Lesson 1 - Reading Without Limits



Unit 5: December

Soar to a Four

New York State ELA Test Preparation

Stamina: 35 minutes

|Goals (continue to spiral old goals) |

|Students will perform with 80% or higher accuracy, in a timed format, on the NYS ELA |

|Students will identify different strategies for different sections |

|Teaching Points |

|Good test takers (test question skills) |

|recognize freebie questions- 11/28 |

|go back to the passage and check off all of the above and not questions-11/29 |

|look for the event before and after in sequencing questions-11/30 |

|identify the event in sequencing graphic organizers -12/1 |

|identify the author’s purpose with different genres- 12/2 |

|identify right there and step back questions-12/5 |

|utilize the text and their prior knowledge with inference questions- 12/6-7 |

|utilize the text for characterization questions- 12/8 |

|? 12/9 |

|identify cause and effect -12/12 |

|look for key words in cause and effect questions -12/13 |

|rely on common sense and what will most likely happen for prediction questions -12/14-15 |

|look for key words in fact and opinion questions -12/16 |

|put it all together with main idea and summarizing questions -12/19 |

|find the who and the what for main idea questions -12/20 |

|look at the first and last sentences for main idea questions -12/21 |

|go back and find what the passage was mostly about for summarizing questions -12/22 |

| |

|Good test takers (testing strategies- do simultaneously with skills or as midworkshop interruption) |

|know the structure of the reading assessment. They understand how the assessment works- there are 3-4 passages and multiple choice questions that follow. |

|The questions get progressively harder.- genre studies 1 |

|identify the genre of the passages and know that different genres and read with different lenses. – genre studies 1 |

|build stamina for a 45 minute reading assessment. - throughout |

|read the questions first, read the passage, find the 2Ws, and then answer the questions.- genre studies 2 |

|read the directions before reading the passages and answering the questions.- genre studies 3 |

|go back and underline the parts of the passage that answer their questions.- with finding details ( 11/28-11/29) |

|flip back and forth from the passage to the questions when underlining important information. – mid workshop interruption |

|hold their test book open so they see the passages and questions simultaneously.- mid workshop interruption |

|if the text is really heavy, they chunk the passage into parts- especially in informational texts without subheadings. – in Vea’s class |

|read bold, underline, subheadings, etc. – in Vea’s class |

|read all the words on the page- including pictures, captions, charts, etc. – in Vea’s class |

|eliminate answer choices that absolutely cannot be the correct answer. They do not eliminate every answer but the answer they chose.- mid workshop |

|interruption |

|know how the test writers write the answers: the ridiculous answer, the teaser, the most right answer and the right answer- genre studies 4 |

|often have to think hard between two possible answers. They need to be able to re-read relevant parts of the text and select the better answer choice. – mid |

|workshop interruption |

|jot some sort of symbol, like a star, next to questions that are a bit difficult. They do not waste time on these questions. They go back to these questions|

|when they are done answering all the questions.- mid workshop interruption |

|do not leave answers blank. – mid workshop interruption |

|reread text that is difficult- they read it as deeply as possible, to get all the meaning.- mid workshop interruption |

|do not read the questions first if it doesn’t help you- mid workshop interruption |

|pay attention to the time while taking the reading assessment. They look at the time remaining that is posted on the board. They pace themselves while |

|taking the assessment. - throughout |

|do things when the feel a bit overwhelmed during the reading assessment They take a 15 second breather. They remember to trust themselves during the |

|assessment.- mid workshop interruption |

| |

|Teaching points (for listening section) |

|listen to the passage twice. On the second reading, write down as much as possible using bullet points. |

|use abbreviations. They do not erase, or cross out- they use their smart cuts. |

|before the second reading write down the main idea. After the second reading, they write down anymore important events that they remember. |

|go back and reread their notes. They star important events. |

|Texts |

|Reading test prep passages ( |

|Word Work |

|Monday: Introduce new words, make cards |

|Tuesday: Synonym Slide |

|Wednesday: Context Clues |

|Thursday: Classroom Meeting |

|Friday: Assessment (no word work) |

|Monday: Word posters |

|Tuesday: Buddy Check and Chant |

|Wednesday: Look/say/cover/write/check and Chant |

|Thursday: Crossword puzzle and Chant |

|Friday: Assessment |

Lesson 1

Monday November 28, 2005

Teaching Point: Every reader can be successful on the CTB. Good readers get to know the structure of the reading assessment. They understand how the assessment works- there are a variety of short passages, there are questions that follow the passages, there are four answer choices for each question, questions/passages often get progressively harder.

On the test there are freebie questions. Good test takers can identify freebie questions.

Connection (4 minutes) : Hold up example from the state test. Explain that you want them to make a list of things they notice about the Interim Assessment that might provide information to the ELA.

Model:

Short Passages

25 questions

Multiple days

Using post its, students sort through sample and make a list of the things they notice on the tests.

Mini Lesson (2 minutes):

On the test there are questions that are FREEBIES! There is no excuse for us getting the answer wrong because the answers are IN THE PASSAGE. Today we will be looking at question choices and deliberating if the questions are in fact freebie questions. If we are able to determine if the question is a freebie question THEN we will know what to do.

The follow are a list of possible freebie question starters:

“Who…?’

“Where…?”

“When did…”

“Which…”

The first thing a good test taker does is look at the question, so they know exactly what the question is asking. If they are able to determine if it’s a freebie, then they solve it using the 4 step method:

1. Find the key word: who, what, when , where, how, which and circle it

2. Underline what the question is asking

3. Find exactly the same thing (it might be slightly reworded) in the passage. Underline it

4. The answer is whatever is closest to what you underlined

When you do find a freebie question put the $ symbol next to it because it’s a free question that you can cash in!

You do this to PROVE that you got the right answer!

Show them how with a short passage. Include some question choices that aren’t freebies so that you can show them that you don’t always do this strategy with every question.

Active Engagement (4 minutes):

Read a very short passage on chart paper. Students determine if out of the four possible choices, which ones are freebies. Then, teacher shows them how she would write a freebie question. Students turn and talk and write a freebie question of their own.

The Taj Majal is named for Mumtz Majal. She was the wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan. When his beloved wife died, Shah Jahan ordered that a great tomb be built in her memory. Work began on the Taj Majal in 1632. It took 20,000 workers more than 20 years to complete. The huge, white marble tomb is surrounded by gardens and fountains. A long reflecting pool is set in front of it. The Taj Mahal is India’s most famous monument.

1. Who is the Taj Majal named for?

2. What is the main idea?

3. When did work begin on the Taj Majal?

4. What caused Shah Jahan to build the tomb?

Link (20 minutes): As we do independent reading for this unit, we will be doing something special with our sticky notes. We will be writing our very own standardized test based on our independent reading book! (Show example based on a popular book). The symbol for test prep questions with be a circled 4. Then, write the type of question it is. For example, circled 4 Freebie. As you read today, you will be writing freebie test questions based on your book. Then, write the multiple choice possibilities on the sticky note. You must have at least 3.

Share Where did you find the answer to your freebie test questions? When taking the test, how do you determine if the question is a freebie?

Name_____________________________________________Date__________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ___________________

The Princess and the Pea

Directions: (Attack the directions). Read this fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. As you read the questions, ask yourself, “Are they freebies?” If they are, find the answers to the questions by underlining in the passage.

There once was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but she would have to be a real princess. The prince traveled all around the world to find his princess. There were princesses enough, but there was always something about them that was not quite right. So, the disappointed prince went home.

One evening, a terrible storm erupted. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly, there was a knocking at the city gate. The king himself went to open it and found a princess standing outside. What a sight she was after all that rain. Water streamed from her hair and clothes. Despite her sloppy appearance, she claimed that she was a real princess.

“Yes, we will soon find that out,” thought the doubtful queen. But she said nothing and went into the bedchamber, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea at the bottom. Then she took 40 eiderdown mattresses and laid them upon the pea. On this the princess had to lie all night. [pic]

In the morning, the princess was asked how she had slept. “Oh, miserably!” she said. “Goodness knows what was in my bed, but I was lying on something hard, and now I am black and blue all over.”

Now it was clear that the young woman was a real princess, because she had felt the pea through all those mattresses. Nobody but a true princess could be so delicate. So, the prince and the princess married, and the pea was put in a museum, where it may still be today.

1. Who put the pea under the mattresses?

a. the king

b. the queen

c. the prince

d. the princess

Where is the answer in the passage? Underline it!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the main idea of the story?

a. the princess got married

b. a girl felt a pea under her mattress which proved she was a princess

c. the prince was looking for a bride

d. the queen did not believe the young girl is a princess

Why is this NOT a freebie question, even though it starts with ‘what’? ________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What strategy do we use to answer this type of question? ____________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. How did the prince feel when he went home without having found a real princess?

a. puzzled

b. angry

c. disappointed

d. doubtful

Where is the answer in the passage? Underline it!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. How did the queen know that the young girl was a real princess?

a. the young girl felt the pea through all of the mattresses

b. the young girl cleaned herself up

c. the young girl told the queen she was a princess

d. the young girl was black and blue all over

Where is the answer in the passage? Underline it!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 2

Tuesday November 29, 2005

Teaching point: Good test takers go back to the text with ‘all of the above’, “which of the following is not’ and ‘except’ questions. All of these questions are freebie questions, they are just designed to take a little more time.

Connection: Yesterday we learned which of the type of questions are freebie questions. Once we have identified them as freebie questions, we always go back to the text and look for exactly what the question is asking. Once we have, we underline it to prove ourselves right. With some freebie questions we have to be especially careful, because they are a little bit tricky.

Mini Lesson: Some freebie questions are designed by the test takers to trick you! But, we will not be tricked because we are going to be extra careful. These questions have the following words in the question: “all of the above” “is NOT” and “Except”.

Let me show you: (show them with the Lightning Striking Passage- RTP 9)

The following information is about how to avoid lightning striking you.

Model circling the words NOT and EXCEPT and drawing a little demon face to show that the test takers are trying to trick you. Then CHECK OFF each of the three options, so that you are left with one option. Show them why you have to go back and underline more than once with one question.

Active Engagement:

Turn and talk with your neighbor. How would you answer the following question?

Lightning is not attracted to which of the following?

a. Metal

b. Water

c. Cars

d. The highest point

Link:

As you read today, create test questions similar to the ones we read today, and test answers.

Mid Workshop: Explain extra credit tests

Share:

Why are these types of questions freebie questions?

How to Avoid Getting Struck by Lightning

It is very rare that lightning strikes anyone. This

information will help you be safe during a storm.

Lightning is a form of electrical energy that looks

like a bright flash of light. Lightning comes from

storm clouds, which have a positive energy charge.

When the storm clouds become too highly charged, they must get rid of some of the charge. Lightning is a violent discharge of energy.

Here are several ways to avoid being struck by

lightning.

Seek shelter

Most of the time, you will be much safer indoors

than outdoors. Whenever you see large, black

clouds forming, you should go indoors. If you start to feel tingly or if your hair starts to stand on end, you should get out of the area immediately. These are signs that the area is charged with energy. Whenever it seems that lightning could strike, you should get into a building. Most buildings have lightning rods that attract the lightning, and then safely disperse the charge. If there are no buildings around, get into a car. The tires on cars are made of rubber. Lightning does not travel through rubber.

Do not be the highest point

Most often, lightning strikes the highest point in

the area. Lightning travels the shortest distance

from the cloud to the ground. If you are the tallest

thing around, you might be the closest thing to the

clouds. If you are unable to go indoors, you should crouch down to make yourself shorter.

[pic]

Do not be near the highest point

You do not want to stand immediately next to the

tallest thing in the area either. If lightning strikes

near you, it can still injure you. The charge enters

the ground near where the lightning strikes. This

charge can hit you just because you are standing on the ground near the lightning.

Avoid metal

Lightning is attracted to metal. It runs through it

easily. You should avoid being near any metal

objects. Most lightning rods are made out of metal

because it attracts lightning so well. In fact, of all

people, golfers are hit most frequently. This is

because they are often out in the open holding

large metal clubs.

Avoid water

Lightning also likes water. If you are in the water

or on a boat, you should get out of the water as

quickly as possible. The charge of lightning

spreads, and if lightning strikes one spot on the

lake, it might spread to where you are swimming.

1. To avoid lightning, which of the following should you NOT do:

A avoid water

B avoid the highest point in the area

C hold large, metal objects

D get in your car

2. If you are standing outside when large,

black clouds start to roll in, you should think

about each of the following EXCEPT:

A Whether you have any large metal

items on you.

B Where the tallest thing in the area is.

C Where the nearest shelter is.

D Whether you drank enough water

today.

Name_________________________________________Date______________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________________

Directions: Attack the directions! All of the following passages are based on the new movie, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”. Read the following passages and answer the freebie questions. Practice the strategy you learned today for answering NOT, EXCEPT, and ALL OF THE ABOVE questions.

[pic]

Ex-auror Mad-Eye Moody now teaches defense against the dark arts at Hogwarts. His swiveling eye allows him to see more than the average wizard… and he seems especially interested in helping Harry as he competes in the Tri Wizard Tournament.

Which of the following does NOT describe Mad-Eye Moody?

a. he is an ex-auror

b. he has a swiveling eye

c. he is the director of the Tri Wizard Tournament

d. he teaches defense against the dark arts

The use of any of the unforgivable curses will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban. The Avada Kedavra curse is the killing curse. There is no blocking it. Only one person is known to have survived it; Harry Potter. The Curcio curse is particularly nasty. With one flick of the wand it casts a spell of pure torture. The Imperius curse causes any person under its spell to do the bidding of whomever cast the spell. Scores of witches and wizards claimed they only did You-Know-Who’s bidding while under the influence of the Imperius Curse. But, how do you sort out the liars?

Which of the following are an unforgivable curse?

a. The Imperius curse

b. The Aveda Kedavra curse

c. The Curcio curse

d. All of the above

Wednesday November 30, 2005

Lesson 3

Teaching point: Good test takers look for the event before or after in sequencing questions.

Connection: For the past few days we have been looking at types of questions which are freebie questions. The more freebie questions, the better we will do. The next type of freebie question is a sequencing question. In November you were introduced to sequencing questions and learned to identify where to find the event in the passage. We will continue practicing sequencing questions today.

Mini Lesson: In order to answer sequencing questions, you need to know the key sequencing words.

Clue words such as first, next, then, finally, before and after often tell you when things are done or events happen.

Clues such as the time of day, the day of the week, the month, the season and the year tell when things happen.

In a story without clue words, think about the beginning, the middle, and the ending, to help you figure out sequence. In an article without clue words, think about the order in which things happen or how things are done.

Show them with “The Mind Reader”

Active Engagement: What is a sequencing question that I could ask based on “The Mind Reader”?

Link: As you read today you will be asking yourselves sequencing questions on your post its. You may continue to ask freebie questions on your post its.

Mid Workshop: flip back and forth from the passage to the questions when underlining important information

Share: Students share their sequencing questions.

The Mind Reader

Abe told his friend Corey that he could read minds and was ready to prove his power as a mind reader. First, Abe spread out nine magazines on the floor. He then arranged the magazines in three rows of three magazines each.

Abe’s sister Sandra, who know how to do the trick, acted as his assistant. She placed a blindfold over Abe’s eyes. Next, she turned him around so that his back faced Corey. Abe then asked his friend to touch one of the magazines.

After Corey made his choice, Abe turned around and removed his blindfold. He told Corey to concentrate on the correct magazine, but not to look directly at it.

With a measuring stick, Sandra pointed to the bottom right corner of the first magazine in the top row. “Is it this one?” she asked Abe.

Abe answered, “No.” Sandra continued to point to magazines, from the top row to the bottom row. Each time, she asked, “Is this the one?” Each time, Abe shook his head “no.” Finally, when the pointer touched the last magazine in the bottom row, Abe nodded his head and said, “Yes, that’s the one.”

Corey was astounded. He wondered how Abe had figured out that the correct magazine was at the bottom right. Can you guess Abe’s secret?

1. What did Abe do first?

a. He put on a blindfold.

b. He placed nine magazines on the floor.

c. He asked Corey to touch a magazine.

d. He nodded his head.

2. Which clue word tells what Abe did last?

a. first

b. then

c. next

d. finally

Name___________________________Date___________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ___________________

Directions: Attack the directions! Read the following passage and answer the sequencing questions that follow. Number 2 has been done for you.

One day, a farmer had to carry a goat, a wolf, and a cabbage across a river. The farmer, however, could bring only one item across the river at a time. He knew that if he left the goat, the wolf, and the cabbage alone, the goat would eat the cabbage and the wolf would eat the goat. It took the farmer a long time to figure out a solution to his problem. At last, he realized how he could get himself and the goat, the wolf and the cabbage safely across.

First, the farmer rowed across the river with the goat and left the animal alone on the opposite side. Second, he rowed back, picked up the wolf, and brought it across. However, he did not leave the wolf with the goat. The goat returned with him in the rowboat. Next, the farmer dropped off the goat and made another trip across the river with the cabbage only. He left the wolf with the cabbage and then went back to get the goat. After the farmer and the goat crossed the river again, they joined the wolf and the cabbage.

1. Which of these did the farmer do first?

a. He rowed across the river with the goat.

b. He brought the wolf across.

c. He left the goat alone.

d. He brought the cabbage across.

2. What happened after the wolf was brought across the river?

a. The wolf ate the goat.

b. The farmer rowed back with the goat.

c. The wolf joined the cabbage.

d. The farmer went back to get the goat.

3. Which clue word tells what the farmer did last?

a. Last

b. Next

c. After

d. Finally

4. Before he tried to cross the river, the farmer

a. Bought a rowboat

b. Separated the wolf and the goat

c. Worried a lot

d. Thought of a way to bring the goat, the wolf, and the cabbage safely across

Lesson 4

Thursday December 1, 2005

Teaching Point: Good test takers follow the same sequencing strategy with sequencing graphic organizer questions.

Connection: Yesterday we realized that sequencing questions are also another type of freebie questions. We have to be careful to look at the key sequencing words, and look to see if we are finding an event before or after the event in the question. Sometimes, however, the question might look a little different, but we will apply the same sequencing strategy.

Mini Lesson: Sometimes, the question might look like a graphic organizer

For example, instead of the question we saw yesterday, it might look like this

Fill in the missing event:

a. Abe asked Corey if he wanted to see a trick.

b. Sandra pointed to each magazine with a stick.

c. Corey was astounded.

d. Sandra guessed which magazine was correct.

Active Engagement:

How would you answer this question?

(make another graphic organizer question based on a shared text that they have seen)

Link: For reading today, you need to continue asking freebie questions (details and sequencing) and creating multiple choice answers for the questions.

Active Engagement: hold their test book open so they see the passages and questions simultaneously

Share: What were you thinking in your head as you answered the graphic organizer sequencing question?

Name__________________________________________Date_____________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________________

Directions: Attack the directions! Read the following passage, and answer the questions that follow.

The Boy Merlin

Long ago, a wicked king named Vortigern ruled most of England. Vortigern had many enemies, and eventually he was driven into the mountains of Wales. There, Voltigern tried to build a stone fortress that would protect him from attack. Each day, the king’s workers raised the fortress walls, but each night, the rocks tumbled down. Finally, the king called in his wizards to explain the mystery.

“You must find a child born without a human father,” they advised. “Slay him, and then the fortress walls will stand firm.” So, the king sent out a search party to find such a child.

One day, the king’s men came upon several children playing ball. One boy threw the ball again and again, but none of the others could catch it. Suddenly, another child shouted out, “You never play fairly, Merlin! You’re just a trickster who never had a father!”

The king’s men began asking the villagers about the boy. Upon learning that the child’s father was not a mortal man, the king’s men seized Merlin. Then they rode back to Wales, where Merlin was brought before the king.

“Why have you sent for me?” the young boy demanded. When Vortigern told him the reason, Merlin said, “Your wizards are wrong. By slaying me, you won’t keep your fortress standing. There is a pool of water beneath the fortress that is making the ground unsteady. Have your workers dig into the earth until they find the pool. Order them to drain the pool. At the bottom, they will find two stones. Inside the stones are two sleeping dragons.”

The king instructed his workers to do as Merlin said. They uncovered the stones, from which two great dragons, one white and one read, burst forth. The dragons began to fight fiercely. At last, the white dragon killed the red one.

“What is the meaning of the dragons’ fight?” the frightened king asked.

“The white dragon stands for enemies who will someday slay you,” Merlin calmly explained.

Soon afterward, King Vortigern was, indeed, killed by his foes.

1. What material was used to build Vortigern’s fortress?

a. stones

b. wood

c. mud

d. iron

What sentence proves your answer? __________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which of these is a fact from the tale?

a. Merlin became one of the king’s wizards.

b. Merlin told the king that his wizards were wrong.

c. Two read dragons lived under the king’s fortress.

d. All of the above.

What sentence proves your answer? __________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What happened after the king sent out a search party to find a fatherless child?

a. the boy told the king about the dragons

b. the wizards advised the king how the walls would stay firm

c. the king’s men came upon several children playing ball

d. the king was killed by his foes

What sentence proves your answer? __________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Which of the following fills is the missing event?

a. the king was advised to find a fatherless boy

b. the king’s men found out that the child was not mortal

c. the king ordered his men to drain the pool

d. the king’s men uncovered the stone

Friday, December 2, 2005

Lesson 5

Teaching point: Good test takers ask what is the author really trying to do? when answering author’s purpose questions.

Connection: Last Friday we learned that there are four different purposes to any writing:

Entertaining

Describing

Explaining

Persuading/ convince

For today’s mini lesson we are going to play a game that will help us answer all of the author’s purpose questions correctly.

Mini Lesson

Each student is given a set of four cards. They must hold up the appropriate card to the appropriate genre based on texts that they’ve seen so far in their test prep section.

Testing Show them how and why of elimination

HW: vocabulary handout

[pic] [pic]

ENTERTAIN DESCRIBE

[pic] [pic]

PERSUADE EXPLAIN

Monday December 5, 2005

Lesson 6

Teaching point: Good readers can identify right there and step back questions.

Connection We have been talking a lot lately about different test taking strategies. Good test takers try out and practice many different strategies. It is a little bit like pitchers in baseball. Pitchers learn and practice many different pitches so they can use the one they need for each batter and each particular situation in the game. Pitchers also get to know which pitches work the best for them. Just like good pitchers we need to learn lots of different test taking strategies so we can use them when we need them on test day. This way we’ll be ready with a strategy for anything the test makers try throw at us on test day.

Mini Lesson: Today I want to show you a strategy for thinking about the questions on multiple choice tests. I’ve noticed that there are two different ways I go about answering questions. One type of question I the kind that I can go back and look for the answer right in the text. I think of these as “right there” questions because the answers are right there in the text. These are our freebies. The other way I answer questions is to do some thinking after I read the passage, the question, and the answer choices. I call these “step back” questions because I have to step back and do some thinking before I can answer them. So figuring out whether a question is a “right there” question or a “step back” question will help you know how to go about choosing the correct answer.

Watch me as I preview this passage and then look at some questions and use this strategy to decide how to get the answer.

1. What is the main idea of the biography?

2. How many children were there in Franklin’s family?

3. What happened immediately after Franklin went to Philadelphia?

4. Why did Franklin retire from printing at age 42?

5. How were young Ben Franklin and old Ben Franklin alike?

6. What might have happened if Franklin had stayed in the printing business?

Mid Workshop: often have to think hard between two possible answers. They need to be able to re-read relevant parts of the text and select the better answer choice

He is one of the most respected men in United States history. He was a printer, a writer, a publisher, a scientist, an inventor, and a government leader. Who was this remarkable man? Benjamin Franklin, of course.

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston. He was the fifteenth of 17 children born to Josiah and Abiah Franklin. Ben was a smart child, but his family was poor. At age ten, he had to leave school to help his father in his candle and soap shop. At age 12, Ben became an apprentice, or student worker, in a printing shop run by his half-brother James. Although Ben enjoyed his work, he did not like his older brother. So, at age 17, he ran away to Philadelphia. There he quickly found work as a printer.

Franklin was a hard worker. Within five years, he opened his own print shop. There he started his own newspaper and published “Poor Richard’s Almanac”. This yearly calendar contained all kinds of facts, weather forecasts, and wise and witty sayings. Here are a few of his most famous sayings:

[pic]

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealth, and wise.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of curse.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

As busy as he was with his printing business, Franklin also helped to make Philadelphia a better city. He set up the first lending library, the first fire department, and the first post office. He also helped establish a school that later became the University of Pennsylvania.

By age 42, Franklin’s hard work and success had made him a rich man, so he retired and turned his attention to science. By sending up a kite during a storm, Franklin proved that lightning is a form of electricity. He had attached a key to the kite’s string. When a lightning bolt struck the kite, the key became charged with electricity. Franklin then put his discovery to use by inventing the lightning rod. He also invented the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and the harmonica.

Franklin is probably remembered most for his role in helping to build our nation. He was the first person to present the idea of uniting the 13 colonies. He spent 15 years in England trying to persuade the king to govern the colonies more fairly. In 1776, he signed the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, he went to France and convinced the French to send troops and supplies to the colonists. He helped write the peace treaty that ended the war. He also helped to create the Constitution of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin lived long enough to see the Constitution become the basic law in the United States. He died on April 17, 1790.

Name___________________________________________Date__________________

Reading homework KIPP 2013: __________________

[pic]

Singer - Ashanti Biography

Birthdate: October 13, 1980

Ashanti's Start

Ashanti was born Ashanti Douglas. Ashanti joined a gospel choir when she was six years old. Ashanti got her big break in 1994 when she performed at a local talent show and caught the attention of music industry peeps. Ashanti signed with a management team and soon started snagging better gigs (including the Soul Cafe, China Club and Madison Square Garden), which eventually led to an opportunity to work with multi-platinum producer, Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. Records.

Ashanti's Famous Friends

Ashanti has teamed up with tons of huge stars like, Ja Rule on his song, Always on Time, Jennifer Lopez on her song, I'm Real and Fat Joe on What's Luv.

Ashanti's Music

Ashanti is more than a back up singer on other artists' albums. The first week it was released, Ashanti's self-titled debut album sold 500,000 copies in the USA. Ashanti's second album, Chapter II, is selling fast thanks to hits like Rock Wit U and Rain On Me.

Ashanti - Did U Know?

• Ashanti sings with rap artist Vita on a remake of Madonna's, Justify My Love.

• Ashanti trained as a dancer at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center where she learned tap, jazz, ballet, African, modern and hip hop dancing.

• Ashanti dances in Disney's TV musical, Polly.

Ashanti Says...

"I want to create something so real and reflective that people just sit back and listen."

Directions: Attack the directions! Answer each of the following questions, and go back and underline your proof.

