test preparation and practice · details, chronological order, fcat benchmark la.a.2.2.1 author’s...

Grade 3

Test Preparationand Practice

A

Published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., Two Penn Plaza, New York, New York 10121.

Copyright © by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in print form for non-profit educational use with Treasures, provided such reproductions bear copyright notice, but may not be reproduced in any form for any other purpose without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, network storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.

Printed in the United States of America

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ContentsOverview of the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ReadingSection 1: Words and Phrases in Context (L.A.A.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, and Chronological Order (L.A.A.2.2.1) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Section 3: Plot Development (L.A.E.1.2.2) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . 65

Section 4: Cause and Effect (LA.E.2.2.1) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . 97

Section 5: Comparison and Contrast (L.A.A.2.2.7)

Similarities and Differences (L.A.E.1.2.3)

Author’s Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Section 6: Reference and Research Information (L.A.A.2.2.8)

Author’s Purpose (L.A.A.2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Writing+

Section 1: FCAT Writing+ Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

6-Point Writing Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Writing Checklist for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Writing Prompts: Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Writing Prompts: Narrative (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . .185

Writing Prompts: Expository (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . .189

Section 2: Writing Plan Format (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Writing Plan Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194

Section 3: Writing Sample Format (LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Writing Sample Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Cloze Selection Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Section 5: Stand-Alone Questions Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Stand-Alone Questions Format Explanation for Students . . . . . .225Short-Response and Extended Response Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232Anchor Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

FCAT

FCAT

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Overview of the

The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was developed by the Florida Department of Education to assess students’ achievement of the skills outlined in the Sunshine State Standard Benchmarks.

Format of the Reading Test

The FCAT Reading Test has three main types of questions: multiple-choice items, short-response performance tasks, and extended-response performance tasks. The short-response and extended-response questions are called “Read, Think, and Explain” performance tasks. In Grades 3 and 5, students are tested on multiple-choice items only.

Cognitive Complexity

The FCAT Reading Test includes questions of varying diffi culty or “cognitive complexity.” The FCAT divides these questions into the categories of low, moderate, or high. The following chart shows the skills assessed in each level:

Cognitive

Complexity Tested Skill Sample Test Question

Low Students demonstrate a basic level of comprehension

Recall information, facts, or details

Moderate Students analyze information

Compare and contrast to reach a conclusion

High Students explain, generalize, or synthesize

Determine the author’s purpose or point of view

Format of the Writing+ Test

The FCAT Writing+ (Writing Plus) test contains multiple-choice questions and an essay. It is administered to students in Grades 4, 8, and 10. On the multiple-choice portion, students are tested on four aspects of writing skills: focus, organization, support, and conventions. On the essay portion, students must write in response to an assigned topic. Overall, the Writing+ Test assesses students’ knowledge of punctuation, spelling, usage, sentence structure, grammar, and the conventions of good writing.

FCAT

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How to Use This BookFCAT Test Preparation and Practice is

specifi cally modeled after items in the FCAT Reading Test and in the FCAT Writing+ Test.

Multiple test passages are given to provide students with more practice for each assessed benchmark. These passages can be used for modeling guided practice, for independent practice, or for targeted practice for students having diffi culty.

Reading

The FCAT Reading test preparation is divided into six sections, each covering diff erent benchmarks:

Section 1: Words and Phrases in Context FCAT Benchmark LA.A.1.2.3

Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, Chronological Order,

FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.1 Author’s Purpose FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Section 3: Plot Development FCAT Benchmark LA.A.1.2.2 Author’s Purpose FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Section 4: Cause and Eff ect FCAT Benchmark LA.E.2.2.1 Author’s Purpose LA.A.2.2.2

Section 5: Comparison and Contrast FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.7 Similarities/Diff erences FCAT Benchmark LA.E.1.2.3 Author’s Purpose FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Section 6: Reference and Research FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.8 Author’s Purpose FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2

Assessment questions include multiple choice, short response, and extended response. Each section provides 5–6 practices exercises for each of the assessed benchmarks. Author’s Purpose is assessed in each of the six sections.

Short-response performance tasks and extended-response questions are included in both the Grade 3 and Grade 5 books, even though these questions only appear on the Grade 4 and Grade 8 tests. These questions provide students in Grade 3 and Grade 5 with additional practice.

Writing+

Although the Writing+ FCAT test is administered to students in Grades 4, 8, and 10, the Writing+ FCAT test preparation section is included in the Grade 3 and 5 books in order to provide students with additional practice.

The FCAT Writing+ is divided into fi ve sections. The fi rst section contain writing prompts. The remaining sections contain a variety of reading passages and activities followed by multiple-choice questions. These sections measure the following benchmarks:

LA.B.1.2.1 OrganizationLA.B.1.2.2 Focus, SupportLA.B.1.2.3 Conventions

Rubrics

Short- and extended-response rubrics appear on page 231, and a six-point scoring rubric appears on page 182 and page 254.

Answer Key

The answer key begins on page 232.

FCAT

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Se ction 1

Benchmark

Words and Phrases in Context

Benchmark LA.A.1.2.3 The student uses simple strategies to determine meaning and increase vocabulary for reading, including the use of prefixes, suffixes, root words, multiple meanings, antonyms, synonyms, and word relationships.

Contents

Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Passages Anxious Eric Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

What an Earful! Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Surprise Party Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Who Took My Toes? Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Coretta Scott King’s Journey Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ • Grade 3FCAT

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Get Ready to Take On the In this section, you will be answering questions based on the skills below.

Context Clues

To find the meaning of an unfamiliar word, look at the words in the same sentence or a nearby sentence. For example, in the sentence below, the word eerie might be an unfamiliar word.

The eerie shadows made the room look frightening and strange.

Since the “eerie shadows” are “frightening and strange” you know that eerie probably means “frightening and strange.”

Synonyms and Antonyms

Sometimes looking for words that are related is one way to fi nd the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Words that are similar in meaning are called synonyms. The words tiny and small are synonyms. Words that are opposite in meaning are called antonyms. The words huge and small are antonyms.

Prefixes and Suffixes

Another way to discover the meaning of an unfamiliar word is to look for letters that are added to the beginning or the ending of a word. Letters that are added to the beginning of a word are called prefi xes. Letters added to the ending of a word are called suffi xes.


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Anxious Ericby Arlene Wachtel

“What are you so worried about?” Marissa asked.“I came prepared for a rainy day,” said Eric. “I have my

hooded jacket. If it gets hot, I’ll have to carry it.”Marissa smiled at her younger brother. “Only you

would be upset if the sun came out at a theme park. Enjoy it! That is, if you can stop squirming.”

Marissa was right. Eric was unable to stand still. They were in a long line for the roller coaster.

Marissa used to be impatient, but as long as Eric could remember, his sixteen-year-old sister always stayed calm.

“What if we’re still stuck here when it’s time to meet Dad by the picnic tables?” Eric wondered.

Marissa stared at her brother. “Are you having any fun at all, Eric?”

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Eric thought about it. “Yes. Well, maybe. I don’t know.”“Do you know what I think?” said Marissa. “I think you

could have much more fun if you didn’t worry constantly.”Eric thought about it as they inched forward in line. Did

worrying stop him from having fun? He remembered the soccer game at recess yesterday. Everyone else had been smiling and laughing. Eric had been worried the whole time that he would trip. Maybe mud would get on his clothes. Perhaps the sun would get in his eyes. Eric had a lot on his mind.

At Julio’s house last week, Eric wanted to try Julio’s new board game, but he was too afraid that he’d have to leave in the middle of a game. He ended up not playing at all.


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Eric could think of other times in his life when he was worried. It was just how he was.

Marissa had a good point. Eric decided something. “All right, I’m going to try not to worry.”

“What a sensible plan,” Marissa said. The siblings then climbed into the roller coaster.

Not worrying would be a big challenge. “The ride will be fine. I’ve got my seatbelt on,” he thought. He looked at Marissa. “Don’t forget your seatbelt,” he told her. Marissa fastened hers.

The roller coaster started to climb the first hill. Eric was nervous, but he didn’t want Marissa to see it. He tried to force a smile. He looked over at his sister. Marissa already had a big grin on her face.


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The roller coaster took off in a flash. It raced up and down, left and right. It was fast, but Eric liked it. He caught himself worrying about the next bend, but he quickly stopped.

The roller coaster pulled to a stop. Marissa was still grinning. Eric was smiling, too. He really did have fun.

“We have a few minutes to get to the picnic tables,” Marissa said. “Let’s hurry!” She ran a few steps, but then she paused.

“I’m not certain how to get there. I wish we had a map.”Eric reached into his pocket. “Here’s one.”“When did you get a map?” Marissa asked.“I picked it up when we arrived at the park. I was worried

that we might get lost later.”“I guess it can be useful to have a worrier around,” Marissa

admitted. Eric smiled.“Great,” he said. “From now on, I will not worry about

worrying!”


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TipBreak a word into parts to find out what it means. The word unable contains the prefi x un-. Decide what un- means.

TipTo figure out the meaning of a word, reread some of the sentences around it for clues .


