Teacher's Guide for FACES ^® Venezuela

• to develop appreciation for other cultures
• to increase geographical perspective
• to improve comprehension (particularly through the use of such skills as scanning, determining organization, etc.)
• to practice writing skills through a variety of activities, both practical and creative
• to develop and enrich vocabulary
• to participate in small group and whole class activities

1. Discuss the location of Venezuela on the world map; discuss then location (and definition of) the llamos.
2. Ask students to scan the article to find three pieces of information:
   1. the name of the largest snake in the world
   2. the rarest bird in the world
   3. in addition to snakes and birds, eight other kinds of animals that live in Venezuela.
   Give students the following hint: "You will have to look in two different paragraphs to find the answer to 'c.' " (Answer: monkeys, orinoco crocodile, anteaters, otters, lizards, iguanas, armadillos, and turtles - (from the two middle paragraphs on page 7)
   
   While you are discussing the animals of Venezuela, you might like to turn to the following article:
   
   "World's Largest Rodent" (pages 36-39)
   1. You might start by looking at the photograph on page 37 and explaining that some people say the acapybara looks like a small hippopotamus. Ask students to scan page 36 looking for numbers which show the capybara's weight.
   2. Ask students to title a sheet of paper "Ten Good Things About Being a Capybara." Then have them turn the paper over and title that side "Ten Bad Things About Being a Capybara." This activity will work best for groups of three or four students since a little imagination will have to be employed in order to complete the list!
   3. Ask groups to share lists with the class.

1. Write the following numbers on the board (or supply each student with a sheet of paper on which the numbers have been written along with the items they match):

   1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 23, 70, 1000's, 2 million

2. Explain that each of the numbers is the match for one of the following blanks (notice that 2 is used twice):

   __ number of contrasting areas in Venezuela (according to the first paragraph)
   __ number of explorers who might have named Venezuela
   __ number of states in Venezuela
   __ number of people in Venezuela
   __ number of seasons in Venezuela
   __ number of possible places to visit in Venezuela (mentioned in the last paragraph page 11)
   __ number of bridges across the Orinoco River
   __ rank of Venezuela as an exporter of oil
   __ percentage of Venezuelans who are mestizo
   __ number of people visiting Venezuela each year

1. Ask students to read these two short articles silently.
2. Give students a choice of two activities:
   1. Make an alphabetical listing of a dozen items a person in Venezuela might eat in one day. Give a definition (from the article) for any items not common to Americans.
   2. Make a list of a dozen facts about baseball in Venezuela that most Americans would not know.

1. Lead a short discussion about why many cultures in the world have become threatened (and extinct) in the past and why many are threatened today. Talk about what it might be like if one's own culture was to come under attack and to be in danger of disappearing altogether.
2. Ask students to volunteer to read passages of the article. Brainstorm together the following questions for each culture:
   1. Who are these people?
   2. What is their way of life?
   3. For what reason - or in what way - is their culture being threatened?

Study Guide:

1. What four kinds of "transportation" did the author use in this article (answer when you're done reading the entire article)?
2. What two famous people does she mention who have previously seen Angel Falls?
3. What made the scenery "even grander and more beautiful"?
4. Explain why it was difficult for the author to sleep.
5. What did their guides take turns wearing?
6. What is the English name for Auyan Tepui?
7. How did the author keep cool as she was climbing?
8. What did she want to ask her guides?
9. What does the author say was their biggest adventure?
10. What is the "sight" the author says she will never forget? (Note: include a number in your answer.)
11. Look in the gray box to find the answer to this question: Which is taller: Niagara Falls or Angel Falls?

1. You might want to start by talking about the title of the story and reading the last paragraph ("And so it is . . . ").
2. After folding a plain sheet of white construction paper into fourths, have students number the sections 1-8 (using the front and back). Ask students to use crayons or markers to draw out the story into eight cartoon frames.
3. Before students begin, it will be helpful to discuss the story and decide what each of the eight sections should depict.

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Updated: 11/21/09 09:12 am
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