0 science Amphibians

The Method's the Key! By Trista L. Pollard 1 Some of the best inventions happen by accident, like Toll House cookies. However, most inventions happen after many years of research. Scientists test and retest ideas hoping to solve scientific puzzles. Good scientists use a process called the scientific method. 2 The scientific method is a series of problem solving steps that help scientists answer scientific questions. You also use the scientific method when you work on experiments in your classroom. Scientists use this method to prove or disprove a scientific question. These questions usually are asked after scientists have made observations. An observation happens when you use your senses to notice your environment. For example, as you leave for school, you notice that your mildly curly hair became very curly (almost frizzy) as soon as you walked out of the door. You are not happy about this development, since it took you a long time to get your hairdo just right. Although annoying, this is an observation. 3 After observing your high hair, you ask yourself, "Why does my hair become very curly when I step outside?" This is your scientific question. You start to guess or think about possible reasons for your frizzy hair. The time has come for you to make a good guess or a hypothesis based on your observations. You predict that your hair becomes very curly because of the humidity in the air. To prove your hypothesis, you need to develop a procedure or plan to test your prediction. 4 Your plan is very simple. Since you heard on the news that the humidity would be high tomorrow, you decide to (1) do your hair again and (2) step outside the door and see what happens. These two steps will allow you to see if humidity causes mildly curly hair to become curlier. When you wake up in the morning, you go through your usual hair routine. When you step outside, you are not disappointed because your hair becomes even curlier today since the humidity is even higher. Now you are ready to record your results. 5 Scientists record their results either with pictures or with words. They use charts, graphs, diagrams, and summaries to communicate their results. In this case, you may wish to mentally note what happens to your hair on humid days. You might also choose to share the results or data with your friends at the lunch table in school. You could also write a short paragraph about your experiment and give it to your teacher. However, before you record your results make sure you include a conclusion. This conclusion or statement tells the results of your experiment. Your conclusion is, "When people with curly hair walk outside on humid days, their hair may become curlier depending on the amount of humidity." 6 You are probably feeling good about your results and think that your scientific study is over. However, good scientists also ask more questions, record more observations, and offer more suggestions about the subject they are studying. You may ask, "Is there a way to prevent my hair from becoming curlier or frizzy on humid days?" After researching your new question, you could offer suggestions to other people with your dilemma. Keep in mind, that whatever scientists investigate, they know that the scientific method is the key to unlocking scientific secrets. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Method's the Key! 1. A hypothesis is____________. A prediction or guess that is not based on observations A prediction or guess based on observations A result of an experiment None of the above 2. The scientific method is one step scientists use to solve scientific problems. False True 3. What is an observation? 4. Which statement is not a prediction? I think the balloon will pop when the chemicals react. I think the salt will dissolve when I add water to the cup. I think I will stay home tonight. I think the wood will float when I put it into the water. 5. What is a conclusion? 6. When a person with curly hair goes outside on a very humid day, nothing happens to the person's hair. False True Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Method's the Key! 7. Before the hypothesis was made, it was observed that ___________. The mildly curly hair fell out when it was very humid outside The mildly curly hair changed colors when it was very humid outside The mildly curly hair became straighter when it was very humid outside The mildly curly hair became curlier when it was very humid outside 8. Scientists do not record their results after completing experiments. False True The Method's the Key! - Answer Key 1 A prediction or guess based on observations 2 False 3 An observation occurs when you use your senses to notice your environment or the world around you. 4 I think I will stay home tonight. 5 A conclusion is a general statement that is made based on testing a hypothesis. The conclusion will state whether your hypothesis has been proven true or false. 6 False 7 The mildly curly hair became curlier when it was very humid outside 8 False

Communication is the Key By Trista L. Pollard 1 After scientists unlock mysteries in their laboratories, they need to provide the key for the rest of the world to understand their discoveries. That key comes in the form of the science process skill called communication. Once scientists have completed their observations, measurements, and experiments, they need to communicate or record their results. Scientists define words operationally, describe observations of objects and events, and construct visual aids to explain their results. 2 When scientists define words operationally, they describe the words by their actions. For example, let's say that you are researching an important test question in class. You are trying to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Charms Blow Pop©. Before you can start the actual experiment, you need to define the word lick. As a class, you determine that a complete lick would be "from the bottom of the lollipop to the top of the lollipop on one side." This is important because even though everyone eats lollipops by putting them in their mouths, we have different ways of licking the lollipops. Your class would also need to define operationally how you would know you reached the center of the lollipop. This could be accomplished by saying, "Reaching the center means the candy coating is not covering any portion of the bubblegum." Operational definitions help scientists to narrow the guidelines they will use to help study objects and events. 3 Once you have gathered data about your lollipop licks, you need to record that data. Like scientists, you can write your information in a data log or on a data sheet. Your information may include the average number of licks that students took before they reached the center of the lollipop. You may also include measurements taken of the lollipops before and after the experiment. This information would be useful to determine the thickness of the candy coating on the lollipop. Your partner could also write what he or she observed (drool and all) as you made your way to the center of the blow pop. If scientists did not record the data they acquired after experiments and observing events and objects over time, we would not have information about some of the world's most famous inventions. 4 When scientists record their data, some of that information is recorded in the form of visual aids. Scientists will draw graphs and charts to show changes in objects and events over time, for example plant growth over a period of months. They may make diagrams and pictures to show the steps of certain events like the life cycle of frogs. Maps would be designed to demonstrate how volcanologists can find the location of active volcanoes. A common way of displaying scientific results is to construct a model or to organize an exhibit. By using models and exhibits, scientists could demonstrate how objects work and how events occur. 5 There are many ways to find the answers to science's most probing questions. However, there is only one key to making these answers public, and that is through scientific communication. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Communication is the Key 1. Scientists use different forms of communication to _______. Record their autobiographies Record their summer vacations Record their scientific results None of the above 2. Defining words operationally means to describe the words based on their actions. False True 3. Scientists use models and exhibits to ________. Demonstrate how measurement occurs Demonstrate how science changes over time Demonstrate how time is used in laboratories Demonstrate how objects work and events occur 4. What would be the best forms of communication to describe changes in animal populations in a certain area over time? 5. What do scientists use to record data acquired from observations? 6. Scientists design maps to list changes in events over time. False True Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Communication is the Key 7. Diagrams and pictures may be used to show ___________. The results of stopping certain events The steps that occur in certain events The operational definitions of an experiment The growth of certain objects 8. What would be the best form of scientific communication to demonstrate a food chain that occurs in nature? Communication is the Key - Answer Key 1 Record their scientific results 2 A, True; for example, scientists may describe the softness of rocks as those rocks that can be scratched with a fingernail. 3 Demonstrate how objects work and events occur 4 (Possible Answer) Scientists may use a chart to describe the populations in an area and a graph to show how populations change over a certain period of time. 5 Scientists may use data logs and data sheets to record information acquired from observations. 6 B, False; scientists design maps to show location of specific areas. 7 The steps that occur in certain events 8 A diagram or a picture would be the best form of scientific communication to demonstrate a food chain.

1 Cells multiply by dividing. The process known as cell division allows living things to grow bigger. Cell division also helps living things replace old or injured cells. When one cell divides, it splits into two new cells. The two new cells are called daughter cells. 2 A human body cell contains 46 (that's two sets) chromosomes. This is called the diploid number of chromosomes. One set of 23 chromosomes came originally from your father while the other set came from your mother. These 46 chromosomes contain all the genetic information to make you, you. As you grow or your body needs repairing, your cells divide. If you think of chromosomes as a way of packaging DNA, then mitosis is a way of making sure that the chromosomes and the DNA they contain are split equally when a cell divides. 3 Before a eukaryotic cell (that's a cell with a true nucleus) divides, the genetic material in the nucleus of the cell copies itself. When the cell divides, the genetic material divides in half so that each daughter cell gets genetic material that is the same as the parent cell's genetic material. The dividing of the nuclear material is known as mitosis. In the last stage of cell division, the cytoplasm divides as well. That is known as cytokinesis. There are now two complete cells where there used to be one. 4 Cell division occurs in a predictable series of stages or phases. These steps make sure that the new daughter cells are the same as the cell from which they formed. Each stage has a name. The first stage actually takes place before cell division starts. It is called interphase. As a cell prepares to divide, each chromosome in the nucleus makes an exact copy of itself. This process is called replication. The two copies are called sister chromotids. If you're looking at cells under a microscope, the individual chromosomes are not visible at this stage. 5 During prophase, the nucleus prepares for cell division. The genetic material shortens and thickens. With a microscope, you can see the chromosomes. The chromosome copies are held together at their centers, called centromeres, so they look like an X. The nuclear membrane starts to break down. 6 During metaphase, the two copies of each chromosome line up in the center of the cell, called the metaphase plate. The copies of the chromosomes are attached to protein fibers which form the spindle. 7 During anaphase, the copies separate. One complete set of chromosomes is pulled by the spindle fibers to one side of the cell. The other complete set is pulled to the other side of the cell. A new nuclear membrane forms around each set of sister chromosomes. 8 Telophase is the final stage of cell division. Two groups of chromosomes are now located at opposite ends of the cell. They begin to uncoil and can no longer be seen with a microscope. The cytoplasm pinches in at the center of the cell. The cell membrane encloses each, dividing the original cell in half. In plant cells, each daughter cell will construct a new cell wall around itself. 9 When cell division is complete, two new daughter cells are formed. The daughter cells are identical to the parent cell. To help you remember the stages in order, you can remember this: I picked my apples today. The first letter of each word of the phrase begins with the first letter of the phases. I stands for interphase (before mitosis starts), p stands for prophase, m stands for metaphase, a stands for anaphase, and t stands for telophase. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Mitosis 1. What happens when a cell divides? 2. A human body cell with a diploid number of chromosomes has ______. 23 chromosomes 98.6 chromosomes 46 chromosomes 3. Mitosis is ______. Cell division in prokaryotes Dividing of the nuclear material, including genetic material Dividing of cytoplasm 4. Chromosomes are replicated or copied in ______. Interphase Metaphase Anaphase 5. What are the four stages of mitosis? Interphase, synthesis, prophase, metaphase Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase Interphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase 6. During metaphase, what happens to the chromosomes? Each copy goes to opposite ends of the cell. Both copies line up across the center of the cell. They are all mixed up and hard to see. 7. During telophase, what happens? Two groups of chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell. Spindle fibers pull them apart. Two groups of chromosomes go to opposite ends of the cell. The cytoplasm divides, and two new cells are formed. The cell is growing and replicates or copies its chromosomes. 8. When cell division is complete, what has been formed? Two new sister cells with different chromosomes Two new daughter cells with identical chromosomes Two new sister chromotids Mitosis - Answer Key 1 One cell splits into two new cells. 2 46 chromosomes 3 Dividing of the nuclear material, including genetic material 4 Interphase 5 Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase 6 Both copies line up across the center of the cell. 7 Two groups of chromosomes go to opposite ends of the cell. The cytoplasm divides, and two new cells are formed. 8 Two new daughter cells with identical chromosomes

Egg-citing Osmosis By Cindy Grigg 1 Osmosis is the movement of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane to a region of low water concentration. Semi-permeable means that the membrane lets certain substances pass through it into and out of the cell. Osmosis is an important topic in biology because it is the main way that water is transported into and out of cells. Osmosis is a type of passive transport. The cell does not need to use any energy to carry out osmosis. 2 Here is a great experiment to do at home. Start with a raw egg, an animal cell. Put it into a clear glass or plastic container. Pour in white vinegar until the egg is covered with the vinegar. Let the egg sit in the vinegar overnight. Next, take the egg out carefully and gently wash it under running water. The shell should be gone, and the membrane containing the egg is left. Vinegar is an acid, and it will dissolve the calcium carbonate of the shell. Measure the egg with a cloth tape measure. Handle the egg gently because it is easy to break the membrane, and your experiment will be over too soon. Write down the circumference of the egg so you don't forget it. Rinse out the vinegar container and dry it. Carefully put the egg back into the container. Pour in enough white syrup to cover the egg. Wait two days. Now, look into the container. What do you see? 3 You will see water floating on top of the white syrup. At the sink, take the egg out of the syrup and carefully rinse it under running water. The egg is smaller, wrinkled, and harder. Use the cloth tape measure and measure the circumference. You will find that the egg got much smaller! Why? Osmosis is the answer. Eggs have a great deal of water in them. Syrup has less water. The water inside the egg moved through the membrane, and you saw it floating on top. 4 Many plant cells perform osmosis. Plant cells store water in a large central vacuole. This stored water is what makes a plant "stand up." When we forget to water our houseplants, they may wilt because the cells shrink as the plant uses up its stored water. The plant will actually fall over. When we water the plant, the roots take up the water, and it moves through the cells by osmosis. If we're lucky, the plant will stand up again. Sometimes the plant will die if it has been without water for too long. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Egg-citing Osmosis 1. What is osmosis? A type of active transport A type of passive transport The movement of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane to a region of low water concentration Both B and C 2. What does semi-permeable mean? Nothing can pass through Only water can pass through Certain substances can pass through 3. Osmosis does not cost the cell any energy. False True 4. Why does vinegar dissolve egg shell? Vinegar is an acid that will dissolve the shell. Vinegar is a base that will burn the shell off. Vinegar is a liquid that washes the shell away. 5. What happens to the egg after two days in corn syrup? The egg gets bigger. The egg gets smaller, wrinkled, and harder. The egg gets smaller. 6. Why do you see the results that you do in the egg experiment? The egg gets smaller and wrinkled because water passes from inside the egg into the syrup. The egg gets bigger because water passes from the syrup into the egg. The egg doesn't change at all because nothing can pass through the egg. Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Egg-citing Osmosis 7. What happens to a plant that doesn't get enough water? The plant uses up its stored water and wilts. The plant loses water by osmosis and wilts. The plant wilts because of condensation. 8. Why is osmosis important in biology? Because plants use osmosis to get water Because osmosis happens in human bodies Because it is the main way that water is transported into and out of cells All of the above Egg-citing Osmosis - Answer Key 1 Both B and C 2 Certain substances can pass through 3 True 4 Vinegar is an acid that will dissolve the shell. 5 The egg gets smaller, wrinkled, and harder. 6 The egg gets smaller and wrinkled because water passes from inside the egg into the syrup. 7 The plant uses up its stored water and wilts. 8 All of the above

Density: Sink or Float? By Cindy Grigg 1 Here's an easy science experiment to do at home. Take a can of regular soda and a can of diet soda and put them into a container of water. Most likely the regular soda will sink, and the diet soda will float. Why? The answer is density. 2 What is density? Density is simply the amount of "stuff" in a given space. Scientists measure density by dividing the mass of something by its volume (d = m/v). The volumes of both cans of soda are the same. To find the mass of the sodas, you would have to use a scale. When you find the mass of each of the cans of soda, you will see that they are different. Even though both cans are exactly the same size and shape and have exactly the same volume of soda (twelve fluid ounces), the masses are different. This is because the can of regular soda has more density due to the sugar dissolved in the soda. It will be heavier than the diet soda, and that is why it will sink. 3 Density is an important physical property of matter that describes how closely the atoms of a substance are packed together. The more closely packed the atoms, the more density the substance has. Since different substances have different densities, scientists can measure the density of a substance to identify the substance. They can also use the measure of density to find out if the substance will sink or float. 4 Density is actually a ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. Mass is the amount of matter contained in a substance and is commonly measured in units called grams (g). Volume is the amount of space that the substance takes up, and it is commonly measured in either cubic centimeters or in milliliters. One cubic centimeter is equal to one milliliter. Since density is a ratio of mass to volume, density is written as grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) or grams per milliliters (g/ml). 5 Each substance has its own density based upon the amount of its mass per volume. Water has a density of one. Liquids and solids with a density greater than one will sink. If the density of an object is less than one, then the object will float. Let's look at an example. A rock might have a mass of 2,268 g and occupy a volume of 1,230 cm3. The density of the rock is: 2,268 g/1,230 cm3 = 1.84 g/cm3 Since we calculated the density to be greater than one, we know that this rock would sink if placed in water. 6 Have you ever noticed what happens to a bottle of oil and vinegar salad dressing after it has been shaken? The shaking causes it to mix, but if it sits for a while, the oil will rise to the top and the vinegar will settle to the bottom of the bottle. This happens because oil is less dense than vinegar. 7 Density also explains why ice floats. Ice is just frozen water, right? So why does ice float in water? When we find the mass of an ice cube and divide that by its volume, we come up with about .92. Ninety-two hundredths is less than one, so the density of ice is less than that of water. Ice floats because the ratio of its mass to volume is less than one. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Density: Sink or Float? 1. What is density? The amount of "stuff" in a given space A ratio of a substance's mass to its volume Density = mass/volume All of the above 2. Density is what kind of property? Chemical property Atomic property Physical property 3. What does density have to do with atoms? Density describes how closely the atoms of a substance are packed together. Density describes how atoms float. Density describes how many atoms are in a substance. 4. All substances have the same density. False True 5. Scientists can use the measure of density to tell if something will float. False True 6. What is mass? The amount of space something takes up. The amount of matter in a substance Measured in grams or kilograms Both B and C 7. What is volume? The amount of space something takes up. The amount of matter in a substance Measured in cubic centimeter or milliliters Both A and C 8. What is the density of water? 2,268 .92 1.84 1 Density: Sink or Float? - Answer Key 1 All of the above 2 Physical property 3 Density describes how closely the atoms of a substance are packed together. 4 False 5 True 6 Both B and C 7 Both A and C 8 1

Eureka! Density! By Cindy Grigg 1 What is density? Density is simply the amount of "stuff" in a given space. Scientists measure density by dividing the mass of something by its volume (d = m/v). This is a story about how the concept of density was first "discovered." 2 It is the story of a Greek mathematician named Archimedes who lived around 250 B.C. The King of Syracuse, where Archimedes lived, thought that he was being cheated by the metal craftsman who made his golden crown. The King called Archimedes to him and gave him the task of finding out whether the craftsman had replaced some of the gold in the King's crown with silver. Silver was worth less money than gold, and it also was an insult to the King to be wearing a crown that was not pure gold. 3 The King gave Archimedes some rules. Archimedes could not damage the crown in any way. He could not melt down the crown to see if it was made of other metals. He could not scratch the crown to see if there was silver underneath the golden outside. Archimedes thought about the problem while taking a bath. As he entered the bathing pool, he noticed that water spilled over the sides of the pool. He realized that the amount of water that spilled was equal in volume to the space that his body occupied. This fact suddenly provided him with a method for finding out if the King's crown was made of pure gold. 4 Archimedes knew that silver is not as "heavy" as gold. (Actually, silver has less density than gold.) Because an amount of silver occupies more space than an equivalent amount of gold, Archimedes placed the craftsman's crown and a pure gold crown of the same mass in two tubs of water. He found that more water spilled over the sides of the tub when the craftsman's crown was submerged. It turned out that the craftsman had been cheating the King! Legend has it that Archimedes was so excited about his discovery that he ran naked through the streets of Syracuse shouting "Eureka! Eureka!" which is the Greek word for "I have found it!" 5 When Archimedes stepped into his bathing pool, not only did he realize that water spilled over the edges, but he also noticed something that we all notice when we go swimming - he felt lighter. The ability of an object to float when it is placed in a liquid is called buoyancy, and it is related to density. If an object is less dense than the liquid in which it is placed, it will float on the liquid. If it is denser than the liquid, it will sink. 6 For example, wood floats on water because it is less dense. Steel sinks because it is denser than water. How can large steel ships float? Large ships have a tremendous amount of space in them that is filled with air. The cabins, halls, and dining room are all filled with air. While steel is denser than water, air is less dense. Metal ships can float because their total density is less than that of the water that they float on. When the Titanic struck an iceberg, water rushed in and replaced the air in the ship's hull. As a result, the total density of the ship changed and caused the ship to sink. 7 Archimedes had a problem to solve. He came up with a hypothesis based upon his observations, and he found a way to test his hypothesis. Archimedes used the scientific method to solve the King's problem. Archimedes also used what he knew and applied it to his problem. This is the basis for all science. You can be a scientist like Archimedes, too! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Eureka! Density! 1. Who "discovered" the concept of density? Galileo Aristotle Archimedes Ptolemy 2. About how long ago did Archimedes live? 2,260 years ago 2,000 years ago 250 years ago 2,000,000 years ago 3. Where did Archimedes live? France Rome Greece New York 4. What did the King want Archimedes to do? Find gold. Find out if the crown was pure gold. Find out if the craftsman had cheated him. Both B and C 5. How did Archimedes find the truth? He weighed the crowns. He took a bath. He melted the crowns. He put two crowns in water and saw which one displaced more water. 6. What does "Eureka!" mean? I have lost it! I have saved the King! I have forgotten my clothes! I have found it! 7. If an object is less dense than the liquid it is put into, it will ______. Sink Float Shine Melt 8. If an object has a higher density than the liquid it is put into, it will ______. Melt Sink Shine Float Eureka! Density! - Answer Key 1 Archimedes 2 2,260 years ago 3 Greece 4 Both B and C 5 He put two crowns in water and saw which one displaced more water. 6 I have found it! 7 Float 8 Sink