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Tip

TipA compound word is formed from two or more smaller words.


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What an Earful!by Benita Jones

Without looking, you might be able to tell if someone in the room is using a pencil or turning a page. Maybe you can tell if a heater or fan is blowing air into the room. A busy street sounds very different from a quiet street. Perhaps you can hear birds singing outside your window.

Some people enjoy listening to music or talking on the phone. They might listen to the radio or go to a concert. They use their ears to hear all of these sounds. How does this knowledge arrive in their brains? How do people hear things around them?


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You might know part of the answer. You use your ears to hear things around you, just like you use your mouth to taste your food. Most parts of the ear are inside your head. These parts are fragile and are easily damaged. That’s why you should avoid putting your fingers and other things in your ears!

Ears come in all shapes and sizes. The part of the ear you can see is the pinna, or outer ear. It is the only part of your ear that is outside your head rather than inside it. This part of the ear is used to collect sound waves.

Sound waves don’t stop there! They travel through a thin tube called the ear canal to the rest of the ear. The ear canal is the part of the ear that makes earwax. You may not like earwax, but it is important. Earwax defends your ears from germs.


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After passing through the ear canal, these waves continue on. Sound waves journey to the eardrum. Have you ever seen a drum being played in a band? The eardrum works a lot like that drum. A drum has fabric stretched tightly across the top. When something hits it, it vibrates up and down. The eardrum does the same thing, but it is a piece of skin, not fabric. When sound waves hit the skin, they make the eardrum vibrate.

A s the eardrum vibrates, it moves three tiny bones in your ear. In fact, these bones (ossicles) are the three tiniest bones in your body! They are not as strong as other bones. They are the reason your ears should be treated so carefully.

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These small bones send vibrations into the inner ear. The vibrations enter the cochlea (k ä´-kl e-ə). This part of the ear is named for its spiral shape (cochlea is Greek for “snail”). Small hairs in the cochlea start moving. These hairs send signals to your brain. The brain understands the signals as sound. As you can see, sound waves take quite a trip! The whole trip is very fast. Sounds go from the outer ear to the brain in no time at all. You can hear sounds moments after they happen.

Now you know that using your ears is not as simple as it seems. Your ears are like machines that produce all the sounds that you hear. They need a lot of parts to work together. The next time you listen to music, think about all the work your ears are doing to bring the sound to you!


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The Surprise Partyby Sasha Moriarty

Everyone was waiting for Andre, the guest of honor. Children hid under tables and behind chairs. Finally, Beth yanked off her party hat. “He’s fifteen minutes late,” she said.

Mr. Edmonds, the librarian, stepped out from behind a bookcase. “Your surprise party is missing its surprise,” he said. He looked around the room. Children in colorful party hats hid under tables and behind chairs. Balloons that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” hovered near the ceiling.

“Maybe Andre didn’t get the invitation,” said Paul.“Of course he didn’t,” said Beth. “You don’t invite the

birthday boy to his surprise party.”


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Beth sat down in a chair and began to cry. Paul hurried to her side. He was joined by two of their friends, Donald and Rita. The three children were shocked by Beth’s reaction. Beth was rarely distressed. She was always calm. Everything was usually under control. If something bothered her, she would usually laugh it off.

“Are you crying because we forgot to send Andre an invitation?” asked Paul.

Beth stared up at him angrily.“If I were you, I would stop talking,” Rita whispered to Paul.Beth was crying because the party had been her idea.

Andre’s friendship meant a lot to Beth. When she found out he was turning ten, she wanted to do something special. She decided to throw a party in a special room at the Parkville Library. Reading was Andre’s favorite hobby. She spent weeks planning. Now, he might never get to enjoy the party. It seemed hopeless. Was her work for nothing?


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Mr. Edmonds walked over to where the kids sat talking. He noticed a piece of paper

on the table. “What’s this?” he asked.“That’s the note we left for Andre,” said Donald.Mr. Edmonds read the note. “Uh oh,” he said.“What’s wrong?” asked Donald.“I think I see your mistake,” said Mr. Edmonds. “This says

to be at the Parkville Library at three o’clock.”“Right,” said Rita.“Parkville has two library branches,” said Mr. Edmonds.“Branches?” asked Paul.“Two different library buildings,” said Rita.Donald scratched his head. “Wow,” he said. “I guess the

surprise is on us, huh?”“Come on!” said Beth, jumping up. She hurriedly grabbed as

many balloons as she could carry. “If we run fast enough, we can still catch him.”Beth had regained her sense of humor. In a flash, everyone

dashed out the door to track down the birthday boy.


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Who Took My Toes?by Paul Mera

Zachary BoseMisplaced his toesAnd nobody knowsWhere they are.

How dismal he feelsAs he hops on his heels And twists like an eelAnd still does not go far.

Zachary frowned.Are his toes out of town?Did he leave them on the ground?Or stick them in a box?

It seemed like a thrillUntil he felt kind of sillyTo discover them stillIn his socks.


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Coretta Scott King’s Journeyby M. Stein

Coretta Scott was the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coretta helped her husband in the fight for equal rights. She also became a powerful leader herself.

Coretta was born in 1927 in Alabama. She grew up in a segregated (divided) society. When Coretta was a child, only white children could attend the school nearby. While they took the bus, Coretta had to walk to an all-black school five miles away.

However, Coretta kept her head up. She excelled in all her classes, especially music. In high school, she sang on the school stage. She also learned to play the piano and the trumpet.

After high school, Coretta went to college in Ohio. She wanted to be a teacher. Coretta was African American, so some schools would not let her teach their students.

Coretta went on to study at a music school in Boston. It was there that she met Martin Luther King, Jr.


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After marrying in 1953, the Kings moved back to Alabama. There they saw many people being treated unfairly. At that time, African Americans were not allowed to sit in the front of buses. Coretta, Martin, and many others decided to do something. They refused to ride until the law was changed. The Civil Rights Movement was under way, and the Kings found themselves at the head of it.

The Kings marched together and gave speeches about equal rights for everyone. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke to more than 200,000 people in Washington, D.C. He talked about his dream for equality, which is the idea that all people should be treated equally, or the same. This speech is very famous and still inspires people today.


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In 1968, Dr. King was killed. His wife did not let her grief stop her from continuing their work. Four days later, Coretta took Dr. King’s place in a march he had planned. She spoke to crowds of people. She talked about peace and fairness.

By the end of the 1960s, the U.S. government had passed several important laws. The laws made sure people were treated more fairly. It was a victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

In the years that followed, Coretta continued to fight for human rights. She built the King Center to celebrate her husband’s life and work. In 1983, she led a march in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people gathered to remember the speech her husband gave 20 years before.

Coretta also worked hard to get Dr. King’s birthday made into a national holiday. She wanted to keep his dream alive. Thanks to Coretta Scott King, we now celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

“There’s a purpose for each one of our lives,” Coretta once said. “We have to seek that purpose.”


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STOP

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Se ction 2

Benchmarks

Main Idea/Essential Message, Details,and Chronological Order

Benchmark LA.A.2.2.1The student reads text and determines the main idea or essential message, identifies relevant supporting details and facts, and arranges events in chronological order.

Author’s Purpose

Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2The student identifies the author’s purpose in a simple text.

Contents

Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Passages Lost Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Eat Breakfast—It’s Good for You! Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Yum! Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Family Friends Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Going Hiking Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Wave the Flag! Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60


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Get Rea dy to Take On the


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Lostby Alexandra Dawes

“We’re lost,” said Abdul.The two boys stopped in the middle of the path so

suddenly that Mr. Haddad, Abdul’s father, almost ran into them. Luis grabbed the map away from Abdul. He stared down at the red lines that showed where they were supposed to be, turned the map upside down, and looked again. His face looked confused.

“He’s right,” said Luis. “Abdul got us lost.”“Hey, that’s not fair! It’s not my fault,” said Abdul. Most of the time, Luis and Abdul were best friends. They

had many things in common, including their love of baseball and their interest in camping. Like any good friends, the boys also had a bad habit of getting into fi ghts. They often disagreed. However, when they worked together, they could do anything.

“This trip has been a disaster,” said Abdul.


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“You can say that again,” said Luis. “It’s your fault. After all, you didn’t pack enough water.”

“Well, you forgot to get enough food!” said Abdul.“So what?” said Luis, kicking a rock. “You forgot the

matches, so we couldn’t even make a fire to cook food anyway. We had to eat out of the cans.”

“You forgot the tent!” said Abdul. “We’re lost in the forest. We’re going to have to live like wolves.”

“I don’t want to live like a wolf,” Luis replied. That was when Mr. Haddad stepped in. He held up his hands

and said, “Hold on, guys. When you planned this trip, you did it together, right?

“Right,” the boys said at the same time.“Which parts did you do together?”Luis tugged the zipper of his pack up and down and thought.

“We found out how to get to the state park. We packed the map and the compass. We put together our first-aid kits.”

“Didn’t all of those things work out?” asked Mr. Haddad.“I guess so,” said Luis.“That was different,” Abdul said softly. “We weren’t lost in

the woods with nothing to eat.”


