National Geographic Trailbralzer For Magnets

TEACHER'S GUIDE Trailblazer
May 2016
In This Guide
In this guide, you will find
language arts and science
lessons for the stories in the
May issue of Explorer
Trailblazer.
Explorer Magazine
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National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 1 May 2016

Into the Hive Explorer
Language Arts
Objectives READ
• Students will identify and explain connections Inform students that the purpose of this article is to
between vocabulary words. introduce them to the different types of honeybees in
• Students will interpret and explain information a hive and to explore what each type of bee does.
visually, orally, and quantitatively to quickly
answer questions about the text. Display pages 2-3 of the projectable magazine. Tell
Resources students to look at the photo. Remind the class that
there are three types of bees in a hive. Ask: How
• Vocabulary Assessment Master (page 6)
many kinds of bees do you think are shown here? Say:
• Language Arts Assessment Master (page 7)
That seems like an impossible question to answer. But
Summary it's not if you know a little bit about honeybees.
• The article “Into the Hive” introduces students to
the three types of honeybees that live in a hive, Display the diagram on page 7 of the projectable
examines the role of each, and identifies parts of magazine. Say: The illustrations in this diagram show
honeybees and flowers that help them survive. you what each type of bee looks like. The labels tell
you what they're called. And the captions tell you what
Build Vocabulary and Concepts the bees do. Based on the information in the captions,
I'm pretty sure I can figure out how many kinds of bees
• beeswax
are shown in the photo. Invite volunteers to read the
• hive captions aloud. Say: These bees are busy. They aren't
• nectar mating or laying eggs. They're working outside the
• pollen hive. My guess is only one type of bee is shown in the
photo. I think all of these bees are worker bees.
• pollinate
Display the Wordwise section on page 9 of the Point out the class that you could have answered
projectable magazine. Invite volunteers to read that question after reading the entire article, but
aloud the words and their definitions. Encourage often that's not necessary. Many times, readers
students to share what they know about each word. can get information from photos, captions,
diagrams, and other text elements in an article.
Give each student a copy of the Vocabulary That information can quickly answer some of the
Assessment Master. Divide the class into pairs. questions they have.
Instruct partners to record each word and its
definition. Then have them think about how the Give each student a copy of the Language Arts
vocabulary words are related. Tell them to write Assessment Master. Review the questions on the
three sentences telling how two or more words are worksheet with the class. Then have students read
connected. For example: Honeybees carry pollen the article on their own. As they do, instruct them to
back to the hive. write four questions they have about key concepts
in the text. Tell them to record the answer and tell
where they found it in the article.

Into the Hive
Language Arts
Explorer
TURN AND TALK WRITE AND ASSESS
Have students turn and talk to discuss what they You may want students to write about what they
learned about honeybees. Ask: Where do honeybees learned to assess understanding. Encourage
live? (in hives) What are the three kinds of honeybees? students to reflect upon what they read and how it
(drones, queen, workers) What does each type of bee affected their ideas about the topic.
do? (Drones mate with the queen. The queen lays
eggs. Workers do everything to take care of the hive •W
hat does a queen bee do?
and the other bees.) Invite students to share what
else they learned about the three types of bees. •W
hat do worker bees do?
• Finding Connections Explain to students that •W

hat surprised you about what you read?
reading definitions tells people what words mean.
But readers can learn even more if they see how
important words are connected. Point out that this
is exactly what they did when they wrote sentences
about the vocabulary words in the article. Instruct
students to turn and share the sentences they wrote
on their Vocabulary Assessment Masters with a
partner. Encourage them to discuss similarities and
differences in their sentences to get an even deeper
understanding of the vocabulary words.
• Interpreting Information After reading the article,

remind students that article contain much more
than text. They often contain photos, diagrams,
captions, and other text elements, too. These text
elements usually highlight important points in
the text. Because of that, readers can often find
answers to questions more quickly if they study the
text elements on the page. Have students share
their Language Arts Assessment Masters in small
groups. Did students record the same questions? If
so, did they get the same answers? If not, instruct
students to use their source information to revisit
the information in the text. Encourage them to
rewrite their answers as needed.

