Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. Although the two reptiles look similar, they have important differences. The easiest way to tell them apart is the snout. An American alligator has a wide, rounded, U-shaped snout, while an American crocodile has a narrower, pointed, V-shaped snout. When an alligator closes its mouth, its lower teeth are mostly hidden. A crocodile's large fourth tooth on…
Try this question: How is an alligator's snout different from a crocodile's?
Zara's grandmother had been an engineer, and when she passed away, she left Zara a battered green notebook. Inside were sketches of machines, equations, and notes in tiny handwriting. On one page, Grandma had drawn a self-watering planter and written, "Attempt 14. Still leaks." Zara decided to finish it for the science fair. Her first planter flooded the kitchen counter. Her second didn't water at all. Each time, she wrote a note in the…
Try this question: How is Zara like her grandmother?
Tomás found the wallet on the sidewalk outside the bakery. Inside were three twenty-dollar bills, a library card, and a photo of a little girl missing her front teeth. Tomás had been saving for months for a skateboard that cost exactly sixty dollars. He stood frozen, the wallet heavy in his hand. His friend Diego leaned over his shoulder. "Finders keepers," Diego said. "Nobody would ever know." Tomás thought about it. Then he looked again at…
Try this question: How do Tomás and Diego first react differently to the wallet?