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“I don’t like being lost, either,” said Mr. Haddad. “But we’ll figure something out. You two make a great team when you’re not fighting. The best way to get anything done is to work together.”

The boys knew he was right. They looked at each other and then shook hands. They had known each other for five years. They wouldn’t let one bad hike ruin their friendship.

“Let’s look for landmarks,” said Abdul, and he stood up. He looked across the forest, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun. “There!” he shouted. “That hill nearby is about the same height as the one we’re standing on. Check the map for two hills close to each other.”

Luis checked the map. “You’re right, Abdul!” he said, excitement in his voice. “The map says that these two hills are called the ‘Twins.’ I think we’ve got something!”


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“Okay,” said Abdul. “We know the sun sets in the west, and since it’s setting behind us, we must be facing east.”

“What does all of that mean?” asked Mr. Haddad.The boys fell silent. They looked at the map, and then they

looked at the compass. Then, Luis cleared his throat and began to fold the map. His face was bright red as he answered Mr. Haddad. “It means we are about one hundred feet from where we parked the car.”

Mr. Haddad smiled. “Now wasn’t that easy?” he asked. Whistling, he started down the path toward the parking lot.

Luis and Abdul smiled at each other. They knew they would go on many more hiking trips. They also knew they would disagree again.

Luis caught himself laughing.“I can’t believe how mad we got earlier,” he said.Abdul agreed.“At least we can look back on it and laugh,” he said. “Now

that we’re problem-solving masters.”Mr. Haddad stopped at the edge of the parking lot. He

looked out over rows of cars. Each row had a large sign with a letter on it.

“All right, problem-solving masters,” he said. “Do you remember which row we parked in?”

Abdul and Luis scratched their heads. Together, they would figure it out.


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Eat Breakfast—It’s Good for You!by Lucy Valdez

Imagine you are in class when your stomach starts growling. You can’t focus on your work. You start tapping your pencil and you stare at the clock. You feel tired and you can’t understand what your teacher is saying. You hope that the bell will ring and it will be time for lunch.

Has this ever happened to you? Is it hard for you to start your day? Did you have a good breakfast? If not, you might run out of energy fast!

A car with an empty gas tank will not run. When you haven’t eaten, your body is empty in a way, too. It doesn’t have energy in it. You need energy to learn, play, and to do just about anything.

You don’t need to visit a special energy store or fi ll up at an energy pump. You just need to eat! Just make sure you eat before you start your day. Every day should begin with a nutritious breakfast to help you start your morning.

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Depending on what time you had dinner, it could be almost twelve hours before you get a chance to eat again! Your body needs food after a good night’s sleep. Children grow the most when they sleep and this takes energy. Breakfast is the first time in the day when you can refuel!

Scientists think that when you skip breakfast, your blood has less glucose (a special kind of sugar) than it should. Glucose gives energy to the cells that make up every part of your body. Without enough glucose, your brain can’t work as well. This means that it is harder to think and to remember what you learn. It’s even hard to stay awake.

When you do eat breakfast, it helps you in lots of ways. You can pay attention and learn better. You can play harder in gym class and at recess. Breakfast fills you up, too. You spend less time yawning and listening to your stomach growl. Being active requires some delicious fuel!


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Are you tired of eating eggs? Does cold cereal make you wrinkle your nose? Try something else! If you prefer something hot, try waffles, oatmeal, or toast with peanut butter. Have fruit or juice so your body gets enough vitamins. Ask your parents to make new foods so you can discover new treats you like.

You can even try something completely different for breakfast! Many cultures eat rice, fish, meats, and vegetables for their first meal of the day.

It’s best not to eat sugary cereals or doughnuts for breakfast. Sugar only gives you energy for a short time. Protein keeps you full longer. Foods such as eggs, cheese, and yogurt have protein. Protein is especially good for your muscles, hair, nails, and skin.


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Your alarm goes off, and you rush to get your clothes. By the time you’re dressed, you hardly have time to brush your teeth and grab your backpack. Does this sound like you? If your morning is this rushed, you may think you don’t have time for breakfast. Make sure you make time for the most important meal of the day!

There are many ways to save time in the morning. Try to choose the clothes you will wear to school the night before. Also, leave the things you need in the same spot every night. If that doesn’t work, try to get up a few minutes earlier.

If you still can’t find the time to eat, choose something you don’t need to prepare, like a container of yogurt or an apple. Remember, you can use the time waiting for the bus to eat a quick breakfast! Even a small breakfast is better than no breakfast at all.

Your body works hard for you, and it needs energy to get through the day. Give it the food it needs!


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Yum! by Karen Lippo

That clock would look just like a pizzaif olives, not numbers, were there.Lila’s head is topped with tasty noodles(or maybe that’s just Lila’s silky hair). Is Ethan putting tasty cheese on his paper?If only it were cheddar! It’s just sticky glue.Yes, I know my pencil isn’t a crunchy pretzel!I wish it were lunchtime, don’t you?


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Family Friendsby Jesse Fulton

It was time for the Nelson family picnic once again. Each year, Nelsons from all over the country came to spend a day together. They grilled hamburgers and had lots of potato salad and pickles. They sat around the tables in Grandma Rose’s backyard and told stories. Everyone always had a great time.

This year, one person was not excited for the picnic. Ben was Grandma Rose’s youngest grandson. He was nine years old.

That day, Ben and his parents drove into the city. “Your cousins are only a little older than you,” Ben’s mother said. “I know you’ll have a great time with them.” Ben doubted that. He planned to read his book the whole time he was there.


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Ben knew that family members from all over would be at the picnic, but he didn’t know most of them. This was the first time in four years that he was going to the picnic. His cousins lived in California. Ben had not seen them since he was little. He didn’t know why his parents expected him to be friends with them. They were nearly strangers.

His mother got out of the car. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked. “It will be fun.”

Ben looked up from his book. “I’ll have fun out here,” he said. He watched his parents head toward the house. Grandma Rose waited by the doorway. Ben liked Grandma Rose, but he didn’t feel like going inside.

After a few minutes, Ben grew bored. He spotted a basketball hoop in a playground near the house. He asked his mother if he could use the basketball in the trunk of the car to go play. Ben noticed that his mother had a huge smile on her face when she walked away. Ben walked over to the basketball court and began to take a few shots at the hoop. As he chased a stray ball, Ben heard someone shout, “Hey! What are you playing?” A tall boy in shorts and a T-shirt was walking toward him.


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“I’m playing basketball,” said Ben. “You can’t play basketball alone,” said the boy. “You’re just

shooting baskets. You need teams for basketball.”The boy caught the ball and bounced it up and down, as he

moved in a slow circle. Then he spun around, aimed, and tossed the ball in the air. It fell through the hoop with a soft swish. The tall boy grinned and grabbed the ball before it drifted off the court. Still smiling, he threw it to Ben.

“My name’s Will,” said the boy. “I bet you don’t remember me, but I’m your cousin from Los Angeles. The last time I saw you, you were just a little kid!” He pointed to three other boys across the street. “Those are my brothers,” Will explained.

“You have three brothers?” asked Ben, amazed.“Actually, I have four brothers,” laughed Will.The door to Grandma Rose’s house opened, and another boy

stepped out, hurrying to catch up with the others. Ben’s mother called after them, “Boys, be sure to come back in time for dinner! Go and show Ben what fun it is to be a Nelson!”


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“Want to play three-on-three?” asked Will, looking at Ben. “Okay,” said Ben. The six boys spent the afternoon playing basketball. They

played game after game until it was nearly time for dinner. When the sun began to set over the rooftops, they walked back to the house.

“We were hoping you’d come this year,” said Will. He clapped his hand onto Ben’s shoulder. “You should thank your mom for letting us know you were shooting hoops.”

“I’m glad she did,” replied Ben. “I had no idea hanging out with the family could be so much fun!”

“Or so tiring,” joked Jamal. “After all that exercise, I’m hungry enough to eat at least three hamburgers!” The boys laughed as they joined the rest of the family for the picnic.


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Going Hikingby Vince Poffo

Do you like to go hiking in the park or in the woods? Hiking can be great fun! Lots of people like to hike so they can get some fresh air and exercise. When you go hiking, it is important to be prepared and to follow safety rules.

First, you should plan your trip carefully. Always plan to have an adult come with

you when you go hiking. It is best to choose a trail that lots of people use. Find a map of the area that you can bring along so you will not get lost. Check the weather report to make sure there are no storms on the way. Make sure other people know where you plan to go and when you expect to be back.


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Before you go hiking, use a backpack to pack all the supplies that you will need. Having enough to eat and drink is very important, so pack healthy foods that will give you lots of energy. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, nuts, and fruit are all good choices. You can also buy trail mix, which is a mix of dried fruit and nuts. Not only are these foods tasty and good for you, they are also easy to carry. Do not bring foods that need to be kept in the

refrigerator, like milk and cheese. Those foods may spoil quickly if it is warm out.

