SESSION

1 TALK ABOUT THE TOPIC

Survival Skills
FOCUS QUESTION

How do an animal’s special

features help it survive?

NOTICE AND WONDER

Look at the three texts you will read in this lesson.
What do you notice? What do you wonder? Discuss
your ideas with a partner.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO

DISGUISE SOMETHING?
Read the phrases. Circle the phrases that mean
nearly the same thing as “to disguise.”

to hide to show to change

to mask to cover up to decorate

One phrase that means

One way to disguise
nearly the same thing
a(an) ___ is to ___.
as to disguise is ___.

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 LESSON 6

Anglerfish:
Fish That Fish
by Julie Murphy

Bobtail Squids:
Masters of Disguise
by Dan Risch

Parrotfish:
Slimy Snugglers
by Caryl Gobin Ulrich

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SESSION

1 READ

Anglerfish:
Fish Fish T h at
by Julie Murphy

1 A deep-sea anglerfish lurks 10,000 feet (3,000 meters)

below the surface of the ocean. Floating in the dark, lonely
water, it prepares to catch its dinner. Huge mouth? Check.
Long, curved, needle-sharp teeth? Check. Fishing rod?
Check. That’s right—anglerfish are fish that go fishing!
They have a sneaky way of catching their food.
lurks = waits out of sight
2 Anglerfish get their name from the word angler. An angler
is a person who catches fish using a rod, line, and bait.
Anglerfish have their own fishing rod, called an illicium.
The illicium is a spine that sticks out of the anglerfish’s
head. They use this unusual body part to trick fish they
want to eat. At the end is a globe-shaped lure called the
bacteria = tiny living things esca. Millions of tiny bacteria that live within the esca
create the light.
3 Some ocean creatures can catch their dinner because of
their size or speed. However, deep-sea anglerfish are not
Stop & Discuss big or fast. They can’t see in the dark very well, either. So
How are anglerfish they have to be sneaky instead. Their dark coloring helps
sneaky when they catch them blend in with their environment. They sit very still,
their food?
and they slowly move their illicium around so it looks like
Underline three details
something good to eat. The glowing esca on the tip of the
that show how anglerfish
trick other animals. illicium attracts the interest of nearby animals. The soft
Discuss with a partner. light is easy to see in the darkness.

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 LESSON 6

4 When a curious sea creature comes closer, the anglerfish

holds the esca directly in front of its own mouth. Then the
unsuspecting prey moves even closer. Just before the prey unsuspecting = wrongly
having trust in
bites the tasty-looking lure, the anglerfish opens its mouth.
Water rushes into the big, gaping hole and sucks the prey
in along with it. The anglerfish devours its food in one
gulp. Thanks to stretchy jaws and stomachs, anglerfish are
able to consume very large prey. Some anglerfish can
gobble up fish twice their own size!
Stop & Discuss
5 With a big meal in its belly, a deep-sea anglerfish can
How do anglerfish eat
survive for months. The next time it’s hungry, the big prey?
anglerfish will get its built-in fishing rod ready and Discuss the details in the
go fishing. text with a partner.

One feature that helps

anglerfish eat big prey is ___.

Esca

Illicium

Mouth

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SESSION

2 PRACTICE

Determine the Main Idea

• The main idea of a text is what the text is mostly about. It is the big idea that
the author wants readers to understand.
• Key details are important facts, examples, or other pieces of information in a
text that help explain the main idea.
• To figure out the main idea, think about what the text is mostly about. Then
identify key details that support the main idea.

Reread/Think
Reread “Anglerfish: Fish That Fish.” In the chart, write the main idea and the key
details that support it.

Main Idea
The main idea is how the anglerfish gets its food, atleast that is what I think the main idea is.

Key Details Key Details Key Details

(paragraphs 1 and 2) (paragraph 3) (paragraphs 4 and 5)

It prepares to catch its The glowing esca attracts Just before the fish bite
dinner, huge mouth? the nearby animals. the tasty looking lure the
Check, big needle like anglerfish opens its mouth
teeth? Check. water runs into the big,
gaping hole and they prey
comes with it getting
devoured.

