Courtesy of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (Flora); Shutterstock.com (all other images)

Freedom for Flora

How a wild elephant was turned into a circus star and then became free once again

By Talia Cowen | Art by Juan Carlos Ribas

From the February 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: to identify key ideas and details in a narrative nonfiction article

Lexiles: 960L, 760L

Featured Skill: Key Ideas and Details,

Other Key Skills: cause and effect, text features, problem and solution, critical thinking

Listen to this story read aloud.

AS YOU READ

What have we learned about elephants over time?

An excited hush fell over the audience inside the red-and-white circus tent.

It was May 2000 in St. Louis, Missouri, and finally everyone in the crowd would get their first glimpse of the famous performer they had come to see: Flora the elephant!

The massive creature lumbered into the ring. Next to her stood her caretaker, David Balding.

It was showtime.

Flora caught a flying bowling pin with her long, powerful trunk. She circled the ring with a clown perched on her back. Acrobats flew through the air above her towering body.

And then, after about two hours, she raised a red handkerchief with her trunk and bid the audience farewell.

The crowd roared.

And why wouldn’t they? To the untrained eye, a seemingly happy elephant had just given a spectacular performance. But a closer look might have revealed more—a faraway look in her eyes, a nervous swish of her whiplike tail.

To anyone who knew elephants, including Balding, it was clear: Something was wrong with Flora.

An excited hush fell over the audience inside a circus tent.

It was May 2000 in St. Louis, Missouri. Everyone in the crowd was waiting to see the famous performer: Flora the elephant! The massive creature lumbered into the ring. Her caretaker, David Balding, stood next to her.

It was showtime.

Flora caught a flying bowling pin with her long trunk. She circled the ring with a clown on her back. Acrobats flew through the air above her towering body.

After about two hours, she raised a red handkerchief with her trunk. She bid the audience farewell.

The crowd roared.

And why wouldn’t they? To the untrained eye, Flora seemed happy. But a closer look might have revealed more—a faraway look in her eyes, a nervous swish of her tail.

To anyone who knew elephants, including Balding, it was clear: Something was wrong with Flora.

Like Celebrities

By the time of Flora’s performance that day in 2000, elephants had been dazzling audiences in America for more than 200 years. The majestic creatures were snatched from their natural homes in the savannas and jungles of Africa and Asia, then packed into cramped crates and shipped by boat to the United States.

Once here, the elephants were taken on tour from place to place as if they were celebrities. In the late 1700s, few Americans could ever hope to travel to see an elephant in the wild. But they could plunk down a few coins to gaze at the largest land animal on Earth. Legs as wide as tree trunks! Ears as big as umbrellas! People could hardly believe such massive creatures existed.

In the early 1800s, the first circuses started opening in the U.S. Elephants, together with other wild animals like tigers and lions, soon became their biggest attraction. The intelligent giants could be trained to perform all sorts of tricks—from balancing on a tightrope to cradling humans in their trunks—that ensured a packed audience.

And so, for two centuries, hundreds of elephants were stolen from their herds in the wild and put to work in circuses across America. Flora was one of them.

Flora’s performance was in the year 2000. By then, elephants had been dazzling audiences in America for more than 200 years. The majestic creatures had lived in the savannas and jungles of Africa and Asia. But they were snatched from their natural homes. They were packed into crates and sent by boat to the United States.

Once here, the elephants were taken on tour from place to place as if they were celebrities. In the late 1700s, few Americans could have traveled to see an elephant in the wild. But they could pay a few coins to gaze at the largest land animal on Earth. Legs as wide as tree trunks! Ears as big as umbrellas! People could hardly believe such creatures existed.

The first circuses opened in the U.S. in the early 1800s. Elephants and other wild animals, like tigers and lions, became their biggest attraction. The intelligent giants could be trained to perform tricks—from balancing on a tightrope to holding humans in their trunks. These incredible tricks attracted big crowds.

