GETTING THE MAIN IDEA

Most people are familiar with the cactus, a thick stemmed, spiked desert plant which often has flowers of beautiful colors.  Did you ever wonder how the cactus survives in such a dry place as a desert?  The plant is specially built for its desert life.  Its roots branch out right under the surface of the soil so they are able to catch rain.  The rainwater is then stored in the plant’s thick stem.  Because the cactus has spines instead of leaves, it doesn’t lose any of its water.  This ability to catch and hold water allows the cactus to stay alive in the desert.

• How the cactus stores water

• How the cactus has adapted to the desert

• The root system of the cactus

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Those flowering plants called herbs have several interesting uses.  The leaves, seeds, and even the underground roots can be used as spices when cooking.  Fragrances for perfume and soap often come from herbs.  One of the most interesting and perhaps the oldest use of these plants is for making medicines.  Ancient people believed that herbs had the power to heal sickness.

• Fragrances that come from herbs

• Medicine made from herbs

• The uses of herbs

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Many years ago, homes in some hot desert lands were built with tall towers over the rooms and with thick walls and tiny windows to keep out the heat of the sun.  These towers were built above the rooftops of houses and were like huge boxes with open sides.  The towers caught the wind from all sides and brought it down into the rooms below.  The wind moved down through the tower to cool the room.

• Wind towers

• Homes in the desert

• Air-conditioning

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Blossoms sprouted everywhere, growing from stems that sprang up from the ground and out of tree trunks.  Crista had never seen so many plants before!  These growths were shaped like the green plants of Earth, but they were in totally different colors.  The leaves were red and orange and the flowers were streaked with pinks and yellows, browns and blues.

• Earth

• Plants

• Rainbows

King crabs are fascinating creatures.  In addition to their large size and long life, the crabs are known for the unusual things they do to protect themselves.  Young crabs will stand on each other’s backs to form large groups for defense.  To protect the female when she sheds her old shell, males and females grab each other’s claws, as if to shake hands.  Because enemies may attack the unprotected body, the crabs keep holding onto each other’s claws until a new shell covers the female.

• Why young king crabs stay in groups

• How king crabs protect themselves

• How a female crab sheds her shell

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The dictionary is a very important reference.  As a student, knowing how to find information in it in the shortest time possible is essential.  The words in the dictionary are arranged alphabetically.  It is then important to know whether a certain letter is at the beginning, middle, or end of the alphabet so no time will be wasted.

• Arranging words alphabetically

• Getting information in the shortest time possible

• The dictionary as an important reference

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Leonardo da Vinci is best known as a painter, but he was also a sculptor and a musician.  He was a talented engineer and inventor and an important figure in the history of science.  Leonardo da Vinci was a man of many talents.

• Many talents of Leonardo da Vinci

• Paintings of a famous man

• Contribution of Leonardo da Vinci to science

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Everybody enjoyed listening to the blind man on the street as he played a lively tune on his guitar.  Men and women suddenly stopped to listen to him.  Some of them began to whistle.  Others clapped while beating time to the song.  A number of people living nearby opened their windows to better hear and enjoy the music.

• Whistling a lively tune

• The blind man playing a lively tune

• People opening windows to hear music

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Short-lived though all things may be, each has a special purpose for being.  Grass grows for animals to graze and feed on.  Buds bloom to develop seeds for the propagation of species.  The sun rises to give light and heat to all creatures on earth.  Finally, man is here to reach out and use the special gifts God has given him for the service of his Creator, himself, and his fellowmen.

• Impermanence of all things on earth

• Shortness of life

• Purpose of every creature for being on earth

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Bamboo is one of the most useful grasses in the world.  In fact, it may be more like a tree than like a grass.  It often reaches great heights, and the bamboo stem may even grow as thick as trees.  It can be used to make fences, houses, ladders, toys, umbrellas, and rafts.  Its leaves are used as food for animals or to make paper.  From the stem are made buckets, water pipes, flutes, and flower pots.  The juice from bamboo is turned into medicine and the young tender stems are eaten as vegetable.  There are literally hundreds of uses for bamboo.

• Many uses of bamboo

• Similarities of the bamboo and a tree

• Different parts of a bamboo

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