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 LESSON 6

Talk
Recount the key details in your chart. Talk about how each detail
supports the main idea.

It supports the main idea by ___.

One key detail is ___.

Write
What is the main idea of “Anglerfish: Fish That Fish”? Recount
WRITING CHECKLIST
two key details and explain how they support the main idea.
□ I organized my

The main idea is how the anglerfish gets its food or atleast that is writing by telling the
main idea first,
what I think the main idea is. Key detail 1: It prepares to catch its
dinner. Huge mouth? Check long curved needle like teeth?

Check. Key detail 2: The glowing esca attracts nearby animals for followed by key
the anglerfish to eat. Key detail 3: Just before the fish bites down
details.
□ I included two key
on the tasty looking lure the anglerfish opens its mouth, the big,
gaping hole sucks in a lot of water and they gets sucked with it.
details that support
the main idea.

□ I used complete
sentences.

I used correct □

spelling, punctuation,
and capitalization.

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SESSION

3 READ

Bobtail Squids:
Masters of Disguise by Dan Risch

1 Hawaiian bobtail squids must taste good. During the day,

big, hungry fish try to find and eat them. At night, seals
try to gobble them up. So what’s a little squirt like a
bobtail squid to do? Become invisible! Bobtail squids have
many ways of hiding from predators.
2 During the day, tiny bobtail squids hide in the sand. They
snuggle into the sea floor in the waters off the coast of
tentacles = long, thin body Hawaii. Then they use their tentacles to flip sand onto
parts or feelers
their backs. Their sticky skin holds the sand in place. Not
even a predator like a sharp-eyed barracuda will spot a
sand-covered bobtail squid.
threatened = put in danger 3 But what if a bobtail squid is attacked in open water, with
no place to hide? When that happens, the squid disappears
by tricking predators. First, the bobtail squid squirts out
ink. The ink forms a cloud that is similar to the size and
shape of the squid. Then the squid
itself changes color and
Stop & Discuss becomes almost see-
What do bobtail squids through. The predator
do to hide from sees the ink cloud and
hungry fish? bites the inky shape
Draw a picture showing while the nearly
one way they hide from
invisible squid swims
predators. Then tell a
partner what you drew to safety.
and why.
A bobtail squid
in the sand

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 LESSON 6

Light from the moon and stars

Other animals give

Bobtail squids off a dark outline
light up to blend and shadow.
in with the stars.

4 When the sun goes down, these squids’ hiding skills really
shine. They hide by lighting up! At night, bobtail squids
swim through the water, eating worms and shrimp. The
moon and stars light up the water. Predators swimming search = to look for
below the squids look up to search for the dark outlines of
their prey in the starlit water. But they can’t see the bobtail
squids—because the squids look like stars.
5 Bacteria that live inside the squids’ bodies “glow,” or make Stop & Discuss
light, much like a firefly does. The bacteria live in pockets How do bobtail
on the bottom of the squid. With their bottom pockets squids stay safe on
starry nights?
shining with bacteria, the bobtail squids can swim around,
Tell a partner what
safely hidden by their own starlight. Their predators don’t
details help you to know.
see them. Instead, they see “stars” against the night sky!

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SESSION

3 READ

Bobtail squids can

turn their lights “on”
when the sky is clear
and “off” when it is
cloudy.

6 Bobtail squids use light to help them hide on cloudy

nights, as well. Scientists believe that the bobtail squid’s
eyes “tell” the bacteria about how much—or how little—
produce = to make light to produce. When it’s cloudy out, these squids can
turn off their pocket lights. By controlling how much light
match = to be the same as shines from its pockets, the squid can match its light to
the light in the water.
7 With many ways to hide, the bobtail squid is perfectly
suited to survive in its warm water home. Some might
Stop & Discuss even call the tiny bobtail squid a master of disguise.
How are bobtail squids
able to stay safe on
cloudy nights?
Underline one detail that
explains how bobtail
squids do this. Then
discuss with a partner.

