MHE RDG Wonders LVRDR G3 ELL U3W3 13

Expository
Text
Destination
Saturn
by Karen Alexander
PAIRED
Why the Stars Twinkle
READ
CV_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 2 13/02/12 11:40 AM
Program: CR 14 Component: LR G3 U3 W3 E
Vendor: Learning Media Level: 28 PDF
STRATEGIES & SKILLS
Comprehension Vocabulary
Strategy: Summarize amount, astronomy,
Skill: Main Idea and globe, solar system,
Key Details support, surface,
temperature, warmth
Vocabulary Strategy
Suffixes Content Standards
Science
ELL Vocabulary Earth and Space Science
rotates, space
Word Count: 895**
Photography Credit: Cover NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.

**The total word count is based on words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words
in captions, labels, diagrams, charts, and sidebars are not included.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by
any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, network storage or transmission, or
broadcast for distance learning.
Send all inquiries to:

McGraw-Hill Education
Two Penn Plaza
New York, New York 10121
ISBN: 978-0-02-119278-6
MHID: 0-02-119278-2
Printed in the United States.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DOC 15 14 13 12 11 10
A
IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 2 13/02/12 11:41 AM
Essential Question
What do we know about Earth and
its neighbors in space?
Destination
Saturn
by Karen Alexander
Chapter 1
Exploring Saturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 2
Mission to Saturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 3
Storm on Saturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Respond to Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
PAIRED
Why the Stars Twinkle . . . . . . 16
READ
Glossary/Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Focus on Science . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 1 13/02/12 11:44 AM
Chapter 1
Exploring Saturn
People have been studying astronomy for

thousands of years. Astronomy is the study
of stars and planets. People discovered the
planet Saturn before telescopes were invented.
Now we can learn more about Saturn by using
spacecraft.
Saturn is the second biggest planet in the

solar system.
e
t un
N ep us
an
Ur tu
rn
Sa i te
r
p
Ju
rs h
Ma ar t us y
E en ur
V e rc
M
The Solar System Sun

Stocktrek/Alamy
Saturn is many times
bigger than Earth.
Saturn
Earth
Saturn is not a globe. When people look

at Saturn through a telescope, it looks
like someone pushed the top and bottom
together. This is because Saturn rotates
very fast.
Saturn is mostly gas. Saturn cannot support

(tl) NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute, (tr) NOAA/NASA GOES Project
human life.
Gas Planet
Saturn is a gas planet. Jupiter, Uranus, and
Neptune are gas planets, too. Gas planets are
bigger than the planets that are made of metal
and rock. Those are called terrestrial planets.
Earth is a terrestrial planet.
3
The Rings of Saturn
All the gas planets have rings, but Saturn
has the biggest rings. The rings are made
of pieces of ice, rock, and dust. These
vary in size. Some pieces are the size
of a grain of sand. Some pieces are the
size of a mountain.
Language The past tense of verbs ending in -y

Detective is usually formed by dropping the
-y and adding -ied. Can you find an
example of a verb that forms its past
tense in that way on this page?
Scientists think Saturn’s

rings may have been
formed from moons or
other space objects.
Saturn’s rings
NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Scientists have discovered eight groups of
rings. There are many rings within each group.
There are spaces between the rings.
Discovering the Rings

Galileo was an Italian astronomer. He was
the first person to see Saturn’s rings through
a telescope. Galileo could not
see the rings clearly. He
drew the rings as if
they were handles. Galileo
In 1659, a Dutch
astronomer
named Huygens
figured out
that the shape
around Saturn
was a ring. In
1675, another
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division [LC-USZ62-7923]
astronomer,
Cassini, realized
that Saturn had
more than one ring.
In Other Words realized. En español,

figured out quiere decir descubrió.
Many Moons
Saturn has many moons. Fifty-three of the
moons have names. Titan was the first moon
discovered. Titan is also the biggest moon. In
fact, Titan is bigger than the planet Mercury.
The moons are different. Some moons

are icy, some moons are huge, and some
moons are tiny. Some moons even have
their own rings.
The moon Phoebe travels around

Saturn in the opposite direction
from the way Saturn travels.
Phoebe
Saturn
NASA/JPL- Caltech
Dione is one of Saturn’s
icy moons. Some of
Saturn’s rings can be
seen behind Dione.
Dione
Did You Know?

Some of Saturn’s moons are white.
Astronomers believe these moons
are made of ice.
Some of Saturn’s moons orbit inside the

rings. Two of the moons share the same orbit.
These moons orbit within 30 miles of each
other. The moon on the outside catches up
with the moon on the inside every four years.
They change places.
STOP AND CHECK
What have you learned

about Saturn’s moons?
Chapter 2
Mission to Saturn
In 1997, scientists sent a spacecraft on

a mission to study Saturn and its moons
and rings.
The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft took seven

years to travel from Earth to Saturn. The
spacecraft orbited Saturn, and sent information
about Saturn back to Earth. The spacecraft
separated into two spacecraft, called Huygens
and Cassini. The
Huygens spacecraft Saturn
landed on Titan,
and sent information
about Titan back
to Earth.
spacecraft
Language Orbited is the past tense of orbit.

