An interactive book BY JULIA MORTIMER Giraffes Students Teachers An interactive book BY JULIA MORTIMER

Teacher Instructions This interactive book is designed for a 5th grade student reading at grade level. The Flesch-Kincaid level is 5.3. There are additional reading level options for those above or below grade level, found in the notes section of the reading slide. Click on Each Arrow at the bottom of each page to take you to the next page In the paragraph, click on underlined words to give you the definition of the vocabulary word. When you have read through the paragraph, it will go to three multiple choice questions that the students can answer. This book can be used to go along with any lesson on giraffes, or as a quick time filler when needed.

Student Instructions Start the book from the beginning Click on the arrows at the bottom of each page to go to the next page. Click on the speaker symbol to have the passage read to you. Click on the underlined words to find out what they mean. Answer the questions at the end to complete the book. Try again until you get all three correct. Have fun learning about Giraffes!

Giraffes are the tallest land animals on earth, with an average height of 14-18 feet. A giraffe's neck alone can be 6 feet tall! This helps them reach leaves and buds in the treetops of the African savannas where they live. Their 21-inch tongue helps them pull their food from the branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, spit their food back up and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food. They can run as fast as 35 miles per hour. The giraffe's height helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators, such as lions. They have to be careful when they get a drink, as bending down makes them more at risk to be attacked. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days as they get most of their water from the plants they eat. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns and necks to fight each other, which is called “necking”. Giraffes live in groups of 6-12, called a “tower”. Each tower is led by an older male. Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While those from the same area look alike, no two giraffes have exactly the same pattern. Above-Level –6.7 Giraffes are the world's tallest land animals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. They grow to be 14-18 feet tall. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet. These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances and cruise at 10 miles an hour over longer distances. Giraffes use their height to eat leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach. Their 21-inch tongue helps them pluck their food from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food. The giraffe's height also helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators across the wide savannas of Africa, where they live. Giraffes typically roam the open grasslands in groups of six to twelve, called a “tower” and are led by an older male. The giraffe's height makes it difficult for a giraffe to drink at a water hole as they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like lions. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the plants they eat. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns and necks to fight each other, which is called “necking”. Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While no two individuals have exactly the same pattern, giraffes from the same area appear similar. Below-Level – 4.4 Giraffes are the tallest land animals on earth and grow to be 14-18 feet. They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour. They use their long neck to reach leaves from the treetops. They live on the savannas of Africa. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, spit their food back up and chew it up. The giraffe has to look out for animals such as lions. They have to be careful when they get a drink, as bending down makes more of a target. Giraffes only drink once every few days as they get most of their water from the plants they eat. Both male and female giraffes have two horns on their head. Male giraffes use their horns and necks to fight each other. Giraffes live in groups of 6-12. Giraffes have spotted coats and while some may look alike, no two giraffes have the same pattern.  

Savannas: grassy plains with trees that are widely spaced apart “Many animals live in the savannas of Africa, including zebras, elephants, lions and giraffes.” Back to Text

Predators: Animals that hunt and eat other animals. “Lions are predators of many animals, including zebras, antelopes, rhinos, hippos and giraffes.” Back to Text

According to the text, giraffes live in… Rainforests in South America Question 1: According to the text, giraffes live in… Rainforests in South America Savannas in Africa Deserts in North America Forests in Asia This is a Costa’s Level One question, as the answer can be found in the reading material.

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If a lion is a predator of the giraffe, then the lion… Question 2: If a lion is a predator of the giraffe, then the lion… gets eaten by the giraffe stands by the giraffe leaves the giraffe alone hunts and eats the giraffes This question applies to Kaplan’s Vocabulary level under Language of the Disciplines – where the student learns what specific terms mean.

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A giraffe is in the most danger when… they are running Question 3: A giraffe is in the most danger when… they are running they are eating leaves they are getting a drink they are in their tower group This question is a QAR Think and Search question. The answer isn’t specifically spelled out in the text, but is compiled through reading several sentences.

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THAT’S ALL FOLKS! Thank you! Back to Beginning