ABSTRACT
Through a series of letters and postcards, Plantzilla tells the story of a family’s summer with a most unusual plant. As Mortimer Henryson nurtures Plantzilla, the plant grows wildly, develops an appetite for meat, and begins performing all sorts of amazing feats. Students realize that the energy meat-eating animals get from their food can also be traced to the sun. Some of the vocabulary in Plantzilla may be unfamiliar to fifth graders, especially English language learners. When an unfamiliar science term arises, write it on an index card and encourage students to guide us in developing a definition and/or creating a sketch to help them remember what the word means.
