Teacher’s Guide
October 2009
In This Issue
pp. 2-9
EYE IN THE SKY
Pathfinder Edition
nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/teachers
nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/teachers
Dear Educator:
The October issue shines a
spotlight on the amazing planet
we call home.
“Eye in the Sky” introduces
readers to satellites and their unique
perspective on Earth’s systems.
Students will discover the roles
satellites play in their daily lives—
from cell phones and TV programs
to weather forecasts, navigation, and
documenting global warming. The
graphic organizer on p. T3 will help
readers identify details that support the author’s main
ideas. Students can use the completed organizer to create
written summaries of the story.
“Frightful Animals Hall of Fame” gives readers a
different view of Earth. Students tour the continents to
meet some of the creepiest, deadliest animals alive. A
reptile with crushing jaws, a venomous spider, and a
six-foot snake are just some of the fearsome creatures your
students will learn about. The activity on p. T5 will help
them synthesize information as they read to deepen their
understanding of the text. You can extend their learning
by having students suggest their own candidates for Earth’s
most frightful animals.
Finally, in “America the Beautiful,” photographer
Q.T. Luong turns his lens toward one of America’s national
treasures—Yosemite National Park. Readers will learn
about the natural history of Yosemite and the human
history behind the national park system. Luong’s message
to readers is compelling: We must enjoy our national
parks, while leaving nature the way we find it. You can use
the activity on p. T7 to help students make connections
between the text and their own experiences.
Whether it’s from an orbiting satellite or from the lens
of a camera perched on El Capitan, we hope you enjoy
the view!
Sincerely yours,
Jacalyn Mahler
Editor in Chief
Curriculum Connections
• Space Science • Earth Science
• Language Arts
Standards Correlations
• Space Science: Effects of space and
technology research
• Language Arts: Determine main idea and
supporting details
Literacy Skills
• Reading Strategy: Determine Importance
• Vocabulary: Vocabulary Notebook
• Writing: Critical Thinking
Frightful animals
PP. 10-17
Curriculum Connections
• Language Arts • Life Science
Standards Correlations
• Language Arts: Text structure (comparisons)
• Life Science: Diversity and adaptation of
living organisms
Literacy Skills
• Reading Strategy: Synthesize
• Vocabulary: Alliteration
• Writing: Poetry
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
PP. 18-23
Curriculum Connections
• Language Arts • Physical Science
• Geography
Standards Correlations
• Language Arts: Locate and analyze
descriptive language
• Physical Science: Effects on Earth’s landforms
by physical weathering and erosion
Literacy Skills
• Reading Strategy: Make Connections
• Vocabulary: Descriptive Writing
• Writing: Persuasive Writing and Research
Answer Key
Eye in the Sky • Teacher’s Guide, p. T3
Space Observer (Hubble Space Telescope, outer space
research), Communications (cell phones, TV), Weather
(storms or hurricanes), Tracking Location (GPS, rescues
at sea, protection from poachers), Earth Observer
(global warming, deforestation, volcanoes), Military
(weapons movements, enemy radio waves)
Frightful Animals • Teacher’s Guide, p. T5
Check students’ responses to make sure that the
information matches the facts presented in the text.
America the Beautiful • Teacher’s Guide, p. T7
Answers will vary.
Review • Teacher’s Guide, p. T8
1. c 2. a 3. d 4. b 5. c 6. a 7. a 8. b 9. b 10. d
11. d 12. c
Next Issue
Avalanche! Learn the cold facts of giant snow masses.
Trickster Plants: Discover some of plants’ amazing adaptations.
Lighthouse Lives: Meet a few of the brave people who kept
lighthouses burning.
Nudibranchs: Get to know sea slugs up close.
PAGES 2–9
EYE IN THE SKY
About the Story
How do satellites, miles and miles from Earth,
affect our daily lives? In this story, students will
learn how satellites work and the role they play
in cell phone conversations, television and radio
broadcasts, protection of endangered animals,
monitoring global warming, and more.
Fast Facts
n
n
A
ll satellites have certain common features: the
“bus” (metal or composite body), power (solar
or fuel cells and batteries), an onboard computer,
radio system and antenna and an attitude
control system that keeps the satellite pointed in
the right direction.
Th
e term payload refers to the computers and
sensors that collect the desired information. This
may include cameras, telescopes, thermometers,
wind gauges, or particle detectors.
Reading Strategy
Determine Importance: Tell students they are
going to learn many things about satellites and the
different ways people use them in their everyday
lives. As they read, students should focus on the
writer’s main ideas, or what he is mostly saying
about the topic. They should also pay attention to
important details that support the main ideas.
Read aloud the introduction on p. 4. Then model
the strategy. Say: The topic of this story is satellites.
In this section, I learned that scientists are using
satellites to help track endangered animals. That’s a
main, or important, idea. Mike Fay uses satellites to
help protect elephants from poachers in Chad. That’s
a detail that supports the main idea. Distribute the
graphic organizer on p. T3. In pairs, have students
read the story, stopping after each section to add
details to the web.
