Electric eel

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/electric-eel

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?Electrophorus voltai
2. What is the diet?Carnivore; diet includes fish, amphibians, small mammals, and occasionally birds
3. What is an electric eel and how does it make electricity?An electric eel is a fish that can zap with electricity. It has special organs filled with tiny cells called electrocytes that fire together to create a powerful shock.
4. How big can an electric eel grow?An electric eel can be up to 8 feet long and weigh more than 40 pounds.

Gymnotiformes: An order of freshwater fish characterized by their elongated bodies and electric organs.
Electrolocation: The biological sense used by electric fish to detect objects in their environment using electric fields.
Bioelectricity: The study of electrical phenomena in living organisms.