Signal words are the quickest way to identify how the ideas in a text are organized. However, if very few signal words are used, you’ll need to look more closely to figure out how an article’s ideas relate to each other. See if you can put this skill to use as you read an excerpt from the article “How Birds Respond to Extreme Weather.” First, look for two or three important ideas in the passage; then, ask yourself how those ideas are connected.
The small, round Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) is frequently spotted in backyards in the southeastern U.S. When it’s not at the bird feeder, it resides in wooded areas. But as temperatures change, Carolina Chickadees may be less-commonly sighted in the Southeast.
New research finds that several bird species, including the Carolina Chickadee, have shifted their behavior in response to extreme weather. These responses vary based on the duration of the extreme weather and characteristics of the bird species, such as migration patterns.
Birds may be harbingers of a changing climate. They are sensitive to temperature changes, and they are a good taxonomic group to study because they are easily observed by researchers and have diverse feeding and migration habits.
See if you can answer these questions about the excerpt. Once you think you know the answer, click the question to see a response.
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Carolina Chickadees and temperature changes |
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Because of temperature changes associated with climate change, Carolina Chickadees may be spotted less often. |
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Cause and effect. The passage describes a change in bird behavior and then identifies the cause of that change. |