You should also bring along plenty of bottled water. When you are hiking, the exercise and warm weather can make you thirsty.

Food and water are not the only supplies you will need. Pack a compass so you will always know which direction you are going in. Also, make sure you have a first-aid kit in case anyone gets a cut or scrape.


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You’ll enjoy your hike more if you are wearing comfortable clothes. Wear layers of clothing, such as a T-shirt with a sweater over it. That way, if you get too hot or too cold, you can change your clothing. Wear comfortable pants so you can move around easily. The proper clothing will also prevent you from getting insect bites.

No matter what time of year you go hiking, make sure you are prepared for the weather. Always wear sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn. Even if the weather is cool or cloudy, you should still wear sunscreen if you are going to be outside all day. If it’s very sunny, wear sunglasses, too! Bring an umbrella and a

waterproof jacket if you think there might be a chance of rain. Are you expecting the weather to be chilly? Wear a warm sweater and a scarf. The best way to be prepared is to check the weather report. It’s always easier to go hiking when the weather is nice!

You will be doing a lot of walking, so it’s best to take special care of your feet. Remember to always wear sneakers or hiking boots when you go hiking. Protect your feet with a thick pair of socks. That way, your feet will stay comfortable even after you have been walking for a while. It is also a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks in case your feet get wet.


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Make sure you follow safety rules while you are hiking. Always stick with your group, and do not stray from the trail that is marked. Do not bother any animals that you see on the trail. Even if an animal looks friendly, leave it alone! Be careful about touching strange plants, too. Some plants, like poison ivy, can make your skin itch if you touch them. Never eat any wild plants or berries. Never drink

water out of lakes or streams. Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Drink plenty of bottled water and eat the snacks that you brought with you. Finally, be sure to stop and rest if you get tired.

Hiking can be a fun way to enjoy spending time outdoors. Always prepare for a hike carefully, and be sure to follow safety rules while you are on the trail. That way, you’ll be sure to have a great time.


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Wave the Flag!by Katherine Specter

Most flags have symbols, or things that stand for something else. Understanding the symbols on flags can help you understand different countries.

The American flag tells about the history of the United States. The first American flag was made over 200 years ago, when there were only thirteen states. The flag had a star and a stripe for each state. When more states were added, so were more stars. Now the American flag has 50 stars. It still has thirteen stripes to honor the first thirteen states.

The Canadian flag has a maple leaf in the center. This shows that maple trees are important to Canada. In fact, Canadians use maple sap as an important source of food.

The colors in Canada’s flag also have a meaning. Long ago, the color red was important to the history of France. The color white was important to England. Later, many people from these two countries came to live in Canada. Leaders of Canada decided to make the flag red and white.


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The flag of Paraguay, a country in South America, tells a lot about that country. Spanish settlers came to Paraguay nearly 500 years ago. Paraguay’s first flag was arranged like the Spanish flag for this reason. Later, the colors were changed to look like the French flag. That’s because at that time, Paraguay’s leader admired a French leader.

Paraguay’s flag is different from most flags. Most flags show the same design on both sides. However, the two sides of Paraguay’s flag are not exactly the same. Both sides have red, white, and blue stripes in the background. One side shows a gold star with a wreath of green leaves and the country’s name around it:

RE

PU

BLICA DE PARAG

UA

Y

If you turn the flag over, the other side shows a lion sitting under a cap, or hat. The cap stands for liberty, or freedom. That side of the flag also has the words “Peace and Justice” in Spanish.

PA

XY JUSTICIA


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You can learn a lot about the African country of Namibia from its flag. The flag has a green triangle and a blue triangle with a gold sun. Each color tells about Namibia’s land. Gold stands for warmth. It is also the color that represents the plains and desert. Blue shows that water is important to Namibia, which is next to the Atlantic Ocean. Green is a symbol for the importance of plants.

You can also learn about the Namibian people’s beliefs from the flag. The flag has a red stripe and two white stripes. The red stripe stands for the people’s courage and strength. The white stripes stand for peace.

Studying a country’s flag helps us understand the country’s history. The symbols and colors on a flag represent the spirit of a nation and its people. The flags of the United States, Canada, Paraguay, and Namibia each show a lot about those countries. The next time you look at a country’s flag, think about the story it tells.


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Section 3

Benchmarks

Plot Development

Benchmark LA.E.1.2.2

The student understands the development of plot and how conflicts are resolved in a story.

Author’s Purpose


Contents


Passages Save the Pond! Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

The Case of the Disappearing Dog Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Speedy Readers Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Alexi and the Toy Shop Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Snapping Sticks Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91


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Get Ready to Take On the

Tip Always read the questions and answer choices carefully.

When you choose the answer to a question, make sure to fill in the bubble completely.


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Save the Pond!by Arthur Ventura

“Look!” Sonia cried out. “Ducklings!”“Oh, they are so cute,” said her friend Russell. “Look at them

following their mother.”Sonia had seen baby ducks before. She had been playing at

Davis Pond all her life. The fuzzy ducklings were her favorite part of every spring. “Mamá! Come see!” Sonia shouted.

Mamá had a frown on her face as she looked at a sign planted in the grass. “That wasn’t there before,” thought Sonia. She and Russell went to see it.

The huge, red letters on the sign announced: “COMING SOON ON THIS SPOT: NEW FAIRSIDE TOWN POOL!”

“Why does the town want to put a pool here?” said Russell. “I like Davis Pond the way it is.”


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“What will happen to our pond?” wondered Sonia.“It will have to be fi lled in,” said Mamá. “People cannot swim

in this water. It’s muddy, and there are too many plants.”“Ducks need water, too!” cried Sonia. “It’s not fair! We can go

somewhere else if we want to swim, but the pond is home for the ducks. Where will they go?”

“Can we save the pond?” wondered Russell. “I don’t know,” said Mamá. “I think we should try. Talk

to your teacher about it. Maybe your class can help.”On Monday, Russell and Sonia told their teacher,

Mr. Wendell, what they’d seen. “How sad,” he said. “We all love Davis Pond.”“Can we do anything to save it?” Sonia asked. “I think we can,” he answered. “We can write letters to

the mayor. We will tell him how the kids in our class feel.”All of the students wrote letters to the mayor. They said

they thought the pond was more important than a swimming pool. They said they wanted the ducks to keep their home.

Mr. Wendell wrote a letter, too. So did the principal, Ms. Scott. Two weeks later, they got a reply.

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“Dear Students,” Mr. Wendell read aloud. “Thank you for writing to me. I was planning to build a pool because I think the town wants one. You can write a petition (a letter asking for something). Ask the town not to build the pool. If other people agree with you, they can sign the petition. Try to get 500 people to sign it by the end of the school year. Some should be children, and some should be adults. That will show me that the town would rather keep the pond.”

Mr. Wendell looked up. “I think writing a petition is a great idea, but getting 500 people to sign it will be a lot of work. Do you think you can do it?”

Everyone in the class nodded.That day, they wrote the letter together. Mr. Wendell typed and

printed out the petition. He included spaces where people could add their names.

At recess over the next few days, Sonia and Russell carried the petition around the school. Many students and teachers added their names. After that, students brought home copies and asked more people to sign. Sonia brought it home to Mamá. Mamá added her name and took it to the office where she worked. The people she worked with signed, too.

The day before the last day of school, Sonia counted the names. She couldn’t believe how many there were: 485! She needed just 15 more people!


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She and Mamá went to visit many neighbors that afternoon. Mr. Ali signed, as well as Ms. Griffith. The whole Karg family signed, and so did the Fergusons. Everyone in the next three houses signed, too.

“We just need two more people!” Sonia was proud. “Who else?” Mamá, Papá, and her brother had signed. So had all her neighbors and the mail carrier. “I wish the ducks could sign their names!”

Sonia kept thinking. Who else did she know? “I know!” she shouted. “Mamá, can we go to Russell’s house?”

“Sure,” said Mamá.Russell answered the door. Sonia talked fast. “I know two names that are missing,” she said. She handed

him the petition. “Yours and mine! How could we forget!”The mayor kept his word. Davis Pond was saved, and the

ducks still live there today.


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TipThis passage is fiction. Authors usually write fiction to tell readers a story.

TipGo through the story and find details that tell how the characters solved their problem. Find the event at the end of the story that shows they had met their goal.


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The Case of the Disappearing Dogby Suzie Murphy

Laura was bored. She had no new books to read. The park was closed, so she couldn’t go there to play. Worst of all, her best friend was away visiting her grandmother. Laura sighed and tried to think of something to do. Suddenly, she looked up.

“Mom, I want to solve a mystery,” Laura said. She climbed up on the couch next to her mother and their cat, Snowball. Her mother put down her book and looked at her.

“What kind of mystery?” her mother asked.“What have you got?” Laura asked. Laura’s mother thought for a minute. “Why don’t you find out

why your brother never cleans his room?” she joked. “That’s a mystery I have never been able to figure out.”


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Laura laughed and shook her head. “That mystery is too easy,” she said. “Danny hates cleaning his room. I want to solve a real mystery. It has to have some good clues. I will put the clues together to figure out the mystery.”