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SESSION

4 PRACTICE LESSON 6

Determine the Main Idea

• The main idea is something important that an author wants readers to understand.
• To figure out the main idea, ask yourself questions as you read: What does the author
want me to know? What is the text mostly about?
• Then identify the key details. Ask yourself: Does this detail tell something important
about the main idea?

Reread/Think
Reread “Bobtail Squids: Masters of Disguise.” In the chart, write the main idea and key
details that support it.

Key Details Key Details

(paragraph 2) (paragraph 3)
During the day bobtail squid's hide inside First, the bobtail squid squirts out a
sand they use their tentacles to yeet sand amount of ink about the size of the squid
onto their back and body their sticky skin itself, then the predator see's the ink glob
keep the sand on their body. and bite's it, while the predator bite's the
ink the bobtail squid turn's invisible and
swim's away safly.

Main Idea
The main idea is how bobtail squid's hide from predators.

Key Details Key Details

(paragraphs 4 and 5) (paragraph 6)
Bacteria inside the squid's tentacles Bobtail squid's use light to help them
"glow" and that make's the bobtail squids blend in on cloudy days scientists say the
glow up to look like a star so when bobtails squids eye's tell the bacteria how
predators look up to see the dark outlines much or how little light to produce so then
they cannot see the bobtail squid because the bacteria make's enough light to match
the bobtail squid "glow's up" to look like a the cloudy sky so the bobtail squid does
star! not get eaten.

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SESSION

4 PRACTICE

Talk
Recount the key details in your chart. What do all these details tell about?
How does each detail support the main idea?

One supporting
All of these details tell about ___ detail is ___.
so I think the main idea is ___.

Write
What is the main idea of the text? Use two key details that support
WRITING CHECKLIST
the main idea.
□ I organized my
writing by telling
The
main idea is how bobtail squid's hide from predaotrs. During
the main idea
the day bobtail squids dive into the sand the use their tentacle's to
yeet sand onto their back and their body their sticky skin keep's

the sand on their body. First, the bobtail squid squirts out a bit on first, followed by
ink about the size of the squid itself, then, it use's a body part to key details.

turn invisible and run away while the predator bite's the ink glob.
Bacteria inside the squid's tentacle's make them "glow" at night so □ I included two

whle predators are looking for dark outlines for their favorite prey details that support
the cannot see the bobtail squid because it look's like a star! the main idea.

Bobtail squid's also use their light to help themselves on cloudy
days also because scientist's say the bobtail squid's eye's tell the □ I used complete

bacteria how much or how little light to produce so the bobtail sentences.
squid can blend in on a cloudy day to also not get eaten on cloudy
□ I used correct

day's also.
spelling, punctuation,
and capitalization.

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SESSION

5 READ LESSON 6

Parrotfish:
Slimy Snugglers
by Caryl Gobin Ulrich

1 When you’re ready for bed, do you snuggle up in a favorite

cozy quilt? Some tropical fish called parrotfish do—only tropical = an area near the
equator and very hot
their favorite blanket is made of slime! Why do these fish
sleep in goo? Scientists have learned that the slick covering
on these fish protects them from parasites and predators.
2 Parrotfish live in coral reefs. Coral reefs are busy places.
Thousands of kinds of fish and other sea life make their
homes there. Parrotfish get their name from their bright
colors and teeth that stick out like a beak. They use these
chompers to munch on coral. Parrotfish eat the algae
inside the coral. They crunch their food very loudly. If you
are looking for parrotfish on a reef, follow your ears!
3 At sunset, parrotfish settle in to make their beds. First,
they choose a sandy spot. Then they spit out slimy mucus.
Again and again, the fish open their mouths. More and
more mucus comes out. Finally, the fish are surrounded by
balloons of spit that keep them safe. Then the parrotfish
go to sleep. In the morning, they swish their tails to clear
Parrotfish
the slime away. They are ready to start a new day. live in coral
reefs.

