COMMON CORE

READING
INFORMATIONAL
TEXT
Cheetah Article
with
QUESTIONS/ANSWERS
Grades 4-5
Some 3rd and 6th grade standards
included
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Name ___________________

CHEETAH
1. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals on earth. A cheetah has slim long, muscular legs and a
slender body. Its head is small and rounded. A cheetah also has a flexible spine, deep chest and
special pads on its feet for traction. A long tail helps the cheetah balance when its making quick
turns as it hunts. Cheetahs run short distances for 20- 60 seconds at speeds up to 70 miles per
hour.
2. Cheetahs are the smallest member of the big cat family usually weighing 110 - 140 pounds.
A distinct marking sets them apart from other cats. A long black line runs from the inside of each
eye down to the mouth. Scientists describe it as a tear drop marking and believe its to protect
the cheetahs eyes from the harsh sunlight and helps them see long distances.
3. Cheetahs dont roar like other big cats. They do have a very loud purr when they groom
themselves. They also whine, growl, hiss and make a birdlike chirping sound. The noises are very
distinct and different from noises other big cats make. Cheetahs cant climb trees, like other big
cats because they have blunt claws.
4. Cheetahs used to live all over Africa and Asia, but today theyre only
found in parts of eastern, central and southwestern Africa and small
sections of Iran. They live in the biome known as the savannah where
they rely on tall grasses for camouflage when they hunt.
5. Because they have poor night vision, cheetahs generally hunt in the late morning or early evening
unlike other big cats. Cheetahs primarily hunt Thomson gazelles, impalas, and baby hoofed animals
like wildebeest calves, but will catch other smaller animals like hares.
6. A cheetah will get as close as it can to its prey, then with a burst of speed, it will try to outrun
it. Once the cheetah catches up with the animal, it knocks it to the ground with its paw and
suffocates it with a bite to the neck. A cheetah eats quickly because other predators like hyenas,
vultures and jackals, will aggressively try to steal what they catch.
7. Cheetahs are solitary animals. Female cheetahs raise their cubs alone. There are often 2 -4 cubs
in a litter and mothers often move their cubs to new hiding places every few days. At five weeks
old, the cubs follow their mother and learn how to eat from her kills. Often mothers bring back
small animals to their cubs to teach them how to hunt and catch prey.
8. The cheetah population has declined over the last 100 years. In 1900, there were approximately
100,000 cheetah in Africa and Asia. Today its estimated there are only 9,000 to 12,000 cheetahs
left on earth. The future of the cheetah is uncertain.

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Name ___________________

CHEETAH

1. Paragraph # ___ List two physical characteristics that make cheetahs the fastest land animals.
Characteristic # 1 ____________________________________________________________
Characteristic # 2 ___________________________________________________________
2. Paragraph # ___ What are two main ideas of the article? List one key detail for each one.
Main Idea # 1 _______________________________________________________________
Detail ___________________________________________________________________
Main Idea # 2 _______________________________________________________________
Detail ___________________________________________________________________
3. Write a cause and its effect from paragraph #5.
Cause _____________________________________________________________________
Effect ____________________________________________________________________
4. What fact does the author use to explain why cheetahs eat quickly? The answer is found in
paragraph _____.
____________________________________________________________________________
5. Circle the letter of the correct answer. The answer is found in paragraph _____.
According to the article, a cheetahs tail is
A. short

B. long

C. furry

D, wide

6. What protects the cheetahs eyes and helps them see long distances? The answer is found in
paragraph _____.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

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ANSWERS

ANSWERS MAY VARY

1. Paragraph # 1 List two physical characteristics that make cheetahs the fastest land animals.
Characteristic # 1 SLIM, LONG MUSCULAR LEGS
Characteristic # 2 SLENDER BODY, FLEXIBLE SPINE
2. Paragraph # ___ What are two main ideas of the article? List one key detail for each one.
Main Idea # 1 ANSWERS WILL VARY
Detail _________________________________________________________________
Main Idea # 2 _____________________________________________________________
Detail _________________________________________________________________
3. Write a cause and its effect in paragraph #5.
Cause CHEETAHS HAVE POOR NIGHT VISION
Effect HUNTING IS DONE EARLY EVENING OR LATE MORNING
4. Paragraph # 6
What fact does the author use to explain why cheetahs eat quickly?
PREDATORS LIKE HYENAS, JACKALS OR VULTURES WILL TRY AND STEAL WHAT THE
CHEETAH CAUGHT.
5.