Laura’s mother thought some more. Then she smiled. “I have a mystery you can solve,” she said. Laura took out her notebook and pencil. “Find out where Brownie goes during the day.” Brownie was the family’s lovable dog.

“That’s a good one, Mom!” Laura said happily. “Brownie is here in the morning when we give her food. In the evening, she plays with Snowball. At night, she sleeps in her bed. So, where does Brownie disappear to all day long?” Laura wrote this question in big, dark letters in her notebook.

Laura first had to gather her clues. She went to her brother’s room and checked Brownie’s bed. Brownie wasn’t in it. Laura looked under a pile of clothes on the floor. She even checked the closet. She didn’t see Brownie or any doggie toys.

“This is my first clue,” Laura said to herself. “I know Brownie likes to take her toys with her wherever she goes. Her toys are not here. That means she isn’t hiding in here, but if I find her toys, maybe I can find her.”


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Laura looked in the laundry room. She looked in the living room and checked behind the couch. She looked under the bed in the guest room. Then she had an idea.

“Maybe Brownie is on the windowsill in my room!” said Laura. “Sometimes, Snowball likes to sleep there during the day.” Laura went to her room and checked. There was Snowball, napping in the sunlight. Brownie wasn’t there.

Laura decided to look outside. She called for Brownie, but she didn’t hear any barking. She searched the yard for toys. After lots of looking, Laura found a chew toy by the fence! She wrote down this clue. Maybe Brownie had jumped over the fence.

On the other side of the fence, Laura’s neighbor, Mr. March, was raking leaves. “What are you doing, Laura?” he asked.

“I’m solving a mystery. I’m fi nding out where Brownie goes during the day.” Laura replied.

“I have a clue for you, Laura,” he said. “Brownie likes to play with your friend Bobby’s dog, Shadow.”

Laura was thrilled. She scribbled some more in her notebook. She knew she was close to solving the mystery!

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Laura went back into the house, found Bobby’s phone number, and called him.

“Hi, Bobby. This is Laura. Is Brownie at your house?”“Hi, Laura. Brownie is here. She’s playing with Shadow, like

always. Do you want to come over?”“I have to ask my mom, Bobby, but I think I can.” Laura hung

up the phone.“Mom, I solved the mystery!” she shouted. “I know where

Brownie goes! She goes to Bobby’s house to play with Shadow!” Her mother smiled. “Great job, Laura, I’m so proud of you!

You really are a great detective.”“Mom, can I go over to Bobby’s house?”“Sure, honey. I’ll walk you over.” Laura smiled and picked up

the chew toy she’d found outside. “Brownie and Shadow will like this one.” she explained.


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Speedy Readersby Maitreya O’Conner

Ms. Wilner told her class to read the short story “The Crazy Hat Kids” for homework. They also had to answer questions.

“Four pages?” Jamal said as he put his books in his locker. “That will not take me long. I bet I am the fastest reader in the class. I will be done with it in a flash!”

“What makes you think that? Don’t forget you have to answer the questions, too,” Becky said as she looked up from her locker.

“I always finish my reading quickly,” Jamal explained.“That is true,” said Alex. “Jamal is a really fast reader.”“Becky reads really fast, too,” Hana said. “She might even

read faster than you.”“I think I know how we can find out,” Alex said. “We can have

a contest at recess. You can both read ‘The Crazy Hat Kids’ out loud. You will be at different sides of the playground. That way, you will not hear each other.”


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“I will time one of you, and Hana will time the other,” Alex said. Jamal nodded. It was a good idea.

“All right,” said Becky. “See you at recess. We can meet by the slide.” They walked into the lunch room and got their food. Hana and Becky sat down at one table. Alex and Jamal sat at another.

All through lunch, Jamal worried. All he could think about were things that might go wrong.

What if he was not as fast a reader as he thought? What if he lost his place?What if he started reading the wrong story?What if the pages got stuck?What if he bit his tongue while he was trying to read out loud?What if Becky finished while he was still on the first page? What if everyone laughed at him? He knew that the contest was just for fun. But right now, it did

not seem like fun at all.“Maybe this contest was a bad idea,” he said. “It will be fine,” Alex told him. “And you should eat your

lunch instead of staring at it.”Jamal laughed. “Good point. I will not be a fast reader if my

stomach is grumbling.” He picked up his fork and started to eat, but he was still worried.


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Recess began. Becky and Jamal met by the slide with their books ready. Hana and Alex look at the clock on the school building. “We can start at exactly 12:40,” said Hana.

Alex and Becky walked to the swings. Jamal and Hana went to the slide. Jamal opened his book to the first page of the story. Hana looked at the clock. At 12:40, she shouted, “Go!”

Jamal read as fast as he could. He made it through the first page. Then through the second. He was talking very fast. By the third page, he was out of breath, but he kept going. Finally, he reached the end of the fourth page.

“Six minutes and 30 seconds! Good job!” said Hana. The two friends walked over to the swings.

“How long did Jamal take?” Alex asked. “Six minutes and 30 seconds,” said Hana. “How long did it

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“Six minutes and 20 seconds,” said Alex. A smile spread across Becky’s face.

Jamal was really not the fastest reader in the class! He had tried his hardest, and Becky still read faster.

“Good job, Becky. You beat me fair and square,” he said. “Hey, is that ‘The Crazy Hat Kids’ you’re reading?”Jamal turned around to see Luis, a fourth-grader.“I loved that story when we read it last year,” said Luis. “What

was your favorite part?”Jamal looked at Becky. Becky looked back at Jamal. “I don’t know,” they both said at the same time.“Did you not like the story?” Luis asked in surprise.“No, it’s not that,” Jamal explained. “I just forget what

happened. I read it really fast. So did Becky.”“I don’t remember

anything, either,” Hana said. “And I heard Jamal read it.”

Alex and Becky could not remember anything about the story, either.

“Well, it is a really funny story,” said Luis.

“We have 15 more minutes of recess,” Jamal said. “Let’s read it again.”

They all sat down and started reading the story together . . . slowly.


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Alexi and the Toy Shopby Vera Shevsky

Alexi Koval walked into Mr. Howell’s toy shop.“Here to look at those roller skates again?”“Yes, Mr. Howell.” Alexi had first seen the roller skates soon

after his family came from Russia. Since they had been in New York, Alexi did the same thing every day. On his way home from school, he ran past the fruit and fish carts until he arrived at the toy shop. He would always visit Mr. Howell and look at all the toys in the shop. The roller skates were his favorite.

“How was school today?” Mr. Howell asked.“It was good, Mr. Howell. I have made many new friends.”“That is great,” said Mr. Howell. “And how are your parents?”“They are very well.” Alexi told him about Papa’s tailor shop.

Many customers were coming to have their clothes adjusted.


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Things really were good for Alexi’s family. They had arrived in the winter of 1906, just like many others. Papa had started a business and Mama did the washing for some of the neighbors. The Kovals had everything they needed.

In Russia, Alexi had earned some money by delivering eggs. Now he wanted a job after school to buy things for himself.

All he really wanted were the roller skates. Summer was coming in a few short months. Alexi pictured himself rolling through the neighborhood on the skates. If he could buy them, he could use them for a long time. The skates were just metal platforms with wheels under them that he could put on his shoes. They came with a key that he could turn to make them bigger. He could use them even after his feet grew. If he was careful, they could last for years!

How could he buy them? He had asked shop owners if they needed someone to help out. No one was hiring. Even Mr. Howell said he was doing fine on his own.

The bell attached to the door chimed. A woman came into the shop holding the hand of a little boy. Alexi thought the boy might be five or six years old. They were speaking to each other in Russian.


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“You can choose one toy for your birthday, Konrad,” the woman said to the little boy.

The boy looked around. “I don’t know what to choose.”Mr. Howell was usually good at helping people buy toys, but

now he stood quietly. Alexi understood why. Mr. Howell did not understand what they were saying. He did not speak Russian.

“The marbles are a lot of fun,” Alexi said in Russian to Konrad and pointed to the jar on the shelf. “They are very shiny, too.”

Konrad looked at the shiny, colorful balls. Alexi explained the games that he could play with them.

“These are what I want, Mama!” said Konrad. His mother paid for the marbles, and the two left the store happily.

“What did you say to the boy?” Mr. Howell asked.“I just explained how to have fun with marbles,” said Alexi. “I

thought he would like them.”


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“You just helped me make a sale,” said Mr. Howell. “I have had other customers who did not speak much English. Sometimes, it is hard for them to ask questions about things they want to buy. Thank you for your help.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Howell.” Alexi was glad he had helped Konrad. It seemed he had helped Mr. Howell, too.

“You know, maybe I could use some extra help in the afternoons,” said Mr. Howell. “I would need someone who knew the store very well. It would have to be someone very polite. He would help me with the customers. He would have to speak English and Russian, though. Do you know anyone like that? Is there someone you know who would like a job?”

