of Success”
ANIMAL“Stories
DEFENSES
Read
the “Stories
ofhelps
Success”
passage
The puss
moth caterpillar’s
odd pose
it scare away
enemies thatset.
want to munch it for lunch.
For starters, two long skinny pink things pop up out of the caterpillar’s forked tail. The insect also
raises its front end, showing off fake eyesStories
and a big brown
“clown nose.” This makes the
of Success
caterpillar seem even bigger than it really is. If that isn’t scary enough, the caterpillar can shoot
burning acid from its mouth. Talk about a super spit! What’s up with all this scary stuff? Well,
caterpillars move mostly at a snail’s pace, which makes them “easy pickin’s” for enemies. Once
they turn into butterflies or moths,The
at least
they canof
tryThomas
flying away to
safety. But for now, they
Words
Edison
need some special tricks to survive.
1.
Most people know that Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. What most people don’t
know is that he didn’t just waltz into the science lab and turn on the lights. His famous
invention was the result of years of hard, hard work- and lots of disappointments. In fact,
after one particularly rough day Edison told a friend, “I have not failed. I’ve just found
10,000 ways that won’t work.” Another day, he was interviewed about the results of a
particularly frustrating project, and he explained, “Results! Why, man, I have gotten
A squishy
an easythousand
meal for creatures
suchwon’t
as seals,
sharks, dolphins, and moray
results!octopus
I knowmakes
of several
things that
work.”
Really Weird Caterpillars by Cynthia Van Clef
eels. So if you happen to be an octopus it pays to stay out of view. Hiding in a hole may be the
best defense. But an octopus can hide in plain sight, too. In the blink of an eye, it can change
When
an experiment
didn’t
go as
planned,
Edison
didn’t When
sit around
and pout.
He
2. color
to match
its surroundings.
How?
By muscle
power
- not magic.
an octopus
needs to
believed,
“There
is no
substitute
work,”inso
returned
to covering.
his lab the
next
escape
danger
in a hurry,
it pumps
waterfor
intohard
an opening
itshe
mantle,
or body
Then
it day,
squirts
force,
pushing
backward.
and the
thewater
next back
day, out
andwith
thepowerful
next. He
knew
thatthe
heoctopus
would rapidly
eventually
solveFor
theextra
mysteries
protection,
the
octopus
can
squirt
out
a
jet
of
dark
fluid
from
its
ink
sac.
The
cloud
of
inky
stuff
because he had everything he needed to invent something new: “ a good imagination and
confuses the predator and may also numb its sense of smell. Meanwhile the octopus makes a
a pile of junk.”
clean getaway.
3. Powers
Thomas
Edison
is remembered not only for his inventions, but also for his wise words.
of 8 by
Ellen Lambeth
Edison once said, “The most certain way to succeed is always try just one more time.” At
the end of his life, Edison smiled, thinking back on his days in the lab, and remarked, “I
never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.”
Stick insects eat only plants- and they do some plant impressions that are simply amazing.
Actually, their looks have nothing to do with what they eat- and everything to do with not getting
eaten. Why pretend to be a plant? Survival. Birds, bats, lizards, monkeys, and other animals all
go after tasty stick insects. So, the best way not to be eaten is not to be seen at all. By day, stick
insects stay perfectly still, looking just like twigs or parts of leaves. When the wind blows, they
sway as gracefully as the plants around them. At night, under cover of darkness, they come out to
eat the plants they pretend to be. But what if their disguise fails to fool a hungry predator? Time to
break out a backup plan.
1. Play dead. Lying “dead” on the ground, a stick insect is nearly impossible to spot.
2. Squirt icky stuff. A smelly, stinging liquid is a good defense - especially if the painful stuff hits a
predator in the eyes.
3. Flash those wings. Stick insects with wings usually keep them folded up. The insects can give
a predator a sudden scare by bursting the wings wide open.
4. Curl that tail. Stick insects can’t sting, but some can curl their bodies around to look like a
scorpion’s stinging tail. This can startle predators into dropping them fast.
Tricky Sticks by Kate Hofmann
© 2015 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
!!© 2014 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
“Stories of Success”
Excerpts from José! Born to Dance by Susanna Reich
ANIMAL DEFENSES
4. At José’s new school the children gathered around the teacher to read from their books.
When José read, the other children laughed at his poor English. At first José cried. Then he
The
puss moth
odd pose
helps it scarePUM!
away enemies
that want
to munch it for
lunch.
stamped
hiscaterpillar’s
foot in fierce
determination.
I will learn
this language
better
than any of
For starters, two long skinny pink things pop up out of the caterpillar’s forked tail. The insect also
you,its
hefront
said
to showing
himself-offeven
Within
raises
end,
fake though
eyes anditaseemed
big brownnearly
“clown impossible.
nose.” This makes
the three years José
could speak
English
with
confidence.