When was Ashanti born? _______________________________________

What led her to work with Irv Gotti? ______________________________

____________________________________________________________

Which of the following is NOT true about Ashanti?

a. Ashanti trained as a dancer at the Bernice Johnson cultural center.

b. Ashanti’s debut sold more than 500,000 albums.

c. Ashanti is currently working on her new album, ‘Justify my Love’.

d. Ashanti danced in the Disney musical ‘Polly’.

Lesson 6

Tuesday December 6, 2005

Teaching point: Good readers use the text and what they know about the world to answer inference questions.

Connection: We have spent the last week looking at freebie questions. These are questions where the answer is right there in the text. Yesterday we discovered that there are two main types of test questions on the test: right there and step back questions. Step back questions are the types of questions where you have to step back and think. These questions are a little bit trickier and often worth more points on the test, so we will be spending these weeks focusing on step back questions.

Mini Lesson: Step back questions start of like:

You can tell

You can conclude

You can infer

Most likely

In order to answer these questions you need to use the text and what you know about the world to get the most likely answer.

For example

The Hunter and the Woodcutter

A hunter was searching in the forest for signs of a lion. Before long he caught sight of a woodcutter felling a tree. The hunter went up to the woodcutter and asked, “Excuse me, but have you noticed a lion’s footprints anywhere about, or do you know where the lion’s den might be?”

The woodcutter answered, “Come with me. I’ll show you the lion himself.”

The hunter turned pale, and his teeth chattered as he replied, “Oh, I’m not looking for the lion, thanks, only for his tracks.”

You can tell that the hunter wasn’t looking for the lion because

The text said: he turned pale and his teeth chattered

I know from the world this means he was scared

So, he didn’t look for the lion because he was frightened

Active Engagement

• Sue blew out the candles and got presents.

• Mary plays her flute for 2 hours every day.

• The boat drifted in the middle of the lake.

• John went running into the street without looking.

• Rasheeta was the star pitcher but she had a broken finger.

• We bought tickets and some popcorn.

• I forgot to set my alarm clock last night.

• When I woke up, there were branches and leaves all over the yard.

• Yesterday we cleaned out our desks and took everything home.

• Everyone stopped when the referee blew the whistle.

• Link: As you read today, look and see if you can figure out what the author is trying to say without directly saying it. When you do, put a light bulb next to it.

Mid workshop: jot some sort of symbol, like a star, next to questions that are a bit difficult. They do not waste time on these questions. They go back to these questions when they are done answering all the questions

HW: RTP

Lesson 7

Wednesday December 7, 2005

Teaching point: Good readers figure out what the author is saying, even if he/she didn’t directly state it, as they read.

Connection: Yesterday we learned that good readers look at the text to figure out what the author is trying to say. Today I will show you how good readers use what they already know about the world to continue to make inferences.

Teacher gives random cards to students who act out the scenarios. Students must infer what is really happening.

1. A student yawns several times

2. Two students pass notes to one another.

3. A student falls asleep.

4. One student takes a pen from a classmate's desk.

5. Two students argue over who gets the soccer ball.

6. A group of students has not completed homework.

7. A group of students copies homework from one student.

8. Three students leave the room without permission.

9. A student returns from recess crying.

10.Two students left all their books at home.

Mini Lesson: I am going to show you how I make inferences with ‘The Stranger’. Use graphic organizers for finding inferences.

Active Engagement:

Students answer inference question based on ‘The Stranger’.

What is an inference?

When during a typical day how do people make inferences?

Give an example of an inference.

How are inferring and predicting related?

Link: As you read today try writing inference questions of your own based on the text. Start it out with one of the inferring question starters. Provide multiple choice answers. Answer it using the graphic organizer.

Mid Workshop: do not leave answers blank

HW: handout

Name__________________________________________Date___________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________

Directions: Attack the text! Answer the questions that follow, and write 3 NEW test prep questions (with multiple choice answers) of your own at the bottom of the back of the page.

Djuba’s Guests

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Djuba had a good friend who was a hunter. One day, the hunter visited Djuba in the city and brought him a nice fat hare as a present. Djuba roasted the hare and invited the hunter to stay and share it with him.

The next day, a man knocked at Djuba’s door. Djuba opened the door and saw a stranger at his doorstep. “I’m sorry,” Djuba told the man, “but I do not recognize you. May I ask who you are?”

The stranger smiled and replied, “Why, I am a friend of your good friend the hunter, who brought you the nice fat hare.”

Now, the rules of hospitality required that Djuba invite this friend-of-a-friend in for a meal. But as the two men talked over dinner, Djuba realized that the stranger didn’t really know the hunter very well at all. The man had only been after a free meal. Djuba was not happy, but he couldn’t just throw a guest out of his house. He just smiled most hospitably and waited for the stranger to leave.

Djuba thought about his situation. “Now I have a reputation as an easy source for a free meal,” he told himself. “I don’t mind giving charity to the truly needy, but I do object to feeding every thief that appears at my door. How can I stop these crooks without being rude?” Djuba pondered this question for a while, and, at last, he came up with a solution.

The next day, as expected, another stranger arrived at Djuba’s door. And who are you?” Djuba asked the man.

“Why, I am the friend of the friend of your good friend the hunter, who brought you the nice fat hare!”

“Welcome,” Djuba told the man. “come inside and join me for a meal.”

Djuba placed a steaming bowl of hot water on the table. The stranger looked at the bowl with a puzzled frown. “What is this?” he asked..

Djuba smiled. “why, this is the water that was boiled in the very same pot as the nice fat hare that my good friend the hunter, whose friend you know, brought me!”

1. From this folktale, you can tell that Djuba

a. does not like strangers

b. does not trust most people

c. is not very generous

d. is very clever

|Text |I Know |So |

| | | |

2. From this folktale, you can conclude that

a. no more strangers appeared at Djuba’s door

b. Djuba and the hunter stopped being friends

c. Djuba never invited another person into his home for a meal

d. Djuba began offering meals to the truly needy

|Text |I Know |So |

| | | |

Lesson 8

Thursday December 8, 2005

Teaching point: Good readers make inferences about a character to discover their personality traits.

Connection: While reading Holes, we analyzed two things about Stanley’s character: his personality traits (what his personality is like) and his physical traits. We used the inside out chart (draw chart) to discover what he was like. Today we will be looking even further at personality traits, and how to answer personality trait questions on the test.

Mini Lesson:

Why do characters act the way they do? What do they want? How would students describe the characters’ personalities? These are questions you need to be able to answer on a state test.

These questions usually take the form of an inference question so they have the same sentence starters. And like any question, you need to be able to GO BACK TO THE TEXT to answer the question.

Show them with Masters of All Masters from Test Prep book. Do first one for them.

Active Engagement: Students do the next question. (turn and talk)

Re-read a short selection that they’ve read before. Ask them how they would write characterization questions based on the text.

Link: As you read today you need to write at least 2 characterization questions as well as 4 other testing types.

Mid Workshop: reread text that is difficult- they read it as deeply as possible, to get all the meaning

Share: Students share their characterization questions.

HW: handout

Name_________________________________________Date______________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________________

Mandy Malone was 11 years old and attends Whittier Elementary school in Colrain, Massachusetts. She spends 30 minutes each morning brushing her hair, because her mother told her that the more you brush your hair the shinier it will be. After brushing her hair, she spends 25 minutes choosing the perfect outfit. She likes everything to match from her headband to her shoes. Finally, as she leaves her house to go to school, she picks up her cheese and turkey sandwich without crusts, because she absolutely will not eat crusts, and heads out the door.

[pic]

From this passage, you can tell that Mandy is

a. humorous

b. clever

c. Careful

d. Lazy

Where is your proof to the above question?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Create your own characterization question based on the above passage

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

a.

b..

c.

d.

Monday December 12, 2005

Lesson 9

Teaching point: Good test takers can identify cause and effect questions

Connection: This week we will continue working with step back questions. As we learned last week, the answer is in the text but you need to use the right strategy to find the answer.

Mini Lesson: In order to answer cause and effect questions, you need to be a detective and look for key words. Look for words like if, the, because, since and so.

The cause is why something happened and the effect is what happened. (some pneumonic to help them remember)

Example: The cause of flooding in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane CAUSED the flooding.

The effect of never getting a haircut would be hair all the way to the floor!

Active Engagement:

Skim through this article and see if you see any key words. If you do, circle them to help become a cause and effect detective.

Kim woke up early Monday morning because she had so many things to do.  Before going to school she decided to make a list.   If I don't make a list I might forget everything Kim thought.  Since walking the dog is not Kim's job she put that first on her list.  She would have to take Spot for a short walk so she wouldn't be late for school. Next on the list was to pack a lunch because her class was going on a field trip to the zoo and  they wouldn't be able to eat in the cafeteria today.  The last thing on Kim's list was to take her umbrella.   Then if it rained she would stay dry and still be able to see all the animals at the zoo.  This was going to be a great day!

Kim woke up early Monday morning.

[pic]

Kim made a list of the things she needed to do.

[pic]

Walking the dog was first on Kim's list.

[pic]

She would take Spot for a short walk.

[pic]

Kim had to pack a lunch today.

[pic]

Kim had to remember her umbrella.

[pic]

Link: As you read today think about what is happening and why it is happening. Fill in the following graphic organizer T chart

Effect (what happened) Cause (why it happened)

Mid Workshop: do not read the questions first if it doesn’t help you

HW Cause and effect graphic organizer

Name___________________________________________Date____________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ____________________

Directions: Match the cause with the event.

| |The crowd cheered. |

|The sky was very dark. | |

|The goal was open. |The other team scored. |

| | |

|Austin hit a homerun. |He won the race. |

| | |

|Connor studied hard. |He got an A on the test. |

| | |

| | |

|John is fast. |It was about to run. |

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Lesson 10

Teaching point: Good test takers look for key words in cause and effect questions.

Connection: Yesterday we learned that the cause is why something happened and the effect is what actually happened.

Ask: What is the effect if you do not do you homework on the paycheck?

Ask: What is the cause of getting a $50 on your paycheck?

Mini Lesson: Now that you understand what cause and effect questions MEAN today we will be looking at the questions to determine if they are actually a cause or effect question.

Key words: so, so that, since, because, if, reason, as a result, how did, what happened when

Active Engagement: We will look at different questions and determine if they are cause and effect questions (turn and talk).

The Brahman opened the cage door at last because

What is the article mostly about

Who led the Vietnamese in a successful revolt against the Chinese

Which of these happened last

What happened when the Brahman told the jackal his story?

What would be a good title for this article?

Su Ting ruled ietnam from

Goodall went to Tanzania because

After the Chinese defeated the Vietnamese army

How did the Fossey gain the gorillas’ trust?

(independent active engagement) How would you write cause and effect questions based on the following paragraph: (get from test prep book)

Link: As students work they must write cause and effect questions based upon the book they are reading.

Name: ____________________________________________Date_________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ________________________

[pic]

Directions: Read for 40 minutes tonight. As you read you must create different test questions based upon the book. Please write them below with multiple choice answers. Circle the correct answer.

1. Main idea: ________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

2. Detail________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

3. Cause and Effect: ________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

4. Sequence________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

5. Inference:________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

6. Character: ________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

a.

b.

c.

d.

Wednesday December 14, 2005

Teaching point: Good test takers think of what will most likely happen next when answering prediction questions. They rely on their common sense.

Connection: What do you think is going to happen next in class? Why are there smart predictions and silly predictions? Point to chart.

Mini Lesson: Just as good readers predict what will happen next as they read, good test takers can choose the most likely answer with prediction questions. As with all questions there is only one right answer so we must choose carefully the most likely answer.

Show them with:

Once upon a time, a group of mice got together. They met to discuss the best way to protect themselves against their common enemy, the cat. After seeral suggestions were made, a young mouse stood up and said, “I think I have an idea that will guarantee our safety. We should attach a small bell around the cat’s neck. Its tinkling will warn us of her approach.”

The other mice warmly applauded this proposal. They were about to approve it when a wise old mouse got upon his feet.

What will happen next? Show them what you think. Then show them rest of story.

“I agree with everyone that the plan before us is very clever,” said the wise old mouse. “May I ask, however, how is going to put the bell on the cat?”

• Clues are often in the title of a reading passage. Read the title, and then make a prediction about what you will be reading.

• Clues are often in the facts and details of the passage. Details about the things characters do and say often help you make a prediction about what they might do or say later in the story.

• Clues are often in any pictures included with a story. Pictures often show something that is happening or will happen soon.

Active Engagement: In partnerships, students do The Golden Touch (teacher reads aloud from test prep book)

Link: Students write prediction questions based on their reading.

HW: RTP

Thursday December 15, 2005

Teaching point: Good readers rely on their common sense to predict what will happen next.

Connect: Connect to yesterday’s lesson.

Mini Lesson: Show them with ‘The Legend of Wilhelm Tell’. (test prep book)

Active Engagement: Students do #16

Link: Students continue writing prediction questions

HW: vocabulary

Friday, December 16 2005

Teaching point: Good test takers look for key words in fact and opinion questions

Name_______________________________Date_________________

Reading Classwork KIPP 2014: _______________________

Author’s Purpose: Why did the author write the passage?

Teaching point: Good readers answer author’s purpose questions. The identify the ______ of the passage. They understand that authors write to _________, _________, ________ and

_____________. They match the purpose with the genre of the passage.

Mini Lesson: There are FOUR reasons that authors write.

Describe/Inform: this means to teach you about something from nonfiction class ( They may teach you about someone (Martin Luther King), something (elephants) or history (The Civil Rights Movement).

List two examples:

1.

2._______________________________________________

Persuade: this means they want you to DO something. This might include an advertisement (so you buy something), or a letter to the newspaper (to get something changed in the world).

1.

2.

Entertain: this means what you read in Ms. Tippens’ class ( This is all short stories and poems.

1.

2.

Explain: this means HOW TO DO something. This usually is in STEP BY STEPS. For example, HOW TO make a kite, HOW TO

1.

2.

Let me show you:

Dear Editor,

Two months ago, Rantagua School District 43

discussed some problems with the Keller

Elementary School playground. In August, the

board will vote on replacing equipment and fixing

damaged areas. Last week you printed an article

entitled "This Is Not Play Money." It said "people

on the Board should move carefully and not rush

out from the ‘START’ square." As a fifth grade

teacher at Keller, I can tell you that we must

improve the area now.

Fifteen years ago, our equipment was safe and

modern. Four years ago, two major blizzards and

an ice storm seriously damaged the slide. We

removed it and in it’s place we now have a large

dirt circle filled with wood chips. Children cannot

glide down chips! We need a new, safe slide.

The large shade trees present a problem in the

swing area. Without direct sunlight, the ground

under the swings stays damp and slick. Children

slip when they get off the swings. We need to

cover the ground with rubber mats. Or we could

fill it in with the same wood chips used elsewhere

on the playground.

Sincerely,

Kim Park

Name_________________________________Date_______________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: __________________

Teaching point: Good readers identify _______ and ______ questions. They identify them as ________. They look for the answer __________.

[pic]

Cause and Effect Questions are $$$$$

The students in the 6th grade were talking so the teacher lectured them.

The cause makes the effect happen.

For example:

1. Hurricane Katrina flooded homes and forced all of New Orleans to relocate.

Cause: ___________________________ (What made something happen?)

Effect: __________________________(What happened?)

2. Josephine didn’t do the dishes so her mom grounded her.

Cause: ____________________________

Effect: ___________________________

3. Max wasn’t allowed to drive the car because he didn’t come home for curfew.

Cause: _____________________________

Effect: ____________________________

Mrs. Twit Gets a Stretching

Mr. Twit led Mrs. Twit outdoors where he had everything ready for the great stretching.

He had one hundred balloons and lots of string.

He had a gas cylinder for filling the balloons.

He had fixed an iron ring into the ground.

“Stand here,” he said, pointing to the iron ring. He then tied Mrs. Twit’s ankles to the iron ring.

When that was done, he began filling the balloons with gas. Each balloon was on a long string and when it was filled with gas it pulled on its string, trying to go up and up. Mr. Twit tied the ends of the strings to the top half of Mrs. Twit’s body. Some he tied around her neck some under her arms, some to her wrists and some even to her hair.

Soon there were fifty colored balloons floating in the air above Mrs. Twit’s head.

“Can you feel them stretching you?” asked Mr. Twit.

“I can! I can!” cried Mrs. Twit. “They’re stretching me like mad.”

He put on another ten balloons. The upward pull became very strong.

Mrs. Twit was quite helpless now. With her feet tied to the ground and her arms pulled upward by the balloons, she was unable to move. She was a prisoner, and Mr. Twit had intended to go away and leave her life that for a couple of days and nights to teach her a lesson. In fact, he was just about to leave when Mrs. Twit opened her big mouth and said something silly.

“Are you sure my feet are tied properly to the ground?” she gasped. “If those strings around my ankles break, it’ll be goodbye for me!”

And that’s what gave Mr. Twit his second nasty idea.

$$$ With cause and effect questions look for key words such as cause, effect, because, and so. Look very close to where you find the freebie detail to see your answer $$$

1. The upward pull became very strong on Mrs. Twits body because

a. Mrs. Twit was on her toes

b. Mrs. Twit was stretching

c. Mr. Twit added another ten balloons

2. What was the effect of tying Mrs. Twit’s feet to the ground and putting balloons in the air?

a. she became quite helpless

b. she became meaner

c. Mr. Twit played a nasty trick on Mrs. Twit

3. List one reason why Mr. Twit got another nasty idea:

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Guided Practice:

Mrs. Twit Goes Ballooning UP

“There’s enough pull here to make me go to the moon!” Mrs. Twit cried out.

“To take you to the moon!” exclaimed Mr. Twit. “what a ghastly thought! We wouldn’t want anything like that to happen, oh dear, me no!”

“We most certainly wouldn’t!” cried Mrs. Twit. “Put some more string around my ankles quickly! I want to feel absolutely safe!”

“Very well, my angel,” said Mr. Twit, and with a ghoulish grin on his lips he knelt down at her feet. He took a knife from his pocket and with one quick slash he cut through the strings holding Mrs. Twit’s ankles to the iron ring.

She went up like a rocket.

“Help!” she screamed. “Save me!”

But there was no saving her now. In a few seconds she was high up in the blue blue sky and climbing fast.

Mr. Twit stood below looking up. “What a pretty sight!” he said to himself. “How lovely all those balloons look in the sky! And what a marvelous bit of luck for me! At last that old hag is lost and gone forever.”

1. Mrs. Twit went up into the sky because

a. Mr. Twit tied her down.

b. Mr. Twit cut the rope

c. Mr. Twit had an evil plan

2. Mr. Twit cut the rope because

a. Mrs. Twit was being stretched

b. Mrs. Twit put the idea in his head

c. Mrs. Twit was too heavy

3. (Review!) In this passage, Mrs. Twit is compared to a

a. rocket

b. a sky

c. a rope

Independent Practice

Mrs. Twit Goes Ballooning Down

Mrs. Twit may have been ugly and she may have been beastly, but she was not stupid.

High up in the sky, she had a bright idea. “If I can get rid of some of these balloons,” she said to herself, “I will stop going up and start to come down.”

She began biting through the strings that held the balloons to her wrists and arms and neck and hair. Each time she bit through a string and let the balloon float away, the upward pull got less and her rate of climb slowed down.

When she had bitten through twenty strings, she stopped going up altogether. She stayed still in the air.

She bit through one more string.

Very very slowly, she began to float downward.

It was a calm day. There was no wind at all. And because of this, Mrs. Twit had gone absolutely straight up. She now began to come absolutely straight down.

As she floated gently down, Mrs. Twit’s petticoat billowed out like a parachute, showing her long knickers. It was a grand sight on a glorious day, and thousands of birds came flying in from miles around to stare at this extraordinary old woman in the sky.

To get credit for each of these questions, you must FIND and LABEL the PROOF!

1. Mrs. Twit bites through the string so she

a. can get down from the sky

b. to spite Mr. Twit

c. because she had an idea

2. (Review!) Mrs. Twit can best be characterized in this passage as

a. silly

b. clever

c. boring

3. (Review!) Mrs. Twit is compared to a

a. bird

b. string

c. parachute

d. goblin

4. What was the effect when Mrs. Twit bit through 20 strings?

a. she floated upward

b. she stayed still in the air

c. she floated downward

5. What caused her to float downward?

a. biting 19 strings

b. biting 20 strings

c. biting 21 strings

Name_________________________________Date________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2014: ________________________

Mr. Twit Gets a Horrid Shock

Mr. Twit, who thought he had seen his ugly wife for the last time, was sitting in the garden celebrating with a mug of beer.

Silently, Mrs. Twit came floating down. When she was about the height of the house above Mr. Twit, she suddenly called out at the top of her voice, “Here I come, you grizzly old grunion! You rotten old turnip! You filthy old frumpet!”

Mr. Twit jumped as though he’d been stung by a giant wasp. He dropped his beer. He looked up. He gaped. He gasped. He gurgled. A few choking sounds came out of his mouth. “Ughhhhhhhhh!” he said, “Arghhhhhhhhhh! Ouchhhhhhhhhhh!”

“I’ll get you for this!” shouted Mrs. Twit. She was floating down right on top of him. She was purple with rage and slashing the air with her long walking stick which she had somehow managed to hang on to all the time. “I’ll swish you to a swizzle!” she shouted. “I’ll swash you to a swizzle! I’ll gnash you to a gnozzle! I’ll gnosh you to a gnazzle!” And before Mr. Twit had time to run away, this bundle of balloons and petticoats and fiery fury landed right on top of him, lashing out with the stick and cracking him all over his body.

1. Mr. Twit jumped because

a. he was stung by a wasp

b. Mrs. Twit surprised him when she reappeared

c. he is scared of Mrs. Twit

d. none of the above

2. Which of the following did Mr. Twit NOT do?

a. gurgle

b. gasp

c. gape

d. gnaw

3. Mr. Twit tried to run away because

a. Mrs. Twit was threatening to hit him

b. he hates Mrs. Twit

c. he wanted to pay Mrs. Twit back

4. The setting of this passage takes place

a. in the garden

b. in the house

c. in the patio

d. near the river

5. The author wrote this passage to

a. entertain the reader

b. explain how to float down from the sky

c. inform the reader about the Twits

d. persuade the reader to read more Raold Dahl

6. Mrs. Twit hit him all over his body because

a. Mr. Twit set her free to float away

b. Mr. Twit cut her strings so she would fly

c. all of the above

Name________________________________Date________________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: ___________________

Fact or Opinion?

Teaching point: Good readers distinguish between facts and opinions.

[pic]

Fact: A statement that can be proved TRUE or FALSE.

Opinion: What someone feels, believes, or thinks. This cannot be proved true or false.

Key words: believes, thinks, all, everyone

LET ME SHOW YOU:

1. In 1787, the British Government sent a fleet of convicts to colonize Australia. _____

2. America’s treatment of the homeless is a disgrace. _____

3. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris divided France’s North American Empire between Britain and Spain. ____

4. Everyone dislikes poetry. _____

Guided Practice

5.. Albert Einstein was a brilliant scientist who is the greatest scientist of all time. _____

6. Between 1945 and 1960, the number of cars in the United States increased by 133 percent. _____

7. Smoking is a nasty habit. _____

8. Smoking is an unhealthy habit. _____

9. Daffodils are the prettiest of all the perennial flowers. _____

10. London is the best city when touring England _____

Independent Practice

11. London is the capital city of England. _____

12. John scored the most goals this season. _____

13. Union officials told the press that if the teachers did not receive a pay raise, then there would be a strike.

14. FAA investigators stated that the crash of TWA flight 109 was caused by faulty landing gear and not pilot error based on the evidence that was recovered. _____

15. President Clinton’s visit to China will improve international relations. _____

16. Corporal punishment is the most effective method in preventing crime.

_____

17. Everyone should wear seatbelts. _____

18. Marilyn Monroe died in her home at the age of 36. _____

19. The Titanic was the grandest passenger ship ever constructed. _____

20. The white in the American flag represents purity and innocence, the red, hardiness and valor: the blue, vigilance, perseverance and justice: the stars stand for each state in the union. _____

Name: _________________________Date______________________

Homework KIPP 2014: _______________________

Directions: Read the following short passages and answer the questions that follow.

SOS

Sometimes when people hike in the wilderness, they get lost. When this happens, the best thing to do is to stay put and to try to signal for assistance. You need to make your presence known in as many ways as possible. If you are in the snow, it is easy to dig an SOS message. If the SOS letters are in a clear spot and are wide and long enough, the message will be visible even to an airplane. You can also dig an SOS in the soil or build SOS letters with rock piles. Reflected flashes of sunlight can also be an excellent SOS signal. If you do not have a signaling mirror, the end of a tin can or a piece of aluminum foil might alert someone. Bright flashes of sunlight reflected with a mirror can be visible even to a high-flying airplane. The important thing to remember if you get lost it to not panic. You need to use your head and be alert for signs of someone coming to rescue you.

1. What is the first thing not to do if you are lost?

a. get panicky

b. stay put

c. signal for help

2. What could you do to help someone who is looking for you?

a. make your presence known with a large SOS sign

b. keep on the move as much as possible

c. build a lot of little SOS signs under trees

3. What is the best way to make an SOS sign visible?

a. try to make the letters look nice

b. dig the letters deep and wide

c. try to make the letters even

4. What do you need to make SOS “flashes”?

a. sunlight and a stick

b. sunlight and rock piles

c. sunlight and a mirror

Write fact if the sentence is a fact. Write opinion if the sentence is an opinion.

|1.  |

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|I am going to make a better grade on the math test than anyone else. |

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|2.  |

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|Cameron threw the ball to the pitcher. |

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|3.  |

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|The gardener chased the rabbits out of his cabbage field. |

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|4.  |

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|It is in your best interest to study to become a doctor. |

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|5.  |

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|Skipping rocks across the pond is more fun than playing baseball. |

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|6.  |

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|There are sixty seconds in one minute. |

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|7.  |

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|Savannah volunteers at the library twice a month. |

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|8.  |

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|There will never be as good a party as this one. |

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|9.  |

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|Airplanes and subways are two types of transportation. |

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|10.  |

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|President Woodrow Wilson established the League of Nations. |

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|11.  |

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|You really don't need to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy. |

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|12.  |

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|Everyone thinks watching movies is fun. |

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|13.  |

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|The Witch of Blackbird Pond was well-written by Elizabeth George Speare. |

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|14.  |

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|Fear Factor is too disgusting to watch. |

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|15.  |

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|Hurricane Mitch killed 11,000 people in 1998 and is the deadliest hurricane of the 1900's. |

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Name__________________________________________Date__________________

Soar to a 4 Lesson 2 KIPP 2014: _________________________

Getting 2 Points on the Graphic Organizer

Teaching point: Good test takers get two points on the graphic organizer. They do this by circling what the question is asking, going back and finding the proof and then copying the answer into the graphic organizer.