Mr. Howell looked at Alexi and winked.Alexi grinned back at him. He could already feel those roller

skates moving under his feet.


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Snapping Sticksby Shaun Way

Linda helped out on her family’s farm. She enjoyed playing with the animals and watching the plants grow. She usually had fun with her two brothers and two sisters on the farm.

Lately, things were not as enjoyable. Nobody was getting along. It seemed that all they did now was fight. It was always about silly things, too.

“You’re in my way!” shouted Jeff as he nearly ran into Linda. Jeff was her oldest brother.

Linda started to get angry. Jeff did not need to shout. She tried to stay calm. “Sorry,” Linda said quietly.

Linda heard more yelling. It was from her younger sister, Abby. Abby grabbed a shovel from her brother, Ethan. Then their youngest sister, Samantha, walked over and started yelling, too.


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Linda had seen enough. It was time to talk to Dad. He would know how to make things right. Dad always knew the best way to reach everyone. She found him hard at work planting crops.

“Everyone has been fighting, Dad,” she said. “It’s really bad. All this yelling is giving me a headache.”

Dad stopped pulling weeds for a minute. “I’ve noticed it, too.”“I just want them to stop. I like it when we all work together. I

want things to be the way they used to be,” said Linda.“Well, I can’t just make everyone stop grumbling. I need them

to understand why it is important to get along,” said Dad. “I think I have a good idea, though.” He stood up and whistled loudly.

Abby put down the shovel. Ethan did not bother to reach for it. Sam became quiet and stopped complaining that it was her turn to brush the horses. Everyone looked up.

“Stop what you are all doing, please,” said Dad. “I have a new job for you. Each of you, find a stick on the ground and bring it back to me. I have something important to show you all.”

Everyone looked puzzled, but they did what Dad said. It wasn’t easy. Abby and Jeff fought over a stick. Ethan and Samantha also fought over one. Finally, everyone came back, holding a stick.

“Now, break your sticks,” said Dad.What was Dad trying to do? Linda had no clue, but she knew

that he had a good reason behind the stick snapping.


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Everyone else broke their sticks. Each one snapped easily.“That was easy, wasn’t it?” said Dad.They all nodded, each holding two small sticks.“Now, please give me one of your sticks.” Each child handed a

stick to Dad. Dad tied all the sticks together with a piece of string. He handed the bundle of sticks to Jeff.

“See if you can break the sticks,” Dad said.Jeff pulled at the bundle. He twisted it this way and that. It

would not break. Then Abby tried. She could not break the sticks either. Neither could Ethan or Samantha.

Finally, it was Linda’s turn. She pushed and pulled as hard as she could, but nothing worked. Suddenly, Linda understood what Dad was trying to say.


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“Why were the sticks so hard to break this time?” Dad asked.Linda knew the answer. “They were all together,” she said.

“When they are in a tight bunch they were strong.”Dad nodded. “So how can our family be strong?”“By staying together,” Abby said.“Each of us is just one stick,” Ethan agreed. “Together, we are

a strong group that can’t be broken.”Everyone looked at each other. “I’m sorry I took your shovel,

Ethan,” said Abby.“I shouldn’t have shouted at you, Linda,” said Jeff.“I don’t have to brush the horses today,” said Sam.Linda smiled. “See? We can get things done much faster if we

don’t fight. Let’s get to work!”The family agreed that they should learn to get along. From

that point on, life on the farm was much more fun. It was all thanks to those unbreakable sticks.


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Section 4

Benchmarks

Cause and Effect

Benchmark LA.E.2.2.1The student recognizes cause-and-effect relationships in literary texts.

Author’s Purpose


Contents


Passages Helping Hands Week Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Staying Warm in the Cold Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Musical Feet Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Roger’s Job Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Reading with Fingers Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119


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Helping Hands Weekby Jaqueline Duquesne

“Good morning, class. I just wanted to remind you that this is Helping Hands Week. What do you think that is?” Mr. Litton asked as he looked around the classroom at his students.

“What could that be?” Matt said to himself.Cara raised her hand. “It’s a time when we help out our

classmates by pitching in and doing small things.”“That’s right,” said Mr. Litton. “This week, we’ll help each

other in small ways. How can you help someone else?”“I could hold the door open for another student,” Rick said. Sarah said, “I could encourage a classmate by saying ‘good

job’ when someone solves a problem in class.” Corey said, “I could share a pencil or an eraser when someone

needs one.”


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Matt did not say anything. “Those are good ideas,” said Mr. Litton. “I know you will

think up more this week. Keep track of when you help others and when they help you. I’ll ask how you’ve all contributed.”

Matt wasn’t sure this would work. “No one cares about helping others out. How can small things make a difference? I’ll give it a try, but I’d be really surprised if anything happened,” he said to himself as he packed up his things for his next class.

During math class, Sarah raised her hand to answer a few tough questions. Matt saw how well she was doing. During lunch, he went up to Sarah to encourage her.

“Good job today,” Matt said and gave her a pat on the back.Sarah smiled. She was glad Matt said something. She bit into

her pizza and felt good about studying hard. She looked up and saw Corey staring at his math homework.“What are you doing?” Sarah asked. “The pizza today is

delicious! Your lunch is getting cold!”


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“I’m trying to do these math problems. I’m having a little trouble with these,” Corey said.

“Can I help?” she asked. Sarah felt confi dent that she could pitch in and help her friend. It would only take a few minutes.

Sarah taught Corey a few tips and soon he was sure he knew what to do. Corey learned fast and solved two problems by himself before their lunch period ended.

He felt great and even fi nished his math problems in time for recess! He raced to the classroom and put on his coat. Then he heard someone say, “Where’s my pencil case?”

Kara was looking in her desk. She was worried and Corey knew why. Mr. Litton had a rule. You must always be prepared for class. You always needed to have a pencil. Students who did not would miss part of recess.

“I’ll help you,” Corey said. He looked by the bookshelf behind Kara and in the row of desks ahead of her. Finally, Corey found it on the fl oor beside her desk.

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“I knew it had to be here somewhere,” Kara sighed. “Thanks, Corey. You were a big help!”

The class went out to the yard. When they returned from recess, Kara unzipped her pencil case.

“Kara? Can I ask you for a favor?” She turned around. Matt was looking at her. “Do you have an

extra pencil? I just broke the tip on my only one.”“Here you go,” she said as she handed him a brand new pencil.“Thanks,” Matt responded. “I promise to give it back. Thanks.”“You’re very welcome,” Kara said and smiled.As class began, Mr. Litton asked, “Have we had any helping

hands yet? I hope you all are participating in some way.” Lots of hands went up. Happy faces filled the classroom—

including Matt’s. Helping Hands Week certainly made a difference—the class had gotten better at math, didn’t miss recess, and made new friends. Matt had a feeling that the helping hands would be around for more than just a week.


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Staying Warm in the Cold by Miriam Webber

Do you live in a warm place? Then your body might be used to warm weather. You probably don’t sweat that much on hot days. That’s because your body knows how to keep itself cool. It knows when and how much to sweat. Sweat, which is mostly water, feels cool when it dries on your skin. It takes heat from your skin to dry off.

Your body also knows how to warm up. Maybe you’ve jumped into a freezing cold pool on a hot day. Maybe you have walked into an air-conditioned store from the steamy outdoors. Maybe you’ve traveled somewhere snowy. Most of the time your body can handle these changes in temperature. It won’t let you get too cold.

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You can keep your body warm by running in place. You can rub your skin with your hands. This motion, called friction, creates heat. Your body also has its own way of keeping warm.

How does your body do it? When you get cold, you might shake a little bit. Your teeth may chatter. Believe it or not, shivering helps you.

First, your nerves send signals to your brain. The signals tell it that you need to warm up. Your brain tells your muscles to tighten and loosen very quickly. That’s why you feel yourself shaking. Moving your muscles, like you do when you exercise, creates heat in your body which warms you. Shivering also makes something else happen. You can see it on your skin. It gives you, what many people call, “goose bumps.”

The silly name “goose bumps” doesn’t mean you’ll start honking or waddling like a goose. It does means your skin will look like the skin of a goose.


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When your muscles get tight, they pull up the tiny hairs on your skin. Each hair pulls up a bump of skin. Some of these bumps aren’t much wider than the period at the end of this sentence. They return to normal once you warm up.

Scientists are not sure if goose bumps help humans in any way. They do think the bumps help other animals that have lots of fur. When the fur stands up, warm air from the animal’s body gets trapped. This helps keep some of the cold out. Since humans don’t have fur, goose bumps don’t help us in the same way.


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If you have light skin, you may notice the skin turning pink in cold weather. Don’t worry, it won’t stay that way! This happens for a good reason. Your body does not want to lose heat through your skin. The blood vessels in your skin get a little wider to hold in the heat. Blood vessels are tubes that carry blood. This is why some people get red when they are hot or when they blush.

Too much cold can be dangerous. The longer you let yourself stay cold, the greater the danger. It also makes a difference how much of your body is uncovered. It is important to dress warmly and not be exposed to the cold for too long. One small piece of clothing can be a big help in keeping you warm—a hat! Lots of heat can escape through your head. Covering your head with a thick, warm hat can hold that heat in.