So for two centuries, hundreds of elephants were stolen from their herds in the wild. They were put to work in circuses across America. Flora was one of them.

Circus Flora

Flora was born in 1982 in the southern African nation of Zimbabwe. She spent her early days peacefully munching on leaves and stomping through grasslands with her herd.

But when Flora was 2, her mother was killed. The helpless calf was taken to the U.S., which is where David Balding came into her life. Balding had worked in theaters and circuses for years and dreamed of running his own show. When he heard about Flora, Balding realized she could be his big star. He purchased the young elephant and got to work training her.

Day after day, Balding and other trainers taught Flora to follow commands (“Down!,” “Catch!”) and perform amazing tricks. Quickly, the two grew inseparable. “She would always come looking for me, sticking her trunk through the door,” Balding later recalled.

By 1985, Flora had started to perform across the U.S. as part of Balding’s show, Circus Flora.

Flora was born in 1982 in Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa. She spent her early days peacefully munching on leaves and stomping through grasslands with her herd.

But when Flora was 2, her mother was killed. The helpless calf was taken to the U.S. where David Balding heard about her. Balding had worked in theaters and circuses for years. He dreamed of running his own show. He realized that Flora could be his big star. He bought the young elephant.

Balding and other trainers taught Flora to follow commands (“Down!,” “Catch!”) and perform amazing tricks. Quickly, the two grew inseparable. “She would always come looking for me, sticking her trunk through the door,” Balding later recalled.

By 1985, Flora was performing across the U.S. in Balding’s show, Circus Flora.

Growing Concern

Yet even as Flora was delighting crowds, concerns about circus elephants were growing. Some said forcing the creatures to perform was inhumane. People’s discomfort with elephant performances only deepened as researchers learned more about animal intelligence.

We now know that elephants are extremely smart, social creatures. They communicate in their own language, rumbling and touching each other with their trunks to share information. They also use tools—for example, breaking off tree branches to swat away pesky flies. Females like Flora live in tightly bonded family units all their lives. Members of these herds comfort each other in times of distress. And when an elephant dies, others in the herd mourn its passing, sometimes for months.

But in the circus, elephants often lived alone. Many circus elephants spent most of their time chained inside small concrete pens. They were fed unhealthy foods. Their trainers sometimes used sharp sticks to prod them to perform stunts, poking the elephants when they made a mistake or ignored a command.

Living under such stressful conditions can make elephants sick and shorten their lifespan. Indeed, research has shown that wild elephants live decades longer than elephants in captivity.

Flora delighted crowds. But concerns about circus elephants were growing. Some said forcing the creatures to perform was inhumane. People’s discomfort with elephant performances deepened as researchers learned more about animal intelligence.

We now know that elephants are extremely smart, social creatures. They communicate in their own language, rumbling and touching each other with their trunks to share information. They also use tools, such as breaking off tree branches to swat away flies. Females like Flora live in family units all their lives. Members of these herds comfort each other in times of distress. When an elephant dies, others in the herd mourn its passing.

But in the circus, elephants often lived alone. Many circus elephants spent most of their time chained inside small concrete pens. They were fed unhealthy foods. Their trainers sometimes used sharp sticks to prod them to perform stunts.

Living under such stressful conditions can make elephants sick and shorten their lifespan. Research has shown that wild elephants live decades longer than elephants in captivity.

Lonely and Bored

Flora was relatively lucky. Balding and her other caretakers were kinder than most elephant owners. They rarely chained Flora up. They made sure she spent most of her time on soft grass rather than hard concrete. Balding thought of Flora as his own daughter. “I loved her, and she loved me,” he said.

But by 2000, Balding had come to realize that performing in a circus was not the right life for Flora. She often seemed lonely or bored, and she had started to ignore his commands. During a show, she might continue to lie down when Balding asked her to stand.

Balding also worried that Flora might accidentally injure someone. By the time she was 18 years old, the increasingly grumpy elephant weighed 8,000 pounds—as much as two cars. “She was so big it was dangerous,” Balding explained.