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5 READ

4 Why do parrotfish go to all of this trouble every night?

Scientists were curious, so they did a test. They set up
cameras to film sleeping parrotfish. Then the scientists
parasites = living things that removed the slime blankets from some of the fish. During
live on or inside other living the night, parasites nibbled on the fish. The fish without
things
slimy covers got the most bites. Ouch! Some parasites
carry diseases that could make parrotfish ill. Scientists
discovered that the slime protects parrotfish from these
underwater pests.
slippery = wet and slimy 5 A parrotfish’s slippery cover doesn’t just protect it from
small creatures. The slime also prevents large creatures
from eating the parrotfish. Predators such as the moray eel
search for food by smell. But the mucus coating on a
parrotfish seals in its smell, like zipping stinky cheese into
a plastic bag. Under its slippery blanket, the parrotfish is
hidden from nosy noses! Smells can’t get through the
slime, and the moray eel will pass by without noticing the
sleeping parrotfish.
6 Who knew that a blanket of slime was such an important
tool for survival? For the parrotfish, it provides protection
from big and small dangers in the coral reef. At night they
A parrotfish can sleep in safety and comfort. Sweet, slippery dreams!
sleeps under
a blanket of
slime.

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SESSION

5 PRACTICE LESSON 6

Respond to Text
Reread/Think
Reread “Parrotfish: Slimy Snugglers.” Choose the best response to each question.

1. PART A
What is the main idea of the text?
A. Parrotfish live in coral reefs.
B.
✔ A slimy blanket protects parrotfish.

C. Smells cannot get through the slime.

D. Parrotfish crunch their food loudly.

PART B
Which key detail best supports the answer to Part A?
A. Parrotfish get their name from their bright colors.
B. At sunset, parrotfish choose sandy spots to sleep.
C.
✔ The parrotfish without slimy blankets had the most bites.

D. Parrotfish have teeth that stick out like a beak.

2. Which detail in paragraph 3 supports the main idea?

A. “At sunset, parrotfish settle in to make their beds.”
B. “Again and again, the fish open their mouths.”
C.
✔ “Finally, the fish are surrounded by balloons of spit that keep them safe.”

D. “They are ready to start a new day.”

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SESSION

5 PRACTICE

Reread/Think
3. Read the sentence from paragraph 4.
Some parasites carry diseases that could make parrotfish ill.
What does the word diseases mean?
A. bugs
B. animals
C. slime
D.
✔ sicknesses

4. In paragraph 4, what happened to the fish without slimy covers?

A. They could not sleep.
B. They slept too long.
C.
✔ They got the most bites.

D. They got the least bites.

Write
What is the main idea of “Parrotfish: Slimy Snugglers”? Use two
WRITING CHECKLIST
key details that support the main idea to explain your response.
□ I included the
main idea.
The main idea is how parrotfish stay safe by using a slime
blanket. Key detail 1: The parrotfish's with no slime cover got the
most bites. Key detail 2: A moray eel detects prey by its smell □ I shared two key
and it eats parrotfish's so when the parrotfish had its smile details that support
the main idea.
blanket the moray eel would slip right past the parrotfish.

I used complete □

sentences.
□ I used correct
spelling, punctuation,

and capitalization.

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SESSION

6 PUT IT TOGETHER LESSON 6

Respond to the Focus Question

How do an animal’s special features help it survive?

Reread/Think
Choose one text from this lesson to reread. Write the title on the line below.
who knew a blanket of slime was such a important tool for survival?
TEXT:

What is one feature of the animal from your text that helps it survive?

One feture that let's a parrotfish survive is its mucus. Ew!

Talk
I think the most interesting
What do you think is the most interesting feature
feature is ___. I think this
of one animal you read about?
because ___.
WHAT WE LEARNED
As a group, discuss how you would respond to this question:
In what ways do animals disguise themselves to stay safe?
Take notes on what you learn from the other students in your group.

Name: Name:

Write
Choose one animal you read about. Write about how that animal’s special
features help it survive. Add information about other animals you know about
that use disguises.

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