Image of Pikachu and then image of a yellow rodent type creature
The Pokémon Company International (Pikachu); Boronia Veterinary Clinic (Golden Brushtail Possum)
Paired Texts,

Could Pikachu Be Real?

It is yellow. It is cute. And it is a real animal! The golden brushtail possum looks a lot like Pikachu. But is it the same?

By Janice Behrens
From the September 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Children identify how Pikachu and a possum are alike and different.

Lexiles: 390L
Guided Reading Level: F
Featured Skill: Comparing Texts,
Vocabulary: zigzag, bushy, hissing
Common Core Standards
  • Science (10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (A) investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats; (C) compare ways that young animals resemble their parents. Social Studies (4) Geography. The student understands the purpose of geographic tools, including maps and globes. The student is expected to: (B) locate and explore the community, Texas, and the United States on maps and globes. (5) Geography. The student understands the physical and human characteristics of a place to better understand their community and the world around them. The student is expected to: (A) identify and describe the physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, Earth’s resources, and weather.
TEKS Standards
  • Science (10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (A) investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats; (C) compare ways that young animals resemble their parents. Social Studies (4) Geography. The student understands the purpose of geographic tools, including maps and globes. The student is expected to: (B) locate and explore the community, Texas, and the United States on maps and globes. (5) Geography. The student understands the physical and human characteristics of a place to better understand their community and the world around them. The student is expected to: (A) identify and describe the physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, Earth’s resources, and weather.

Magazine View
See Student View

Pikachu

What Is It?

The Pokémon Company International

Pikachu is a cartoon animal. It is a kind of Pokémon. It is yellow and has a zigzag tail.


Special Powers

Pikachu is an electric Pokémon. It makes lightning. That helps it battle enemies.


Where to Find One

© 2019 Pokémon (Card); iStockPhoto/Getty Images (Toy); Shutterstock.com (Nintendo DS)

Pikachu is everywhere! You can find toys, games, and movies with Pikachu.


The Real Pikachu

What Is It?

© Rob Chadd/Courtesy of Hamerton Zoo Park

Golden Brushtail Possum

This animal is real. It is a kind of possum. It is yellow and has a bushy tail.


Special Powers

This possum can scare enemies. It makes a hissing sound and puts its ears up. Yikes!


Where to Find One

ROMEO GACAD/AFP via Getty Images

They live in forests in Australia.

Brushtail possums live in forests. It is hard to find them up in the trees.


video (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)

More About the Article

Whole Group

English Language Arts Focus

Compare/contrast

Nonfiction text feature: headings

Science Focus

Animal characteristics

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

Whole Group

Pairings and Text Connections

  • From the Storyworks archive: “Paired Text: Which Is More Amazing, Spider-Man or Spiders?,” October/November 2022
  • Suggested books: Big and Small Animals series by Brenna Maloney

Before-Reading Resources

  • Video: Skill Power-Compare and Contrast (5 minutes) Background knowledge on how and why we compare and contrast.
  • Vocabulary Slideshow (5 minutes) zigzag, bushy, hissing

Suggested Reading Focus

Compare and Contrast (20 minutes)
  • Tell students they are going to read two texts. One is about Pikachu, a Pokémon, and the other is about a real animal, the golden brushtail possum. They can see how much the possum and Pikachu are alike.
  • Preview the parallel structure of the paired texts. What do children notice about these two pages?
  • Point out the headings and let children know what they are called. What do children notice about the headings? (The text is bold. It has different colors.) Explain that the headings tell us what each section of text is about. Read the headings aloud.
  • Now remind children that they will compare Pikachu and the possum.
  • Read both articles, stopping to check comprehension after each section. What do children notice about these two creatures? How are they alike, or the same? How are they different, or not the same?

After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Skills: Compare/contrast (15 minutes)

Extension Craftivity

Skills: Art, animal characteristics (15 minutes)

  • Using classroom materials (construction paper, tape, markers, glue, etc.), help children design and build Pikachu ear headbands. You can find examples online.
  • Compare the Pikachu ears you designed with the golden brushtail possum’s ears. What was the same? What was different?

Text-to-Speech