You may want to divide up the reading into smaller chunks. The comprehension questions in the After Reading section are organized according to the sections within the book. You may wish to have the children read one section at a time and review the comprehension questions for that section to ensure that the children adequately comprehend the book.

Using the Worksheet
The worksheet provides a list of characteristics common to all mammals. A careful reading of the text will reveal clues that suggest manatees meet all of these characteristics. Children will need to read carefully because the clues are scattered throughout the text and in other contexts. Whenever they find one of the clues, they should fill in the appropriate check box in the worksheet and also indicate what page they found the information on. Tracking the page number of where they found the information will make it easier for them to refer back to it during later discussions.