Mini Lesson:

Last time we met, we learned there are three things to do to get 2 points on the graphic organizer:

• Answer all parts correctly

• Answer all parts completely

• Answer all parts neatly

Steps to Get a 2:

1. Circle what the question is asking. Look to see if there are two things that the question is asking.

2. Find the proof in the passage, underline and label.

3. Copy the proof into the graphic organizer, making sure you put the proof in the correct spots

Native American Birdhouses

Iroquiois Indians were very resourceful. They made use of everything in their environment. One example is their creative use of gourds. Gourds are plants that grow from vines but cannot be eaten. Iroquiois Indians dried the gourds and used them as pots, as musical instruments and as decorations. They even made birdhouses out of them. Gourd birdhouses were hung around the garden. The birds that nested in them would eat harmful insects. You can make these gourd birdhouses by following the instructions below.

1. First, you will need a large gourd. You can either buy one or, if you have a garden, you can grow one. Using a child-safe, non-sharp pumpkin carving knife, cut a hole in the gourd about two inches wide. Ask your parents to help you with this.

2. Put the gourd aside until it dries. This may take a week or more.

3. Use a spoon to clean the inside of the gourd.

4. Use paint, markers, string and beads to decorate your birdhouses.

5. Fill the gourd birdhouse with seed and hang it from a tree. Then watch to see what kinds of birds nest inside.

1. Iroquois Indians used gourds for many purposes. What were the different purposes that Iroquois Indians used gourds?

|Iroquois Indians’ Use of Gourds |

|1. |3. |

|2. |4. |

Was it neat? ___

Was it complete? ___

Was it thorough? ___

=2!

A Modern Dragon

Imagine you are walking along a dirt path. Around you are tall grasses and tropical trees. Suddenly, you hear a noise in the grass behind you. You turn around, and in your path is a 10-foot-long dragon. Its head is moving back and forth on its long neck and its forked tongue is flicking in and out. With a loud hiss, it rushes forward and grabs a small pig that has been hiding in the grass. You are stunned that something so large can move so fast. You have just witnessed an attack by the Komodo Dragon, the world’s largest living lizard.

The Komodo Dragon lives on the Indonesian Island of Komodo. It is the largest member of lizards called the monitors. Monitors range in size from less to a foot long, to the giant Komodo Dragon which can be 10 feet long and weigh over 300 pounds. Monitors live on islands throughout the South Pacific and can be identified by their long, snakelike necks and muscular bodies.

The Komodo Dragon is a fierce and dangerous predator. In addition to its shape, it has other similarities to snakes. They both have jaws that can expand to swallow large prey, and long forked tongues that they use to smell the air for food or danger. Komodo Dragons are excellent hunters. They will eat almost anything, from eggs and birds to small deer and pigs. They use their sharp, heavy claws for digging and climbing and can run quite fast. They are equally at home in the water, where they use their long tails to swim like a crocodile. In fact, the native Indonesian name for the dragon, buaja dorat, means “land crocodile.” Komodo dragons are such good swimmers that they will swim across a mile or more of open ocean to get from one island to another while they are hunting.

The author in this passage compared the Komodo dragon with both snakes and crocodiles. Describe those similarities in the graphic organizer below.

|Similarities with Snakes |Similarities with Crocodiles |

|1. |1. |

|2. |2. |

A Modern Dragon

Imagine you are walking along a dirt path. Around you are tall grasses and tropical trees. Suddenly, you hear a noise in the grass behind you. You turn around, and in your path is a 10-foot-long dragon. Its head is moving back and forth on its long neck and its forked tongue is flicking in and out. With a loud hiss, it rushes forward and grabs a small pig that has been hiding in the grass. You are stunned that something so large can move so fast. You have just witnessed an attack by the Komodo Dragon, the world’s largest living lizard.

The Komodo Dragon lives on the Indonesian Island of Komodo. It is the largest member of lizards called the monitors. Monitors range in size from less to a foot long, to the giant Komodo Dragon which can be 10 feet long and weigh over 300 pounds. Monitors live on islands throughout the South Pacific and can be identified by their long, snakelike necks and muscular bodies.

The Komodo Dragon is a fierce and dangerous predator. In addition to its shape, it has other similarities to snakes. They both have jaws that can expand to swallow large prey, and long forked tongues that they use to smell the air for food or danger. Komodo Dragons are excellent hunters. They will eat almost anything, from eggs and birds to small deer and pigs. They use their sharp, heavy claws for digging and climbing and can run quite fast. They are equally at home in the water, where they use their long tails to swim like a crocodile. In fact, the native Indonesian name for the dragon, buaja dorat, means “land crocodile.” Komodo dragons are such good swimmers that they will swim across a mile or more of open ocean to get from one island to another while they are hunting.

The author in this passage compared the Komodo dragon with both snakes and crocodiles. Describe those similarities in the graphic organizer below.

|Similarities with Snakes |Similarities with Crocodiles |

|1. |1. |

|2. |2. |

Native American Birdhouses

Iroquiois Indians were very resourceful. They made use of everything in their environment. One example is their creative use of gourds. Gourds are plants that grow from vines but cannot be eaten. Iroquiois Indians dried the gourds and used them as pots, as musical instruments and as decorations. They even made birdhouses out of them. Gourd birdhouses were hung around the garden. The birds that nested in them would eat harmful insects. You can make these gourd birdhouses by following the instructions below.

1. First, you will need a large gourd. You can either buy one or, if you have a garden, you can grow one. Using a child-safe, non-sharp pumpkin carving knife, cut a hole in the gourd about two inches wide. Ask your parents to help you with this.

2. Put the gourd aside until it dries. This may take a week or more.

3. Use a spoon to clean the inside of the gourd.

4. Use paint, markers, string and beads to decorate your birdhouses.

5. Fill the gourd birdhouse with seed and hang it from a tree. Then watch to see what kinds of birds nest inside.

1. Iroquois Indians used gourds for many purposes. What were the different purposes that Iroquois Indians used gourds?

|Iroquois Indians’ Use of Gourds |

|1. |3. |

|2. |4. |

Was it neat? ___

Was it complete? ___

Was it thorough? ___

=2!

Name_________________________________Date___________________________

Reading homework KIPP 2014: _________________________

1. What happened in the last chapter of The Twits?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Muggle Wump Has an Idea

As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Twit had disappeared down the road, the monkeys all flipped back onto their feet the right way up. “Quick, get the key!” Muggle-Wump called out to the Roly-Poly Bird who was still sitting on the roof of his house.

“What key?” shouted the Roly Poly Bird.

“The key to the door of our cage,” cried Muggle Wump. “It’s hanging on a nail in the workshed. That’s where he always puts it.”

The Roly Poly Bird flew down and came back with the key in his beak. Muggle Wump reached a hand through the bars of the cage and took the key. He put it in the lock and turned it. The door opened. All four monkeys leapt out together.

“We are free!” cried the two little ones exuberantly. “Where shall we go, Dad? Where shall we hide?”

“Don’t get excited,” said Muggle Wump. “Calm down, everybody. Before we escape from this beastly place we have one very very important thing to do.”

“What?” they asked him.

“We’re going to turn those terrible Twits UPSIDE DOWN!”

“We’re going to do what?” they cried. “You must be joking Dad!”

“I’m not joking,” Muggle Wump said. “We’re going to turn both Mr. and Mrs. Twit UPSIDE DOWN with their legs in the air!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” the Roly Poly Bird said. “How can we possibly turn those two maggoty old monsters upside down? You must be off your rocker if you think that will work.”

“We can, we can!” cried Muggle-Wump. “We are going to make them stand on their heads for hours and hours! Perhaps forever! Let them see what it feels like for a change!”

“How?” said the Roly Poly Bird. “Just tell me how.”

1. In this passage, which character has the idea to turn the Twits upside down?

a. Muggle Wump

b. The Roly Poly Bird

c. the raven

d. the baby monkey

2. The author uses the phrase “off your rocker” to suggest-

a. that Muggle Wump has a good idea

b. that Muggle Wump has a crazy idea

c. that Muggle Wump has a quiet idea

d. that Roly Poly is crazy

3. What do you think will most likely happen next?

a. the monkeys will go back to Africa

b. the Twits will catch the monkeys

c. the monkeys will tell Roly Poly bird their plan

d. none of the above

4. Muggle Wump can be described in the passage as

a. silly

b. clever

c. boring

d. crazy

5. Muggle Wump and the Roly Poly bird are similar because

a. both are dads

b. both care about the safety of others

c. they are both birds

d. Muggle Wump is a monkey and Roly Poly is a bird

6. Before Muggle Wump opened the door –

a. he told Roly Poly his plan for the Twits

b. the Roly Poly bird brought him the key

c. the monkeys ran out of the cage

d. he stood upside down

( Go back and make sure you circled the RIGHT proof- there are traps!

Directions: Follow the three steps to poetry success. Include ILLUSTRATIONS and the MAIN IDEA. Answer the questions that follow.

Shadows

Zaro Weil

Moon

Last evening you

Rolled so loud and silver

Past my window

That the shadows

Woke and wove their dark

Molasses stripes

Over my bed

And

In the criss cross of

That night time

I knew what to do

Breath soft

Breath soft

And fold into a quiet silhouette

Until morning

W:

W:

1. This poem is about:

a. the moon

b. going to sleep

c. a bedroom

d. a window

2. The poet uses which poetic technique?

a. onamonapeia

b. personification

c. repetition

d. rhymes

3. What does “and fold into a quiet silhouette until morning” mean in the poem?

a. fold a piece of paper

b. fall asleep

c. be really dark

d. the moon shone on the child’s face

Name_____________________________Date__________________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: __________________

Making Predictions

Teaching point: Good test takers can identify ___________ questions. They determine that the questions are asking what will most likely happen _____. The answer is the one with the most_______. (

Do Now:

Mini Lesson:

Prediction questions sound like:

• What do you think will most likely happen in the future?

• What probably happened next?

• How might things have been different if…?

• ____ would probably…?

The Golden Touch

There once was a Greek king named Midas, who was famous for his beautiful rose garden. One day, the god Dionysus was traveling through the king’s lands. His old teacher, Silenus, traveled with him. Silenus was a satyr, a creature who is half human and half goat. Like all satyrs, SIlenus was often careless. In due time, he got lost and fell asleep in King Midas’s rose garden. Some peasants found the satyr and took him to the king. King Midas recognized Silenus and treated him kindly for the next ten days. During this time, Silenus entertained the king with many wondrous tales. On the eleventh day, the king brought Silenus to Dionysus. Dionysus was grateful to King Midas for taking care of his teacher. So, he offered to grant the king any wish. King Midas wished that everything he touched should be turned to gold.

Dionysus thought the wish was unwise, but he granted it anyway. Midas was so excited about his new power that he began testing it out at once. Everything he touched- the earth, his roses, the pillars of his palace- instantly turned to gold.

For a brief while, King Midas was happy. But then he began to regret his greedy wish. Whenever he tried to put any food or drink in his mouth, it also turned to gold. Despite all of his wealth, the king was hungry and thirsty. Then, one day, he truly realized how great a mistake he had made. He accidentally killed his daughter by turning her to gold when he touched her.

The heartbroken king pleaded with Dionsysus to undo the wish. Dionysus took pity on King Midas and told him to bathe in the river Pactolus.

1. What most likely happened after King Midas stepped into the river?

a. he drowned

b. his golden touch washed away

c. his greed disappeared

d. his daughter came back to life

2. If King Midas were ever granted a wish again, he would probably

a. refuse to make the wish

b. make another greedy wish

c. make a wiser choice

d. wish that he had Dionysus’ power

3. If his daughter had not died, the king would have probably

a. never asked Dionysus to undo the wish

b. still asked Dionysus to undo the wish

c. remain happy with his wealth

d. shared his wealth with others

The House, the Tree and the Monkey Cage

But that’s enough of that. We can’t go on forever watching these two disgusting people doing disgusting things to each other. We just get ahead with the story.

Mr. and Mrs. Twit’s house looked like a prison. And not a window anywhere.

“Who wants windows?” Mr. Twit had said when they were building it. “Who wants every Tom, Jane and Harry peeping in to see what you’re doing?” It didn’t occur to Mr. Twit that windows were meant mainly for looking out of, not for looking into.

Mrs. Twit was the gardener. She was very good at growing thistles and stinging nettles. “I always grow plenty of spiky thistles and plenty of stinging nettles,” she used to say. “They keep out nasty nosy little children.”

Near the house you can see Mr. Twit’s workshed.

TO one side there is the Big Dead Tree. It never has any leaves on it because it’s dead.

And not far from the tree, you can see the monkey cage. There are four monkeys in it. They belong to Mr. Twit. You will hear about them later.

1. What mostly happened next?

a. Mrs. Twit was nasty to children

b. Mr. Twit decided to put windows into their house

c. Mrs. Twit decided to go to prison

2. If Mr. and Mrs. Twit built another house, they would most likely-

a. put flowers around it

b. not build windows

c. use brick

d. put in a fireplace

Name____________________________Date___________________

Reading HW KIPP 2014:_______________________

Directions: Read the next chapter of The Twits. Answer the questions that follow. You will only get credit if you underline the proof.

Hugtight Sticky Glue

Once a week, on Wednesdays, the Twits had Bird Pie for supper. Mr. Twit caught the birds and Mrs. Twit cooked them.

Mr. Twit was good at catching birds. On the day before Bird Pie day, he would put the ladder up against the Big Dead Tree and climb into the branches with a bucket of glue and a paintbrush. The glue he used was something called HUGTIGHT and it was stickier than any other glue in the world. He would paint it along the tops of all the branches and then go away.

As the sun went down, birds would fly in from all around to roost for the night in The Big Dead Tree. They didn’t know, poor things, that the branches were all smeared with horrible HUGTIGHT. The moment they landed on a branch, their feet stuck and that was that.

The next morning, which was Bird Pie day, Mr. Twit would climb up the ladder again and grab all the wretched birds that were stuck to the tree. It didn’t matter what kind they were- song thrushes, blackbirds, sparrows, crows, little jenny wrens, robins, anything- they all went into the pot for Wednesday’s Bird Pie supper.

1. What most likely happened after Mr. Twit got the birds from the tree?

a. Mrs. Twit went gardening

b. Mr. Twit caught more birds

c. Mr. and Mrs. Twit ate bird pie

d. Mr. Twit mixed more HUGTIGHT

2. If Mr. Twit didn’t use HUGTIGHT, he’d most likely use

a. super glue

b. paper

c. coca cola

d. paste

3. The following Wednesday, what will most likely happen?

a. Mr. Twit will catch more birds

b. the birds will figure out a clever plan

c. Mrs. Twit will tell him to stop

d. no birds will land

Name__________________________________Date______________

Reading Classwork KIPP 2014: ___________________

Slow Down, Don’t Move too Fast

Teaching point: Good readers slooooooooow down by reading the questions and the passage CAREFULLY. They go back and reread when they clunk.

[pic]

|Clunking Strategies: | |

|Reread, slow down, context clues, |A Story from South America |

|question | |

| |High in the Andean Mountains of Bolivia there is a region called Altiplano where many children love to play soccer. |

| |Every other day of the week they play games, both serious and competitive. One boy in particular, Efrain, is a very |

| |good player and scores many goals each game. |

| |Efrain’s younger brother, Oscar, is a fine player but he is not as strong. His mother tells him, “Oscar, growing up |

| |takes time.” Sometimes while Efrain plays soccer, Oscar skips the games and visits the cows and the rabbits on their |

| |farm. He likes the smooth fur on their skin and the sounds they make nibbling short blades of grass. |

| |One afternoon Oscar helped his mother prepare chicken and potatoes for dinner. While his mother gathered the potatoes|

| |from the field, Oscar decided to let the air out of Efrain’s soccer ball. |

| |When Efrain returned that night he noticed the ball right away. “What happened,” he exclaimed. His mother said, “Oh,|

| |maybe it has a leak?” Oscar said nothing and checked on the boiling potatoes. He stirred the hot water, staring at |

| |the wall so no one would notice his smile. |

| |On the way to school a few days later, Efrain stopped at his neighbor’s house to borrow their bike pump and inflate |

| |the soccer ball. “There,” he said, “now it should be fine.” Oscar said nothing and looked down at the red math book |

| |he held in his left arm. It |

| |was going to be a long day. |

| |That afternoon many girls and boys from school played a tough game of soccer. Oscar didn’t score once and he got |

| |trampled twice by the bigger players. During a break he discreetly let out the air from a couple of the soccer balls |

| |behind the bench. |

| |Efrain was the first to notice the flat black and white objects. “Hey, what’s this? Oscar, how did this happen?” |

| |Oscar said nothing, hopped on his bike and rode home. When he arrived at the house his mom said, “I thought you were |

| |playing sports today.” Oscar said he wanted to visit the animals before supper. |

| |Late that night Oscar crept over to Efrain’s side of the room. His brother’s soccer ball was at the foot of the |

| |mattress. He grabbed for it and let out the air. “Ahh haa,” cried Efrain, “It’s you!” Efrain ran to get their |

| |mother. |

| |Soon there was a family discussion and Oscar confessed to letting out all of the air from the soccer balls. “But |

| |why?” his mother asked. “Well, I like soccer but sometimes I want to play |

| |just for fun,” he replied. |

| |The next day their mother talked to the schoolteachers and |

| |they decided to have fun practices one day, and serious games the next. This way everyone, big and small, could enjoy|

| |sport. |

1. The second paragraph in this story is necessary in order to-

a. explain why Efrain is a better player

b. introduce Oscar the readers

c. tell why Oscar likes animals

d. show what the mother thinks

2. Which of the following sentences might be the best choice for the end of the fourth paragraph?

a. Oscar was happy to have a secret

b. the potatoes were overcooked

c. the soccer ball made him happy

d. his mother would be proud.

3. Which phrases indicate that the structure of the soccer games was going to change?

a. “Soon there was a family discussion…”

b. “… they decided to have fun practices one day…”

c. “ Efrain ran to get his mother…”

d. “ Efrain was the first to notice…”

4. During the passage, it becomes obvious that-

a. Oscar and Efrain live on a farm.

b. Most of the kids do not like soccer.

c. Efrain is not good in school.

d. Oscar likes his math class the best.

5. Another good title for this would be-

a. “On the Farm”

b. “The Problem of the Soccer Balls”

c. “Bolivia”

d. “Boiling Potatoes”

Independent Work

| | |

| | The Flutes of Ogawa |

| |In the small Japanese village of Ogawa, a bamboo forest grew close to the Nasaka River. Each family could cut down only four trees a |

| |year to make furniture and other household goods. Every parent usually made one bamboo flute for the family. |

| |Shota, a young boy from the village, played the flute from morning until night. He brought his flute to school. Other children played |

| |with him and the village filled with beautiful music. |

| |An old woman, Akane, lived on the outskirts of town in a tiny bamboo hut. She had played the flute years ago and once traveled to |

| |entertain at the Emperor’s palace in Tokyo. Unfortunately, before she arrived at the palace she fell in the street and the flute broke.|

| |She left Tokyo and never played music again. From that day on, she did not like the children playing music near her home. |

| |One Sunday afternoon Shota was walking in the woods playing his flute. He didn’t realize how far he had traveled from his home and |

| |suddenly found himself in Akane’s back yard. The old woman stood on the porch and said, “Young boy, I have some lovely rice cakes and |

| |fresh green tea inside.” Shota was a little nervous but he was also hungry and tired. |

| |“Yes, that would be nice,,” Shota said, and climbed up Akane’s back porch. They sat for a while, then Akane said, “Young boy, I have |

| |wonderful stones and gems. Look at this beautiful jade coin. Would you trade your flute for this treasure?” |

| |Shota hesitated but the coin was beautiful. He knew his father could make him a new flute. And his mother might like the jade as a |

| |present. He said, “Yes, thank you,” and ran home to his family. |

| |Soon other children in the village traded their flutes for wonderful coins, stones and jewels from Akane. |

| |But it was late in the year and Shota’s father was not able to cut down another bamboo tree. No sweet songs filled the air. Shota felt|

| |empty inside. His father went to Akane and asked, “Akane, what are you doing with the flutes?” She answered, “They are rotting in my |

| |attic. I don’t want to hear flute music ever again,” and she closed the door in his face. |

| |Shota’s father decided to cut down a bamboo tree even though he was not allowed. The other villagers saw him chopping bamboo near the |

| |Nasaka River and asked, “What are you doing?” He told the sad story of Akane. The villagers suddenly understood why their own children|

| |had not been playing music. They helped him cut down the tree and make new flutes. |

| |Soon the village of Ogawa came alive. The children played their beautiful songs and everyone was happy once again. The villagers |

| |planted more bamboo trees so there would be plenty for the next year. |

| | |

| |1. The third paragraph is important to the story because it- |

| |a. introduces the character Shota |

| |b. tells how to make a bamboo flute |

| |c. shows why Akane doesn’t like flute music |

| |d. tells why Shota is walking near Akane’s house |

| | |

| |2. If there was an additional sentence at the end of the second to last paragraph, what words would be most important? |

| |a. The villagers were angry at Shota’s father for cutting down another tree |

| |b. The villagers decided to overlook the rule of only four trees per family. |

| |c. All the children in the village loved to play flute. |

| |d. Everyone was angry at Akane for tricking the children. |

| | |

| |3. After reading the story you can tell- |

| |a. the Nasaka River helped the bamboo grow |

| |b. the villagers didn’t like Akane |

| |c. the Emperor liked music |

| |d. bamboo was important to the village |

| | |

| |4. Which words show Shota regretted his decision to trade his flute? |

| |a. “No sweet songs filled the air.” |

| |b. “Shota felt empty inside.” |

| |c. “soon the village of Ogawa came alive.” |

| |d. “But it was late in the year.” |

| | |

| |5. Akane did not like hearing flute music because- |

| |a. she did not have any children |

| |b. shota was the best musician in town |

| |c. she liked peace and quiet |

| |d. it reminded her of her time in Tokyo |

| |The Clay Figures of Sulawesi |

| |A Story from Indonesia |

| |On the island of Sulawesi, a woman named Yupita made pottery for a living. During her spare time, she also made clay kittens, frogs, |

| |turtles and other |

| |small animals to give to the children of the village. Each child had two figurines, but no more. |

| |Rabina, Yupita’s daughter, played with the figures every day. She and her friends performed amusing skits on Sundays from their porch. |

| |All the villagers came to these weekly festive events. |

| |Everyone attended except a man named Yaso. No one really knew him yet. He had just moved to town and was setting up a sewing shop to |

| |make scarves and sarongs in the village. |

| |One afternoon, Yupita made an elephant, a rat, an alligator and a cow. She put them on the porch near the bright red hibiscus flower. |

| |The clay figures had to cool after they baked in the hot kiln for hours. As she turned to go inside, Yupita noticed Yaso walking by her|

| |home. She waved and he said, “Hello.” He did not stop to talk. |

| |The next day, the clay figures were missing. “Rabina,” her mother yelled, “where are the animals?” Rabina answered, “I don’t know, I |

| |did not touch them.” Yupita stared at her daughter disapprovingly, then went into the house without saying a word. |

| |That afternoon Yupita noticed Yaso walking by with a brand new cow. She thought he must be doing well if he could afford to buy a |

| |second animal. She weaved at him as she put two more clay figures on the porch: a horse and a buffalo. |

| |To Yupita’s surprise, the next morning the clay animals were gone. She confronted Rabina. “I have said that you and your friends can |

| |only have two figures each.” |

| |Rabina pleaded with her mother, “It is not me, I promise.” Yupita thought for a moment. Suddenly she remembered Yaso and the brand new|

| |cow. She apologized to her daughter and gave her a big hug. “I have to run an errand,” Rabina’s mother said. |

| |She walked to Yaso’s house and in his cart sat the horse and the buffalo. He steepped out of the house in a flustered manner and said, |

| |“Oh, I am |

| |heading to the marked, Icannot have visitors right now.” Yupita replied, “I am not here to visit. You are taking clay figures from my|

| |porch and selling them for profit. I want them back.” |

| |Yaso could not say a thing. He handed the horse and the buffalo to Yupita and she rent home to spend time with her daughter. |

| |That afternoon, Yupita began to teach Rabina how to make her own clay figures and soon the children had more than two figures each. |

| |Rabina enjoyed learning her mother’s craft and she shared her fine clay friends with all of her friends. |

| | |

| |1. At the end of the fifth paragraph, which of the following sentences would be the most appropriate to add? |

| |a. There was a thief in the house. |

| |b. Yupita was happy with the situation. |

| |c. She thought her daughter was lying. |

| |d. No one understood Yaso and his business. |

| | |

| |2. From the passage you can tell that- |

| |a. Yaso was not selling sarongs |

| |b. Yupita was a leader in the community |

| |c. Rabina did not have many friends. |

| |d. Yupita was artistic. |

| | |

| |3. In the second to last paragraph the author wrote, “Yaso could not say a thing “ because |

| |a. Yaso did not like to talk to Yupita |

| |b. Yupita made Yaso uncomfortable |

| |c, Yaso had a hard time with strangers |

| |d. Yaso knew he was wrong. |

| | |

| |4. Yaso probably did not make many friends because |

| |a. he was not a friendly person |

| |b., he was too ugly |

| |c. no one was interested in his life |

| |d. he looked suspicious |

| | |

| |5. Which words most clearly show that Yupita felt guilty about her first reaction to the missing figurines? |

| |a. “she went home to spend time with her daughter.” |

| |b. “she remembered the brand new cow.” |

| |c. “I have to run an errand.” |

| |d. “Yupita thought for a moment.” |

| | |

Name______________________________________Date_____________________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: ________________________

If You Don’t Understand the Passage, You Will Get the Answers Wrong ( If You Are Super Careful You Will Get the Answers Right ( [pic]

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What are strategies good readers do when they clunk?

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

4. ________________________________

What is a good strategy to use when we are testing?

__________________________________

Let’s try that strategy!

What did you notice that I did?

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

4. ________________________________

5. ________________________________

|When are You | |

|Clunking? |Rumpelstilskin |

| |One day, a poor miller met the king. Wanting to impress the king, the |

| |miller said, “I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold.” The king told |

| |the miller to bring the girl to his castle. |

| |When the girl arrived, the king led her into a room full of straw. He gave |

| |her a spinning wheel and said, “If you value your life, you will spin all this |

| |straw into gold by morning.” Then he left her alone and unlocked the door. |

| |The poor girl had no notion of how to spin gold out of straw. Her distress |

| |grew so great that she began to weep. Suddenly, the door opened, and |

| |in came a strange little man. “What will you give me if I spin this straw for |

| |you?” he asked. |

| |“My necklace,” said the girl. The little man took the necklace and then |

| |spun all the straw into gold. When the king came at sunrise and saw the |

| |glittering gold, he took the girl into a larger room filled with straw and asked |

| |her to do the same. Again, the little man came. This time, the girl gave him |

| |her ring in exchange for his help. The next morning, the king was delighted. |

| |He then took the girl to an even bigger room full of straw. “If you spin all this |

| |straw into gold,” the king told her, “I will make you my wife.” |

| |The little man appeared for the third time. “I will spin this straw into |

| |gold,” he said, “but you must give me your firstborn child when you are |

| |queen.” The girl agreed, and soon she became queen. |

| |A year later, the queen had a baby, and soon after, the little man |

| |appeared to claim the child. The queen offered him all the riches of the |

| |kingdom if she could keep her child. |

| |But the little man said, “I’d rather have a living child than all the gold |

| |and jewels in the world.” |

| |When she heard this, the queen began to weep so bitterly that the little |

| |man took pity on her. “Very well,” he said, “I will give you three days. If you |

| |can guess my name within that time, you may keep your child.” |

| |Then queen struggled to think of unusual names. She also sent a |

| |messenger to search for new names. On the third day, the messenger |

| |returned with a story about a little man in the forest who had hopped |

| |around a fire on one foot and sung, “Today I brew, tomorrow I bake. And |

| |after that the child I’ll take. I’m the winner of the game. Rumpelstiltskin is |

| |my name.” |

| |Not long afterward, the man appeared before the queen. “Well , Your |

| |Majesty,” he said, “what is my name?” |

| |And the queen said, “By any chance, is your name Rumpelstilskin?” |

| |At that, the little man got so angry that he stomped off and never came |

| |back. |

1. Who first discovered the little man’s name?

a. the king

b. the queen

c. the messenger

d. the miller

2. Which detail from the passage tells that the king was mean?

a. He told the girl that if she valued her life, she must spin the straw into gold.

b. he told the miller to bring his daughter to the castle

c. he was delighted to see all the gold

d. he took the girl’s jewelry

3. What did the girl give the little man the second time he came to help her?

a. her necklace

b. her ring

c. her gold

d. her child

4. The boxes tell about some things that happened in the story.

| |The king told the girl to spin all the |A little man asked the girl what she would give|

| |straw into gold by morning |him to spin the straw |

Which of these belongs in box 1?

a. The king left the girl alone and locked the door.

b. A little man came in the room.

c. The miller’s daughter began to weep.

d. The girl arrived at the castle.

Name: _____________________________________Date: _________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2014: _____________________

|When are you clunking? | How the Camel Got His Hump |

| |In the beginning, when the world was so new-and-all, there was a Camel. He lived in the middle of a |

| |Howling Desert because he did not want to work. When anybody spoke to him, he said, “Humph!” Just |

| |“Humph!” and no more. |

| |Presently, the Horse came to him, with a saddle on his back, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come out and |

| |trot like the rest of us.” |

| |“Humph!” said the Camel, and the Horse went away and told the Man. |

| |Presently, the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and fetch and|

| |carry like the rest of us.” |

| |“Humph!” said the Camel, and the Ox went away and told the Man. |

| |At the end of the day, the Man called the Horse, the Dog, and the Ox together, and said, “I’m very sorry|

| |for you but that Humph thing can’t work, or he would have by now. So, you must work double time to make|

| |up for it.” |

| |That made the Three very angry. So they had a powwow. Presently, along came the Djinn in charge of All|

| |Deserts. |

| |“Dijin of All Deserts,” said the Horse, “there’s a thing in your Howling Desert with a long neck and |

| |legs who won’t work. And all he says about it is ‘Humph!’” |

| |“Well!” said the Djinn. “I’ll hupmhmpppphhhhh him if you will kindly wait a minute.” |

| |The Djinn found the Camel looking at his reflection in a pool of water. |

| |“My friend,” said the Djinn, “what’s this I hear of your doing no work?” |

| |“Humph!” said the Camel. |

| |“You’ve given the Three extra work all on account of your idleness.” |

| |“Humph!” said the Camel. |

| |“I shouldn’t say that again if I were you,” the Djin warned. |

| |And no sooner had the Camel said “Humph!” again than he saw his back puffing up into a great big humph. |

| |“I shouldn’t say that again if I were you,” the Djinn warned. |

| |And no sooner had the Camel said “Humph!” again than he saw his puffing up into a great big humph. |

| |And no sooner had the Camel said “Humph!” again than he saw his back puffing up into a great big humph. |

| |“Do you see that?” said Djinn. “That’s your very own humph that you’ve brought upon your very own self |

| |by not working. You will be able to work now for three days without eating, because you can live on |

| |your humph.” |

| |And from that day to this, the Camel always wears a hump. |

1. Why did the camel get a hump?

a. It was his punishment for doing no work.

b. It suddenly appeared when he looked in a pool of water.

c. It was a gift from the Djinn.

d. It was given to him by the three animals so that he could work longer.

2. What happened as a result of the Horse’s complaining to the Djinn?

a. The three animals got more work.

b. The Djinn punished the Horse.

c. The Djinn went off to scold the Camel.

d. The Camel became upset with the Horse.

3. What did the dog want to do with the camel?

a. plough

b. fetch

c. trot

d. look at his reflection in the water

Name__________________________________________Date_________________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: ________________________

Teaching point: It has to be the RIGHT proof!

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Every single one of you has underlined the wrong proof at one point or another. When you do this, you get the answer wrong. If you don’t underline any proof (because you can’t find it) you get the answer wrong.

Today we will learn how to find the RIGHT proof.

The Great Upside-Down Monkey Circus

Now for the monkeys

The four monkeys in the cage in the garden were all one family. They were Muggle-Wump and his wife and their two small children.

But what on earth were Mr. and Mrs. Twit doing with monkeys in their garden?

Well, in the old days, they had both worked in a circus as monkey trainers. They used to teach monkeys to do tricks and to dress up in human clothes and to smoke pipes and all the rest of that nonsense.

Today, although they were retired, Mr. Twit still wanted to train monkeys. In his dream that one day he would own the first GREAT UPSIDE-DOWN MONKEY CIRCUS in the world.

That meant that the monkeys had to do everything upside down. They had to dance upside down (on their hands with their feet in the air). They had to play football upside down. They had to balance one on top of the other upside down, with Muggle-Wump at the bottom and the smallest baby monkey at the very top. They even had to eat and drink upside down and that is not an easy thing to do because the food and water has to go up your throat instead of down it. In fact, it is almost impossible, but the monkeys simply had to do it otherwise they got nothing.

All this sounds pretty silly to you and me. It sounded pretty silly to the monkeys, too. They absolutely hated having to do this upside-down nonsense day after day. It made them giddy standing on their heads for hours on end. Sometimes the two small monkey children would faint with so much blood going to their heads. But Mr. Twit didn’t care about that. He kept them practicing for six hours every day and if they didn’t do as they were told, Mrs. Twit would come running with her beastly stick.

1. The monkeys will probably next

a. work as circus trainers

b. be asked to stand upside down

c. carry a stick

d. garden

2. What is the problem with having to eat and drink upside down?

a. the Twits put them in circus clothes

b. the Twits chase them with a stick

c. the water and food have to go up your throat

d. they are made giddy standing on their heads hours on end

3. If the monkeys weren’t done what they are told tomorrow, they will probably

a. Mrs. Twit will run after them with her stick

b. they will join the circus

c. they will be dressed in clothes

d. they will stand on their heads

The Roly-Poly Bird to the Rescue

Muggle Wump and his family longed to escape from the cage in Mr. Twit’s garden and go back to the African jungle where they came from.

They hated Mr. and Mrs. Twit for making their lives so miserable.

They also hated them for what they did every Tuesday and Wednesday. “Fly away, birds!” they used to shout, jumping in the cage and waving their arms. “Don’t sit on that Big Dead Tree!” It’s just been smeared all over with sticky glue! Go and sit somewhere else!”

But these were English birds and they couldn’t understand the weird African language the monkeys spoke. So they took no notice and went on using The Big Dead Tree and getting caught for Mrs. Twit’s Bird Pie.

Then one day, a truly magnificent bird flew down out of the sky and landed on the monkey cage.

“Good heavens!” cried all the monkeys together. “It’s the Roly-Poly Bird! What on earth are you doing over here in England, Roly-Poly Bird?” Like the monkeys the Roly-Poly Bird came from Africa and he spoke the same language as they did.

“I’ve come for a holiday,” said the Roly-Poly Bird. “I like to travel.” He fluffed his marvelous colored feathers and looked down rather grandly at the monkeys. “For most people,” he went on, “flying away on holiday is very expensive, but I can fly anywhere in the world for nothing.”

“Do you know how to talk to these English birds?” Muggle-Wump asked him.

“Of course I do,” said the Roly-Poly Bird. “It’s no good going to a country and not knowing the language.”

“Then we must hurry,” said Muggle-Wump. “Today is Tuesday and over there you can already see the revolting Mr. Twit up the ladder painting sticky glue on all the branches of The Big Dead Tree. This evening when the birds come in to roost, you must warn them not to perch on that tree or they will be made into Bird Pie.”

1. What will most likely happen next?

a. the Roly Poly bird will go on holiday

b. the Roly Poly bird will warn the other birds

c. he will learn the language

d. he will sit on the tree with the sticky glue

2. Why will the Roly Poly Bird know how to speak to the other birds?

a. his feathers are colored

b. he is able to fly anywhere in the world for nothing

c. he speaks their language

d. he will use his big feathers to scare them away

(Continued)

That evening, the Roly-Poly Bird flew around and around The Big Dead Tree singing out,

“There’s sticky stick stuff all over the tree!

If you land in the branches, you’ll never get free!

So fly away! Fly away! Stay up high!

Or you’ll finish up tomorrow in a hot Bird pie!”

The next morning when Mr. Twit came out with his huge basket to snatch all the birds from The Big Dead Tree there wasn’t a single one on it. They were all sitting on top of the monkey cage. They Roly Poly Bird was there as well, and Muggle Wump and his family were inside the cage and the whole lot of them were laughing at Mr. Twit

Mr. Twit wasn’t going to wait another week for his Bird Pie supper. He loved Bird Pie. It was his favorite meal. So that very same day, he went after the birds again. This time he smeared all the top bars of the monkey cage with sticky glue, as well as the branches of The Big Dead Tree. “Now I’ll get you,” he said, “whichever one you sit on!”

The monkeys crouched inside the cage watching all this, and later on, when the Roly Poly Bird came swooping in for an evening chat, they shouted out, “Don’t land on our cage, Roly Poly Bird! It’s covered with sticky glue! So is the tree!”

And that evening, as the sun went down and all the birds came in again to roost, the Roly-Poly Bird flew around and around the monkey cage and The Big Dead Tree, singing out his warning,

“There’s sticky stuff now on the cage and the tree!

If you land on either, you’ll never get free!”

So fly away! Fly away! Stay up high!

Or you’ll finish up tomorrow in a hot Bird Pie!”

1. What happened after Mr. Twit came to the Big Dead Tree?

a. the sun went up

b. there wasn’t a single bird on it

c. he ate hot bird pie

d. Mr. Twit loves hot bird pie

2. How does the Roly Poly Bird warn the birds?

a. he screams

b. he sings

c. they roost

d. he tells the monkeys

Name_______________________________________Date_________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2014: _____________________

Directions: Read the next chapter of The Twits. Answer the questions that follow. Make sure you look for THE RIGHT PROOF. If you don’t find and label the proof, you will not get credit for your homework.

Mr. and Mrs. Twit Go Off and Buy Guns

The next morning when Mr. Twit came out with his huge basket, not a single bird was sitting on either the monkey cage or The Big Dead Tree. They were all perched happily on the roof of Mr. Twit’s house. They Roly Poly Bird was up there as well, and the monkeys were in the cage and the whole lot of them were hooting with laughter at Mr. Twit.

“I’ll wipe that silly laugh off your beaks!” Mr. Twit screamed at the birds. “I’ll get you next time, you filthy feathery frumps! I’ll wring your necks, the whole lot of you, and have you bubbling in the pot for Bird Pie before this day is out!”

“How are you going to do that?” asked Mrs. Twit, who had come outside to see what all the noise was about. “I won’t have you smearing sticky glue all over the roof of our house!”

Mr. Twit went very close to Mrs. Twit and lowered his voice so that neither the birds nor the monkeys should hear. “I’ve got a great idea,” he said. “We’ll go into town right away and we’ll buy a gun each! How’s that?”

“Brilliant!” cried Mrs. Twit, grinning and showing her long yellow teeth. “We’ll buy those big shotguns that spray out fifty bullets or more with each bang!”

“Exactly,” said Mr. Twit. “Lock up the house while I go and make sure the monkeys are safely shut away.”

Mr. Twit went over to the monkey cage. “Attention!” he barked in his fearsome monkey-trainer’s voice. “Upside down all of you and jump to it! One on top of the other! Quick! Get on with it or you’ll feel Mrs. Twit’s stick across your backsides!”

Obediently, the poor monkeys stood on their hands and clambered one on top of the other, with Muggle Wump at the bottom and the smallest child at the very top.

“Now stay there til we come back!” Mr. Twit ordered. “Don’t you dare move!” And don’t overbalance! When we return in two or three hours time, I shall expect to find you all in exactly the same position as you are now! You understand?”

With that, Mr. Twit marched away. Mrs. Twit went with him. And the monkeys were left alone with the birds.

1. How did Mr. Twit react to the birds sitting on his roof?

a. he started screaming at them

b. he told his secret to Mrs. Twit

c. the told the monkeys to stand on their heads

d. he went to the store

2. Where are the Twits going to buy the guns?

a. a store

b. to town

c. the birds laughed

d. he told the monkeys to stay still

3. Mr. Twit and Mrs. Twit will most likely

a. return to see the Roly Poly bird

b. return with guns

c. yell at the birds

d. make bird pie

4. How did Mrs. Twit react to Mr. Twit’s plan?

a. she thought it was silly

b. she thought it was serene

c. she thought it was a good idea

d. she thought it was diligent

Directions: Read the following poem then follow the three steps to poetry success.

Midsummer, Tobago

Broad sun stoned beaches.

White heat.

A green river.

A bridge,

Scorched yellow palms

From the summer sleeping house

Drowsing through August.

Days I have held,

Days I have lost,

Days that outgrow, like daughters,

My harboring arms.

Name________________________________Date_________________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: ____________________

Teaching point: Good test takers find the MAIN IDEA. The answer is what the passage is MOSTLY ABOUT. They do NOT find ONE SENTENCE of PROOF!

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Main Idea

• What is the main idea?

• Another good title for this passage would be-?

• This passage could also be called?

• What is the passage mostly about?

• What is the best summary?

1. YOU MUST FIND WHAT THE PASSAGE IS MOSTLY ABOUT!!!

2. DO NOT LOOK FOR SOMETHING THAT ONLY HAS ONE SENTENCE OF PROOF!!!

3. ALWAYS LOOK AT THE TITLE FOR A HINT!!!

Tempera Painting

In tempera paints the color or pigment is carried in an egg, gum or other solution in water. This is the oldest way of painting known. The wall paintings of Egypt were probably tempera, made with egg yolk and some vinegar. Later, when tempera was used in Europe, artists painted on plaster with a brush. Since the paint is dried so quickly, the artist had to work quickly. Today, tempera paints are still in use. Now they come mixed in tubes and pots. Many artists still like tempera because the colors are very bright and clear, even when painted on a dark background.

This story could also be called

A. An old favorite

B. Oil Painting

C. A New Way to Paint

D. Some Colors are Bright and Clear

Tin Coats

Tim cans are not pure tin. The can itself is made from a thin sheet of steel or iron. The steel or iron is then coated with tin. There are two methods of coating. One is the hot-dip method. The other is the electrolytic method. The tin coat protects the steel or iron against rusting. Another kind of metal that is often protected by a thin tin plate is copper wire. Pure tin would cost too much money. Tin plates do the job at a lower cost.

What is the passage mostly about?

A. The oldest way of painting

B. Making tin

C. Making cans

D. Electrolytic method

Independent Practice

Communicating Without Words

Think about the word communication. What do you think it means? If you’re thinking of speaking or writing- you are correct- but only partly so. Imagine yourself shipwrecked on a desert island. You’ve been alone for many months. You’ve lost track of time. One morning you’re walking along the beach. You see a solitary figure a long way off. It appears to be a person and is moving in your direction. As the figure approaches, you see that it is indeed a person. Soon you can see that this person is an adult man. He is wearing a uniform of some sort. It appears to be a naval uniform and he is neatly dressed. He can see by your size and appearance whether you are male or female, a young person or an adult. He sees the condition of your clothing and hair. From this he knows some things about you. He waves his hand at you. You wave back. Nothing has been said or written at this point, but you each know a great deal about each other. You’ve communicated without words.

1. Another good title for this would be

a. Written Language

b. Foreign Language

c. Unspoken Language

d. shipwrecked

2. The figure on the beach looks at you and knows

a. something about you

b. nothing about you

c. only what you can tell him

The Skyscraper’s Friend

Skyscrapers are very numerous in large cities throughout the world. It is unlikely that skyscrapers would be in existence if it were not for the invention of the elevator. In fact, no skyscrapers were ever built until the invention of the elevator. The elevator is simply a car that can be moved up and down in a shaft from one floor to another. The car, which is like a little room, has cables fastened on top. The cables go up over pulleys at the top of the shaft itself. At the other end of the cable there is a heavy weight. It weights about as much as the elevator car. Perhaps you were waiting for an elevator at some time and saw a counterweight move past you. As the counterweight goes up, the elevator car moves down. When the elevator car moves up, the counterweight goes down. At first elevators were pushed by water. Now most of them are run by electric motors which operate the pulleys. In some buildings, elevators are being replaced by escalators or moving stairways. Escalators take up more room than elevators and move more slowly. It is not likely that the tall skyscrapers will ever use them instead of escalators.

1. This story could also be called

a. skyscrapers

b. elevators

c. friends

d. pulleys

2. The skyscraper’s friend is the

a. elevator

b. the escalator

c. the counterweight

d. the car

Name__________________________________Date______________

Reading Homework KIPP 2014: ______________

The Camel

You have very likely heard tales of how the camel got its hump. These are fun to hear and read about. Camels are able to live well in the dry deserts of Asia and Africa. In the hump is stored fat and food. If the camel must go without eating for a long time, it can draw on this hump for food. If the camel must go without water for several days, it can draw on water stored in pouches in its stomach. It is able to eat thorny plants which grown in the desert. Thick pads on its feet, legs and chest make it possible to walk or kneel in burning hot sand. It can close its nostrils in a sand storm and find water with a keen sense of smell. There are two types of camels. The Dromedary has one hump, the Bactrian has two.

This story could also be called

a. from desert to jungle

b. a good desert animal

c. finding water

Camels have

a. one hump

b. two humps

c. one or two humps

Who “Discovered” America?”

“In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Many students know this rhyme which helps them remember the year, 1492 AD, in which Columbus first reached the American continent. However, it is almost certain that Vikings, led by Leif Ericsson, reached the American continent 500 years before Columbus. There is a rock carving near present-day Bristol, Rhode Island, that is taken as evidence of a 1000 AD landing. In fact, Egyptian lotus plants still growing in Delaware may have been started by ancient Egyptian mariners many thousands of years ago. And what of the American Indians of today? Did they come across a land bridge from Asia more than 20,000 years ago? Who discovered America?

1. This story also could be called

a. Columbus

b. It is Now Known

c. The Puzzle of America

2. Leif Ericsson reached the American continent

a. before Columbus

b. after Columbus

c. with Columbus

Don’t Eat with Your Fingers

Until the time of the Romans, people at with their fingers. They licked them clean during or after a meal. Both the spoon and the knife had been in use for thousands of years, however. Early knives were probably just sharp stones. The spoon was probably designed to be like a cupped hand. The first fork was probably made from a forked stick. For a long time these were like little pitchforks. The table was invented in Italy in the eleventh century. A very dainty woman didn’t like eating with her fingers so a tiny golden fork was made for her.

1. This story is mostly about

a. knives, forks and spoons

b. knives and spoons

c. licking your fingers

Name_________________________________________Date______________________Soar to a 4 Lesson 4 ( KIPP 2014: ________________________

Teaching point: Good readers can identify similes and metaphors. They soar to a 4 when they follow the 3 steps to poetry success.

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Simile: a simile is a phrase that compares two unlike things with LIKE or AS

Ex) Francisco is like a bulldog on the court.

Francisco is as tall as a giant.

Metaphor: a metaphor is a phrase that compares two unlike things WITHOT using like or as

EX) Jerry is a giant on the court.

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line.

Day Dreaming

The day is done. The house is still.

It’s time to doze and drift away.

It’s as quiet as a night in the country.

I slip beneath the sheets to sleep

And leave behind the world of day.

A lovely dream will soon unfold-

I can’t predict what will be.

But whether tame or wild tale,

I’m sure the hero will be me, a lion among dreams.

My dreams are filled with folks I know

And puzzling creatures I’ve not met.

Some dreams fade when morning comes

Like my reflection in the mirror

And others I cannot forget

But in all dreams I’m bold and fast,

A cheetah of the jungle

And stronger than what frightens me

I beat the foe and save the day

With dazzling feats of bravery.

When I’m asleep, I have no fear-

I always know what to do

If all my days were like my nights,

My life would be a dream come true!

1. The poet uses everything EXCEPT

a. metaphors

b. similes

c. rhymes

b. repetition

2. The narrator compares himself to a lion because

a. he wants to eat people

b. he wants to be a hero

c. he wants to be orange

d. he likes animals

3. The narrator compares his dreams to a mirror reflection because

a. the dreams fade away

b. he likes to look at himself

c. the dream reflects

d. the mirror is made of glass

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line.

Until Gran Died

by Judith Nicholls

The minnows I caught

lived for a few days in a jar

then floated side-up on the surface.

We buried them beneath the hedge.

I didn’t cry,

but felt sad inside.

I thought

I could deal with funerals

that is

until Gran died.

The goldfish I kept in a bowl

Passed away with old age.

Mum wrapped him in a newspaper

and we buried him next to a rose bush.

I didn’t cry,

but felt sad inside.

I thought

I could deal with funerals

that is

until Gran died.

My cat lay stiff in a shoebox

after being hit by a car.

Dad dug a hole and we buried her

under the apple tree.

I didn’t cry,

but felt very sad inside.

I thought

I could deal with funerals

that is

until Gran died.

And when she died

I went to the funeral

with relations dressed in black.

They cried, and so did I.

Salty tears ran down my face.

Oh, how I cried.

Yes, I thought

I could deal with funerals

that is

until Gran died.

She was buried in a graveyard

and even the sky wept that day.

Rain fell and fell

And thunder sounded far away across the town.

I cried

and I cried.

I thought

I could deal with funerals

that is

until Gran died.

1. You can tell from this poem that the poet

A. loved her grandmother.

B. did not have pets growing up.

C. never cries.

D. hates animals.

2. This poem has repetition with which of the following lines?

A. My cat lay stiff in a shoebox after being hit by a car.

B. She was buried in a graveyard.

C. I didn’t cry but felt sad inside.

D. We buried him next to a rose bush.

3. How did the poet’s cat die?

A. It died from old age.

B. It drowned.

C. It fell.

D. It got hit by a car.

4. Another good title for this poem could be

A. When My Pets Die

B. Missing Gran

C. Three Pets and a Relative

D. Why You Shouldn’t Buy Goldfish

5. All of the following are used in this poem except

A. repetition

B. rhyme

C. comparison

D. descriptive language

6. The poet probably wrote this poem to

A. tell all of the great things about her grandmother.

B. share her sadness from loosing a family member.

C. tell how each of her pets died.

D. tell how much she loved her pets.

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line.

Last Night I Saw the City Breathing

by Andrew Fusek Peters

Last night, I saw the City breathing.

Great gusts of people,

Rushing in and

Puffing out

Of stations’ singing mouths.

Last night, I saw the City laughing.

Take-Aways got the giggles,

Cinemas split their sides,

And living rooms completely creased themselves!

Last night, I saw the City dancing.

Shadows were cheek to cheek with brick walls,

Trains wiggled their hips all over the place,

And the trees

In the breeze

Put on a show for an audience of windows!

Last night, I saw the City starving.

Snaking Avenue smacked her lips

And swallowed seven roundabouts!

Fat office blocks got stuffed with light

And gloated over empty parking lots.

Last night, I saw the City sleeping.

Roads night-dreamed,

Street lamps quietly boasted,

‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a star!’

And the wind,

Like a cat,

Snoozed in the nooks of roofs.

1.

1. The writer makes living things do things that people do in all of the following lines except

A. Last night, I saw the City laughing

B. Snaking Avenue smacked her lips

C. When I grow up, I’m going to be a star!

D. Trains wiggled their hips all over the place

2. This poet probably thinks that nights in the city are

A. boring

B. exciting

C. quiet

D. sad

3. In this poem, the wind is compared to

A. a person breathing.

B. a cat.

C. eating.

D. lights.

4. The poet uses the line, “Cinemas split their sides” as an example for

A. how the city dances.

B. how the city starves.

C. how the city sleeps.

D. how the city laughs.

5. Who do the trees put on a show for?

A. people

B. the streets

C. windows

D. lamps

6. All of the following are used in this poem except

A. descriptive language

B. repetition

C. comparisons

D. a rhyming pattern

Graphic Organizer: Find More than 2 Details

A Canadian Story

The Ant and the Goose

Many years ago in the big country of Canada there lived a goose and an ant. The goose announced one day that half the year was going to be dark and half the year was going to be light.

The ant protested, "What am I going to do during the dark? While you are flying South for warmth I will perish in the cold."

The goose replied, "I want there to be warmth and sun all the time during my six months in this North country, and you will just have to survive somehow." The goose waddled off without a care.

The ant scurried home to tell his friends and family what was happening. He told everyone: "We cannot survive six months of darkness; the idea is absurd." All the ants, from far and near, came up with a master plan.

The ant returned to present their solution, "Goose, I understand you want perfect weather all year round but this is not fair. Can half the day be sunny and half the day be dark rather than half the year left in darkness? Then I will be able to hunt for food everyday. Even on the colder days, the sun warms the earth." While the ant talked, he pulled his belt tighter and tighter because he was very nervous. The goose was strong and mighty but the ant felt tiny and weak.

"Dear ant," the goose answered, "you are small but very convincing. I will grant you this plan. From this day on the sun will shine half of every day." The ant said, "Thank you, thank you," but in a very squeaky voice since his belt was so tight!

This is why the sun shines half the day and why ants have very thin waists.

The goose and the ant are very different characters. List their differences in the graphic organizer below.

|Ant Characteristics |How the Goose was Different |

| | |

| | |

Southwestern Indian Pottery

Perhaps you have visited New Mexico and Arizona. If so, you may have seen some of the beautiful pottery made by Native Americans there. A number of different groups make pottery. There are also several different methods in use. Much of the pottery made today is traditional. The steps have been handed down from one generation to the next.

One group that produces a great deal of pottery are the Hopi. These people live in Arizona. Basically, they make two types of pottery, jars and bowls. Hopi jars are shallow, with rims that curve inward. Hopi bowls may be either deep or shallow. Both jars and bowls may be decorated in various ways. Birds and feathers may appear, or perhaps lines and triangles. Different colors are also used. For example, some Hopi pottery is black painted over red. Other pieces are black, or black and red, painted over white.

