Wordly Wise #  15 short form

“Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?”

http://www.edu-negev.gov.il/tapuz/pazittp/pazitsite/safa/animalfairytails/zehev/thumb.htm

READ the Narrative:

          Early American settlers, alone and far from neighbors must have had a sense of foreboding as they heard the howling of wolves in the darkness.  Lurid stories of attacks and tales like “Little Red Riding Hood,” perpetuated  the belief that the wolf was a wild beast who attacked humans.

            The truth is that wolves are afraid of humans.  Researchers can discredit every story of a wolf attacking a human.  Wolves kill to live, but they do not kill humans.  Due to trapping and shooting, the gray wolf has been almost completely eliminated.   Scientists are trying to help and protect the gray, or timber wolf. 

            To study them, scientists catch wolves in humane traps and then fit them with special collars with radio transmitters on them.   Scientists also keep wolves under surveillance from aircraft.

            Scientists have learned that wolf packs have five to fifteen members.  In their search for food, wolves show great stamina and travel for hours at a time.  They work together when they hunt and often cull herds of elk, moose or caribou of the old or weak animals.  Wolves show their great intelligence when they often desist from preying on a herd if its size has been reduced. 

            Wolves mate for life.  They are very protective of their young and within the pack, all wolves defer to their leader who decides when and where to hunt.  Wolves communicate in many ways.  Whimpering indicates hunger or restlessness and snarling will put a wolf in its place if it becomes too bossy, almost like a parent chastising a misbehaving child. As for the howling, it was probably a warning to other wolves that their scent had been detected and to “back off” and find another space to hunt. 

For more information on wolves, visit these sites:

http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/graywolf/

http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/wolf.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/geoguide/wolves/

COMPLETE  these EXERCISES in your Wordly Wise 5:

15 A. FINDING MEANINGS

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4.

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15 B.  JUST THE RIGHT WORD

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10.

15 D.  WORD RELATIONSHIPS

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15 E.WRITE:  Use at least two vocabulary words to respond to ONE of these questions.  Answer with detail in several complete sentences. 

1.Why has the gray wolf population disappeared in almost every state in our country?

2.     What are scientists trying to do to help increase the wolf population?

3.     Describe how wolves raise and care for their young.

STUDY these WORDS TO KNOW…

Highlight the definition that is used in the reading selection and then cut out this table and fold the word strips to make flashcards!

LESSON #15 Word Hints:

FOREBODING:    Hint: “fore” = before

DISCREDIT:         Hint:  dis= take away or “dis” (slang)

STAMINA:            Hint:   “st” reminds you of stay strong

HUMANE:              Hint:  Human, treat humanly