to and following story models.6.5.2 Organize ideas through activities such as outlining, listing, webbing, and mapping.6.5.3 Write paragraphs and compositions with main ideas that are supported by details and state a conclusion.6.5.4 Revise compositions to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding; deleting; clarifying; rearranging words and sentences; and checking with various leads, conclusions, and transitions.


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6.5.5 Edit for use of standard English.6.5.6 Produce writing with a voice that shows awareness of an intended audience and purpose.6.5.7 Share final drafts with a designated audience.

7.0 Students write using standard English grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling:7.5.1 Identify and correctly use in writing pronoun case, comparative and superlative modifiers, and often misused verbs such as lie/lay, sit/set, and rise/raise in writing.7.5.2 Identify and write prepositional phrases, appositives; use transitions and conjunctions to elaborate ideas.7.5.3 Use colons to introduce a list; use quotation marks to identify exact words or passages quoted from other authors or speakers, as well as the titles of poems, songs, and short stories.7.5.4 Use rules of capitalization.7.5.5 Use correct spelling of frequently used words, with special attention to roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

LISTENING AND SPEAKING8.0 Students listen to and evaluate oral communications for content, style, speaker's purpose, and audience appropriateness:8.5.1 Interpret a speaker’s verbal and non-verbal messages, purposes, and viewpoint; distinguish fact from opinion.8.5.4 Follow multi-step spoken to complete a task.

9.0 Students speak using organization, style, tone, voice, and media aids appropriate to audience and purpose:9.5.1 Use specific and varied vocabulary and apply standard English to communicate ideas.9.5.2 Select and use appropriate public speaking techniques such as gestures, facial expressions, posture, speaking rate/pace, and enunciation.9.5.4 Read aloud or recite literary, dramatic, and original works.9.5.5 Give multi-step directions to complete a task.

10.0 Students participate in discussions to offer information, clarify ideas, and support a position:10.5.1 Participate in conversations and group discussions as a contributor and a leader.10.5.2 Ask and answer questions to clarify and extend ideas.


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10.5.3 Share ideas, opinions, and information with a group, choosing language that communicates messages clearly and effectively.10.5.4 Compare and contrast ideas and viewpoints of several speakers.

RESEARCH11.0 Students formulate research questions, use a variety of sources to obtain information, weigh the evidence, draw valid conclusions, and present findings.11.5.1 Formulate research questions and establish a focus and purpose for inquiry.11.5.2 Select information from multiple resources to answer questions.11.5.3 Give credit for others’ ideas, images, and information by listing sources in research.11.5.4 Record information using given note-taking and organizational formats.

V. SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS1.0 Geography: Students use maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments:1.5.1 Use maps and map features, including directional orientation, map symbols, and grid system, to identify and locate major geographic features in Nevada and the United States.1.5.2 Identify the characteristics and purposes of different maps and globes.1.5.3 Read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps, graphs, and computer resources.1.5.6 Answer spatial questions about a map using basic geographic vocabulary.

2.0 Places and Regions: Students understand the physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and use this information to define and study regions and their patterns of change:2.5.2 Identify examples in their community or region that reflect cultural identity.2.5.5 Identify and describe the locations of selected historical events.

3.0 Physical Systems: Students understand how physical processes shape Earth’s surface patterns and ecosystems.3.5.3 Identify the parts of different ecosystems, including soil, climate, plant life, and animal life.3.5.4 Describe the biodiversity of different ecosystems on Earth.3.5.5 Investigate an ecosystem by asking and answering geographic questions.


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5.0 Environment and Society: Students understand the effects of interactions between human and physical systems and the changes in use, distribution, and importance of resources:5.5.1 Describe ways in which changes in the physical environment affect humans.5.5.4 Explore the impact of human modification of the physical environment on the people who live in that location.6.0 Geographic Applications: Students apply geographic knowledge of people, places, and environments to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future.6.5.3 Discuss a geographic issue from more than one point of view. 6.5.4 Describe a geographic issue and the possible impact it could have in the future.

7.0 Geographic Skills: Students ask and answer geographic questions by acquiring, organizing, and analyzing geographic information.7.5.1 Ask geographic questions about the origin and significance of spatial patterns.7.5.2 Locate and gather geographic information from a variety of resources.7.5.3 Create complex maps, graphs, or charts to display geographic information.7.5.4 Investigate and interpret information from a variety of geographic sources.

HISTORY1.0 Chronology: Students use chronology to organize and understand the sequence and relationship of events:1.5.1 Identify current events from multiple sources.1.5.2 Read events on a graphic organizer, such as a calendar or time line.

VI. SCIENCE STANDARDSSCIENTIFIC INQUIRY (Nature of Science)N.5.A. Students understand that science involves asking and answering questions and comparing answers to what scientists know about the world.N.5.A.1 Students know how scientific progress is made by conducting careful investigations, recording data, and communicating results in an accurate method.N.5.A.2 Students know how to compare the results of their experiments to what scientists already know about the world.N.5.A.3 Students know how to draw conclusions from scientific evidence.N.5.A.4 Students know graphic representation of recorded data can be used to make predictions.N.5.A.6 Students know models are tools for learning about the things they are meant to resemble.


