3 2 8 all about grass (science)

All About

Grass
by Will McGovern

H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN H ARCO URT


All About

Grass
by Will McGovern

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ISBN-10: 0-547-25292-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-547-25292-6
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Why Is Grass Important?
Grass is everywhere. It is under the
swings at the park. It is on the soccer
ield. It is next to the sidewalk in the city.
Grass is one of the most important plants
on earth.
Many animals eat grass. People eat
grains, like rice, which are a kind of grass.
Some kinds of grass, like bamboo, are
used for building homes. Other kinds of
grass keep soil safe from wind and rain.

2


How Does Grass Grow?
Grass is easy to grow. It grows from
seeds. The seeds need good soil to grow
in. They need water every day. They
need sunlight, too.
The roots of the grass grow down into
the soil. The roots soak up the water.
They gather the food they need to grow.
They keep the grass held to the ground.

3


Where Can Grass Grow?

Grass can grow in most places. It can
grow on a small patch of land or in a
large ield. It can grow in a desert. It can
grow next to a beach. It can grow on the
top of a mountain.

Grass can grow next to a beach.

4


Grass Is a Source of Food
Many animals eat grass. Horses,
sheep, and cows eat grass. Many farmers
plant grass to feed their animals.
Hay is tall, dry grass. Farmers cut
hay in the fall. After the harvest, they
separate the hay into stacks. They feed it
to their animals in the winter.
Breakfast cereal is made from grain.
Grain is another kind of grass. So if you
think about it, people eat grass, too!

5


Grass Helps Keep Soil Safe
Wind can blow soil away. Water can
wash soil away. Some kinds of grass can
help to keep the soil in place. The roots

of the grass hold the soil from below.
Have you ever seen grass on sand
dunes at the beach? That grass helps to
keep the sand from washing into the sea.
Grass keeps the sand on these dunes in place.

6


Flowers can add color next to a green lawn.

Grass Makes Nice Lawns
Many people grow grass in their
yards. Some are very serious about
having a perfect green lawn.
They borrow books about grass from
the library. They listen to advice from
their friends. They try to get rid of weeds
in the grass.
7


Parks Are Full of Grass
You can visit a park in many parts of
the world.
You will see large ields of green grass.
People go to parks to relax and have fun.
In some parks, signs give people a
warning. Keep off the grass! You should
be ashamed to step on the grass!

But it’s hard for people and dogs to
stay off of the grass at a park!

8


Many sports are played on grass.

Sports Are Played on Grass
Many sports are played on grass.
Baseball is one. Golf is another. Football
and soccer are both played on grass.
Tennis is sometimes played on grass, too.
In some games, white lines are painted
on the grass playing ield. The players
must stay inside these white borders.
9


What do you like to do best on a ield
of grass?

10


Responding
Word Builder Can
you give advice about how to grow grass?
Maybe not! What can you give advice
about? Copy this word web and add to it.

TARGET VOCABULARY

riding a bike
advice

Write About It
Text to Self Write a short paragraph. Tell
what you like to do on grass. You may like
playing a sports game or having a picnic.
Give reasons to support what you say.

11


TARGET VOCABULARY

advice
ashamed
borders
borrow

harvest
patch
separate
serious

Infer/Predict Use clues to
figure out more about the selection.
TARGET STRATEGY

Which word has another word in it
that is the name of a food?

12


Level: K
DRA: 20
Science
Strategy:
Infer/Predict
Word Count: 522

3.2.8 Build Vocabulary

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