Fireflies By Vickie Chao 1 What is the best way to attract attention in the dark? 2 Flashing lights, of course! 3 To fireflies and many other animals, this solution is no secret. As they move about, they give off light. Some of them use the lights to find mates. Some of them use the lights to find food. Some of them use the lights to warn others that they taste bad. Whatever their intent is, this unique way of advertising really works! 4 If we want to witness such natural wonders in person, we may not need to venture far. Often enough, we just need to go to our backyards or an open grassy field. At nightfall, fireflies (or lightning bugs, as they are often called) come out, flashing yellowish-green "cold lights." (Cold light is a very energy efficient light. It generates almost no heat in the process of making light. By comparison, the light bulbs we use at home are not energy efficient at all!) These insects perform this regularly in the summertime. Some fireflies go one step further. They can synchronize their flashes so they flicker in unison! 5 Fireflies are insects. But unlike what their name implies, they are actually not flies. They are beetles. To date, scientists have found more than 2,000 types of fireflies around the world. They all have three pairs of jointed legs. They have one pair of antenna. Most of them have two pairs of wings (hidden under their wing covers) and are dark colored. They prefer warm, humid areas. They are quite common in tropical and temperate places. 6 When fireflies come out at night, they make good use of the tiny chemical labs they carry near the end of their abdomens. As they dart around, they mix chemicals inside their slender bodies to make the lights. To be sure that their signals are not misread, different types of fireflies flicker their lights at different rates. Yet, even with that knowledge in mind, they need to be careful. That is because some fireflies are famous for mimicking other fireflies' signals. In this case, the copycat firefly makes signals of another firefly that is looking for a mate. When the innocent one comes near, it has no idea that it is flying straight into a trap. By the time it realizes its mistake, it is already too late! The mimicking firefly eats it! 7 Like all insects, fireflies begin their lifecycles as eggs. A female firefly lays a clutch of eggs in damp soil. Those eggs hatch in 2-4 weeks. Baby fireflies, or larvae, know how to glow in the dark right from the beginning. This amazing trait, plus their worm-like appearance at this stage, is why many people also call fireflies "glow worms." Firefly larvae are meat eaters. They like snails, slugs, and earthworms. When they find a meal, they inject a toxic enzyme into the prey. This toxic enzyme does two things. One, it paralyzes the prey. Two, it slowly liquefies the victim. After the poor animal is finally turned into soup, firefly larvae move in and slurp it up! 8 Firefly larvae spend most of their time hunting and eating. They do so until fall. In the wintertime, they burrow underground. Once the weather warms up again in spring, they come out and keep on eating. Before becoming adults, they make pupae and hide themselves inside for about two weeks. When they emerge, most have developed wings and they fly away. Some stay wingless. Adult fireflies do not live very long. They die after about a season or two. Given their short lifespan, they are very keen on finding mates -- some are even willing to forgo eating altogether! But as we all know by now, not all their searches for love end with success. At times, what they find can be death itself! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Fireflies 1. Which of the following about fireflies is true? Fireflies are vegetarians. All fireflies can fly. Fireflies are insects. Fireflies come out at night to look for mates in the wintertime. 2. How many pairs of legs does the firefly have? Three Two One Four 3. Which of the following is not the reason why fireflies make lights? To find prey To find a mate To warn other animals To stay warm 4. Which of the following does a firefly larva eat? Slugs Snails Earthworms All of the above 5. Fireflies generate a lot of heat when making lights. False True 6. What does "in unison" mean? At different times At the same time With music In discord 7. Which of the following environments suits fireflies the best? Hot and damp places Cold and dry places Cold and damp places Hot and dry places 8. Where does a firefly keep its "light factory"? Underneath its wings In its eyes Near the end of its abdomen In its mouth Fireflies - Answer Key 1 Fireflies are insects. 2 Three 3 To stay warm 4 All of the above 5 False 6 At the same time 7 Hot and damp places 8 Near the end of its abdomen

1 Fireflies are strange little insects. On warm summer nights, they fly around looking for mates. To "advertise" themselves, they send out light signals. At times, they even synchronize their flashes. The blinks brighten up the dark sky, making a lovely sight! 2 For sure, advertising for love is what makes fireflies famous. But it is not something only they can do. Under the sea, there is another kind of firefly that can perform the same trick. We call them sea fireflies. The Japanese call them umi-hotaru (umi means sea; hotaru means firefly). 3 Sea fireflies are tiny animals. They are totally unrelated to the fireflies on land in spite of their name. As a matter of fact, sea fireflies are not even insects, whereas fireflies are. Sea fireflies are crustaceans. Crustaceans are invertebrates. That means they do not have backbones. They have jointed legs and hard outer shells (exoskeletons) to protect their soft bodies. Most crustaceans live in water. Common examples include lobsters, shrimp, crabs, and clams. Clams, in many ways, resemble sea fireflies. Both of them have bivalve shells. Both of them are more or less oval shaped. 4 Sea fireflies like to hide in the sand during the day. At night, they come out to look for things for eat. They scan the seabed for food scraps. They hunt for sandworms. As they roam about, they occasionally flash a bright blue light. They produce the light by mixing two chemicals inside their bodies with oxygen and then ejecting the mixture from their upper lips. 5 Sea fireflies do not make the light because they are lost in the dark. Rather, they use it mostly to attract mates. When a male sea firefly is looking for a mate, he swims from the seabed toward the surface. As he does so, he leaves behind a trail of blue light. If a female sea firefly sees it and is interested, all she needs to do is to follow the trail of blue light to find the male. Oftentimes, there are many different types of sea fireflies living together. To avoid confusion, each type flashes the light at a different rate. Hence, there is no mix up! 6 Producing the light is a good way to find a mate in the dark. But it can backfire, too. As a male sea firefly gets busy sending out signals, he also puts himself in danger because all the predators around him now know where to find him. To turn away any unwanted attention, he can emit a series of stronger lights. Surprised by those mini "light bombs," many predators simply give up and swim away. 7 To a sea firefly, finding a mate is the number one reason why it produces light. But to us, the trick can be used on many other things as well. For example, during World War II, the Japanese army collected lots of sea fireflies. They dried them out. They ground them into a powder. When they marched at night, they added water to the powder to produce a low, intense light. They used this intense light to study maps. Thanks to umi-hotaru, the Japanese army was able to move about secretly and give their enemies a surprise attack the next day! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Sea Fireflies 1. What kind of animal is the sea firefly? It is an insect. It is a crustacean. It is a sponge. It is a sandworm. 2. Which of the following about the sea firefly is true? The sea firefly eats seaweed. The sea firefly uses its lights to find its way around. The sea firefly produces lights by mixing two chemicals inside its body with oxygen. The sea firefly is mostly active during the day. 3. Who used the sea firefly during World War II? The Germans The Japanese The Italians The Americans 4. Which of the following about the sea firefly is correct? The sea firefly hides its soft body inside a bivalve shell. Like the firefly on land, the sea firefly has wings. The sea firefly is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. The sea firefly looks like a snail. 5. Which of the following crustaceans resembles the sea firefly the most? Shrimp Lobster Clam Crab 6. Why do sea fireflies produce lights? To find mates To stay warm To find their way around All of the above Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Sea Fireflies 7. From where do sea fireflies eject the mixture that produces lights? Their upper lips Their jointed legs Their eyes Their shells 8. Different types of sea fireflies flash their lights at different rates. False True Sea Fireflies - Answer Key 1 It is a crustacean. 2 The sea firefly produces lights by mixing two chemicals inside its body with oxygen. 3 The Japanese 4 The sea firefly hides its soft body inside a bivalve shell. 5 Clam 6 To find mates 7 Their upper lips 8 True

Matter, Elements, Molecules, and Compounds By Cindy Grigg 1 What is matter? Matter is the stuff that makes up everything in the universe. Matter has mass and takes up space. Matter is made of atoms. Solids, liquids, gases, and plasma are all matter. When all atoms that make up a substance are the same, then that substance is an element. Elements are made of only one kind of atom. Because of this, elements are called "pure" substances. An atom is the smallest piece of an element that still has the properties of that element. For example, aluminum is a lightweight, shiny metal. If we took a piece of aluminum and cut it into small pieces, it would still be aluminum. It would still be a lightweight, shiny metal. The smallest piece would be called an atom. Atoms are so small they cannot be seen even with a microscope. Atoms consist of a nucleus that has protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons outside the nucleus. 2 Atoms of different elements can combine to make new substances. A molecule is formed when two or more atoms join together chemically. If atoms combine that are of two or more different elements, we call that a compound. All compounds are molecules, but not all molecules are compounds. When two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom, it becomes the compound water. The oxygen we breathe is actually two atoms of oxygen combined, so it is a molecule of oxygen. We use abbreviations for elements, molecules, and compounds. These abbreviations are called chemical symbols. The chemical symbol for an oxygen molecule is O2. 3 The compound water has a chemical symbol of H2O. This is like the "recipe" for water. It tells us that a water molecule is made of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Oxygen is a gas that we can't see, hear, smell, taste, or feel. But it's in the air we breathe, and without it, we would die. Hydrogen, also a gas, is the lightest substance on Earth. When two atoms of hydrogen join together with one atom of oxygen, those two gases make a liquid compound we call water. Water, a liquid at room temperature, is a very different substance from the two gases that it is made of. Many different compounds can be made when different atoms combine. 4 There are about 92 elements that naturally occur on Earth. Different sources will say different numbers of elements occur naturally. Many elements have been made by scientists in a laboratory. With that many elements to form combinations, many millions of different molecules and compounds can be made. How is that possible? Think of our alphabet. The English alphabet has 26 letters. Those 26 letters can be combined in different ways to make millions of words. Atoms are like the letters of the alphabet and the compounds they make are like words. 5 Now that you have learned the language of chemistry, you are ready to learn more about elements, atoms, and the ways they combine. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Matter, Elements, Molecules, and Compounds 1. What is matter? The stuff that makes up everything in the universe Has mass and takes up space Is made of atoms Can be solid, liquid, gas, or plasma All of the above 2. What is an element? A pure substance Made of only one kind of atom Both A and B None of the above 3. What is an atom? A gas The smallest piece of an element that still has the properties of that element A metal A solid 4. Atoms consist of ______. Gases Two or more molecules A nucleus that has protons and neutrons with electrons outside Solids 5. Abbreviations for elements, molecules, and compounds are called ______. Abbr. Shorthand Chemical symbols Letters 6. Elements are called "pure" substances. Which synonym of "pure" best fits the orginal meaning of this sentence? Clean Unmixed Complete Uncontaminated Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Matter, Elements, Molecules, and Compounds 7. Hydrogen, also a gas, is the lightest substance on Earth. What is meant by the word "lightest"? Having the most luminosity Weighing the least amount Having the least amount of color Having the least amount of darkness 8. Atoms are like the letters of the alphabet and the compounds they make are like words. This sentence: Matter, Elements, Molecules, and Compounds - Answer Key 1 All of the above 2 Both A and B 3 The smallest piece of an element that still has the properties of that element 4 A nucleus that has protons and neutrons with electrons outside 5 Chemical symbols 6 Unmixed 7 Weighing the least amount

How Chemical Reactions Happen By Cindy Grigg 1 Chemical reactions happen around us all the time. Some happen all by themselves like when plants use photosynthesis to chemically change energy from the sun into food. People also cause chemical reactions to happen. Cooking food and burning fuel cause chemical reactions. A chemical reaction is a process when one or more substances are changed into other substances. How do they happen? It all can be explained by atoms. 2 Electrons surround the nucleus of an atom in layers called shells. The first shell, closest to the nucleus, is full with only two electrons. The second shell is full with eight electrons, and the third shell will also hold eight electrons. For the most stable atom, the outer shell needs to be full of electrons. To get a full shell, atoms will take or give up electrons to other atoms or share electrons with another atom. When this happens, a chemical reaction has taken place and a chemical bond has formed. 3 To better understand this, let's look at the sodium atom. Sodium has eleven electrons. Its first shell is full with two electrons, and its second shell is full with eight more electrons, making ten electrons. But since sodium has eleven electrons, it has one all alone in the third shell. To become more stable, sodium will easily give up that one electron so it will have a full shell. The extra electron will go to another atom that needs one electron to have a full shell. Chlorine is a good example. Chlorine has seventeen electrons: two in the first shell, eight in the second shell, and seven in the third shell. To be stable, chlorine needs to pick up another electron. It can take one electron from sodium. This forms a bond between the atoms of sodium and chlorine. A new compound, sodium chloride, or table salt, has been made. 4 This is one reason why atoms are arranged in the Periodic Table the way they are. Elements in the column on the far right side of the Periodic Table have full electron shells; they do not react easily with other atoms. This group of elements, "Group 0," is stable because of their full shells. They are called inert gases because they do not react with other atoms. The elements in the column on the far left side of the Periodic Table are very reactive; they only have one electron in their outer shell. This column is called "Group 1" because that tells you that those elements only have one electron in their outer shells. These elements are easily reactive; to become stable, they need to give up one electron. As you go from left to right across the Periodic Table, each column or group has an increasing number of electrons in their outer shells. 5 Some atoms share electrons with each other rather than give them up or take them. The most common is carbon, which has four electrons in its outer shell. Carbon bonds easily with other carbon atoms because four electrons plus four electrons makes a full shell. All living things have thousands of carbon compounds in them. 6 Chemical reactions happen when atoms gain, lose, or share electrons. When atoms react, energy is released. A battery produces electricity through a chemical reaction. Plants get food from a series of chemical reactions called photosynthesis. The word photosynthesis comes from two words: photo, meaning "light," and synthesis, meaning "to make something." In photosynthesis, plants use energy from the sun, water, and carbon dioxide to form chemical reactions that make sugar molecules. Water and carbon dioxide are called the reactants, the chemicals that react, and oxygen and sugar are called the products of the reaction. The plant uses the sugar to grow, and the oxygen is released back into the air to be breathed by animals and people. Breathing, or respiration, is also a chemical reaction. People and animals cannot live without it. Chemical reactions are happening around you all the time! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ How Chemical Reactions Happen 1. What are the layers of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom called? Layers Shells Orbits Paths 2. How many electrons will the first shell hold? One Two Eighteen Eight 3. How many electrons will the second shell hold? Eight Two One Eighteen 4. What makes the most stable atom? To have a group of different kinds of atoms near To have a full shell To have a group of the same kinds of atoms near To have a partner 5. Group 0 on the Periodic Table is ______. Stable, because their shells are full Unstable, because their shells are empty Neither stable nor unstable Unstable, because they have no electrons 6. Group 1 on the Periodic Table is ______. Unstable, because their shells are empty Stable, because their shells are full Unstable, because they have only one electron in their outer shell Neither stable nor unstable 7. What causes chemical reactions to happen? They happen when atoms gain, lose, or share electrons. People cause chemical reactions to happen. They happen by accident. 8. What is released when chemical reactions happen? Oxygen Sunlight Energy Food How Chemical Reactions Happen - Answer Key 1 Shells 2 Two 3 Eight 4 To have a full shell 5 Stable, because their shells are full 6 Unstable, because they have only one electron in their outer shell 7 They happen when atoms gain, lose, or share electrons. 8 Energy

Neil Armstrong By Sharon Fabian 1 When you are planning to go on a trip, you have to get things ready. You have to pack. If you're going to the beach for a vacation, maybe you pack swim suits, shorts, and T-shirts, but you might also pack a few warm clothes in case it gets cold at night. If you're planning a trip to someplace you've never been before, maybe you do a little research to find out what the weather is usually like there. Maybe you pack something to read, something to play with, or some sports equipment. If you're going on a business or study trip, you pack the materials that you will need while you are there. You might look up the best route on a map, or ask someone for directions. You might fill up the gas tank in your car, or buy a plane ticket. 2 In 1969, Neil Armstrong was planning a trip. For this trip, he couldn't choose a route from a road map, and there was no one who had taken the same trip before, so he couldn't just ask for directions. Neil Armstrong was planning a trip to the moon. If the trip went as he planned, he would be the first person ever to set foot on the moon. 3 Armstrong and the other scientists at NASA had a lot of planning to do. Since both the Earth and the moon are always moving, it would take a lot of very precise math to figure out how to get there and back. The weather would be unpredictable, as always, and might cause last minute changes in their plans. They had to choose a landing site. Since no one had ever been on the moon's surface, they had to make a scientific guess about where would be a good place to land. They chose a place named the Sea of Tranquility. 4 They had to pack too. Armstrong and his crew, Michael Collins and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, would have to take everything they would need for their eight-day journey. There would be no stopping for pizza on this trip. Not only would they have to pack all of their food, they would also need to take their own water, and even their own oxygen! They would need to pack special equipment to deal with the weightlessness in space and the low gravity on the moon. They needed to plan how they would keep warm in space. They also packed equipment for science experiments, including a seismograph, -- used to detect earthquakes (or moonquakes) -- and a laser that could be used to calculate the exact distance from the Earth to the moon. They took a camera, and containers to bring samples back to Earth. 5 Planning for this trip also involved lots of training. The three astronauts had to relearn many everyday things. Simple activities like eating and moving around would require new skills in the weightless atmosphere of the spaceship. 6 Finally it was time to go. Everything was ready, and the weather was right. On July 16, a huge Saturn V rocket blasted Armstrong, Collins, and Aldrin into orbit in their spacecraft, Apollo 11. For four days, they raced though space. Then, on July 20, while Collins orbited the moon in Apollo 11, Armstrong and Aldrin climbed into Eagle, their lunar landing vehicle, and headed straight for the moon. The spot they had picked for a landing turned out to be too rocky, but the astronauts maneuvered to a smoother area and landed. Armstrong was the first one to step out onto the moon. He had a short speech prepared for the occasion: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." 7 They took pictures of the moon, collected samples of moon rocks, set up their experiments, and all together spent just two and one-half hours on the moon. They left behind footprints that are probably still there today. 8 Then they started on their journey home. On July 24, they splashed down in the ocean, safely back on Earth. They must have been glad to be home, but what a trip it had been! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Neil Armstrong 1. Apollo 11 carried _____ astronauts. One Three Two Four 2. The module that landed on the moon was called _____. Eagle Saturn V Tranquility Apollo 11 3. The rocket that boosted them into space was called _____. Apollo 11 Saturn V Eagle Tranquility 4. Their spacecraft that flew to the moon was called _____. Saturn V Eagle Apollo 11 Tranquility 5. _____ astronauts landed on the moon. Three Four Two One 6. This article is mainly about _____. The moon's surface The Saturn V rocket Planning for a vacation Planning for a trip to the moon 7. Since there wasn't much room on the spacecraft, the astronauts only packed clothes and science experiments. 8. Footprints on Earth usually wash away or dry up and blow away after a while. Why do you think the astronauts' footprints are probably still on the moon? Neil Armstrong - Answer Key 1 Three 2 Eagle 3 Saturn V 4 Apollo 11 5 Two 6 Planning for a trip to the moon 8 There is no wind or water on the moon.