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N.5.A.7 Students know observable patterns can be used to organize items and ideas.SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETYN.5.B. Students understand that many people, from all cultures and levels of ability, contribute to the fields of science and technology.N.5.B.1 Students know that, throughout history, people of diverse cultures have provided scientific knowledge and technologies.N.5.B.2 Students know that technologies impact society, both positively and negatively.N.5.B.3 Students know the benefits of working with a team and sharing findings.

LIFE SCIENCE (HEREDITY)L.5.A Students understand that some characteristics are inherited and some are not.L.5.A.1 Students know that some physical characteristics and behaviors are inherited in some animals and plants.L.5.A.2 Students know reproduction is an essential characteristic for the continuation of every species.L.5.A.3 Students know that, while offspring resemble their parents and each other, they also exhibit differences in characteristics.L.5.A.5 Students know some animal behaviors are learned.

LIFE SCIENCE (STRUCTURE)L.5.B Students understand that living things have specialized structures that perform a variety of life functions.L.5.B.1 Students know plants and animals have structures that enable them to grow, reproduce, and survive.L.5.B.2 Students know living things have predictable life cycles.

LIFE SCIENCE (ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT)L.5.C Students understand that there is a variety of ecosystems on Earth and organisms interact within their ecosystems.L.5.C.1 Students know the organization of simple food webs.L.5.C.3 Students know changes to an environment can be beneficial or detrimental to different organisms.L.5.C.4 Students know all organisms, including humans, can cause changes in their environments.L.5.C.2 Students know organisms interact with each other and with the non-living parts of their ecosystems.


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L.5.C.5 Students know plants and animals have adaptations allowing them to survive in specific ecosystems.

LIFE SCIENCE (DIVERSITY OF LIFE)L.5.D Students understand that living things can be classified according to physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats.L.5.D.1 Students know animals and plants can be classified according to their observable characteristics.L.5.D.2 Students know fossils are evidence of past life.L.5.D.3 Students know differences among individuals within a species give them advantages and/or disadvantages in surviving and reproducing.


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Guidelines for working with English Language LearnersLanguage Proficiency Levels

NEP(Non-English Proficient)PreLAS 1 or 2LAS Oral - 1 or 2LAS Reading/Writing -1

LEP(Limited-English Proficient)PreLAS - 3LAS Oral - 3LAS Reading/Writing - 1 or 2

FEP(Nearly Fluent English Proficient)PreLAS - 4 or 5LAS Oral - 4 or 5LAS Reading/Writing - 2 or 3

Beginning and Early Intermediate+ minimal comprehension+ minimal verbal production+ one/two word responses

Intermediate and Early Advanced+ increased comprehension+ simple sentences+ some basic errors in speech

Advanced+ very good comprehension+ more complex sentences+ fewer errors in speech

Appropriate Activities*listen, draw ,name*point, select, label*move, choose, group*mime, act/act out, respond*match, circle, categorize*listen, tell/say

Appropriate Activities*recall, summarize*retell, categorize*describe, role-play*define, restate*explain, contrast*compare

Appropriate Activities*analyze, evaluate*create, justify*defend, support*debate, examine*predict, hypothesize

Student Responses Include:• “Yes” or “No” answers• One word answers• Two word strings• Guided responses• Fill-in-the blank responses

Student Responses Include:• Three word/short phrases• Complete sentences• Dialogues• Extended narratives• May write short sentences

Student Responses Include:• Conversations/discussions• Complete paragraphs• Original essays• Content-related activities• Complex sentences


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VII. VOCABULARYabandon forage preyabundant* food chain* producers*acute fungi protectedadaptations gestate/gestation quadrupedaggressive* gular regurgitateambush habitat* retractableappearance herbivore* sclerotic ringasymmetrical hibernate/hibernation solitarybeneficial incubate speciesbiodiversity individual* stablebiomagnification insulate starvationblubber juvenile statusbreaching keen survive/survival*carcass* life cycle* spyhoppingcarnivore lifespan tacklecarrion litter talonscharacteristics loner territory*community* migrate/migration threatconserve* muzzle threatenedconsumer* navigate/navigation tundra*clutch nestling vibrissa/vibrissaedeclining niche* wariness*decomposer* nictitating membrane weaneddistribution nocturnal wilderness*dominance* observation* wingspandiurnal omnivoreeaglet pelletsecholocation perchecosystem* pesticide*endangered* plantigradeenvironment* poachingexcavate pollution*exotic* population*extinct* podfledgling predators*

* 5th grade HM & science text vocabulary


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IV. RESOURCES AND MATERIALSNonfiction texts