Detective Find another verb in the past
tense form on this page.
NASA
This is an artist’s
idea of the spacecraft
landing on Titan.
Huygens
s
The Long Way Round

Saturn is 800 million miles from Earth, but the
Cassini-Huygens spacecraft traveled about two
billion miles to get to Saturn. Why? A spacecraft
cannot carry enough fuel for such a long
journey, so gravity is helpful in space travel. The
spacecraft built up speed as it flew past Earth,
Venus, and Jupiter. This saved fuel. Then the
spacecraft floated through space without using its
engines. It used gravity. When the spacecraft got
Craig Attebery/NASA
to Saturn, it used its engines to slow down.
The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft provided
a huge amount of information about Titan.
Astronomers think that Titan is similar to Earth
when Earth was young. Titan is the only moon
in this solar system that has an atmosphere.
(t) Cassini Imaging Team NASA/JPL/SSI (b) Steven Hobbs/NASA/JPL

Titan’s atmosphere is similar to Earth’s
atmosphere.
The landscape of Titan is similar to the

landscape of Earth. Titan has valleys and
mountains. Titan has huge sand dunes. Titan
might also have weather similar to the weather
on Earth.
Scientists believe there may be an ocean

under the surface of Titan.
This is
an artist’s
impression
of Titan.
NASA/JPL
10
Hyperion is another
of Saturn’s moons.
It looks like
a pointy piece
of rock. This
(t) Cassini Imaging Team, NASA/JPL/SSI, (b) Steven Hobbs/NASA/JPL
is unusual. Most
objects that
rotate in space
are round. Hyperion
Huygens was the first

spacecraft to land in
the outer solar system.
Cassini
Huygens
11
icy water
Saturn
atur
Enceladus
Icy water rises from Enceladus.
The moon Enceladus looks bright because

it is covered with ice. Icy water sprays from
the moon Enceladus. The water is similar to
Earth’s oceans. Scientists believe there may be
salt water beneath the icy crust of the moon.
The temperature on Enceladus is warmer than
scientists expected on an icy moon. Scientists
also believe there is warmth deep under the
surface of Enceladus.
STOP AND CHECK
What is unusual about Hyperion?

NASA/JPL
12
Chapter 3
Storm on Saturn
The Cassini-Huygens space mission ends

in September 2017.
The spacecraft has kept track of a huge

thunderstorm on Saturn. The storm stretches
around the whole planet. The storm sends gas
into Saturn’s atmosphere. The storm covers an
area eight times bigger than the area of Earth.
The storm is
more powerful
than any storm
on Earth.
Did You Know?

It is rare to have storms
on Saturn.
In Other Words stayed informed about or

kept a record of. En español, kept track of
quiere decir ha mantenido seguimiento de.
NASA/JPL
13
Saturn
People explore space to discover more about

the universe. Some want to know if there
is life on other planets. The Cassini-Huygens
space mission has given scientists information
about Saturn, its moons, and its rings. The
information about Titan and Enceladus is very
exciting. Titan may teach us about Earth long
ago. Enceladus has warmth, water, and organic
chemicals. These elements are necessary for
life. Other amazing discoveries may be made
in the future!
STOP AND CHECK
Why do people explore space?
14
Summarize Main Idea
Summarize what you have Detail
learned about Saturn. Use the Detail

Main Idea and Details Chart
Detail
to help you.
Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Destination Saturn
is an expository text? GENRE
2. Reread page 10. Why are scientists interested

in Titan? MAIN IDEA AND KEY DETAILS
3. What does icy on page 12 mean? Rewrite the

sentence using ice instead of icy. SUFFIXES
4. Write to describe reasons that scientists find

Enceladus interesting? WRITE ABOUT READING
15
Compare Texts
You have read about a space mission
to Saturn. Now learn how people used
to explain the universe.
WHY THE
STARS TWINKLE
Long, long ago, Earth and the sky were close
together. People on Earth could touch the sky.
One day, a woman went outside to grind rice
for her family. The woman had lovely, silky hair.
She brushed it often. The woman was very proud
of her jewelry and always wore it.
It was a hot day. The woman did not want
to work. She put a large amount of rice into a
wooden bowl. She decide to grind all the rice at
once. The woman started to grind the rice with
a pestle. The work was difficult, so the woman
got angry.
Illustration: Pamela Becker
16
The woman ground the rice harder. She lifted
the pestle higher and higher. Her gold ring
rubbed the skin on her finger, and she got a
blister. She put her ring on the sky. The woman’s
silver comb fell out of her hair. She hung the
comb on the sky. The woman’s necklace got
in her way, so she hung the necklace on the
sky, too.
The woman was so busy working, she didn’t
realize what she was doing. Each time she lifted
the pestle, she pushed the sky farther away.
comb ring necklace
pestle
rice
17
stars
moon
The woman finished her work. The woman

