Domestic sheep

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/domestic-sheep

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?Ovis aries
2. What is the habitat?Worldwide managed agricultural environments (farms, pastures, rangelands)
3. What makes sheep's wool special?Sheep wool keeps them warm, lets them breathe, and many people find it gentle and hypoallergenic. It is used to make clothes and blankets all over the world.
4. How do sheep eat grass and get energy from it?Sheep have a four‑compartment stomach that lets tiny microbes break down tough plant fibers. This lets them get the nutrients from grass that other animals can't digest.

Ruminant: An animal with a specialized four-compartment stomach enabling microbial fermentation of cellulose.
Fertile Crescent: An ancient region in the Middle East historically significant for early agriculture and civilization.
Selective Breeding: The process of humans choosing and breeding animals with desirable traits to influence future generations.
Cognitive Abilities: Mental capabilities such as learning, memory, problem-solving, and perception.