All About Whales! by Deborah Kovacs Bears and Their Forest Cousins by Annemarie Schmidt & Christian R. Schmidt Bears by Kevin Holmes Bears by Lynn Stone Bears by N. S. Barrett Discover Rain Forests by Lynne Hardie Baptista Endangered Species by Randy Simmons Exploring Forests by Barbara Behm Exploring Woodlands by Barbara Behm Eyewitness Books: Whales by Vassili Papastavrou

Journey through a Tropical Jungle by Adrian Forsyth Killer Whale by Caroline Arnold

Killer Whales by Seymour Simon

Our World in Danger by Gillian Dorfman Temperate Forests by Lynn Stone The Forest by David Bellamy Tropical Rain Forests Around the World by Elaine Landau Whales and Dolphins in Action by Tanner Ottley Gay

Whales by Eileen Spinelli

Whales by Gail Gibbons

What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You? By Steven Jenkins

Who Eat What? Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber

Fiction A Bear Named Trouble by Marion Dane Bauer Bear: Animal Lore and Legend Belling the Tiger by Mary Stoltz Beware of the Bears ! By Alan MacDonald Beware of Tigers by Dave Horowitz Julie’s Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George Moongame by Frank Asch Once a Bright Red Tiger by Alex Whitney


Idea Pages

Poetry Animal Poems by Valerie Worth Poetry for Young People: Animal Poems by John Hollander Predators Food Chain Ornithologist Bugaloo I Know an Orca Is This an Arctic Wolf? We Know Predators

Teacher Resources & Textbooks Ranger Rick’s Nature Scope: Rain Forests: Tropical Treasures Harcourt Science (2000) – Grade 5

From WCSD Video Library All About Bears Grizzly Bears Tigers Orcas Wolves and How They Live

Websiteswww.enchantedlearning.comhttp://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.htmlhttp://www.worldbiomes.com/biomesforest.htmhttp://www.field-guides.com/sci/forest/index.htmhttp://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/KillerWhale/home.htmlwww.petition.com


http://www.petition.com/

http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/KillerWhale/home.html

http://www.field-guides.com/sci/forest/index.htm

http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_forest.htm

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/



PLANNING PAGES

I. FOCUSING/MOTIVATION Cognitive Content Dictionary Observation charts Big Book: Top Predators Read Alouds Poetry & Chants Inquiry Charts Super Scientist Award, Scientist Notebook, Golden Pen Award, Predator

Bookmark Realia (bones, fur, skulls, teeth) Field Trip: Animal Ark Personal Interaction Guest Speaker

II. INPUT Read Alouds Graphic Organizer: Top Predators World Map Narrative input: The Grizzly Bear Family Group Comparative input chart: Grizzly Bear v. Bengal Tiger Graphic organizers: Top Predators World Map & Six Kingdoms of Living Things Video 10/2 Lecture with primary language

III.GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE T-graph: cooperation, team points Personal Interactions Picture File Card Activities Exploration Report Poetry and chants Process Grid Sentence Patterning Chart: predators Numbered heads together Expert groups Team Tasks


Planning PagesPage 2

IV. READING/WRITINGA. Whole Group

Cooperative strip paragraph: “Top predators are scientific creatures in several ways.”

Found poetry Poetry Frames Strip Book: Fact/Opinion Flip Chant: “Predators here, predators there…” Narrative story map DRTA

B. Small Groups/Flexible Groupings Ear-to-ear reading (poetry, guided reading texts) Expert Groups Team Tasks: Anything taught and modeled whole class Team narrative retell-story mapping Guided reading Flexible Groups

o ELD group frameo Clunkers and Links-At or aboveo Skillso Struggling/emergento DRTA

ELD preview/review Focused Reading

C. Individual Learning logs Interactive journals Individual tasks: Anything taught whole class and previously practiced in a

team/small group Independent reading Portfolio: expository, narrative, poetry, art Research and writing center Oral Book Report Add to wall Found poetry


Planning PagesPage 3

Reading/Writing Choice Personal exploration

D. Writer’s Workshop Mini-lessons Pre-write, plan, draft, revise, edit, publish Conferencing (peer and teacher) Author’s chair

V. EXTENDED ACTIVITIES FOR INTEGRATION Drama Reader’s Theater Team poster to protect predator’s habitat Design a brochure for endangered predator to raise awareness Monart art lesson Diorama Camouflage experiment Debate

VI. CLOSURE Team project presentations Home/School connections Process Inquiry chart Process all charts and information End of unit test Personal exploration presentations—invite parents Teacher/Student-made Tests




SAMPLE DAILY LESSON PLAN

Day 1:FOCUS/MOTIVATION

Super Scientist Scout Awards—3 personal standards Cognitive Content Dictionary: endangered Observation Charts Inquiry Chart:

o What do we know about top predators?o What do we want to know about top predators?

