Bamboo Is Hard Work: teacher key

Giant Pandas, grade 6 edition, written for 6th grade. A giant panda eats bamboo for most of every day, yet its body takes in little of it. Read how a panda manages, and what happens when its bamboo runs short.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. How much of the nutrients in bamboo does a giant panda take in?
   • All of them
   • About one-fifth or less (answer)
   • About three-quarters
2. A giant panda's digestive system is most like which kind of animal's?
   • A meat-eater's (answer)
   • A cow's
   • A bird's
3. What can happen when bamboo flowers and dies off in an area?
   • Cubs are born early
   • Pandas move to the sea
   • Pandas can run short of food (answer)
4. A cub opens its eyes at about 6 to 8 weeks and moves around on its own at about three months. Which can a cub do first?
   • Open its eyes (answer)
   • Move around on its own
   • Both at the same time
5. What does nutrients mean?
   • Goodness in food that the body uses (answer)
   • Tough outer stalks
   • Mountain forests

Words

• digestive: breaking down food
• nutrients: body-building goodness
• nourishment: food's goodness
• provinces: regions of China
• upright: straight up