1. food and drink

Student
Booklet
Grade 5
Georgia
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Opinion Performance Task:
Herbivore and Carnivore
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Source #1: You have found an article on a website about herbivores. The author is an expert in herbivore
characteristics and behavior.
By Sophia Marie Paul
Do you know what an herbivore is? An herbivore is an animal that eats plants. Herbivores never eat
meat. Many herbivores are hunted by other animals, called predators. Each type of herbivore has a special way
of keeping safe from predators. Herbivores can be found all over the world. There are herbivores in the desert,
in rainforests, and even in the far north where the land is covered in snow!
One type of herbivore is the chuckwalla. This herbivore lives in the
desert. A chuckwalla is a member of the iguana family. When the
chuckwalla is very young, it sometimes eats small insects. Once the
chuckwalla is a year old, however, it eats only plants. Some of its favorite
plants to eat are desert wildflowers, leaves, and fruits. The chuckwalla gets
the water it needs from the plants it eats. When the chuckwalla thinks a
predator is near, it will run into a hole in the rocks. Then, the chuckwalla
puffs itself up with air, so that it gets stuck in the hole and the predator
leaves it alone. Talk about getting stuck between a rock and a hard place!
The Chuckwalla is a large, bulky lizard
reaching nearly 16 inches with folds of
loose skin on the sides of its body. They
feed almost entirely on plants. When
the Chuckwalla senses danger, it
scurries between rocks and lodges itself
tightly in crevices by inflating itself.
Another type of herbivore is a gorilla. Surprised? Many people
think that the gorilla is a carnivore (an animal that eats meat) because of its
sharp teeth, but it’s not. This rainforest animal spends hours every day
eating leaves, grass, twigs, fruits, and berries. Can you believe they eat up
to 40 pounds of food a day? That’s like eating four whole bags of potatoes! The gorilla doesn’t have very many
natural predators. Gorillas have to watch out for some big cats, like leopards. Most of the time, the big cats
don’t attack the gorillas because the gorillas are too strong. When gorillas are threatened, they sometimes move
away from the threat. Other times they act aggressive. This means
they bang on their chests, throw rocks, or wave sticks.
Musk oxen live in the frozen Arctic. The herd
keeps moving while they are eating. Their hooves
spread out, allowing the musk oxen to walk on
snow without sinking too deep. The sharp hooves
help them to get at the grasses that are buried
under the snow.
In the far north is a land known as the tundra. This land is
covered with snow and ice for most of the year. Sounds like a tough
place to live if you are an herbivore! But herbivores live in this
snowy land, too. The musk ox is an herbivore that lives in the
tundra. The musk ox is an animal that looks like a shaggy ox, but is
really a relative of sheep and goats. When musk oxen are
threatened by predators like wolves, they form a circle around their
young. The male musk ox will sometimes use their horns to jab
their attackers. This hairy, horned herbivore eats all types of
grasses, lichen, and moss. The musk ox eats enough grass during
the warm months to store up enough fat on its body to last the
winter when food is scarce.
Herbivores come in all shapes and sizes. They live all across
the world. They have many different ways of protecting themselves,
too. But one thing all herbivores have in common is a steady diet of plants!
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Source #2: The following is an article that was posted on a website for students. The author is an expert on
carnivorous animals.
By James K. Cory
Carnivores are animals that kill other animals in order to eat them. Carnivores are predators. They need
to eat meat to survive. Herbivores (plant eaters) are the main source of food for carnivores. The bigger the
carnivore, the more it needs to eat. Carnivores have special adaptations that make them great hunters. They have
a highly developed sense of sight, smell, and hearing. Some carnivores are able to run at high speeds. Other
carnivores have special markings on their bodies to help them hide and surprise their prey. These special
abilities help them find and catch their prey.
The coyote is a desert carnivore. Coyotes look like dogs. They have a
long, bushy tail, pointed ears, and a narrow pointed face. Coyotes change the
way they hunt depending on what they are hunting. When they hunt small prey
alone, they usually stalk it and then pounce. This means the coyote will sneak
up on its prey and jump on it. Coyotes eat small mammals, such as prairie
dogs, squirrels, and mice. Coyotes will also eat birds, snakes, lizards, iguanas,
and deer.