Paragraph # 1

Circle the letter of the correct answer.

According to the article, a cheetahs tail is

A. Short

B. Long

C. Furry

D, Wide

6. Paragraph # 2 What protects the cheetahs eyes and helps them see long distances?
The tear drop marking. (Notice I put the image of the cheetah in the grass right below this
question! I wanted to see if any students would notice that it shows the teardrop marking! :)

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Name ___________________

CHEETAH

7. Why do mother cheetahs move their cubs to new places every few days? The answer is found in
paragraph _____.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
8. Reread paragraph # 8. Write a who, what, why, when or how question about the
information in that paragraph.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
9. What other predator land animal is a fast runner that can out run the cheetah at longer
distances? _______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
10. Why do cheetahs sneak up on their prey? The answer is found in paragraph _____.
A.
B.
C.
D.

They dont like the heat.

They dont like to run.
They only see well during the day.
They can only run short distances at a high rate of speed.

11. What is the most important sentence in this article? Write the sentence on the line. The answer
is found in paragraph ______.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
12. What sentence in paragraph 3 doesnt belong in that paragraph? Write the sentence on the line.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
13. Write an opinion about the article. _____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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ANSWERS

7. Paragraph # 7
Why do mother cheetahs move their cubs to new places every few days?
ANSWER NOT STATED
TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING KILLED BY PREDATORS
8. Paragraph # 8 Write a who, what, why, when or how question about the information.
Possible answers
Why are cheetahs no longer living in certain parts of the world? How can we help the cheetah?
When did the cheetah start to disappear from certain regions of the earth?
9. What other predator land animal is a fast runner that can out run the cheetah at longer
distances? ANSWERS WILL VARY. Lions, tigers...Some incorrect answers might be animals that
arent predators like horses.
10. Paragraph # 6
Why do cheetahs sneak up on their prey?
D. They can only run short distances at a high rate of speed.
11. Paragraph ___ What is the most important sentence in this article? Write the sentence on the
lines below.
ANSWERS WILL VARY (Paragraph should be listed where the sentence is found.)
12. What sentence in paragraph 3 doesnt belong in that paragraph? Cheetahs cant climb trees
because they have blunt claws. Its off topic. The paragraph is about noises the cheetahs
make.

13. ANSWERS WILL VARY

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Name ___________________

CHEETAH

14. What does the word aggressively mean in paragraph 16?

A. fiercely
B. carefully
C. instinctively
D. peacefully
15. What does the word solitary mean in paragraph 7.
A. friendly
B. quick
C. alone
D. shy
16. The word camouflage in paragraph 4 means:
A. food
B. prey
C. noises
D. disguise
17. What other information might the author have added to this article?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
18 Predict what the author might discuss in the next article he or she writes about cheetahs.
__________________________________________________________________________
19. Which of these statements is an opinion. Circle one.
A. Cheetahs are solitary animals.
C. Cheetahs run fast for short distances.
B. Cheetahs are beautiful animals.

D. Cheetah mothers teach their cubs to hunt.

20. Circle one. The author wrote this article to:

A. explain how the cheetah raises its young.
B. describe how the cheetah hunts

C. persuade readers to learn more about cheetahs.

D. inform readers that cheetahs are good hunters.

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14. What does the word aggressively mean in paragraph 16?

A. fiercely
15. What does the word solitary mean in paragraph 7.
B.

alone

16. The word camouflage in paragraph 4 means:

D. hard to see, disguise
17. What other information might the author have added to this article?
ANSWERS WILL VARY
18. Predict what the author might discuss in the next article he or she writes about cheetahs.
ANSWERS WILL VARY - POSSIBLE ANSWER MIGHT BE AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW
SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE CHEETAHS
19. Which of these is an opinion.
B. Cheetahs are beautiful animals.
20. The author wrote this article to
C. persuade readers to learn more about cheetahs.

