News by Levels · Level 1 · For teachers
Teacher guide & answers
An Ancient Animal May Have Lived in the Sea
How to use these two pages
Give learners the student worksheet. It contains the story and questions, without the answers. Keep this guide for yourself. Use it to lead the activity and explain the answers afterwards.
Student worksheetA simple 15–20-minute lesson
- Before reading · 2 minutes
Show the title. Ask: “What do you think this story is about?”
- Read and answer · 8–10 minutes
Give out the student worksheet. Learners read for the main idea, then reread to answer the 2 questions. They can compare answers with a partner.
- Discuss and write · 5–8 minutes
Check the answers below together. Ask learners to point to the clue in the story, then finish with the open question.
Adjust the support: Let learners use word help or Level 1 if needed. For a challenge, compare the wording in another level. This activity is not a proficiency test.
Answers to the 2 questions
The question numbers match the student worksheet. Each answer includes a reason and the clue learners can find in the story.
How long ago did the animals live?
Correct answer: A — About 237 million years ago
Why: The text dates the animals to about 237 million years ago.
Clue in the story: The team examined two skeletons. The animals lived about 237 million years ago. Their bodies were flat and covered with hard plates. The area where they were buried was once far from land.
What do the chemical clues in the bones point to?
Correct answer: B — Seawater
Why: The text says the chemical clues point to seawater, but how the animal handled salt is still unclear.
Clue in the story: Chemical clues in the bones also point to seawater. Researchers say the animal could be the first known amphibian to live fully in the sea. They still cannot tell exactly how its body handled salt.
The open question: accept different answers
Ask learners: Name two clues that suggest the animal lived in the sea.
One possible answer: The animals were buried in a place that was once far from land. Chemical clues in their bones also point to seawater.
This is an example, not the only correct answer. Look for a relevant idea, a reason and the learner’s own words. Learners can answer aloud or write one or two sentences.