Big Book

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE Poem: “Predators”

FOCUS/MOTIVATION Portfolios

INPUT Graphic Organizer: Top Predators World Map

o 10/2 Lecture, primary language groupso Learning Logo ELD Review

Six Kingdoms of Living Thingso 10/2 Lecture, primary language groupso Learning Logo ELD Review

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE T-Graph - Team Points Picture File Cards: Exploration Report Poem: “Is This an Arctic Wolf?”

INPUT Narrative: The Grizzly Bear Family Group Personal Interaction


Sample Daily Lesson PlanPage 2

READING/WRITING Writer’s Workshop

- mini-lesson- write- author’s chair- conferencing

CLOSURE Home/School Connection Process charts


Scientist Notebook Awards – 3 personal standards Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word Process Home/School Connections Review Input with word cards Poem: highlight, sketch, picture file cards Review Narrative with word cards and conversation bubbles

INPUT Comparative Input: Grizzly Bear/Bengal Tiger

o 10/2 Lecture with primary languageo Learning Logso ELD Review

READING/WRITING T-Graph processing Flexible Groups

o Team Taskso Expert Group

Reading/writing: Choice Interactive journals Writer’s Workshop

o Mini-lessono Writeo Author’s Chairo Conferencing



CLOSURE Process inquiry chart Review charts and chants Add to charts Home/School Connections


Strip Book Awards Cognitive Content Dictionary with signal word Process Home/School connection Review Input with word cards

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE Poetry-highlight, sketch, add picture file cards Sentence Patterning Chart/Farmer-in-the-Dell (noun=predators)

o Reading Gameo Trading Gameo Sentence Patterning Chart: inflected ending (+ ing)o Flip Chant Book

READING/WRITING T-Graph: Oral Team Evaluation Flexible Groups

o Team Taskso Expert Groups

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE Mind Map Process Grid Poem

READING/WRITING Cooperative Strip Paragraph

o Respond, revise, edit



CLOSURE Journals Learning log Process charts


Golden Pen Award Cognitive Content Dictionary-Self-Selected Vocabulary Home/School Connections

READING/WRITING Interactive journal Model Strip Book: fact/opinion Flexible Groups

o Team Taskso Clunkers & Links/SQ3R (for at and above grade level readers)o ELD Group Frame: Narrative Retell

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE Present team evaluations Poetry-Highlight, Sketch, Picture File Cards

CLOSURE Process Inquiry Chart Review and process all chart

DAY 5:FOCUS/MOTIVATION

Bookmark award – 3 personal standards Cognitive Content Dictionary-Self-Selected Vocabulary Process Home/School Connection Poetry and Chants



READING/WRITING Found Poetry Team Tasks Flexible Groups

o Struggling readers: Bringing the cooperative strip paragraph to reading Team evaluation Team presentation

GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE Team Presentations: Team Evaluation and one completed team task Poetry-add sketches, highlight, picture file cards DRTA Team Action Plan

READING/WRITING Ear-to-ear reading Listen and Sketch Interactive Journal Focused reading with personal CCD

CLOSURE Review charts Process Inquiry Chart Evaluate week/letter home Review Game (Jeopardy)


Super Scientist AwardsGrizzly bears have a good sense of smell, but they cannot see or hear well. They are good swimmers. They can run up to 30 miles per hour. Although they sleep in winter, they are not true hibernators because they wake from time to time to eat.

Grizzly bears are found in North America. It is believed that about 25,000 bears live in Canada and 31,700 live in Alaska. Only about 1,200 grizzlies live in the lower 48 states.

In the lower 48 states, grizzlies are considered endangered due to habitat loss.

The Bengal tiger has the largest canine teeth of any land-based carnivore. It bites the neck of its prey, breaking the spinal cord and causing immediate death.

Three tiger subspecies have become extinct in the last 70 years. There are fewer than 5,000 tigers in the world. Tigers are a protected species.

Vibrissae are the long, stiff hairs that project from the snout or brow of most mammals, like the whiskers of a cat.

Bengal tigers typically hunt medium-sized animals. They can eat up to 40 pounds in one sitting. If needed, they can go for days without eating.

Tigers are quadrupeds, or four-footed animals. They are fast runners for short distances and can leap 30 feet in one bound.

Bald eagles are not bald! Their name refers to the white feathers on their head and comes from the old English word, “balde,” which meant white.

Bald eagles’ nests are called aeries. These nests can reach up to nine feet in diameter. Eagles will nest on the ground or on a cliff if there is no tree available.

In 1967, bald eagles were declared endangered due to habitat loss and decreased reproduction due to pesticides. They have made a tremendous comeback and were taken off the endangered species list in 2007.

The Arctic wolf hunts large prey in packs. The pack isolates weak or young prey. They kill by crushing the neck with a bite.

Arctic wolves are not a threatened species. Because they live in the far north, they have little contact with humans. However, they are hunted by the Inuit people who use and sell their fur.

In the wild, great horned owls have no major predators. Their only natural predator is other great horned owls.