looked at the sky. The sky was now far above
her. The woman could see her ring, comb, and
necklace, but she could not reach them.
We can still see the jewelry. The woman’s
silver comb is the moon, and her gold ring
is the sun. The woman’s sparkly necklace
Illustration: Pamela Becker

became the stars that twinkle across the surface
of the sky.
Make Connections
Why do you think Why the Stars Twinkle was
written? ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How is the reason for the stars, moon, and
sun in Why the Stars Twinkle different from the
descriptions of space in Destination Saturn?
TEXT TO TEXT
18
Glossary
astronomer a person who studies the stars and
planets (page 5)
atmosphere the gases that surround

a planet (page 10)
gravity the natural force that pulls objects toward

one another (page 9)
orbit to follow a path, usually circular, around

a planet, moon, or other space body (page 7)
organic chemicals elements that are the basis

of life (page 14)
terrestrial planets planets made of rock and metal

(page 3)
Index
Enceladus, 12, 14 rings, 4–8, 14
Hyperion, 11 telescopes, 2, 3, 5,
moons, 4, 6–8, 10–12, 14 Titan, 6, 8–10, 14
19
Purpose To compare two planets.
What to Do
Step 1 With a partner, choose a planet that you are
interested in, other than Saturn.
Step 2 Research the planet. Find out where your

planet is, how big it is, and if it has a moon
or rings.
Step 3 Use a Venn chart to compare your planet

with Saturn. In the left circle, write
characteristics that only your planet has.
In the right circle, write the characteristics
of Saturn that your planet does not have.
In the middle, where Different
Alike
the circles overlap, write
the characteristics that
both planets have.
Conclusion What can you learn by comparing two

planets in this way?
20
Literature Circles
Nonfiction
The Topic
What are Destination Saturn and
Why the Stars Twinkle about?
Vocabulary
What new words did you learn that
relate to the topic?
Conclusions
What did you learn in Destination
Saturn?
Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author wrote
Destination Saturn?
IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 3 13/02/12 11:41 AM
Discover the Universe Science
GR M • Benchmark 28 • Lexile [t/k]
Grade 3 • Unit 3 Week 3
www.mheonline.com
ISBN-13 978-0-02-119278-6
MHID 0-02-119278-2
99701
EAN
9 780021 192786
3
CV_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 1 13/02/12 11:40 AM

MHE RDG Wonders LVRDR G3 ELL U3W3 13

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MHE RDG Wonders LVRDR G3 ELL U3W3 13

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Expository

CV_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 2 13/02/12 11:40 AM

Photography Credit: Cover NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Send all inquiries to:

Printed in the United States.

IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 2 13/02/12 11:41 AM

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 1 13/02/12 11:44 AM

People have been studying astronomy for

Saturn is the second biggest planet in the

The Solar System Sun

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 2 13/02/12 11:44 AM

Saturn is not a globe. When people look

Saturn is mostly gas. Saturn cannot support

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 3 13/02/12 11:44 AM

Language The past tense of verbs ending in -y

Scientists think Saturn’s

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 4 13/02/12 11:44 AM

Discovering the Rings

In Other Words realized. En español,

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 5 13/02/12 11:44 AM

The moons are different. Some moons

The moon Phoebe travels around

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 6 13/02/12 11:44 AM

Did You Know?

Some of Saturn’s moons orbit inside the

What have you learned

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 7 13/02/12 11:44 AM

In 1997, scientists sent a spacecraft on

The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft took seven

Language Orbited is the past tense of orbit.

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 8 13/02/12 11:44 AM

The Long Way Round

to Saturn, it used its engines to slow down.

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 9 13/02/12 11:44 AM

(t) Cassini Imaging Team NASA/JPL/SSI (b) Steven Hobbs/NASA/JPL

The landscape of Titan is similar to the

Scientists believe there may be an ocean

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 10 13/02/12 11:47 AM

Huygens was the first

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 11 13/02/12 11:47 AM

Icy water rises from Enceladus.

The moon Enceladus looks bright because

STOP AND CHECK

What is unusual about Hyperion?

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 12 13/02/12 11:47 AM

The Cassini-Huygens space mission ends

The spacecraft has kept track of a huge

Did You Know?

In Other Words stayed informed about or

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 13 13/02/12 11:47 AM

People explore space to discover more about

STOP AND CHECK

Why do people explore space?

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 14 13/02/12 11:47 AM

Summarize what you have Detail

learned about Saturn. Use the Detail

2. Reread page 10. Why are scientists interested

3. What does icy on page 12 mean? Rewrite the

4. Write to describe reasons that scientists find

010_015_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 15 13/02/12 11:47 AM

016_020_CR14_LR_G3_U3W3L28_E_119278.indd 16 13/02/12 11:48 AM

comb ring necklace