John Glenn By Sharon Fabian 1 When John Glenn was a young man, he didn't plan on a career in space flight. Glenn was interested in a career in the military, and in aviation in particular. When he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1942, he had no way of knowing that this would be the first step on his path to outer space. 2 Glenn's training in the cadet program prepared him to be a fighter pilot in World War II. Altogether he flew 59 combat missions in that war. After the war, Glenn became a flight training instructor, teaching young men who wanted to become pilots how to fly for the military. Then, in the Korean War, Glenn again flew combat missions as part of a marine fighter squadron. This time he flew a total of 63 missions. 3 Next, Glenn entered Test Pilot School. He was interested in the field of aircraft design. He also continued to fly. In fact, in 1957 John Glenn set a new speed record as he flew across the continent from Los Angeles to New York. 4 Glenn's career had been changing all along. As soon as he finished one job, he always looked for a new area to move into. But, in 1959 his career suddenly took off in an exciting new direction. NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, chose Glenn to be part of a group of men who would train to be astronauts for the Mercury missions. 5 NASA had a space mission scheduled for 1962, and it chose John Glenn to be the astronaut. This mission, Mercury 6, would be a history-making mission, because the Mercury 6 astronaut would be the first American to orbit the earth in space. 6 This Mercury mission had simple but important objectives: to put a man in orbit, to observe his reactions to being in space, and to return him safely to earth. 7 The Mercury 6 spacecraft, named Friendship 7, was carefully designed to help Glenn, and the astronauts on the ground at Kennedy Space Center, meet these objectives. The spacecraft had to protect Glenn from the tremendous heat and the acceleration forces that would occur as the spacecraft was launched and also as it reentered the earth's atmosphere. It was designed to allow the astronaut inside to take over some of the controls. The body of the capsule would hold the astronaut himself, the life support system, and the spaceship's electrical system. The blunt end of the capsule was where the very important heat shield was located. At the opposite end were the parachutes that would be used on reentry. A modified Atlas rocket would boost Mercury 6 into space. 8 The spacecraft was ready. So was Glenn. 9 The countdown began at T - 390 minutes. At 6:06 in the morning, on February 20, Glenn boarded the spacecraft. There were a few minor delays to make last minute adjustments, but then the countdown continued. Finally they were down to the last few seconds before liftoff. Five, four, three, two, one -- Glenn was blasted into orbit. His successful flight orbited the earth three times. It reached a maximum altitude of 162 miles, and a maximum speed of 17,500 miles per hour. When it was time to reenter the earth's atmosphere, the astronauts had a scare. They thought that the heat shield was coming loose. Glenn saw chunks of material that might be part of the heat shield flying by the window of the capsule. In the final minutes of the flight, everyone was nervously waiting to see if he would be able to return home safely. They were all relieved to see the Mercury 6 capsule splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. After four hours and 55 minutes in space, John Glenn was home. Seventeen minutes after splashdown, the capsule was picked up by a US destroyer. After it was brought aboard ship, Glenn stepped out. He had returned safely! 10 John Glenn was a hero. His career had taken him into earth orbit and back. 11 However, Glenn didn't stop there. His popularity as a space hero helped him get elected to the US Senate. There the story of John Glenn began a new chapter. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ John Glenn 1. John Glenn was _____. A fighter pilot An astronaut A senator All three 2. John Glenn was _____. The first man to orbit the earth The first man to walk on the moon The first American to orbit the earth The first American in space 3. In the second paragraph, the word mission means _____. A homework assignment A combat plane flight A space flight A secret assignment 4. In the fifth paragraph, the word mission means _____. A space flight A secret assignment A homework assignment A combat plane flight 5. This article is mainly about _____. The Mercury space capsule John Glenn's work as a senator John Glenn's career John Glenn's early life 6. John Glenn's career could be described as _____. Successful Ambitious Distinguished All of the above 7. Which happened first? Glen orbited the earth in Mercury 6 Glenn became senator Glenn flew in the Korean War Glenn flew in WWII 8. From this article, you can infer that _____. Glenn was elected senator by only a few votes Glenn worked and studied hard Glenn was born in 1950 Glenn didn't really want to fly planes John Glenn - Answer Key 1 All three 2 The first American to orbit the earth 3 A combat plane flight 4 A space flight 5 John Glenn's career 6 All of the above 7 Glenn flew in WWII 8 Glenn worked and studied hard

Experimenting for Answers By Trista L. Pollard 1 There are many questions in life. Some are answered after little research; however, some go unanswered for many years, possibly forever. The way scientists search for the answers to their questions is through the science process skill called experimenting. 2 When you experiment in your science class, you may think you are just "doing something to see what happens." However, to true scientists, when you experiment you change objects or events to learn how nature changes them. Experimenting is one of the most important process skills because it also includes the other six process skills: observing, classifying, communicating, inferring, predicting, and measuring. During an experiment scientists state a hypothesis (a possible answer to the question) and design procedures with controlled variables to test their hypothesis. 3 When scientists ask questions, they make inferences that they want to test. This is called stating an operational question or scientific question. For example, you are helping your favorite physical education teacher clean out her equipment closet. As you are herding the various types of balls into their labeled bins, you observe one ball roll from the top shelf to the floor and bounce very high after it hits the floor. You began to wonder, "Does height at which the ball is dropped affect how high it will bounce?" You have just asked an operational question based on your observations. Operational questions help scientists to focus on the specific action they want to take to produce a result. In this case you want to determine if the ball's drop height will affect the ball's bounce height. 4 Now that you have your operational question to test, you need to develop procedures for your experiment. When scientists design experiment procedures, they think about the conditions they want to vary and the conditions they want to control within that experiment. Controlling variables is a huge part of experimenting. As a scientist you must control variables in order to determine what conditions in an experiment make a difference. Since you are testing whether drop height affects bounce height, you need to change the variable, drop height. You would keep the type of ball the same (i.e., large rubber playground ball), the way you measure bounce height the same (i.e., bouncing the ball near an upright meter stick), the manner in which you drop the ball the same, and change the drop height of the ball. You might choose three different levels at which to drop the ball. You may also include the same number of attempts for each drop height. Keep in mind that if the ball is not dropped in the same manner from each level of height in the same way for all attempts, you may have faulty conclusions at the end of your experiment. For example, let's say you decided to drop the ball with one hand for one attempt and both hands for the second attempt. This change, although slight, may impact your measurements - and as a result, your conclusions. 5 Once you have developed your procedures, you can begin the fun process of testing your hypothesis. You may also want to have some of your friends conduct the same experiment so that you can compare results. As scientists, you want to acquire as much data as possible so that you can make a sound inference or judgment about the data. You could also extend your operational question by observing if the type of ball or size of ball affects the bounce height. Give it a try. You may be surprised at the answers you acquire at the end of your experiment. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Experimenting for Answers 1. When scientists make hypotheses, they are making _______. Predictions they want to test Observations about experiment data Guesses Conclusions about experiment data 2. During scientific experiments, scientists do not control variables. False True 3. Designing procedures helps scientists to ________. Think about data from previous experiments Think about the variables they want to vary and control Think about the predictions they made for the experiment Think about the possible conclusions to the experiment 4. You are using magnets in the classroom. During science you keep hearing your classmate drop the magnets. What testable question can you develop based on this observation? Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Experimenting for Answers 5. In your science class you are studying properties of water, specifically buoyancy. Your teacher has given you a little toy boat for observing buoyancy. You have the option of using warm water and/or cold water. Keeping all of your available materials in mind, what question can you develop that is related to buoyancy? 6. You have developed the following hypothesis: If the type of ball used affects the bounce height of the ball, then the harder the ball, the higher it will bounce. What variables will you need to control in order to test this hypothesis? 7. You have developed the following hypothesis: If the size of the ball I use affects how high the ball will bounce, then the larger the ball, the higher it will bounce. What variables will you need to control in order to test this hypothesis? 8. Why do scientists need to conduct many attempts during an experiment to test their hypotheses? Experimenting for Answers - Answer Key 1 Guesses 2 B, False; an important part of experimenting is controlling variables to determine which conditions make a difference in the experiment. 3 Think about the variables they want to vary and control 4 (Possible Answer) Will dropping a magnet make it weaker? (POSSIBLE ANSWER) WILL DROPPING A MAGNET MAKE IT WEAKER? 5 (Possible Answer) Will my toy boat float higher in warm water than in cold water? (POSSIBLE ANSWER) WILL MY TOY BOAT FLOAT HIGHER IN WARM WATER THAN IN COLD WATER? 6 (Possible Answer) You will need to vary the type of ball (i.e., ping pong, tennis ball, small rubber ball, etc.) and keep the drop height the same for all balls for all attempts. 7 (Possible Answer) You will need to vary the size of the ball (i.e., small, medium, and large, etc.), keep the type of ball the same (i.e., all rubber balls of the same quality), and keep the drop height the same for all balls for all attempts. 8 Scientists do an experiment numerous times because they want to acquire enough data to make inferences or judgments based on that data.

The Measures of Science By Trista L. Pollard 1 Imagine a world where we did not know the boiling point of water. What if we could not record growth of plants and animals? How would you know the weekend had begun if you could not keep count of days, weeks, and months? Measurement has been an important part of our lives for centuries, and it is the reason that scientists are able to compare objects and events quantitatively. Scientists rely on measuring to describe comparisons numerically by using standard tools, models, scaling, sampling, and estimating. 2 Before standard tools like rulers, clocks, and scales, people used everyday objects to help find measurements or quantities of other objects. A simple example would be using an average adult foot to represent one foot in English or customary units of measurement. Large stones may have been used in simple balances to help measure the weight of objects. Even the sundial, the earliest form of the clock, used the shadows from the sun to help keep track of time. Today scientists use various tools like rulers, graduated cylinders, and scales to measure in English units (i.e., inches, feet, etc.) and metric units (i.e. centimeters, millimeters, etc.). Graduated cylinders are used to measure the volume of small objects in milliliters. Scales can be used to measure the weight of objects in grams and milligrams. Scientists also use thermometers and barometers to measure changes in the earth's temperature and changes in its air pressure over time. 3 Scientists build models and use scaling to represent objects that are far too large to show at their true size. Models are smaller objects that are built to represent the detail of larger objects. Scientists use smaller measurements that are in proportion or scaled to the measurements of the larger object the model represents. Scaling is also done to represent extremely large distances between objects, such as the planets in our solar system. Another example of scaling would be when architects build models of buildings. These models may have a scale where every inch of height stands for a certain amount of feet in height for the real buildings. When scientists build models, they are providing a visual image that helps others to understand scientific concepts (such as planetary motion) and objects (such as high speed trains). 4 There are times when scientists need to study populations of beings or sets of objects that are extremely large. Sampling and estimating are good methods for accomplishing this goal. When scientists sample populations or sets, they are looking at a small part of that population or set. After they have studied that small part, they use it to make generalizations or judgments about the whole population or set. Scientists who study events, like weather patterns, may need to estimate or form opinions about numerical data. An example would be when a meteorologist estimates the amount of inches of snow your town will receive that evening. Based on past records of similar weather patterns, he or she is able to predict a range of snowfall to come. 5 Measurement is an important part of scientific investigating and our daily lives. When scientists measure objects and events, they are communicating comparisons that help us to better understand our world. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Measures of Science 1. Scientists use measurement to _______. Record the procedures in their experiments Communicate comparisons numerically about objects or events Estimate the amount of hours an experiment will take None of the above 2. Scaling is a method for building models of very small objects. False True 3. Before there were standard tools to use for measurement, people used ________. Estimation to determine measurements of objects Scaling to determine measurements of objects Folktales to determine measurements of objects Everyday objects to measure and compare with other objects 4. What would be the best method for measuring the number of geese that appear every spring in a state? 5. How does scaling help scientists to represent models of our solar system? 6. When scientists estimate, they use past patterns of events to make numerical judgments about future events. False True Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Measures of Science 7. Graduated cylinders are used to measure the ___________. Length of small objects Volume of small objects Weight of small objects Width of small objects 8. Look around your classroom. Locate several small items (about ten) that you can measure. Imagine you did not have standard tools to measure these items. What could you use to help measure these items? List the items you chose and the non-standard tools you used to measure them. The Measures of Science - Answer Key 1 Communicate comparisons numerically about objects or events 2 B, False; scaling is used when models are made to represent extremely large objects or distances between objects. 3 Everyday objects to measure and compare with other objects 4 The best method would be to take a sampling of geese populations that appear during that time of year in a few small towns throughout the state. 5 Scientists can build a model that represents our solar system. They could use a scaled measurement that is in proportion to the size of the planets in our solar system. They can also use a scale to represent the distances between the planets. 6 A, True; scientists will use past patterns to help estimate future patterns. An example would be meteorologists who use past weather patterns to estimate snowfall amounts. 7 Volume of small objects 8 Answers will vary, but should include name of chosen object and the everyday object used to measure the items. Choice of everyday object should be make sense given the size of the chosen item (i.e. you would not use a paper clip to measure a doorway).

The Wolf By Vickie Chao Rewritten as a short reader by Cindy Grigg 1 Wolves are related to one of our favorite pets-dogs. But wolves aren't tame and cuddly. Wolves have forty-two sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Wolves run fast and travel in packs. A wolf pack is a group of six to ten animals that live and hunt together. When they team up, a pack of wolves can easily bring down prey more than ten times their size. It is not unusual for a wolf pack to kill deer, elk, and moose. 2 At one time, wolves could be found all over North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Sadly, their heyday is long gone. Unrestricted hunting and the destruction of their habitats has almost wiped out the entire wolf population. Today, they are endangered. 3 The gray wolf is the most common kind. Also called the timber wolf, the gray wolf is the largest member of the dog family. Gray wolves are known by different names, depending on where they live. For example, those that live in the Arctic are called Arctic wolves. Those that live in the southern U.S. to central Mexico are known as Mexican wolves. 4 The red wolf is another kind of wolf. It was hunted almost to extinction in the 1970s. Seventeen of them were captured to save them from extinction. Wolves almost never attack humans. They do attack farm animals. For this reason, they have long been shot, trapped, and poisoned. It is estimated there are only about one hundred red wolves still living in the wild. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Wolf 1. Wolves are _______. Endangered Unrestricted Extinct Cuddly 2. What is a pack of wolves? 3. Which type of wolf is the most common? Gray wolf Arctic wolf Mexican wolf Red wolf 4. You can infer that the ______ is the most endangered. Red wolf Arctic wolf Gray wolf Mexican wolf The Wolf - Answer Key 1 Endangered 2 A wolf pack is a group of six to ten animals that live and hunt together. 3 Gray wolf 4 Red wolf

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Axolotls By Sheri Skelton 1 Axolotls are a special kind of salamander. They live in Lake Xochimilco. This lake is near Mexico City. Axolotls aren't the same as most other salamanders. Axolotls spend their whole lives in water. They are happy to stay near the bottom of the lake. 2 The axolotl has a special condition known as neoteny. The axolotl doesn't go through a complete metamorphosis. It never loses its dorsal fin. The axolotl uses external gills to breathe. The gills look like feathers sticking out of the back of the axolotl's head. The head is wide. Another interesting feature is that the axolotl's eyes don't have lids. 3 Axolotls also have a special ability to regenerate their body parts. The axolotl doesn't grow scar tissue to heal a wound. Instead it grows a new body part. 4 Axolotls are usually black or spotted brown in color. Sometimes they are albinos and might be white or pale pink in color. The average length of axolotls is six inches. They can grow to twelve inches long. Axolotls are carnivores. They eat worms, insects, and small fish. 5 Axolotls used to be pretty safe in their natural habitat. They only had to watch out for herons and other birds. Now their waters aren't as safe. New fish have been put into the lake. These new fish eat young axolotls. The increasing population of people in Mexico City is also polluting the natural habitat of axolotls. Today the axolotl has become a critically endangered species. Care will have to be taken in order to keep this interesting salamander around for future generations.

1. How does an axolotl differ from most other salamanders? The axolotl changes colors to match its environment. The axolotl lives its whole life in water. The axolotl sheds its skins as it grows. The axolotl has only two front legs and no hind legs. 2. The axolotl is native to what country? Morocco Mongolia Mozambique Mexico 3. What do axolotls eat? Insects, worms, and small fish Only insects Algae and water lilies Algae and worms 4. How does an axolotl breathe? Through external gills Through its dorsal fin Through its nose Through slits on its back 5. How does an axolotl heal itself? Axolotls - Answer Key 1 The axolotl lives its whole life in water. 2 Mexico 3 Insects, worms, and small fish 4 Through external gills 5 The axolotl is able to grow new body parts.

Landforms By Sharon Fabian 1 Space aliens have just discovered earth! They are almost here! It's a nice sunny day, so they are looking out the windows of their spaceship to see what the earth looks like. What do they see first? 2 The first things that they would probably see are the shapes that make up the earth: the landforms and waterways. Large landforms like mountains and valleys can be seen from a long way up. Maybe you've seen some of them on pictures taken from a real spaceship flown by earth astronauts. 3 One good way to learn about the earth's landforms is to make a model of each one. You could use clay or other materials. One class made models from shaving cream! 4 Here are some of the main landforms. 5 mountain - Mountains are very high and rocky. They are higher than hills. Mountains can be pointed or rounded on top. The Himalayas are mountains. Mount Everest is the tallest one. hill - Hills are like mountains but smaller. Some hills used to be mountains, but they were worn down over many years by wind and rain. valley - Valleys are low land between two mountains. canyon - A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides. The Grand Canyon is one. plain - Plains are large areas of low, flat land. The flat middle part of the United States is called the Great Plains. plateau - A plateau is high like a hill, but flat on top like a plain. island - Islands are small pieces of land. Each one is surrounded by water, like Hawaii. peninsula - A peninsula is land that sticks out into the water. A peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides. desert - A desert is dry and sandy land. The Sahara Desert is a very large desert. swamp - A swamp is low land that is always soaked with water. Florida's Everglades are a good example. 6 Different plants and animals live on different landforms. Many kinds of large trees grow in the mountains. Bears live in the mountains, too. Grasses grow on the plains, and much of the plains have been turned into farmland to grow crops. At one time, huge herds of buffalo lived on the plains. Not too many plants grow in the desert, but cacti grow great there. Swamps are home to lots of watery plants and animals, like frogs. People live on almost all of these landforms now, but some are much more crowded with people than others. 7 If you were the alien, which landform would you choose to land your spaceship on? Would you choose a nice, flat plain? Or an island protected by water on all sides? What do you think you would see next? Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Landforms 1. This is low land between two mountains. Hill Plateau Valley Plain 2. This is like a mountain but smaller. Plain Valley Plateau Hill 3. This is land surrounded by water on three sides. Island Desert Swamp Peninsula 4. This is low wet land. Swamp Peninsula Island Desert 5. Japan is one of these. Peninsula Island Swamp Desert 6. The Grand Canyon is _____. A flat topped hill Land surrounded by water A deep, narrow valley with steep sides A dry, sandy area with no trees 7. The large shapes of land that make up the earth are all called _____. Waterways Mountains Peninsulas Landforms 8. Besides landforms, the other large features that cover the surface of the earth are _____. Deserts Islands Lakes Waterways Landforms - Answer Key 1 Valley 2 Hill 3 Peninsula 4 Swamp 5 Island 6 A deep, narrow valley with steep sides 7 Landforms 8 Waterways

Atoms and Matter By Cindy Grigg 1 Caption: A diagram of a helium atom with two protons, two neutrons, and two electrons. 2 Everything is made from atoms. Atoms are very tiny "building blocks." They make up all matter. Atoms make up elements and molecules. Everything is made of atoms. 3 Atoms are made of smaller pieces. The biggest part of an atom is its nucleus. The nucleus (normally) has two kinds of particles. They are called protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive electrical charge. (Remember that proton and positive both start with "P".) Outside the nucleus are electrons. Electrons have a negative electrical charge. 4 Hydrogen is a little different. Hydrogen is the lightest and simplest element. A hydrogen atom is so simple, it doesn't have a neutron! When an atom has the same number of protons and electrons, it is called a neutral atom. The positive and negative electrical charges are balanced. 5 When something is made of only one kind of atom, it is called an element. Gold and iron are two examples. Each element has properties or traits that make it different from any other element. 6 A molecule is made when two or more atoms chemically join together by sharing electrons. This is called a chemical or covalent bond. Water is a molecule made of one oxygen atom joined with two atoms of hydrogen. The chemical formula for water is H2O. This formula tells what water is composed of. It's like the recipe for water. 7 The number of protons, neutrons, and electrons determines the kind of matter. Every element has a unique number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Oxygen, for example, has eight of each. Oxygen is found in our air as a diatomic molecule. This means it is made of two atoms. Its formula is O2. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Atoms and Matter 1. Atoms are made of smaller pieces. Name them. 2. Which particle is found outside the nucleus? Neutrons Protons Electrons 3. ______ have a positive electrical charge. Protons Electrons Neutrons 4. ______ have a negative electrical charge. Electrons Neutrons Protons 5. When an atom has the same number of protons and electrons, it is called a ______. Neutral atom Ion Simple atom 6. When two atoms share electrons, it makes a ______ bond. Chemical Covalent Both A and B Neither A nor B Atoms and Matter - Answer Key 1 protons, neutrons, and electrons 2 Electrons 3 Protons 4 Electrons 5 Neutral atom 6 Both A and B

