Jaguars

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the physical characteristics of jaguars.

• Students will be able to identify the behavioral characteristics of jaguars.

• Students will be able to explain how jaguars live socially and how they communicate with each other.

Suggested Grades:

3rd Grade - 4th Grade - 5th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension worksheet passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

Jaguars are the largest cats in South America. When you think of a jaguar, you probably think of a golden brown spotted coat. While most jaguars have this color and pattern, some of these cats are reddish-brown or black with spotted coats, and a few are solid black. Jaguars look something like leopards, but they are actually more closely related to tigers. They are one of four cats in the Panthera genus that also includes tigers, lions and leopards.

Jaguars live in rainforests, and they enjoy swimming, which is somewhat unusual for cats. They have bites so powerful that their teeth can cut through the shells of reptiles.

Continued...