Perspectives Fire: Friend or Foe?

PERSPECTIVES

Fire

Friend or Foe? Series Consultant: Linda Hoyt

Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing Printed and bound in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.flying-start-to-literacy.com ISBN: 978-1-76086-656-3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 21 22 23 24 25

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Perspectives

Fire Friend or Foe?

Series Consultant: Linda Hoyt

Contents Introduction 5 Fire crackle

6

Fire and humans

8

Speak out!

12

Forest fires

14

How to write about your opinion

16

4

Introduction How important is fire?

People have been using fire for over 300,000 years: for warmth, for light, and to cook food. We also use fire to help us celebrate: we blow out birthday candles, watch fireworks, and wave sparklers.

But fire is also dangerous. Wildfires can cause death and injury, and the loss of homes and natural environments.

So, is fire a friend or foe? What do you think?

5

Fire crackle

Written by Kerrie Shanahan

People have been sitting around campfires for thousands of years, for warmth and because it’s relaxing.

Why do we find campfires so relaxing and comforting?

6

Holly was miserable. She had wanted to sleep over at her friend’s house, but her dad said no.

“It’s Grandma’s birthday,” he explained. “The whole family is having a fire and making s’mores!”

“That’s so boring!” Holly said and then stormed into her bedroom.

* * * * * So now, Holly sat grumpily by the firepit. Holly’s dad passed her a stick with a marshmallow squished on the end.

“Thanks,” she grunted.

Holly watched the marshmallow magically change color. The fire crackled and danced, and others in her family chatted and laughed. Holly tried to stay grumpy, but she was slowly turning cheerier.

“I’m sorry about before,” she said to her dad.

“That’s okay, Hol.” Her dad smiled. “Now, it’s time to get out my guitar!”

Holly pretended to groan, but she couldn’t help smiling.

7

Fire and humans

Written by Joshua Hatch

When our ancestors first learned how to use fire to cook food, it made a real difference to how they lived. Why do you think fire changed people’s lives?

Scientists think our ancestors first discovered fire hundreds of thousands of years ago. They used it to warm themselves.

8

Ancient firepits suggest people also used fire to cook their food.

Since then, humans have had a special relationship with fire.

We use fire for heat, for power, as a weapon, and to help make many products.

And, of course, we use it to cook our food.

9

Why was cooking food important?

There are several reasons why cooking was important.

One is that it takes a lot of energy for the body to digest raw food. When we digest cooked food, our bodies don’t have to work as hard.

Many scientists think the extra energy we get from eating cooked food helped early humans grow bigger brains.

Another benefit of cooking food is that heat kills harmful bacteria. By cooking meat, the food is less likely to make us sick.

Also, cooking food can help it last longer. Cooked food doesn’t rot as fast as raw food, so we can save it for later.

10

Today, we cook food for another reason: cooked food often tastes better. Think about it. Which would you prefer: a raw meat patty or one cooked over a fiery grill?

11

Speak out!

Fire – friend or foe? Read what these students think.

Fire can change things in a good way or a bad way. A good way is that fire heats and burns sand to make glass. You can use glass in a lot of ways, such as to make glasses for people who cannot see well.

But it is bad when fire uses oxygen to create smoke. People and animals can’t breathe through smoke.

12

W hen fire gets out of control, it can be devastating. Last summer, when it was hot, there were lots of wildfires close to the city where I live. On TV, I saw that many people lost their houses in the fires, and it was scary.

We could smell the smoke in the city.

W hen fire is controlled, it can benefit us. It can provide light and warmth.

Controlled fire is used in the kitchen, and fire can be used to smelt and shape metal.

Uncontrolled fires can devastate the environment by burning trees and grasses, destroying houses, and killing livestock, and sometimes people.

13

Forest fires

Written by Amanda Shepherd

Fire is nothing to mess with. Uncontrolled, it can be dangerous, destructive, and scary. And forest fires are especially scary. What could be worse for trees than fire?

But are forest fires always destructive? What do you think?

14

Forest fires are terrifying to see, but did you know that they are a natural part of forest life? They can even help keep the forest healthy.

Fire clears away underbrush and nourishes the soil. It makes open spaces where young trees can grow and clears the way for sun-loving shrubs that provide food and shelter for many animals.

Fire also helps keep pests in check. Disease and insects kill more trees each year than fire does. A healthy burn destroys those threats.

Though a fire will kill some trees, many survive, because they’re protected by thick bark. Most old trees have lived through many fires. Some trees even need the heat of a fire to open their seedpods.

Fire can be a friend to some trees.

15

How to write about your opinion 1. State your opinion Think about the main question in the introduction on page 4 of this book. What is your opinion?

2. Research Look for other information that you need to back up your opinion.

Related information book Wildfires

Internet

Other sources

3. Make a plan Introduction How will you “hook” the reader?

Write a sentence that makes your opinion clear.

List reasons to support your opinion.

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Support your reason with examples.

Support your reason with examples.

Support your reason with examples.

Conclusion Write a sentence that makes your opinion clear. Leave your reader with a strong message.

4. Publish Publish your writing.

Include some graphics or visual images.

16

© 2020 EC Licensing Pty. Ltd.

EARLY EMERGENT STAGE

EMERGENT STAGE

EARLY STAGE

Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E (1) (2) (3–4) (6) (8)

TRANSITIONAL STAGE

Level F Level G Level H (10) (12) (14)

EARLY FLUENT STAGE CHAPTER BOOKS

Level I (16)

Level J (18)

FLUENT STAGE CHAPTER BOOKS

Level K (20)

FLUENT PLUS STAGE CHAPTER BOOKS

Level L Level M Level N Level O Level P (24) (28) (30) (34) (38)

Fluent Plus Level N (30)*

FLYING START TO LITERACY Paired books

Perspectives books

Amazing Salamanders

Owning a Pet: What Should You Think About?

Salamander Surprise!

Corn Crazy The Great Corn Invention Food Rescue: Making Food Go Further The King of Waste Saving Wild Wolves Wolf Secret Famous Finds The Lost Tomb Working in the Wild The Goodmans Go Camping

Fluent Plus Level O (34)*

Riding the Waves Wipe-out!

Deadly Venom: Killer or Cure?

The Stubborn Princess The Question of Water Ming Saves the Day Seasons in the Kelp Forest Thunder Cave Nature’s Red Flags Bring Back the Frogs!

Dragons Dragon Tales

Fluent Plus Level P (38)*

Incredible Underground Homes The Wild Caves Wildfires A Hard Choice We Must Protect Old-Growth Forests Dan’s Trees Under the Ice Professor Valdor and the Giant Laser The Plastic Plague The Plastic-free Challenge Electric Wind: The Story of William Kamkwamba Marvelous Maddie

Food: What’s Good? What’s Bad? Stop Wasting Food!

How Can We Do It? The Big, Bad Wolf: True or False?

What is Treasure?

What Do You Value?

Wildlife in the City: Why Should We Protect It? Being Brave: What Does It Mean?

Dangerous Animals: What Do You Need to Know?

Water: The Key to Life?

Planet Ocean: How Important is It? Mini Beasts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Scary Stories: The Scarier the Better?

Places People Live: When is a Home a Home?

Fire: Friend or Foe? Trees: Why Do We Need Them?

Setting Goals: What’s Important?

Plastic: Helpful or Harmful?

Thinking Outside the Box: What Does It Mean?

* Levels indicated by letters are Okapi’s unique measurements, comparable to the Guided Reading levels of Fountas and Pinnell. Numerical levels in parentheses align with DRA.

Flying Start to Literacy: Level P (38)

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