Into the Hive Explorer
SCIENCE
Objectives ENGAGE
• Students will understand why honeybees and Tap Prior Knowledge
plants need each other to survive. Ask students to think of a time when they saw a bee
• Students will understand that honeybees have landing on a flower. Have them describe what the
body parts that help them survive. bee did when it got to the flower. As a class, discuss
• Students will recognize characteristics that what the bee was doing and why it might have
distinguish honeybees from wasps and other landed on the flower.
types of bees.
Resources EXPLORE
• Content Assessment Master (page 8) Preview the Lesson
• "The Buzz on Bees" poster (Teacher's Edition) Display pages 2-3 of the projectable magazine. Read
• Comprehension Check (page 9) aloud the headline. Have students examine the
•"Into the Hive" Interactive Whiteboard (optional) photo. Ask: What type of insect does this photo show?
(honeybees) Where are they going? (into the hive)
Science Background Why? (It is their home.) Draw students' attention to
the honeybee above the word "Into" in the headline.
Honeybees are small insects (5-15 mm) that live
Point to its hind leg. Say: This bee has a very fat hind
in very large colonies or swarms. There may be
leg. The leg looks yellow. Ask: Do you think that's
more than 60,000 honeybees in one hive.
just the way the leg looks in the photo or is there
There are three types of bees: the queen, drones, something on the honeybee's leg? If so, what could it
and workers. Each hive has one queen. The be? Encourage students to share their ideas. Tell
queen is the largest bee in the hive. She can them they'll know the answer after they read the
live up to five years. Her one job is to lay eggs. A article.
queen bee can lay up to 2,500 eggs a day.
Set a Purpose and Read
There are several hundred drones, or male bees, Have students read the article in order to
in a hive. The sole purpose of the drone bee is to understand why honeybees and plants need each
mate with the queen. other and to understand that honeybees have
body parts that help them survive. They will also
The vast majority of bees in a hive are workers.
recognize characteristics that distinguish honeybees
These are female bees that do all of the work to
from wasps and other types of bees.
keep the hive going. Worker bees clean the hive,
take care of the young, build wax combs, guard
the entrance, and find the food that feeds all of EXPLAIN
the other bees. They also make honey. Honeybees and Plants
Display pages 8-9 of the projectable magazine. Point
Honeybees get their food from flowers. They
out to students that the honeybees in both of these
eat pollen and drink nectar. To guide other bees
photos are visiting flowers. Ask: Which subhead on
to flower, a honeybee dances. The worker bee
this page tells you why the honeybees are visiting the
lands on a vertical surface. If she runs straight
flowers? (Finding Food) Read that section aloud.
up, she's telling the other bees to fly toward
Ask: What do bees get when they visit flowers? (pollen
the sun. If she runs down, the food is in the
and nectar) What do they do with the pollen and
opposite direction. She wiggles her abdomen to
nectar? (They eat the pollen and drink the nectar.
communicate distance. The more she wiggles,
They also use the nectar to make honey.) Discuss
the further away the food is.
how their visit also helps flowers survive. (Bees

Into the Hive
SCIENCE
Explorer
pollinate flowers so they can make seeds.) ELABORATE
EXPLAIN
Find Out More
(continued) Point out to students that the article explained in
Understanding Bee Body Parts detail how bees use their body parts to get food
Display pages 8-9 of the projectable magazine. Ask from flowers. But all it said about flowers is that
students what the honeybees are doing in each bees pollinate flowers when they visit. Divide the
photo. (Page 8: drinking nectar; page 9: collecting class into small groups. Instruct groups to conduct
pollen) Say: Honeybees eat some of the pollen and research to identify the parts of a flower needed for
nectar they get when they visit flowers. But not all pollination to occur.
honeybees leave the hive. So bees that do fly out into
the field need to collect pollen and nectar and bring Extend Your Thinking About Insects
it back to the hive so all of the other bees have food, Inform students that honeybees are the only insects
too. Discuss how the honeybees do this. (The bee in the world that make a food people eat. But in
drinks nectar with its mouth and stores it in its two some parts of the world, people eat insects for food.
stomachs. The bee collects pollen on its legs and Divide the class into small groups. Instruct groups
on tiny hairs on its body.) Give each student a copy to conduct research to find one insect people eat for
of the Content Assessment Master. Then divide food. Challenge them to write a recipe that would
the class into small groups. Have groups discuss entice their friends to eat that insect for lunch!
the different ways honeybees use their legs, wings,
mouth, and stomachs. Then have each student draw
a picture and write a sentence telling one way a EVALUATE
honeybee uses each body part. Have students record their answers to the
assessment questions in their science notebooks or
on a separate sheet of paper.
Honeybees vs. Wasps and Other Bees
Display "The Buzz on Bees" poster. Invite a •W
hy do bees need beeswax? (to create the wax cells
volunteer to read aloud the headline and subhead. inside their hives)
Then examine the four bees on the poster. Discuss
how the bees are different. Then zoom in on the •W
hy do bees visit flowers? (to get pollen and nectar)
section "Wasp vs. Bee." Review the traits of wasps
and bees. As a class, discuss how wasps and bees •H
ow does a bee help a flower when it visits? (Bees
are different. transfer pollen from one flower to another.)
If you wish, have students complete the

Comprehension Check to assess their knowledge
of concepts mentioned in the article. You may also
wish to examine the optional Interactive Whiteboard
lesson that accompanies this article.

Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
vocabulary Assessment: Into the Hive
Record each vocabulary word and its definition.
Word Definition
© 2016 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
Write three sentences to tell how different words are connected.
1.
2.
3.

Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
language arts Assessment: Into the Hive
Write four questions you have about the article. Record the answer. Tell where you found the
answer in the article.
Question Answer Source
Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
content Assessment: Into the Hive
Draw a picture to show how honeybees use each body part. Tell what they are doing.
Legs Wings
Mouth Stomachs

Name ________________________________________ Date ______________________
Comprehension Check: Into the Hive
Read each question. Fill in the circle next to the correct answer or write your response
on the lines.
1. How are all worker bees the same?

A They lay eggs.
B They fly to flowers.
C They are female.
2. What do honeybees collect on their legs?

A nectar
B pollen
C fruit
3. What do honeybees make out of nectar?

A honey
B pollen
C beeswax
4. What do honeybees make to build a hive?

A bee stings
B bee barf
C beeswax
5. Tell how honeybees make beeswax.

Magnificent Magnets
Language Arts
Explorer
Objectives READ
• Students will create sketches to understand the Let students know that the purpose of this article
meaning of unfamiliar words. is to discover how magnets work and how they are
• Students will ask and answer questions about used in the world.
magnets.
• Students will explain concepts based on Explain to students that good readers ask questions
information in the text. before, during, and after they read. They ask
Resources questions, in particular, when they encounter
• Vocabulary Assessment Master (page 14) something they don't understand or something they
• Language Arts Assessment Master (page 15) want to learn more about. Usually, they can find the
answer in the text.
Summary
• The article “Magnificent Magnets” invites students Display pages 10-11 of the projectable magazine.
to discover how magnets work and how they are Model how to ask and answer questions. Say: When
used in the world. I look at these pages, I see two big red and silver
objects in the photo. But something strange is going
Build Vocabulary and Concepts on. All of the silver objects seem to be pulled toward
• attract the larger objects. Why? Point out the headline and
read it aloud. Say: This explains a lot. The two larger
• electromagnet
objects must be magnets. I know that different types
• magnet of metal are attracted to magnets. The silver pieces
• magnetic field must all be metal. Point out the subhead and read it
• magnetic pole aloud. Say: I've used magnets before, but I don't know
how they made my life better. And how could a magnet
• repel make an animal's life better? To find answers to those
Display the vocabulary words on a word wall or on questions, I'll have to read the article.
the whiteboard. Point out to students that when they
read they will encounter words they don't know. Give each student a copy of the Language Arts
Remind them that using context clues such as the Assessment Master. Explain to student how they
sentences before and after an unknown word and can use the worksheet to record questions and
photographs on the page can help them figure out answers before, during, and after they read the
what the unfamiliar word means. article.
Invite a volunteer to read the definition of attract As a class, brainstorm a list of questions about
in the Wordwise feature on page 15 of the article. magnets. Instruct students to record the questions
Examine this word in context. Then give each in the appropriate section of their worksheets. Then
student a copy of the Vocabulary Assessment have students read the article on their own. As they
Master. Instruct students to write the word's do, instruct them to record additional questions and
definition and create a detailed sketch showing what any answers they find in the text. If students still
it means. Inform students that their drawings won't have questions about magnets after reading the
all be the same. The point is for students to draw article, instruct them to record those questions, too.
the word in a way that helps them remember what it
means. Examine the other words in this same way.

Magnificent Magnets Explorer
LANGUAGE ARTS
learned about how magnets work. Ask: What is learned to assess understanding. Encourage
a magnet? (a material that has a magnetic force) students to reflect upon what they read and how it
What does that mean? (A magnet can attract or repel affected their ideas about the topic.
objects.) What is the biggest magnet shown in the
photos in this article? (Earth) • What is a magnetic field?
• Ask and Answer Questions Remind students that •W

hy are some magnets stronger than others?
asking and answering questions is a strategy to
help them understand what they read. Say: Even the •W
best readers come across words or ideas they don't
understand. Asking questions is the first step toward
figuring those things out. If you ask questions, you
know which answers to search for as you read and re-
read the text. Have students share and compare their
Language Arts Assessment Masters with a partner.
Do they have the same questions? Did they find the
same answers? If not, encourage them to identify
where in the text they found the answer and make
any corrections necessary.
• Explain Concepts After reading the article, say:

One way to see if you understand information is to
try to tell someone else about the topic. If you can't
explain the concept, you might need to read the article
again. Have students turn and talk to explain to a
partner how magnets work. Prompt discussion with
questions such as: What is a magnetic pole? (the area
of a magnet where the force is strongest) What do
two opposite poles do? (attract one another) What do
two of the same poles do? (repel one another)

SCIENCE
Objectives ENGAGE
• Students will understand how magnets work. Tap Prior Knowledge
• Students will recognize how magnets are used in Display a mixture of plastic and metal paper clips
everyday objects. on a desk. Invite a student to hold a magnet over the
Resources objects. Give students a moment to observe as the
• Content Assessment Master (page 16) metal the paper clips move toward the magnet but
• "Earth's Magnetic Field" poster (Teacher's Edition) the plastic ones don't. Challenge students to explain
• Comprehension Check (page 17) what just happened.
Science Background EXPLORE

A magnet is a material that has a magnetic force. Preview the Lesson
Although that force is invisible, it is powerful. It Display pages 10-11 of the projectable edition. Read
allows magnets to pull other objects toward them aloud the headline and subhead. Ask: What is this
or to push the objects away. article about? (magnets) What does the subhead
claim? (that magnets make life better for people and
Magnets get this power from the spinning motion animals) Brainstorm ideas about how this might be
of electrons. Electrons circle the nucleus, or possible.
core, of the atoms that make up matter. When
electrons spin, they create electricity. This occurs
Set a Purpose and Read
in all types of matter. But in most materials,
Have students read the article in order to
equal numbers of electrons spin in opposite
understand how magnets work and recognize how
directions, canceling out the magnetism.
magnets are used in everyday objects.
In some materials—like iron, cobalt, and nickel—
most of the electrons spin in the same direction. EXPLAIN
If a material like this enters the magnetic field of
another object, such as Earth, that object obtains Understanding How Magnets Work
its own magnetic force. Display page 12 of the projectable magazine. Zoom
in on the small photo of the magnet. Point out
Every magnet has two poles, north and south. the letters "N" and "S" on the magnet's two ends.
Opposite poles are attracted to each other. They Inform the class that these letters identify magnetic
are pulled together. The same poles repel, or poles. Say: All magnets have magnetic poles. The
push apart. objects in this photo are attracted to the poles
because that's where the magnet's force is strongest.
An electromagnet is a type of magnet created Remind students that the north and south poles
when a material becomes magnetic after an of two magnets attract. But two of the same poles
electric current is passed through a wire coiled will repel. Point out that Earth is a giant magnet.
around it. Magnets like these need electricity to Like smaller magnets, it has two magnetic poles.
create a magnetic field. When the electric current Say: Earth also has a giant magnetic field, or area
is turned off, they can no longer attract or repel of magnetic force. It is so strong that it extends into
other objects. space. Display the "Earth's Magnetic Field" poster.
Discuss how Earth's magnetic field is formed. Then
display the photo of Aurora Australis on pages 12-13
of the projectable magazine. Discuss how Earth's
magnetic field causes this to happen.