And so, with a heavy heart, Balding decided Flora needed a new home.

There was only one question: Where would it be?

Flora was relatively lucky. Balding and her other caretakers were kinder than most elephant owners. They rarely chained Flora up. She spent most of her time on soft grass rather than hard concrete. Balding thought of Flora as his own daughter. “I loved her, and she loved me,” he said.

But by 2000, Balding had realized that the circus was not the right place for Flora. She often seemed lonely or bored. And she had started to ignore his commands. During a show, she might continue to lie down when Balding asked her to stand.

Balding also worried that Flora might accidentally injure someone. By the time she was 18 years old, the increasingly grumpy elephant weighed 8,000 pounds—as much as two cars. “She was so big it was dangerous,” Balding explained.

Balding decided Flora needed a new home.

Where would it be?

A Place to Roam

Across the country, other circus owners were facing a similar problem. Throughout the late 20th century, as scientists’ knowledge about elephants grew, more and more Americans had become uneasy with the idea of using elephants for entertainment. Animal welfare organizations started boycotting elephant performances, and by the early 2000s, many circuses had begun to retire their elephants.

Still, there was a big problem: Most of these animals could not simply be returned to the grasslands and jungles of Africa and Asia. After years of relying on humans for everything—food, shelter, sometimes even friendship—they wouldn’t survive in the wild. Yet the elephants couldn’t truly thrive in captivity either.

This is how the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee came to be. In 1995, a team of experts opened the refuge with one goal in mind: to provide a naturalistic home for elephants that had previously spent their lives in zoos or performing in circuses.

When Balding visited, he loved the sanctuary right away. The facility was spread out over hundreds of acres of rolling green hills, with large ponds for elephants to wade in and thick forests for them to explore. Caretakers would help Flora adapt to her new home, provide her with nutritious food, and look after her if she got sick or injured—but otherwise, she would be free to roam as she pleased.

By the time Flora arrived in Tennessee in 2004, 11 other elephants were already living at the sanctuary. Balding hoped that Flora might once again have a family of her own kind.

Across the country, other circus owners were facing a similar problem. Throughout the late 20th century, scientists’ knowledge about elephants grew. More and more Americans became uneasy with the idea of using elephants for entertainment. Animal welfare organizations started boycotting elephant performances. By the early 2000s, many circuses had stopped using elephants.

Still, there was a big problem: Most of these animals could not be returned to the grasslands and jungles of Africa and Asia. For years they had relied on humans for food, shelter, sometimes even friendship. They wouldn’t survive in the wild.

So in 1995, a team of experts opened the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. The refuge provides a naturalistic home for elephants that lived in zoos or performed in circuses.

Balding visited the sanctuary. He loved it. The facility was spread out over hundreds of acres of rolling green hills. It had ponds for elephants to wade in. It had forests for them to explore. Caretakers would help Flora adapt to her new home. They would give her nutritious food and look after her if she got sick or injured. But otherwise, she would be free to roam as she pleased.

Flora arrived in Tennessee in 2004. Eleven other elephants were already living at the sanctuary. Balding hoped that Flora might once again have a family of her own kind.

A Hard Adjustment

At first, adjusting to her new life wasn’t easy for Flora. The problem was the way she had been raised—primarily in captivity.

In the wild, baby elephants learn many skills (like how to find the most nutritious plants to eat) from their mothers and other elephants in their herd, over a period of many years. Because Flora lost her mother when she was so young and lived with humans afterward, she didn’t know how to do many of the things that a wild elephant would know how to do. In other words, she didn’t really know how to be an elephant. She’d have to learn.

The caretakers at the sanctuary knew the best way for Flora to learn was from other elephants. But Flora, who had been separated from other members of her species for so much of her life, was uneasy around her fellow elephants at the refuge. She could be aggressive; she knocked down fences and lashed out dangerously with her trunk.

Flora’s behavior scared away the other elephants. It made her caretakers anxious too.

