HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 3-Lesson 18Scientists have learned a lot about the other planets in our solar system. One
major thing they have learned is how hard it would be to travel to any of them.
There are eight planets in our solar system. Mercury is the planet closest to
the sun. It is also the smallest planet. Venus is the planet second closest to the
sun. It is the hottest planet. Earth is the third planet from the sun, and the only
planet that we know for sure is home to living creatures. Some people once
thought there might be people living on Mars, the planet next to Earth, but
we now know there are not. Scientists have sent two robotic spacecraft, called
Spirit and Opportunity, to explore Mars. These spacecraft have sent a lot of
information about Mars back to Earth.
Jupiter is a massive planet. It is bigger than all the other planets combined!
But Jupiter is not solid, like Earth. It is made of gas. It also has four large moons.
Saturn is another planet that is made of gas. It is famous for its rings. Saturn’s
rings are made of chunks of ice. Uranus is a planet of intense cold. It is the coldest
planet. Neptune looks blue in color. It is the planet with the strongest winds.
Will people ever get to visit other planets? We do not know yet. Some
people are planet fanatics and really want to visit other planets. But sending
people to other planets would be a huge job. The ships would need enormous
engines that could produce great amounts of power. Landing and surviving on
other planets would take unprecedented levels of technology, or things that
haven’t been invented yet. It would be impossible to land on a gas planet, for
example, because there would be no solid ground to stand on.
These days, many scientists are interested in cosmic space. Cosmic space
is beyond our solar system. It includes stars and other faraway objects. But
scientists are still talking about sending people to another planet. Some groups
are studying how to send a ship to Mars that has people on board. Such a trip
would be the culmination of years of work. The scientists who plan this trip
would be the elite in their fi eld.
Trips to other planets may be possible someday. Some of the most skilled
scientists on Earth are looking into new kinds of engines that could produce
the necessary speed. For human beings looking for an adventure that is out
of this world, a voyage to another planet would be the ultimate experience.
COMPREHENSION Which planets are the hottest and coldest? Which
words give you an idea of how diffi cult it would be to visit another planet?
10
11
Anna had a big, fancy room in a luxurious hotel, but she could not wait
to go outside. She and her parents were on vacation in Costa Rica, and this
morning they had awakened early to go to a national park. Anna loved
painting pictures of trees, birds, and animals. She knew she would fi nd many
ideas for her art in the park.
A little while later, they walked through the park gates. The sun was wonderfully
hot on Anna’s skin. She could hear the calls of birds and insects all around. The
leaves on the trees were as green as jewels. There were big, beautiful fl owers
everywhere. Anna felt as if she were in an opulent land fi t for a queen.
As Anna walked, she tried to remember every detail of the shapes and
colors in the forest. Anna wanted her painting to be an expression of how the
forest made her feel.
“Look!” The guide pointed up as he led Anna and her parents through the
forest. “It’s a Blue Morpho butterfl y!”
Anna’s eyes shot up toward the trees. She saw a fl ash of blue wings shining in
the sun. Anna had seen pictures of Blue Morpho butterfl ies in books, but the real
thing looked even brighter and more gorgeous than the photographs. The lovely
butterfl y reminded Anna of an elegant lady dressed up for a fancy dinner.
Next, the guide pointed out a yellow and black spider. The spider sat on a
web made of thin, delicate threads. The middle of the web was decorated with
a beautiful zigzag pattern of threads.
Finally, they saw a group of four monkeys resting in the top of a tree. One
monkey used its long fi ngers to carefully comb another monkey’s fur until it was
immaculately smooth and clean.
Later, Anna and her parents went back to their hotel room. While her
parents napped, Anna painted. She spread out her paper and tools. She
worked for hours. That night, Anna showed her parents the painting she had
made. In the painting was a blue butterfl y, a spider on a web, and a family of
monkeys. The painting glowed with bright colors.
“Anna, this is wonderful!” said her mother. “Your artistry and skill will help
us all remember our trip to Costa Rica for a long time to come.”
COMPREHENSION How does nature inspire Anna’s painting? What
words help you understand the beauty of the forest in Costa Rica?
12
13