Tigers are the largest carnivore in the rainforest. Many kinds of big
cats can be found in the rainforest. Jaguars, leopards, and pumas (also called Coyotes have keen vision and a strong
sense of smell. They can run up to 40
mountain lions) can be found in the rainforest. These big cats are good at
miles an hour. In the fall and winter, they
both swimming and fishing and usually hunt at night. They prey on frogs,
form packs for more effective hunting.
fish, turtles, rodents, and deer. The clouded leopard is a big cat that is very
skilled at climbing trees. This rainforest carnivore hunts its prey on the ground and in the trees. The clouded
leopard preys on birds, small mammals, deer, boar, and primates.
The arctic fox lives in the tundra. This treeless land is covered in ice and snow for most of the year. The
arctic fox has furry paws, short ears, and a thick, white-gray coat of fur. These
adaptations help the arctic fox survive in the tundra. The arctic fox’s whitegray coat helps camouflage (hide) it during winter. During summer, the fox’s
coat changes to a brown or gray color. This helps the fox hide in the Tundra’s
rocks and plants. Arctic foxes prey on rodents, fish, and birds. Arctic foxes
frequently bury their uneaten food to save for later when they need it. In
winter the arctic fox has been known to follow polar bears and eat their
leftovers.
Arctic foxes have a great sense of smell
and excellent hearing. Their small, pointy
ears can hear their prey moving around in
underground tunnels. When an Arctic fox
hears its next meal scurrying under the
snow, it leaps into the air and pounces,
breaking through the layer of snow right
onto the prey underneath.
Some carnivores will occasionally eat things other than meat in
order to survive. When food is scarce, coyotes will eat cactus fruit, beans,
flowers, and insects. Arctic foxes will eat berries and other vegetables
when meat is not available. And tigers? Well… tigers eat meat and meat
alone!
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GRADE 5 OPINION PERFORMANCE TASK
HERBIVORES AND CARNIVORES
DIRECTIONS
Your class has been studying different types of animals. You decide to learn more.
You found two articles about the feeding habits of different types of animals (Herbivore and Carnivore).
Review the articles, and then you will answer three questions about what you have learned.
In Part 2, you will write an essay with your opinion about whether you’d rather spend time at the zoo
seeing and learning about herbivores or carnivores.
PART 1: QUESTIONS
You will receive scores for each question, and the questions will help you prepare for your essay.
1. What do both herbivores and carnivores have in common?
a. They are found all around the world
b. They are considered great hunters
c. They are stalked and attacked.
d. They eat grass, plants, and berries
2. Explain why animals have special adaptations. Give two reasons, one from Source #1 and one from
Source #2. For each reason, include the source title or number.
3. In Herbivore it says, “Many herbivores are hunted by other animals.” Give two reasons from Carnivore
that best support this fact.
PART 2: ESSAY
You have been studying herbivores and carnivores in school. Your class has been discussing the similarities
and differences between the two. You have just learned that you’ll be visiting the zoo on a field trip.
Your assignment is to use the information from both sources to write an opinion essay in which you decide
whether you’d rather spend time at the zoo seeing and learning about herbivores or carnivores. Make sure
you clearly state your opinion and write several paragraphs supporting your opinion with reasons and details
from the sources. Develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the
sources. Be sure to give the source title for the details or facts you use.
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REMEMBER: A well-written opinion piece:
• has a clear opinion
• is well-organized and stays on the topic
• has an introduction and conclusion
• uses transitions
• uses details or facts from the sources to support your opinion
gives details or facts from the sources in your own words
• gives the title of the source for the details or facts you included
• develops ideas clearly
• uses clear language
• follows rules of writing (spelling, punctuation, and grammar usage)
Now begin work on your opinion essay. Manage your time carefully so that you can:
1. plan your opinion essay;
2. write your opinion essay; and
3. revise and edit the final draft of your opinion essay.
For Part 2, you are being asked to write an opinion essay that is several paragraphs long.
Remember to check your notes and your prewriting/planning as you write and then revise and edit your essay.
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