Great horned owls get their name from the tufts of feathers on their heads that look like horns. Although these feathers are sometimes called “ear tufts,” they have nothing to do with hearing.Top Predators - Level 5 - NV 21Amy Hand-Haycock & Kelly Main - Washoe County - Project G.L.A.D (2/8/08 JB)

Great horned owls do not build their own nests. They use the abandoned nests of other animals.

Great horned owls are recognized as beneficial predators for helping to control pests.

Orcas communicate in several ways. They use whistles and clicks to “talk” to each other. Also, they slap their tails on the water as a warning.

Male orcas grow to be 23 feet long and weigh from seven to ten tons. Female orcas grow to be about 21 feet long and weigh four to six tons.

Orcas have no major enemies. However, sharks will prey on old, young, and sick orcas.

Orca babies are called calves. They are eight feet long when they are born. They emerge tail-first and must surface within ten seconds to breathe. Their mothers help them to the surface.


Top Predators Big BookBy Amy Hand-Haycock

The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain. Top predators are also called apex predators. They help keep the balance in ecosystems. Humans are the ultimate apex predator.

But the important thing about top predators is they are at the top of the food chain.

The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain.Some top predators hunt in groups.

Female lions cooperate to surround and take down their prey. African hunting dogs communicate with barks and chirping sounds as they chase

their prey. Dholes often drive their prey into water then swim out in groups to capture it.

But the important thing about top predators is that they are at the top of the food chain.

The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain.Some top predators hunt alone.

In the night, the jaguar stalks and ambushes deer. Anacondas hide in water and rely on surprise to nab their prey. Sneaking through the brush and trees, cougars leap on the back of their prey and

bite the neck.But the important thing about top predators is that they are at the top of the food chain.

The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain.Top predators have special adaptations that make them the best hunters.

The giant otter’s vibrissae, or whiskers, help them detect the movement of fish in the water.

Electric eels can store up and deliver an electric shock to stun or kill their prey. Polar bears use their acute sense of smell to sniff out seals hiding under the snow

miles away.But the important thing about top predators is that they are at the top of the food chain.


The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain.Some top predators spend their whole lives in the water.

Great white sharks lurk in the shadowy ocean and attack their prey from below. Orcas use echolocation to locate and stun their prey. Sperm whales dive deeper than any other predator to find their prey.


The important thing about predators is they are at the top of the food chain.Some top predators are endangered and need our protection.

American black bears are poached, or illegally hunted, for their fur. Snow leopards are poached for their fur and bones. Loss of habitat and poaching spell trouble for the Komodo dragon.



Grizzly Bear NarrativeAdapted from The Grizzly Bear Family Group by Michio Hoshino

P. 1 A mother bear sleeps snugly in an underground den in the vast, Alaskan wilderness. While she sleeps, her cubs are born. They nurse and snuggle next to her.

P. 2 Emerging from their winter dens, the grizzlies are as thin as they will be all year. The mother’s first meal may be the carcass of a moose or caribou that did not survive the winter.

P. 3 Spring arrives in the vast, Alaskan wilderness, and days grow longer and warmer. In early spring, grizzlies enjoy life to the fullest. The mother and her cubs chase, hug, and roll down a slope. They seem to be having a wonderful time together.

The nursing bear lies on her back and offers milk to her cubs. She cradles one in each arm. Afterwards, the mother bear lays spread-eagle on the ground, sound asleep.

Now that the snow is melting, the mother bear can eat grasses and roots. She gorges on wetland grasses called sedges because they are rich in protein.

P. 4 One afternoon, a moose and her two young calves stand on a mountain slope. The mother moose is uneasy. Her ears are pulled back to the sides. Suddenly, the bear bursts from the bushes and rushes toward the calves.

P. 5 The moose turns and confronts the bear. The moose and the bear face off, staring intently at each other. The moose quickly charges, and the bear takes off. The moose has protected her calves.

The bear may come back and try again, and maybe next time she will be successful. When a bear attacks a moose calf, it is not a sad event. The bear needs to feed cubs of her own. Next year, there will be new moose calves, and life will go on. In nature, all living things depend on each other for their existence.

P. 6 The mother bear is drawn to the best fishing spots along rivers and streams. The salmon are swimming upstream, and bears fish side by side for the abundant food.

The strongest, most aggressive bears command the best spots. The cubs watch as two equally strong bears wage a fierce battle, standing on their hind legs and slashing with their teeth and claws.

P. 7 The mother bear catches salmon with her paws and mouth. When salmon are rare, she and her cubs will eat every one she catches. But if salmon are abundant, she can be selective. Sometimes they eat only the head and eggs of the salmon and throw away the rest.

The first-year cubs wait on the riverbank for their mother to bring salmon. Next year, they will be ready to fish for themselves. They will learn to fish by watching and imitating the other bears.