SCIENCE
EXPLAIN EVALUATE
(continued) Have students record their answers to the
Recognizing Magnets in Everyday Objects assessment questions in their science notebooks or
Remind students that magnets use an invisible force on a separate sheet of paper.
to push and pull some objects without even touching
them. Say: Often when people think of magnets they •H
ow did early explorers use magnets? (They used
picture something like the magnet shown on pages 10- lodestone, a natural magnet, as a compass.)
11 of this article. They see a bar or a horseshoe-shaped
object that picks up metal objects. But not all magnets • Where can see the Aurora Australis? (near Earth's
are like this. Display page 13 of the projectable South Pole)
magazine. Discuss how the loggerhead sea turtle
uses the magnet in its head to navigate. Say: Many •W
hat does magnetism help loggerhead sea turtles
objects they use every day have magnets in them. The do? (follow their migration route)
magnets make them work. Give each student a copy
of the Content Assessment Master. Then divide If you wish, have students complete the
the class into small groups. Challenge students to Comprehension Check to assess their knowledge of
find and record information to explain how magnets concepts mentioned in the article.
make each object work.
ELABORATE
Find Out More
Display pages 14-15 of the projectable magazine.
Inform students that the article explained how
people use magnets to operate doorbells,
dishwashers, and trains. But it only showed a
picture of an electronic device. As a class, to conduct
research to learn how electronic devices use
magnets. Invite them to share what they learned
with the class.
Extend Your Thinking About Magnets

Remind students that in some parts of the world
people use magnets to move trains. These trains can
travel at speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour!
Discuss the pros and cons of using a train that could
travel that fast.

Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
Vocabulary Assessment: Magnificent Magnets
Record the definition of each vocabulary word. Create a sketch to help you
remember what each word means.
Word Definition Sketch
attract
electromagnet
magnet
magnetic field
magnetic pole
repel

Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Language ARts Assessment: Magnificent Magnets
Record questions you have about magnets before, during, and after reading the article.
Search for answers in the text.
Questions Answers
Before
During
After
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
content Assessment: Magnificent Magnets
Tell how magnet make each of these objects work.
Object Explain
Lodestone
© 2016 National Geographic Learning. All rights reserved. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their students.
Doorbell
Dishwasher
Train
Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
Comprehension Check: Magnificent Magnets
Read each question. Fill in the circle next to the correct answer or write your
response on the lines.
1. What did early explorers and loggerhead sea turtles have in common?
A Both used magnets to move.
B Both used magnets to swim.
C Both used magnets to navigate.
2. What kind of magnet makes a doorbell ring?

A a natural magnet
B an electromagnet
C lodestone
3. Why does Earth's magnetic field extend into space?

A It is round.
B It is magnetic.
C It is strong.
4. What happens when magnetic poles repel each other?

A They push away from each other.
B They pull toward each other.
C Nothing happens.
5. Tell one way magnets are used in everyday objects.

Okavango Adventure Explorer
LANGUAGE ARTS
Objectives READ
• Students will predict definitions and then write Let students know that the purpose of this article
sentences to better understand unfamiliar words. is to introduce them to Africa's Okavango Delta. As
• Students will ask questions about the Okavango they read, they will learn why the ecosystem here
Delta and find answers in the text. is important to African wildlife. They will also learn
• Students will explain concepts based on about human activities that can harm the delta.
information in the article. Tell students that the best way to learn more about a
Resources subject is to ask themselves questions as they read
• Vocabulary Assessment Master (page 22) the article. Say: Good readers always do this. It helps
• Language Arts Assessment Master (page 23) them learn more about the topic. And asking questions
isn't as hard as you might think. Many questions
Summary
begin with the same six question words: Who? What?
• In the article “Okavango Adventure,” National Where? When? Why? and How?
Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes takes readers
through the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa. Display pages 16-17 of the projectable magazine.
Boyes explains why the Okavango ecosystem Read aloud the headline and text. Model how to ask
is important to African wildlife and identifies and answer questions. Say: When I look at this page,
potential threats from human activities. the first thing I notice is the image. Where is that boat
going? What is it doing? The writer says this article is
Build Vocabulary and Concepts about an adventure. What sort of adventure? And the
• delta text says this place is dangerous. Why? What is lurking
below the water? Encourage students to introduce
• mokoro
new questions of their own.
• wetland
Give each student a copy of the Vocabulary Give each student a copy of the Language Arts
Assessment Master. Point out to students that they Assessment Master. Have students read the article
may have heard some or all of these words before. on their own. As they do, instruct them to write at
least one question related to the article that begins
Invite students to share what they already know with each question word. Challenge them to find
about each word. As a class, use that background the answers to their questions in the text. Instruct
knowledge as a base to predict and write a definition students to record the answers on their worksheets.
for each word. Then work together to write a
sentence using each word, based on the definitions
the class wrote.
Display the Wordwise feature on page 23 of the

projectable magazine. Review the definitions as a
class. Have students add these definitions to their
worksheets. Instruct them to write new sentences,
using each word as it is defined in the article.
Invite volunteers to read aloud their new sentences.

Compare those to the sentences the class wrote
before reading the article. See how new knowledge
helped students better understand each word.

LANGUAGE ARTS
learned about the Okavango Delta. Ask: Where is learned to assess understanding. Encourage
the Okavango Delta? (Botswana, Africa) Why is the students to reflect upon what they read and how it
Okavango Delta special? (Most deltas form where affected their ideas about the topic.
a river empties into the ocean. This delta is in the
middle of Africa's Kalahari Desert.) Encourage •W
hat is a delta?
students to share other interesting facts they
learned about the Okavango Delta. •W
hat is it like on the Okavango Delta?
• Ask and Answer Questions Remind students that •W

asking and answering questions is a strategy that
will help them understand what they read. Say: Even
the best readers come across words and ideas they
don't understand. Asking questions shows you which
answers you need to search for as you reread the text.
Have students share and compare their Language
Arts Assessment Masters with a partner. Did they
have the same questions? Did they find the same
answers? If not, encourage partners to compare
where in the text they each found the answer to
reevaluate the results.
• Explain Concepts After reading the article, say:

One way to see if you understand information is to
try to tell someone else about the topic. If you can’t
explain the concept, you might need to read the article
again. Have students turn and talk to explain to a
partner what a mokoro is and why the researchers
used them when they studied the Okavango Delta.
Prompt discussion with questions.

SCIENCE
Objectives ENGAGE
• Students will understand that many different Tap Prior Knowledge
animals live on the Okavango Delta. Encourage students to think of nature shows
• Students will recognize how human activities can about Africa that they've seen on television. Invite
change the delta. volunteers to describe what the places they saw
Resources looked like. Brainstorm a list of animals that lived
• Content Assessment Master (page 24) there. Discuss what it would be like to explore a
• Comprehension Check (page 25) place like this in real life.
Science Background EXPLORE

Preview the Lesson
Located in the northwest corner of Botswana,
Instruct students to turn to page 19 of their student
the Okavango Delta spreads out across 15,000
magazines. Invite a volunteer to read aloud the text
square kilometers. It is the largest freshwater
in the box at the bottom right corner of the page.
ecosystem in the world.
Then encourage students to scan the photos in the
Africa's Okavango Delta is unique. Most deltas article. Discuss reasons why the writer would call
form where rivers flow into the ocean. This delta Okavango the wildest place on Earth.
exists where the Okavango River empties into
the Kalahari Desert. Set a Purpose and Read
Have students read the article in order to
The Okavango Delta is home to some of the understand that many different animals live on
world's most endangered large animal species. the Okavango Delta and how human activities can
This includes cheetahs, white rhinoceroses, change the delta.
black rhinoceroses, African wild dogs, and lions.
Other large animals include giraffes, antelopes,
Nile crocodiles, warthogs, and the plains zebra. EXPLAIN
About 400 species of birds and 71 species of fish Recognizing Okavango Delta Animals
live here, too. Display the Wordwise feature on page 23 of the
projectable magazine. Read aloud the definition
Life on the delta is ruled by the weather. The
for delta. Review with the class what a delta is.
wet season typically begins in March and peaks
Display the photo on pages 20-21 to show students
in July. Many large animals leave the delta
what a delta is like. Have them examine the rest of
during this time to make their homes in the lush
the article's photos. Ask: What two animals do you
grasslands that surround the delta.
see? (lion and hippo) Tell students that many other
In 2014, the United Nations named the Okavango animals live here, too. They all get what they need
Delta as its 1,000th World Heritage Site. to survive. As a class, review the article to identify
other delta animals. (elephant, giraffe, leopard,
impala, cheetah, pelican, stork, flamingo, fish) Then
give each student a copy of the Content Assessment
Master. Instruct students to pick three Okavango
Delta that were not shown in the article's photos.
Tell students to draw a picture of each animal in its
natural habitat. Encourage them to write informative
captions for each of their pictures.

