The Weird and Wonderful Echidna

What features of The Weird and Wonderful Echidna and The Very Peculiar Platypus tell you that these are informational texts?

• The map, photographs, and captions

• The use of stanzas to organize the sentences

• Drawings of fictional characters

What makes both the platypus and echidna unique animals?

• Both animals live in Australia

• Both animal are mammals but lay eggs

• Both animals carry their young in a pouch

What makes monotremes different from almost all other mammals?

• They have fur

• They lay eggs

• They eat worms

• They roll into a ball

Where do echidnas and platypuses live?

• Asia

• Europe

• Australia

• The Americas

Directions: Choose the word or word group that has about the same meaning as the underlined word.

The ring she received for her birthday was unique.

• colorful

• expensive

• pale

• unusual

Directions: Choose the word or word group that has about the same meaning as the underlined word.

The scientists studied the animal’s adaptations.

• changes

• hardships

• challenges

• food sources

Choose the word for this meaning:

.........are changes that make a plant or animal better suited to the environment.

• admire

• adaptations

• admiration

• adventure

Echidnas can turn down their body temperature lower than normal. When they do this, all their body functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion, slow down. Echidnas use less energy. So they need less food during the winter, this state is called: ________

• sleeping

• torpor

• laying eggs

• monotreme