My Koala Slideshow

Emma GriffithsApril, 2008

Features of Informational Text

• My book “Koalas” had these features:•Italics•Graphic features•Sketch•Maps•Headings•Bold print•Colored print•Glossary

SummaryA koala's life seems pretty easy. Here’s why: Koalas live in

eucalyptus trees in Australia. They are very lazy animals. They are only awake about 2-6 hours a day!

Koalas are also very picky eaters. Out of 350 different kinds of eucalyptus leaves they will only eat five. Koalas very rarely drink. They get all the liquid they need from the eucalyptus leaves.

Koalas will only have one baby at a time. When the baby koala is born, its legs aren’t completely developed and they look like a small pink jellybean. So it has to stay in its mom’s pouch until it is big enough to ride on its mom’s back.

Summary (page 2)

For some reason if the koala falls off of its mom’s back or if it falls out of its mom’s pouch it will start to cry. People that have heard a baby koala cry say it sounds almost exactly like a human baby cry. Then the mom will hear it’s baby crying and come rescue it. That is why a koala’s life seems pretty easy.

Determining Importance

• What’s Important• Koalas really like to eat

eucalyptus leaves.• When a baby koala is

born it goes in its mom’s pouch until it is ready to ride on its mom’s back.

• Koalas are marsupials

• What’s Interesting– “Koala” means animal

that doesn’t drink.• Koalas are not a type of

bear even though many people call them “koala bears”.

• Eucalyptus leaves make koalas smell kind of like a cough drop.

Vocabulary Word Used in a

sentenceDefinition

Promptly Then the koala climbs along this “bridge” into the new tree and promptly starts munching.

Being ready and quick to act

Grating Males are especially loud and will warn other males away from their trees with harsh grating noises that sound like a handsaw going through wood.

To grind or rub against something with a scratching noise

Main Idea and Supporting Details

Koalas aren’t very socialable.

Koalas don’t like to share trees with other koalas.

Some koalas stay together but they usually try to ignore each other

Koalas rarely sleep or eat in the same tree unless it is very big.

Cause and Effect Cause Effect The baby koala The baby koala starts

falls off its mother’s to cry

back

Koalas falling asleep Traffic jams

in the middle of the

road

Fact vs. Opinion

• Facts• Koalas are born with

a good sense of smell.

• Koalas love to eat eucalyptus leaves.

• Opinions• Koala’s sleepy,

blinking eyes make you want to pick them up and cuddle them.

• Koalas look very clumsy as they paddle through the water

Pictures

Resources

• Koalas, Elizabeth MacLeod

• The Amazing Book of Mammal Records, Samuel G. Woods