American holly

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/american-holly

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Ilex opaca
2. What is the conservation status?Least Concern
3. What does the American holly look like?It has shiny, leathery leaves with sharp, spiny edges and bright red berries that appear only on female trees.
4. Why do American holly trees have spiny leaves?The spiny edges help protect the tree from animals that might eat the leaves.

Dioecious: Having male and female reproductive organs on separate plants.
Drupes: Fleshy fruits with a hard, stony layer surrounding the seed, characteristic of holly.
Autotrophic: An organism that produces its own food, usually through photosynthesis.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance.