Get to the top of the ladder! Start at the bottom. Write a new word to match each hint.
6. To collect information about a topic Add a prefix that means again.
5. To look closely to find something Change the beginning consonant Add a digraph to the end
4. Another word for afraid Change the first letter
3. A water drop that falls from your eyes Take away the first syllable Add a vowel to the second syllable
2. A female sibling Change the beginning consonant
1. A respectful word for male Change the second letter Take away the last letter
Start here.
Word Study
Write and draw to complete the word map. Use a dictionary for help.
hydro
Greek: water
fire hydrate
hydroplane
phone
Greek: sound symphony
xylophone
Word Links
Read chapter 2. Draw sound waves that show a low pitch and a high pitch.
Low Pitch Medium Pitch High Pitch
Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.
A low pitch has a hertz number (low/high)
A high pitch has a hertz number (low/high)
52’s call was a pitch than that of (lower/higher) most blue whales
52 hertz is a hertz than the call of (lower/higher) most blue whales
Title Detective
Think about each chapter’s title. Then write a response to each prompt or question.
CHAPTER 1: “A Sea of Sounds”
Name three sounds you might hear in the sea
CHAPTER 2: “An Expert on Sea Sounds”
Who is the expert on sea sounds? How did he become an expert?
Title Detective
CHAPTER 3: “The Mystery of 52”
What
is the mystery of 52?
CHAPTER 4: “Whales and Their Calls”
Choose one species of whale and describe its call
CHAPTER 5: “A Call Unlike Any Other”
What makes 52’s call unlike any other?
A Closer Look at Adjectives
Complete the chart with the words from the word bank.
How long is each whale?
SIZE
How large is each whale?
VOLUME
How loud is each whale?
Read and Answer
Read chapter 4. Add notes to each whale body that describe
• sings most complex songs
Humpback Whale
Blue Whale
Interview Questions
Pretend you get to interview Bill Watkins. Write the questions you would like to ask him.
Prepare to Discuss
Jot notes to prepare for a discussion with other readers.
How was listening important in Bill’s life?
Jot your big ideas here.
Draw a picture to remind you of your ideas.
Jot notes from the book to support your ideas.
Journal Prompt
Write a new chapter for The Mystery of 52. Your chapter should explain why the discovery of 52 is so important. Add a title for the chapter.
Chapter Title:
Journal Prompt
Glossary
Draw or write a sentence about each content word. Use the extra blank rows to add words from the book.
complex (adj.) having parts that connect or go together in complicated ways
equipment (n.) supplies or tools needed for a special purpose
ocean (n.) the salt water that covers much of the earth’s surface
species (n.)
a group of related animals or plants
Fluency Practice
Practice reading aloud this part of the book. Perform for a family member or friend.
The sea has a world of sounds Ships, oil drills, fish, and other sea life all make sounds in the water So do storms and earthquakes To better study the ocean, experts have invented ways to track its sounds
One way people track the sounds is by using hydrophones, or underwater microphones The U S Navy has used hydrophones for decades to track enemy submarines In 1989, the navy’s hydrophones picked up a mysterious sound in the ocean off the West Coast of the United States It was a low moan
