Building comprehension of 'Curious Creatures Glowing in the Dark' | English

Starter quiz

Select the features of a non-fiction text which can help you navigate it more effectively.
- illustrations ✓
- blurb
- sub-headings ✓
- fact boxes ✓
Why is skimming and scanning a text useful?
- it helps us summarise what we've read
- it helps us retrieve important information ✓
- it helps us order the events in the text
Match the vocabulary to the correct definition.
- communicate
  
  ⇔
  
  to share or exchange information ✓
- environment
  
  ⇔
  
  the surroundings in which a living thing exists ✓
- survive
  
  ⇔
  
  to continue to live or exist ✓
- predator
  
  ⇔
  
  an animal that preys on others ✓
- protect
  
  ⇔
  
  keep safe from harm or injury ✓
Select the correct definition for bioluminescence.
- the glow of a creature or plant
- the emission of light by a living organism caused by a chemical reaction within ✓
- the protection of oneself from predators
Select the correct definition for biofluorescence.
- the glow of a human being
- the emission of light by a living organism caused by a chemical reaction within
- the glow of flowers and plants
- the emission of light by a living organism as a result of absorbing light ✓
Select the strategies that could help a reader to retrieve key information.
- searching for capital letters for proper nouns ✓
- reading the entire text again
- looking for words that are in bold ✓
- recalling what I have read from memory

How do humans and creatures both use light in the same way?
- to communicate and survive ✓
- to play games with each other
- to swim at the bottom of the ocean
- to see in the dark at all times
How does the Bolitaena pygmaea octopus use bioluminescence to communicate?
- to hide from predators
- to find food ✓
- to find a mate ✓
Describe a situation in which the glowing sucker octopus uses its bioluminescence.
- to play with other octopuses
- to startle predators and stay safe ✓
- to stay hidden at all times
What is counterillumination, and how does the midwater squid use it to stay hidden?
- it helps the squid blend in with the water above ✓
- it makes the squid more visible to predators
- it helps the squid find love
Match the key words linked to biofluorescence to their correct definition.
- ultraviolet light
  
  ⇔
  
  invisible rays of light from the Sun or Moon ✓
- absorb
  
  ⇔
  
  to take in or soak something up ✓
- exoskeleton
  
  ⇔
  
  an outer shell of a creature ✓
- re-emit
  
  ⇔
  
  to send something out after it has been received ✓
How can the science behind bioluminescence and biofluorescence be beneficial to humans and the Earth?
- It helps scientists win awards.
- It can help us to protect the planet and understand human diseases. ✓
- It can help us create a more colourful world.

Loading worksheet ...

Loading presentation ...

Using the layout features to navigate a non-fiction text helps us to understand it.
Using strategies like skimming and scanning for key words helps us retrieve information quickly.
Summarising what has been read helps knowledge to stick and builds comprehension.
Creatures on our planet create light naturally through the processes of bioluminescence and biofluorescence.
Understanding the science behind glowing creatures can help us protect the planet and understand diseases.

Pupils may find correct answers using the strategies but might not understand the meaning of them.

Offer students an opportunity to ask questions about the text and explore the definitions of unfamiliar vocabulary.

Bioluminescence - the production and emission of light by a living organism caused by a chemical reaction within it
Biofluorescence - the production and emission of light by a living organism as a result of absorbing ultraviolet light
Retrieve - to find information within the text
Summarise - to pull out the key information and ideas from a text