Penguins are birds with black and white feathers and a funny waddle.  But unlike most birds, penguins are not able to fly -- in the air that is.  Penguins spend as much as 75% of their time underwater, searching for food in the ocean.  When they are in the water, they dive and flap their wings.  It looks just like they are flying!  Penguins are shaped like a torpedo.  Their body is built for the most efficient swimming with their average speed in the water being about 15 miles per hour.

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Most people think daddy longlegs are spiders. They look alike, but they are not the same.  Look closely next time you see daddy longlegs.  They have only one body section, but spiders have two.  When they walk, daddy longlegs use their second pair of legs to feel their way along.  This is the way some insects use their antennae.  Spiders do not have antennae. Some spiders have poisonous bites.  Daddy longlegs cannot bite. To protect themselves, they give off a bad smell.

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The first people known to enjoy chocolate were the Aztec Indians in Mexico.  Aztec people, especially the kings, enjoyed a drink they called “chocolati,” the original hot chocolate. After visiting Mexico in 1519, the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez brought chocolate back to Spain for the Spanish royal families to enjoy.  Hundreds of years later, chocolate was made and sold in stores in Europe.   Today the sweet, rich, treat is enjoyed around the world.

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Winters were very hard for Plains Indians.  Many Indians would die from lack of food and warm clothes.  In order to survive, the Plains Indians drew upon all of their skills and intelligence to hunt and make use of the buffalo.  Once conquered, the buffalo provided hides that were used for clothing and moccasins.  The pelts of the buffalo necks were used to make shields and bellies became cooking vessels.  The bones were used as tools and the ribs became sleds.  The bones and hair became toys and ornaments for headdresses and clothing.  Life during the harsh winters became bearable for the Indians with the help of the buffalo.
(from Allyn & Bacon, 2000)

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Beep Baseball is a lot like baseball. They both use a ball and bases, and both have two teams. The players use a bat to hit the ball. Unlike players on baseball teams, the players on Beep Baseball teams are sighted and non-sighted people. The sport is played with a big ball and a big bat. There are only two bases, which look like soft towers. When a batter hits a ball, one of the bases begins to beep loudly. The batter runs toward the sound. If the batter can reach the base before someone throws a ball to the base, his or her team scores a point.

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The Hoover Dam brought the Colorado River under control. Because the dam created a reserve of water, the water was used to irrigate dry farmland. It was also used as a water supply by nearby cities and towns. But the biggest benefit of Hoover Dam is its hydroelectric power. The Hoover Dam makes a huge amount of electricity. As a result, 1.3 million people in California, Nevada, and Arizona have power every year. As an energy source, the Hoover Dam is clean and cheap to run. It does not pollute the air the way fossil fuels would. However, this huge dam has had some bad effects on the environment. The river can no longer carry rich soil to the lands it flooded. Fish and other wildlife have lost their homes. For this reason, the landscape of the area will never be the same. But the Hoover Dam is here to stay. It is a modern wonder of the United States.

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What text structure focuses on 1 main idea or topic & gives supporting details for that 1 topic? The order of the text is not important.

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What text structure explains or describes similarities and differences between 2 or more topics or concepts?

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What text structure explains or describes an issue and offers an answer or answers?

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What text structure explains or describes how events happen in order from the beginning to the end (first to last)?

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