Lesson 24:Fireflies

Fireflies
by Rhonda Jackson
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Fireflies
by Rhonda Jackson
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Fireflies are also called lightning
bugs. That’s because they light
up or glow at night.
The end of the firefly glows
bright yellow and green.
Fireflies send messages to each
other with their lights.
3

A firefly is black with two red
spots on its head.
It has a yellow stripe on its
wings and head.
A firefly rests upon plants and
trees during the day.
4

egg
Fireflies have a life cycle like
many insects.
Females lay their eggs under
the ground in the spring.
The larva in the eggs can
already glow.
Sometimes the eggs light up!
5

larva
The larva crawls out of the egg
in about three weeks.
It’s hungry!
What does the larva eat?
The larva looks for snails and
worms to eat.
6

Have you ever heard of a
glow worm?
A glow worm is another name
for a firefly larva.
A firefly larva looks like a worm,
and it can glow!
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pupa
The larva gets cold during the
fall and winter, so it digs deep
in the ground.
The soil keeps the larva warm.
In the spring, the larva starts to
build a mud house.
The larva develops into a pupa.
8

adult firefly
The pupa changes into an
adult firefly in about 10 days.
The new firefly is ready to fly
and eat.
Some fireflies eat nectar from
a flower.
Some fireflies eat other insects.
9

10
Fireflies fly around damp places
all summer.
You may see them by a pond or
a stream.
Look closely. Do you see anything?
Are tiny lights twinkling in
the trees?
Are fireflies dancing in the grass?

Responding
TARGET SKILL Sequence of
Events A firefly starts its life in
an egg. What happens next?
How does the firefly grow up?
Make a chart.
Talk About It
Text to Self Did you ever see
a firefly? Where did you see the
firefly? What time of day did
you see it?
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also
anything
flower
kind
WORDS TO KNOW
places
ready
upon
warm
TARGET SKILL Sequence of
Events Tell the order in which
things happen.
TARGET STRATEGY Question
Ask questions about what you
are reading.
GENRE Informational text
gives facts about a topic.
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