He isn’t
wasscary
quickenough,
to learn
words
and
translated for
caterpillar
seem even
bigger
than
it really is. If that
thenew
caterpillar
can
shoot
burning
from its mouth.
Talk about a super spit! What’s up with all this scary stuff? Well,
Mamaacid
wherever
she went.
caterpillars move mostly at a snail’s pace, which makes them “easy pickin’s” for enemies. Once
5. they
By turn
sixth
grade
Joséorhad
become
colorful
Among
his many younger
into
butterflies
moths,
at leastknown
they canfor
tryhis
flying
away todrawings.
safety. But for
now, they
need
some special
tricks to
brothers
and sisters
hesurvive.
was famous for his pictures of trains. Everyone thought he would
become an artist. José loved music, too. As a teenager he practiced the piano at all hours of
the day and night. When his fingers flew, his spirit soared. AHHH!
Really Weird Caterpillars by Cynthia Van Clef
6. After José finished high school in Los Angeles, Mama became very sick. When she died,
sadness lay on José’s heart. He went to work in a factory. All day long he took tiles from one
wheelbarrow and loaded them into another. At night he dreamed of painting and drawing. He
of living
in New
York
among
the artists.
A dreamed
squishy octopus
makes
an easy
meal
for creatures
such as seals, sharks, dolphins, and moray
eels. So if you happen to be an octopus it pays to stay out of view. Hiding in a hole may be the
7. best
When
JoséBut
reached
New
York,
tooksight,
a job
asInathe
janitor,
scooping
out of a coal
defense.
an octopus
can
hide he
in plain
too.
blink of
an eye, it ashes
can change
color
to match
surroundings.
How?
By muscle
Whenwore
an octopus
to
furnace
anditshauling
garbage
cans
to thepower
curb.- not
Butmagic.
as winter
on, a needs
cold loneliness
escape
danger
in
a
hurry,
it
pumps
water
into
an
opening
in
its
mantle,
or
body
covering.
Then
it
settled over José. He missed his family, far away in sunny California. Discouraged,
he
squirts the water back out with powerful force, pushing the octopus rapidly backward. For extra
wandered the halls of the great museums. Manet, Renoir, and Picasso he thought. Perhaps
protection, the octopus can squirt out a jet of dark fluid from its ink sac. The cloud of inky stuff
they had
His drawings
would never
compare.
The
confuses
thealready
predator painted
and may everything.
also numb its sense
of smell. Meanwhile
the octopus
makes
a music in his
clean
getaway.
heart
fell silent.
8. Powers
“New of
York
a cemetery,
8 byisEllen
Lambeth “ he said. “A jungle of stone.” José put away his drawings. He felt
sad and lost. How could he be an artist without an art? He wanted to give a gift to the world,
but he didn’t know what it could be.
9. One day José’s friend Charlotte invited him to a dance concert. The dancer twisted his body
Stick
and theyThe
do some
plant
impressions
that are
simply
amazing.
andinsects
leapt eat
intoonly
theplantsair. AIEEE!
dance
lit a
fire in José’s
soul.
Ideas
exploded in his mind.
Actually,
their
looks
have
nothing
to
do
with
what
they
eatand
everything
to
do
with
not
getting
“I do not want to remain on this earth unless I can learn to do what this man
is doing!” he
eaten. Why pretend to be a plant? Survival. Birds, bats, lizards, monkeys, and other animals all
gosaid.
after tasty stick insects. So, the best way not to be eaten is not to be seen at all. By day, stick
insects
perfectly still, looking just like twigs or parts of leaves. When the wind blows, they
10. A fewstay
days
later, José stepped into a dance studio for the first time. As soon as the pianist
sway as gracefully as the plants around them. At night, under cover of darkness, they come out to
began
to play,
sound
ofBut
thewhat
music
carried
José
He
swooped.
HeTime
stretched.
He
eat
the plants
they the
pretend
to be.
if their
disguise
failsaway.
to fool a
hungry
predator?
to
swirled.
And then
he flew- AHHHH!
break
out a backup
plan.
1. Play dead. Lying “dead” on the ground, a stick insect is nearly impossible to spot.
11. 2.From
tookstinging
classes
nearly
every
day. -Dripping
he struggled
with his
Squirtthen
icky on,
stuff.José
A smelly,
liquid
is a good
defense
especiallywith
if thesweat,
painful stuff
hits a
predator
in the eyes.
stiff
and stubborn
body. And at night he hobbled home, his muscles sore and aching.
