A Busy Squirrel

Sami watched a gray squirrel in the oak tree behind her school. The squirrel ran up the trunk and jumped to a low branch. It held a small brown nut in its mouth. Sami saw the squirrel dig a tiny hole in the soft dirt near the fence. Then it dropped the nut inside and covered the hole with leaves and dirt. Sami learned that squirrels hide food to eat later when the weather turns cold and snowy.

Ducks at the Pond

On a sunny afternoon, Marco and his class walked to the park pond. Five ducks floated on the calm water. Their webbed feet helped them paddle without sinking. One duck dipped its head under the water to look for plants to eat. Another duck shook its feathers and drops flew into the air like tiny sparks. Marco noticed that ducklings stayed close to the big duck. The teacher said the big duck was keeping the little ones safe from harm.