How Big Is Big?: teacher key

Giant Squid, grade 7 edition, written for 7th grade. A giant squid's length, weight and eyes are measured in different ways, and the numbers depend on who counted them and how.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. According to National Geographic, how long was the largest verifiable giant squid?
   • 18 metres
   • 12 metres (answer)
   • 2.25 metres
2. What part of the squid is called the mantle?
   • Its beak
   • Its eye
   • Its main body (answer)
3. About how heavy was the heaviest whole giant squid on record, per Guinness?
   • 220 kilograms (answer)
   • 22 kilograms
   • 2,200 kilograms
4. What does a giant squid use to swim?
   • Legs
   • Jet propulsion (answer)
   • Wings
5. Why might media reports of 18 metres be doubted?
   • Squid never grow
   • Guinness says 13 metres is too small
   • The largest verifiable one was 12 metres (answer)

Words

• mantle: squid's main body
• tentacles: long feeding arms
• funnel: water tube
• verifiable: checkable