Non-fiction: Sneaky Sssnakes
Sneaky Sssnakes
A new report shows pythons are spreading.
What’s 23 feet long, as thick as a telephone pole, and slithering into a state
near you? A Burmese python!
Newscom
Pythons and other giant snakes are worming their way into Florida and other
states. That is the finding of a new report by the U.S. Geological Survey. The
species are not native to, or originally from, the area. They might have
started out as pets that were set free. Many pythons are native to Asia.
Today, there are tens of thousands of pythons in Florida. They may one day
creep into almost one-third of the United States, scientists say.
“They [can move] long distances in a short period of time,” scientist Gordon
Rodda told WR News. He worked on the study. “We had a python in Florida
that in a few weeks ... traveled 30 miles.”
That’s bad news for ecosystems. Those are groups of plants and animals
that live in the same area. The snakes eat everything from birds to bobcats.
They lie still until an animal comes near. Then the reptiles strike. Reptiles
are cold-blooded animals that often have scales.
U.S. officials are coming up with ways to stop the snakes. One idea is to ban
people from bringing pythons into the country. To ban is to prevent.
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Non-fiction: Sneaky Sssnakes
AP Images
People in Florida move an 18-foot-long
python to a safer home.
People who own pet snakes can help too, Rodda says. If you have a snake
that gets too big for your home, take it to a zoo. “We don’t want to create a
problem by [setting free] an animal we no longer want to take care of,” says
Rodda.
Snake Bytes
What makes giant snakes special? Wrap your head around these python
facts to find out.
The Big Squeeze
How do pythons constrict, or squeeze, prey? They
loop their bodies around the prey and tighten their
muscles to kill the animals. Then they swallow
them.
Joel Sartore
Gator Haters
Only alligators are tough enough to eat adult giant
snakes. Don’t feel bad for the snakes, though. They
eat alligators!
National Park Service
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© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2010 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.
Non-fiction: Sneaky Sssnakes
Mamma Mia!
Female pythons can lay up to 100 eggs at
a time. The snakes stay on the eggs for
two to three months to keep them warm
until they hatch.
McDonald Wildlife Photog./Animals
Animals/Earth Scenes
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®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2010 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.
Questions: Sneaky Sssnakes
Name:
____ Date: ____________________________
1. How do pythons kill their prey?
A
B
C
D
Pythons
Pythons
Pythons
Pythons
kill
kill
kill
kill
their
their
their
their
prey
prey
prey
prey
by
by
by
by
biting them.
squeezing them.
poisoning them.
eating them.
2. The problem in this passage is that the number of pythons roaming free in the United
States is increasing. What solution does the author propose?
A
B
C
D
The
The
The
The
author
author
author
author
proposes
proposes
proposes
proposes
not allowing pythons to come into the United States.
opening more zoos where the pythons could live.
moving the pythons to safer homes.
feeding the pythons everything from birds to bobcats.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that
A
B
C
D
a few people are worried that the pythons will die out
many people set free snakes and other pets they no longer want
most people enjoy having pythons and giant snakes as pets
some people do not want to have pythons living in their yard
4. Read the following sentence: “’We don’t want to create a problem by [setting free] an
animal we no longer want to take care of,’ says Rodda.”
In this sentence create means
A
B
C
D
move a long distance
own something large
make something new
stop from doing
5. This passage is mostly about
A
B
C
D
how
how
how
how
fast and far pythons can move
to raise a pet python and what to feed it
to safely catch a python and take it to a zoo
pythons are spreading throughout many parts of the United States
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Questions: Sneaky Sssnakes
6. Why may pythons someday be in almost one-third of the United States?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. What might the effect be of the arrival of pythons in a new area?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes
the sentence.
Pythons eat everything ________ local ecosystems where they are will likely be
affected.
A
B
C
D
but
so
although
however
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
U.S. officials want to stop the spread of pythons and other giant snakes by preventing
people from bringing them into the country
Who? U.S. officials
(want) What? ___________________________________________________________
How? _________________________________________________________________
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Questions: Sneaky Sssnakes
10. Read the vocabulary word and definition below and complete questions 10a, 10b,
and 11.
Vocabulary Word: slither (slith • er): to move like a snake by sliding back and forth.
10a. Read the sentences below and underline the word slither.
1.
The snake slithered onto the stage and everybody screamed.
2.
To get under the bed, I lay down and slithered like a snake.
3.
The worm slithered across the floor, leaving a trail of slime behind.
