Image of a Komodo dragon sticking its tongue out and surrounded by a border of green slime
Shutterstock.com (Slime); WaterFrame/Alamy Stock Photo (Komodo Dragon)
Mini Read,

Slime Time

It’s ooey. It’s gooey. And it helps some animals survive. Welcome to the wonderful world of slime. 

By Catherine Schmitt
From the September 2023 Issue
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,
Common Core Standards
  • L.3, L.4, L.5, L.6
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 2-3:
    1a, 2a, 3b,3c, 3d, 5a, 7f

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Human Slime

Human slime is full of germs. So always cover your sneeze or cough. You don’t want to spread your slime!

A mighty lizard is hunting for its lunch. This isn’t just any lizard. It’s the Komodo dragon, the largest type of lizard in the world.

The 10-foot-long creature has giant claws, razor-sharp teeth, and a powerful tail. The Komodo dragon lunges at a snake and sinks its teeth in. Then it uses its secret weapon. 

A sticky goo oozes out of the holes between the lizard’s teeth. It poisons the snake. What is this deadly material? It’s slime!

WaterFrame/Alamy Stock Photo 

Komodo dragons make their own slime!

Thick and Sticky 

klaus fenzl/EyeEm/Adobe Stock

A snail uses slime to hang upside down.

Animals use slime in different ways. Snails make thick, sticky slime to help them move around. It lets them crawl up steep hills and even move upside down on branches!

Parrotfish burp out a bubble of slime before bed. The sticky substance surrounds the fish like a sleeping bag. If an enemy tries to attack the snoozing fish, the slime bubble will burst. This gives the parrotfish time to swim away. Slime saves the day!

Thanks, Slime!

Humberto Ramirez/Getty Images

slime bubble

Animals aren’t the only creatures that use slime to stay safe. Humans do too! We make a slime called mucus, or snot, in our noses. We make a slime called phlegm (flem) in our throats. This slime keeps our noses and throats from drying out. 

Slime might seem gross, but it helps animals and people every day. It’s always a good time for slime!

Paragraph Power

Write a one-paragraph summary explaining how slime helps animals and humans. 

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Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
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Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras

In the mood for even more slime? Read “Slime Attack” to learn even more facts about this gloppy goo and try out a recipe to make your very own!

Introduce your students to other cool (and weird!) animal quirks in “Tongue Tricks You Won’t Forget” about the oddest animal tongues in the world!

For more Komodo dragon madness read “Could This Dragon Save Your Life?” Then students can practice forming the perfect paragraph in the Paragraph Power activities. 

Some animals need slime to survive. And some need tails! Explore different animal tails and their purposes in the Infographic “Wouldn’t It Be Great to Have a Tail?” 

Text-to-Speech