Gila Monsters A Gila (Gila = he la) monster is one of only two poisonous lizards in the world. Gila monsters live in the deserts of Mexico and in the southwestern United States. Its name comes from the place it was first found, the Gila Basin in Arizona. Actually, the Gila monster is not a monster at all. It is a stout-bodied lizard with short legs and a short fat tail. When fully grown, Gilas measure up to twenty-four inches long and weigh from three to five pounds. They can live as long as twenty years. Almost anyone can identify a Gila monster. Its skin coloration is black with contrasting pink, yellow or orange stripes and spots. The bright colors warn other animals to stay away from a Gila because it is poisonous. It has no natural enemies. Gilas are slow-moving, shy, and retiring. However, they can be dangerous when cornered. When threatened, they will first look for a burrow in which to escape. If no burrows are nearby, the Gila will turn and inflate its body, hiss loudly and open its mouth wide. This is done to intimidate its attackers. A Gila will only bite if it is unable to get away. If it does bite, it does not generally let go until the animal is dead. If it bites a person, someone will need to pull it off. Bites to humans usually happen only when a Gila monster is picked up. These animals do not inject their venom like snakes. Their poison is in modified saliva glands. When a Gila bites, it will often leave a half-inch deep wound. As they are hanging onto the person or animal, the venom flows into the wound through their hollow lower teeth. The Gila may even chew or tear the flesh to allow more poison to enter the wound. Gila venom is about as toxic as a rattlesnake s venom. However, only a small amount ever gets into a person or animal s body. At one time, this lizard was widely feared because it is poisonous. Many interesting myths sprang up around the Gila. The most unusual one was that the breath of a Gila monster could poison a person. People were afraid that this would happen even if they just saw one in the desert. 1
In truth, a person bitten by a Gila will feel severe pain in thirty seconds. Swelling, chills and weakness will follow. The bite will not be fatal to most people. Only people in poor health have ever died from a Gila bite. The myths about Gilas killing many people are not true. Few people ever see a Gila monster in the wild. They are inactive most of the time because of the heat. In fact, they spend less than two weeks per year above ground. They prefer to lie under the ground in burrows. Sometimes they will steal other animals burrows. Other times, they will dig their own. Gila monsters also have excellent hearing and vision. This allows them to lie inside a burrow and wait until any nearby intruder is gone. Gilas hibernate in the winter. During this time, they live off the fat in their tails. Gila monsters mate in July and lay three to fifteen eggs a few weeks later. The eggs are buried in the hot sand. They will hatch in about a month. When born, the babies are three to four inches long. They can survive on their own after they hatch. By the time they are three years old, Gila monsters have reached adult size. A Gila prefers to eat eggs for food. They will also eat young rodents and small animals. Gilas can climb into low bushes looking for food. They use their sharp short claws when climbing. They prefer, however, to stay on the ground in search of food. Gila monsters can eat huge amounts of food at one time and then store the fat in their tails and bodies. The number of Gilas monsters living in the wild is getting fewer each year. The problem is that their habitat is being destroyed by human development. The Gila monster is not on the endangered list. The only way to own and keep a Gila legally is to buy one from people who raise them. Even animal collectors are not allowed to catch Gila monsters without a permit. 2
Gila Monsters Write a well-constructed response to the following questions. A Gila monster is a poisonous lizard. Why is Gila monster not an accurate name for this animal? Provide at least two pieces of evidence from the article to support your response. Suggest another name for the Gila monster. Why is the name appropriate? On a separate piece of paper, write a one paragraph constructed response that explains your answer. Support your ideas with details from the article. Two compositional risks, one of which must be a direct quote, need to be included. The quote used within the response must support the explanation. Use the attached rubric to make certain your essay includes all of the requirements. sample response~ The article Gila Monster tells about a poisonous lizard. Gila monster is not an accurate name for this animal. The author states, Actually, the Gila monster is not a monster at all. (page 1) Like the killer whale, its name does not accurately describe it. The lizard is only about two feet long and weighs up to five pounds. What kind of a monster is this? Monsters are big and powerful. The Gila weighs less than a cat. Additionally, the Gila is not a threat to society. Most of the time the lizard doesn t do much because its environment is too hot. It moves slowly and few people ever see one. The Gila clearly is not a monster if it is nonthreatening. A different name for the Gila is the lame lizard. This fits because the Gila is lame. It just sits around, mostly underground, and lives a quiet life. The Gila monster is a lizard, but it is not monstrous at all. 3
The constructed response requirements are listed below. Each response will follow the same format. Once you have written, revised, and edited your response, your assignment will be scored according to this rubric. All entries will be averaged for a final marking period constructed response grade. The following items are included in one topic sentence: The question is restated. The article s title appears in quotation marks. The author s name, if given, is stated. Proof: The article Gila Monster tells about a poisonous lizard. The concluding sentence restates the main idea of the response. Proof: The Gila monster is a lizard, but it is not monstrous at all. One supporting detail is included. Proof: Gila monster is not an accurate name for this animal. The author states, Actually, the Gila monster is not a monster at all. (page 1) One supporting detail is elaborated. Proof: The lizard is only about two feet long and weighs up to five pounds. What kind of a monster is that? Monsters are big and powerful. The Gila weighs less than a cat. A second supporting detail is included. Proof: Additionally, the Gila is not a threat to society. 4
A second supporting detail is elaborated. Proof: Most of the time the lizard doesn t do much because its environment is too hot. It moves slowly and few people ever see one. The Gila clearly is not a monster if it is non-threatening. A third supporting detail is included. Proof: A different name for the Gila is the lame lizard. A third supporting detail is elaborated. Proof: This fits because the Gila is lame. It just sits around, mostly underground, and lives a quiet life. The writing contains a single focus. Proof: All details relate to the two bulleted points mentioned in the directions. A quote is used to support the main idea and the page number is referenced. Proof: The author states, Actually, the Gila monster is not a monster at all. (page 1) A compositional risk is included and used effectively. simile metaphor personification humor quote rhetorical question idiom sarcasm one word sentences Proof: What kind of a monster is that? 5
There is evidence that you have personally reflected on the reading. Proof: A different name for the Gila is the lame lizard. The sentences and thoughts flow logically. Transitions are used to connect one idea to the next. The personal pronoun I is not used unless it appears within a direct quote. Few to no spelling errors are present. Few to no capitalization errors are present. Few to no punctuation errors are present. Few to no sentence structure errors are present and the paragraph is indented. Verb tense matches the tense in the question and remains consistent throughout the response. (Remember when quoting, however, you may not change the tense of the author s quote.) 6