As long as you’re careful and aware of what you can handle, your body is ready for fun in the cold!


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Musical Feetby David Flax

Allison Peet had musical feet.Out of each step came a musical note.Just by walking alongshe could create a song and sing without words from her throat.Nobody knowshow her heels and toescould let out such beautiful tones.Every time she walks,you can barely hear her talk—especially when she is alone.

When Allie was eight, (on a day her parents slept late)she woke, and put her feet on the floor.What did she hear?A note, loud and clear,and a “Please keep it down!” from next door.So she went down the hallin a hands-and-knees crawl,and finally wished, “Can’t my feet just be quiet?’Now her feet never sing,not a note, not a thing.Though someday, her elbows may try it.


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Roger’s Jobby Deidra Young

Roger was very good at creating things. He dreamed of having a job where he could design skyscrapers. The problem was that Roger was only nine years old. He had much to learn and would have to wait many years before he could get a job like that.

Still, Roger was off to a good start. At home, he enjoyed constructing things with his favorite set of wooden blocks. The different shapes and sizes allowed him to create lots of buildings. At school, his teacher loved the wonderful drawings he did in art class. Roger’s work was very different from others. Sometimes he would draw an entire city. One day, Roger’s father had an idea. He called Roger to the kitchen table.

“Roger, I have a job for you,” his father said. “You can design a building for me.”


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Roger did not understand. What did his father just say?“What kind of building?” he asked. “I thought I was too young

to make a real building.”“You may be young, but that should not stop you. I have a

small building for you to design,” his father explained. Roger was getting excited. He wondered what kind of building

it could be. He ran to get his drawing paper.“Okay, are you ready?” said his father. “I want you to make a

doghouse for Max.”Roger was surprised. He had not thought of that before.“Dad, that is a great idea! Can I really do that?” he said.Roger’s dad smiled and nodded. “Of course you can,” he said.

“I think it will be a great job for you. Just remember that it has to be something that Max will like. It has to be something that I can build, too. Your mother and Sheila can help us also. You can think of something, can’t you?”

“You bet!” Roger agreed happily.He went to work right away. He had to think about the size

he wanted. He decided to make a large doghouse that had two sections. One would be a room where Max could lie down on a rug. The other would be a room where Max could keep his toys and chew bones.


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Roger also thought about the colors. He did not want Max’s doghouse to look like all the other ones in the neighborhood. He wanted to paint it white and green, not red.

Roger started sketching on his drawing paper. He soon had a finished plan in no time at all. When he was done, he showed his design to his father.

“Roger, this looks great,” said his father, and then he grinned. “I think Max will love it. We can get started tomorrow.”

The next day, Roger and his father started to build the doghouse. Roger watched his father cut the boards with a saw. He helped hammer in some of the nails. Then, Roger and his mother painted the doghouse.


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“Roger, why did you pick white for the sides of the doghouse?” his mother asked.

“That’s the best part,” Roger said. He looked over at his younger sister, Sheila. “Sheila and I are going to paint pictures of Max on the sides.”

Sheila was excited. “All right!” she yelled. When all the paint had dried, Roger looked at the doghouse. It

had turned out exactly as he had planned! There was somebody else who still needed to see it: Max!

Sheila brought Max outside. Roger showed him the doghouse. Max went inside, curled up on the rug, and began to wag his tail.

The family smiled and congratulated Roger on his first building project. One day, they hoped to be as happy for him when he finished his first skyscraper.


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Reading with Fingersby Ferdinand Suggs

Louis Braille’s story starts in France, almost 200 years ago. One day, when Louis was three years old, he got hurt. He was playing with tools in his father’s shop. A sharp tool slipped and hit Louis’s right eye. The injured eye became infected and soon, the infection spread to his other eye. By the time he was five-years old, Louis could not see at all.

After Louis lost his sight, his life was very different. He went to the village school. He was able to listen to his teachers, but he could not read or write. There was no way for him to see what was written on the page. This made things very difficult for him.


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Louis then went to a special school in Paris for blind children. The school taught students to read letters that were raised on the page. Each letter was made from a wire that was pressed onto the page by a machine. There were still problems with this way of reading and writing. It was hard to tell the letters apart just by feeling them. The students could not write these letters without a machine. There needed to be a better way.

A man named Charles Barbier visited the school. He showed the students a special code that he had created. It was called “night writing.” It used groups of raised dots to make letters and words. During wars, it would let soldiers send each other messages quietly at night. They could feel the dots. However, the army did not use this system because it was too difficult.

Louis liked Barbier’s idea and believed it could be used to help blind people read. However, he thought the dots could be simpler to use. Louis soon tried to develop a special alphabet of his own.


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Louis added his own ideas to what Barbier had already done. Louis made letters out of dots that people could feel, but each letter had six dots or less. These letters were not planned for people to read them with their eyes. Louis knew what it was like to feel things instead of seeing them. It would be easy to learn. Now, people would be able to read with their fingers.

This system also gave Louis and other blind students a chance to write. All they had to do was poke dots in the correct places. It was much easier for them than making and pressing wire letters.

Louis’s alphabet was called Braille. He wrote a book about his new way to read and write. Louis also wrote a history book in Braille.


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Louis did not stop there. He also made a code that blind people could use for math. Music was also important to Louis. He played the piano and organ. So he made another code to help blind people read music.

Other students at Louis’s school liked his alphabet. They started using it on their own. Years later, the school began teaching it. More people in France learned about it. Blind people were able to read, but they could only use the alphabet if they knew French.

As the years passed, people in other countries used Louis’s idea. They made their own Braille alphabets. Today, English speakers have a Braille alphabet. So do people who speak Chinese, Greek, Arabic, and many other languages. All over the world, blind people can read with their fingers.


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Section 5

Benchmarks

Comparison and Contrast

Benchmark LA.A.2.2.7The student recognizes the use of comparison and contrast in a text.

Similarities and Differences

Benchmark LA.E.1.2.3 The student knows the similarities and differences among the characters, settings, and events presented in various texts.

Author’s Purpose


Contents

Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Passages Views at the Zoo Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Words from Far Away Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

You and Me and the Sea Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Old Home, New Home Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Just a Kid? Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147


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Views at the Zooby Jami Ferguson

Alika the Giraffe looked down at the visitors from 14 feet up. She saw a boy and his father craning their necks and tilting their heads back. People always seemed to do that below her. Maybe they were trying to see her face. Alika couldn’t imagine bending her neck all the way back. People’s necks were so short. How did they ever get their food?

Alika walked over to a tree. She was glad to have such a long neck. Without it, how could she reach the tasty branches? As she chewed, she looked around the zoo. Being so tall, she could see pretty far. She would get bored otherwise. She only slept for about 30 minutes a day.


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“Let’s go see the bats, Jack,” the boy’s father said.

Alika wouldn’t be able to see Jack anymore. The bats lived inside away from the sunshine.

Bernardo the Bat was hanging by his feet, as usual. The room was dark, just the way he liked it. He could see, but that wasn’t how he usually learned about things. Bernardo learned by making noise. He would make a high pitched sound and listen for the echo. It would tell him what was around him. That was how he found the insects the zoo workers brought to the room. Yum!

It was easy to tell that two people were there. Both were huge, of course. All humans were much larger than three-pound Bernardo. They didn’t notice the sounds he made. Bernardo’s sounds were too high for humans to hear, but he could hear them.

“Listen to all that flapping!” said Jack. “It’s creepy!”“Didn’t you see the sign outside, Jack? The bats won’t hurt

you,” his father replied.Bernardo wondered why people thought he was scary. “Are you sure they won’t fly at me?” Jack asked.“No, of course not,” said his father. “They know where you

are. They’ll stay away from you.”


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Jack stood and listened. “You’re right. They’re not coming near me.”“What else do you want to see, Jack?” his father asked soon.“How about the dolphins?”

Sid the Dolphin jumped into the air. He spun before he landed back in the water. The people were here to see him!

The boy looked like he was having a good time. Sid thought it was funny to watch people walk. Plodding along on those two legs, on dry land, looked pretty dull. Leaping through the air was much better. He was glad to show off for the humans!

While the people laughed, Sid dove under the water. He was hungry! He made a high-pitched noise and listened to the echo. This helped him find the fish in the pool. What a good lunch!

“Look, Jack, I think they’re eating now.” “They must be hungry,” said Jack. “I’m hungry, too.”Sid wondered what Jack ate. Did someone come to his home

every day with a bucket of fish?


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“Yum, peanut butter and jelly,” said Jack. It was his favorite sandwich. He pulled it out of a bag and took a big bite.

“Are you having fun today?” his father asked.“I am!” said Jack. “I can’t decide which animal I like best.”Jack’s father grinned. “Then I have a different question. Which

animal would you most like to be?”“Well, it might be fun to be as tall as a giraffe. I wouldn’t

want to eat leaves, though. I’d miss peanut butter.”“What about a bat?” his father asked.“Hanging upside-down and flying would be fun!” said Jack. “I

don’t think I would like the dark. I like sunny days too much.”“Would you want to play in the water like the dolphins?” “Yes!” he said. “Not all the time. I’d rather run around.”“Well, we sure did have a good time here.” said Jack’s father.