“She used to make people nervous when they worked with her,” recalls Kristy Eaker, who has taken care of Flora for more than a decade.

At first, her new life wasn’t easy for Flora. This was because she had been raised mostly in captivity.

In the wild, baby elephants learn skills from their mothers and other elephants in their herd. For example, they learn to find nutritious plants to eat. They learn these skills over many years. But Flora lost her mother when she was young. Then she lived with humans. She didn’t know how to do many of the things that wild elephants know how to do. In other words, she didn’t really know how to be an elephant. She’d have to learn.

The caretakers knew that Flora would learn best from other elephants. But Flora had been separated from other members of her species for most of her life. She was uneasy around her fellow elephants at the refuge. She could be aggressive. She knocked down fences. She lashed out dangerously with her trunk.

Flora’s behavior scared away the other elephants. It made her caretakers anxious too.

“She used to make people nervous when they worked with her,” recalls Kristy Eaker, who has taken care of Flora for more than a decade.

A True Friend

As Flora grew more comfortable, she was introduced to other African elephants, like then 31-year-old Tange (TAN-jee). Tange had been on display in an animal park for 26 years and had arrived at the sanctuary right before Flora. Caretakers noticed Tange was social but a little insecure, while Flora seemed more confident and independent.

Would the two females get along?

The caretakers placed Flora’s and Tange’s homes next to each other and started feeding the elephants together. Over time, Flora and Tange grew closer. They spent time sniffing one another, rumbling softly. And they started to play together by wrapping their trunks around each other and locking their short tusks.

The caretakers were ecstatic: It seemed that Flora had found a true elephant friend at last.

Slowly, however, Flora started to adjust. The caretakers taught Flora to stay calm by rewarding her with treats like watermelon and popcorn. They encouraged her to explore the sanctuary by hiding her favorite foods around her new home.

Flora grew more comfortable. She was introduced to other elephants, like Tange (TAN-jee). Tange had been on display in an animal park for 26 years. She had arrived at the sanctuary right before Flora. Caretakers noticed Tange was social but a little insecure. Flora seemed more confident and independent.

Would the two females get along?

The caretakers placed Flora’s and Tange’s homes next to each other. They started feeding the elephants together. Over time, Flora and Tange grew closer. They spent time sniffing one another, rumbling softly. And they started to play together by wrapping their trunks around each other and locking their short tusks.

The caretakers were thrilled: It seemed that Flora had found a true elephant friend at last.

The Wildest Elephant

While Flora was growing into her new life, a lot was changing across the country. For decades, animal welfare organizations had accused circuses of mistreating their elephants—of leaving them in chains for hours on end, for example, and of separating babies from their mothers before they were ready. By 2015, nearly 70 percent of Americans were concerned about the treatment of circus animals, according to a poll conducted by Gallup.

The following year, the country’s biggest and most famous circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, stopped using elephants in performances. Other circuses soon followed. Today only a handful of circuses in the U.S. feature elephants—or lions or tigers—in their shows. Animal rights advocates continue to call for these holdouts to end animal performances. Meanwhile, many cities and states have banned the use of wild animals in circuses altogether.

As for Flora? She still lives at the sanctuary—and she’s fully embraced her life as an elephant. She often uses her powerful head to knock down trees so she can reach more leaves to eat, something wild elephants do in nature. (Her mastery of this skill has earned Flora a special nickname from her caretakers: Hurricane Flora.)

She and Tange remain close—and have become friends with two retired zoo elephants, Sukari and Donna. The four elephants eventually formed a small herd and now live like a family, playing, eating, and exploring together.

“To see Flora change and really become an elephant has been so rewarding” says Eaker. “Today Flora is one of our wildest elephants.”

While Flora was growing into her new life, a lot was changing across the country. For decades, animal welfare organizations had accused circuses of mistreating their elephants. For example, they said elephants were left in chains for hours. And baby elephants were separated from their mothers before they were ready. By 2015, nearly 70 percent of Americans were concerned about the treatment of circus animals, according to a poll conducted by Gallup.