SCIENCE
EXPLAIN EVALUATE
(continued) Have students record their answers to the
Recognizing the Impact of Humans assessment questions in their science notebooks or
Display page 23 of the projectable magazine. Zoom on a separate sheet of paper.
in on the section "Saving the Okavango." Inform the
class that researchers have spent years keeping •W
hat is a wetland? (land consisting of marshes or
track of the wildlife that live on the Okavango swamps)
Delta. Ask: Why is this work important? (Many of
the animals are endangered species. By studying •W
hat is a mokoro? (the traditional dugout canoe of
the animals' movements and habits, researchers the people of the Okavango Delta)
can learn how to save the animals.) Tell students
that the Okavango Delta is now a World Heritage •W
hy is a mokoro a good way to explore the Okavango
Site. Discuss what that is. Explain how having this Delta? (You need a boat to move on the water. The
status can help protect the area. Then point out that boat must be light-weight so you can carry it if you
the Okavango Delta is very large. And the rivers have to.)
that feed it are not protected. Challenge students
to explain why this could be a threat. (Everything If you wish, have students complete the
people do upstream affects the delta. Pollution flows Comprehension Check to assess their knowledge of
down the river. If people decided to build a dam, less concepts mentioned in the article.
water would flow to this area.) As a class, think of a
way to teach more people about the Okavango Delta
so they'll want to protect it.
ELABORATE
Find Out More
Point out to students that the scientists who conduct
research on the Okavango Delta get a lot of help
from members of the ba'Yei tribe. Have students
conduct research to learn more about these people,
who call the Okavango Delta their home.
Extend Your Thinking About the Okavango Delta

Display page 22 of the projectable magazine. Point
out that the researcher in this photograph is using
solar-powered technology to study the delta. Discuss
why this is necessary. Brainstorm ideas about other
ways researches could use technology to overcome
obstacles when working in remote locations.

Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Assessment: Okavango Adventure
Use this organizer to study each vocabulary word in the article.
Word
Predicted
Definition
Sentence
Definition
from the
Article
Sentence
Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
Language ARts Assessment: Okavango Adventure
Write one question about the article that begins with each question word.
Find the answer in the text.
Question Word My Question My Answer
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
CONTENT Assessment: Okavango Adventure
Draw pictures of three animals that live in the Okavango Delta. Write captions to tell about each.
Pictures
Captions
Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________
Comprehension Check: Okavango Adventure
Read each question. Fill in the circle next to the correct answer or write your response
on the lines.
1. Where does a delta form?

A at the mouth of a river
B in mountains
C in the middle of a river
2. What is a mokoro?
A an type of animal
B a type of canoe
C a type of wetland
3. Which Okavango Delta animal lives in the water?

A lions
B hippos
© 2016 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. Teachers may copy this page to distribute to their student
C cheetahs
4. What is the water in the Okavango Delta like?

A dirty
B acidic
C pure
5. How is the Okavango Delta different from other deltas?

