1. Why do explorers seek out other worlds?
Get Ready to Read
Why do explorers seek out other worlds?
What are the different types of worlds that explorers seek out? What does the phrase other worlds mean to you?
How do explorers reach other worlds?
What movies, TV shows, or books have you seen about explorers?

2. What is the astronaut exploring in the photo?
Get Ready to Read
Turn to pages
What kind of world appears in the large background photo and the photo of the shark?
What is the astronaut exploring in the photo?
Who do you think of as modern-day explorers?
Why do explorers seek out other worlds?

3. Get Ready to Read
Amazing Words
Listen for the following words as I read Animal Astronauts:
Gravitational
Stratosphere
Terrestrial planet
Voyage

4. Gravitational – of or having to do with the force of gravity
Get Ready to Read
Amazing Words
Gravitational – of or having to do with the force of gravity
What is gravitational pull? Why does it cause the spacecraft to shake?
Stratosphere – a region of atmosphere above Earth’s surface
The rocket went through the stratosphere on its way into orbit.
What do you know about the atmosphere and stratosphere?
Terrestrial planet – one with land where creatures and plants grow, such as Earth
Humans live on our terrestrial planet.
What do you know about non-terrestrial planets?
Voyage – a journey by water, through the air or through space
They wanted to take a voyage to Mars in an interplanetary spaceship.
What kinds of voyages have you heard about, both real and imagined?

5. Predict and Set Purpose
Read and Comprehend
Predict and Set Purpose
What do you predict the letter will be about? What made you think that?
As you read, think about whether your prediction was correct.

6. What conclusions can you draw about how Lydia feels about Florida?
Read and Comprehend
Draw Conclusions
Forming an opinion about what you have read. Read the first paragraph of the letter on page 113.
What conclusions can you draw about how Lydia feels about Florida?
Finish reading page 113.
What other details support the conclusion we made about how Lydia feels about Florida?

7. Read it a second time, using your voice level to express emotion.
Read and Comprehend
Fluency Practice
Read paragraph 2 with your group. Use your voice level to stress important words and phrases and to express emotion.
Read it a second time, using your voice level to express emotion.

8. Read and Comprehend
Word
Definition
Picture
Caption
Ego
A person’s idea of his or her own importance or worth
A self-confident person has a strong ego
Hatch
Intrepid
Propulsion
Silt
Submersible
Tentacles

9. 1. poem 2. poetic 3. direct 4. direction 5. origin 6. original
Language Arts
Spelling Pre-test
1. poem
2. poetic
3. direct
4. direction
5. origin
6. original
7. combine
8. combination
9. repeat
10. repetition
11. critic
12. criticize
13. history
14. historic
15. academy
16. academic
17. inspire
18. inspiration
19. depart
20. departure

10. Indefinite and Reflexive Pronouns
Language Arts
Indefinite and Reflexive Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns may not refer to specific words. They do not always have definite antecedents:
Everyone likes the submersible.
Some common indefinite pronouns are listed below:
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
someone, somebody, anyone, something, no one, either, each
Plural Indefinite Pronouns
few, several, both, others, many, anybody, everyone, everybody, all, some

11. with plural indefinite pronouns: Something hit Explorer.
Language Arts
• Use singular verb forms with singular indefinite pronouns and plural verb forms
with plural indefinite pronouns:
Something hit Explorer.
Some saw the squid.
Reflexive pronouns reflect the action of the verb back upon the subject.
Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves:
The professor thought himself in charge.
Singular Reflexive Pronouns
himself, herself, myself, itself, yourself
Plural Reflexive Pronouns
ourselves, yourselves, themselves
• There are no such words as hisself, theirself, theirselves, or ourself.

12. Read Heroes on the High Seas. Look for these key features:
Language Arts
Drama
Read Heroes on the High Seas.
Look for these key features:
Character list
Setting
Problem
Dialogue
Stage directions

13. Technical difficulties on a space shuttle
Language Arts
Write a drama, using dialogue and stage directions, in which characters encounter a problem they must solve.
Create a chart like this one and list possible ideas for your drama.
Characters
Problems
Sea explorers
Squid attack
Hikers
Lost in the woods
Astronauts
Technical difficulties on a space shuttle