4.
Watching snakes slither around in their cages at the zoo gives me a creepy
feeling.
5.
No one noticed when she slithered into the room.
10b. Which animal slithers?
11. If you walk into the classroom, are you slithering? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Teacher Guide & Answers: Sneaky Sssnakes
Teacher Guide & Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 680
Featured Text Structure: Problem/Solution – the writer poses a problem and suggests possible
solutions
Passage Summary: In this passage, the author describes the problem of the spread of pythons and
other giant snakes in many states in the U.S. The author then describes the possible solutions of either
banning pythons from coming into the country, or taking pet pythons that grow too large to zoos.
1. How do pythons kill their prey?
A
B
C
D
Pythons kill their prey by biting them.
Pythons kill their prey by squeezing them.
Pythons kill their prey by poisoning them.
Pythons kill their prey by eating them.
2. The problem in this passage is that the number of pythons roaming free in the United States is
increasing. What solution does the author propose?
A
B
C
D
The author proposes not allowing pythons to come into the United States.
The author proposes opening more zoos where the pythons could live.
The author proposes moving the pythons to safer homes.
The author proposes feeding the pythons everything from birds to bobcats.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that
A
B
C
D
a few people are worried that the pythons will die out
many people set free snakes and other pets they no longer want
most people enjoy having pythons and giant snakes as pets
some people do not want to have pythons living in their yard
4. Read the following sentence: “’We don’t want to create a problem by [setting free] an animal we no
longer want to take care of,’ says Rodda.”
In this sentence create means
A
B
C
D
move a long distance
own something large
make something new
stop from doing
5. This passage is mostly about
A
B
C
D
how fast and far pythons can move
how to raise a pet python and what to feed it
how to safely catch a python and take it to a zoo
how pythons are spreading throughout many parts of the United States
6. Why may pythons someday be in almost one-third of the United States?
Suggested answer: Pythons may someday be in almost one-third of the United States because they
travel long distances in a short period of time, and they eat almost anything so they would find food
wherever they go. [paragraphs #3, 4, 5]
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Teacher Guide & Answers: Sneaky Sssnakes
7. What might the effect be of the arrival of pythons in a new area?
Suggested answer: The effect of the arrival of pythons might be that some animals would get eaten, so
the balance of which animals hunt which other animals would be upset. For example if the pythons eat all
the bobcats, there then might be too many of the animals that the bobcats used to eat. [paragraph #5]
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Pythons eat everything ________ local ecosystems where they are will likely be affected.
A
B
C
D
but
so
although
however
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
U.S. officials want to stop the spread of pythons and other giant snakes by preventing people from
bringing them into the country
Who? U.S. officials
(want) What? to stop the spread of pythons and other snakes
How? by preventing people from bringing them into the country
10. ReadWorks recommends that you teach this vocabulary word to the whole class out loud using the
four steps listed below.
Vocabulary Word: slither
Step 1: Introduce the word
a. Teacher writes the word on the board and divides it into syllables: (slith · er)
b.Teacher says: “This word is slither. What is the word?” [All students reply together out loud:
“slither.”]
Step 2: Provide a child-friendly definition
a. Teacher says: “Slither means to move like a snake by sliding back and forth.”
b. Teacher says: “In the text, pythons are describes as slithering into a state near you. This means
the pythons are moving the ways snakes move and coming into a state near you. Slither means to
move like a snake by sliding back and forth.”
c. Teacher says: “What is the word?” [All students reply together out loud: “slither.”]
Step 3: Practice the word
Teacher provides examples and additional opportunities to repeat the word. Read the 1st sentence out loud
to your students. Begin reading it again and when you come to the vocabulary word prompt students to
say the vocabulary word out loud. Then, finish reading the sentence out loud to your students.
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Teacher Guide & Answers: Sneaky Sssnakes
10a.
1.
The snake slithered onto the stage and everybody screamed.
2.
To get under the bed, I lay down and slithered like a snake.
3.
The worm slithered across the floor, leaving a trail of slime behind.
4.
Watching snakes slither around in their cages at the zoo gives me a creepy feeling.
5.
No one noticed when she slithered into the room.
Step 4: Check for student understanding
This step can be completed as a whole class activity or as an independent practice.
10b. Which animal slithers?
11. If you walk into the classroom, are you slithering? Why or why not?
Suggested answer: I am not slithering if I am walking into the classroom because I am not sliding back
and forth.
Suggested Additional Vocabulary: native, ban, constrict
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