HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 1-Lesson 15A sunfl ower is a very unique kind of plant. Its head looks like—you guessed
it—the sun! A sunfl ower has one bright yellow fl ower with lots of seeds inside.
It also has many special parts. These parts help the plant live and grow.
A sunfl ower is mammoth in size. It can grow taller than a person! This is
because a sunfl ower has a strong stem. This tough stem helps hold up the
heavy fl ower and its many seeds.
The stem helps the sunfl ower in other ways, too. A sunfl ower needs lots of
sunlight to stay healthy. The stem can turn itself so the face of the plant is
always looking toward the sun. Imagine a large fi eld full of sunfl owers. All the
sunfl owers can turn together. They can follow the sun across the sky.
When it fi rst starts to grow, a sunfl ower’s bud is covered. Rough, wrinkled
leaves hide the fl ower. These leaves keep insects from eating the young fl ower
before it can open. Finally, the fl ower opens and starts to bloom. For the rest
of the summer, you can see the fl owers waving and fl uttering in the wind.
Once the fl ower blooms, the plant needs insects. Insects help the plant
make seeds. Bees and other insects like the bright yellow fl ower. They also
like nectar, the sweet juice the fl ower makes. Because insects like the fl ower,
they land on it. The pollen from the sunfl ower sticks to the insects. When the
insects land on a different sunfl ower, they bring pollen from other sunfl owers.
Pollen from one sunfl ower helps another sunfl ower make seeds. Soon, all the
sunfl owers will be full of seeds!
People have grown sunfl owers for thousands of years. They can be used for
many things. The seeds are used to eat and to make cooking oil. Many people
give sunfl owers as gifts. The big round shape and bright color of these fl owers
seem to make people happy!
COMPREHENSION Why are insects bad for a sunfl ower at fi rst and then
good for it? What words help you imagine what sunfl owers look like?
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A lion was sleeping under his favorite tree when he felt a tiny mouse running
across his belly. The lion woke up and took hold of the mouse in his huge paw.
“You woke me up,” said the lion with an angry growl. “I’m going to eat you.”
The lion opened his mouth to eat the mouse.
“Oh please, Mr. Lion!” begged the mouse. “Let me go this time. I’m a gentle,
quiet little mouse. I was only looking for seeds. I didn’t mean to bother you.
And if you’re kind to me now, maybe someday I can do something to help you.”
The huge lion roared with laughter. “What could you ever do to help me?”
he asked. “I’m the king of the forest. When I roar, even the leaves get scared
and shake. You’re just a tiny mouse with a little squealing, squeaking voice.
And you woke me up when you went galloping across my belly. That was
not very nice. But you have made me laugh, so I’m going to let you go.”
The lion opened his paw and the mouse ran away.
The next day, the lion was sleeping under his favorite tree again. As he slept,
hunters came and threw a net over him. The lion woke up and roared and
twisted. But he couldn’t get free. The hunters tied the net tighter, and then
they left the forest to get a truck to carry the lion in.
Just then, the mouse came and saw what was happening.
“Mr. Lion,” said the mouse. “You said I couldn’t help you. But if you stay still,
I will chew the ropes of that net and set you free.”
Before the hunters came back, the mouse had chewed through all the
ropes and the lion was free.
The moral of this story is: Be nice to everyone. You never know whose help
you might need.
COMPREHENSION What words tell you how the lion and the mouse
act? In what ways are the lion and the mouse in this story different
from real animals?
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