Burr Hooks Passage Name:
Date:
Science & Invention • Informational Text
Stuck on Nature
1
One day in 1941, George de Mestral walked his dog in the woods. When they got home, brown burrs stuck to his pants. Burrs also clung to his dog's thick fur. George tried to brush the prickly seeds off. However, the tiny burrs held on tight. George wanted to know why they stuck so well. He saved one burr to look at it closely.
2
George put the burr under a microscope. He saw hundreds of tiny, stiff hooks on its shell. Next, he looked at his pants under the same lens. The cloth had soft threads shaped like little loops. When the burr touched the cloth, the hooks caught the loops. Because of this, the burr locked onto his pants.
3
This discovery gave George an idea for a new fastener. First, he tried to make hooks out of cotton thread. The soft cotton wore out too fast. Next, he tested a strong man-made thread called nylon. Heat made the nylon hooks stiff, just like real burrs. Finally, George made two strips of nylon tape. One strip held tiny hooks, and the other held soft loops.
4
When pressed together, the two strips held tight. They also peeled apart with a loud rip. George named his new invention Velcro. Because Velcro was light and easy to use, it became popular. Soon, shoemakers put Velcro straps on kids' shoes. Astronauts even used it to hold tools in space. Today, a simple walk in the woods still helps people every day.
Reader's Detective Tip
As you read, circle clue words that connect ideas—like first , next , finally , however , and because . These words show how sentences and paragraphs fit together!
Check Your Understanding
Read each question carefully. Circle the letter of the best answer.
Name:
1. Why did the burrs stick so tightly to George's pants?
A.The burrs were covered in sticky tree sap.
B.The hooks on the burrs caught inside the cloth loops.
C.George's dog pushed the burrs deep into the cloth.
D.The pants were wet from walking in the woods.
2. How were the burrs and the pants different under the microscope?
A.Both the burrs and the pants were made of stiff nylon.
B.The burrs had soft loops, while the pants had stiff hooks.
C.The burrs had stiff hooks, while the pants had soft loops.
D.Neither the burrs nor the pants had any tiny parts.
3. What happened right after George saw that cotton thread wore out too fast?
A.He took his dog for another walk in the woods.
B.He put the cotton thread under a microscope.
C.He tested a strong man-made thread called nylon.
D.He sold Velcro to shoemakers for kids' shoes.
4. How are the last two sentences of paragraph 3 connected?
A.The second sentence explains what the two strips in the first sentence looked like.
B.The second sentence tells why cotton was better than nylon.
C.The second sentence shows what happened when astronauts used Velcro.
D.The second sentence gives a reason why George went to the woods.
5. According to paragraph 4, why did Velcro become popular?
A.It made a loud rip when people pulled it apart.
B.It was light and easy for people to use.
C.It was only sold to astronauts in space.
D.It was made from real brown burrs.
6. Which sentence best explains how paragraph 2 connects to paragraph 3?
A.Paragraph 2 tells a problem with Velcro, and paragraph 3 tells how kids fixed it.
B.Paragraph 2 shows how burrs work, and paragraph 3 shows how George copied them.
C.Paragraph 2 describes George's dog, and paragraph 3 describes his shoes.
D.Paragraph 2 explains how astronauts work, and paragraph 3 explains how plants grow.
Burr Hooks Answer Key Teacher Resource • Standard RI.3.8
Answer Key: Stuck on Nature
Quick-Check Grid
Q1 B
Q2 C
Q3 C
Q4 A
Q5 B
Q6 B
Detailed RI.3.8 Explanations
1B
Cause & Effect (Paragraph 2)
Paragraph 2 states: "When the burr touched the cloth, the hooks caught the loops. Because of this, the burr locked onto his pants."
2C
Comparison (Paragraph 2)
The text contrasts the two objects under the microscope: the burr had "tiny, stiff hooks," while the pants cloth had "soft threads shaped like little loops."
3C
Sequence (Paragraph 3)
Signal words guide the steps: "First, he tried... cotton thread. The soft cotton wore out too fast. Next, he tested a strong man-made thread called nylon."
4A
Sentence-to-Sentence Connection (Paragraph 3)
The first sentence introduces "two strips of nylon tape," and the next sentence describes them specifically: one held tiny hooks, and the other held soft loops.
5B
Cause & Effect (Paragraph 4)
The signal word "Because" links the cause to the effect: "Because Velcro was light and easy to use, it became popular."
6B
Paragraph-to-Paragraph Connection (Paragraphs 2–3)
Paragraph 2 explains how burrs and fabric lock together, and Paragraph 3 opens with "This discovery gave George an idea," showing how he copied nature's design.
