1. Komodo Dragons Genre: Expository Nonfiction Author’s Purpose - Inform
Reading Skill: Context Clues
Compiled by Terry Sams, Piedmont
By: Thane Maynard

2. Summary
Even though Komodo dragons don't fly or breathe fire, they do look like little dragons.  These reptiles - the largest lizards in the world - live in the Komodo Island area of Indonesia.  The adult dragons can grow to be more than 10 feet long and can weigh a much as 250 pounds.  They are strong enough to kill a water buffalo, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds!

3. Genre: Expository Nonfiction
Expository Nonfiction is fiction that gives factual information about the real world.
It explains the nature of something, or tells what something is like.
It uses methods of expository nonfiction such as definition, comparison and contrast, example, and classification.

4. Comprehension Skill – Context Clues
When you see unfamiliar words, use context clues, or words around the unfamiliar word, to figure out its meaning.
The context may give a definition or an explanation.
Example: Animals that eat other animals are called predators
Sometimes a synonym is used as a context clue.
Example: Komodo dragons are carnivores, or meat-eaters.

5. Practice Context Clues TE 231a
Go to page 222 and reread the first paragraph.
Unfamiliar Word
Context Clue
Type of Clue
scales
rough, bumpy, look like armor
description
predators
animals that eat other animals
definition
forked
y-shaped

6. Comprehension Review – Main Idea and Details
The topic is the thing the author is writing about. The most important thing about this topic is called the main idea.
Some main ideas can be found in the first sentence or paragraph.
Sometimes the author does not state the main idea, and you have to infer,
or figure out for yourself this main idea.

7. Research Skill - Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia gives general information about many different subjects.
Encyclopedias are organized in a set of volumes, or books, usually in ABC order.
An entry is an encyclopedia article. They are listed in ABC order also.
An entry word is the word or phrase that begins each entry and tells its subject.
A key word identifies the information you are trying to find.

8. Weekly Fluency Check - Read with Attention to Punctuation
Students should read with attention to punctuation, for example, using punctuation
to help you read nonfiction. Both passages begin with questions which are answered in the body of the paragraph that follows. Encourage students to read with attention to how punctuation improves reading ease.
Go to pages 220, beginning at the top of the page.

9. Where do Komodo dragons live, and what is the climate like?
Review Questions
Where do Komodo dragons live, and what is the climate like?
Describe a Komodo dragon.
Why do they stick out their tongue?

10. Why is the tongue “forked”? Describe how baby Komodo dragons are born.
Review Questions
Why is the tongue “forked”?
Describe how baby Komodo dragons are born.
Why do Komodo dragons swish their tails back and forth?

11. Main Idea
On a clean sheet of paper, list the main ideas from this story about Komodo dragons.

12. Writing Assignment
Write a paragraph telling what you have learned about Komodo dragons. Use any new words you have learned. Compare the lizards with other reptiles.

13. More Good Stuff Vocabulary Matching Internet Workshop
Komodo Dragons and their Island
Spelling Hang Man
Vocabulary Matching
Internet Workshop
Context Clues Practice
Reading Test
Spelling Test

14. Say It!
armor
fierce
harshest
roam
lizards
prey
reptiles

15. More Words to Know
cold-blooded
monitor
predator

16. armor
covering worn to
protect the body in
fighting

17. fierce
savage; wild

18. harshest
roughest to the touch, taste, eye, or ear; most difficult

19. lizards
reptiles somewhat like snakes but with four legs and thicker bodies ; cold-blooded animals with backbones and lungs

20. prey
an animal hunted or seized for food

21. reptiles
one group of cold-blooded animals with backbones and lungs

22. roam
wander

23. cold-blooded
having blood that is about the same temperature as the air or water around the animal

24. monitor
any of a family of large carnivorous lizards

25. predator
an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals

26. The man put on the armor.

27. The man put on the armor.

28. The owl is an example of a predator.

29. The owl is an example of a predator.

30. The komodo dragon is considered a monitor.

31. The komodo dragon is considered a monitor.

32. The dog is a fierce animal.

33. The dog is a fierce animal.

34. The desert is the harshest place to survive.

35. The desert is the harshest place to survive

36. Is the Komodo Dragon a cold-blooded animal?

37. Is the Komodo Dragon a cold-blooded animal?

38. I saw lizards in my friends house.

39. I saw lizards in my friend’s house.

40. The dog ate its prey.

41. The dog ate its prey.

42. Those lizards roam around the island.

43. Those lizards roam around the island.

44. Are snakes reptiles or amphibians?

45. Are snakes reptiles or amphibians?

46. Spelling Words – Vowels with r
pour
fourteen
court
fourth
course
storm
morning
forest
Florida
form

47. Spelling Words – Vowels with r
serve
herself
certain
nerve
perfect
serve
herself
certain
nerve
perfect

48. This Week’s Word Wall Words
Click and type your own words for this week:

49. Let’s review our words. Watch carefully because they will flash on the screen for just a moment. We will clap as we spell the word.

50. storm

51. morning

52. forest

53. Florida

54. form

55. pour

56. herself

57. fourteen

58. nerve

59. perfect

60. dirty

61. court

62. fourth

63. course

64. skirt

65. serve

66. certain

67. first

68. girlfriend

69. thirsty

70. GREAT JOB!