P. 8 Summer is coming to an end. The mother grizzly and her cubs sit on a hill, watching birds in a V-pattern migrating south. Many animals have grown thick winter coats. The antlers of the elk and moose are very large. The red, golden leaves rustle in the breeze. Blueberry and cranberry bushes blanket the ground, providing a rich food source for grizzlies. Autumn is approaching in the vast, Alaskan wilderness.Top Predators - Level 5 - NV 29Amy Hand-Haycock & Kelly Main - Washoe County - Project G.L.A.D (2/8/08 JB)

P. 9 As the days grow shorter, mother and cubs put on a large store of fat to live on during the winter. Berries contain a lot of sugar, and the autumn feast is critical to the grizzlies’ survival.

How many berries do you think the mother grizzly eats in a day? She eats for twenty hours a day, hardly stopping to sleep. She may consume 200,000 berries in a single day!

P. 10 Snow flakes whirl around the bears in the vast, Alaskan wilderness. The daylight hours are shorter now. Winter is approaching. The mother grizzly and her half-grown cubs leave footprints in the newly-fallen snow. They climb up the mountain to their rock cave den. They will snuggle up with their mother during the long winter. They will emerge again with the return of spring in the vast, Alaskan wilderness.


PoetryBooklet

Name________________________


Is This an Arctic Wolf?By Mrs. Main & Mrs. Haycock

Is this an Arctic wolf? Yes, ma’am.Is it Canis lupus arctos? Yes, ma’am.How do you know? That’s its scientific name.How do you know? Its species is lupus.

Are these Arctic wolves? Yes, ma’am.Are they quadrupeds? Yes, ma’am.How do you know? They walk on all four legs.How do you know? They walk on 4 to 5 digits.

Are these Arctic wolves? Yes, ma’am.Are they nocturnal? Yes, ma’am.How do you know? They hunt at night.How do you know? They have keen smell and eyesight.

Are these Arctic wolves? Yes, ma’am.Are they carnivores? Yes, ma’am.How do you know? Their canine teeth tear flesh.How do you know? Lemmings and hares are their prey.

Are these Arctic wolves? Yes, ma’am.Are they solitary? No, ma’am.How do you know? All wolves hunt in packs.How do you know? They howl to communicate.HOWWWWWLLLL!


Food Chain!

Have you heard of a food chain?Let me tell you simple and plain.Food chains show us who eats whomIn the animal kingdom, dude.

Food chain—energy moves!Food chain—predators rule!

Phytoplankton start a chain.Tiny plants float in ocean waves.Copecod eat them, yum, yum, yumBut our food chain isn’t done.


Copecod, you had better watch out!Fish will eat you, there’s no doubt.Next come squid grabbing up the fish.Don’t even need a spoon or dish.


Squid watch out! Here comes a seal.He’ll make you his next big meal.But the seal is not so safe.Orcas think that seals taste great.


Now our chain has reached its end.Orcas don’t have to defend.No one preys on orcas, dude.Now our food chain can conclude.

Food chain—energy moves!Food chain—predators rule!By Mrs. Haycock & Mrs. Main


I Know an Orca

I know an orca,A very powerful orca,A very powerful orca,That swims in Arctic seas.

A black and white member of the dolphin familyWith large, cone-shaped teeth,It uses echolocationTo find its prey near the surface.

This mammal lives in a podWith about twenty other orcas.It uses clicks and whistlesTo communicate with its family.

This orca is not endangered,And it has no natural enemies.It has been protected from commercial fishingSince the 1980s.

I know an orca,A very powerful orca,A very powerful orca,That swims in Arctic seas.

By Mrs. Haycock & Mrs. Main


Ornithologist Bugaloo

I’m an ornithologist and I’m here to sayI study many birds every day.Sometimes I use binoculars,Sometimes I read a book,Sometimes I visit habitats and take a look.

Eagles, owls, red-tailed hawks, too,Do the ornithologist BUGALOO!

Bald eagles build aeries in the highest trees.They live near water full of fish to eat.They glide to the surface and snatch their preyWith their talons so sharp, fish can’t get away.


Red-tailed hawks are carnivores, too.Their strong, hooked beaks tear prey intoSmall pieces that they can gulp, not chew.They eat rodents, grouse, and rattlesnakes, too.

Eagles, owls, red-tailed hawks, too,Doing the ornithologist BUGALOO!

On silent wings great horned owls fly.They hunt for skunks from low and high.They perch and watch for animals to eat.Rabbits and hares are their favorite treat!




Predators

Predators here, predators there,Predators, predators everywhere!

Clever predators stalking,Silent predators swooping,Cunning predators ambushing,And hungry predators foraging.

Predators near a river,Predators in grasslands,Predators above the trees,And predators beneath the waves.

Predators here, predators there,Predators, predators everywhere!Predators! Predators! Predators!



We Know Predators

We just know what we’ve been told.Predators are stealthy and bold.Stalking prey, ambushing, too,They are hunters through and through.

