3.3.4 Whales and Other Animal Wonders SUMMARY This book introduces students to the way in which scientists study animals, especially whales. It also introduces readers to scientists’ findings about wolves and other canids, gorillas, chimps, and endangered apes. LESSON VOCABULARY canids echolocation marine biologists sonar cetacean flukes primate species INTRODUCE THE BOOK INTRODUCE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR Discuss with students the title and the author of Whales and Other Animal Wonders. Ask students why a book on animals might have the word wonders in its title. Allow them to discuss why or why not animals can be called wonders. BUILD BACKGROUND Discuss students’ interest in how scientists approach animals. For instance, marine biologists study why whales beach and how their system of echolocation works. Some scientists go to habitats and observe animals. PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Encourage students to look at the captions, sidebars, and charts to get a sense of what animals will be covered in this book. As students look at the photos of the different animals, ask which of the animals they have seen. Ask students who have had the opportunity to be around animals to volunteer to make up a radio script about these animals. The script should introduce young people to a scientist’s way of observing animals. 64 GENERALIZE ANSWER QUESTIONS READ THE BOOK SET PURPOSE Draw on students’ natural interest in animals when asking them to set a purpose for reading the book. They may look at the cover and decide they want to know more about one animal than another. Remind them that nonfiction books often contain much information, so setting a purpose will help keep them focused as they read. STRATEGY SUPPORT: ANSWER QUESTIONS By asking your students questions before they read, you are helping them to learn more from their reading. It also allows them to be more accurate in their understanding of the text. This accuracy aids a student’s ability to formulate several facts o