The Hopi use a very old method to make their pottery. They begin by gathering clay from areas near their home. Then they clean it and mix it with water. After any impurities are removed, the clay is formed into long coils and built up around a clay base. The finished pot is smoothed into shape with a rock or shell. Finally, it is painted and fired. The surface may also be carved. The result is an attractive, well-made pot.

Another group known for pottery are the people of the Acoma pueblo in New Mexico. This pottery is popular because it has thin sides. However, the pots are still strong and durable. Like the Hopi, the Acoma use coiled clay to make their pots. Before firing them, they often paint the pots with a thin liquid. This liquid is made of water and fine white clay. White, black, and orange are common colors for Acoma pottery. The pottery may be decorated with animals or patterns.

Shiny black pots are produced by the Native Americans of Santa Clara. This pottery is quite unusual. The shine on it is produced by rubbing its surface for a long time. Sometimes the pots will be carved. Usually the carved-out areas will be left unshiny. For example, a bear claw may be carved into the side of a pot.

Santa Clara is known for two kinds of pots. One is a jar with two necks connected by a handle. The other is a type of jar with a high neck but a short body. Like the Hopi and the Acoma, the potters of Santa Clara also make figurines.

In the graphic organizer below, describe the method Hopi’s use to make their pottery:

|Methods of Hopi Pottery |

| | |

| | |

Name____________________________________Date_____________

Reading Classwork KIPP 2014: ____________________

It’s All about the Timing, KIPPsters!

Teaching point: The ELA multiple choice section is a 45 minute timed test. There are four passages on the test. Each passage should take about ____ minutes with ____ minutes for the graphic organizer and ____ minutes to check your answers.

[pic]

|Time 1: (45 minutes) |Time 2: (67 minutes) |

| | | |Graphic organizer: |

|Each passage: |Graphic organizer: |Each passage: |5 minutes |

| |3 minutes | | |

|10 minutes | |15 minutes | |

| |Time to check: 2 minutes | |Time to check: 2 minutes |

Which time are you? Circle your time.[pic]

Mini Lesson: (Let me show you how I time myself) Follow along, check my time!

Skin Deep

One day a young girl was sitting on her bed, crying. Her mother came in and asked her, “Why are you so sad, honey?”

 

“Because I am not pretty and I never will be,” answered the little girl.

 

“This is not true,” said the mother. “Why would you think such a thing?”

 

“That is what all the children in school tell me. They say my hair is too dark, my nose is too small, and my feet are too big.”

 

“That’s funny,” replied the mother, “because when I was your age the children in school said the same things to me.”

 

“How can that be?” asked the little girl. “You are so beautiful.”

 

“Let me tell you a story,” said the mother. “Once there was a very sad caterpillar whose name was Iris. Iris lived on a large tree, along with many other caterpillars. All day long the caterpillars would eat leaves and play with each other. But none of them would play with poor Iris. They told her she was too ugly to play with them. She had funny legs, and her antennae were too short. So Iris would eat her leaves by herself and dream about how nice it would be to look like the other caterpillars.

 

“Then one day Iris began to feel strange, like her body was changing. She didn’t want to eat any more leaves or crawl among the tree branches. Instead, she felt like taking a nap, even though it was the middle of the day. She curled herself into a ball, intending to go to sleep. Suddenly, to her amazement, she began to spin layers of silk around her own body! She did not know why this was happening, and she could not stop it. She tried to move, but she was just too tired. Soon she was completely wrapped in a big ball of silk. Inside, it was warm and cozy, and Iris soon drifted off into a deep sleep.

 

“When she woke up, it seemed as though the silk had shrunk all around her. There was hardly any room to move inside her cocoon. Iris began pushing at the walls, and eventually one of them started to break open. Iris pushed herself through the hole, and then found another shock awaiting her. She had grown wings! On her back were big, wonderful, colorful wings. Looking down, she saw that she now had long, delicate legs. She reached up over her head and could feel a pair of feathery antennae. She wasn’t an ugly caterpillar anymore.  She was a lovely butterfly! The caterpillars noticed her by this time, and had gathered around to see how beautiful she was. ‘Look at that!’ one of them cried out. ‘Where did that beautiful butterfly come from?’

 

“Iris looked at them and said. ‘I am Iris, the one who you all made fun of. All this time, there was a beautiful butterfly inside me waiting to burst free. Remember this when you make fun of some other poor caterpillar. Beauty is in all of us. It sometimes just waits for the right moment to emerge.’ With that Iris spread her new wings and flew away into the summer sky.

 

“So remember,” the mother said to her daughter after she finished telling the story. “There is beauty in you, just like in Iris. It may be in your face, or it may be a hidden talent just waiting to come out. But it is in you, because it is in everyone.”

 

1. The word amazement in this passage means- [pic]

a. surprise

b. despair

c. anger

d. relief

2. Why do you think the mother told her daughter that particular story?

a. Because it was the only one she knew

b. Because she had been teased as a girl, too

c. Because her daughter enjoyed butterflies

d. Because she used to be a caterpillar

3. The girl’s mother seems to be

a. sleepy

b. mean

c. kind

d. silly

4. Iris’ new wings were-

a. golden

b. colorful

c. feathery

d. talented

5. The story the little girl’s mother tells is very similar to a-

a. poem

b. fable

c. movie

d. lecture

Dried Flowers

 

Shawna’s mother’s birthday was coming up, and Shawna wanted to do something extra special for her. She decided to make a dried flower arrangement. Since she did not know how to make one, she went onto the internet and found a website that gave directions on how to dry flowers. She copied the instructions and immediately began gathering wildflowers to dry.

 

How to Dry Flowers

 

To get started, you will need the following items: a roll of paper towels, one or two old phone books, a can of hairspray, and an assortment of wildflowers, petals, and buds.

 

1.         Gather the flowers. It is best to get an assortment of whole flowers, petals, buds, stems, and leaves. After you get them home, sort them into piles.

 

2.         Clean the flowers, stems, and buds. Dirt and bugs must be cleaned off right away. Place them in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of liquid dish soap. Soak for two to three hours, then rinse off the soapy water by running under a very gentle stream of cool water. Place them on paper towels and let them air dry (Note: tiny flowers and loose petals should be soaked for only ten to twenty minutes, then rinsed by hand in a bowl of fresh water).

 

3.         Line the pages of the phone book with paper towels. Skip several pages between each lined page. Make sure to line top and bottom page (left and right sides) so that the flowers will be between two pieces of paper towel. Carefully spread loose flowers, leaves, and petals on the paper towels. Make sure none of them touch each other, or they will stick together. Close the phone book and leave it in a cool, dry place for two to three  weeks.

 

4.         Full flowers and stems should be hung upside down in a cool, dry place for two to three weeks.

 

5.         Buds should not be hung to dry. Instead, line a basket with paper towels, and place the buds in it for two to three weeks. Turn the buds over once or twice a week to make sure all sides dry evenly and mold does not grow. Basket should be kept cool and dry.

 

6.         After drying is complete, use the hairspray to fix full flowers, stems, and buds. Spray with a light, even coat of hairspray, and let dry three to four hours. If necessary, apply a second coat.

 

7.         Arrange buds, flowers, and stems in a vase or basket. Loose flowers, petals and leaves can be placed in the basket as well. Loose flowers and petals, can also be glued onto paper, or mixed with pine cones and nuts for a centerpiece.

 

Now you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful flowers for years to come!

 

1. How long does it take flowers to hang dry, according to the passage? __________

a. two to three hours

b. ten to twenty minutes

c. two to three weeks

d. three to four hours

2. Which of the following books would have information similar to what is found in this passage? ______________________

a. Growing Wild Flowers

b. How to Buy Dried Flowers

c. Silk Flower Arranging

d. How to Dry Rosebuds

3. Below there are three boxes. Two of the boxes have instructions from the passage in them.

|Clean the flowers | |Hang flowers to dry |

Which of the following steps belongs in the second box? _____________________

a. step 2

b. step 3

c. step 4

d. step 5

4. Why is a cool, dry place best for drying flowers? ________________________

a. it helps prevent mold from growing

b. it keeps bugs from living on them

c. it prevents the pages from sticking

d. it helps to keep the flowers clean

5. Why was this passage written? _______________________

a. to explain how mold grows

b. to explain how to wash flowers

c. to show how to dry flowers

d. to talk about different flowers

Master of Mobiles

 

When you were a very young child, perhaps you had a mobile hanging over your crib. Maybe you have one over your bed even now. These pieces of art, made of shapes and objects hanging from wires or thread, are delightful to look at. Mobiles seem to be very simple things, but they have not been around forever. Someone had to invent them. That person was Alexander Calder. In addition to mobiles, he created many other pieces of art.

Calder was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1898. His parents were both artists, so it was natural that he would become interested in art, too. But his first love was actually something a little different. He enjoyed creating toys or taking toys apart to see how they were made. He made jewelry and toys for his sister using wood and wire that he twisted with a pair of pliers. Calder first studied to be an engineer.  A little later he went to art school.  He would use skills from both these backgrounds to create much of his art. 

Besides toys, Calder also loved the circus. One of his first and most famous pieces of art is actually a small, toy circus. Using a pair of pliers, he bent wire and other bits of material to create tiny circus characters. He made jugglers and acrobats. He made a horse with a bareback rider. His circus also had a trapeze act with figures that were transported up by being bounced off the end of a seesaw. Some of the circus pieces Calder moved by hand. He made others move by a crank or lever. Calder would put on performances with his little creations in his artist’s studio. An old film still exists of one of these performances. The film comes complete with Calder’s sound effects. The film is charming and appeals to both children and adults. The circus itself is so fragile that it is stored in a museum.

From tiny wire sculptures, Calder moved on to make ones that were a little larger. He began also to create not tiny characters, but instead artwork made of circles, triangles, and other geometrical shapes. He mounted these shapes on a solid base and arranged them to hang within or next to each other. To make the various parts of the sculpture move, Calder used a small motor. These sculptures were really the first mobiles. The year was about 1930.

Then Calder went one step further. His mounted mobiles always moved in the same direction, because a motor moved them. But a mobile that was suspended from the ceiling would not have to be moved that way. A breeze or any other current of air could make it move freely. In other words, he did not need a motor to move this artwork. In 1932 Calder began making these types of mobiles.  The earliest ones were made of wire and small wooden objects. Later mobiles had their hanging parts made from flat pieces of lightweight metal.

If you have ever tried to construct a mobile, you know that the task is harder than it looks. The more pieces that are involved, the harder it becomes. Calder made an art out of figuring out exactly where to attach hanging pieces to get the effect he wanted. Some of his mobiles are very complex. They have fifteen or twenty pieces moving in harmony. This harmony makes them beautiful.

In his later years, Calder went on to create other types of art. His large outdoor sculptures, geometric shapes in black or red or orange, are found in cities around the world. But many people love his delicate, airy mobiles most of all.

 1. Another word that means suspended is- ____________________

a. hung

b. lowered

c. mounted

d. twisted

2. What is the main idea of this passage? ____________________

a. Alexander Calder began making objects as a child.

b. Alexander Calder created giant sculptures in his later years

c. Alexander Calder, the inventor of mobiles, spent much of his life working on art that moved.

d. Because Alexander Calder came from a family of artists, it was natural that he became an artist, too.

3. Another word that means the same as transported is ____________________

a. balanced

b. competed

c. hanged

d. moved

4. What was one of the first artistic works that Calder became famous for? _____

a. a large outdoor sculpture

b. a miniature circus

c. a mobile mounted on a base

d. a mobile that could hang from a ceiling

5. Which of the following is a fact from the passage? ______________

a. Mobiles are the most delightful art to look at.

b. Calder bent wire and other materials with a pair of pliers to make his miniature circus.

c. The film of Calder’s miniature circus is charming.

d. The way that the parts of Calder’s mobiles work together makes them beautiful.

Homework Directions: Time yourself! [pic]

1 passage _______ + 1 graphic organizer _______ = _________

The Mosquito and the Bear

Many years ago, when animals still ruled the earth, there was a beautiful lake in the woods. It was not a big lake, but it was very clean. The nearby animals loved the lake because the water in it was fresh and clear. They would come to the lake everyday to drink the pure, sweet water.

Then one day a giant bear heard about the lake and decided to come there and drink. He lowered his great head into the water and began drinking deeply. He was so big and so thirsty that the water began to sink lower and lower. Every day the bear would come to the lake and drink the water faster than the rains and streams could replenish it.

The other animals began to worry. The deer worried that there would be no water for them to drink. The beavers worried that they would have no place to build their homes. The fish worried because soon there would be no water for them to live in.

The animals asked the bear not to drink all their water, but the bear just laughed. He knew that the other animals were afraid of him because he was so big and strong. The animals did not know what to do. Then a tiny mosquito spoke up. "I will drive away this giant bear that has you all so afraid." The other animals laughed. What could one little mosquito do? It was too small to even be seen! But they agreed to let her try.

The mosquito flew over to where the bear was drinking and landed on his nose. The bear paid no attention until the mosquito bit his nose. The bear jumped up and tried to swat the mosquito away, but the mosquito just flew up into the air. Then the mosquito began biting the bear all over, causing the bear to jump around, swinging its great paws, and trying to squash the mosquito. The mosquito was too fast, however, and kept biting the bear. The bear became so angry he began chasing the mosquito all through the woods, trying to smash it. Craftily the mosquito led the bear along a path that took him to the top of a high cliff. The bear, not realizing where he was, kept swinging at the mosquito, until suddenly he found himself falling off the cliff. Down the bear fell, right into the lake. So large was the bear that when he hit the bottom of the lake he kept going down, into the ground. The hole he made was so deep that it opened up an underground well, and soon the lake had grown to twice its original size. Now there was more than enough water for all the animals! When the bear climbed back out of the hole, he never drank the animals’ water again.

The other animals thanked the mosquito, and told her she was a hero. "It just goes to show you," said the mosquito, "even the smallest can defeat the biggest if they fight with their brains."

1. In this passage, the word replenish means- __________________

a. sip

b. fill

c. pour

d. drip

2. Where did the mosquito first bite the bear? __________________

a. by a cliff

b. on a trail

c. on the paw

d. on the nose

3. This passage most closely resembles a- __________________

a. poem

b. theory

c. tall tale

d. speech

4. What is the main idea of this story? __________________

a. that it is brains, not size, that matters most

b. that mosquitoes are stronger than bears

c. that bears should not be allowed near lakes

d. that lakes are important to all the animals

5. At the end of this passage, the mosquito probably felt __________________

a. proud

b. strange

c. afraid

d. angry

6. In this passage, the bear was selfish. Find two examples of the bear’s greed.

| | |

Name_________________________________________Date______________________

Soar to a 4 Lesson 5 ( KIPP 2014: ________________________

Teaching point: Good readers can identify mood/tone of poetry and theme. They soar to a 4 when they follow the 3 steps to poetry success.

[pic]

[pic]The theme of the poem is what the author is trying to teach you. It’s the MAIN message that the author wants you to learn. They often sound like they’d be in a Hallmark Card.

The mood or tone of a poem is the emotion that the author is trying to put out. Look for key words to identify the emotion.

What is the mood of each of these faces? What key words could a poet use to convey these emotions?

1[pic]

2[pic]

3[pic]

4[pic]

5.[pic]

6. [pic]

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line. Finally, find the 2W’s and the T!

A Hike in the Forest

Stout branches link their arms above to shade us from the sun,

And cheerful wrens sing morning tunes, as day has just begun.

The leaves upon the forest floor make soft our journey’s way;

A rabbit darts across our path, a blur of white and gray.

A little stream beside us bubbles over rock and stone;

Upon a ridge within the pine a bobcat stands alone.

The air has dragonflies and hoards of humming honeybees;

The path we walk is checkered with the shadows of the trees.

A white-tailed deer leaps by us with its fawn of speckled brown,

And in a sheltered nest are baby robins dressed in down.

Sweet honeysuckle winds about a maple’s grainy bark,

And out from laurel branches comes the music of a lark.

We do not speak a word because the wood is full of sound,

From hawks upon the mighty wind to chipmunks on the ground.

The chorus of the forest is in perfect harmony,

And we, the lucky visitors, hope it always will be.

1. What does it mean that the path was “checkered with the shadows of trees”?

a. It means there is some sunlight showing through among the shadows.

b. It means the leaves of the trees are different colors on the ground.

c. It means someone left a game out in the woods.

d. It means some shadows look red on the ground and others look black.

2. The author uses which of the following poetic devices?

a. repetition

b. rhyme

c. onamonapeia

d. simile

3. What is the author comparing “stout branches” to?

a. thick branches

b. people linking arms

c. trees

d. leaves

4. The mood of this poem can best be described as-

a. happy

b. solemn

c. sorrowful

d. confused

5. What is the theme of this poem?

a. always hike with friends

b. the wonders of nature provide a great day outdoors

c. the forest has a choir

d. the air has dragonflies

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line. Finally, find the 2W’s and the T! [pic]Remember: You have 10 minutes (or 15) total to read, attack and answer all questions correctly!!!

Jump for Joy

Jump for joy, girl.

Jump for joy!

You’re so smart. Your mind can fly.

Your agile hands can bake a pie.

Your sturdy legs can jump up high.

Your arms can throw a ball to the sky! 

Jump for joy, girl.

Jump for joy!

Your strong heart beats inside your chest.

Your lungs pump air. They never rest!

Your eyes take in the whole wide world.

You’re one incredibly lucky girl. 

Jump for joy, girl.

Jump for joy!

Your loving family will cut you no slack.

Your clever friends will always talk back.

That brain you possess will never be fazed.

You’ve got books to read on long, lazy days. 

Jump for joy, girl.

Jump for joy!

1. What does the line mean by “That brain you possess will never be fazed?’

a. Your brain is going through a phase

b. You cannot understand unkind words

c. You’re smart and can handle anything

d. Your brain is located near your face.

2. The tone of the poem “Jump for Joy” is-

a. throw a ball

b. be happy

c. get exercise

d. sing a song

3. What is the theme of “Jump for Joy?”

a. Be happy because you are smart, strong, healthy and loved.

b. Jumping makes your legs sturdy and your heart strong.

c. Baking pies and playing ball makes you joyful

d. A healthy lifestyle makes people want to jump for joy

4. Which poetic device does the author use?

a. metaphor

b. simile

c. repetition

d. personification

Directions: Mark up the text . Be sure to circle rhyming words and use zigzag lines when you notice repetition. Identify similes and metaphors with arrows. Don’t forget to illustrate each line. Finally, find the 2W’s and the T! [pic]Remember: You have 10 minutes (or 15) total to read, attack and answer all questions correctly!!!

Patience

Patience is a ladder to climb

One very steep step at a time

When all you really want to do

Is tie the laces on your shoe

Of course, it’s not so easy to do-

At age four.

It’s a plate of broccoli to eat

Five bumpy spears instead of meat?

When all you want on your plate

Is a gallon of ice cream,

Mostly chocolate

You know it’s not so easy to do

At age eight.

It’s a math test to study for tonight

What is the height of this square kite?

When all you really want to explore

Is how your favorite baseball team scored.

1. In the third stanza of this poem, patience is compared to-

a. eating a plate of broccoli

b. learning to ride a bike

c. studying for a math test

d. playing baseball

2. From the information in this poem, you can tell that having patience is-

a. difficult

b. fun

c. relaxing

d. scary

3. What is patience compared to in the first stanza?

a. Tying your shoelaces

b. Climbing a ladder

c. studying for a math test

d. eating a box of cookies

4. What is the mood of the poem?

a. fun

b. boring

c. frustrating

d. solemn

5. According to the poem, at what age does the speaker prefer ice cream to broccoli?

a. eight

b. four

c. ten

d. twelve

6. What is the theme of the poem?

a. Life isn’t easy when you have to do things that you don’t want to do

b. Baseball is better than math

c. Watch out when you climb ladders

d. Patience is like a window, you always need to look in

Graphic Organizer: Find More than 2 Details

A Canadian Story

The Ant and the Goose

Many years ago in the big country of Canada there lived a goose and an ant. The goose announced one day that half the year was going to be dark and half the year was going to be light.

The ant protested, "What am I going to do during the dark? While you are flying South for warmth I will perish in the cold."

The goose replied, "I want there to be warmth and sun all the time during my six months in this North country, and you will just have to survive somehow." The goose waddled off without a care.

The ant scurried home to tell his friends and family what was happening. He told everyone: "We cannot survive six months of darkness; the idea is absurd." All the ants, from far and near, came up with a master plan.

The ant returned to present their solution, "Goose, I understand you want perfect weather all year round but this is not fair. Can half the day be sunny and half the day be dark rather than half the year left in darkness? Then I will be able to hunt for food everyday. Even on the colder days, the sun warms the earth." While the ant talked, he pulled his belt tighter and tighter because he was very nervous. The goose was strong and mighty but the ant felt tiny and weak.

"Dear ant," the goose answered, "you are small but very convincing. I will grant you this plan. From this day on the sun will shine half of every day." The ant said, "Thank you, thank you," but in a very squeaky voice since his belt was so tight!

This is why the sun shines half the day and why ants have very thin waists.

The goose and the ant are very different characters. List their differences in the graphic organizer below.

|Ant Characteristics |How the Goose was Different |

| | |

| | |

Southwestern Indian Pottery

Perhaps you have visited New Mexico and Arizona. If so, you may have seen some of the beautiful pottery made by Native Americans there. A number of different groups make pottery. There are also several different methods in use. Much of the pottery made today is traditional. The steps have been handed down from one generation to the next.

One group that produces a great deal of pottery are the Hopi. These people live in Arizona. Basically, they make two types of pottery, jars and bowls. Hopi jars are shallow, with rims that curve inward. Hopi bowls may be either deep or shallow. Both jars and bowls may be decorated in various ways. Birds and feathers may appear, or perhaps lines and triangles. Different colors are also used. For example, some Hopi pottery is black painted over red. Other pieces are black, or black and red, painted over white.

The Hopi use a very old method to make their pottery. They begin by gathering clay from areas near their home. Then they clean it and mix it with water. After any impurities are removed, the clay is formed into long coils and built up around a clay base. The finished pot is smoothed into shape with a rock or shell. Finally, it is painted and fired. The surface may also be carved. The result is an attractive, well-made pot.

Another group known for pottery are the people of the Acoma pueblo in New Mexico. This pottery is popular because it has thin sides. However, the pots are still strong and durable. Like the Hopi, the Acoma use coiled clay to make their pots. Before firing them, they often paint the pots with a thin liquid. This liquid is made of water and fine white clay. White, black, and orange are common colors for Acoma pottery. The pottery may be decorated with animals or patterns.

Shiny black pots are produced by the Native Americans of Santa Clara. This pottery is quite unusual. The shine on it is produced by rubbing its surface for a long time. Sometimes the pots will be carved. Usually the carved-out areas will be left unshiny. For example, a bear claw may be carved into the side of a pot.

Santa Clara is known for two kinds of pots. One is a jar with two necks connected by a handle. The other is a type of jar with a high neck but a short body. Like the Hopi and the Acoma, the potters of Santa Clara also make figurines.

In the graphic organizer below, describe the method Hopi’s use to make their pottery:

|Methods of Hopi Pottery |

| | |

| | |

Name____________________________Date_____________________

Reading KIPP 2014: ________________________

It’s All in the Timing Part 2

Teaching point: Good test takers use the clock to make sure they have enough time. If they have extra time they go back and 1. add details to their graphic organizer and 2. re-read the most difficult passage.

[pic]

[pic] Remember: You have 10 minutes per passage

Jacob Lawrence and His Art

 

The painter Jacob Lawrence was a great success. His paintings hang in museums and are used as illustrations in books. There are also books about his art. He won many awards in his life. Why do people like his art so much? This artist became famous at a relatively young age. However, no one really expected it to happen. Meet the artist and find out how an important decision led to a wonderful career.

Early Life

Jacob Lawrence was born in New Jersey in 1917. He and his family moved to Pennsylvania when he was two years old. His parents separated five years later. When Jacob was ten, his mother went alone to New York to find work. He and his brother and sister stayed behind with another family. Three years later, the children joined their mother in New York City. They lived in a part of the city called Harlem.

Jacob was thirteen in 1930. He missed his old friends. His mother signed him up for free art classes after school. She did this to keep her son off the streets and out of trouble. This was a key decision that led the boy in a new direction. The art teacher saw that he had talent. He helped Jacob develop his talent, and soon Jacob started to believe in himself. He wanted to be a painter.

The 1930s was a period of time known as the Great Depression in the United States. Banks and businesses closed. People lost their savings. Many people were out of work.

Jacob joined a special art program in 1938. He was nineteen. The government paid him and others to work and study. Jacob studied painting with his former art teacher. He met writers and other artists. He also met another person who helped change his life. This time it was a history teacher. The teacher taught him about the history of African-Americans. Jacob Lawrence was an African-American, but he had not learned earlier about the struggles of his people.

Lawrence as a Painter

Jacob Lawrence developed his own style of painting. He used bright colors. They are rich colors of red, yellow, blue, and black. He drew solid shapes with sharp angles. His paintings looked very powerful.

Lawrence painted what he saw and felt. His paintings are about things and people in life. Each painting tells a story. Many of them are about topics. Some of Lawrence’s favorite topics are freedom, struggle, and the daily lives of African- Americans.

Between 1937 and 1940, Lawrence painted famous people in history. Each series of pictures tells a story about one special person. Two of these famous people were Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. They helped free slaves in America.

In 1941, Lawrence painted another series of pictures. They told the story of African-Americans who moved from small towns in the South to large cities in the North. The Museum of Modern Art in New York bought the paintings. Jacob Lawrence was only twenty-four years old.

Through the years, Jacob Lawrence continued to paint, but he also taught. He taught art in New York from 1950 to 1965. Then he became a professor of art in Seattle, Washington. There he taught at the University of Washington from 1971 to 1983. He died in 2000, at the age of eighty-two.

1. In this passage, the word success means-

a. a person who likes museums

b. a person who paints

c. someone who does well in life

d. someone who loses

2. What is the theme of this story?

e. Art teachers can help you become successful.

f. You can become a success in spite of a difficult childhood.

g. Painting is fun.

h. Paintings can hang in museums

3. Who helped guide Jacob Lawrence when he was a teenager?

a. his father

b. his friends

c. only his mother

d. two teachers and his mother

4. From this passage, you can conclude that Jacob Lawrence

e. had a difficult childhood

f. had always wanted to be a painted

g. liked New York when he first arrived

h. visited his old friends often

5. This passage was organized by

a. a problem is presented, then its solution

b. a question is given, followed by an answer

c. events are given in the order they happened by subheading

d. events are given in the order of importance

I took ________minutes

I have ________minutes remaining out of my minutes.

I can use my minutes for __________ or ______________

Okay, let’s use the minutes!

You have ______ minutes to read 2 passages, 10 questions and 1 graphic organizer. Good luck!

School Bake Sale

 

Friday, March 10

 

We are raising money for the seventh grade’s field trip to Philadelphia in April. If you want to help, please read the directions.

 

1. At the basketball game this Friday against the Richmond Raiders, there will be a bake sale to benefit the seventh grade.

 

2. At a table outside of the gym, members of the student council will sell the baked goods that you make. They will also be recruiting students to help with a bottle drive in late March.

 

3. The sale begins at 6:00 PM and the game starts at 7:00 PM. Bring your baked goods to Mr. Dunbar by 5:00 PM on Friday.

 

4. Please bring: cookies, cakes, fudge, hard candy, chocolate, or anything else that can be separated easily and sold for twenty-five or fifty cents. No whole pies!

 

5. Write your name on a piece of masking tape and attach it to the bottom of your container.

 

6. If you bring your baked goods in a container that you want to bring back home, please pick the container up at the end of the game Friday. If you do not get the container that night, we will throw it away.

 

7. Encourage your friends and family to attend the game and support the school!

 

8. See Mr. Dunbar if you have any questions.

 

6. If you don’t pick up or label your container, it might be-

e. thrown away

f. sold

g. stolen

h. given away

7. Where should you bring your baked goods?

a. to the auditorium

b. to Mr. Dunbar

c. to the basketball team

d. to the gym

8. The guidelines for being a part of the school bake sale also promote

e. being on the student council

f. working on the bottle drive

g. playing sports

h. student involvement

9. If you are interested in being a part of the bottle drive you should-

a. go to the game on Friday

b. see a member of the student council

c. donate baked goods to sell

d. join the basketball team

10. This article is organized by

a. most important to least important

b. step by step instructions

c. order of events

d. a question followed by an answer

11. List to positive effects of having a school bake sale.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It’s All in How You See Things

You might think that people set out to design the toys you play with. Some of these objects, though, did not start out as toys at all. It was all in how someone looked at them.

In 1943, an engineer rode on a new United States Navy ship. He saw a spring fall to the floor and watched with fascination as it flip-flopped about. The engineer, Richard James, told his wife about the spring. They had an idea. In 1945, they began manufacturing steel ribbons coiled into tight spirals. That’s when the world was introduced to the Slinky® toy. It was all how Richard James saw that spring! [pic]

Before the 1940s, most rubber in the United States was made from latex. Latex is a white liquid found naturally in certain plants in South America and Asia. Those plants did not grow in the United States. Therefore, rubber had to be imported. During World War II, America needed large quantities of rubber for war supplies. The government didn’t want to rely on other countries for this important material, so researchers set out to make artificial rubber.

The United States had plenty of sand, soil, clay, and rocks that contained an element called silicon. In 1944, engineer James Wright processed silicon from sand and made something close to rubber. It was gooey, and it bounced—but it still wasn’t rubber. Nobody could find a worthwhile use for the weird stuff. In 1949, Paul Hodgson saw some of the rubbery stuff at a party. Hodgson had been an advertising executive before owning and operating a toy store. He got an idea.

He bought 21 pounds of the gooey stuff for $147. He then packed 1/2 ounce balls of the material in colored plastic eggs and sold it as a toy called Silly Putty®. It stretched, it bounced, and it tore apart. It even picked up the print when pressed against comics in the newspaper. Hodgson sold more Silly Putty® than anything else in his store. He called it "the toy with one moving part." It was all how Paul Hodgson saw that goo.

[pic]

Another toy came into being when some students at Yale University were eating some pie. Afterward, they began tossing the pie tin to each other. The bakery’s name, Frisbie, was stamped on the tin, so the students hollered, "Frisbie!" when they tossed a tin. In this way, they warned people to watch out for the flying disc. Walter F. Morrison made the first plastic version of the pie tin. Then the Wham-O® Manufacturing Company began manufacturing Frisbee® discs in the 1950s. It was all in how some students saw that pie tin.

Try it yourself. Look at an old tube sock. Is it more than just a sock? Roll the toe tightly toward the top of the sock, and fold the elastic edge over the roll. Now you have a sock ball you can bat with the bottom of a shoe. Stuff the sock with wads of paper, and then tie it closed. Add two eyes and a tongue to make a snake. Knot each end of the empty sock, and use it to play tug-of-war with a friend. Stuff a tennis ball in the toe of the sock and knot the sock behind the ball. Try throwing and catching the object by its tail, or tie the tail to a rope and spin it in a low circle for friends to jump over. You can be incredibly successful at having fun. It’s all in how you see the sock!

12. In this passage, the word imported means-

e. already paid for

f. brought in from another country

g. expensive

h. extra large amounts

13. What is the main idea of this passage?

a. A tube sock isn’t just for wearing on your foot.

b. Pie plates make good throwing discs.

c. Success can come from seeing things in new ways.

d. The United States need a new way to make rubber.

14. Which statement is NOT an opinion?

e. Paul Hodgson thought Silly Putty would be a fun toy.

f. Richard and Betty James created a toy from a spring.

g. Some people think throwing a Frisbee is dangerous.

h. Socks are only for wearing on your feet.

15. When the silicone goop was first created, it was thought to be good for-

a. getting pictures off the Sunday comics section

b. nothing- no one could come up with any ideas

c. plugging holes in ocean liners

d. replacing the United States rubber supply

16. Why did students yell “Frisbie!” to warn people to watch out for flying discs?

e. It was the most attention grabbing word they could think of

f. That was the name of the student who made up the game

c. That was the bakery name stamped on the pie tin

d. They were hoping a dog named Frisbie would be able to catch the disc.

9, 10= 4

7, 8= 3

6=2

5 or below = 1

What did you get? How could you have used your extra time better?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name____________________________________________Date___________

Homework KIPP 2014: ___________________

You need a clock for tonight’s homework.

Warm Up:

1. Write a simile about yourself below:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. List two positive characteristics about yourself:

_____________________

_____________________

3. Which of the following is NOT an opinion?

a. Sally Jenkins thought that chocolate pudding is silly.

b. Rita Renkclift created the first see saw.

c. Some people think that the war in Iraq is dangerous.

d. You should always wear a hat in the winter.

4. The purpose of a recipe for fudge is to

e. inform you about fudge

f. explain how to make fudge

g. entertain you with a fun snack

h. teach you about calories and fat

[pic] Remember: You have 10 minutes per passage + 3 minutes for the graphic organizer

Passage #1: 10 (or 15) minutes. Use the guide below if you have extra time:

I took ________minutes

I have ________minutes remaining out of my minutes.

I can use my minutes for __________ or ______________

Rounders and Bases

As soon as spring arrives, you can hear it—the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd. In the distance, you might even detect cries of “Peanuts!” and “Popcorn!” You know then that it’s baseball time again. Baseball’s popularity may decrease in some years. Yet it will always remain one of this country’s favorite pastimes.

The Origins of Baseball

You may have heard that Abner Doubleday invented baseball. He did not. It is hard to say who really did. Many old books talk about games played with a bat and ball. Some have pictures of people playing games that look a lot like baseball. During the Revolutionary War, the soldiers at Valley Forge played a game referred to as “playing at base.” We don’t know the rules exactly, but we know it involved bats, balls, and bases.

We now know that baseball came from an English game called rounders. There are definitely many similarities. Like baseball, rounders was played on a diamond-shaped infield. The infield had four bases, one at each corner. Players scored runs when they returned to the base at which they started. If a player missed hitting a pitched ball three times, that player was called out.

There were some differences, too. In rounders, a batter still was called out if a fielder caught a ball after it bounced only one time. Another big difference was that a fielder had to hit a runner with a thrown ball to put that runner out. Regardless of the differences, the link between the two games seems obvious.

The Birth of Professional Baseball

The game of baseball that we know today dates back to 1845. In that year, a ballplayer named Alexander Cartwright got a group together to draw up rules for the game. Many of these rules still exist. A big change from rounders was that a fielder no longer had to hit a runner with a thrown ball to put that runner out. The fielder now had to touch or tag the runner with the ball. The new rules also set the distances between the bases and the distance between the pitcher and the batter. A later addition to the rules gave the size and shape of the ball. By 1900, baseball had almost exactly the same rules it has today.

At first, all baseball players were amateurs. As time passed, some teams began to pay very good players to play for them. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings started to pay all its players all the time. They became the first professional baseball team. Pretty soon, more teams began to turn professional. In 1876, eight professional teams joined together to form the National League.

The American League formed about twenty years later. The two leagues were not on good terms at first. Eventually, representatives from both leagues got together to make some rules. They determined such things as how players would be traded from league to league and how teams could move from city to city. They celebrated their agreements by playing the first World Series in 1903. The World Series became an annual event.

Baseball is more than a hundred years old. It shows no signs of going away soon. Baseball appeals to all kinds of people, young or old, male or female.

1. What is another word for traded?

a. bought

b. given

c. stolen

d. swapped

2. In the game of rounders, which of these would NOT make a player get called out?

e. A fielder catches a batted ball after one bounce

f. a fielder catches a batted ball after two bounces

g. a fielder hits a runner with a thrown ball while the runner is not on base.

h. The batter misses three times when trying to hit the ball.

3. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

a. Abner Doubleday invented baseball.

b. George Washington liked playing baseball.

c. It’s hard to tell where a game like baseball first appeared because there were so many games like it.

d. Only soldiers played baseball.

4. Which of the following is a fact?

e. Abner Doubleday was a great man.

f. Baseball is the greatest game ever invented

g. Baseball is better than rounders because rounders does not exist anymore.

h. The World Series began in 1903.

5. This informational article is organized by-

a. a question that’s answered

b. order of importance

c. subheading

d. who invented baseball

The Moon

Like the bleakest midnight garden,

ancient rocks adorn the Moon

and a dusting of fine dirt that

forms a wintry, cosmic dune.

Yet, from Earth, she is a beauty.

How we love to see her shine.

Were she nearer in the heavens

would our Moon look so divine?

[pic]

6. Why did the poet use the word dune in the fourth line of the poem?

a. It has multiple meanings.

b. It rhymes with Moon.

c. It is an antonym for Moon.

d. It means the same as “cosmic”.

7. The rocks on the Moon are compared to

e. the heavens

f. some dust

g. wintertime

h. a garden

8. List four characteristics of the Moon as described in the poem

[pic]

9. This poem is organized by-

a. paragraphs

b. order of importance

c. stanzas and lines

d. rhyme pattern aa, bb, cc

Name_________________________________Date________________

Reading Classwork KIPP 2014: ____________________

Two More Lessons Until The Test

Teaching point:

Good test takers watch the clock as they are timing themselves. They DO NOT over illustrate, they DO NOT spend more than 3 minutes on the graphic organizer and they DO NOT leave questions un-bubbled.

[pic]

The following are NO NO’s on Tuesday’s test:

|kkk |iii |

|gggg |Hhhh |

|eee |Fffffff |

|cccc |Dddd |

|Aaaaaaa |Bbbbbb |

1. [pic] 2.

__________________ ____________ _______________

Pencil Points

In 1564, an awful storm in a town in England knocked a huge oak tree down. That was the start of the pencil!

Farmers found a large amount of black stuff that had been hidden under the tree. They thought it was lead. When someone realized that this black stuff was good for writing, the farmers eagerly dug it up. It was easier to use than quill pens and ink. Those were messy and hard to use outside away from a desk. The lead stuff made nice dry, dark lines, and it was handy to carry around. The only problems were that it crumbled easily and it made people’s fingers dirty when they used chunks and splinters of the material.

People searched for ways to solve those problems. First, they wrapped sticks of the lead in string. The string could be unwound as the lead wore down with writing. Next, people pushed the lead into tubes of leather or wood. Later, there were metal holders with grips at the ends to keep the lead in place. In 1683, J. Pettus split open a strip of cedar. He then hollowed out the center, put a piece of lead in the groove, and glued it all together. That was the first wooden pencil...and it was square!

For more than two hundred years, people thought they wrote their notes with lead. Then, in 1779, a Swedish scientist determined that this black substance was not lead at all. He studied it and decided it was a form of carbon. The form carbon takes depends on how its atoms line up. The hardest substance on earth is one form of carbon—diamond. The carbon in pencils is one of the softest substances. The scientist called this form of carbon graphite from the Greek word graphein, which means, "to write."

The first pencil factory opened in Germany in 1761, built by Kaspar Faber, but the first round pencils were made in the United States. In 1812, thirteen-year-old Joseph Dixon experimented with graphite. He got some from his seafaring father who used it as ballast, weighting his ship when it was empty to keep it stable. The substance itself had little value for his father. Joseph Dixon, however, pounded the graphite into powder and mixed it with clay. He rolled the dough in thin strips and baked them in the oven to harden them. Then he laid each stick in a grooved half of a rounded cedar strip. Cedar wood was soft enough to be sharpened with a knife. Then Dixon put the other half on top, and glued the wood parts together.

Kaspar Faber’s great-grandson, Eberhard Faber, moved to the United States and started this country’s first pencil factory in 1848. At first, Americans did not show much interest in pencils. In fact, when Joseph Dixon first invented machines to mass-produce pencils, he lost money. But eventually Americans appreciated the convenience of wood pencils. Land surveyors, soldiers, and other outdoor workers increased the demand for pencils. In 1869, three years after Dixon’s death, his factory produced 86,000 pencils a day. The factories started by both men still make pencils today.

How did early writers get rid of their graphite mistakes? They used hunks of bread as erasers! The bread didn’t erase well or last long, but no one thought of a better way for almost two hundred years. In 1752, a Frenchman invented rubber erasers. Finally, an American put small rubber erasers on the end of each pencil. Now you only have to bring enough bread to school for your sandwich.

1. Ballast means-

a. a ship’s anchor

b. a ship’s compass

c. scales for cargo

d. weight added to a ship to keep it stable

2. People liked using graphite because-

a. it crumbled easily

b. it was easy to carry and it made dry lines

c. it gave off a nice scent when they wrote it

d. it made them think of diamonds

3. The reason graphite was discovered in England was because-

a. a storm knocked a tree down there, which uncovered a graphite deposit

b. it could be ground up and mixed with clay to make pencils

c. it made a good weight for empty ships

d. there were more farmers digging in fields in England than in other countries

4. The order in which people experimented with holders for their graphite was-

a. metal, leather, string, wood

b. string, leather, wood, metal

c. string, wood, metal, leather

d. wood, string, leather, metal

5. Which statement does not describe something Joseph Dixon did to create the first pencil?

a. He baked the pencil dough in the oven.

b. He glued the pencil lead between the two rounded strips of wood.

c. He mixed ground graphite with chalk to make the pencil lead.

d. He used cedar wood because it would be easy to sharpen.

The Plum Tree

Just yesterday the tree was bare,

as thin and sharp as winter air

a husk of bark, so light and dry,

a skeleton against the sky.

But now the branches earthbound sway

with heavy plums that day by day

grow purple-plump and swollen-sweet

until they tumble at our feet.

I pluck and grasp them one by one

and feel the weight of rain and sun:

the offerings of spring.

The purple plums, they dangle there

and tremble in the morning air,

like bells that decorate the trees,

and rock with each new passing breeze,

but cannot ring.

6. The phrases “purple-plump” and “swollen-sweet” in the seventh line are good choices because they-

a. have more than one meaning

b. repeat the “p” and “s” sounds

c. are short

d. rhyme with words in the next line

7. What season is it now?

a. summer

b. winter

c. spring

d. fall

8. The poet probably used the word “skeleton” to describe the winter tree because

a. it is dead

b. it is frightening

c. it is bare and undecorated

d. it is ghost like

Describe three characteristics of the plum tree

|Characteristics of Plum Tree |

| | | |

The Himalayas

For ages people have admired the great Himalayan Mountains. Their name comes from an ancient language called Sanskrit. In Sanskrit the word hima means snow, and the word alaya means abode. Therefore, the Himalayas were called "snow home." This is a fitting name. At the upper parts of the mountains, there is always snow.

The Himalayan mountain range includes the highest peaks in the world. More than one hundred of its peaks rise to heights of 24,000 feet or higher. Mount Everest, the tallest peak in the world, is 29,028 feet high. That’s about 5 1/2 miles. The entire mountain range stretches for over one thousand miles. Several countries are located in and around the mountains. A natural wonder like this was not created overnight.

The crust of the earth is constantly changing. This is caused by a process known as plate tectonics. Plate tectonic forces take a very long time to cause noticeable change. Believe it or not, the process of forming these mountains began 180 million years ago! At that time, huge masses of land on the earth began to break up into smaller fragments. One fragment began to drift toward Asia. Then around 50 million years ago, this land collided with Asia. The collision caused mountains to begin to form. Over time they became the majestic peaks that today are the highest in the world.

The foothills of the mountains are home to many different plants and animals. In some areas there is rich farmland. This allows the people of the mountains to grow many grains including rice, wheat, and corn. A variety of fruit is produced in the region. Grapes, apples, oranges, peaches, pears, and cherries are grown there. This fruit is later sold in the cities. Sheep, goats, and yaks are raised on the available grazing lands. Tea, spices, and medicinal herbs can be counted among the products of the region. Sapphires, copper, and gold can also be found there. The true treasures of these mountains, though, seem to be their power and beauty.

People come from all over the world to see the Himalayas. They have become a popular tourist site. The mountains are also a rugged challenge for mountaineers. It is extremely difficult to scale any of the peaks. Climbing in these mountains began over one hundred years ago. The sport has grown in popularity ever since. Many people have tried to climb Mount Everest. Edmund Hillary and his partner, Tenzing Norgay, were the first to successfully scale the mountain. That was in May of 1953. Hillary was a mountaineer from New Zealand. Norgay was a Sherpa, an Asian cultural group known for their climbing skills. Climbing expeditions continue to this day. So do less adventurous visits to the mountains and the surrounding land.

The popularity of the region does have its price. A large number of people come to the area every year. These visitors need to be more gentle in their travels. This will help maintain the healthy surroundings for plants and animals. Both mountain climbers and average tourists need to do their part. People must preserve the beauty of this masterpiece of nature. The Himalayas took millions of years to form. They should be treated with great respect.

9. Mountaineers are people who-

a. climb mountains

b. destroy mountains

c. make maps of mountains

d. study mountains

10. What do you think the author expects you to do if you ever visit the Himalayas?

a. buy some fruit

b. climb a mountain

c. stay on trails and pick up litter

d. take a lot of pictures

11. Which is not mentioned in the passage as a product of the Himalayas?

a. eggs

b. gold

c. rice

d. tea

12. Which of the following statements is NOT a fact from the passage?

a. The Himalayas contain the highest peaks in the world

b. The Himalayas are a natural wonder

c. The Himalayan range stretches for over 1000 miles

d. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world

13. The natural forces that led to the formation of the Himalayas began-

a. over one million years ago

b. over ten million years ago

c. over fifty million years ago

d. over one hundred million years ago

Homework:

Fact and Opinion REVIEW

1. Which sentence from the story is an opinion?

a. He looked in his backpack.

b. He was their best player.

c. The game was for the championship

d. The school bus would arrive in fifteen minutes

2. According to information in the story, which sentence is an opinion?

a. Popcorn is not a new invention.

b. Today we cook popcorn in many ways.

c. We can put bags of popcorn in the microwave oven.

d. No matter how you eat it, popcorn is still fun.

3. Which sentence from the article is an opinion?

a. Laddie Boy loved the game as much as the President.

b. They mailed him sweaters, blankets and toys.

c. The dogs ate their cake while news reporters snapped pictures.

d. With all this attention, Laddie Boy was named the official presidential pet.

4. Which sentence is an opinion?

a. Long ago, people did not use money.

b. The barter system was a good system.

c. Weavers could trade cloth for meat.

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Name__________________________________Date______________

Reading Class work KIPP 2014: __________________

Your Written Response

Teaching point: The graphic organizer/ written response will be the last question of the test (question 21). It will not be in boxes, it will be on lines (

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Become a Fish Watcher

You might know some people who watch birds, but have you ever thought about watching fish instead?

Coral Reefs

A coral reef is a perfect place to be a fish watcher. Reefs have many varieties of fish and several kinds of coral. Coral reefs look like lovely gardens under the water. The best part is that with simple equipment and without a lot of training, you can observe this underwater world—by snorkeling. Then you can watch for rare or unusual fish and keep track of the kinds of fish you see.

Snorkeling

All you need to go snorkeling is a mask to protect your eyes from the salt water, and a snorkel. A snorkel is a hollow tube that you breathe through while your face is under the water. However, it’s also a good idea to have swim fins to make swimming easier, and an inflatable vest to help you float.

The hardest part of snorkeling is putting on your equipment. If you have a vest, put it on first. You won’t need to put much air in it, because you will float easily in the salt water. Once you start snorkeling, you many want to watch the reef for a long time. The vest will make swimming easy so you don’t get too tired. Next, put on your swim fins. They should be snug, but not too tight. Once you put them on, don’t try to walk forward. The fins are like giant, floppy clown shoes, and if you try to walk, you might fall flat on your face. Instead, you can turn around and walk backward. It may feel funny, but walking backward is the easiest way to move until you start swimming. Finally, put on your mask and snorkel. The mask should seal against your face so that water doesn’t leak inside. The snorkel attaches to the strap of the mask so you won’t lose it in the water.

It’s almost time to get into the water, but first you have one yucky chore. Spit into your mask and rub it around. It sounds nasty, but saliva keeps the mask from fogging up. Otherwise, your mask will look like your bathroom mirror after you take a hot shower. You won’t see many fish that way. Put the mouthpiece of your snorkel between your lips and your teeth, so that it keeps water out of your mouth. Put your face in the water and start swimming!

The first time you see a reef, you may think you’re inside a beautiful aquarium. The coral looks like large rocks and strange trees, and it may include many different colors. Many fish, large and small, swim around the coral—some in groups, and others swimming alone. Some are ablaze with bright colors. Some have nests to protect and chase other fish away. Some fish dart around quickly, but others swim slowly or hide in the rocks.

If you go snorkeling, always treat the reef with respect. Don’t try to stand when you are snorkeling, and don’t pick up anything. You might step on something under the sand, or hurt something you touch. Most importantly, be sure that you never touch the coral because coral is alive and it will die if you touch it. Some kinds of coral can scrape your skin badly, and other kinds can sting and hurt you. Just float around and observe the reef. It’s great to be a fish watcher!

How is snorkeling an easy way to see sea life?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why should you treat the reef with respect?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Meeting in Seneca Falls

In the summer of 1848, five women looked for a way to make a change. They gathered in upstate New York to discuss the issue of women’s rights. Women had been regarded as inferior to men since Colonial times. The five women agreed that there needed to be a change. Colonial times were over.

One of the five women was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She had seen women have their property and wages taken from them. She had seen her father, Judge Cady, unable to do anything about it. The law said that a married woman’s property and money became her husband’s. Women also couldn’t get the education they needed to qualify for well-paying jobs. In the opinion of many men, college was no place for a woman. Women were refused the freedom to speak out. They did not even have the right to vote.

Women never held political meetings. They never got together to demand the same freedoms as men. According to the opinions of many people who lived at that time, this activity simply wasn’t "proper" for women. The five women around the table knew it was time for change. They decided to express how they felt. They wrote a document titled Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. "We hold these truths to be self-evident," they began, "that all men and women are created equal."

They addressed the law that said wives had to turn over everything they owned to their husbands. They addressed matters of schooling and jobs. They discussed the fact that American women were not permitted to vote.

Together the five women wrote the first half of the declaration. Elizabeth Stanton wrote the eleven resolutions. She showed them to her husband. He agreed with ten of her resolutions. Equality in schooling and jobs was just, he said, but he could not agree with women’s right to vote. Women having a say in who ran the country? Impossible, he said.

The five women called a public meeting. It was held in Seneca Falls, New York. They expected only a few dozen people to attend. Surprisingly, hundreds of women showed up. Several men attended as well. Elizabeth Stanton had never spoken in public before. Few women in America had. As she began, she discovered that she was a natural-born speaker. She read all the resolutions. She did not hesitate. She knew there was one that would cause trouble. "Resolved," she read, "that it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise."

There was much discussion. Then it came time to vote. The right to vote was the only resolution that did not pass by full consent.

People who didn’t attend the convention were outraged. Others were disgusted. Newspapers said the women were tearing down the nation.

There were to be many years ahead in the struggle for women’s rights. Women finally gained the right to vote in 1920. This was 72 years after Elizabeth Cady Stanton stood before the Seneca Falls Convention. By that time, only one woman who had attended the Seneca Falls Convention was still alive. That woman had waited a lifetime to cast her vote.

How were women treated differently to men?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did women want the right to vote?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Big Bad Wolf Is Not So Bad

Wolves have amazed and terrified humans for thousands of years. Once, humans respected these beautiful and mysterious creatures. Later, popular legends wrongly portrayed wolves as brutal killers. Modern humans have learned that wolves are far from evil. We have every reason to like wolves. They are the ancestors of today’s domestic dog. People keep domestic dogs as pets and workers. Wolves remain wild. However, they display some of the very traits that make humans love their pet dogs. Wolves form bonds with each other and once in a while with humans. They also show a strong loyalty for the individuals of their packs.

Respected Hunters

We have no way of knowing how wolves and ancient humans got along with each other. Scientists make guesses by studying history. People were once nomads. That means that they moved around and sometimes followed herds of animals. Such people lived peacefully with wolves. The Inuit of the frozen north hunted and traveled just like the wolves of the area. The Plains Indians watched wolves hunt buffalo. Then they would dress up like wolves and imitate their hunting behavior. The Makah tribe used images of wolves as headdresses in their ceremonies. Native American healers sometimes used wolf skins to heal the sick.

In Competition

About 12,000 years ago, humans started to settle down and grow food and keep animals as pets. People made their homes in some of the same areas where wolves hunted. The harmony between humans and wolves came to an end. Wolves kept hunting wild animals. Problems started when wolves also hunted the animals that people kept, like cattle and sheep. People began to dislike wolves and looked at them as fierce and dangerous. Wolves hunted near humans for food but only attacked people in rare cases. Such conflicts led people to view wolves as evil beasts.

Legendary Killers

Wolves acted no differently than they ever had. People began to hate them anyway. In the Middle Ages, people made up tales about them. The stories portrayed wolves as cruel and sly. Little Red Riding Hood is probably the most famous of these tales. Some people believed that wolves were magical. The legend of the werewolf came from the mistaken belief that people could turn into wolves.

Worthy of Study

Biologists’ work has helped reveal the truth about the ugly myths. One such person, Adolph Murie, studied wolves in the 1930s. He went to Alaska and spent nearly three years following the wild creatures. Since then, many researchers have gone into the wild to watch and learn about wolves. They track the animals by fitting them with special collars or ear tags. Tracking tools help people learn about wolves’ habits. We know that wolf societies have their own rules for living together. This includes defending their territory. They also work together to hunt and to raise their young. They care for each other and play much like domestic dogs. They are smart animals that learn quickly and remember well. They even have their own language. Sounds and body movements help them communicate their feelings. The well-known howl is one important part of the wolf language. Groups of wolves sometimes howl together to show their closeness.