3. Flash those wings. Stick insects with wings usually keep them folded up. The insects can give
12. Inatime,
José
became
a world
famous
choreographer
predator
a sudden
scare
by bursting
the wings
wide open. and toured the globe with his own
4.dance
Curl that
tail. Stick insects
can’t
sting, with
but some
curl
theirbroad
bodiesshoulders,
around to look
a
company.
For forty
years,
barecan
feet
and
he like
graced
the concert
scorpion’s
stinging
tail.
This
can
startle
predators
into
dropping
them
fast.
stage. From New York to Mexico City and London to Buenos Aires, he danced for presidents
and Sticks
princesses,
Tricky
by Kate builders
Hofmann and bricklayers, bankers and bus drivers, fiddlers and firemen.
© 2015 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
!!© 2014 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
“Stories of Success”
ANIMAL DEFENSES
Writing Prompt
The puss moth caterpillar’s odd pose helps it scare away enemies that want to munch it for lunch.
For starters, two long skinny pink things pop up out of the caterpillar’s forked tail. The insect also
raises its front end, showing off fake eyes and a big brown “clown nose.” This makes the
caterpillar seem even bigger than it really is. If that isn’t scary enough, the caterpillar can shoot
burning acid from its mouth. Talk about a super spit! What’s up with all this scary stuff? Well,
caterpillars move mostly at a snail’s pace, which makes them “easy pickin’s” for enemies. Once
they turn into butterflies or moths, at least they can try flying away to safety. But for now, they
Thespecial
readings
need some
tricks to talked
survive. about two successful men: José Limon and
Thomas Edison. Write an essay in which you explain what
lessons kids can learn from the lives of these men. Use evidence
from the text to support your answer.
Really Weird Caterpillars by Cynthia Van Clef
Manage your time carefully so that you can
A squishyread
an easy meal for creatures such as seals, sharks, dolphins, and moray
themakes
passages;
• octopus
eels. So if you happen to be an octopus it pays to stay out of view. Hiding in a hole may be the
your
essay;can hide in plain sight, too. In the blink of an eye, it can change
• planBut
best defense.
an octopus
color to•match
surroundings.
How? By muscle power - not magic. When an octopus needs to
writeitsyour
essay; and
escape•danger
in
a
hurry,
it
pumps
into an opening in its mantle, or body covering. Then it
revise and edit your water
essay.
squirts the water back out with powerful force, pushing the octopus rapidly backward. For extra
protection, the octopus can squirt out a jet of dark fluid from its ink sac. The cloud of inky stuff
confuses
predator
may also numb its sense of smell. Meanwhile the octopus makes a
Bethesure
to and
include
clean getaway.
• an introduction;
your main ideas; and
Powers•ofsupport
8 by Ellenfor
Lambeth
• a conclusion.
Your writing should be in the form of a well organized, multiparagraph
essay.
Stick insects
eat only plantsand they do some plant impressions that are simply amazing.
Actually, their looks have nothing to do with what they eat- and everything to do with not getting
eaten. Why pretend to be a plant? Survival. Birds, bats, lizards, monkeys, and other animals all
go after tasty stick insects. So, the best way not to be eaten is not to be seen at all. By day, stick
insects stay perfectly still, looking just like twigs or parts of leaves. When the wind blows, they
sway as gracefully as the plants around them. At night, under cover of darkness, they come out to
eat the plants they pretend to be. But what if their disguise fails to fool a hungry predator? Time to
break out a backup plan.
1. Play dead. Lying “dead” on the ground, a stick insect is nearly impossible to spot.
2. Squirt icky stuff. A smelly, stinging liquid is a good defense - especially if the painful stuff hits a
predator in the eyes.
3. Flash those wings. Stick insects with wings usually keep them folded up. The insects can give
a predator a sudden scare by bursting the wings wide open.
4. Curl that tail. Stick insects can’t sting, but some can curl their bodies around to look like a
scorpion’s stinging tail. This can startle predators into dropping them fast.
Tricky Sticks by Kate Hofmann
© 2015 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
!!© 2014 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
“Stories of Success”
ANIMAL DEFENSES
Evidence Table
The puss moth caterpillar’s odd pose helps it scare away enemies that want to munch it for lunch.
For starters, two long skinny pink things pop up out of the caterpillar’s forked tail. The insect also
toThis
Dance
raisesTitles
its front end, showingThe
off fake
eyes and
“clownBorn
nose.”
makes the
Words
of a big brownJosé!
caterpillar
seem even bigger than it really is. If that isn’t scary enough, the caterpillar can shoot
Thomas Edison
burning acid from its mouth. Talk about a super spit! What’s up with all this scary stuff? Well,
caterpillars move mostly at a snail’s pace, which makes them “easy pickin’s” for enemies. Once
they turn into butterflies or moths, at least they can try flying away to safety. But for now, they
need some special tricks to survive.