The country’s biggest and most famous circus was Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The year after the poll, they stopped using elephants. Other circuses soon followed. Today only a handful of circuses in the U.S. feature elephants—or lions or tigers—in their shows. Animal rights advocates push for these holdouts to end animal performances. Meanwhile, many cities and states have banned the use of wild animals in circuses.

As for Flora? She still lives at the sanctuary. She’s fully embraced her life as an elephant. She often uses her powerful head to knock down trees so she can reach more leaves to eat. Wild elephants do that in nature. (Her mastery of this skill has earned Flora a nickname from her caretakers: Hurricane Flora.)

She and Tange remain close. They have become friends with two retired zoo elephants, Sukari and Donna. The four elephants formed a small herd. Now they live like a family, playing, eating, and exploring together.

“To see Flora change and really become an elephant has been so rewarding” says Eaker. “Today Flora is one of our wildest elephants.”

Writing Prompt

How have attitudes toward circus animals changed over time, and why? Support your answer with information from the article.

Writing Prompt

How have attitudes toward circus animals changed over time, and why? Support your answer with information from the article.

^{This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue.}

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (10)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

video (1)

Audio ()

Activities (10)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

Essential Questions: Do animals have rights? Should animals be used for human entertainment? How can we treat animals humanely?

1. Prepare to Read

(25 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: boycotting, captivity, inhumane, refuge. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Watch a Video (15 minutes)

Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Talia Cowen introduces Flora the elephant, the subject of Cowen’s article, and interviews a staff member at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in pairs or small groups.

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 4 or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to author Talia Cowen read the article aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 4 or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to author Talia Cowen read the article aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

1. Which details from the article support the idea that circus elephants were treated inhumanely? (key ideas and details) The article states that elephants “were snatched from their natural homes in the savannas and jungles of Africa and Asia, then packed into cramped crates and shipped by boat to the United States.” Elephants are extremely smart and social creatures, and they are used to living in tightly bonded family units. But according to the article, “Many circus elephants spent most of their time chained inside small concrete pens.” Additionally, circus elephants were fed unhealthy foods, and their trainers sometimes used sharp sticks to prod them to perform stunts or when they made a mistake or ignored a command. The idea that elephants were treated inhumanely is also supported by the detail that the stress caused by circus life shortened elephants' lives by decades.

2. How did Flora end up performing in the circus? How did performing in the circus affect her? (cause and effect) Flora started her life as a wild elephant in Zimbabwe. When she was 2, her mother was killed, and she was taken to the U.S., where David Balding purchased the young elephant and got to work training her. By 1985, Flora had started to perform across the U.S. as part of Balding’s show, Circus Flora. After about 15 years of performing, Flora started to show signs of stress, loneliness, and boredom. She started refusing to follow commands and became increasingly grumpy.

3. How do the photos and captions in the sidebar “Life in the Circus . . . and Life in the Wild” support the article? (text features) The photos and captions support the article by highlighting how unnatural and unpleasant circus life is for elephants. The photo of an elephant balancing on two legs as a trainer looks on with a prod helps readers understand just how inhumanely these animals were treated. The caption explains that when the animals weren’t performing, they spent most of their time in chains or in cage-like trailers. By contrast, the photo of the female elephants together in a herd helps readers understand how elephants live in their natural environment, where they are free to be together and roam over vast distances.

4. What problems did Flora face once she moved to The Elephant Sanctuary? How did she adjust? (problem and solution) Flora lived most of her life in captivity, isolated from other members of her own species. When she arrived at the sanctuary, she did not have the skills necessary for life as a normal elephant. She felt uneasy around other elephants and acted aggressively around them. The caretakers at the sanctuary helped Flora adjust slowly. They taught Flora to stay calm by rewarding her with treats like watermelon and popcorn. The trainers also hid Flora’s favorite foods around the sanctuary to encourage her to explore her new home. Flora grew more comfortable and eventually embraced her new life.