After Reading
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Notebook: Explain that some of
the technical words in the story may be new to
students. Display the following words: satellite,
atmosphere, Equator, predict. Before reading the
story, have each student rate his or her knowledge
of each word from 1 to 3. Students should use a
rating of 1 when they don’t know the word. A rating
of 2 means they have an idea of what a word means.
A rating of 3 means they know a word well enough
to teach it to a friend.
Suggest that as students read the story, they
record these and other new words in a vocabulary
notebook. Each listing should include a short
definition or an example.
Before Reading
Build Key Concepts: Display the word satellite.
Invite students to share what they know about the
topic. Then display the words orbit and axis. Preteach these words by explaining that an orbit is the
path something follows as it moves around another
object in space. For example, satellites orbit Earth.
Using a globe, show students how Earth rotates on
its axis, or the imaginary line through its center.
T2
National Geographic Explorer
n
n
etermine Importance: Invite pairs of students
D
to share their completed webs. Model how to use
the information to summarize the story orally.
Then have students write a written summary.
Critical Thinking: Challenge students to
think of ways that satellites might be used in
the year 2020. Encourage them to stretch their
imaginations and think of possible uses such as
locating lost pets, steering Earth-bound cars, or
alerting people about air pollution. Invite small
groups to create a poster divided in half. The top
shows how people use satellites today, and the
bottom half shows possible uses in the future.
National Geographic Explorer (ISSN 1541–3357) is published seven times
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National Geographic Society
CONTENT LITERACY
Name:
EYE IN THE SKY
Different satellites perform different jobs. Complete the web by adding details
for each type of satellite.
Communications
Space
Observer
Weather
SATELLITES
Earth
Observer
Copyright © 2009 National Geographic Society. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
RSTOCK
© MATTHEW COLE/SHUTTE
Tracking
Location
Military
October 2009
T3
PAGES 10–17
Frightful Animals
About the Story
In this story students will travel the globe to meet
some of the creepiest creatures around. They will
learn about the crushing jaws of the Gila monster,
the venom-filled fangs of the goliath tarantula, the
relentless spotted hyena, plus other scary predators
vying to be in the Frightful Animals Hall of Fame.
Which ones will get your students’ votes?
Fast Facts
n
n
M
any other creatures are possible candidates
for the Frightful Animals Hall of Fame. These
include the rattlesnake, black widow spider,
cone snail, box jellyfish, saltwater crocodile,
black mamba, and the saw-scaled viper.
Th
e tiny mosquito has been a recent addition
to the deadly list because of the life-threatening
diseases it can transmit.
Reading Strategy
Synthesize: Tell students they can bring together
multiple ideas from a single text by comparing
information. In “Frightful Animals,” they will learn
about six deadly creatures. Say: As you read about
each scary animal, notice details that are similar or
different about the animals. Think about why the
writer chose to include each one and what sets one
apart from the other.
Distribute the Synthesize activity on p. T5. As
students read the story, have them complete the
comparison chart to synthesize the information.
After Reading
n
Vocabulary
Alliteration: Display the following phrases
from the story: fierce fish, mighty mouth, and
serious snake. Explain that these are examples of
alliteration, or two or more neighboring words that
start with the same sound. Writers use alliteration
to catch the reader’s attention and make the
language more rich and interesting. Challenge
students to preview the photos in the story and
come up with alliterative descriptions for the
animals shown.
Before Reading
Activate Prior Knowledge: Page through the
story with students, directing their attention to the
headline, subheads, maps, and photos. Then ask
students to do a two-minute fast write about what
comes to mind. Say: Make connections to your own
life and experiences you’ve had. Model by drawing
from your own experiences or knowledge. For
example, say: The pictures remind me of a time when
I visited my grandparents in Tucson. I used to see lots
of snakes and lizards, but would only get close to the
little harmless lizards. Invite students to share their
written response.
n
n
S
ynthesize: When students have completed the
chart, lead them in a discussion. Ask: How are
the animals similar? How are they different? What
are some big ideas that you can take away from
the story? Do you agree that these are the most
frightful animals? Why, or why not?
R
esearch: Using the creatures listed in Fast
Facts and others that students research, create
a classroom bulletin board with fact sheets on
candidates for the Frightful Animals Hall of
Fame. Fact sheets should include a picture and
data such as range and habitat, features, favorite
prey, and mode of attack.
P
oetry: Who Am I? Tell students to pick one of
the creatures from the story and write a poem
about it, using as many descriptions and details
about the creature as possible. Suggest that they
do not disclose its name so that classmates can
guess when the poems are read aloud.
© FIVESPOTS/SHUTTERSTOCK
T4
National Geographic Explorer
SYNTHESIZE
Name:
Frightful Animals
Read “Frightful Animals Hall of Fame” in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER. As you
learn about each animal, fill in the information in the chart.
Animal
Where It
Lives
What It Is
Like
What It
Eats
How It
Attacks
Gila
Monster
Goliath
Tarantula
European
Eagle Owl
Copyright © 2009 National Geographic Society. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
Spotted
Hyena
Great
White Shark
Blood
Python
Now compare these frightful creatures. Which would you pick for the Frightful
Animals Hall of Fame? Write your answer on the back of this paper. Be sure to
explain your choice.