Really Weird Caterpillars by Cynthia Van Clef
Evidence
A squishy octopus makes an easy meal for creatures such as seals, sharks, dolphins, and moray
eels. So if you happen to be an octopus it pays to stay out of view. Hiding in a hole may be the
best defense. But an octopus can hide in plain sight, too. In the blink of an eye, it can change
color to match its surroundings. How? By muscle power - not magic. When an octopus needs to
escape danger in a hurry, it pumps water into an opening in its mantle, or body covering. Then it
squirts the water back out with powerful force, pushing the octopus rapidly backward. For extra
protection, the octopus can squirt out a jet of dark fluid from its ink sac. The cloud of inky stuff
confuses the predator and may also numb its sense of smell. Meanwhile the octopus makes a
clean getaway.
Powers of 8 by Ellen Lambeth
Main Ideas
Stick insects eat only plants- and they do some plant impressions that are simply amazing.
Actually, their looks have nothing to do with what they eat- and everything to do with not getting
eaten. Why pretend to be a plant? Survival. Birds, bats, lizards, monkeys, and other animals all
go after tasty stick insects. So, the best way not to be eaten is not to be seen at all. By day, stick
insects stay perfectly still, looking just like twigs or parts of leaves. When the wind blows, they
sway as gracefully as the plants around them. At night, under cover of darkness, they come out to
eat the plants they pretend to be. But what if their disguise fails to fool a hungry predator? Time to
break out a backup plan.
1. Play dead. Lying “dead” on the ground, a stick insect is nearly impossible to spot.
2. Squirt icky stuff. A smelly, stinging liquid is a good defense - especially if the painful stuff hits a
predator in the eyes.
3. Flash those wings. Stick insects with wings usually keep them folded up. The insects can give
a predator a sudden scare by bursting the wings wide open.
4. Curl that tail. Stick insects can’t sting, but some can curl their bodies around to look like a
scorpion’s stinging tail. This can startle predators into dropping them fast.
Tricky Sticks by Kate Hofmann
© 2015 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
!!© 2014 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
“Stories of Success”
ANIMAL DEFENSES
Planning Page
The puss moth caterpillar’s odd pose helps it scare away enemies that want to munch it for lunch.
For starters, two long skinny pink things pop up out of the caterpillar’s forked tail. The insect also
raises its front end, showing off fake eyes and a big brown “clown nose.” This makes the
caterpillar seem even bigger than it really is. If that isn’t scary enough, the caterpillar can shoot
burning acid from its mouth. Talk about a super spit! What’s up with all this scary stuff? Well,
caterpillars move mostly at a snail’s pace, which makes them “easy pickin’s” for enemies. Once
they turn into butterflies or moths, at least they can try flying away to safety. But for now, they
need some special tricks to survive.
Really Weird Caterpillars by Cynthia Van Clef
A squishy octopus makes an easy meal for creatures such as seals, sharks, dolphins, and moray
eels. So if you happen to be an octopus it pays to stay out of view. Hiding in a hole may be the
best defense. But an octopus can hide in plain sight, too. In the blink of an eye, it can change
color to match its surroundings. How? By muscle power - not magic. When an octopus needs to
escape danger in a hurry, it pumps water into an opening in its mantle, or body covering. Then it
squirts the water back out with powerful force, pushing the octopus rapidly backward. For extra
protection, the octopus can squirt out a jet of dark fluid from its ink sac. The cloud of inky stuff
confuses the predator and may also numb its sense of smell. Meanwhile the octopus makes a
clean getaway.
Powers of 8 by Ellen Lambeth
Stick insects eat only plants- and they do some plant impressions that are simply amazing.
Actually, their looks have nothing to do with what they eat- and everything to do with not getting
eaten. Why pretend to be a plant? Survival. Birds, bats, lizards, monkeys, and other animals all
go after tasty stick insects. So, the best way not to be eaten is not to be seen at all. By day, stick
insects stay perfectly still, looking just like twigs or parts of leaves. When the wind blows, they
sway as gracefully as the plants around them. At night, under cover of darkness, they come out to
eat the plants they pretend to be. But what if their disguise fails to fool a hungry predator? Time to
break out a backup plan.
1. Play dead. Lying “dead” on the ground, a stick insect is nearly impossible to spot.
2. Squirt icky stuff. A smelly, stinging liquid is a good defense - especially if the painful stuff hits a
predator in the eyes.
3. Flash those wings. Stick insects with wings usually keep them folded up. The insects can give
a predator a sudden scare by bursting the wings wide open.
4. Curl that tail. Stick insects can’t sting, but some can curl their bodies around to look like a
scorpion’s stinging tail. This can startle predators into dropping them fast.
Tricky Sticks by Kate Hofmann
© 2015 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.
!!© 2014 Core Connections Publishing, Inc.