It takes patience and hard work to watch wolves because they like to stay away from humans. The results of such work have helped both humans and animals by giving us much valuable knowledge.

1. What are two positive characteristics of wolves?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why were wolves considered dangerous?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tarantulas

People often think that tarantulas are fierce and aggressive. However, the most impressive spiders in the world are actually quite shy. Their reputation may have come upon them by accident. As the story goes, the people of Taranto, Italy, gave them their fame. Many years ago, these people enjoyed dancing at their village festivals. They danced so much that the government passed a law against it. Maybe they hoped that more work and less dancing would get done. The villagers did not want to give up their fun. They decided to make up a story about a large spider that lived near their town. According to the dancers, the only way to survive this spider’s bite was to dance enough to sweat out its poison. The villager’s dance acquired the name of "tarantella". The big spider came to be called the tarantula. When Europeans came to the New World, they called the large American spiders tarantulas, too.

No Wonder They Frighten Us!

These spiders certainly have not earned their fame by attacking people. They just happen to look fearsome. The tarantula has a hairy body and eight legs. It also has eight eyes and curved fangs. It’s no wonder that people are afraid of them. Tarantulas can grow up to four inches long. The biggest can have a leg span of ten and one half inches. Of course, not all of them grow that large. The South American Goliath bird-eater is one that can. The largest tarantula on record weighed 4.4 ounces. That is more than a quarter of a pound!

Spider Habitats

Tarantulas live all over the world. They thrive and grow the largest in warmer areas. About thirty different species live in the United States. Many tarantulas find their homes in Mexico, Central and South America, and Africa. Others are in India and Australia. One spider may live up to twenty-eight years. Usually, the males live around ten or twelve years. The females live closer to twenty. Tarantulas, like other nocturnal creatures, are most active at night. They dig burrows in the ground or build homes in hollowed out tree trunks. Spinnerets on the end of the spider’s body spin silk threads. Spiders use these threads to catch their prey or to protect their eggs.

Tarantulas do not need to eat very often. In cold weather, these spiders can rest for several months without eating. When they eat, their fangs inject venom, or poison, into their victims. They usually attack only small creatures. They pin their crawling victims to the ground with their fangs. Their favorite meals are insects, lizards, and frogs. The largest tarantulas sometimes eat baby birds and small rodents. Humans have little to fear except a painful bite that might get infected. A few people have severe allergies to spider venom and insect stings. These people may become very sick or even die, but such reactions are rare.

The Tarantula’s Future

Spiders have crawled the earth for about 300 million years. Scientists believe that tarantulas have been around the longest of all of the spiders. They have always provided a necessary service to the planet. They keep a balance in the insect world. Without spiders, insects would threaten the world’s plant life. Spiders also provide other animals with a food source. Pesticides and growing cities put the tarantulas at risk. Spider collectors also hurt tarantulas by taking too many of them from the wild. Tarantulas are helpful neighbors. They deserve our respect rather than our fear.

Describe the eating habits of tarantulas.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the night habits of tarantulas.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name_________________________________________DATE___________________

SOAR TO A 4 KIPP 2014: _______________________________

How is the Passage Organized?

There are several ways that passages are organized:

1. SEQUENCE/ ORDER OF EVENTS: look for passages with dates, which start from the earliest dates to the later dates

2. QUESTION FOLLOWED BY AN ANSWER: if the passage starts with a question, and the rest of the passage answers the question

3. PROBLEM FOLLOWED BY A SOLUTION: if the passage starts with a problem that needs to be solved, then the rest of the passage solves the problem

4. STEP BY STEP: look for steps in number or a passage that tells you to do one thing, then another, then another

5. BY SUBHEADING: if there are subheadings look for mini titles

The Trip to Ellis Island and Back

 

Millions of people from many different countries have settled in the United States. It is a nation of immigrants. Twelve million people made a special stop. They arrived between 1892 and 1943. Ellis Island was the first stop in their new homeland. Their stories live on at this historic place.

Coming to America

From 1892 to 1924, most of the new immigrants came here from countries in Europe. They came by boat. Passengers could purchase three types of tickets. First-class ticket holders had the best rooms and service.

After weeks or months at sea, the crowded steamship finally arrived in New York Harbor. The passengers could see the Statue of Liberty in the harbor. It was, and still is, a symbol of freedom and opportunity. The first-class and second-class passengers could go directly ashore in New York City. Inspectors came on board the ship to check them through.

The third-class passengers, however, faced another challenge. They had to get permission at a processing center to enter the United States. They were put on ferries for the short trip to Ellis Island. The island is only about a mile from New York City. Yet for these immigrants, it was the longest distance to a new beginning.

Passing Inspection at Ellis Island

The people arrived at the main building on the island. They were tired and hungry. Most of them could not speak or understand English. They faced long lines and long delays. Some of the busiest years were between 1892 and 1924. During that time, more than ten thousand people sometimes walked through the great hall in one day. They were told to put down their heavy bundles or trunks. Then the men were separated from the women and children. Everyone had to wait in lines to be inspected and registered.

Doctors checked the new immigrants for diseases. People in good health were allowed to leave. Some ill people were sent to stay at a hospital on the island until they got better. Others were sent back to their homes across the Atlantic.

Reliving Ellis Island Today

The city of New York has changed much over the years. There are many more buildings. The buildings, mostly made of glass, are taller. Ellis Island has changed, too. It has not been used as an immigrant station since 1943. The buildings on the island were shut down in 1954.

Today at Ellis Island, the main building is now a museum. It opened in 1990. It is the same place where so many people entered the United States long ago, but only the memories remain. Visitors can see old trunks and photos in the Great Hall. In another room, people can use computers to trace the countries from which their grandparents and great-grandparents came before going through Ellis Island. They can view a film in one theater or see a live play at another.

The outdoor Wall of Honor lists more than half a million names of the immigrants who passed through Ellis Island. Some names have ties to famous people, like Presidents George Washington and John F. Kennedy. Most of the names are not famous. Ellis Island honors them all today.

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. by important subheadings

d. a question is followed by an answer

Power of the Future?

You are using energy every time you flip on a light switch or take a ride in a car. The source of that energy is not limitless. Or is it? Currently, most of the energy that we use comes from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include materials such as coal and oil. These sources of energy will run out someday. There is an interesting alternative that’s right in front of us. Well, actually, it’s right above us. It’s the sun. Solar power, meaning energy from the sun, is a very appealing option. It is an inexhaustible source of energy. The potential lifetime of the sun is hundreds of millions of years. That’s a lot of energy! If it is used in the right way, solar power could provide for all our energy needs.

In order to use the energy provided by the sun, the sun’s radiation must be converted. Sunlight can be changed in two basic ways. It can be changed into heat, called thermal energy. It can also be changed into electricity. Once the change has taken place, the energy can be used for everyday purposes.

It takes time to convert sunlight into thermal energy. This type of conversion is done through the use of solar collectors. A solar collector has a very large surface. Its purpose is to gather the energy from the sun by soaking it up. Once the heat is gathered, it can be moved to wherever it is needed. Air or water moves the heat. This thermal energy can either be used right away, or it can be stored for later.

Sunlight can also be changed directly into electricity. Special cells are used for this process. They are called photovoltaic cells. When light strikes these cells, an electrical charge is produced. This charge, however, is very small. As a result, these cells are mainly used to provide energy in situations where not a lot of power is needed. Watches and calculators are a few common examples of things that don’t require a lot of power. Solar cells can be grouped together, however, which provides larger amounts of energy. Most space satellites get their energy in this way.

Solar energy could play a very important role in our future. It is a terrific potential alternative to today’s more common sources of energy. Companies that provide our energy are looking at solar power more and more every day. Earth receives more raw energy from the sun than we could ever use. Who knows? Soon you might turn on the lights in your own solar powered home.

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. by important subheadings

d. a question is followed by an answer

Terrarium

Grass, ferns, flowers and other plants can grow in your home. You will enjoy making this terrarium and can use it to decorate your room. You can see plants grow and change just as they do in nature.

If you want to make your own enclosed garden, gather these materials:

• An empty tin can with no lid (like a tuna can)

• A clear plastic or glass jar (like a peanut butter jar)

• Small stones or gravel

• Soil

• Water

• A hammer

• A nail

• A big spoon for digging plants

• Baby plants or seeds

Making your garden in a jar:

1. Ask an adult to help you make four small holes in the bottom of the can using the hammer and nail.

2. Put a quarter inch of gravel or stones in the tin can.

3. Fill the rest of the can with soil.

4. Add a bit of water to the soil but be careful not to make the soil muddy.

5. With your finger, make small holes in the soil and push the seeds or small plants into the soil.

6. Put the tin can inside the bigger jar and screw on the lid.

Finding your plants:

1. You can go to the woods and find baby ferns, grasses, wild flowers or tree seedlings and bring them home in a bag or cup.

2. You can also buy grass, flower or other seeds. Seeds are easier to plant.

Ask a grown-up to help you find the right seeds or small plants!

Caring for your garden:

1. Always keep your garden sealed. This helps it stay moist. Plants will need water if they wilt and look tired; open the jar and drop a few spoonfuls of water into it.

2. Plants need heat and light to grow. Keep your garden in a warm room and in a well-lighted area. Never put your plants in direct sunlight or the jar will become overheated and the plants will "cook."

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. step by step

d. a question is followed by an answer

Tenochtitlan—Amazing Aztec City

 

According to Aztec tradition, the sun god told the wandering Aztecs to search for a permanent home. It is said that the Aztecs saw an eagle resting on a cactus on a small island. The eagle, a symbol of the sun and of their god, was the sign they were looking for. They had found the place to build their homes. The year was A.D. 1325. The island was in the middle of swampy Lake Texcoco.

The Aztecs built their first temple on the island. They built their homes around this temple. In just one century, the Aztecs built a powerful city and a great empire. They called this city Tenochtitlan, which means “The Place of the Prickly Pear Cactus.” It was located in the same place as the modern-day capital city of Mexico City.

The Aztecs were good engineers. They built a 10-mile long dike to hold back part of the lake. This controlled flooding. They built three causeways over the swamp to link the city with the lakeshore. For defense, the bridges in the causeways could be removed. This left gaps that kept enemies from entering the city. Inside the city were canals that linked all parts of the city. People traveled the canals in canoes. The canals served as roads. Aztec engineers built stone aqueducts to bring fresh water to the island city. They also drained the water from parts of Lake Texcoco. On the drained land, they made gardens. The gardens were linked by ditches. The ditches could be used to drain or irrigate the land as needed.

There were villages around the city. There were also smaller settlements along the lakeshore. In 1519, there were about 400,000 people living in the area. The people lived in one-story homes with flat roofs. In the middle of the city was a large square. The emperor’s palace was in the square. Spaniards arriving in Tenochtitlan in the 16th century described the palace as having 300 rooms. These rooms included the living quarters of the royalty. The rooms also held libraries, workshops, and meeting halls. There were also storage rooms as well as offices for the army.

The great temple of Tenochtitlan had three large pyramids and six smaller pyramids. It also had a ball court, a pool, a grove, large open courtyards, and living quarters for the priests. The entire temple area was enclosed by a wall. Hundreds of other smaller temples and religious structures were also within the city. It was also reported that the Aztecs had a royal zoo and an aviary in which to keep birds.

Spanish explorers, led by Hernan Cortes, arrived at Tenochtitlan in the early 16th century. They were amazed by the riches of the city. They wanted these riches for themselves. Between 1519 and 1521, the Spaniards attacked the city. The causeway defense did not help the Aztecs against their attackers. The Spanish and their allies fought their way up the causeways. Then with the causeways in their control, the Spaniards set up blockades. No supplies could get into the city. This caused the deaths of thousands of Aztecs. The Spaniards captured the city in August, 1521. The invaders destroyed most of the buildings, and the Aztec Empire was gone forever.

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. step by step

d. a question is followed by an answer

Visiting With Stingrays

A stingray is a sea creature that is a cousin of the shark. It has an almost square, flat body that looks something like the top of a card table. Its eyes are at one corner of the square, and it has a long tail at the opposite corner. At about the middle of its tail, it has a sharp barb, or stinger. There are poison glands near the barb, and a sting from it can be like the bite of a poisonous snake. It’s from this feature that the stingray got its name.

Are they dangerous?

Stingrays often hang around the ocean bottom in warm, shallow waters. Although they won’t attack a person, they can be dangerous. Swimmers do not want to surprise them or step on them because they will sting if they are frightened. Many people hear the name "stingray" and are afraid of these animals, but there is a special place where stingrays are as friendly and as playful as puppies.

Stingray City

Grand Cayman Island is located in the Caribbean Sea. It is a beautiful place with white, sandy beaches. Tourists visit the island to swim, sunbathe, dive, and play golf. One very special attraction for visitors, however, is an area called Stingray City. It’s not a city with houses and buildings, but an area off the shore where many stingrays can be found. People can actually wade in the water with the stingrays.

Why are there so many stingrays? This area is shallow and the water is warm. It is also inside a barrier, so the water is calm. This wall of rocks protects the area from big waves. Fishermen often brought their boats inside the wall to clean their catch. When they were finished, they threw the fish scraps overboard. Stingrays are scavengers. They will eat fish that are already dead. The stingrays learned they could find a lot of food if they came into this area. They are not afraid of people. In fact, they know that people will feed them. When a boatload of people arrives, stingrays flock around it, hoping for food.

A trip to Stingray City begins with a boat ride. Most tour boats stop where the water is shallow enough that people can stand on the ocean bottom. The water is clear, so people can see the rays just by looking down. However, the best experience is to get into the water with them! Guides explain that the rays will rub up against you. You can touch them, but try not to touch the middle of the back where the backbone is, and don’t touch the tail. Also, do not touch the gills on the underside of the stingray because that will hurt the animal.

The top of a stingray feels like rough cloth, but the underside is soft and smooth, like a wet marshmallow. The tourists put on snorkels and masks so they can see well in the water. When the guides bring out squid, a stingray favorite, the stingrays come from all around to get the food. These creatures can be as small as a dinner plate, or as big as a table! They swim around and check out the people. Sometimes they swim right up and bump you in the stomach. The stingrays do not sting because they are used to having people around. The hungry stingrays stay until they know all the food is gone. Then, flapping their side fins like wings, they glide away. The visit with these amazingly friendly stingrays is over.

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. by important information

d. a question is followed by an answer

Cocoons

Many insects make cocoons. They spin these protective covers around themselves in order to stay safe while they are becoming moths or butterflies. It is difficult to know just when the insect will come out of its cocoon, or shell, but if you observe carefully, you can see this amazing event yourself.

You should gather:

• a glass jar

• wire screening

• a pencil

• a notebook

First, you need to collect the cocoons. You can collect cocoons at any time of year. Most commonly, they can be found on branches of trees. Caterpillars also spin their cocoons in garages or on fence posts.

Once you have found one, use your notebook to keep track of some important information. Write down:

1. Your name.

2. The date you collected the cocoon.

3. The place where you found the cocoon.

Leave room at the bottom of the page to write down a description of the moth or butterfly. When it emerges you will want to take note of its coloring and size. This will help you find the name of your moth or butterfly in an identification book.

Now that you have your cocoon, you need to store it.

1. Place the cocoon in your jar with a branch or twig for the moth or butterfly to cling to.

2. Put wire mesh over the jar to keep the moth from escaping.

3. Store the jar outside if possible. The moisture and temperature outside is perfect for the cocoon.

4. If you prefer to keep the cocoon indoors, you must control the moisture in the jar. Wet a sponge, then squeeze the water out of it so that it is damp. Be sure that the sponge is not too wet, or the cocoon will become moldy. Place the sponge in the bottom of the jar.

5. Be sure to keep the jar away from direct sunlight.

After storing your cocoon, all you have to do is wait and watch! Look for the cocoon to tremble, and listen for scratching noises. This will tell you that the moth or butterfly will soon emerge. Use your notebook to write down what you observe.

 How is this passage organized?

a. in the order that the events happened

b. a problem is followed by a solution

c. by important information

d. step by step

Day 1 Genre Studies

Good readers get themselves ready for reading the short passages. One way they do this is by getting to know the structure of the test passages (narrative, functional, nonfiction and poetry).

Structure of Genre Studies:

1. Listening activity

2. Read-aloud/ Think-aloud of poetry of functional document passage

3. Mini Lesson: Poetry

4. Group work

5. Share

Mini Lesson:

Types of Short Passages

Short story: title, paragraphs, characters, “dialogue” (sometimes), problem, solution, illustration (sometimes)

Poetry: title, stanzas, line breaks

Functional : title, bold print, captions, provide information for a task, pictures, not in paragraph form, charts/graphs, italics

Nonfiction (Not functional): Title, paragraph form, bold print/ subheadings, information about person/ place/ thing, bullets

Group Work: students sort through the Interim Assessments and 1. identify the type of short passage 2. using sticky notes label the elements that the notice within the passages

Lesson Two

Unit: Poetry

Teaching Point: Good readers recognize figurative language and are able to identify similes and metaphors

Listening:

Read aloud think aloud: How to read a poem: Read 3 times, visualize.

Do Now: If you could be any of the following, what would you be? Why?

Animal

City

Food

Building

For example:

I am like a Chihuahua because I am small and feisty.

I am like the Empire States Building because I am tall and proud.

Mini Lesson

• Often times writers use language as they write that enable us to connect to, visualize and remember their words. Good writers do this if they don’t want to be boring.

• One common way to write using figurative language is using a simile or a metaphor.

• A simile is when you compare two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”

Alberto is like a Chihuahua when he gets home from school because he runs from room to room.

Carlisy is as sweet as a the corner store candy she buys when she asks her mom for something.

• A metaphor is like a simile but it doesn’t use the words “like” or “as”

Francisco is a T-Rex on the basketball court.

My cat Olivia is a pitbull when she defends her food bowl.

• Let me show you some great examples of similes and metaphors in literature with the poem or excerpt “____”

Active Engagement: Go back to the poem and underline one example of a simile. Circle one example of a metaphor. Turn and share what you found with your partner.

Work: Hand out a poem/ excerpt/ picture book that has excellent examples of similes and metaphors. Have the students underline the similes and circle the metaphors. Tell them at the end of class we will be having an Academy Awards for Figurative Language: An award in simile and metaphor. They will record their nominations in their respective category on their Figurative Language bookmark

(or)

Students create metaphors or similes based on the Do Now. They write their similes/metaphors on sentence strips which later can become border for a bulletin board.

Share: The teacher records the nominations on sheet of chart paper; students vote and the award is given. As an additional activity, students can choose their favorite example, write on a sentence strip and then these can be placed around the room.

Share

Why do writers use similes or metaphors?

Lesson 3

Unit: Poetry

Teaching Point: Good poetry readers can identify similes and metaphors.

Do Now: Why do poets use similes and metaphors?

Connection: Yesterday we learned that a simile is something that compares two unlike things using like or as (share a student example) and a metaphor is something that compares two unlike things without using like or as (share example)

Today we will review the concept to be prepared for our quiz on Friday.

Mini Lesson: Review of similes and metaphors. Chant?

Active Engagement: Put some similes and metaphors on chart paper, students identify

Work: Students sort through poems and find similes and metaphors in them

Closing: Figurative Language Station shares what they created

Lesson 4

Unit: Poetry

Teaching Point: Good poetry readers can infer what is left unsaid to get more out of a poem.

Do Now: What is a simile? Write an example. What is a metaphor? Write an example.

Mini Lesson:

Remind students that making an inference is figuring out what is left unsaid by the author. You have to get information from the text, combine that with what you already know about the world or people, and then make the inference

Show them how to do this with a read-aloud of a poem

Make sure that the kids have copies of the poem, in two columns, so they can write text noticings next to the text.

Active Engagement: Stop and jot other inferences with your reading partner that they are able to learn and give evidence for your conclusions in the column for text noticings.

The teacher goes around the room and listens in to the groups, to see if the kids are making and supporting their inferences.

Independent: In groups, partners, or individually, give students a poem that has room to write inferences. Make sure they underline the parts of the text that support their conclusions. If this is done on chart paper, their work could be hung up in the classroom.

Share: One representative from each group reads-aloud the poem and shares the inferences that they made.

Lesson 5

Unit: Poetry

Teaching point: Good poetry readers can identify the main idea and theme of a poem

Do Now: How do you find the main idea of a text?

Connection: We have learned that to find the main idea of a text you need to think of what it is mostly about. One way to do that is to find the who and what of the story. This really captures the gist. Today we will learn another way to capture the gist- something very different from finding the main idea- finding the theme.

Mini Lesson: The main idea of Holes was that Stanley Yelnats was sent to Camp Greenlake Detention Center to dig holes, escaped and later was exonerated. This tells us what the text was mostly about and I used the two Ws strategy.

But what was Louis Sachar trying to teach us? Can we narrow it down to one word or a short phrase? This is the theme of the story: what the author was trying to teach us. The theme is something universal. It cannot have character names or settings. It must be something that you could tell your mother, who never read the book, but would understand. There are often many different themes to a story. For example, we learned themes in Holes were

Racism

Friendship

Overcoming Obstacles

Poverty

Imprisonment

Poetry is the same way

Let me show you how to find the main idea and them using the following poem

Active Engagement: Students do the same thing with another poem

Work: Students are given a poem and must answer questions on worksheet

Lesson 6

Unit: Poetry

Teaching point: Good readers recognize how authors treat similar themes in poetry.

Do Now: What is theme? What’s the difference between theme and the main idea?

Connection: You are able to identify major themes and patterns in fiction, and today we are going to apply your skills to poetry.

Mini Lesson: The theme of a poem is its deeper meaning, or what the pet is trying to say about life or human nature. The poet may state the theme directly (in which case you should be able to find it written in the text), or the poet may hint at the theme (in which case you will need to infer the theme).

If you look in a collection of poetry, you will often find poems arranged by subject or theme. If you read several poems you can compare the messages of the poems to see how they are alike or different.

Today, I will show you how I notice how the themes in two poems compare and contrast.

Read aloud the following poems:

Rainy Daze

All these rainy dreary days

Put me in a muddy haze.

On a stick I carry my own black cloud

Above my drooping head

And glumly wish I were home in bed

All these rainy dreary days

Put me in a muddy haze.

On a stick I carry my own black cloud

Above my drooping head

And glumly wish I were home in bed

Monsoon

Oh rains! Enough, enough.

Rivers rise, drowning our houses

Crops flood, ruining our food

Dams break, spoiling our dreams

How can we get you to stop?

I noticed that in both poems they talk about how annoying rain is. In the first poem however, rain is only a little annoying. In the second poem, the rain is a destroyer. The theme in “Rainy Daze” might be, “Rain makes people moody.” The theme in “Monsoon” could be “People are at the mercy of monsoon rains.”

Link

Now I’d like you to try to find the theme in a poem and compare it to a similar poem.

Work: Students complete worksheet with group

Sample Poems

|Galway Kinnell - Daybreak |

|On the tidal mud, just before sunset, |

|dozens of starfishes |

|were creeping. It was |

|as though the mud were a sky |

|and enormous, imperfect stars |

|moved across it as slowly |

|as the actual stars cross heaven. |

|All at once they stopped, |

|and, as if they had simply |

|increased their receptivity |

|to gravity, they sank down |

|into the mud, faded down |

|into it and lay still, and by the time |

|pink of sunset broke across them |

|they were as invisible |

|as the true stars at daybreak. |

|Emily Dickinson - "Nature" is what we see -- |

|"Nature" is what we see -- |

|The Hill -- the Afternoon -- |

|Squirrel -- Eclipse -- the Bumble bee -- |

|Nay -- Nature is Heaven -- |

|Nature is what we hear -- |

|The Bobolink -- the Sea -- |

|Thunder -- the Cricket -- |

|Nay -- Nature is Harmony -- |

|Nature is what we know -- |

|Yet have no art to say -- |

|So impotent Our Wisdom is |

|To her Simplicity. |

Safety pin

Closed, it sleeps

On its side

Quietly,

The silver

Image

Of some

Small fish

Open, it snaps

Its tail out

Like a thin

Shrimp, and looks

At the sharp

Point with a

Surprised eye.

--Valerie Worth

WIND SONG by Lillian Moore

When the wind blows the quiet things speak. Some whisper, some clang, some creak. Grasses swish. Treetops sigh. Flags slap and snap at the sky. Wires on poles whistle and hum. Ashcans roll. Windows drum. When the wind goes—suddenly then, the quiet things are quiet again.

WIND SONG

When the wind blows

the quiet things speak.

Some whisper, some clang,

Some creak.

Grasses swish.

Treetops sigh.

Flags slap

and snap at the sky.

Wires on poles

whistle and hum.

Ashcans roll.

Windows drum.

When the wind goes—

suddenly

then,

the quiet things

are quiet again.

-- by Lillian Moore

UNTIL I SAW THE SEA

Until I saw the sea

I did not know

that wind

could wrinkle water so.

I never knew

that sun

could splinter a whole sea of blue.

Nor

did I know before,

a sea breathes in and out

upon the shore.

--Lillian Moore

SPRING IS

Spring is when

the morning sputters like

bacon

and

your

sneakers

run

down

the

stairs

so fast you can hardly keep up with them,

and

spring is

when

your scrambled eggs

jump

off

the

plate

and turn into a million daffodils

trembling in the sunshine.

--Bobbi Katz

We Real Cool

The pool players

Seven at the golden shovel.

We real cool. We

Left school. We

Lurk late. We

Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We

Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We

Die soon.

--Gwendolyn Brooks

Hoops

By Robert Burleig

The game.

Feel it.

The rough roundness.

The ball like a piece

of thin long reach for you body.

The way it answers whenever you call.

The never stop back and forth flow,

like tides going in, going out.

The smooth, skaterly glide

and sudden swerve.

The sideways slip

through a moment of narrow space.

The cool. The intro

and under and up.

The feathery fingertip roll

and soft slow drop.

Feel your throat on fire.

Feel the asphalt burning beneath your shoes.

The two-of-you rhythm.

The know-where-everyone-is without having to look.

The watching

and waiting

to poke

and pounce.

The fox on the lurk.

The hunger.

The leap from the pack.

The out-in-the-clear

like a stallion

with wind in your face.

The bent legs tense

as the missed shot swirls

and silently spins.

The hawk.

Your arm shooting up

through a thicket of arms.

The lean

and brush

and burst free.

The skittery, cat-footed dance

along the baseline.

The taste

for the rock in your hands

when it counts the most.

The weight of you

hanging from fine,

invisible threads.

The eyes.

The arc.

The no sound

sound of the ball

as it sinks through nothing but still,

pure air.

Yes.

Hoops.

The game.

Nature Is

Nature is the endless sky,

The sun of golden light,

A cloud that floats serenely by,

The silver moon of night.

Nature is a sandy dune,

A tall and stately tree,

The waters of a clear lagoon,

The billows on the sea.

