Insight Link Starter Book 1

Chapter 1, Wild Animals

Lesson 1 Where Do Wild Animals Live?

Forest
This is a forest! There are many trees here. There is also a river. Who lives here? Deer and bears live
here. Forests get lots of rain and sunlight. So plants grow well here. There is enough food for everyone.
Desert
This is a desert! It’s very hot. It’s also very dry. Who lives here? Camels and lizards live here. Deserts
don’t get much rain, but they get lots of sunlight. There aren’t many plants here. But that’s okay.
Desert animals can live without food and water for a long time.

Lesson 2 Swan Lake

Swan Lake is a popular ballet. It is a love story about a prince and a white swan. Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky wrote the lovely music for this ballet.
In Swan Lake, the ballerina dances like a real swan.
She raises one arm straight up. Then she bends her wrist. Her arm is the swan’s neck. Her hand is the
swan’s head.
Now she spreads her arms. They are wings! She moves them slowly to the music. She flies to the lake.
The white swan wears a special tutu. This tutu is short and round. It also has feathers!

Lesson 3 Food Wild Animals Eat

Animals need food to live. What do different wild animals eat?
Some animals eat only plants. Zebras eat grass and leaves. They chew the grass with their strong teeth.
Giraffes eat leaves, fruits, and twigs. They chew the food with their flat teeth.
Some animals eat other animals. Lions hunt zebras. They use their sharp teeth to bite them. Penguins
eat small fish. They use their sharp beaks to get the fish.
Some animals eat both plants and other animals. Ostriches eat leaves, snakes, and lizards. Bears eat
berries and fish!

Lesson 4 Say Cheese!

Do you like looking at wild animals? There are so many in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park!
In 2010, a team from the United States set up 225 cameras around the park. The cameras take
pictures of wild animals every day. The pictures show how the animals live together.
How do the cameras take the pictures? They have sensors. The cameras take pictures when an animal
walks by.
The team members check the cameras every day. They also cut the tall grass in front of the cameras.

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So they can get better pictures!

Chapter 2, Oranges

Lesson 5 How Oranges Grow

Oranges come from trees. These trees grow in warm places like California. Let’s learn how oranges
grow on a farm in California.
In spring, orange trees have white flowers. When the flowers lose their petals, tiny oranges begin to
form.
The oranges grow all summer and fall. They need plenty of sun and water. Some oranges need five
months to grow big. Other oranges need up to fifteen months.
In winter, the farmers are ready to pick the oranges. But oranges get sweeter on the tree. So
sometimes the farmers wait a few months!

Lesson 6 Valencia and Navel Oranges

Oranges are popular all around the world. But oranges are not all the same. Let’s look at two of the
world’s favorite oranges.
Valencia Oranges
Valencia oranges got their name from the city of Valencia, Spain. Surprisingly, they are actually from
the United States! These oranges have thin skin and some seeds. They are also very juicy. So people
make juice with them!
Navel Oranges
Navel oranges have a funny name. The bottom of the fruit looks like a belly button! These oranges
have thick skin and no seeds. They are also very sweet. So people love eating them!

Lesson 7 How Oranges Saved the Royal Navy

In 1747, the Royal Navy went on a long sea trip. During the trip, many of the sailors got sick. They all
had the same problem. They were bleeding from the mouth. Sadly, many of them died.
James Lind was a doctor in the Royal Navy. One day, he had an idea. He chose twelve sick people and
made six pairs. Then he gave each pair different medicine. For example, one pair had oranges.
Another pair drank vinegar.
A few days later, two sailors became much better. Why? They both ate oranges! The vitamin C in the
oranges saved them.

Lesson 8 Tangerine Peel Art

Okada is an artist from Japan. One day, he peeled a tangerine. The peel looked like a scorpion. After
that, he started to make tangerine peel art. Now Okada makes over 170 designs. You can make them

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too! You need some tangerines, a pen, and a knife.
Let’s make a rabbit. First, draw the rabbit’s face on the upper side of a tangerine. The green circle will
be its eye. Next, draw two ears. The front legs are under its face. The back legs are next to its nose. Use
the knife to peel the tangerine. What a cute rabbit!

