National Geographic Explorer

Lesson 1

Raising Raptors

Different kinds of raptors

Raptors are birds of prey

More than 500 species of raptors

around the world

Eagles, hawks, falcons, snowy owls and

kestrels are all raptors

Different kinds of raptors

Eagles Hawk

Different kinds of raptors

Falcon

Snowy Owl

Different kinds of raptors

Kestrel

Swoop and find food

When they are hungry, they swoop

down and kills the prey with their sharp

claws.

How raptors build their nests

Build nests out of reach from predators

They build their nest in a tree

Or window ledge of a tall building

They gather sticks to make their nests

Female lays eggs A female raptors lay eggs, hatch with

open eyes

Some raptors only have few eggs

Others may have many

The raptor’s chicks Raptor chicks grow fuzzy, white feathers

It keeps the chicks warm

Talons A falcon threatens predators with its

sharp talons

An owl fluffs out its feathers

Fledgling Fledgling: a bird that is learning to fly

1: learn to perch on the edge of its nest

2: hops out onto the tree branch

3: holds onto the branch

4: stretches & flaps its wings

5: steps off the branch

On the hunt Falcons

An owl

Falcons Hawking

Still hunting

Mantling

Footwork A red kite:

catch frog,

beetles & mice

A peregrine falcon:

grab birds

Footwork A martial eagle:

attack young ostriches,

chase down antelopes

A fish eagle:

grab slippery fish

Conclusion

A raptor is a bird of prey.

It hunts and kills other animals for food.

There are about 500 species of raptors.

Although each is unique, all raptors go through

similar types of changes as they progress

through their life cycles.

The End

Lesson 2 Staying alive

Different parts of a plant • ▶ roots: absorb water and minerals from soil, hold

• the plant in the ground, and store extra food;

• ▶ stems: support the plant and provide a system for

• water and nutrients to move from the roots to the

• rest of the plant;

• ▶ leaves: help make food in most plants;

• ▶ flowers: allow most plants to reproduce;

• ▶ fruit: often cover a plant's seeds; and

• ▶ seeds: grow into new plants.

• In some plants, these parts not only

help the plant survive but also can be

deadly to other plants and animals.

Different parts of a plant

Manchineel tree is poisonous

• ▶Sap: liquid in a plant

Poison and protect • The Manchineel tree has a dangerous, milky

sap in its leaves, bark, and fruit. Animals and

people know to stay away. It can harm

them.

• ▶blister: small bag-like swelling

Sundew

Sundew

Trap and kill • The sundew are carnivores. They use their

leaves to trap and kill prey. Digesting prey

gives these predators much needed

nutrients.

Purple loosestrife

Spreading out • Purple loosestrife crowds out the roots of

other plants.

Invade and dominate • The purple loosestrife invade new environments,

choking out all competition. It digs in deep in

wetlands. It also releases millions of seeds each year.

Its success comes at the expense of other plants,

and the resulting lack of biodiversity affects the

habitat for plants and animals alike.

Dodder

Dodder twists itself around other plants

Strangle and steal • The dodder is a parasite. Plants like this latch onto a

host, penetrate the plant's tissues, and steal

nutrients from its system. The parasite doesn't usually

kill the host, but it does affect the host's ability to

grow and thrive.

Conclusion

• Plants have many different parts. Each

part has a specific function that helps

the plant survive.

The End

Lesson 3 Supervolcano

Where do you find the

supervolcano?

• Supervolcano hidden under the ground in

Yellowstone National Park(U.S.)

• It is one of the world’s largest volcano

Parts of the Earth

A supervolcano erupts

Caldera • Calder: a large volcanic crater

The eruption

Hot spring

• ▶ hot springs: Pools of naturally hot water; hot springs

are the most common type of hydrothermal feature

found in the park.

Old Faithful Geyser

• A geyser is a hot spring too

• Look like a fountain

▶ geysers: hot spring has a constriction in its system,

typically near the surface. Pressure builds until a

column of water and steam shoots into the air.

Plume geyser • Plume geyser shoots a spray of water about every

30 minutes

Riverside geyser • Geyser erupts every 6 or 7 hours

Steamboat geyser • Steamboat geyser may not erupt for years

Mud pots • ▶ mud pots: When the water supply in a hot spring is

limited, a mud pot can form. Microorganisms in

these acidic features convert rising gases into

sulfuric acid. The acid breaks rock down into clay.

As gases escape, the clay bubbles and pops.

Fumarole • ▶ fumaroles: Also known as steam vents, fumaroles

are so hot that the tiny bit of water they contain

turns into steam before it can reach the surface.

Fumaroles are the hottest hydrothermal features in

the park.

Forest of stone • Petrified forest: heat and minerals from melted rock

slowly turned the tree into stone

The sounds

• Rumble of geyser

• Sizzling of hot spring

Conclusion • Yellowstone National Park sits on top of a

supervolcano. Because of this, it is one of the most

geologically active areas in the world.

• When Yellowstone's supervolcano eventually erupts,

it will have massive, global effects. Fortunately,

scientists say the threat of an eruption is not

imminent. In fact, large earthquakes are a more

likely hazard in the near future.

THE END