Giant Squid By Sheri Skelton 1 Can you imagine having eyes as big as basketballs? The giant squid has eyes that big. Each of its eyes measures about 12 inches in diameter. Giant squid have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. The only other animal with eyes that big is the colossal squid. Giant squid need big eyes. The big eyes help the squid to find food deep in the ocean where it is very dark. 2 The giant squid rivals the colossal squid for the title of the biggest invertebrate on Earth. The largest one ever found was almost 60 feet long and weighed almost one ton. The giant squid has a body called a mantle. The giant squid has small fins at the end of its mantle. The giant squid uses the fins to maneuver itself through the water. The giant squid propels itself through the water by pushing water out of its mantle through a siphon. The giant squid breathes through pairs of gills inside the mantle. The giant squid has eight arms and two longer tentacles. The giant squid uses the tentacles to bring food to its mouth. 3 Almost everything we know about giant squid has been learned from studying the carcasses of giant squid. The bodies of the giant squid either wash up on beaches or are captured in nets by fishermen. In 2004 researchers in Japan took the first pictures of a live giant squid living in the ocean. Two years later the same researchers made a film of a live giant squid. 4 Over the years many stories have been told about the giant squid. It is sometimes called the last great monster of the ocean. There is still much to learn about the giant squid. Scientists continue to study the carcasses of the giant squid, which have been found in all the oceans of the world. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Giant Squid 1. What is the body of the giant squid called? 2. What does the giant squid use to maneuver itself through water? Gills Tentacles Tail Fins 3. How have scientists learned most of what they know about the giant squid? From underwater diving expeditions that observe giant squid From cameras placed underwater From giant squid raised in captivity From carcasses of giant squid that have washed up on beaches or been captured in fishing nets 4. Which feature of the giant squid is the largest in the animal kingdom? Its eyes Its tail Its nose Its mouth 5. How does the giant squid breathe? Through nostrils Through its fins Through a blowhole Through gills Giant Squid - Answer Key 1 Mantle 2 Fins 3 From carcasses of giant squid that have washed up on beaches or been captured in fishing nets 4 Its eyes 5 Through gills

Basics of Insects 1 Insects are possibly the most successful animals on Earth! Half of the animals known to science - over one million species - are insects. They can be found in extremely harsh environments. From the Himalaya Mountains to the Sahara Desert, scientists have found insects. Indeed, insects are everywhere! Butterflies, bees, ants, cockroaches, and beetles are all insects. 2 Adult insects have three parts in their bodies - head, thorax, and abdomen. The head holds the insect's brain and mouth, as well as the sense organs such as eyes and antennae. Wings and legs are attached to the thorax. The abdomen contains the insect's heart, digestive system, and reproductive organs. In addition to three body segments, adult insects also have three pairs of jointed legs, one pair of antennae, and, usually, two pairs of wings. A hard, external skeleton covers all parts of an insect's body for the purpose of protection. This external skeleton is called the exoskeleton. Young insects molt (shed) all their exoskeletons several times before they grow to adult size. Once young insects become adults, they cannot grow any larger because their exoskeletons are formed. 3 Many animals also have jointed legs and an exoskeleton, but not all of them are insects! For example, spiders and scorpions are not insects for two reasons: they have eight legs, and they only have two body segments. The spider's and scorpion's head and thorax are merged together in a single structure. That special formation makes spiders and scorpions two-segmented animals (with their abdomen), instead of three-segmented ones like insects. 4 As annoying as some insects appear to be, they are very important to our environment. For example, bees help pollinate our crops. Pollination ensures that fruit and seeds are produced. Bees also provide us with honey and beeswax. Ladybugs eat insects like aphids that are harmful to plants. Of course, not all insects are good insects! Mosquitoes spread disease. Locusts eat our crops. Termites can destroy the wooden structure of our houses! Whether they are good or harmful, insects are part of the ecosystem. They need to exist in order to maintain the balance of nature. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Basics of Insects 1. Not all insects have six legs. Some of them have more. False True 2. Insects can only be found in a warm environment. For example, the Himalaya Mountains are too cold for insects to survive. False True 3. Which of the following animals are insects? Lobsters Spiders Termites Scorpions 4. Insects have three parts in their bodies. The three segments are the: 5. What do we call the external skeleton covering an insect's body? Plastic Bone Enamel Exoskeleton 6. Which of the following animals are not insects? Cockroaches Aphids Spiders Bees 1 False 2 False 3 Termites 4 head, thorax, and abdomen 5 Exoskeleton 6 Spiders Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 FIREFLY TERMITE BEE BEETLE BUTTERFLY FLEA FLY MOSQUITO CRICKET MOTH

Eye Identify! By Trista L. Pollard 1 What blinks and is your own video screen in your head? Your eyes, of course, and they are one of the five tools you use for observing your environment. To scientists, observing is a major beginning step to the exploration of scientific questions. When you observe objects or events in your environment, you use your five senses to identify properties, notice changes, and recognize similarities and differences. Each sense helps you to focus on specific details about those objects and events. 2 Seeing is believing and with your eyes you are able to notice properties such as size, shape, and color of objects. You are also able to notice how objects interact with each other. For example, when you sit in front of the fireplace on a cold winter night, you notice that the fire causes the wood to turn into ash. That is a chemical change because the ash cannot change back into its original form, the piece of wood. 3 Your ears allow you to detect properties of sound like loudness, pitch, and rhythm. While listening to music, you notice subtle changes in the speed of the music, the types of instruments that are being used, and specific beats that are representative of different cultures. When you touch objects, you not only discover their size and shape, but you also find out about their texture. For example, as you compare two different types of toilet tissue, you may notice that the texture of one type is softer than the other type. Using your sense of touch can help you to compare similarities and differences between objects. 4 Taste helps you to notice the bitter, sweet, salty, and sour properties of food. Of course, as a scientist you cannot go around tasting everything in the laboratory, but you understand that it is still an important observation tool. Think about some of the world's greatest chefs. Although they follow a recipe, they will frequently taste their dishes to determine if they need to add more seasoning or other ingredients. Like scientists, chefs realize that the right mixture of ingredients will help them to achieve the perfect dish. 5 Finally, your sense of smell helps you to associate odors with objects. When people describe odors, they usually say, "It smells like..." to give others the idea about their smelling experience. An example of this would be describing perfume by saying, "It smells like a bouquet of roses." You use your prior experience with odors, good and bad, to describe the new odors that you encounter. 6 Given that science is not perfect, there are situations where using all of your senses is not possible. When people have lost their sense of sight or hearing, the other senses become sharper. They have to rely on those senses to make observations that others would make using their sight or hearing. 7 Once you have used your senses to observe your environment, then you are able to use the information to compare and contrast events and objects. An important part of observations is the ability to notice similarities and differences between events and objects. As a scientist, you would also notice how events and objects change over time. For example, you have recorded your observations about the properties of the cottage cheese you had for lunch. It's a solid, it looks white and lumpy, and it tastes reasonably good given that it is cottage cheese. If you choose to save a portion for mid-afternoon in your locker, then your nose may notice another interesting change. Not only will your locker have an interesting smell, but the cottage cheese will have a very different appearance. 8 As scientists observing is an important part of examining scientific phenomenon. You have been observing since you were an infant. Remember, the eye identifies the answers to future scientific puzzles. The other senses join along for the ride. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Eye Identify! 1. When observing, you use your _______ senses to notice events and objects in your environment. Five Nine Six Seven 2. Using your sense of sight is the only way to determine shape and size of an object. False True 3. Which of the following are observations that suggest properties of objects or events? That mixture is on the scientist's desk. That mixture is yellow with brown spots floating on top. The sweater at the Gap was nice. The car was parked in the student parking lot. 4. Which of the following are observations that suggest interaction between objects or events? A log burning in the fireplace. A sock lying on your bed. You watching television after dinner. A box sitting on the kitchen counter. 5. How does your sense of hearing help you to observe objects or events? 6. How does your sense of taste help you to observe objects? Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Eye Identify! 7. Your sense of smell allows you to ___________. Infer odors Associate odors with objects Communicate odors Predict odors 8. You are asked to compare a computer to a television. Describe what you would notice about these two objects including their similarities and differences. Eye Identify! - Answer Key 1 Five 2 False 3 That mixture is yellow with brown spots floating on top. 4 A log burning in the fireplace. 5 Your sense of hearing allows you to notice properties of sound like pitch, loudness, and rhythm. Your hearing also allows you to detect changes in those properties and to compare sounds to other previously heard sounds. 6 Your sense of taste allows you to notice the bitter, salty, sweet, and sour properties of food. 7 Associate odors with objects 8 Answers will vary, but should include reference to size, shape, and uses of both objects.

COMIC-E By Trista L. Pollard 1 So, you want to think like a scientist? Well, you can't buy scientific thinking at the "Science Market." In fact, everyone has the ability to think like scientists. All it takes is practice and the COMIC-E. What is the COMIC-E? It is a mnemonic device for the seven science process skills we use when we take on the role of scientists. These skills are classifying, observing, measuring, inferring and predicting, communicating, and experimenting. 2 Classifying happens when you put objects and events into groups based on certain properties. The most common properties for classifying are shape, size, and color. However, there are many different ways to classify objects and events. For example, you can classify animals into groups such as mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. You could also take some of those animals and make groups titled, "Mammals on Land" and "Mammals in Water." Classifying and observing are great partners for science. Without observation, classification becomes tough. 3 You have been observing your environment since you were a baby. Every time you used your senses to explore, you were making observations about your environment. When you use your senses, you identify objects and events based on their properties; notice changes in objects and events; and state differences and similarities of objects and events. Your senses help you to "make sense" of your world. 4 When you think of measuring, you often think of math. Measuring also happens in science to compare objects and events. Scientists use measurement to tell how long it takes for a liquid to boil. They also use temperature as a way to measure how hot the water becomes when boiled. Scientists measure lengths, volumes, and other dimensions. Standard tools and familiar objects can be used to measure or find quantity. Just think, when you were counting how many steps it took to get up the stairs, you were measuring like a scientist. 5 Inferring and predicting are partners when it comes to scientific thinking. When you infer, you interpret or explain what you have observed. For example, you reach out to pet your friend's cat Fluffy, but she runs away. You begin to feel sad because you think Fluffy does not like you. Your observation helped you to infer Fluffy's reaction to you. Prediction happens when you try to say what will happen in the future by using your past observations. Maybe you have tried to pet Fluffy many times before, and she has run away each time. You may now hypothesize or wonder why Fluffy runs away from you. This may cause you to try again. You may also predict that if you try again, she will run away. Inferring and predicting is a huge part of what scientists do to solve scientific puzzles. 6 Communicating happens when scientists present the data or information they have learned. Scientists use charts, diagrams, models, and writing to share their observations. They also define words, describe objects or events, and record data to keep track of their work. It was the communication in Thomas Edison's lab journals and his models that helped to show the world his light bulb. 7 Finally, we get to the skill of experimenting or the "doing" part of science. When scientists experiment, they change objects and events and compare them to the original objects and events. For example, if you were a "milk" scientist, you may want to see what happens if you leave the milk on the kitchen counter. After a certain amount of time, your mother will probably tell you how that milk compares to milk left in the refrigerator. When you experiment, you must have a hypothesis or an idea to test. You must also compare objects or events that are changed with matching objects or events that are unchanged. This is called controlling variables. You would then need to design a procedure or series of steps to test your hypothesis. Scientists may use all or some of the other six science process skills when they experiment. 8 At this point, you probably realize you have had the COMIC-E all of your life. Therefore, you have always been a scientist. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ COMIC-E 1. The COMIC-E stands for the _______. Nine science process skills scientists use Seven science process skills scientists use Six science process skills scientists use Eight science process skills scientists use 2. Observation happens when you use your senses to ignore objects or events in your environment. False True 3. How does predicting help scientists when they are experimenting? 4. Which statement is not an observation? This box of cereal is larger than the other box. The store at the end of the street has red bricks. I am going to the store this afternoon. Let's go to the bakery aisle where they are baking cookies right now. 5. What are the important components of an experiment? 6. Scientists ________ to present data or information. Communicate Infer Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ COMIC-E 7. After Fluffy ran away, you ___________ that she did not like you. Communicated Inferred Observed Predicted 8. Scientists communicate their results after completing experiments. False True COMIC-E - Answer Key 1 Seven science process skills scientists use 2 False 3 When scientists predict, they use past observations to make statements about future events. If scientists did not use prior knowledge or observations, they would repeat the same mistakes. 4 I am going to the store this afternoon. 5 In an experiment you need a hypothesis, controlled variables, and a procedure to test your hypothesis. 6 Communicate 7 Inferred 8 True

Compounds By Cindy Grigg 1 All matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. When different kinds of atoms join together, they form molecules called chemical compounds. In compounds, atoms of different elements are linked together. 2 Each group of linked atoms is called a molecule. Compounds may be made of many molecules. Compounds often have physical properties that are very different from the properties of the elements they are made of. For instance, oxygen in the air is in the form of a gas. Hydrogen is also a gas. When oxygen atoms join with hydrogen atoms, they form molecules of liquid water. What would happen if the atoms of elements couldn't join together to form molecules? There would be no such thing as water. The world would be very different if compounds didn't exist. 3 A compound that you probably see every day is sodium chloride or table salt. It is formed when sodium atoms join with chlorine atoms. Sodium is a gray metal, and chlorine is a yellowish poisonous gas. How can these two different substances form a white solid that we can eat? 4 When sodium and chlorine combine to form salt, they undergo a chemical reaction. In a chemical reaction, atoms or molecules join, break apart, or switch places. In all chemical reactions, the beginning substance or substances undergo change and form new substances with different properties. The beginning substances are called reactants. The final substances are called products. 5 Each molecule of sodium chloride is made up of one atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine. But other compounds may have more of one kind of atom than of another kind of atom. For example, water is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. Its chemical symbol is H2O. This is like the "recipe" for water. You must have two hydrogen atoms for every oxygen atom to make water. 6 There are about ninety naturally occurring elements on Earth. If atoms could not join to form compounds, the world would be a very different place! Everything would be in the form of one of the elements on the periodic table. Plants and photosynthesis wouldn't exist because each involves compounds. We wouldn't have any gasoline or cars because both are made of compounds. There would be no oceans, lakes, or rivers because water is a compound. We wouldn't be able to make plastics anymore because plastics are compounds. Without compounds, life as we know it on Earth could not exist. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Compounds 1. All matter is made of ______. Compounds Molecules Atoms 2. When different kinds of atoms join together, they make ______. Molecules called polysaccharides Molecules called chemical compounds A new element 3. What is a molecule? A group of gases linked together A group of different kinds of atoms linked together A group of the same kind of atoms linked together 4. Compounds may be made of many molecules. False True 5. Compounds always have the same physical properties as the elements they are made of. False True 6. In a chemical reaction, the beginning substances are called ______. Compounds Molecules Reactants 7. In a chemical reaction, the final substances are called ______. Compounds Molecules Products 8. What is table salt made of? Two atoms of sodium and two atoms of chlorine Two atoms of sodium and one atom of chlorine One atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine Compounds - Answer Key 1 Atoms 2 Molecules called chemical compounds 3 A group of different kinds of atoms linked together 4 True 5 False 6 Reactants 7 Products 8 One atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine

Changes: Physical or Chemical? By Cindy Grigg 1 If you have studied atoms, you know that atoms are the building blocks of matter. Atoms are so small they cannot be seen with an ordinary microscope. Yet atoms make up everything in the universe. Atoms can combine with different atoms and make new substances. Substances can also break apart into separate atoms. These changes are called chemical changes or reactions. Chemical reactions happen when atoms gain, lose, or share electrons. What about when water freezes into ice? Do you think that's a chemical change? 2 When water freezes, it has changed states. You probably already know about the four states of matter. They are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Plasma is the fourth state of matter and is the most common state in the universe. However, it is rarely found on Earth. Plasma occurs as ball lightning and in stars. Water is a common substance that everyone has seen in its three states of matter. Water in its solid state is called ice. Water in the liquid state is just called water. Water as a gas is called water vapor. We can easily cause water to change states by changing its temperature. Water will freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius). However, no chemical change has occurred. The atoms have not combined or broken apart to make a different substance; it is still water or H2O. When we heat water to a temperature of 212 F. or 100 Celsius, it will change into a gas called water vapor. Changes in states of matter are just physical changes. 3 Some more examples of physical changes are tearing paper into smaller pieces, sharpening your pencil, and stirring sugar into water. When you tear a piece of paper, it is still paper; it's just that the pieces are smaller. That is a physical change; a change you can easily see. When you sharpen your pencil, you have only caused a physical change. The sharpener has cut off some of the wood and maybe also some of the graphite, but the atoms of the wood and graphite have not changed chemically. You might think that the shavings you find inside the pencil sharpener are a new substance, but chemically they are not. They are still wood and graphite in smaller pieces than the original. When you stir sugar into water, you have only caused a physical change. The glass still contains water and sugar, but they have been mixed together. Is the sugar still there? Yes, you can taste it. This is only a physical change. 4 Chemical changes are different because they cause a new substance to be formed, and they also either release energy or absorb it. Burning is a good example of a chemical change. When we burn wood, it releases energy in the form of heat and creates new substances: smoke and ash. Some signs of a chemical change are: smoking, change in color, change in temperature, bubbling, and fizzing. Have you ever mixed vinegar and baking soda together? If you have, you know that it bubbles! This is an example of a chemical change. The new substance that is formed is carbon dioxide gas which causes the bubbles. When iron rusts, that is a chemical change. The iron changes to an orangey-red color, a sure sign that a chemical change has happened. The iron reacts chemically with the oxygen in the air. The new substance that is produced is rust. Chemical changes cannot easily be undone. When wood is burned, you cannot take the smoke and ash and change it back into wood. With physical changes however, you can "undo" the change. Water can be frozen into ice; the ice can be heated until it changes back into water and heated more until it changes into water vapor. Water vapor can condense and become water again, as it does in the clouds when it rains. 5 Physical changes account for our weather. The water cycle is water changing physically from one state to another, and it gives us rain, snow, sleet, and hail. Chemical changes are important to people, too, because chemical changes take place when we cook and eat our food. Chemical changes are used to produce the energy we need for heating our homes, running our electrical appliances, and driving our cars. Even breathing is a chemical reaction! Perhaps the most important chemical reaction of all is photosynthesis. Plants are able to produce their own food from the energy of the sun by a set of chemical reactions called photosynthesis. Without that, there would be no food for people. The process of photosynthesis also gives people oxygen to breathe. People depend on physical and chemical changes to live. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Changes: Physical or Chemical? 1. When do chemical reactions happen? When atoms gain, lose, or share electrons When matter changes states When water freezes into ice When water boils 2. How many states of matter are there? Three One Four Two 3. Matter in the plasma state is the most common in the universe. False True 4. Matter in the plasma state is the most common on Earth. False True 5. Changes in states of matter are ______. Chemical changes Neither Physical changes 6. Why are chemical changes different from physical changes? A new substance is formed. They cannot be easily undone. They release energy or absorb it. All of the above 7. Which one of these is not a sign of a chemical change? Change in shape Bubbling Smoking Change in color 8. According to the passage, what is the most important chemical reaction of all? Respiration Eating Photosynthesis Burning fuel Changes: Physical or Chemical? - Answer Key 1 When atoms gain, lose, or share electrons 2 Four 3 True 4 False 5 Physical changes 6 All of the above 7 Change in shape 8 Photosynthesis