October 2009
T5
PAGES 18-23
America the Beautiful
About the Story
Yosemite is one of 58 national parks in the
United States. Through the eyes of photographer
Q.T. Luong, students will get a close-up look at
this spectacular work of nature. Readers will
discover that glaciers created many of the
magnificent physical features that have made
the park famous. Students will also learn why
Congress created the first national parks and
the special challenges the parks face today.
Fast Facts
n The
n
National Park System covers more than
34 million hectares (84 million acres) across
America. Over 250 million people visit the
national parks every year.
The National Park emblem was established
in 1951. Elements of the design represent
elements of the parks themselves. The
arrowhead outline symbolizes historical and
archeological importance. A sequoia tree and
bison represent vegetation and wildlife, and the
mountains and water represent the parks’ scenic
and recreational value.
Vocabulary
Descriptive Phrases: Read aloud from p. 20:
Rising above the valley, he saw towering cliffs
capped with a dusting of snow. The cliffs seemed
to soar up into the sky above. Ask students which
words helped them imagine what Yosemite is
like. Record the phrases and point out that such
descriptions help stories come alive. Next, have
pairs of students read the first paragraph of the
story and jot down descriptive phrases that create
vivid pictures in their minds. (sweat dripped,
peered over the edge, 3,000-foot drop, massive
granite cliff) Invite students to share responses.
T6
National Geographic Explorer
Before Reading
Activate Prior Knowledge: Say: Think about the
prettiest place you have seen in nature. Was it in
the mountains, the desert, at a beach? What made
it spectacular and amazing to you? Now write
down your thoughts. After several minutes, invite
students to read their ideas to a partner. Then ask
for examples from the class and display them.
Discuss similarities and differences among student
responses, pointing out that each of us may see
beauty in different things in nature.
Reading Strategy
Make Connections: Explain that good readers
make connections by drawing on what they know
about the world and their personal experiences.
Model text-to-self connections by reading the first
paragraph in the section “From Paris to the Parks.”
Then complete the phrases: This reminds me of…
and This is similar different from my life because….
Next, distribute and preview the Make Connections
activity on p. T7. Suggest students complete the
Double-Entry Journal by writing down interesting
information from the story and responding by
connecting it to something in their lives.
After Reading
n
n
n
ake Connections: Ask students to share
M
their responses from the Double-Entry Journal.
Probe with follow-up questions to help students
make connections to their lives.
C
reative Thinking: Have students think
about their town, city, or state and design an
emblem that represents features they believe
are important.
P
ersuasive Writing: Ask: Why is it important to
protect our national parks? Then have students
write a letter to the editor suggesting ways people
can enjoy the national parks while limiting their
environmental impact.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
Name:
America the Beautiful
In My Life
In This Story
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
Copyright © 2009 National Geographic Society. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
© OSOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
As you read “America the Beautiful” in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER, use this
Double-Entry Journal to make connections.
October 2009
T7
review
Name:
Comprehension Check
Answer each question. Fill in the circle by the correct answer.
1.How are artificial satellites different from
natural satellites?
7.What is unusual about the spotted hyena?
A
You can see them from Earth.
A
B
You can predict their movements.
BIt lives in Europe and Asia.
They are made by humans.
C
D
They orbit Earth.
It eats bones and fur.
C
It hunts alone.
D
It has sharp teeth.
8. How does a blood python kill its prey?
2. How does Michael Fay use satellites in his work?
A
by sucking its blood
A to protect elephants from poachers
B
by squeezing it to death B to help elephants find food
C to film elephants for TV shows
D to recover elephants’ ivory tusks
3. H
ow does a communications satellite stay
above the same place on Earth?
A
It follows a polar orbit.
B
It stays in the same place in the sky. C
It sends radio signals down to Earth.
D It moves at the speed the planet spins.
Copyright © 2009 National Geographic Society. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
4.Which of these is not an example of how
people use satellites ?
A
to track global warming
B
to prevent earthquakes C to help rescuers find people
D
to track dangerous storms
5. W
hat can the Gila monster and the goliath
tarantula both do?
A throw spiky hairs at enemies
B sprint 15 meters in a minute
C inject venom into enemies
D crush victims with powerful jaws
6.What makes the eagle owl so fierce?
A
its size, beak, and talons
B
its rows of sharp teeth
C
its habit of hunting at night
D its ability to squeeze its prey
C
by biting it with its teeth
D
by stinging it with its tail
9.What sets national parks apart from other land?
A
They are part of nature.
B
All Americans can visit them.
C
Wild creatures live in them.
D
They are far from cities.
10.
What attracted photographer Q.T. Luong
to Yosemite?
A
a chance to raft its rivers
B
its location in California
C its role as a national park
D the opportunity to climb El Capitan
Luong visited all 58 national parks in order to—
11.
A
climb North America’s highest peaks.
B
prove that Yosemite is the most beautiful.
C
convince Congress to protect the parks.
D
share America’s natural beauty.
Which of these best sums up Luong’s message
12.
to Americans?
A
Don’t drive in Yosemite.
B
Stand in a meadow of flowers.
C
Leave nature as you find it.
D
Visit all 58 national parks.