Turtles

          Turtles are my favorite animal.  At home I have a nice collection of turtle figurines and stuffed animals.  I used to own little red eared slider turtles named Daisy and Flipper.  They were cute, fast, and loved drying off outside, under the warm sun on top of rocks.  I think about them all the time, especially during the winter season because they loved to be outside on a sunny day. 
         There exists about 300 species of turtles in the world.  They hibernate through the winter.  They get their body heat from their surroundings such as air, water or ground.  They need to be warm to move around and eat.  If they are cold their body slows down and they can't eat and digest their food.  Their heart and lungs also slow down.  Turtles that live in places that get cold and snowy, need to find a way to keep themselves alive.  Different kinds of turtles hibernate in different ways.  Most turtles prepare for the winter by going deep into the water or by digging a deep burrow.  Their body, heart, and breathing slows down, and they hibernate for as long as the weather is cold.  When spring comes, turtles will warm up and become active again.

 

Vocabulary



 

collection- to have a lot of something

figurines- a small figure made of metal or plastic
species- a group of animals that have the same kind of characteristics
hibernate- when an animal sleeps during the winter
surroundings- what is around you, your environment
digest- the break down of food
digging (dig)- the action of making a hole in the ground
burrow- a hole or tunnel made by an animal
active- physically moving around

Vocabulary Exercise

 

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word.

 

1.  Ms. Palacios has a _______________ of turtles in her home.

2.  The mole stored the food in his _____________ in the backyard.

3.  Frogs also ______________ for 3 to 5 months.

4.  In order to stay healthy you must remember to be physically ___________ everyday.

5.  This ______________ of animal is unique in the area.

6.  Tomorrow I will be ______________ a hole 4 feet deep.

7.  The fine crafted turtle ______________ will make a great addition to your collection.

8.  The natural _______________ make it a great stop for visitors looking to relax and enjoy the

     physical environment.

9.  Eating foods that are low fat are easier to _____________.     

 

 

Grammar Point and Exercise

 

An adjective is a word that describes or identifies a noun or a pronoun.  For example: They live in a beautiful house.  The adjective is beautiful.  It is describing the noun, house.

 

Directions: Circle the adjectives in the following sentences. 

 

1.  Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.

2.  Linda's hair is gorgeous!  

3.  The crown had hundreds of sparkling jewels. 

4.  Martin felt embarrassed by his explosive outburst.

5.  The students in Ms. Palacios's class are intelligent.

6.  The baby's loud cries wouldn't let anyone sleep.
7.  It was a warm and sunny day today.
8.  Sam has blue racing bicycle.
  

 Creative Writing

 

Write a paragraph or two about your favorite animal and share interesting facts or information about them.

Flipper
Red Eared Slider Turtle