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Third Grade Manatee Curriculum—Lesson 2: Reading Rainbow, "Sam the Sea Cow"

Maia McGuire and Ruth Francis-Floyd

For other lessons in the Third Grade Manatee Curriculum series, click https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_third_grade_manatee_workbook.

Description

Students learn about threats to manatees.

Objective

By the end of the activity, students will be able to list at least one threat to manatees.

Standards Addressed

Common Core—CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.6

You Will Need

Strategy

  1. As a class, watch the Reading Rainbow DVD, "Sam the Sea Cow" (30 minutes).

  2. Have students complete the student worksheet while watching the DVD.

  3. Have a class discussion about the answers (also refer to the Sam the Sea Cow teacher's guide for discussion ideas).

  4. Optional: Have students write a story from the viewpoint of a manatee biologist. Students should use information from the video and describe a manatee rescue, rehabilitation, or release.

Reading Rainbow—"Sam the Sea Cow"

Worksheet

As you watch the movie, look and listen for the answers to the following questions.

1. Who reads the story Sam the Sea Cow?

a. Francine Jacobs

b. Laura Kelly

c. LeVar Burton

d. Jason Robards

2. Where does baby Sam get his milk? _______________________________

3. What part of the body do manatees use to steer themselves through the water? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4. How old is Sam when he leaves his mother? __________________

5. When people rescue hurt manatees, what do they often use to take the manatee out of the water? ________________________

6. How much do adult male manatees weigh?

a. 500 pounds

b. 1000–1200 pounds

c. 2500 pounds

d. 5000 pounds

7. Are female manatees bigger or smaller than male manatees? __________________________

8. What animal is the manatee's closest relative on land? __________________________

9. Which word best describes manatees?

a. Vegetarian

b. Carnivore

c. Omnivore

d. Predator

10. What body part do manatees use to grab their food? __________________________

11. Why do some manatees have scars on their backs? _____________________________________

12. How much did Barnacle Bill grow in the 18 months between the time he was rescued and the time he was released into the wild?

___________________________________________________________

13. How many people does it take to carry Bill to freedom? __________

14. What is the largest animal on earth? _________________________

15. How long have manatees been around? __________________________________

Answer Key

As you watch the movie, look and listen for the answers to the following questions.

1. Who reads the story Sam the Sea Cow?

a. Francine Jacobs

b. Laura Kelly

c. LeVar Burton

d. Jason Robards

2. Where does baby Sam get his milk? from under his mother's flipper

3. What part of the body do manatees use to steer themselves through the water? F L I P P E R S

4. How old is Sam when he leaves his mother? 2 years old

5. When people rescue hurt manatees, what do they often use to take the manatee out of the water? fishing nets

6. How much do male manatees weigh?

a. 500 pounds

b. 1000–1200 pounds

c. 2500 pounds

d. 5000 pounds

7. Are female manatees bigger or smaller than male manatees? bigger

8. What animal is the manatee's closest relative on land? elephants

9. Which word best describes manatees?

a. Vegetarian

b. Carnivore

c. Omnivore

d. Predator

10. What body part do manatees use to grab their food? their lips

11. Why do some manatees have scars on their backs? because they have been hit by boats (cut by the propeller)

12. How much did Barnacle Bill grow in the 18 months between the time he was rescued and the time he was released into the wild? one foot

13. How many people does it take to carry Bill to freedom? 8

14. What is the largest animal on earth? blue whale

15. How long have manatees been around? millions of years

Publication #VM205

Release Date:September 17th, 2021

Related Experts

McGuire, Maia

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

Francis-Floyd, Ruth

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

  • Critical Issue: Youth
Curriculum
4-H/Youth

About this Publication

This document is VM205, one of a series of the Veterinary Medicine—Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date July 2015. Revised October 2018 and September 2021. For more lessons in the Third Grade Manatee Curriculum series, go to https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_third_grade_manatee_workbook. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Ruth Francis-Floyd, professor and UF/IFAS Extension veterinarian, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Forest Resources and Conservation; and Maia McGuire, Florida Sea Grant agent, UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns and Flagler Counties; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

  • Maia McGuire
  • Ruth Francis-Floyd