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PLANET EARTH: MountainsWriting PromptsGrade Level: 3-12

Title: Mountain AdaptionsGrade Level: 3–12Concept Focus: Polar Type: Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys

This golden snub-nosed monkey is native to Asia. These monkeys get their name from their short, stump-like noses. The animals also have another unique feature—their nostrils, which face forward instead of sideways. Write a one-paragraph description of the monkey’s appearance, explaining how the animal’s features help the monkey survive in its mountain habitat.

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Title: The Face of DeterminationGrade Level: 6-8Concept Focus: Snow LeopardType: Descriptive

This wild snow leopard, native to central Asia, has the longest tail of any cat and can leap nearly fifty feet through the air. Imagine this leopard is on the hunt for food. Write a three paragraph summary of the animal’s movements. Make sure to include details about the terrain it travels, the sounds that it makes, and the motivation for its movements. How does the snow leopard’s ability to leap great distances help in the hunt for food?

3Published by Discovery Education, Inc., a division of Discovery Communications, LLC. © 2007. All rights reserved. Based on PLANET EARTH © BBC. Distributed under exclusive license from Educational Publishers LLP.

Title: A Steamy LakeGrade Level: 9-12Concept Focus: Erta AleType: Expository

Erta Ale is an active volcano in Ethiopia famous for its lava lake shown here. Most often we think of lava streaming down the side of an erupting volcano. Write one or two paragraphs explaining, in your own terms, what factors help create lava lakes.