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Name ___________________

CHEETAH

Compare and contrast two articles about the cheetah. List likenesses and differences below.
Title of article #1 _________________________________________________________
Source _________________________________________________________________
Title of article #2 ________________________________________________________
Source _________________________________________________________________

LIKENESSES

DIFFERENCES

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

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_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

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Name ___________________

CHEETAH

AUTHORS PURPOSE
Authors have a reason or purpose for writing articles, books, short stories, poems and other text. Their reasons might be
to inform readers about the subject or to persuade them to consider a certain point of view. The authors point of view
usually isnt stated, so readers must read between the lines to determine what it is.

Write the most important main idea of each paragraph. Circle the number of the one you believe is the most important.

PARAGRAPH #1 ______________________________________________________________________________
#2 ______________________________________________________________________________
#3 ______________________________________________________________________________
#4 ______________________________________________________________________________
#5 ______________________________________________________________________________
#6 ______________________________________________________________________________
#7 ______________________________________________________________________________
#8 ______________________________________________________________________________

How did the author convey or explain the purpose of the article?
Circle one. A. The author wrote the article about cheetahs to: A. explain B. persuade C. inform

Support your answer with examples from the article.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ARTISTS NAME __________________

CHEETAH

RuthS.

Activities align with:

MY SUGGESTIONS

CCSS.ELA- Literacy RI.4.1. - RI.4.6

CCSS.ELA- Literacy RI.5.1. - RI.5.6
CCSS.ELA- Literacy RI.6.1. RI 6.2 RI.6.4.RI.6.6.
CCSS.ELA- Literacy RI.3.1.- 3..2, RI.3.8. (depending on the level of the students)
Sixth grade standards are added for differentiation purposes
Many students have been introduced to nonfiction text and know it by that term. Its important to explain that the Common
Core uses the term informational text. Ive numbered the paragraphs as points of reference for students. I like my
students to confirm the paragraph numbers where they find answers Its a good way to assess whether they understand the
questions and if they can locate the answers.
PRE-READING DISCUSSION
Dont distribute the article or worksheets until after the discussion.
Ask: Whats nonfiction text? (fact based information, autobiographies, science/social studies textbooks, etc.)
How many of you have read stories or articles about real subjects? Have volunteers give examples.
Ask: Whats informational text? If no one offers an answer, explain its nonfiction.
Today were going to read an article about cheetahs.
Who knows what a cheetah is?
What does one look like?
Are they different from other big cats?
Where do cheetahs live?
Dont give them any answers during the discussion.
READING
Distribute the article.
Volunteers read the article aloud, one paragraph at a time. Explain that the paragraphs are numbered so you can determine if
theyve understood the questions and know where to look for the answers.
As they read the article, periodically stop and ask them to summarize what theyve read.
Distribute the worksheets. Have them look at the first worksheet. Remind them to write the number of the paragraph if the
question requires it. I usually have my students answer questions in complete sentences but on these two worksheets, I dont.
Allow time for everyone to complete the sheets. Collect.
NOTE: Sources for page 9 (Compare/Contrast articles) Encourage students to use one Web based source and one source
from a magazine/science text if possible.
POST WORKSHEETS DISCUSSION
Ask: How many learned something about cheetahs you never knew before?
Did it help to read the article together, before you completed the worksheets?
Which question was the hardest?
Which one the easiest?
Would you want to do more research about cheetahs? If so, what more would you want to learn? (Many might say they want to
know why the cheetah population is diminishing.)
Authors Purpose -Complete after the other worksheets are finished. Review with whole class prior to distributing the
worksheet.
EXTENSION ACTIVIIES
Write a letter to a friend or family member about the cheetah (facts) or state an opinion about the article.
Design a Save the Cheetah poster.
Design a Did You Know? poster with facts about the cheetah.
Read a book about Cheetahs to learn more about them. Give an oral report to the class.
Design a Cheetah board game. Have facts in the board game squares.
Write a rap about the cheetah.
Label Asia, Africa and Iran on a map to show where cheetahs live.
Draw a picture of a cheetah based on something in the article. (Page 11 of this packet)

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Cheetah images are from the public
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