What Does a Zoologist Do? By Cindy Grigg 1 Zoologists study animals and their development, behavior, and diseases. They usually are named for the animal group that they study. Ornithologists study birds, mammalogists study mammals, herpetologists study reptiles, and ichthyologists study fish. 2 Animals are grouped by common characteristics. Some animals have a backbone, and they are called vertebrates. Do you have a backbone? Then you are a vertebrate, too! There are five main animal groups in the vertebrate grouping. Mammals are animals that give birth to live babies, have hair on their bodies, are warm-blooded, breathe air with lungs, and nurse their babies with milk from the mother's body. People are mammals. Cows, dogs, cats, and whales are all mammals, too. 3 Birds are animals that have feathers, lay eggs with a hard shell, breathe air with lungs, and are warm-blooded. All birds have wings, but not all birds fly. Penguins use their wings as paddles to help them swim. Ostrich and emus are too large and heavy to fly with the small wings they have. Birds also have beaks. 4 Reptiles are animals that are cold-blooded, breathe air with lungs, lay eggs or give live birth, and have dry skin covered with scales on their bodies. Snakes, turtles, lizards, alligators, and crocodiles are all reptiles. 5 Amphibians are cold-blooded, have moist skin, and lay jelly-like eggs in water. Amphibian is a word that means "double life." This is a good name for these animals because they spend part of their life cycle in water breathing with gills like fish and part of their life cycle on land breathing air with lungs. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. 6 Fish are cold-blooded, have scales on their bodies, lay jelly-like eggs in water, and breathe with gills. Sharks are fish, but dolphins and whales are not. Dolphins and whales have a little hair on their bodies when they are young, and they give live birth and nurse their babies with mother's milk. Dolphins and whales are warm-blooded while sharks are cold-blooded. 7 What does it mean to be cold-blooded? Mammals like us keep a constant body temperature that is regulated by their brain. This is called warm-blooded. For people, that body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold-blooded animals like fish, amphibians, and reptiles cannot regulate their body temperature with their brain. They must rely on the environment to regulate their body temperature. This is why you see lizards and snakes "sunning" themselves. They must lie in the sun to raise their body temperature. When they are warm enough, they move into the shade. 8 When we say the word "animal," we most usually think of these groups of animals, the vertebrates. Did you know that they only make up about 2% of all the animals in the world? The other 98% are invertebrates. These are animals without a backbone. Worms, insects, clams, octopus, coral, spiders, and jellyfish are all examples of invertebrate animals. 9 Zoologists study all kinds of animals. Some zoologists work for zoos or aquariums. It is important for zookeepers to know the kind of food and type of habitat each animal needs. They may care for one animal group such as reptiles, or they may care for animals in a particular habitat such as rainforest animals. They may rescue animals that are sick or in danger. Zoologists help save stranded whales, dolphins, and seals. Some zoologists work for conservation groups and educate the public about endangered animals and what can be done to save them. If you like animals, being a zoologist might be the right career for you! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Does a Zoologist Do? 1. What do zoologists study? Habitats Zoos Climates Animals 2. What is a vertebrate? An animal that does not have a backbone An animal that does have a backbone An animal with no brain Any animal 3. How many groups of animals are called vertebrate animals? Four Two One Five 4. People are ______. Vertebrates Mammals Amphibians Both A and B 5. What percent of all animals in the world are vertebrate animals? 50% 10% 2% 98% 6. What kind of vertebrate animal is a snake? Mammal Reptile Bird Amphibian 7. What kind of vertebrate animal is a salamander? Reptile Bird Mammal Amphibian 8. What does the word amphibian mean? Frog Breathes with gills Double life Breathes with lungs What Does a Zoologist Do? - Answer Key 1 Animals 2 An animal that does have a backbone 3 Five 4 Both A and B 5 2% 6 Reptile 7 Amphibian 8 Double life

Crocodilian Senses By Sheri Skelton 1 Have you ever heard of crocodile tears? A person who is crying crocodile tears is only pretending to cry. A story from long ago says that crocodiles would often cry. Their tears would make people feel sorry for the crocodiles and come near them. Then the crocodiles would eat the people. Another story says that crocodiles would cry before finishing a meal to pretend that they felt sorry for their prey. 2 Crocodiles don't really shed tears, but they do have very good eyesight. Their eyes are on top of their heads. This makes it easy for crocodiles to see above water as they swim. Scientists think crocodiles are able to see colors. Crocodiles can see very well at night. The pupils in their eyes open very wide to let in as much light as possible. Crocodiles don't see as well underwater. A transparent membrane covers their eyes. This membrane makes things look foggy. 3 If you look at a crocodile, you might think it doesn't have any ears. But be very quiet. Crocodiles do have ears, and they can hear very well. They can even hear their babies making sounds inside their egg shells. The ears of crocodiles are slits on their heads. The slits have flaps that act as covers when the crocodiles go underwater. These flaps protect the inner ears of the crocodiles. 4 Crocodiles have a very good sense of smell. They can smell a dead animal from over a mile away. The nostrils are located at the tip of a crocodile's snout. This makes it possible for crocodiles to breathe even though their bodies may be almost completely underwater. 5 Crocodiles aren't really sensitive enough to cry tears, but they do have very powerful senses. They can easily find their prey by sight or smell. Their sharp ears can hear any danger that comes near them. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Crocodilian Senses 1. What feature helps a crocodile breathe even though its body may be almost completely underwater? The location of the nostrils at the tip of a crocodile's snout A transparent membrane that covers the nostrils Flaps at the tip of a crocodile's snout Slits on the crocodile's head 2. Which of the following statements about a crocodile's eyesight is not true? Crocodiles can see well because their eyes are on top of their heads. Scientists believe that crocodiles can see colors. Crocodiles don't see well at night. Crocodiles don't see well underwater. 3. Crocodiles are able to hear their babies making sounds inside their egg shells. False True 4. The flaps on a crocodile's head protect the crocodile's ______. 5. Which of the following statements correctly describes a crocodile's ears? The ears are slits on the crocodile's head. The ears are pointed. The ears are round holes that are covered by flaps. The ears are tiny triangles that blend into the skin. Crocodilian Senses - Answer Key 1 The location of the nostrils at the tip of a crocodile's snout 2 Crocodiles don't see well at night. 3 True 4 inner ears 5 The ears are slits on the crocodile's head.

The Periodic Table By Cindy Grigg 1 The Periodic Table is a visual way to arrange the elements. Each element has its own square on the Periodic Table. That small square can tell you a lot about its element. You will see the atomic number of each element. You will see the chemical symbol and the element's name. You will also see the atomic mass number in each square. It tells the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. 2 The atomic number tells how many protons are in the nucleus of the element. The letter or letters are the chemical symbol for the element. It's like an abbreviation of the name. But some elements were first given Greek or Latin names. So some of the symbols are tricky to remember. For example, potassium's chemical symbol is K. Potassium's Latin name is kalium. That is why its chemical symbol is K. 3 The color of the chemical symbol might mean something, too. Sometimes the background colors of the squares mean something else. These colors are often used to show which elements are metals, metalloids, or nonmetals. On the Table there will be a key or legend. It is just like a map's key or legend. The legend or key will explain what different colors mean. Many Periodic Tables show the element's normal state of matter at room temperature. Some elements are gases at room temperature. Some are liquids, and some are solids. 4 The Periodic Table has columns and rows of squares. A horizontal row is called a period. Periods show a repeating, or periodic, pattern of properties of the elements. A vertical column is called a group or family. Elements in the same family often have similar traits, just as people in a family do. 5 The Periodic Table is a "map" of the elements. Just as maps show you many different things about a place, the Periodic Table shows you many different things about the elements. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Periodic Table 1. The chemical symbol ______. Tells the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus Is a letter or letters that stand for the name of the element Are pictures that stand for each element Tells how many protons are in the nucleus of the element 2. The atomic mass number ______. Is a letter or letters that stand for the name of the element Tells how many protons are in the nucleus of the element Are pictures that stand for each element Tells the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus 3. The atomic number ______. Tells how many protons are in the nucleus of the element Tells the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus Are pictures that stand for each element Is a letter or letters that stand for the name of the element 4. A horizontal row is called a ______. Period Element Family Group 5. A vertical column is called a ______. 6. Colors are often used to show ______. How many protons are in the nucleus Which elements are metals, metalloids, or nonmetals The name of the element The atomic mass of the element The Periodic Table - Answer Key 1 Is a letter or letters that stand for the name of the element 2 Tells the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus 3 Tells how many protons are in the nucleus of the element 4 Period 5 group or family 6 Which elements are metals, metalloids, or nonmetals

Diffusion By Cindy Grigg 1 Why do we smell bread baking throughout the house? The answer is diffusion. A good way to describe diffusion is the moving of molecules from a place where they are concentrated close together to a place where they are less concentrated or farther apart. When molecules are spread out evenly, diffusion seems to stop. 2 Smells travel in the air by diffusion. Because molecules are always moving, some molecules leave the bread as it is baking. They are vented with the excess heat from the oven. These tiny molecules of bread travel through the air throughout the house to our noses. 3 Have you ever passed by a bakery and noticed the delicious smells down the street from it? If the wind is blowing, there will be more mixing of the molecules in the air. That can either make the smell reach you sooner, or it can spread the molecules out so that you don't notice the smell as much. Since our brains are used to the smell of air, we don't smell the oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide. Instead, we smell the other molecules mixed with our air. This is why we smell the bread baking, smoke, perfume, or other smells. 4 Diffusion is the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration by means of random molecular motion. The Kinetic Theory of Matter says that all matter is made of small particles that are in constant motion. This random motion causes molecules of unlike substances to mix. Diffusion can be thought of as a migration of molecules from their "homeland" (where there are more of them) to a "new country" (where there are less of them.) To help you remember this: Diffusion, diffusion, diffusion GO, GO, GOES, From an area of high concentration to LOW, LOW, LOW. 5 Molecules diffuse in liquids as well. You can easily see diffusion happening when you mix powdered drink mix. Fill a pitcher with water. Let it sit on the counter until the water settles. Slowly add the powdered drink mix, but do not stir. Watch what happens in the water. Color will start to swirl through the water until the entire pitcher is colored. What made it mix all by itself? It is because molecules are always in motion. Even though it looks as if the water is still, the molecules of water and the powder are in motion, and this motion causes the two different substances to mix. 6 Water is very important to all living things because a large percentage of a cell is water. The movement of water into and out of a cell by diffusion through a membrane is common. This special kind of diffusion is called osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane. Semi-permeable (sem-ee-pur-mee-uh-buhl) means that the cell membrane has pores or openings that let some things, but not all, pass through it. Like other kinds of diffusion, osmosis keeps going until the concentration of water on one side of the cell membrane is the same as on the other side. Many substances will dissolve in water. Water can diffuse through the cell membrane carrying dissolved materials into and out of the cell. This is why water is so very important to cells. 7 Another place where diffusion happens in the human body is in the lungs. We need to get oxygen from the air into our blood. We need to remove the waste gas carbon dioxide from blood into the air. This gas exchange happens in the alveoli in the lungs by diffusion. The alveoli are adapted to make the gas exchange in lungs happen easily and efficiently. The gases move by diffusion from where there is a high concentration to where there is a low concentration. This does not require any energy from the cell. 8 In some cases molecules pass through a cell membrane in a direction different from diffusion. The molecules go from an area of low concentration to high concentration. For this type of movement, the use of energy by the cell is needed. It is called active transport. Think of riding a bicycle uphill. You must work hard and be very active to move the bicycle up the hill. This is just like active transport in the cell. The cell must use energy to move the molecules in the other direction. 9 Diffusion and osmosis are both forms of passive transport. Passive transport is movement of a chemical substance across a cell membrane without the cell having to use energy. It is helpful to any living thing to conserve energy whenever it can. Diffusion is called passive transport because it happens without the cell having to use energy to cause it. Think of riding a bicycle downhill. You don't have to waste any energy to make the bicycle go. You are passive or not actively having to work to make the bicycle move. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Diffusion 1. What is diffusion? Movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration Movement of water from an area of low concentration to high concentration Movement of air from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration 2. What is the Kinetic Theory of Matter? Only gases are made of small particles that are in constant motion. All matter is made of small particles that are in constant motion. Liquids and gases are made of small particles that are in constant motion. 3. What causes diffusion? Low concentrations Random movement of molecules Semi-permeable membranes 4. What is osmosis? A special kind of diffusion The movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane A form of passive transport All of the above 5. What does "semi-permeable" mean? Something that will let only water pass through it Something that will let all things pass through it Something that will let some things pass through it but not all things 6. What is active transport? Movement of molecules through a membrane that does not require energy Movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lesser concentration Movement of molecules through a membrane that does require energy Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Diffusion 7. What is passive transport? Movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lesser concentration Movement of molecules through a membrane that does require energy Movement of molecules through a membrane that does not require energy 8. How are active and passive transport different? Active transport requires energy; passive transport does not. Active transport moves molecules in the opposite direction as compared to passive transport. Both A and B None of the above Diffusion - Answer Key 1 Movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration 2 All matter is made of small particles that are in constant motion. 3 Random movement of molecules 4 All of the above 5 Something that will let some things pass through it but not all things 6 Movement of molecules through a membrane that does require energy 7 Movement of molecules through a membrane that does not require energy 8 Both A and B

Ladybugs By Sheri Skelton 1 An old legend says that ladybugs are lucky. If you catch a ladybug and count the spots on its back, you'll have that many months of good luck in the coming year. Ladybugs really are good luck for gardeners and farmers. Ladybugs like eating aphids, which are harmful to plants. During its lifetime, one ladybug may eat as many as 5,000 aphids. 2 Ladybugs, which are also called lady beetles or ladybird beetles, have round bodies. Ladybugs are easy to spot because of their black spots and brightly-colored bodies. Ladybugs are usually red but can be yellow, orange, and even pink. 3 Ladybugs have two sets of wings. The top set of wings is like a shell. Under this set of wings is a larger set of delicate wings. 4 People aren't afraid of ladybugs, but would-be predators know to leave them alone. Ladybugs secrete a fluid that makes them taste very bad. While people enjoy seeing colorful ladybugs flying around, their predators see the colors and know to stay away. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Ladybugs 1. During its lifetime, one ladybug might eat as many as 5,000 _______. Aphids Ants Worms Beetles 2. What colors could ladybugs be? Yellow Red Orange All of the above 3. How many sets of wings do ladybugs have? Three Two One None 4. Which of the following statements about ladybugs is true? Ladybugs can't fly. The bodies of ladybugs are shaped like rectangles. Farmers don't like ladybugs because they are harmful to crops. Ladybugs don't taste good. 5. Ladybugs are also called ______. Ladybugs - Answer Key 1 Aphids 2 All of the above 3 Two 4 Ladybugs don't taste good. 5 lady beetles or ladybird beetles

Fireflies By Sheri Skelton 1 Step outside on a summer night. You might see tiny yellow-green lights flashing in the dark. Those little lights are fireflies or lightning bugs. Fireflies are nocturnal insects. This means that they come out at night. 2 Fireflies aren't really flies. They are beetles. Female fireflies lay their eggs in the ground. When the eggs hatch, the larvae eat worms and slugs. Adult fireflies eat nectar and pollen from plants. 3 The firefly's light is found on its belly. The light is made when oxygen mixes with chemicals inside the firefly. The firefly's light blinks on and off. Scientists don't know for sure what makes the light blink on and off. 4 Why do fireflies glow? Fireflies talk to each other with their blinking. Females and males get together by using different signals. Fireflies also glow to warn predators not to bother them. The light is a signal that the firefly doesn't taste very good. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Fireflies 1. Fireflies are also called ______. Lightning bugs Blinking bugs Sparkle flies Glow worms 2. Firefly larvae eat ______. Worms and slugs Spiders and ants Nectar from flowers Pollen from plants 3. Where is the firefly's light located? On its belly On its wings On its head On its tail 4. Fireflies are ______. Beetles Flies 5. Fireflies use their blinking to communicate with each other. False True Fireflies - Answer Key 1 Lightning bugs 2 Worms and slugs 3 On its belly 4 Beetles 5 True

The Man in the Moon? By Cindy Grigg 1 When you were little, you may have been told a story about "the man in the moon." When we look at the full moon, it almost looks like it has a face. What are these different areas? 2 When you look at the moon from Earth, you can see dark areas, light areas, and craters. Because the dark areas look a little like Earth's oceans, they are called maria (singular, mare). Maria is the Latin word for "seas." A long time ago, early Greek and Latin observers thought these dark areas were oceans on the moon. But the moon's maria don't contain any water. 3 Some of the names of maria are Mare Tranquillitatis (the Sea of Tranquility), Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains), Mare Nectaris (Sea of Nectar), and Mar Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity). The largest maria are more than 1000 km. across. Instead of being seas, the maria are just darker areas that don't reflect the sun's light as much as other areas. 4 The light areas on the moon are raised areas called highlands. Within the highlands are mountain ranges. The largest mountains on the moon are about 7 km. high about one km. less than Mount Everest on Earth. 5 The moon has thousands of craters. These features were formed when asteroids or other space objects hit the moon. The moon's larger craters are about 250 km. wide. Many of the craters were named after astronomers and other scientists. Some of the names of the large craters include Plato, Archimedes, Copernicus, and Kepler. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Man in the Moon? 1. What are the three main kinds of features on the moon? 2. What does the Latin word maria mean? A woman's name Seas Mountains Craters 3. The dark areas on the moon are ______. Seas Maria Highlands Craters 4. The name "Mare Tranquillitatis" means ______. Sea of Nectar Sea of Rains Sea of Tranquility Sea of Serenity 5. Mount Everest is taller than any mountain on the moon. False True 6. The light areas on the moon are craters. False True 7. According to the reading passage, which of the following is probably true? Craters are usually larger than maria. Plato, Archimedes, Copernicus, and Kepler were scientists. Mountain ranges on the moon are found only in the maria. The maria on the moon were once filled with water. 8. According to the reading passage, which of the following is probably true? Thousands of asteroids and other space objects have hit the moon. The moon's craters are unlike any craters on Earth. The back side of the moon looks just like the front side. The back side of the moon doesn't have any craters. The Man in the Moon? - Answer Key 1 maria, highlands, and craters 2 Seas 3 Maria 4 Sea of Tranquility 5 True 6 False 7 Plato, Archimedes, Copernicus, and Kepler were scientists. 8 Thousands of asteroids and other space objects have hit the moon.

For Every Object, A Group By Trista L. Pollard 1 Just like everything has its place, every object and event belongs in a group. How do we know? We know this fact through the science process skill called classification. Scientists use classifying to learn information about objects and events. 2 There are many different ways to classify objects. When scientists classify objects, they look at the properties of those objects. Scientists use the absence or presence of those properties in objects to determine their placement into groups. When you were in kindergarten, you could classify objects into one group, maybe based on size. Think about the blocks you played with in class. You probably put them into groups called "big blocks" and "little blocks." As you have aged, you now are able to see that objects can be classified into more than one group at a time. For example, let's look at sneakers. As you know, there are many different varieties and brands that exist on the market today. However, all sneakers have one thing in common- rubber soles. The material used to make the soles for sneakers is considered a specific property of sneakers. We could examine sneakers further and find that the material used for the uppers (the shoe part of the sneaker) varies. Based on the material, we could classify sneakers into three groups- leather, cloth, and suede. But why stop there? We could also classify sneakers based on style. You have low sneakers and high sneakers. You could go on classifying sneakers until each sneaker stands alone in its own group. 3 In addition to classifying objects based on properties, scientists may classify objects quantitatively. Quantitative refers to amount such as age, weight, or percent. Scientists can look at the amount of a property that exists within an object and classify that object based on that amount. Objects can also be arranged in a hierarchy or order based on property quantities. Think about digital cameras. Like sneakers, there are many on the market today. There are so many, it is sometimes hard to tell what to purchase. All digital cameras perform the same basic functions. However, they do have some properties that vary between cameras. We could separate digital cameras into groups based on the amount of mega pixels (detail of digital picture). Some cameras have 2, 3, or 4 mega pixels. We could also separate cameras based on digital zoom (how close you can zoom into an object). Some digital cameras have 3x or 4x digital zoom capability. All of these numbers are quantitative properties of digital cameras that scientists could use to classify the cameras into categories or groups. These properties can be used further to help rank digital cameras from the best to the worst. 4 When classifying objects or events into groups, it is important to analyze the similarities and differences between the objects' or events' properties. Once this occurs then you can begin to place your objects and events into their many groups. Just remember every object and event belongs to a group, even sneakers. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ For Every Object, A Group 1. When scientists classify objects and events, they use the _______. Definition of the objects' or events' properties Absence or presence of the objects' or events' properties The group that the objects or events were placed into previously None of the above 2. Scientists may use an object's properties to classify them quantitatively into groups. False True 3. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. Tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, blizzards, thunderstorms 4. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. Ways seeds travel in nature Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ For Every Object, A Group 5. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. Granite, pumice, obsidian, limestone, sandstone, marble 6. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Earth, Mercury, Pluto, Neptune, Venus 7. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. A car rusting, ice melting, a match burning, an egg cooking, a glass breaking, cheese melting 8. Classify the following objects or events into groups. Explain why you chose the categories for these objects or events. Drum, flute, banjo, cello, saxophone, guitar, trumpet, cymbals, piano, xylophone, violin, clarinet For Every Object, A Group - Answer Key 1 Absence or presence of the objects' or events' properties 2 True 3 Possible answers are natural disasters, weather conditions. Students may also separate according to the type of precipitation or conditions that must exist for these weather occurrences to happen. 4 Possible answers are by water, by air, by land animals, by people. 5 Possible answers are igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks. Students might also classify according to location where rocks could be found. 6 Possible answers are inner plants (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto). Students may also classify based on size, temperature on planet, or atmosphere quality. 7 Possible answers are physical changes (ice melting, cheese melting, glass breaking) and chemical changes (a car rusting, a match burning, an egg cooking). Students may come up with other reasonable categories. 8 Possible answers are wind instruments (flute, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet), string instruments (banjo, cello, guitar, piano, violin) and percussion instruments (drum, cymbals, xylophone). Students may also suggest other categories.

The Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Cycle By Cindy Grigg 1 One element that is very important to nearly all living things is oxygen. Humans and other animals need oxygen to stay alive. Every time you take a breath, you are filling your lungs with oxygen. 2 If much of the oxygen in the air disappeared, animals would not be able to survive. But animals are breathing in oxygen every day. Why doesn't the air ever run out of oxygen? 3 Plants help provide the oxygen that animals need to survive. When you breathe out, you release carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide is made up of two elements, carbon and oxygen. To make their own food, plants use carbon dioxide from the air. Then they release oxygen as a waste product. Humans and other animals breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. This cycle is known as the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle. 4 About eighty percent of the oxygen used by animals is replaced by algae. Algae are classified as neither plants nor animals, but as protists. They have chlorophyll and can make their own food by photosynthesis. Algae live world-wide, in oceans, freshwater, and even on land. Plants living on land replace the remaining twenty percent of the oxygen used by animals. Because of the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle, the amount of oxygen in the air stays fairly constant. As long as there are enough plants on Earth to release oxygen, we will never run out. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Cycle 1. What two elements is carbon dioxide made of? Carbon and oxygen Carbon and dioxin Carbohydrate and oxide Carbohydrate and dioxin 2. How do plants use carbon dioxide? To break down oxygen To get rid of waste products To make their own food To get water 3. Which of the following correctly describes the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle? Humans and other animals breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. The oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle keeps the amount of oxygen in the air fairly constant. All of the above 4. Which of the following best states the main idea of the reading passage? The oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle keeps the amount of oxygen in the air fairly constant. Animals breathe in oxygen every day. Carbon dioxide is made up of two elements. Oxygen is an element. 5. Plants help keep humans and other animals alive. Opinion Fact 6. We should all grow plants. Opinion Fact 7. Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air. Opinion Fact 8. Humans could not survive without oxygen. Opinion Fact The Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Cycle - Answer Key 1 Carbon and oxygen 2 To make their own food 3 All of the above 4 The oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle keeps the amount of oxygen in the air fairly constant. 5 Fact 6 Opinion 7 Fact 8 Fact

Plant vs. Animal By Cindy Grigg 1 Cells can be found in all living things. There are several types of cells. They are usually separated into prokaryotic (pronounced "proh-KAR-ee-AH-tik") or eukaryotic (pronounced "yoo-KAR-ee-AH-tik") and are either plant or animal cells. An "animal" cell could be anything from a tiny, one-celled microorganism like an amoeba to a nerve cell from your brain. Plant cells are cells found in any plant that uses photosynthesis to make its own food. 2 The first classification of cells is whether they are prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Prokaryotic cells are simpler cells. They were probably the first cells on earth. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus or any membrane-covered organelles. The only cells on earth that are prokaryotes are bacteria. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane covered organelles. Things that have eukaryotic cells include animals, plants, protists, and fungi. Organelle means "little organ." Organelles are the parts inside a cell that have specific functions or jobs. Just as the human body has organs that do specific jobs, cells have organelles, or little organs, that do specific jobs in the cell. In the human body, the heart is an organ whose job is to pump blood. In a cell, the mitochondria are organelles whose job is to convert food into energy. 3 Plant cells and animal cells have many of the same characteristics, but they are different in some ways. Plant cells are easier to identify under a microscope because they have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose outside the cell membrane. This gives the plant, and the cell, structure and support. Animal cells do not have a cell wall. 4 Another way plant cells are different from animal cells is that plant cells usually have just one very large vacuole. Animal cells may have more than one vacuole, and they are smaller than a plant cell's. Vacuoles are used to store materials in the cell that may be used by the cell or wastes that must be moved out of the cell. Often, plant cells store water in the vacuole. When a plant doesn't get enough water, it must use the stored water in its vacuoles to live. This causes the plant to "wilt." When a plant wilts, it cannot support itself anymore. The water inside each cell's vacuole helps the plant to stand up, like air in a beach ball makes the ball "stand up." If the plant uses the stored water, then the plant becomes less firm and may finally become so limp that it lies on the ground. After watering, the limp plant will become firm and again "stand up." 5 Plants also have organelles called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll. This is what makes leaves appear green. This special organelle and the chemical chlorophyll enable plants to capture energy from the sun in a process called photosynthesis and convert the energy to sugars that the plant uses for food. Plants are the only living things on earth that can make their own food because of this special organelle. Animal cells do not have chloroplasts. 6 If plant and animal cells were in a survival contest, who do you think would win? One of the most important needs that must be met to survive is the need for food. Since plants can make their own food, they have a huge advantage over animals. All animals must hunt their own food, whether that food is a plant or another animal. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Plant vs. Animal 1. Which cells probably were first on earth? Plant cells Prokaryotic cells Animal cells Eukaryotic cells 2. What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane-covered organelles, and prokaryotic cells don't. Prokaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane-covered organelles, and eukaryotic cells don't. 3. What are organelles? Little organs Parts inside a cell that have specific functions Eukaryotic cells Prokaryotic cells Both a and b are correct 4. What are the differences between plant and animal cells? Plant cells are eukaryotic, and animal cells are prokaryotic. Animal cells are eukaryotic, and plant cells are prokaryotic. Animal cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts, and one large vacuole. Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts, and one large vacuole. 5. What is a cell wall made of? Cellulose Oxygen Sugars Carbon dioxide 6. What is the function of the cell wall? Lets molecules pass in and out Gives the plant structure and support Lets water pass in and out Tells the cell what to do Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Plant vs. Animal 7. What is the function of the vacuole? Lets water pass in and out Gives the plant food Tells the cell what to do Stores materials in the cell that may be used by the cell or wastes that must be moved out of the cell 8. What is the function of the chloroplast? Lets water pass in and out Tells the cell what to do Changes energy from the sun into sugars Stores materials to be used or eliminated Plant vs. Animal - Answer Key 1 Prokaryotic cells 2 Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and membrane-covered organelles, and prokaryotic cells don't. 3 Both a and b are correct 4 Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts, and one large vacuole. 5 Cellulose 6 Gives the plant structure and support 7 Stores materials in the cell that may be used by the cell or wastes that must be moved out of the cell 8 Changes energy from the sun into sugars

Moon Talk By Laura G. Smith 1 It's the earth's only natural satellite-a glowing globe that appears in the night sky capturing the attention of all who gaze in its direction. Although the earth's moon seems to be "shining" its own light, it is really reflecting light from the sun. Some nights the moon looks like a huge, round, shiny ball, and other nights it appears as just a thin sliver of light. Although the moon seems to be changing shapes, it really isn't. It just looks different because it is reflecting varying amounts of sunlight during each of its phases. 2 The phases are caused by the continuous movement of the earth and its moon. The earth is constantly "revolving" or traveling in an oval shape around the sun. The path it travels is referred to as its orbit. As the earth is orbiting the sun, the moon is orbiting the earth. The moon moves at an amazing average speed of about 2,300 miles per hour! As the earth and moon revolve, different amounts of sunlight are reflected to the earth, causing the moon to change in appearance (ranging from a "new moon" to a waning crescent"). 3 It takes the moon one month to travel one time around the earth passing through a complete cycle of its phases. In ancient times, before calendars were used, people looked at the phases of the moon to measure weeks and months. They knew that four weeks passed between one full moon and the next. 4 Sometimes, as the moon circles the earth, it passes directly between the earth and the sun. This causes a solar eclipse, which blocks our view of the sun for a short while. Another type of eclipse is a lunar eclipse. This occurs when the earth passes directly between the sun and the moon briefly blocking out the moon. Before scientists were able to learn what causes eclipses, people were frightened by them and feared the world was coming to an end! 5 An Italian astronomer named Galileo made great discoveries about the moon after he built his first telescope in 1609. Although he didn't actually invent the telescope, he developed and improved it. He was the first to realize that the moon's surface was mountainous and pitted, not smooth as others once thought. The deep pits, commonly known as craters, are the most numerous features of the moon's surface. The smaller craters were formed when meteoroids (solid objects traveling through space) collided with the moon. Scientists estimate that the moon has half a million craters that are more than one mile wide. These huge pits were more than likely caused by larger bodies such as comets or asteroids. Although the moon's mountains and pits are somewhat similar to features found on the surface of the earth, other characteristics of the moon are quite different from our home planet. 6 For instance, the moon has little or no atmosphere. It has no clouds, no rain, and no wind. The surface of the moon has remained basically unchanged throughout the course of its history because it is not exposed to the many types of weather that we experience living on Earth. Because the moon has no air or water, it cannot support any forms of life such as plants, animals, or humans. 7 Temperatures on the rocky surface of the moon get much hotter and colder than any place on the earth. At the moon's equator, temperatures reach as high as 260F and as low as -280 F. In some of the moon's deepest craters, the temperature stays near -400F! Earth, on the other hand, has a protective blanket of invisible insulation - the environment - which protects it from such extreme temperature changes. 8 Since the moon is closer to the earth than any of the other planets or stars, it appears to be much larger than the other objects, but it really isn't. The moon's diameter (or distance across the middle) measures about 2,160 miles and is about one-fourth that of the earth. If you held your fist next to your head, it would give you an idea of the size of the moon compared to the size of the earth. If the moon were placed on top of the United States, it would extend almost from San Francisco to Cleveland. 9 The force of gravity on the moon's surface is six times weaker than that on the surface of the earth. Gravity is weaker on the moon because the moon's mass (the amount of matter a body contains) is about 81 times smaller than the earth's mass. The gravitational pull on the moon is strong enough to cause the rise and fall of tides on the earth's surface, but it's not strong enough to hold air close to the moon's surface. A boy or girl who weighs 60 pounds on the earth would weigh only 10 pounds on the moon. The earth has a much greater gravitational pull that is strong enough to keep us from floating around in the sky, and it also keeps the moon in orbit around the earth. 10 The long-time dream of traveling to the moon became history on July 20, 1969, when astronaut Neil A. Armstrong of the United States set foot on it for the first time. The Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 astronauts collected samples, took photographs, set up scientific experiments, and explored the nearby area. This was the beginning of many successful and insightful journeys leading us to better understanding of the mysterious surface of the moon. 11 Sources Cited: Drake, Frank D. "Telescope." The World Book Encyclopedia. T, Volume 19, 1978. Gorenstein, Paul, Ph.D., Supervisory Astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. "Moon." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2002 Edition Santrey, Laurence. Moon. Troll Associates, Mahwah, New Jersey, 1985 Shoemaker, Eugene M. "Moon." The World Book Encyclopedia. M, Volume 13, 1978. Smith, Mark A., Ph.D., Professor of History, University of Missouri, Columbia, "Galileo." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2002 Edition Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Moon Talk 1. The moon's phases are a result of The extreme temperatures on the moon The moon orbiting around the earth Other planets blocking out the moon The moon's gravitational pull 2. The moon revolves all the way around the earth in about One month One week One year One day 3. When the moon passes directly between the earth and the sun, it causes a lunar eclipse. True False 4. Galileo was the first to realize that the moon's surface was Full of life Mountainous and full of pits Dark and mysterious Round and smooth 5. Small craters were formed when _________________ collided with the moon. Other planets Space aliens Meteoroids Lunar satellites 6. The moon's surface is different from the earth's surface because it Has little or no atmosphere Is not able to support life Has a much weaker gravitational pull Just (a) and (b) are correct. (a), (b), and (c) are correct. 7. The earth is protected from the extremely hot and cold temperatures that the moon experiences because the earth is Covered by 71% water Protected by its environment Much closer to the sun Bigger than the moon 8. The moon is held in orbit around the earth by The moon's gravitational pull The earth's gravitational pull Its atmosphere The sun's gravitational pull Moon Talk - Answer Key 1 The moon orbiting around the earth 2 One month 3 False 4 Mountainous and full of pits 5 Meteoroids 6 (a), (b), and (c) are correct. 7 Protected by its environment 8 The earth's gravitational pull

Race to the Moon! By Laura G. Smith 1 On July 20, 1969, millions of people gathered around their TV sets. They watched an amazing event! It was the day a man walked on the moon for the very first time! That man was American astronaut Neil Armstrong. As he stepped onto the rocky surface of the moon, Mr. Armstrong spoke the famous words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." 2 Space travel began 12 years before that. On October 4, 1957, Russia sent Sputnik I into space. Sputnik I was a satellite. That is an object that orbits or travels around the sun, Earth, or other heavenly body. Sputnik I was an artificial satellite. That means it was man-made. (The moon is a natural satellite.) Today, man-made satellites have many uses. Some collect information about the weather and send it back to Earth. Others send radio, television, and telephone signals from one place on Earth to another. Artificial satellites can also help sailors or airplane pilots find their way during a bad storm. Some can even spy on the enemy during a war! 3 Russia put Sputnik II into space in November 1957. It carried a dog named Laika. Laika was the first animal sent into space. Scientists studied how animals lived in space. That helped them learn how to send humans there, too. 4 Russia was working hard to develop their space program. The United States was close behind. The U.S. sent their first satellite, Explorer I, into orbit on January 31, 1958. In the 1960s and 1970s, both Russia and the U.S. launched many other satellites and scientific spacecraft. It seemed as though the two countries were having a contest. The world watched to see who would win the "race to space"! 5 The next big step in the space race was to send a person into space. On April 12, 1961, Russia was again the first. Yuri A. Gagarin became the first man to orbit the Earth in his spaceship, Vostok I . Soon after that, the United States launched its first manned flight on May 5, 1961. Alan B. Shepherd, Jr. flew in Freedom 7 . The flight only lasted 15 minutes. Shepherd did not go into orbit around the Earth. 6 John H. Glenn, Jr. became the first American to orbit the Earth. He made three orbits (trips around the Earth) on February 20, 1962. Friendship 7 made three orbits in five hours! 7 In 1964 and 1965, three United States spaceships sent more than 17,000 close-up pictures of the moon back to Earth. The pictures were needed to help prepare for man to land on the moon. Three years later, three American astronauts flew in the first spacecraft to circle the moon! They orbited the moon ten times in the Apollo 8 spaceship. On Apollo 9 and Apollo 10 missions, more studies were done to test the lunar landing craft. 8 On July 16, 1969, America watched as Apollo 11 was launched into space! Four days later, Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. stepped out of the Apollo 11 lunar module, Eagle, and onto the moon's surface. They spent three hours on the moon. They picked up rock and soil samples and set up several scientific experiments. They also planted an American flag in the lunar soil before leaving the moon. After an 8-day flight, Apollo 11 returned safely to Earth. It splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. 9 So who won the race to space? 10 It's not easy to say who won. Russia had powerful rockets that could launch heavy spacecraft on long flights. The United States launched more spacecraft for communication and weather reporting. By the early 70s, United States astronauts had landed on moon. And unmanned Russian spacecraft had explored the moon and brought soil samples to Earth. It can be said that each country helped in different ways. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Race to the Moon! 1. Space travel first began when: John Glenn orbited the Earth. Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon. America launched Explorer 1 into orbit. Russia launched Sputnik 1 into orbit. 2. Sputnik I is an artificial satellite because it is ______________. Made of plastic Not really a satellite Not an orbiting object Man-made 3. Laika was the first _____________ in space. Woman Astronaut Animal Cosmonaut 4. Artificial satellites collect and send information back to the Earth for many reasons. List three reasons. 5. John H. Glenn, Jr., was the first American to: Travel in space Orbit the Earth Walk on the moon Walk in space 6. ____________ was the first country to launch a manned spaceship that orbited the moon. China America Russia France Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Race to the Moon! 7. Since America was the first country to put a man on the moon, it's safe to say it won the race to the moon. False True 8. When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon's surface, he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Why do you think he said that? Race to the Moon! - Answer Key 1 Russia launched Sputnik 1 into orbit. 2 Man-made 3 Animal 4 Answers could include weather or communication such as radio, television, phones; navigation; or military use 5 Orbit the Earth 6 America 7 False 8 It was only a small step for him onto the moon, but for mankind, it was a giant leap leaving our planet traveling in space.

Plants Are Food Factories By Cindy Grigg 1 Many of the things we use are made in factories. Cars, for example, are made in factories. A factory takes raw materials and turns them into new products. Steel is turned into car bodies. Rubber is turned into car tires. Cloth is turned into car seats. 2 Photosynthesis: Plants are like factories that make food. How do they do it? The process is called photosynthesis (foe toe SIN thuh sis). Photo means "light." Synthesis means "putting together." Plants use light from the sun to put together raw materials to make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. 3 Plants need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food. Plants use the raw materials of water, nutrients they absorb from soil, and carbon dioxide to make sugars the plant can use. Energy from the sun and chlorophyll are also needed. Plants use about ninety percent of the food they make to grow and reproduce. About ten percent is stored in the plant's tissues. When animals eat plants, they take in the stored energy. 4 Leaves are the plant's food factories. When you look at a plant, the first things you probably see are the plant's leaves. Almost all photosynthesis takes place in the leaves. Chloroplasts in the plant contain the chemical chlorophyll. This gives plants their green color. Chlorophyll changes the light energy from the sun into chemical energy the plant uses for photosynthesis. 5 Products of photosynthesis: A plant uses carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sun. It produces glucose, a type of sugar. It also makes oxygen, which the plant doesn't need. Oxygen is given off as a waste. Small amounts of water are, also. 6 Photosynthesis is very important to all life on Earth. Almost all animals on Earth depend on plants for food. Plants are the primary producers in the food chain. Animals also need the oxygen that is given off by photosynthesis. In turn, animals give off carbon dioxide as a waste, which is needed by plants. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Plants Are Food Factories 1. Plants are like factories that make food. This is an example of ______. Alliteration A metaphor A synonym A simile 2. What raw materials do plants need to make food? 3. Name two other things that plants need to make food. 4. What are the products of photosynthesis? Carbon dioxide and water Oxygen and water Glucose, oxygen, and water None of the above 5. Most photosynthesis takes place in the ______. Trunk Roots Stem Leaves 6. The author's main purpose for writing this story was to ______. Entertain readers with science facts Demonstrate how plants make food Inform readers about the process of photosynthesis Persuade readers of the importance of plants Plants Are Food Factories - Answer Key 1 A simile 2 Plants use the raw materials of water, nutrients they absorb from soil, and carbon dioxide. 3 Energy from the sun and chlorophyll are also needed. 4 Glucose, oxygen, and water 5 Leaves 6 Inform readers about the process of photosynthesis

Simple Photosynthesis By Cindy Grigg 1 Each part of a plant has its own job. Leaves have the job of photosynthesis. This process lets leaves capture the energy of sunlight and use it to make food. Nearly all plant leaves are green because they contain a chemical called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is found in chloroplasts inside each plant cell. Chloroplasts absorb the energy of sunlight. 2 Carbon dioxide is a gas in the air. Tiny openings in the plant's leaves called stomata let carbon dioxide come into the leaf. Water is taken in by the plant's roots. It moves into all the cells of the plant. Chlorophyll, using the sun's energy, changes the water and carbon dioxide into a sugar called glucose. Plants use this food to live and grow. 3 How do plants change water and carbon dioxide into food? Using the energy from the sun, the water inside the plant's cells is split into its two parts. Water is made of one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen. Carbon dioxide splits, too. It splits into carbon and oxygen. 4 The plant uses some of the oxygen and combines it with hydrogen and carbon. These three elements combine to make glucose, a kind of sugar. Some of the oxygen is not needed by the plant. It is sent out of the plant through the stomata. People and animals breathe it in. Then they breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants use it to make more glucose. 5 Plants and animals are partners. Plants give animals oxygen to breathe. Animals give plants carbon dioxide. When people and animals eat plants, they use the glucose the plants made for their own food. It all starts with energy from the sun. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Simple Photosynthesis 1. In what part of the plant does photosynthesis usually take place? Roots Leaves Stem 2. Chlorophyll is found in ______ in the plant's cells. 3. What is an effect of photosynthesis? Oxygen is released into the air for people and animals to breathe. Food is made for plants and animals. Carbon dioxide is taken out of the air. All of the above 4. What is glucose made of? Chlorophyll, energy, and carbon Chlorophyll, chloroplasts, and sugar Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen Water, hydrogen, and oxygen 5. Which happens last in the process of photosynthesis? Oxygen exits the leaf. The plant captures the sun's energy. Water is taken up by the plant's roots. Carbon dioxide enters the leaf. Simple Photosynthesis - Answer Key 1 Leaves 2 chloroplasts 3 All of the above 4 Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen 5 Oxygen exits the leaf.

