Amphibians

Open Ended

You move to a new school where everything feels unfamiliar—new teachers, new classmates, and new rules. At first, you miss your old school, but over time, you start making friends and feeling more comfortable.

Question:

How would you feel after moving to a new school? What would be the hardest part?

Multiple Choice

What does it mean to adapt to a new environment?

• To stay exactly the same

• To make changes to fit into a new place

• To refuse to learn anything new

• To go back to where you came from

Multiple Choice

Why might moving to a new country be difficult?

• You have to learn a new language and culture

• Everything stays exactly the same

• You already know everyone there

• It’s easy to feel comfortable right away

Multiple Choice

What does it mean to “camouflage”?

• To stand out as much as possible

• To blend into your surroundings

• To move very quickly

• To travel across the ocean

Multiple Choice

What is the main idea of the introduction about Joseph O. Legaspi?

• He was born and raised in Los Angeles.

• He immigrated to the United States as a child.

• He writes poems about animals.

• He moved to the Philippines later in life.

Multiple Choice

What does the phrase “hardening in the sea” most likely suggest about immigrants?

• They become stronger by facing challenges.

• They turn into sea creatures.

• They refuse to change in a new place.

• They enjoy living in the ocean.

Multiple Choice

What does the phrase “on both sides of life” suggest about amphibians and immigrants?

• They are stuck in one place and they cannot leave.

• They can survive in two different environments.

• They never change or adapt.

• They only live in water.

Multiple Choice

In lines 2 through 3, the poet uses a metaphor most likely to emphasize -

• how immigrants physically change when they leave their homeland.

• the emotional and physical challenges immigrants face when adapting to a new place. 

• that immigrants must travel through the sea to reach their new home.

• how amphibians and immigrants have identical experiences.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet use figurative language to compare the experiences of amphibians and immigrants?

• Both amphibians and immigrants go through a transformation as they adjust to a new environment.

• Amphibians and immigrants both struggle to survive in the ocean.

• Immigrants and amphibians remain the same throughout their lives.

• The poet is only describing the life cycle of amphibians, not making a comparison.

Multiple Choice

What does the poet suggest by comparing amphibians developing lungs to immigrants “developing lungs”?

• Both must adapt to a new environment in order to survive.

• Amphibians breathe through their skin, while immigrants do not change.

• Immigrants physically grow lungs like amphibians do.

• Amphibians and immigrants both remain unchanged in their new surroundings.

Open Ended

How does the poet use the life cycle of amphibians to help readers understand the immigrant experience?

STEMS:
The poet uses the life cycle of amphibians to show that immigrants…

For example, the comparison between _ and _ suggests that…

Multiple Choice

What message does the author convey in lines 9 through 19?

• The importance of preserving natural habitats for future generations.

• The joy and excitement of exploring unknown territories.

• The importance of adaptation for survival in new environments.

• The similarities in physical characteristics between humans and animals.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet use figurative language in the line “Immigrants toil and sleep breathlessly” to emphasize their struggle?

• It means immigrants cannot breathe properly in their new environment and must find a new environment that is more suitable.

• It suggests that immigrants work so hard that they become exhausted, similar to how amphibians must adapt to survive.

• It implies that immigrants and amphibians both prefer to stay in one place.

• It shows that immigrants do not face any real challenges when moving to a new land.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet use figurative language in the lines “Their colors brighten, camouflage. They’ve been known to fall out of the sky” to describe the immigrant experience?

• It suggests that immigrants, like amphibians, adapt by blending into their new environment while maintaining their identity.

• It means that immigrants physically change their skin color when they move.

• It implies that immigrants struggle to survive because they cannot adapt.

• It shows that amphibians and immigrants both prefer to stay hidden from others, and that they are the best at hiding from other types of people.

Multiple Choice

In lines 26 and 27 , the poet uses figurative language most likely to emphasize -

• The physical descent of amphibians from the sky.

• The sudden and unexpected challenges immigrants encounter.

• The ability of amphibians to adapt to aerial environments.

• The planned and predictable nature of immigrant journeys.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet’s use of the word “metamorphose” help develop the theme of transformation?

• It shows that both amphibians and immigrants physically change in the same way.

• It emphasizes that both must undergo a major transformation to survive in a new environment.

• It suggests that immigrants are forced to change against their will.

• It implies that metamorphosis only applies to animals, not humans.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet’s use of the phrase “fall out of the sky” contribute to the theme of the poem?

• It suggests that immigrants arrive unexpectedly and face challenges when they land.

• It shows that immigrants have an easy transition into their new environment.

• It means that amphibians and immigrants can fly.

• It suggests that immigrants are not welcome in their new homes, and that it is a struggle that is too difficult.

Multiple Choice

How does the poet use the imagery of amphibians developing physical features to highlight the immigrant experience?

• It shows that both amphibians and immigrants evolve and adapt to survive in new conditions.

• It suggests that immigrants physically change into amphibians, and that immigrants are constantly evolving.

• It emphasizes that immigrants struggle more than amphibians do.

• It implies that only amphibians must undergo transformation.

Multiple Choice

Which idea is a theme that is shared in both “I Ask My Mother to Sing” and “Amphibians”?

• People should forget the past in order to succeed.

• Moving between cultures can shape a person’s identity.

• Families should avoid talking about painful memories.

• Nature is more powerful than human emotions.

Open Ended

How do both poems show that people can feel connected to more than one place, culture, or identity?