Module 2 - Mid Unit 1 Assessment

It uses the lower section of its shell to close the opening in its shell.

It pulls its head into the shell and folds its legs in front to form a shield.

It seals the shell’s opening with a hard plate on the end of the foot.

It rolls up into an armor-plated ball.

“Box turtles have hinged plastrons …”

“A turtle can stay inside its shell for hours, waiting for a predator to give up.”

“… pulls its head and its muscular foot inside the shell.”

“… have shells made of eight plates.

They spend much or all of their lives in water.

The shell is basically a sturdy box made of bone and includes the animal’s spine and ribs.

They can burrow to hide from predators or roll up into a ball.

The animals can tuck their soft bodies into their shells faster than they can move away from the predator.

similar

species

assortment

few

“… such as turtles, tortoises, snails, and clams.”

“These bones include the turtle’s spine and ribs.”

“Some turtles have just a few scutes embedded in a thick skin on the carapace.”

“Many bivalves burrow deeply in sand or mud to stay hidden from predators, such as seabirds.”

tough: able to put up with trouble or hardship

tough: difficult to do or understand

tough: not easily influenced

tough: hard to break; strong; lasting a long time

”Both have shells made of two parts: an upper section called the carapace and a lower section called the plastron.”

“… the same substance that forms hooves and fingernails.”

“Some turtles have just a few scutes embedded in a thick skin on the carapace.”

“It hangs on tightly enough to prevent being washed away by waves.”

Many turtles can pull their heads, tails, and legs partly or fully into their shells.

Limpets seal the shell’s opening with a hard plate at the end of their foot and use the foot like a suction cup to help grip rocks firmly.

Some mollusks can partly or fully close their shell around their body.

Sea turtles have lightweight shells so they can swim away from predators quickly.