Mastery Benchmark: 5–6 correct = Meets RI.3.8 target • 3–4 correct = Review signal words 6 Questions Total
Burr Hooks Teacher Guide Brief Teaching Guide • Grade 3 ELA
Nature Copycats: Stuck on Nature
Standard
CCSS.ELA.RI.3.8
Logical connections between sentences & paragraphs
Readability
Late Grade 3 (3.9)
246 words • ~9.1 words/sentence • 4 paragraphs
Pacing
25–30 Minutes
Whole-group launch + independent practice
RI.3.8 Connection Signal Words in This Text
Cause & Effect
because, because of this, when, why
Sequence
first, next, finally, soon, today
Comparison / Contrast
however, same, just like, also
Lesson Flow
1. Hook & Signal-Word Preview (5 min)
Show a shoe or jacket with Velcro. Ask: "How do you think someone invented this?" Briefly review how authors use clue words to connect causes, comparisons, and steps in order.
2. Read & Annotate Passage (10 min)
Have students read Stuck on Nature once for gist, then reread with a pencil to circle connection clue words. Pair-share what Paragraph 2's microscope discovery had to do with Paragraph 3.
3. Comprehension Check & Debrief (10–15 min)
Students complete the 6 multiple-choice questions independently. Review Q4 and Q6 aloud, asking students to point to the exact sentence clues that prove their answer.
Support (Striving Readers)
Pre-highlight the signal words in Paragraphs 2–3 before reading. Read Paragraph 1 aloud together to model pausing to ask "Why did that happen?"
Extension (Early Finishers)
Ask students to write two connected sentences about another animal or plant trait (e.g., duck feet or gecko toes) using because or just like .
Materials needed: Burr Hooks Passage (2 pages), pencils/highlighters Standard RI.3.8
Burr Hooks Passage Name:
Date:
Science & Invention • Informational Text
Stuck on Nature
1
One day in 1941, George de Mestral walked his dog in the woods. When they got home, brown burrs stuck to his pants. Burrs also clung to his dog's thick fur. George tried to brush the prickly seeds off. However, the tiny burrs held on tight. George wanted to know why they stuck so well. He saved one burr to look at it closely.
2
George put the burr under a microscope. He saw hundreds of tiny, stiff hooks on its shell. Next, he looked at his pants under the same lens. The cloth had soft threads shaped like little loops. When the burr touched the cloth, the hooks caught the loops. Because of this, the burr locked onto his pants.
3
This discovery gave George an idea for a new fastener. First, he tried to make hooks out of cotton thread. The soft cotton wore out too fast. Next, he tested a strong man-made thread called nylon. Heat made the nylon hooks stiff, just like real burrs. Finally, George made two strips of nylon tape. One strip held tiny hooks, and the other held soft loops.
4
When pressed together, the two strips held tight. They also peeled apart with a loud rip. George named his new invention Velcro. Because Velcro was light and easy to use, it became popular. Soon, shoemakers put Velcro straps on kids' shoes. Astronauts even used it to hold tools in space. Today, a simple walk in the woods still helps people every day.
Reader's Detective Tip
As you read, circle clue words that connect ideas—like first , next , finally , however , and because . These words show how sentences and paragraphs fit together!
Check Your Understanding
Read each question carefully. Circle the letter of the best answer.
Name:
1. Why did the burrs stick so tightly to George's pants?
A.The burrs were covered in sticky tree sap.
B.The hooks on the burrs caught inside the cloth loops.
C.George's dog pushed the burrs deep into the cloth.
D.The pants were wet from walking in the woods.
2. How were the burrs and the pants different under the microscope?
A.Both the burrs and the pants were made of stiff nylon.
B.The burrs had soft loops, while the pants had stiff hooks.
C.The burrs had stiff hooks, while the pants had soft loops.
D.Neither the burrs nor the pants had any tiny parts.
3. What happened right after George saw that cotton thread wore out too fast?
A.He took his dog for another walk in the woods.
B.He put the cotton thread under a microscope.
C.He tested a strong man-made thread called nylon.
D.He sold Velcro to shoemakers for kids' shoes.
4. How are the last two sentences of paragraph 3 connected?
A.The second sentence explains what the two strips in the first sentence looked like.
B.The second sentence tells why cotton was better than nylon.
C.The second sentence shows what happened when astronauts used Velcro.
D.The second sentence gives a reason why George went to the woods.
5. According to paragraph 4, why did Velcro become popular?
A.It made a loud rip when people pulled it apart.
B.It was light and easy for people to use.
C.It was only sold to astronauts in space.
D.It was made from real brown burrs.
6. Which sentence best explains how paragraph 2 connects to paragraph 3?
A.Paragraph 2 tells a problem with Velcro, and paragraph 3 tells how kids fixed it.
B.Paragraph 2 shows how burrs work, and paragraph 3 shows how George copied them.
C.Paragraph 2 describes George's dog, and paragraph 3 describes his shoes.
D.Paragraph 2 explains how astronauts work, and paragraph 3 explains how plants grow.
