Fourth Grade
Worksheets
The Flyer Colony
The cliff face overlooking the lake was riddled with caves. Large, seemingly featherless creatures dropped from those openings, spreading their wide leathery wings to catch the updrafts of air.
One red-gold adult stood in her cave opening. Behind her was a nest with a single leathery egg. Her mate had just returned from fishing in the lake and was settling down to warm the egg.
The pteranodon's head looked too large for her thin neck as she watched the soaring bodies that rose and fell in the air before her. There was a loose pattern to their flights as they got ready to claim their breakfasts from the water.
The slight breeze ruffled the hairy-looking feathers that covered her body, helping to hold in her body heat. Then without warning, she dropped out of the cave opening. For just a moment she plummeted toward the ground. Then she opened her wide wings. In seconds she went from an uncontrolled fall to flying like a skillfully controlled aircraft.
Each of her wings was ten feet long. The leathery membrane extended from her shoulder to her leg and out to the tip of her wings. Halfway along each leading wing edge were three clawed toes.
