byStevenTuckerillustratedbyGrahamSmithbyStevenTuckerillustratedbyGrahamSmithCopyright©byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.RequestsforpermissiontomakecopiesofanypartoftheworkshouldbeaddressedtoSchoolPermissionsandCopyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277SeaHarborDrive,Orlando,Florida32887-6777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURTandtheHarcourtLogoaretrademarksofHarcourt,Inc.,registeredintheUnitedStatesofAmericaand/orotherjurisdictions.PrintedinChinaISBN10:0-15-351506-6ISBN13:978-0-15-351506-4OrderingOptionsISBN10:0-15-351213-X(Grade3AdvancedCollection)ISBN13:978-0-15-351213-1(Grade3AdvancedCollection)ISBN10:0-15-358096-8(packageof5)ISBN13:978-0-15-358096-3(packageof5)Ifyouhavereceivedthesematerialsasexaminationcopiesfreeofcharge,HarcourtSchoolPublishersretainstitletothematerialsandtheymaynotberesold.Resaleofexaminationcopiesisstrictlyprohibitedandisillegal.Possessionofthispublicationinprintformatdoesnotentitleuserstoconvertthispublication,oranyportionofit,intoelectronicformat.1234567891098512111009080706Atfirstglance,asmallpondmaynotseemlikeaverybusyplace.Aduckdriftsgentlyacrossthesurface.Abeebuzzespast.Afrogsendshissongacrossthewater.Cattailsnodinthebreeze.Thepondappearstobepeacefulandcalm.Apondisactuallyfilledwithactivity!Fromthewater’sedgetothemuddybottom,millionsoflivingthingsmaketheirhomesinandaroundeventhesmallestpond.3Eachofthesecreaturesisbusysearchingforfoodandtryingtosurvive.Allseekshelterstoprotectthemfromcreaturesthatmaywanttoeatthem.Theyhidefrompredatorsandprotecttheiryoung.Differentcreaturesliveindifferentpartsofapond.Thedimwateratthebottomisverydifferentfromthebrightsurfaceatthetop.Anoldpondhasdifferentconditionsfromanewone.Somepondsaretherepermanently,andsomewilldisappearinashorttime.Somecomeandgo.4Tothinkaboutlifeinapond,asksomequestions.Takethatduck,paddlingacross...