Why is the sea salty?
There is a lot of salt on the earth,
and it mixes very well with water.
There is some
salt in all water. Water on the land runs into lakes and rivers. The water from
most lakes goes into rivers. The water from most lakes goes into rivers. These
rivers run into the seas and oceans. They carry a little salt
with them. Some of the ocean water moves into the air and clouds.
It evaporates. Salt cannot evaporate. It stays in the ocean.
The water in
the oceans has more salt than river water. Ocean water is about 3 ½% (three and
a haft percent) salt. Some seas have more salt than others.
Some lakes do
not have a river to carry the water and salt away. Some of the water leaves
the lakes. It evaporates, but the salt cannot. These lakes are very salty.
There are two famous lakes like this. They are the Dead Sea in
the Middle East and the Great Salt Lake in the state of Utah in the United States.
They are much saltier than the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Photo credit: Why is the sea salty?
A Vocabulary
evaporates salt leaves percent
stays moves clouds land
oceans earth mixes famous
1. Ocean water is about three and a half__________________ salt.
2. There is a lot of ____________________ on the _________________, and it ____________________ very well with water.
3. Some of the water__________________ the lakes.
4. There are two________________________ lakes like this.
5. These rivers run into the seas and __________________________.
6. Some of the ocean water ______________________ into the air and _______________.
7. It ____________________________.
B Vocabulary (new context)
evaporates earth percent famous
salt state earth ocean
clouds others water mix
moves river leave student
1. Two of the students have to___________________ the class early.
2. The ____________________ is round. It _____________________ around the sun.
3. Many people put ____________________ on their food.
4. Muhammad Ali was a ________________________ boxer.
5. Some people put sugar in their coffee. Then they_____________________ it with a spoon.
6. Some of the water in a swimming pool ___________________________.
7. The Pacific _______________________ is bigger than the Atlantic Ocean.
8. There are beautiful white_______________________ in the sky today.
9. Eighty ___________________ of the class are men.
C Vocabulary Review
Underline the word that does not belong with the other two.
Example: red, book, blue
1. Zoo, aquarium, university
2. Lake, snow, ice
3. Elevator, stairs, car
4. Together, modern, new
5. Polar bear, dolphin, kiwi
6. Carry, climb, walk up
7. Cool, warm, thick
8. Scientist, teacher, saltier
D Questions
1. What does salt mix well with?
2. Is there salt in lakes and rivers?
3. Where does river water go?
4. Where does some of the ocean water go?
5. Where does the salt in the ocean go?
6. Which has more salt, rivers or oceans?
7. Why are some lakes very salty?
8. Name two famous salty lakes/
9. What is Utah? Where is it?
10. Which is saltier, the Atlantic Ocean or the Dead Sea?
11. *Are there fish in the Dead Sea?
E Comprehension: True / False
________ 1. Salt mixes with water.
________ *2. Clouds have salt in them.
________ 3. Water on the land moves into lakes and rivers.
________ 4. There is salt in rivers.
________ 5. Rivers have more salt than oceans.
________ 6. Salt evaporates.
________ 7. Ocean water is about 2 ¼% salt.
________ *8. Water leaves some lakes only in rivers.
________ 9. Great Salt Lake is in the United States.
F Main Idea
1. The sea salty because water evaporates and salt doesn’t.
2. The sea is salty because rivers run into oceans.
3. Water moves from the land to rivers to oceans to clouds and to the land again.
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