Jason takes a Moon Walk By Mary Lynn Bushong 1 Photo credit: NASA 2 Tim rushed into the communications room at the PHC. He had been looking forward to this moment all week. He had an appointment to use the subspace communications equipment. He wanted to talk to his cousin Jason, who was living on a moon colony. 3 Tim lived on a colony that was on the ocean floor. It was called PHC, which was short for Permanent Human Colony. His father was the director of the facility, and Tim and the rest of his family had lived here for a long time. 4 Tim was glad that the communication equipment was so much more improved over what it had been just a few years ago. He could talk to Jason almost anytime he wanted to now, as long as the equipment was not needed for something else. It was still necessary to make an appointment, but Tim didn't mind that at all. 5 After entering the necessary information into the computer, Tim sat back and waited for the connection with Jason's equipment to be made. The signal had to be relayed through several stations and satellites before it made it to Jason on the moon. 6 Finally, Jason was talking to Tim, and because he was so excited, Tim could hardly understand him. "Slow down, Jason. I can't understand you when you talk so fast. What was that about walking on the moon?" asked Tim. 7 "I just said that I have been selected by my class to be the one to go on an exercise where we will walk on the surface of the moon. Most of the scientists here have been on the surface many times, but those of us who are students never get to go outside the colony," said Jason. 8 "Boy, tell me about it. I have been trying to get Dad to let me go out and work outside our colony ever since we got here. It is against policy for children to go out to the ocean floor," said Tim with disgust. 9 "That's rough. We are doing some experiments in our class, and so I was selected to be the one to go out," Jason said with pride. 10 "What kind of exercises are you doing?" 11 "We are gathering soil samples from various areas to see if they have any compounds that we could use for fuel sources. We know that there is a lot of Helium 3 on the moon, but we don't know if there is any near our colony," said Jason. 12 "Why do you want Helium 3?" asked Tim. 13 "Our scientists believe it will provide the moon and the Earth with all of the nuclear fusion power we will ever need," Jason said excitedly. 14 "Wow, that would really be cool if you found some. Do you have the technology now to use the Helium 3 as a power source?" 15 "Yes," said Jason. "We have been using Helium 3 for some time here, but we have had to get the fuel from Earth. We know there is a good source of Helium 3 here on the moon. We just need to find it." 16 "When will you be doing the exploration?" asked Tim. 17 "Tomorrow," said Jason. "We need to finish our tests this week because we are almost at the end of our lunar day cycle. Our lunar day is twenty-nine and a half Earth days long. We have just over two weeks of daytime and then two weeks of dark time. We have to stay in the colony during the dark times." 18 "I am really happy for you, Jason. Getting to go on this exercise is a really big deal," said Tim. "I hope Dad will let me go on some exploration outside of our colony sometime soon. Maybe he will change his mind and let me go when he hears about your adventures." 19 "Good luck with that, Tim. I will keep you informed about how things go here. Talk to you later," said Jason as he signed off. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Jason takes a Moon Walk 1. How long had Tim been waiting to use the subspace communications equipment? 2. Who did Tim want to talk to on the subspace communication equipment? 3. Tim was upset that the equipment didn't work very well, and he was almost never allowed to use it. False True 4. Jason spoke so fast when they first started talking that Tim could not understand him. False True 5. What was Jason excited about? He had found gold dust on the moon. He had done really well on his math test. He had a new girlfriend. He was selected to do a moon walk. 6. Tim wished that he would be allowed to do exercises outside of the colony like Jason was allowed to do. False True Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Jason takes a Moon Walk 7. What kind of exercises would Jason do on the surface of the moon? He would test to see how high he could jump. He would look for signs of water. He would look for a source of Helium 3. He would try to find gold. 8. Why did Jason need to finish the experiment that week? He needed to get done before his father found out about the exercise. It was almost time for the lunar dark time at the colony. They were almost out of fuel to operate the colony. The teacher needed the results of the experiment right away. Jason takes a Moon Walk - Answer Key 1 All week. 2 His cousin Jason 3 False 4 True 5 He was selected to do a moon walk. 6 True 7 He would look for a source of Helium 3. 8 It was almost time for the lunar dark time at the colony.

The Moon By Cindy Grigg 1 From the time you were very young, you looked up in the sky and saw the moon. When you were little, you may have thought the moon "followed" you if you were in a car going somewhere. The moon does move, but it doesn't follow cars. 2 The moon goes around or orbits the Earth, just as Earth orbits the sun. The phases of the moon are caused by the positions of the Earth, sun, and moon. The moon orbits the earth in 27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes. That's almost four weeks, and we see four main phases of the moon. Each main phase lasts about one week each. In between each of those four main phases, the moon is changing. 3 You may have heard people refer to the moon as either "waxing" or "waning." Waxing means that it is growing fuller, and waning means that it is moving from full to smaller. 4 The sun always lights up the side of the moon facing the sun. When the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth, the moon appears "full" to us, a bright, round circle. When the moon is between Earth and the sun, it is dark. We call this a "new" moon. In between, the moon's illuminated surface appears to grow (waxes) to full, then decreases (wanes) to the next new moon. 5 Eight phases in all are named. There's the new moon; then the waxing crescent moon. When we see half the moon lit, we call that the first quarter moon. The lit part looks like the capital letter "D." The moon is one-quarter of the way through its monthly phases. The next phase is called waxing gibbous; then there's the full moon. After that, the moon is waning, or growing smaller. We see the waning gibbous; then the third quarter (half the moon is lit again, but it's the opposite side, a backwards letter "D"). Then we see the waning crescent; then the new moon. 6 The moon, Earth's only natural satellite, is over one-fourth the size of Earth. It is Earth's closest neighbor in space, at a distance of 238,857 miles, or 384,403 kilometers. 7 You may have heard people talk about "the dark side of the moon," but there is no such thing. The sun shines on all sides of the moon as it orbits. However, there is a "far side of the moon" that is never seen from Earth. The moon's rotation period exactly matches its revolution period around the Earth. Since the moon rotates at the same speed as it revolves around the Earth, only one side of the moon is ever seen on Earth. 8 You can see this effect by using two balls. Hold one of the balls still to represent Earth. Now move the other ball around the Earth without twisting your wrist. You will see that people on the Earth would see all sides of the moon. However, the moon is rotating on its axis. If you slowly spin the moon on its trip around the Earth, you will see that you can time it so only one side of the moon is ever seen from Earth. That's why people on Earth only see one side of the moon. 9 On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the surface of the moon. He was followed by Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin on the Apollo 11 mission. They found there is no atmosphere on the moon. They could only communicate by radio because sound waves can only be heard by traveling through the medium of air. The lunar sky is always black because of the lack of an atmosphere. 10 The astronauts also experienced gravitational differences. The moon's gravity is one-sixth that of the Earth's; a man who weighs180 pounds on Earth weighs only 30 pounds on the moon. You may have seen video of the astronauts on the moon and saw how they bounced. The bouncing was because the force of gravity is so much less on the moon than on Earth. The moon is the only celestial body other than the Earth upon which humans have walked. 11 On Earth we see the effects of the moon's gravitational pull. Tides are the periodic rise and fall of large bodies of water. Tides are caused because the Earth and the moon are attracted to each other, just like magnets are attracted to each other. 12 The gravitational attraction of the moon causes the oceans to bulge out in the direction of the moon. Another bulge occurs on the opposite side, since the Earth is also being pulled toward the moon (and away from the water on the far side.) The moon tries to pull at anything on Earth to bring it closer. Earth is able to hold onto everything except the water. Since the water is always moving, the Earth cannot hold onto it, and the moon is able to pull at it. Since Earth is rotating while this is happening, there are two high tides and two low tides each day. There are about twelve hours and twenty five minutes between the two high tides every day. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ The Moon 1. About how long does each of the four main phases of the moon last? About one year About one month About one day About one week 2. What does "waxing" mean when we talk about the moon? The moon is not visible. The moon looks like someone waxed it. The moon is getting fuller. The moon is getting smaller. 3. What does "waning" mean when we talk about the moon? The moon looks like someone waxed it. The moon is getting smaller. The moon is getting fuller. The moon is not visible. 4. How big is the moon in comparison to Earth? About the same size About one-half as large About one-eighth as large About one-fourth as large 5. Who was the first man to walk on the moon? Neil Armstrong Nobody has ever walked on the moon. Buzz Aldrin Nobody knows. 6. On Earth, what are the effects of the moon's gravitational pull? Earthquakes There are no effects on Earth. The ocean tides The phases of the moon 7. How many tides are there every day? Two One Three Four 8. What causes tides? The gravitational pull of the moon on the Earth's oceans Winds Magnets Moon phases The Moon - Answer Key 1 About one week 2 The moon is getting fuller. 3 The moon is getting smaller. 4 About one-fourth as large 5 Neil Armstrong 6 The ocean tides 7 Four 8 The gravitational pull of the moon on the Earth's oceans

Puffins 1 Puffins are small sea birds that look like they are wearing a tuxedo! About the size of a pigeon, a puffin has black feathers covering most of its body except for its white, round belly. What makes puffins so cute and adorable is their colorful beak. Puffins live on the open ocean for most of their lives. They only return to land once a year to breed. There are four types of puffins, but the Atlantic puffin is the most famous member in the puffin family! The Atlantic puffin is the only species of puffins found on the Atlantic coast. The other species of puffins - horned puffin, tufted puffin, and rhinoceros auklet - have the Pacific as their territory! 2 Puffins are excellent athletes. They can fly 48 to 55 miles per hour, and they can flap their wings at a speed of 400 times a minute! When they fly, they move so fast that they look like a black and white football shooting across the sky! Not only are puffins great fliers, but they also excel in diving. Most puffins can dive for about 30 seconds. While underwater, puffins swim by beating their wings to push them along under the water, as if they are flying, and using their webbed feet as rudders for steering. Puffins are known to swim to a depth of more than 100 feet in search of fish to eat. 3 When puffins catch fish, they do not just carry one fish at a time. On average, puffins catch and hold about 10 fish in their beak per trip. The record load is 62! How do they do it? The secret lies in their tongue! Puffins use their raspy tongue to push the fish against spines on the palate while they open their beak to catch more fish. Each time another fish is caught, the tongue pushes and holds it up with the others. 4 Most of the time, puffins just fly, float, and catch fish on the open ocean. They will return to their nesting island from April to mid-August to mate and raise a chick. It is during the mating season that their beak and feet turn from dull gray to a colorful orange! Puffins use their large, brightly colored beak to attract a mate, and they dig their burrows in soil by using their beak and feet. Usually 2 to 3 feet long, burrows are puffins' homes during this time. Puffins are thoughtful homebuilders. When they dig up their burrow, they have a special toilet area for their baby and construct their nest in the back of a long tunnel. The young chick uses this special toilet area as a bathroom so it doesn't soil its feathers and can keep its feathers waterproof. Puffins like to keep the same mate and return to the same burrow dug out in previous years. 5 Female puffins lay a single egg. Both parents take turns incubating the egg. Once the young chick hatches, parent puffins are busy catching fish to feed their hungry baby that eats about 20 to 25 fish a day! Other than eating fish fetched by the parents, young chicks come out of their burrow at night to exercise their wings. Parent puffins continue to feed their chick for about forty days. Afterwards, they abandon it. Driven by hunger, young chicks bid farewell to their burrows and make their way to the sea. They always choose one night around mid-August to leave their home. When they are ready, they fly out of their burrows, jump into the water, and paddle away. They will not return to their colony for another four to five years, when they are mature enough to mate and raise a chick themselves! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Puffins 1. How many species of puffins are there? Three Five Four Six 2. Which of the following puffin species can only be found in the Atlantic? The horned puffin Rhinoceros auklet The tufted puffin The Atlantic puffin 3. A puffin can beat its wings as fast as 400 times a second. False True 4. Puffins swim by using their beak for steering. False True 5. Why can puffins carry many fish in their beak at once? Puffins cannot carry more than one fish at a time. Because of their raspy tongue Because of their colorful beak Because of their teeth 6. Female puffins lay only one egg each year. False True 7. Puffins' beaks and feet are an orange color all year round. False True 8. Puffins return to their nesting area from ____________ to ____________ to mate and raise a chick. Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Puffins 9. How do young chicks keep their feathers waterproof? By rubbing against rocks By using a separate area in the burrow as a toilet By jumping into the water By licking off the dirt with their raspy tongues 10. Which of the following statements about puffins is not true? Female puffins lay only one egg each year. After the chick hatches, father puffin is in charge of catching fish and mother puffin is responsible for teaching the young to fly. Young puffins will not return to their colony until they are old enough to mate. The Atlantic puffin is the only type of puffin living in the Atlantic. Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Puffins You just came back from a puffin watch tour in Maine. Describe what you saw. Ostriches 1 Ostriches deserve the title of the world's largest birds. They stand up to nine feet tall. They weigh more than 300 pounds. Aside from their impressive height and weight, ostriches are also the record holders in many other areas. Although ostriches are birds, they cannot fly. Their wings are neither big enough nor strong enough to carry their heavy bodies. To make up for this shortfall, ostriches rely on their long, muscular legs to run away from danger. With a top speed of 50 miles per hour, ostriches can run faster than any other birds on Earth! Ostriches have the biggest eyeballs of any bird. Each of their eyeballs is about 2 inches across! Ostriches lay the world's largest egg. An ostrich egg is 7 inches long and 4.5 inches across, and it weighs more than 3 pounds. Did you know that one ostrich egg is equivalent to about 24 chicken eggs or 4,700 bee hummingbird eggs? 2 Native to Africa, ostriches like to travel in small groups across the grassland to search for food. They mainly feed on leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds. Sometimes, they eat small lizards and insects, too. 3 When we see a group of ostriches, we can easily tell which one is male and which one is female. Male ostriches wear black outfits with white feathers on their wings and tails. Female ostriches do not wear such pretty dresses - their feathers are dull, grayish brown. 4 Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand when threatened? Actually, they don't! Ostriches simply run away or give their enemy a powerful kick. So, where does this ostrich myth come from? Well, two of their interesting behaviors may be the cause of this misconception. First, when ostriches eat, they often do so by lowering their necks near the ground to gather food. Looking from a distance, their long necks simply seem to disappear into the ground. Second, ostriches avoid unwanted attention by lying on the ground and resting their necks flatly against it. A predator cannot see their heads and may mistake their hump-backed bodies as boulders or small hills. 5 When a male ostrich is ready to have his own family, he dances by swaying his wings and tapping his head on his back. He mates with 4 or 5 female ostriches. All of his wives lay their eggs in a single, large, hollow nest in the ground, dug out by the husband. Each wife lays about 10 eggs, so the nest contains as many as 50 eggs. 6 Although a male ostrich may have many wives, only one shares the responsibilities with her husband to incubate and raise their chicks. Usually, the "big wife" sits on the eggs during the day. Her husband sits on the eggs at night. If a hungry predator, such as a hyena, comes too close to an ostrich family, the father ostrich distracts the intruder by making it chase after him. Once he leads the intruder far away enough from his nest, he quickly runs back to join his family again. If the intruder refuses to leave the ostrich family alone, the parents will give it a couple of deadly ostrich kicks! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Ostriches 1. In which ecosystem do ostriches live? Polar region Rainforest Grassland High mountain 2. Ostriches lay the largest egg of any animal. False True 3. Ostriches are native to which continent? Africa Australia Antarctica Asia 4. Which of the following best describes ostriches? Ostriches have the largest eyeballs of any bird. Ostriches are the largest birds on Earth. Ostriches are the world's fastest running birds. All of the above 5. What do ostriches do when they feel threatened? They run away or kick at their enemy. They dance to scare away their enemy. They bury their heads in the sand. They scream. 6. Ostriches can run as fast as 70 miles per hour. False True Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Ostriches 7. Which of the following about ostriches is true? An ostrich nest has about 10 eggs. A male ostrich mates with four or five female ostriches. A male ostrich and all of his wives take turns incubating their eggs. A male ostrich digs out four or five nests in the ground and gives one to each of his wives. 8. Which of the following about ostriches is not true? One ostrich egg is equivalent to about 2 dozen chicken eggs. Ostriches have really big eyeballs. Each of their eyeballs is about 2 inches across. Both male and female ostriches wear black outfits with white feathers on their wings and tails. Ostriches eat leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, small lizards, and insects. Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Ostriches It's a common misperception that ostriches like to bury their heads in the sand when feeling threatened. Can you think of another animal whose appearance or behavior also misled us? Describe the animal and what misperception we had about it. Japanese Cranes 1 Japanese cranes, or red-crowned cranes, are symbols of many things. They symbolize peace, long life, and fortune. But they are not Japan's official national bird. That title belongs to Japanese pheasants. 2 Standing up to five feet tall and weighing nearly 26 pounds, Japanese cranes (or tancho in Japanese) are among the largest of all cranes. They are not the tallest cranes on Earth. That is an honor held by sarus cranes. But red-crowned cranes are certainly the heaviest! 3 Japanese cranes can be found not only in Japan, but also in Russia, China, and Korea. Interestingly, the cranes in Japan seem to be the only ones that do not migrate. Other Japanese cranes make two trips a year between their winter homes in central China or Korea and their breeding sites in northern China or Russia. Regardless of where they live, they all have yellow beaks, red bare-skin crowns, and snow-white feathers that are set in sharp contrast to their black faces, necks, tips of their flight feathers, and legs. Japanese cranes are omnivores. They feed on both plants and small animals (such as fish, insects, and reptiles) found in marshes, swamps, and wetlands. 4 Japanese cranes mate once a year around March. When a male Japanese crane finds a partner, the two decide to become a lifelong couple. They perform elaborate, magnificent courtship dances. With their wings spread, they leap, circle around each other, exchange bows and calls, and toss materials (such as sticks) into the air. For years to come, the couple often carries out the same rituals to reinforce their relationship. 5 The female Japanese crane lays one or two eggs in a nest built by her and her husband. The parents-to-be take turns incubating their eggs for about a month. Baby Japanese cranes grow fast. They can reach their adult size at the age of three months. When they turn three years old, they are ready to start their own families. Japanese cranes have a lifespan of about seventy years. 6 Once abundant, Japanese cranes are now endangered. In Japan alone, these beautiful birds were common on all four Japanese islands up until the Edo period (1603 - 1867.) Then, hunting (banned after 1867), loss of habitat, and devastation from World War II and the Korean War nearly killed all Japanese cranes in Japan. When scientists did the first population study of the bird in 1952, they only found about thirty Japanese cranes. They all were living in Hokkaido -- the northernmost island of Japan. Fortunately, with the establishment of the Japanese Crane Reserve, Japanese cranes finally got the help they badly needed. Today, there are about 600 Japanese cranes in Japan. There are about 1,000 in neighboring countries. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Japanese Cranes 1. Which of the following statements about Japanese cranes is correct? Japanese cranes prefer to dwell in marshes, swamps, and wetlands. Japanese cranes are the tallest of all cranes. Hokkaido, Japan, is the only place on Earth where we can find Japanese cranes. Japanese cranes have red feathers covering the top of their heads. 2. Japanese cranes are common on all four islands of Japan. False True 3. In which of the following countries can we not find Japanese cranes? Japan Russia Korea Jordan 4. What color are Japanese cranes' legs? White Red Yellow Black 5. Which of the following statements about cranes is correct? Japanese cranes are also known as sarus cranes. Red-crowned cranes and tancho are the same bird. Japanese cranes are the tallest of all cranes. Sarus cranes are the heaviest of all cranes. 6. Which of the following about Japanese cranes' breeding behaviors is INCORRECT? Japanese cranes mate for life. Japanese cranes are famous for their elaborate courtship dances. A female Japanese crane is solely responsible for building her nest and incubating her eggs. Japanese cranes breed once a year in the spring. Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Japanese Cranes 7. What is the biggest difference between a Japanese crane in Japan and a Japanese crane in Russia? The Japanese crane in Japan has a yellow beak, whereas the Japanese crane in Russia has a red beak. The Japanese crane in Japan has a red bare-skin crown, whereas the Japanese crane in Russia has a black bare-skin crown. The Japanese crane in Japan lives in swamps, whereas the Japanese crane in Russia lives in marshes. The Japanese crane in Japan does not migrate, whereas the Japanese crane in Russia does. 8. What is the current status of Japanese cranes? Unknown Common Endangered Extinct Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Japanese Cranes Japanese cranes are not the only bird species famous for their elaborate courtship dances. Think of another bird that also likes to dance during the breeding season. Describe the bird. Puffins - Answer Key 1 Four 2 The Atlantic puffin 3 False 4 False 5 Because of their raspy tongue 6 True 7 False 8 from April to mid-August 9 By using a separate area in the burrow as a toilet 10 After the chick hatches, father puffin is in charge of catching fish and mother puffin is responsible for teaching the young to fly. Ostriches - Answer Key 1 Grassland 2 True 3 Africa 4 All of the above 5 They run away or kick at their enemy. 6 False 7 A male ostrich mates with four or five female ostriches. 8 Both male and female ostriches wear black outfits with white feathers on their wings and tails. Japanese Cranes - Answer Key 1 Japanese cranes prefer to dwell in marshes, swamps, and wetlands. 2 False 3 Jordan 4 Black 5 Red-crowned cranes and tancho are the same bird. 6 A female Japanese crane is solely responsible for building her nest and incubating her eggs. 7 The Japanese crane in Japan does not migrate, whereas the Japanese crane in Russia does. 8 Endangered

