LESSON:
HUMMING BIRDS - FLYING JEWELS

HUMMINGBIRDS LESSON

Directions:

Print the Humming Birds - Flying Jewels reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

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

Lesson Excerpt

Joyas voladoras - flying jewels. This is what the Spanish explorers called hummingbirds when they first encountered them in the Americas. As if by magic, these tiny colorful birds race around summer gardens, darting here and there and occasionally making a quick dive right past our noses.

The hummingbird's speed and its ability to hover in mid air makes it seem to appear and disappear as if by magic. Because of this, the mysterious little birds have been the subject of many myths and legends. One ancient Mayan Indian legend says that the hummingbird is actually the sun in disguise, and he appears in the form of a hummingbird to play with the moon. The ancient Aztec Indians believed that their most powerful god was related to the hummingbird. His helmet was the head of a hummingbird which he wore attached to the back of his head. This strange headpiece made him appear half man and half bird. So, what is the real mystery behind these miniature marvels?

It's a Hummer!

The hummingbird is the world's smallest bird. It measures only 6-8 centimeters from the tip of its tail to the tip of its bill; depending on the species. The heaviest hummingbird weighs only about 3.6 grams. The hummer's bright colors vary from species to species and are caused by reflected light and not pigment (color) in their feathers. Both the male and the female are colorful, however the male tends to be a bit more colorful. (continued...)