Chapter 3, Sky

Lesson 9 How Birds Fly in the Sky

When people made the airplane, their model was birds. Birds are good at flying. How do they do it?
First, birds have two strong wings. They flap their wings hard to fly. This helps them lift off the
ground.
Second, birds have special bones. Their bones are thin and empty inside. That makes birds very light.
Third, birds don’t have teeth. They have beaks. Beaks are much lighter than mouths with teeth. So
birds are light!
Don’t you think that birds have perfect bodies for flying?

Lesson 10 The Full Moon’s Special Names

Every month, you can see a full moon. Native Americans gave each full moon a special name.
In January, it is cold. Food is hard to find. Wolves howl a lot because they are hungry! So January’s
full moon is called the Wolf Moon.
In March, the snow melts. Worms come up from the ground and make trails. March’s full moon is
called the Worm Moon.
In North America, people pick strawberries in June. June’s full moon is called the Strawberry Moon.
In September, it is time for the harvest! September’s full moon is called the Harvest Moon.

Lesson 11 Why the Sky Is Far Away

Long ago, the sky was close to the ground. People didn’t grow food. They just ate the sky.
They cut out big pieces of the sky but only ate a little. They threw away the rest.
The sky got angry and said, “Do not waste me. I will move far away.”
One greedy woman didn’t listen. She threw a lot away.
The next day, people were surprised and asked, “Where is the sky?”
The sky answered, “I moved far away. Now you have to work hard. Plant seeds and hunt animals.”
Now people cannot touch the sky anymore.

Lesson 12 Hospital in the Sky

It’s an emergency. But there is no hospital nearby. Don’t worry! An air ambulance can help.
One Australian woman, Amanda Davis, needed such help. She had twins but they were born too early.
They were not healthy. The hospital in her town was too small. So doctors couldn’t help the babies.

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The doctors called a special helicopter. It was an air ambulance. It flew to a hospital in the big city. A
nurse in the helicopter took care of the babies. They arrived at the hospital in an hour!
Now the babies are healthy. The air ambulance saved them!

Chapter 4, Eggs

Lesson 13 Sunny-Side Up, Please!

People like eggs because there are many ways to cook them!
First, put some eggs in a pot of water. Then boil them. After ten minutes, cool your boiled eggs in ice
water.
For sunny-side up, put some oil into a pan first. Then crack the eggs into it. Fry the eggs but don’t flip
them! Just wait for the edges to turn brown.
Over-easy eggs are like sunny-side up eggs. But now you should flip them!
Let’s make some scrambled eggs. Crack the eggs into a hot, oiled pan. Then mix them. The eggs are
soft and tasty.

Lesson 14 How Do Ducks Lay Eggs?

A female duck is called a hen. Where are her babies? They are in the eggs!
A mother duck can lay 5 to 12 eggs at once. She keeps her eggs in a nest. She sits on them to keep them
warm.
After 28 days, the eggs start shaking. The ducklings are hatching. Each duckling has a sharp egg tooth.
It uses this tooth to break its egg. Now the ducklings are free!
The hen quickly leads the ducklings to water. She teaches them how to find food. The ducklings have
lots of things to learn!

Lesson 15 The Egg-and-Spoon Race

Do you want to play a fun game? You just need an egg and a spoon! American students often use them
in a race on sports days.
The rules are simple. Hold a spoon in one hand. Balance the egg on the spoon. Then race to the finish
line! Sometimes the egg falls off the spoon. You can pick it up and continue the race.
Here are some tips to win. At first, walk slowly. Then start running. Keep the spoon close to your body.
Focus on the finish line and go straight. You will be there in no time!

Lesson 16 Why Are Eggs Oval-Shaped?

Look closely at these eggs. Are they round? No, they are not. They’re oval! Let’s find out why.
Most birds lay their eggs in nests. These nests are everywhere. They can be on trees, rocks, and cliffs.
A round egg can roll out of the nest easily. But the oval-shaped egg is safer. The oval shape stops the
egg from rolling off and breaking.

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Not all eggs are oval, though. Some birds lay their eggs on the ground. Their eggs are less oval-shaped.
Look at the eggs of an ostrich. They are very big and round!