Trailblazer Explorer
Answer Key
Into the Hive
Assess Vocabulary, page 6 Assess Language Arts, page 15
Students should record the words and definitions Students' questions will vary, but all questions
from the Wordwise feature on page 9. should relate to the article. All answers should come
directly from the text.
beeswax: a natural wax that comes from bees
hive: a bee's home Assess Content page, 16
nectar: a sweet liquid made by flowers Lodestone: When magnetite in lodestone is hit by
pollen: tiny grains a plant makes to reproduce lightning, atoms in it line up in the direction of the
pollinate: to transfer pollen from one flower to North Star. The lodestone becomes a compass.
another Doorbells: An electromagnet inside forces a spring-
Sentences will vary depending on which vocabulary loaded piston to smack a bell.
words students select. Dishwasher: An electromagnet inside opens the
Assess Language Arts, page 7 drain in the dishwasher.
Questions and answers will vary. Students should Trains: Magnets on the track repel magnets on the
cite specific sources within the text. train. This lifts the train off the ground. Magnets on
Assess Content, page 8 the track first pull the train toward them. Then they
Answer and illustrations may vary, but students push the train ahead once it passes by.
might note that honeybees collect pollen on their Comprehension Check, page 17
legs. They fan nectar with their wings to turn it into 1. C; 2. B; 3. C; 4: A; 5: Answers will vary but should
honey. They drink nectar with their mouths. They be based on information in the text.
store nectar in one of their two stomachs.
Comprehension Check, page 9
Okavango Adventure
1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4: C; 5: Small groups of bees huddle
together. It gets hot. Liquid wax oozes from their Assess Vocabulary, page 22
bodies. The wax hardens into scales, which the bees Students' predictions and the sentences they
scrape off and chew them. They turn into beeswax. write will vary. They should record the words and
definitions from the Wordwise feature on page 23.
Magnificent Magnets delta: an area of land shaped like a fan and formed
by deposits of sand and mud at the mouth of a river
Assess Vocabulary, page 14
mokoro: the traditional dugout canoe of the people
Students should record the words and definitions
of the Okavango Delta
from the Wordwise feature on page 15.
wetland: land consisting of marshes or swamps
attract: to pull toward Assess Language Arts, page 23
electromagnet: a piece of iron that becomes Answers will vary depending on what students know,
magnetic after an electric current is passed through what they cite from the text, and what they infer.
a wire coiled around it
magnet: a material that has a magnetic force Assess Content, page 24
magnetic field: the area of magnetic force around a Illustrations should depict animals named in the
magnet article but not shown in photos. Captions should be
magnetic pole: the area of a magnet where the force accurate and written in students' own words.
is strongest Comprehension Check, page 25
repel: to push away 1. A; 2. B; 3. B; 4: C; 5: Most deltas form where a
river empties into the ocean. The Okavango Delta is
Sketches will vary.
located in the middle of Africa's Kalahari Desert.

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TEACHER'S GUIDE Trailblazer

Explorer is part of National

Your Subscription Includes:

• Interactive Whiteboard Lesson • Teacher’s Guide • App (additional subscription required)

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 1 May 2016

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 2 May 2016

• Finding Connections Explain to students that •W

• Interpreting Information After reading the article,

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 3 May 2016

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 4 May 2016

If you wish, have students complete the

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 5 May 2016

vocabulary Assessment: Into the Hive

Record each vocabulary word and its definition.

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 6 May 2016

content Assessment: Into the Hive

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 8 May 2016

Comprehension Check: Into the Hive

1. How are all worker bees the same?

2. What do honeybees collect on their legs?

3. What do honeybees make out of nectar?

4. What do honeybees make to build a hive?

5. Tell how honeybees make beeswax.

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 9 May 2016

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 10 May 2016

• Ask and Answer Questions Remind students that •W

• Explain Concepts After reading the article, say:

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 11 May 2016

Science Background EXPLORE

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 12 May 2016

Extend Your Thinking About Magnets

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 13 May 2016

Vocabulary Assessment: Magnificent Magnets

Word Definition Sketch

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 14 May 2016

Comprehension Check: Magnificent Magnets

2. What kind of magnet makes a doorbell ring?

3. Why does Earth's magnetic field extend into space?

4. What happens when magnetic poles repel each other?

5. Tell one way magnets are used in everyday objects.

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 17 May 2016

Display the Wordwise feature on page 23 of the

Invite volunteers to read aloud their new sentences.

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 18 May 2016

• Ask and Answer Questions Remind students that •W

• Explain Concepts After reading the article, say:

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 19 May 2016

Science Background EXPLORE

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 20 May 2016

Extend Your Thinking About the Okavango Delta

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 21 May 2016

Language ARts Assessment: Okavango Adventure

Question Word My Question My Answer

National Geographic Explorer, Trailblazer Page 23 May 2016

Comprehension Check: Okavango Adventure

1. Where does a delta form?

3. Which Okavango Delta animal lives in the water?

4. What is the water in the Okavango Delta like?

5. How is the Okavango Delta different from other deltas?