Informational Illustrations

Part A: How did George Mestral come up with the idea for Velcro?

• He looked at the unusual fasteners used on hiking clothes.

• He saw special fabrics that were fuzzy on one side and sticky on the other.

• He had been asked to invent a new kind of fastener.

• He noticed that burs were sticking to his pants and socks after a hike.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.3

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.4.5

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports your answer to Part A?

• "Close up, George saw that each little spike on the bur ended in a hook."

• "After many years of experimenting, George was able to re-create the sticking power of the little burs."

• "He named it "Velcro", a combination of the words velour ('velvet') and crochet ('hook')."

• "Even toddlers could fasten and unfasten their straps!"

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

According to both the photographs and the text of the passage, how is a bur similar to Velcro?

• Both grow on a plant.

• Both are brownish in color.

• Both have tiny hooks on the ends.

• Both are shaped like tiny zippers.

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.K.5

Reread paragraph 4 and look again at the photographs. Which two of the following details explain how Velcro is made?

• It is made with spikes and hooks pulled from burs.

• It uses two different pieces of fabric.

• It uses the same fibers that socks are made from.

• It has prickly hooks on one side and loops on the other.

• It is made from velvet

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.3

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.4.5

What is one reason why astronauts first started to use Velcro?

• It held tools in place so they wouldn't float away.

• It allowed astronauts to wear sneakers.

• It allowed astronauts to walk inside a spaceship.

• It helped astronauts walk safely on the moon.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2