5. According to the article, a handful of circuses in the U.S. still feature elephants and other wild animals in their shows. Do you think these animal performances should be allowed to continue? Why or why not? (critical thinking) Answers will vary. Students might say that animal performances should not be allowed to continue because it is inhumane and unfair to put the animals through stress and force them to perform. Others may say it is OK to continue as long as the animals are well cared for and not showing signs of stress.

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Key Ideas and Details. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 9 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

How have attitudes toward circus animals changed over time, and why? Support your answer with information from the article.

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

How have attitudes toward circus animals changed over time, and why? Support your answer with information from the article.

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Was Flora born a wild elephant? Yes, she was.

2. Did David Balding buy Flora? Yes, he did.

3. Are elephants smart animals? Yes, they are.

4. Did Flora enjoy performing in the circus? No, she did not.

5. Is Flora still in a circus today? No, she is not.

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Was Flora born a wild elephant? Yes, she was.

2. Did David Balding buy Flora? Yes, he did.

3. Are elephants smart animals? Yes, they are.

4. Did Flora enjoy performing in the circus? No, she did not.

5. Is Flora still in a circus today? No, she is not.

Either/Or Questions

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Was Flora born in Africa or the United States? Flora was born in Africa.

2. Are wild elephants healthier or unhealthier than circus elephants? Wild elephants are healthier than circus elephants.

3. Do wild elephants travel long or short distances each day? Wild elephants travel long distances each day.

4. Did Flora have a hard or an easy time at the sanctuary when she first arrived? Flora had a hard time when she first arrived at the sanctuary.

5. Has Flora become comfortable with life at the sanctuary? Yes, Flora has become comfortable with life at the sanctuary.

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Was Flora born in Africa or the United States? Flora was born in Africa.

2. Are wild elephants healthier or unhealthier than circus elephants? Wild elephants are healthier than circus elephants.

3. Do wild elephants travel long or short distances each day? Wild elephants travel long distances each day.

4. Did Flora have a hard or an easy time at the sanctuary when she first arrived? Flora had a hard time when she first arrived at the sanctuary.

5. Has Flora become comfortable with life at the sanctuary? Yes, Flora has become comfortable with life at the sanctuary.

Short-Answer Questions

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

1. Why did David Balding buy Flora? Balding bought Flora so he could train her to perform in his circus.

2. Why did people start to dislike elephant performances? People started to dislike elephant performances when they learned that elephants are very smart creatures and are not usually treated nicely in circuses.

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

1. Why is it helpful to study rocks? Some rocks have fossils in them, which can tell us about the history of Earth.

2. What mystery did Walter Alvarez solve? Alvarez solved the mystery of how the dinosaurs died out.

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or animal is this article mainly about?) Flora the elephant

What? (What event does this article describe?) Flora’s release from the circus

When? (At what time did this event occur?) 2004

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Her owner realized she was unhappy and decided to give her a new life.

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or animal is this article mainly about?) Flora the elephant

What? (What event does this article describe?) Flora’s release from the circus

When? (At what time did this event occur?) 2004

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Her owner realized she was unhappy and decided to give her a new life.

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Stories about humans’ relationship with wild animals:

Narrative Nonfiction: “Rescue in the Rainforest”
Narrative Nonfiction: “The Bear Attacks That Changed America”
Narrative Nonfiction: “Saving America's Wolves”
Paired Texts: “How to Save a Baby Orangutan”

Stories about humans’ relationship with wild animals:

Narrative Nonfiction: “Rescue in the Rainforest”
Narrative Nonfiction: “The Bear Attacks That Changed America”
Narrative Nonfiction: "Saving America's Wolves"
Paired Texts: "How to Save a Baby Orangutan"

Text-to-Speech

Freedom for Flora

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(25 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Watch a Video (15 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Freedom for Flora

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(25 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Watch a Video (15 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Connect with Us

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.