6th Grade Reading Challenge

Encourage your child to read the text below and answer the three short questions independently. Observe if they can complete the reading in about 2 minutes. The key is for them to use their knowledge of letter sounds to sound out the words. Ensure your child isn’t guessing the words based on pictures, context, or just recognizing the first letter.

DISCOVERING OLD TIMERS

A monkey that sneezes when it rains, a fish that slithers across wet ground, and a snake that looks like a beautiful necklace are among animal species that scientists have discovered in recent years. These species join the approximately two million animal species on Earth. Scientists believe that five times as many more species of animals have yet to be identified. Where do these new species come from? Did they just land from outer space? No, these species have been on Earth as long as other species. But these species have been undiscovered because they live in isolated places. The sneezing monkey, the walking fish, and the jewel-like snake all live in the high mountains of the Himalayas. Advances in technology and transportation mean that remote regions such as the Himalayas can be explored. The lowest layers of oceans are the most unexplored of all areas of Earth. Reaching extreme depths of the ocean requires technology such as specialized submarines and experienced divers. In 2014 alone, scientists discovered 1,451 new species in oceans. One of these is the Carolina hammerhead, a species of shark that lives off the coast of South Carolina.

Spiders and insects are frequently among discoveries of species. These creatures are small, making them difficult to detect. The scientists who discovered a new spider in India in 2016 thought that it looked like the sorting hat in the Harry Potter books. They decided to name this species Gryffindori after a character in the books. The discovery of species also results from better genetic testing. Some animals that look similar to one another are identified to be distinct species when scientists analyze their genetic code. Scientists have also discovered that specimens of extinct species in museums were unique species. Many animals, both known and unknown, contribute to the Earth. As scientists discover previously unknown species, they help us understand life on Earth.