What Does a Biologist Do? By Cindy Grigg 1 Is science your favorite subject in school? Are you wondering what kinds of jobs there are in the field of science? One type of career in the science field is that of a biologist. A biologist studies living things and their environments, or the world around them, and how living things affect and are affected by their environment. The area where something lives and its environment is called a habitat. 2 When biologists talk about living things, they mean much more than just animals. Biologists study everything from algae, to one-celled animals like amoebas, to slime molds, to plants, to invertebrate animals, to mammals. Every living thing lives in an environment, or habitat, that is suited to the way the organism lives. There are lots of different kinds of living organisms because there are lots of different kinds of environments. 3 Some biologists study one type of environment and all the different living things that make up that habitat. For example, a marine biologist studies plants and animals that live in the ocean. Some biologists study just humans and their environments. Some cell biologists study cells which are the smallest part of a living thing. Cell biologists study the way cells are made, the parts that make up a cell, the way these parts all work together and interact with their surroundings, and the cell's life cycle. The study of cell biology has led to an understanding of human tumors and maybe someday will help scientists find a cure for cancer. 4 Some biologists might work in zoos or aquariums. They keep the animals healthy and design habitats that are best suited to each animal. They educate the public about how to protect animals in the wild. They also work to protect endangered animals from extinction. If one kind of animal becomes extinct, then we have lost it forever. 5 Some forensic biologists work with police to discover evidence that can be used to solve crimes. They find and identify finger prints, blood, and DNA. DNA is something found in each cell that can be used to identify individuals. Each person's DNA is different from every other person's. 6 Many biologists work in health professions. Doctors, nurses, and lab technicians all must have a good understanding of biology. Some doctors study infectious diseases and try to find ways to keep people from getting sick. Sometimes biologists find a vaccine so that we can just get a shot and not have to worry about getting a disease. Sometimes biologists find ways to make the diseases we do get less dangerous to us. 7 Biologists may study cells under a microscope, insects in a rainforest, snakes in a desert, viruses that affect humans, plants in a greenhouse, or endangered animals around the world. Biologists help us by teaching us about human health, environmental threats, and meeting humans' increasing needs for more food supplies. If you like working with people, animals, or cells, being a biologist might be just the right career for you! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Does a Biologist Do? 1. What does a biologist study? People Plants Environments All of the above 2. What is a habitat? A kind of animal A habit that you keep doing over and over A branch of science The area where something lives and its environment 3. A marine biologist studies ______. Food Men in the army Mammals Plants and animals that live in the ocean 4. Cells are ______. Small animals Telephones The smallest part of a living thing Small plants 5. Extinction is ______. When all the dinosaurs died When a type of plant or animal is lost forever When there are no more living things of one kind All of the above 6. What is DNA? Something found in each cell Used to solve crimes Used to identify individuals All of the above 7. Biologists study plants and animals. False True 8. Doctors and nurses must know biology. False True What Does a Biologist Do? - Answer Key 1 All of the above 2 The area where something lives and its environment 3 Plants and animals that live in the ocean 4 The smallest part of a living thing 5 All of the above 6 All of the above 7 True 8 True

What Does a Botanist Do? By Cindy Grigg 1 Botanists are scientists who study plants. Why is it important to study plants? Plants give us two things we need to survive. The first thing is food. Plants are the only living organisms on earth that can make their own food. All other living things on the earth depend on plants for food. People eat many different kinds of plants. Salad, carrots, and potatoes are some of the plants people eat. Bread is made from wheat which is also a plant. Rice comes from a plant. People also eat meat from cows. Cows eat plants. Without plants there would be no cows or other meat for us to eat. Without plants people would have no food! 2 The second thing plants give us that we need to survive is oxygen. People and animals must breathe in oxygen to live; they breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants must take in carbon dioxide to live and they give off oxygen. As you can see, without plants there could be no people! 3 Plants also provide many other things that people use every day. Cotton clothing, paper, lumber, medicines, dyes, beverages like coffee and cola, and perfumes are all made from plants. 4 Botanists do many things including finding and classifying new plants, studying plant diseases, developing new types of plants, and studying the areas in which plants grow. Botanists can work in laboratories or universities, and often times they travel to the places where the plants grow so they can study them in the wild. Many botanists travel to the rain forest to study the plants that live in that ecosystem. More than two-thirds of the world's plant species are found in tropical rainforests. It has been estimated that hundreds of millions of new plant species have not yet been discovered. Will you be the one to make these new discoveries? Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Does a Botanist Do? 1. Botanists are scientists who ______. Study bottles Study cells Study plants Study animals 2. Plants give people ______. Oxygen to breathe Food to eat Lumber, paper, and other goods All of the above 3. Plants are the only living organisms on Earth that can ______. Make their own water Make their own light Make their own food Make their own soil 4. People breathe in ______ and breathe out ______. Carbon dioxide, oxygen Oxygen, carbon dioxide Nitrogen, oxygen Carbon dioxide, nitrogen 5. Plants take in ______ and give off ______. Nitrogen, oxygen Oxygen, carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide, nitrogen Carbon dioxide, oxygen 6. About what fraction of the world's plant species is found in the rainforests? 1/3 1/2 2/3 3/4 What Does a Botanist Do? - Answer Key 1 Study plants 2 All of the above 3 Make their own food 4 Oxygen, carbon dioxide 5 Carbon dioxide, oxygen 6 2/3

What Does a Chemist Do? By Cindy Grigg 1 Everything in our world is made up of chemicals. Yes, even people! A chemist studies chemicals, matter and its properties, and atoms. Atoms are the smallest particles of an element that still have the properties of that element. For instance, you can take a piece of aluminum and cut it into pieces, and it still is a shiny, lightweight metal. If you could cut that aluminum into pieces that are too small to see with your eyes, or even with a good microscope, it would still be a piece of aluminum. 2 Chemists study atoms and how they join together. For example, flour, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips can join together to make chocolate chip cookies. However, if you first melt the chocolate, you will get a different kind of cookie. It will be chocolate all through without the chips of chocolate in it. In this same way, the same atoms can join together in different ways and make completely different substances. For instance, the chemical symbol for oxygen is O2. This means that oxygen is made up of two atoms of oxygen joined together. This is like a "recipe" for oxygen. If we change the "recipe" and join three atoms of oxygen together, then we get a different chemical called ozone, whose symbol is O3. 3 Chemists use their knowledge of how atoms combine to discover new products. Before the 1940's, clothes had to be made from natural fibers like cotton and silk. Now, many of our clothes are made of synthetic fibers which have been made completely from chemicals. Polyester, nylon, and spandex are examples of synthetic fibers made from chemicals. Thousands of new products have been developed by chemists in the last half-century. Chemical research has led to the discovery and development of new and improved synthetic fibers, paints, adhesives, drugs, cosmetics, electronic components, lubricants, and thousands of other products. Chemists work to develop new drugs to treat diseases. Chemists also work in the oil industry to find better ways to refine oil to make fuel burn cleaner. Chemists have brought about advances in medicine, agriculture, food processing, and other fields. Chemists have an impact on almost every part of our lives! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Does a Chemist Do? 1. A chemist studies ______. Chemicals, matter and its properties, and atoms The earth, its rocks and soil Famous people The stars in the sky 2. The smallest particle of anything is a/an ______. Atom Chemical Element Piece 3. Chemists study atoms and how they ______. Join together Attract each other Break apart Repel each other 4. The chemical symbol for oxygen is ______. O3 H2O O2 O 5. After the 1940's, clothes could be made out of ______. Cotton fibers Natural fibers Silk fibers Synthetic fibers 6. Polyester, nylon, and spandex are examples of ______. Synthetic fibers Natural fibers Paint Styles of clothing 7. Chemicals make up: Air Liquids Things in a lab Everything in our world, including people 8. Name some of the new products chemical research has led to. What Does a Chemist Do? - Answer Key 1 Chemicals, matter and its properties, and atoms 2 Atom 3 Join together 4 O2 5 Synthetic fibers 6 Synthetic fibers 7 Everything in our world, including people 8 Possible answer: synthetic fibers, paints, adhesives, drugs, cosmetics, electronic components, lubricants

What Does a Geneticist Do? By Cindy Grigg 1 Scientists who study genetics study genes and heredity: how certain characteristics are inherited by offspring because their parents had these characteristics. Do you have the same eye color as your mother or father? Do twins "run" in your family? These characteristics, or traits, are inherited. They are passed from your parents to you by genes. Genes contain DNA that occupies a specific place on a chromosome. DNA determines a specific trait in the organism. Even the fact that you were born a boy or a girl was determined by genes. DNA is found in the nucleus of each cell. When a baby is made, one cell from the father joins with one cell from the mother. This tiny cell contains all the information stored in DNA to make a new person - you! If you are a boy, you were given DNA from your father containing a "y" chromosome. If you are a girl, you were given DNA from your father containing an "x" chromosome. Your mother could only give you an x chromosome. Girls have two x chromosomes, and boys have an x and a y chromosome. The information in the DNA you inherited from your parents also determined what color of eyes you would have, the color of your hair, the type of ear lobes you have, and whether or not you can roll your tongue. 2 The first geneticist was Gregor Mendel. In 1865 he published a paper describing experiments he did with garden peas. He noticed that certain traits in the parent plants could be predicted to occur in a certain percentage of the offspring. Traits like plant height, blossom color, color of peas, and whether the peas were wrinkled or smooth appeared to be passed down from the parent plant to the offspring. Mendel did not know about DNA or chromosomes, and he could not explain how these traits were passed down. His work was mostly ignored for many years. 3 Only recently did scientists finish mapping the human genome. This "map" shows all the genes in human DNA. Scientists believe this will help them understand many inherited diseases and could lead to the treatment and prevention of these diseases. This work is what a geneticist does. Many geneticists are doctors who treat and counsel patients who have a genetic disease. Some examples of these inherited diseases are Down's syndrome, Huntington's disease, sickle-cell anemia, muscular dystrophy, and cystic fibrosis. 4 Genetics is a very new career choice. Could it be the career for you? Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Does a Geneticist Do? 1. What do geneticists study? Plants Genes and heredity Old people Babies 2. What determines a specific trait? Luck DNA 3. Where is DNA found? In the nucleus of a cell In the cytoplasm In the cell wall In the mitochondria 4. If you are a boy, what kind of chromosome did you get from your father? A y chromosome An x chromosome 5. Girls have two ______ chromosomes. Y X XY 6. Who was the first geneticist? Albert Einstein Gregor Mendel Charles Darwin Galileo 7. The first experiments on heredity used what kind of plants? Corn Sunflowers Green beans Peas 8. Mendel's work was an immediate success. False True What Does a Geneticist Do? - Answer Key 1 Genes and heredity 2 DNA 3 In the nucleus of a cell 4 A y chromosome 5 X 6 Gregor Mendel 7 Peas 8 False

What Is a Geologist? By Cindy Grigg 1 A geologist is a person who studies the earth. Geologists study the structure of the Earth, or how it is made, the origin, or the beginning of the Earth, and its history. Geologists study rocks, soil, fossils, mountains, and earthquakes. 2 Geologists study the structure of the Earth, and they have found that it is made up of four main parts. The earth has a solid inner core, a liquid outer core, a mantle, and a crust. The crust is the outer layer of the Earth, just as bread crust is on the outside of the bread slice. The crust has continents and ocean basins. It is made up of many plates, or pieces, that move around. At one time, all the continents were joined together in one giant land mass. Scientists called this Pangea. There is scientific evidence that the continents have joined together and moved away from each other many times during Earth's history. The movement of these plates, although it happens very slowly, is what causes earthquakes. Some geologists study earthquakes to help people by predicting when an earthquake might happen and how to prepare for it. Sometimes the plates push apart, and sometimes they push together. When plates push together, mountains are formed. The Himalaya Mountains, the tallest mountains on Earth, were formed when two continental plates pushed together and pushed up these great mountains! 3 Also, by studying the structure of the Earth, geologists have helped us understand why there are volcanoes. Inside the Earth's mantle, rock is under great pressure and heat, and it melts and becomes magma. Magma sometimes is released from inside the Earth, and when this happens, a volcano erupts. After the magma reaches the surface of the Earth, we call it lava. 4 Geologists are also interested in knowing about Earth's history. They have made a geologic time scale. This scale is like a timeline that puts in order everything geologists have learned about the history of the Earth. Geologists who study Earth's history learn about the plants and animals that once lived on Earth but are now extinct. Extinct plants and animals have disappeared forever, but evidence has been found in fossils that tells us about them. For instance, no one has ever seen a real dinosaur, but we have found fossils of their bones, eggs, and footprints. Scientists have been able to build models that show us what real dinosaurs must have looked like. 5 Geologists also study the Earth today and how to deal with the problems that it faces. With so many people now living on the earth, geologists must study the problems that this has caused. People create a lot of trash, and this must be disposed of without polluting our environment. People need clean water and air, enough food, and room for families to live, work, and go to school. Environmental geologists study these problems and look for solutions for now and in the future. Geologists also look for oil that people need for fuel for their cars, homes, and airplanes. 6 Geologists have many jobs. They study Earth's rocks, soil, water, air, mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes, climate, and environment. A geologist needs to study science and math. Some geologists work outside most of the time; some geologists work in offices most of the time. If you are interested in studying about the Earth, being a geologist might be the job for you! Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ What Is a Geologist? 1. A geologist is ______. A person who studies oceans A person who studies geodes A person who studies the Earth A person who studies planets 2. A geologist studies ______. Rocks Fossils Mountains Earthquakes All of the above 3. The Earth has ______ main parts. Three Two One Four 4. The outer layer of the Earth, the crust, has ______. People and animals Continents and ocean basins Magma and lava Air and water 5. The Earth's crust is made up of many pieces called ______. Squares Continents Spoons Plates 6. The Himalaya Mountains were formed by ______. Oceans moving away Plates pushing together Volcanoes People 7. Magma and lava are really the same thing. False True 8. Do you think you would like to be a geologist? Explain why or why not. What Is a Geologist? - Answer Key 1 A person who studies the Earth 2 All of the above 3 Four 4 Continents and ocean basins 5 Plates 6 Plates pushing together 7 True 8 Various

nfer or Not To Infer By Trista L. Pollard 1 Everyday we make judgments based on our observations. Your friend's dog may not like you because every time you go to pet the dog it growls. When your teacher hands back your geography test, he smiles which makes you think that you did very well. When you step outside in the morning, you notice it is very cloudy. You have a feeling it will rain, so you decide to carry your umbrella in your backpack. You have used two very important science process skills used by all scientists. These skills are called inferring and predicting. 2 When scientists infer, they draw conclusions, interpret, and try to explain their observations. For example, if a scientist observes that Plant A has a higher rate of growth when it is placed on the counter than when it is on the window sill, the scientist might infer that this plant grows better in the shade than in the sun. Inferences can also be made from recorded data. One example would be when students examine results from an experiment on bounce height of three different types of balls. Students would examine the bounce height of ping-pong balls, marbles, and rubber balls. Based on the data, students could explain whether the height at which the balls were dropped would affect the height the ball would bounce. Scientists also make inferences from data that is received indirectly. There are many places scientists cannot visit due to safety or lack of access. When scientists study volcanoes, they use evidence from the area surrounding the volcano to make inferences about the qualities of materials inside the volcano. This type of inferential thinking also leads to another science process skill called prediction. 3 Inferring about scientific data also leads to predicting. Scientists use current observations about events to help forecast or make generalizations about future events. These predictions usually follow after numerous testing situations and observations based on these situations. An example would be when scientists study the migration habits of Canadian geese. After observing year after year how gaggles of geese invade your town's beautiful park, scientists may be able to predict the time of year the gaggles arrive and when they will depart. They may also predict if the numbers of geese within these gaggles will increase or decrease based on environmental conditions. Two other parts of predicting are interpolating and extrapolating. When scientists interpolate, they take observation data and make predictions within the range of the present data. For example, if you collected data on the growth rate of plants in five inch, eight inch, and ten inch wide pots, you could use this data to make a prediction about plant growth in a seven inch pot. If you wanted to extrapolate this data, you might try to predict the growth rate of plants in twenty or thirty inch pots. When you extrapolate data, you use current collected data to make predictions about amounts outside of that range of data. Remember, predicting is not absolute or the answer to scientific questions. It is one of the processes, along with inferring, that helps scientists to make sense of scientific mysteries. Copyright © 2013 edHelper Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Infer or Not To Infer 1. When scientists infer _______. They retest their hypothesis They rewrite their experimental questions They draw conclusions, interpret, and explain their observations None of the above 2. When scientists use prediction, they try to forecast future events based on observations of past events. No, scientists don't use the past to predict the future. Yes, predicting is based on numerous observations of events and this information is used to forecast future similar events. 3. Interpolating data means to ________. Make predictions without observation data Make predictions within a given range of observation data Make predications about observation data Make predictions outside of a given range of observation data 4. When you come home from school, you observe that your mother's favorite vase is broken on the floor. You also observe that your dog Fluffy is lying on the floor with a piece of the vase under his paw. What can you infer from this scene? Name _____________________________ Date ___________________ Infer or Not To Infer 5. Your best friend has a cat named Friendly. When you go to visit your friend, you attempt to pet their cat. However, every time you try to pet the cat, it hisses and runs away. Based on your observations, what do you predict will happen when you attempt to pet the cat after you have visited your friend ten more times? 6. Scientists cannot make inferences about data that is received indirectly. False True 7. When scientists extrapolate data, they ___________. Make general observations about events and objects Make predictions without observation data Make predictions outside of a given range of observation data Make predictions inside a given range of observation data 8. Explain how observations are different from inferences. Infer or Not To Infer - Answer Key 1 They draw conclusions, interpret, and explain their observations 2 Yes, predicting is based on numerous observations of events and this information is used to forecast future similar events. 3 Make predictions within a given range of observation data 4 (Possible Answer) Fluffy was a bad dog and broke the vase. 5 (Possible Answer) Chances are that the cat will still hiss and run away. Cats are usually temperamental. 6 False 7 Make predictions outside of a given range of observation data 8 Observations are statements based on what we have experienced with our senses. Inferences are our explanations for these observations.

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