Nature is a gentle rain

And winds that howl and blow,

A thunderstorm, a hurricane,

A silent field of snow.

Nature is a tranquil breeze

And pebbles on a shore

Nature’s each and all of these

And infinitely more.

The Secret Song

Who saw the petals

Drop from the rose?

I, said the spider,

But nobody knows.

Who saw the sunset

Flash on a bird?

I, said the fish,

But nobody heard.

Who saw the fog

Come over the sea?

I, said the sea pigeon,

Only me.

Who saw the first

Green light of the sun?

I, said the night owl,

The only one.

Who saw the moss

Creep over the stone?

I said the grey fox,

All alone.

- Margaret Wise Brown

The Wind

I can get though a doorway without any key

And strip the leaves from the great oak tree

I can drive storm-clouds and shake tall towers,

Or steal through a garden and not wake the flowers.

Seas I can move and ships I can sink;

I can carry a house-top or the scent of pink.

When I am angry I can rave and riot;

And when I am spent, I lie quiet as quiet.

- James Reeves

Until I Saw the Sea

Until I saw the sea

I did not know

That wind

Could wrinkle water so.

I never knew

That sun

Could splinter a whole sea of blue.

Nor

Did I know before,

A sea breathes in and out

Upon a shore.

- Lilian Moore

The Rain Has Silver Sandals

The rain has silver sandals

For dancing in the spring,

And shoes with golden tassels,

For summer’s frolicking.

Her winter boots have hobnails,

Of ice from heel to toe,

Which now and then she changes

For moccasins of snow.

- Mary Justus

Rain Clouds

Along a road

Not built by man

There winds a silent

Caravan

Of camel-clouds

Whose humped gray backs

Are weighted down

With heavy packs

Of long-awaited,

Precious rain

To make the old earth

Young again,

And dress her shabby

Fields and hills

In green grass silk

With wild-flower frills.

The Snowflake

Before I melt,

Come, look at me!

This lovely icy filigree!

Of a great forest

In one night

I make a wilderness

Of white:

By skyey cold

Of crystals made,

All softly, on

Your finger laid,

I pause, that you

My beauty see:

Breathe, and I vanish

Instantly.

- Walter De La Mare

Silver

Slowly, silently, now the moon

Walks the night in her silver shoon;

This way, and that, she peers, and sees

Silver fruit upon silver trees;

One by one the casements catch

Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;

Couched in his kennel, like a log’

With paws of silver sleeps the dog;

From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep

Of doves in a silver-feathered sleep;

A harvest mouse goes scampering by,

With silver claws and silver eye;

And moveless fish in the water gleam,

By silver reeds in a silver stream.

- Walter de la Mare

City, City

I

City, city,

Wrong and bad,

Looms above me

When I’m sad,

Throws its shadow

On my care

Sheds its poison

In my air,

Pounds me with its

Noisy fist,

Sprays me with its

Sooty mist.

Till, with sadness

On my face,

I long to live

Another place.

II

City, city,

Golden-clad,

Shines around me

When I’m glad,

Lifts me with its

Strength and height,

Fills me with its

Sounds and sight,

Takes me to its

Crowded heart,

Holds me so I

Won’t depart.

Till, with gladness

On my face,

I wouldn’t live

Another place.

- Marci Ridlon

That May Morning

That May morning- very early-

As I walked the city street,

Not a single store was open

Any customer to greet.

That May morning- it was early-

As I walked the avenue,

I could stop and stare and window-shop,

And hear the pigeons coo.

Early, early that May morning

I could skip and jump and run

And make shadows on the sidewalk,

Not disturbing anyone.

All the windows, all the lamp posts,

Every leaf on every tree

That was growing through the sidewalk

Seemed to be there just for me.

- Leland B. Jacobs

Crowds

Crowds pushing

Into the subway

Scare me.

(Maybe I’ll grow out of it.)

Crowds rushing

At the traffic light

Make me wonder.

Crowds

Passing

Dashing

Across the honking streets

Carry me along.

Crowds that stand

In

Long

Lines

Forever

For a ticket,

For a movie,

I don’t dig.

Crowds

Slicking

Up and down escalators

Crowds

Popping out of elevators

Don’t turn me on.

(Maybe I’ll grow out of it.)

- Virginia Schonborg

Pigeons

Pigeons are city folk

Content

To live with concrete

And cement.

They seldom

Try

The sky.

A pigeon never sings

Of hill

And flowering hedge,

But busily commutes

From sidewalk

To his ledge.

Oh pigeon, what a waste of wings!

- Lilian Moore

Fog

The fog comes

On little cat feet.

It sits looking

Over harbor and city

On silent haunches

And them moves on.

-Carl Sandburg

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver

Liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.

The rain makes running pools in the gutter.

The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night-

And I love the rain.

-Langston Hughes

Me I Am!

I am the only ME I AM

Who qualifies as me;

No ME I AM has been before,

And none will ever be.

No other ME I AM can feel

The feelings I’ve within;

No other ME I AM can fit

Precisely in my skin.

There is no other ME I Am

Who thinks the thoughts I do;

The world contains one ME I AM,

There is no room for two.

I am the only ME I AM

This earth shall ever see;

That ME I Am I always am

Is no one else but ME!

Me

As long as I live

I shall always be

My Self- and no other,

Just me.

Like a tree-

Willow, elder,

Aspen, thorn,

Or cypress forlorn.

Like a flower

For its hour-

Primrose, or pink,

Or a violet-

Sunned by the son,

And with dewdrops wet,

Always just me.

Til the day come on

When I leave this body,

It’s all then done,

And the spirit within it

Is gone.

- Walter de la Mare

Dust of Snow

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood,

And saved some part

Of a day I rued.

- Robert Frost

Just Me

Nobody sees what I can see,

For back of my eyes there is only me.

And nobody knows how my thoughts begin,

For there’s only myself inside my skin.

Isn’t it strange how everyone owns

Just enough skin to cover his bones?

My father’s would be too big to fit-

I’d be all wrinkled inside of it.

And my baby brother’s is much too small-

It just wouldn’t cover me up at all.

But I feel just right in the skin I wear,

And there’s nobody like me anywhere.

- Margaret Hillbert

I’m Nobody! Who are You?

I’m nobody! Who are you?

Are you nobody, too?

Then there’s a pair of us- don’t tell!

They’d banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!

How public, like a frog

To tell your name the livelong day

To an admiring bog!

- Emily Dickenson

The Ladybug

 

(1) I took a walk through the woods and came upon a glade

(2) The sun was shining dappled light to break the forest shade.

(3) I walked into the open field and saw a butterfly,

(4) It fluttered and it dipped its wings as if to say good-bye.

(5) The flowers in the field were brightly colored, every hue,

(6) Orange, purple, red, and white; I even saw some blue.

(7) I stopped to take a rest, upon the ground I placed my pack,

(8) And discovered there in front of me a friend to share my snack.

(9) She looked at me and climbed along my sandwich without haste,

(10) I saw her rounded, rambling form, and offered her a taste.

(11) She declined, but stopped to give me a wink and a nod,

(12) I slowly ate and watched, finally trying a little prod.

(13) The minutes passed in the warm sun, which filled a brilliant sky,

(14) And I lay back and closed my eyes with a contented sigh.

(15) I start awake, in cooler air, alarmed in my repose,

(16) To find there staring down at me, a ladybug on my nose!

Library Days

(1) There is no place so welcoming

(2) in summer or fall, winter or spring.

(3) After school I like to go there

(4) and find myself a welcoming chair;

(5) I take off my jacket and drop my backpack

(6) and then I delve right into the stacks.

(7) I begin to browse shelf after shelf,

(8) until the right book presents itself.

(9) It might be a novel or a topic quite profound;

(10) the book calls to me quietly, not making a sound.

(11) I hear its call and search it out;

(12) my path to it is roundabout.

(13) I’ll explore crevices and crannies along the way,

(14) opening book after book to hear what they say.

(15) Then I find the one that longs to be read,

(16) settle into my chair, and listen to what’s said.

 

Dream Safari

(1) Oh, the animals I would surely see

(2) if I were to go on a safari—

(3) lions and zebras, giraffes and gazelles,

(4) and don’t forget antelopes, leaping pell-mell. 

(5) I’d ride around in a jeep taking snapshots,

(6) in only my shirtsleeves—Africa’s quite hot.

(7) At night we’d sleep under a welcoming sky,

(8) listening for the elephants to languidly lumber by.

(9) After breakfast by campfire, we start out once more

(10) in search of wild animals when we hear an angry roar.

(11) It’s a lion, and he’s hungry; he’s coming our way fast—

(12) I run, but I’m just a biped—I fear the lion will have his repast.

(13) I reach a tree and climb it, as high as I can get.

(14) Thank you, tree, I whisper, but I hear it say, “You’re not safe yet.”

(15) The lion stops below and looks at me with pity.

(16) Oh, how I long once more to be back in my safe city!

Laundry Blues

(1) My mom and dad are busy this week,

(2) and I thought I’d try to pitch in.

(3) There are dishes to do, and laundry, too,

(4) so I’m going to get washing and drying.

(5) I’ve seen my parents do this; how hard can it be?

(6) There are piles of shirts and socks in stacks so high I can’t see.

(7) For a moment the clothes are all grabbing at me—

(8) now I’ve found the washer, but where can the detergent be?

(9) I throw in some clothes, fill the washer to the brim,

(10) dump in some powder, and turn the dial to hot.

(11) I start the washer and move another pile over,

(12) then head for the dishes—there are a lot.

(13) Now load after load of laundry is done,

(14) But each one’s a new color—the latest one is pink.

(15) Why doesn’t the washer cooperate?

(16) Or is it the dryer, do you think?

Foods of the World

(1)  Once a week we dine out,

(2)  and we take turns choosing the place.

(3)  When it’s my turn, I’ve done the research—

(4)  I’ll pick something new and savor the taste.

(5)  So far we’ve tried Chinese and Japanese,

(6)  Indian, Mexican, Burmese, and Thai.

(7)  Next time I’ll choose Ethiopian;

(8)  my poor brother can’t understand why

(9)  I always have to try a new restaurant

(10) when our family’s favorites suit him just fine.

(11) He’d like a burger or pizza

(12) I just tell him please not to whine.

(13) I recall those slurpy noodles

(14) and the spicy peppers one time,

(15) and can’t wait for our next food adventure—

(16) if it’s in Ethiopia, what will we find?

(17) I love trying new things, that’s my pleasure,

(18) with each restaurant and every new taste.

(19) Once a week we dine out, and thank goodness,

(20) we each take turns choosing the place.

My Bedroom

 

(1)  My room is a glorious mess,

(2)  from my bed over to my desk—

(3)  papers are strewn, mixed in with clothes;

(4)  I can’t find a thing, even under my nose.

(5)  I’m notoriously messy, it’s true,

(6)  and this makes my brother quite blue.

(7)  For he shares this room with me,

(8)  and, his bed, he cannot even see.

(9)  Though he tries to be neat as a pin,

(10) it’s a battle he just cannot win.

(11) One day he’s had it, and with a big swoosh,

(12) shoves my stuff out the window with a push.

(13) It’s much easier, now, to be neat,

(14) since he threw all my stuff in the street.

(15) But even so, though I’m doing my best,

(16) my room is a glorious mess.

Van Gogh’s Paintings

 

(1)  Last week I went to the museum

(2)  and got lost in the art.

(3)  I’d never seen Van Gogh’s art before,

(4)  and his sunflowers made my heart sing.

(5)  And in his painting of cherry blossoms,

(6)  I felt the warmth of new spring.

(7)  I heard a faint rustle as I passed by

(8)  his wheat fields, golden and bright.

(9)  And you’ve never seen a starry sky

(10) like the one Van Gogh saw one night.

(11) In a painting filled with rich hues

(12) was a field of poppies glowing red.

(13) I loved every painting I saw that day,

(14) and I revisit them now in my head.

(15) So next week I’ll go to the museum

(16) and lose myself in the art.

My Best Friend

 

(1)  My best friend and I are always together;

(2)  we love to take walks, no matter the weather.

(3)  He likes to run, and sometimes we play chase,

(4)  and when he catches me, Harvey licks my face.

(5)  He’ll search long and hard for a hidden bone,

(6)  and he enjoys a relaxing day spent with me at home.

(7)  He’s big and brown and kind of slobbery;

(8)  day in, day out, he’s filled with energy.

(9)  When we come inside after a hard day’s play,

(10) he gulps down his water and then looks for a way

(11) back outside again so we can have more fun.

(12) As far as friends go, my dog is number one.

(13) He’s slobbery and big, and a lovely chocolate brown;

(14) he’s loyal and dependable—he’ll never let me down.

(15) If you ask me my opinion, well, it’s obvious to me—

(16) that a true friend is “man’s best friend” —Harvey.

Another World

 

While lying on the grass

(My favorite way to make time pass),

I see a world that no one knows;

A universe beneath my toes

Where ants in rows haul sticks and seeds,

And beetles munch, munch, munch on weeds.

Where spiders spin their silky art,

And crickets chirp, chirp, chirp, and dart.

And sometimes I look up and see

A leaf

                  drop

            slowly

                  from

               a

                    tree.

When giant leaves blot out the sun,

Do bugs think that their world is done?

DREAMING

 

The day is done. The house is still.

It’s time to doze and drift away.

I slip beneath the sheets to sleep

And leave behind the world of day.

A lovely dream will soon unfold—

I can’t predict what it will be.

But whether tame or wild the tale,

I’m sure the hero will be me.

My dreams are filled with folks I know

And puzzling creatures I’ve not met.

Some dreams fade when morning comes,

And others I cannot forget.

But in all dreams I’m bold and fast,

And stronger than what frightens me.

I beat the foe and save the day

With dazzling feats of bravery.

When I’m asleep, I have no fear—

I always know just what to do.

If all my days were like my nights,

My life would be a dream come true!

Otters

Diving and sliding and splashing,

rolling around in the water.

A family of otters is playing,

the parents, two brothers, a daughter.

Their whiskers all twitching, aquiver,

they leap from the roots of a tree.

Then dive ’neath the surface so gently,

and catch dinner so effortlessly.

The meal it is gone in an instant,

now it’s time to play once again.

For otters enjoy life immensely;

for otters, the fun never ends.

Scampering down a muddy embankment,

they’re a truly wonderful sight.

And one thing I know for certain,

I wish I was an otter tonight!

ODE TO AUDREY

 

My cat stares intently at the living room wall,

But when I look where she looks I see nothing at all.

Without notice she shoots forward like a fur arrow from a bow,

But whatever she’s aiming for is something I’ll never know.

Then she pauses, then tenses, then launches high in the air

And though I look most acutely, I can find nothing there.

She zips under the sofa, she skids into a box,

She careens around the corner, she attacks my new socks.

She speeds into the closet, she hurls right out again.

She dashes, she darts like she’s driven and then

She stops. The purr starts as she stares at the wall.

Sometimes I think she’s crazy, but she’s just Audrey, that’s all.

Who Has Seen the Wind?

by Christina Rossetti

 

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you;

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I;

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by!

THE ROSE

 

I rose one summer morning

And stepped outside to see

What had happened while I slept

That might be news to me.

 

I leaned to fetch the paper,

When I found something new:

Between the brick wall and the stoop,

A bright red flower grew.

 

I studied the red flower,

With stem and leaves intact,

A beautiful surprise for me,

A small and perfect act.

 

The flower bowed to me

As the wind gave it a tug,

I wonder how it arrived there

All so straight, tight and snug.

 

I thought the plant roots must lie deep

Below the house. I mean:

Down under the cement somewhere

Lay nourishment unseen.

 

The wonder of the flower

Still takes me quite aback;

How unpredictable it was—

A flower in the crack!

My Manhattan, 1895

Morning’s breeze, awakening my skin; salty stickiness

Burrowing through the window beneath the pane, tickling hair,

Whispering, "it’s time!" Make ready haste to travel north

for picnic, fun, cousins; a consummate summer’s day in the park.

Bustling from our tenement flat, we seven tumble, giggle

Down onto South Street, where bowsprits of ships point their

Canvas fingers at us as if wishing to leave their watery beds,

To shake themselves like soaked terriers and tag along.

Boys splash on rain-drowned paving blocks between trolley tracks;

I care to join, but sharp parental nods bring me back to the walk

And then the horse car, three streets west. Little sisters flounce,

Climb aboard; I, the young gentleman at eleven, allow them their firsts.

Nickels paid; horse sweat-scented seats, rumbling north.

Shadows strum us like willing yet silent banjo strings,

Tall manmade post-trees with wire branches carry secret

Messages telegraphed up and down, back and forth, murmured in code.

Past clothiers, banks, street vendors, I spy Trinity and its stoic steeple.

Buildings brick and stately; street lamps gone mute in sunlight,

Mule carts, coal wagons, ladies at street-side clutching skirt-hems from mire;

Poster atop a grocer’s boasts "Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show!" Gawks, longings.

Shake of unflappable fatherly head, cluck of austere motherly tongue.

Squealing overhead the elevated train; hands over ears,

Grit pounded by hooves, spraying back to cheeks and then,

The monument; beyond it, expansive green, cousins, fun.

Fireflies

(1) Every night in the summer when it gets dark outside,

(2) from under my covers I look out at the sky.

(3) My second-floor window has a view of the trees;

(4) I can lie here and look out there all night if I please.

(5) It might take just minutes, or an hour, or more,

(6) but I don’t quit my vigil, don’t let sleep in the door.

(7) When I see them it’s worth it, though I’m up half the night—

(8) they light up the trees; it’s a glorious sight.

(9) First I spot one and then two, three—there’s four;

(10) now there are so many I can’t count anymore.

(11) They flit, fly, frolic all the night long,

(12) twinkling and blinking their lights like a song.

(13) They sing their night song and rejoice to the trees;

(14) who rustle their leaves in the cool summer breeze.

(15) The trees are so happy, they smile and they wave,

(16) and I think this is a memory I’ll keep, one I’ll save.

The City

 

(1) The city hustle-bustles, there’s music in the street.

(2) You can feel it as you’re walking, feel it move your feet.

(3) A taxi honks and screeches; the cars are moving fast.

(4) As you stop at the next corner, see a bike go zooming past.

(5) See the shops and restaurants, different ones on every block.

(6) The sights, the sounds, the smells—they all hit you with a shock.

(7) You walk around in circles, stop and look about amazed.

(8) Take in everything you can until you find that you are dazed.

(9) The subway car is crowded, people squeezed in tight.

(10) Everyone with purpose, in a hurry, stepping light.

(11) It’s nighttime in the city, feel the hustling-bustling street.

(12) People coming, people going—don’t you have someone to meet?

(13) Lights are flashing neon colors, and it’s nearly bright as day.

(14) Walking on the sidewalk, streetlights shine the way.

(15) Now home to your apartment in a skyrise way up high

(16) Above the sounds, the smells, the sights, where the city meets the sky.

Green Foods

(1) Green foods are some of the healthiest you can eat.

(2) They’re full of antioxidants, most are crunchy; some are sweet.

(3) Take green beans or broccoli—they’re good in every way.

(4) I could easily eat these great greens every day.

(5) Spinach is not my favorite, though, this I must confess;

(6) it leaves my teeth all squeaky when I eat it under duress.

(7) But here are lots of others in this group of leafy greens—

(8) Swiss chard and collards are just two of these iron-packed machines.

(9) A varied diet is the best, but it must include green foods;

(10) without them you’re not balanced, because they’ve got the goods.

(11) So when next you’re in the fridge and you see the broccoli,

(12) listen closely to that little voice saying “Pick me!”

(13) It’s coming from those happy stems, so steam them or stir fry—

(14) you’ll find yourself amazed and then you’ll wonder why

(15) you never before appreciated the beauty of a broccoli spear.

(16) Now you can choose them for your plate every day and without fear.

 

-----------------------

Abe spread out nine magazines on the floor.

Sandra put a blindfold over Abe’s eyes.

Abe chose the correct magazine.

Do Now: (You JUST NEED TO KNOW THESE ANSWERS TO SOAR TO A 4!)

1. The purpose of a poem about trees is

a. the entertain the reader b. to inform the reader about trees c. the explain trees

2. Lisa is reading a short passage on the test where animals talk. The genre is

a. realistic fiction b. fantasy c. folk tale d. fairy tale

3. Which of the following is an opinion?

a. In 1492 Columbus sailed to America.

b. Everyone likes to go on vacation.

c. Ricky turned 12 on April 13.

4. Which of the following is the best part of the library to find information on whales?

a. history

b. science

c. biographies

Vortigern tried to build a stone fortress.

?

The king’s men found Merlin playing ball.

Merlin instructed Vortigern about the pool under the fortress.

Do Now:

1. The purpose of a science experiment is to

a. explain b. inform c. persuade d. sell

2. Kayla needed to do more research on Orca Whales. She should look in a

a. dictionary b. thesaurus c. atlas d. encyclopedia

3. A passage on your test about a boy riding the bus is

a. a folk tale b. realistic fiction c. fairy tale d. mystery

4. A passage on your test where animals can talk is

a. a folk tale b. realistic fiction c. fantasy d. mystery

1. Richard is reading a passage on the test where animals are talking. The genre of this passage is a-

a. realistic fiction b. folk tale c. science fiction d. fairy tale

2. Genesis is reading a passage on the test about a girl in a library. This is an example of a

a. folk tale b. real story c. science fiction d. fairy tale

3. Jerick wants to look up more information on Martin Luther King. Which section of the library should he go to?

a. biographies b. memoirs c. science d. poetry

4. Poems are written in

a. paragraphs b. sentences c. lines d. none of the above

Do Now:

1. Poems are organized by

a. paragraphs b. sentences c. stanzas d. chunks

2. Folk tales are the same as

a. legends b. tales c. fables d. all of the above

3. Fact or opinion?

The time everyone should go on vacation is in July.

4. TEmerald is reading a story on the passage about a girl playing soccer. This is

a. a real story b. folk tale c. fable d. rhyme

Do Now:

1. A poem is organized by

a. stanzas b. chunks c. paragraphs d. sentences

2. Fact or Opinion?

The best way to put ornaments on a tree is to put the tinsel on first.

3. The monkeys exuberantly jumped out of their cage when they realized they were free.

a. scarily b. happily c. quietly d. cautiously

Do Now:

1. Kyerah was reading a passage on the text where animals talk. The genre is

a. nonfiction b. folk tale c. science fiction d. fairy tale

2. Marco was reading an informational passage about donkeys. This is an example of

a. fiction b. nonfiction c. science fiction d. fairy tale

3. The purpose of any piece of realistic fiction is

a. to explain b. to inform c. to entertain d. to persuade

4. Poems are broken up by

a. paragraphs b. sentences c. lines d. chapters

Do Now:

1. Lamar wants to find more information about Franklin Roosevelt. The best place to look for would be-

a. an encyclopedia b. an atlas c. a dictionary d. a thesaurus

2. Read this sentence:

The books in David’s backpack felt like bricks.

This means that the books are

f. heavy g. large h. hard j. sharp

3. Which sentence from the story is an opinion?

A. “Butterflies have wings.”

B. “Emma’s grandma has a garden.”

C. “Emma knows everything about gardens.”

D. “Butterflies cannot fly when their bodies are cold.”?

4. Which of the following is a synonym for folk tale?

a. passage b. fable c. science d. encyclopedia

Do Now:

1. Poems are organized by

a. sentences and stanzas b. lines and stanzas c. lines and paragraphs

2. The following phrase compares the wind with

The wind argued with the trees as if it were two sisters fighting over a toy

a. trees b. sisters arguing c. toys d. bad weather

3. The following phrase compares a lake with

The lake was calm and still like a newborn baby just about to wake

a. being calm b. being still c. a new born baby b. quietness

4. Hawk and stock are examples of

a. repetition b. rhymes c. onamonapeia d. personification

Do Now: (Review!!! You can use your notes)

1. A fable is

a. a nonfiction article b. a story where animals or plants talk c. science fiction

2. A simile is

a. a phrase that compares two things using like or as a. a phrase that compares two things without using like or as

3. The author writes a fiction story about a boy playing soccer in order to

a. inform you about soccer b. entertain you with a story c. explain how to play soccer

4. “Linda was as high as a kite when she found out she got into Harvard.” The author is comparing Linda’s feelings of getting into a good school to-

a. having a good day b. being high up in the air c. being a smart girl

HINT: WHAT ARE THE TWO THINGS BEING COMPARED? (It’s a simile!

Fact: There are 4 (sometimes 5!) passages

Fact: There are 20 multiple choice questions

Fact: There is one graphic organizer

Fact: The passages get harder as you keep going

Step 1: Attack the title

Step 3:

Read passage carefully

Step 2:

Read the questions

Don’t be context clueless! The clue is ______.

Step back! The answer is the one with the most proof!

Step back! The answer is the one with the most proof!

Freebie! Find the proof!

You need to memorize your Do Nows!

Do Now:

1. Poems are organized by

a. sentences and stanzas b. lines and stanzas c. lines and paragraphs

2. The following phrase compares how a boy feels about his sister to

The boy looked at his sister as if she were a snake; she stole all his toys and lied to his mom.

a. a thief b. a snake c. a mean sister d. a nice sister

3. The following phrase is an example of

Amelia is like a carrier pigeon, gossiping to all of her friends.

a. metaphor b. simile c. repetition d. rhyme

4. What should you do when answering the graphic organizer?

a. underline and copy b. answer in your own words c. write a few words in each box

1. The purpose of a real story about a girl on a bus is to-

a. teach you how to ride the bus b. entertain you c. explain what school is like

2. “She was tall like a giraffe” is an example of

a. metaphor b. onamonapeia c. repetition d. simile

3. “She was stuck on learning” compares a girl’s feelings of learning to –

a. something sticky b. going to college c. doing well in school

4. A passage about Sydney Poitier is an example of-

a. an autobiography b. a biography c. a fable d. a functional document /4

Do Now:

1. The purpose of an advertisement in a magazine is to

a. teach you b. sell to you c. inform you d. entertain you

2. The city screamed out in surprise.

This is an example of-

a. simile b. metaphor c. personification d. rhyming pattern

3. Keith looked around during study hall to the posters on the wall. He wanted to remind himself about the strategies in class.

You can tell that Keith

a. cares about his learning b. is lazy c. needs glasses d. didn’t do his homework

4. When Kayla goes home she folds all of her shirts, organizes her sock drawer, tidies her bureau and made her sheets tight.

You can tell that Kayla is

a. nervous b. neat c. upset d. messy

Do Now

1. Christopher is like a tree when he slants.

This is an example of

a. repetition b. rhyme c. simile d. personification

2. The purpose of a nonfiction passage about kangaroos is to

a. entertain b. inform c. explain how to be a kangaroo d. persuade

3. Another word for realistic fiction is

a. real life story b. folk tale c. nonfiction

4. How many multiple choice questions are there on the test?

a. 10 b. 15 c. 20 d. 25

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