Tiny Dragons of the Sea

Summary
Tiny Dragons of the Sea is a reading comprehension lesson using science material.

Objectives
• Students will learn about sea dragons and their habitat.

• Students will understand vocabulary related to a sea dragon.

Suggested Grades
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
When people think of dragons, they usually think of huge, mythical, scary creatures of fairy tales that breathe fire and are feared, or they may think of the friendly, gentle dragon companions of recent books and movies. But there exists other dragons, graceful, miniature creatures that live out their lives seeking food and refuge in swaying seaweed off the southern coast of Australia. They are called Leafy Sea Dragons; beautiful, lacy, mesmerizing, tiny forms that move slowly with the ocean camouflaged by extensions from their bodies which mimic seaweed. More spectacular in looks than their cousins, the seahorses, ?Leafies? are larger and can reach eighteen inches. Unlike the more common seahorses, Leafies are rare and also are not able to use their tails to curl around seaweed to stop their movement.

Continued...