Sound-off! Predators!Sound-off! Adaptations!1-2-3-4! Adaptations help them hunt!

Great horned owls smoothly glide,Search for skunks to eat tonight.Silent wings make no sound.Quietly grab prey off the ground.


Great white sharks patrol the seas.Stalking fish and seals with ease.Dark and light shades help them blend.Can’t see them as they ascend.


By Mrs. Haycock


Name:______________________________ Date___________________Project GLAD

TOP PREDATORS

HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION #1

What is a top predator? Tell your family about top predators. Sketch and write about some top predators.

Parent Signature:_________________________________________________


Name:_____________________________ Date___________________Project GLAD

TOP PREDATORS


Sketch the grizzly bear. Tell your family about the adaptations of grizzly bears. Sketch or write what you talked about.




TOP PREDATORS


How are phytoplankton, fish, seals, and orcas linked in a food chain? Sketch your answer and tell your family about this food chain.

Parent Signature:________________________________________



TOP PREDATORS


Interview everyone in your family. Ask them, “Which is a more deadly predator: the grizzly bear or the Arctic Wolf?” Tally up the votes.

Grizzly Bear Votes Arctic Wolf Votes




TOP PREDATORS


Retell the story The Grizzly Bear Family Group to your family. Sketch your favorite part.



Name:_______________________________ Date___________________Project GLAD

TOP PREDATORS


Talk to your family about threatened, endangered, and extinct animals. Sketch and write about an animal we need to protect.

Parent Signature:_______________________________________________________


Nombre:____________________________ Fecha:___________________Proyecto GLAD

LOS PREDADORES PRIMEROS

ENLACE ENTRE LA CASA Y LA ESCUELA #1

¿Que es un predador primero? Habla con tu familia sobre los predadores primeros. Dibuja y escriba unos predadores primeros.

Firma de padre o madre:____________________________________________


Nombre:_______________________________ Fecha:___________________Proyecto GLAD



Dibuja un oso pardo. Habla con tu familia sobre las adaptaciones des los osos pardos. Dibuja o escriba sobre tu hablaste.



Nombre:_____________________________ Fecha:___________________Proyecto GLAD



¿Que tienen las plantas de agua, las pescas, las focas, y las ballenas en común en una cadena alimentaría? Dibuja tu respuesta y habla con tu familia sobre esta.






Habla con todo en tu familia. Preguntalos, “Que es mas peligroso: un oso pardo o un lobo blanco?” Cuenta las votas.

Oso Pardo Votas Lobo Blanco Votas






Diga la historía The Grizzly Bear Family Group a tu familia. Dibuja tu parte favorito.



Nombre:____________________________ Fecha:___________________Proyecto GLAD



Explica los animales en peligros, extinguidos, y amenazaros. Dibuja y escriba sobre un animal que debemos proteger.

Firma de padre o madre:___________________________________________


Arctic WolfExpert Group

Name_________________________ Date____________________

The Arctic tundra is a cold, treeless habitat that is covered with snow most of the year. The Arctic is the home of Arctic wolves. They live in Greenland and on the northern edges of North America. Most wolves live in Canada.

Arctic wolves have unique adaptations. Their fur is white or cream colored. This helps them to camouflage, or blend in. Camouflage allows them to sneak up on their prey. They have good eyesight and hearing, and their keen sense of smell helps them to hunt. Strong jaws and sharp canine teeth help them to bite and kill their prey. Wolves use their one-foot long tails to communicate with other wolves. For example, a high tail means the wolf is dominant, or a pack leader. A drooping tail means the wolf is relaxed.

Arctic wolves are carnivores, or meat eaters. Sometimes they hunt in packs, or groups, to take down larger prey such as caribou and musk oxen. The pack works together to separate weak or young prey from a group. They kill their prey using strong jaws and sharp teeth to bite the neck. Wolves also eat smaller prey such as lemmings and arctic hares. They can eat up to 20 pounds in one meal. Wolves can live for weeks without food, if necessary.

Because Arctic wolves are top predators, they are not hunted by other animals. Humans, however, can be an enemy of Arctic wolves. The Inuit people, or native people, hunt wolves for their fur. They sell the fur and use it on their coats. Overall, Arctic


wolves have little human contact. They are not threatened, which means there are plenty of them in the wild.

The life cycle of Arctic wolves is fascinating. The male wolf and female wolf mate in the spring. In the summer, the mother gives birth to 2-3 babies, called pups, in the den. The pups are born blind, deaf, and helpless. Pups drink their mother’s milk for about one month. When the pups are one month old, the adults in the pack feed them. Soon, they begin to eat meat and learn to hunt. By one year old, they hunt for themselves. In the wild, wolves live about seven years.


Bald EaglesExpert Group

Name_____________________

Bald eagles are found only in North America. Half of all bald eagles live in Alaska. They live near lakes and rivers. They are found in freshwater habitats and salt water habitats.

Bald eagles build aeries, or nests, in the tallest tree they can find. Their nests are made of branches and twigs. Each year, eagles increase the size of their nests. Most nests are five feet in diameter.

Bald eagles have special adaptations. They have powerful wings for flying. They can even use their wings to swim. Their wingspan is about 7 feet. Eagles have excellent eyesight. They see in color, which helps them to find their prey. They can see fish in the water from 200 feet above. They use their strong, sharp claws, or talons, to grab and tear their prey.

Bald eagles are birds of prey. This means they hunt for their food. Their favorite thing to eat is fish. They glide down to the water and snatch the prey with their talons. They will also eat dead animals called carrion. They also eat smaller birds, snakes, and mice.

As a top predator, bald eagles are not hunted by other animals. However, bald eagles have an enemy: humans. Humans poach, or illegally hunt, bald eagles. Eagles also die


when they fly into power lines. Bald eagles were endangered from 1967-2007, but people worked hard to save the bald eagle, and there are now many eagles in the wild.

Bald eagles mate for life. The female lays 1-3 light-colored eggs. The male and female take turns incubating, or warming the eggs, but the female sits on the eggs most of the time. The eggs hatch in 35 days. The adults shred meat with their beaks and drop it in the eaglets’ mouths. After 10-12 weeks, eaglets fly and begin to hunt. Eagles live to be 20-30 years old in the wild.


Great Horned OwlsExpert Group

Name___________________

Great horned owls are found throughout North, Central, and South America. They live in a range of habitats including dense forests, deserts, plains, and even in city parks.

Great horned owls have special adaptations. For example, they can see at night to help them hunt their prey. This owl can see about 100 times better than a human. Their feathers are designed to fly silently so their prey cannot hear them coming. Great horned owls come in different colors depending on their habitat. They use their razor-sharp talons, or claws, to grab their prey. They also use their hooked beaks to grab and tear prey.

Great horned owls are birds of prey that hunt and kill animals for their food. They are nocturnal or nighttime hunters. Great horned owls prefer to eat rabbits and hares, but they also eat squirrels, birds, reptiles, fish, and even skunks. About 6-10 hours after eating, these owls regurgitate, or throw up, a pellet which contains the parts of the animal they could not eat. Pellets may include fur, teeth, bones, and feathers.


Great horned owls have no major predators but can be killed by other great horned owls. Their chicks are sometimes killed by hawks and other predators. Finally, these owls are sometimes killed by humans who shoot and trap them. Some owls are accidentally killed when they fly into power lines, and others are hit by cars. At this time, they are not endangered, and they have healthy numbers in the wild.

Male and female great horned owls mate for life. They do not build their own nest. Instead, they use an empty nest that was left by another bird or animal. The female lays 2-4 eggs, called a clutch. She incubates the eggs for 26-35 days. When the owlets are born, their mother and father feed them regurgitated food. At 6-7 weeks old, the owlets begin to roam onto the branches of the tree. They are called branchers. By 9-10 weeks old, the young owls fly well. In autumn, the young owls go off to find a mate and start their own families. They live for about 13 years in the wild.


OrcasExpert Group

Name_____________________

Orcas are found in all of the world’s oceans, but they are most commonly found in the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. They live in small groups, called pods. A pod consists of 5-30 whales that stay together for life. A female orca is the leader of the pod.

Orcas are mammals and the largest and fastest members of the dolphin family. They can swim quickly to catch their prey. They have powerful muscles in their jaws to hold their prey. Orcas also have large, cone-shaped teeth that they use to tear big chunks of flesh. Their tale is called a fluke, and they swim by moving their tales up and down. They also have excellent hearing and eyesight which helps them to hunt, but they have no sense of smell.

Orcas are carnivores. They eat only meat. They often work together to catch their prey. They use echolocation to find their prey. Their high-pitched clicking sounds stun their prey before they bite and kill it. Orcas prefer to eat fish and squid, but they will also eat sharks, seals, sea turtles, octopuses, and other whales.


Healthy orcas have no natural enemies. However, sharks will prey on old, young, and weak orcas. They are sometimes killed by whalers, or people who hunt for whales. They are also in danger because their food sources are declining, and pollution in the oceans can make them sick. The population of orcas worldwide is unknown, but their status is thought to be stable.

The life cycle of orcas is fascinating. A male orca and a female orca usually mate in summer. After 16 to 17 months, mothers usually give birth to one calf. It is born tail-first. Within 10 seconds, the mother helps the calf swim to the surface to breathe. When they are born, calves are 8 feet long. The calf drinks its mother’s milk, which is very rich and helps the calf to put on blubber (fat). By one year old, the calf is weaned. The whole pod helps to take care of calves. Orcas live for about 50 years in the wild.


Animal Habitat Adaptations Diet/Prey Enemies/Status Life Cycle

Grizzly Bear

Bengal Tiger

Arctic Wolf

Great Horned Owl

Orca

Bald Eagle


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