“The animals were fun to visit.”“Hey,” Jack wondered. “I wonder what they thought about us.”


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North America

Isthmusof Panama

Pacific OceanSouth America

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Atlantic Ocean

Words from Far Away by Cyn DiBiase

It wasn’t easy to send messages across the country in the 1840s and 1850s. There were no phones or computers. The mail was the only system.

Someone had to get the mail to where it was going. How did they do it? Cars and planes had not been invented. If a place didn’t have a railroad station nearby, trains couldn’t go there.

So how did mail travel across the country? It didn’t travel straight across—it was taken around! Mail was carried by boat to a narrow piece of land, called the Isthmus of Panama. This is where North America meets South America. People carried the mail across this strip of land. Then, they got back on a boat and went to the other side of the country. The trip took about three to four weeks. Sometimes, it took longer. Finally, letters would


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How were birthday greetings sent across the country in 1860? To arrive on time, they had to be sent about two weeks ahead. That may seem like a long time today. Back then, two weeks was fast. The days of mail taking more than a month to reach its destination were over.

The Pony Express changed the way mail was sent. Letters did not have to go such a long way around the country. They arrived by boat and then were taken across the country on horseback.

Strong horses and riders traveled far and fast. Riders would bring letters to stations across the country. At some stations, one rider would give mail to the next rider. More often, a rider would get on a fresh horse. That way, the other horse could rest.

Mail took about 10 days to cross the country this way. The fastest ride west took seven days and 17 hours. This famous ride brought the speech Abraham Lincoln gave when he became president. The journey covered the area from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.


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The Pony Express did not last long. Soon, there were faster ways to send messages. The fi rst was the electric telegraph. Soon after the Pony Express started, a telegraph line reached across the country. It used wires to send signals in Morse code. This code could be sent from one telegraph offi ce to another.

Workers in the offi ces knew what the signals meant. They gave people the messages. The telegraph worked fast. A birthday message could be sent the day of someone’s birthday. Message reached people while the information was still new!

When the telephone was invented in 1876, it was a big change. People could talk to each other far away. The words were transmitted through wires right away.

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Today, people can make plans quickly or chat without being in the same room. Telegrams are not used now, but people still talk on the telephone. Today, phones are not just inside buildings. They are in phone booths on street corners. People have cell phones that they can carry around. They can talk to their friends while they shop, sit outside, or take a walk.

Messages that people type can also arrive right away. You can send an e-mail from a computer to a friend almost anywhere in the world. People can also put information on the Internet, and thousands of others can read it. Copies of pictures or other papers can be sent far away, too. Fax machines usually send them through telephone lines.

Today, there are lots of ways to reach people who are far away, but people still send letters, too. Only now, an electronic letter can be “mailed” across the country and arrive in a matter of seconds!


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You and Me and the Seaby Simon Sellers

I stand by the pool.I see from end to end.I dive in and swim across. And I get out again.

Then I bike to the beach.I can’t get through the waves. The ocean stretches to the sky. Who could swim all the way?

To cross it takes hours and hours by plane—From Utah to Hawaii, England to Maine.

You’re riding the surf.I’m dipping my feet.We’re so far apart, we may never meet.

One end has daytime. The other has sleep.So which is the shallow end? Which is the deep?


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Old Home, New Homeby Nina Gaines

January 13th

Dear Shantell,

How do you like Portland, Maine? Is it as cold as we’ve heard it is? Has it snowed yet? I’ve never seen snow, and I’d love to know what it’s like. Is it really deep? Can you build forts in it? I bet you’ve had to buy lots of warm clothes. I can’t even imagine you wearing a heavy winter coat! We haven’t even had rain in weeks. You know how dry the winter can be here.

We miss you in Miami. Sunday was sunny and warm, so we had a picnic in the park. We played volleyball in the sand pit. Then we had a race, and I won! I think you might have beaten me if you were here.

Well, I hope you’re having a good time there. Write back soon!

Your friend,Walter


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January 28th

Dear Walter, I do miss Miami, but Portland is very nice. I’m making new

friends. My neighbor, Meg, has lived here all her life and we play together in the snow—and we’ve had lots of it! It’s six inches deep right now. Meg says it gets much deeper and sometimes the snowdrifts are as tall as she is!

Yesterday, we made snow people. It was a lot of work and it was freezing outside. We used twigs for arms and carrots for noses. After that, we built a snow fort and even went sledding. I didn’t know a plastic board could move so fast! We carried the sled up and rode down again and again. Other kids and some adults were sledding, too.

Meg’s parents said we could go ice skating next weekend. I will have to try hard not to fall. I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.

Your friend, Shantell


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July 7th

Dear Shantell,

What’s new? How’s Maine in summertime? It’s been really hot here! I go swimming with my family pretty

often. I’m so glad we live near a beach. We go there late in the day. It’s just too hot to sit on a beach at noon! Remember how we used to build sand castles? I guess that’s a lot like building forts in the snow. I bet your hands are still freezing from the winter!

The water in the ocean is the temperature of a bath here. Is it warm enough to swim there? I bet the weather is nice where you are now. I hope to visit you before school starts.

Of course, you remember how much rain we get in the summer. It’s no wonder it’s called the “wet season.” On the days when it rains, I stay inside and read. In case you haven’t guessed, it’s raining right now. There have been a few big storms with really loud thunder and some great flashes of lighting. The rain is no big deal most of the time. I kind of like it! Tell me more about your summer vacation. Having fun?

Your friend,Walter


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July 20th

Dear Walter,

It was great to get your letter and to hear about summer in Florida. Summer sure is different here. We’ve had some warm days, but nothing like the heat in Miami. I even wear a jacket in the evenings because it gets pretty windy.

On the warmest days, we sometimes go to the beach. We can go in the middle of the day here. I still love swimming. Even though we’re so far away, we’re still near the Atlantic Ocean. There are days when we can’t see very far because it’s foggy. It’s definitely not like Miami.

The water here is also really cold! I just dive in. If I went in slowly, I would never make it past my knees. If you keep moving, your body gets used to the cold. When you get out, your teeth might start to chatter. You have to bring a big, fuzzy towel to warm up. I even have a comfy robe that I bring to the beach.

We don’t get as much rain in the summer as we did in Florida. It’s pretty dry. For a while in the spring, the grass was muddy from the melting snow. That’s all long gone now.

I miss everyone back in Miami, but I’m having a good time here. I hope your parents can bring you here before school starts. Tell our friends that I said hello.

Your friend,Shantell


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Just a Kid?by Shawna Flaks

“I am just a kid.”Have you ever said that? Many children have—but many kids

have done great things. Being young did not stop them.Wolfgang Mozart is one example. He was born in 1756 in

Austria. He is famous for composing, or writing, music. He began his life-long love of music at a very young age.

At age three, he could play a few notes of music. At age four, he could play short tunes. He started writing music when he was only five. His musical ability increased with each passing year.

Soon, he began to travel with his family. He performed with his older sister. They played in many countries. Mozart became known throughout Europe and other places in the world.

When he was about ten, he had his first piece published. The notes were printed on sheet music so others could play them.

Wolfgang Mozart grew up to become one of the most famous composers in history.


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Maude Adams got her first job with some help from her mother. Annie Adams was acting in a play called “The Lost Child.” Maude, who was born in 1872 in Utah, was still a baby. Another baby was supposed to be in the play. That baby cried when it was time to go on stage. Maude took her place.

Of course, she did not have any lines to say. She couldn’t even talk yet. That changed by the time she was five. Maude learned from her mother. She was good at acting and singing. Maude had her first starring role at 15 years old.

Soon, a grown-up Maude met J. M. Barrie. He wrote the book and the play “Peter Pan.” Maude acted in many of his plays. However, she was best known for playing Peter. You might say she grew up to play a character that never grew up!


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Pablo Picasso also learned from his family. He was born in Málaga, Spain in 1881. His father, José, was a drawing teacher who also did his own paintings. He often painted birds.

Pablo’s love of painting began at about age seven. He was nine when he finished his first painting. It showed a man on a donkey.

Pablo became his father’s student. Soon, Pablo was finding different ways to paint. He learned the styles of other Spanish painters. These styles could be seen in his work. His paintings began to win awards.

When Pablo was 13, he had his first art show. When Pablo was 14, the family moved to Barcelona, another city in Spain. There, Pablo could study at an art school.

Pablo Picasso became very famous. He painted and created other art for almost 80 years.


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Many children started first grade in 1960, but for Ruby Bridges, it was an unusual first day. She was six years old. She lived in New Orleans, and she was the first African-American student to go to her school.

Some people did not want her to be allowed into the school. In fact, some of them stood angrily outside the school when she went in. Some parents even took their children out of the school.

On her first day, Ruby did not know what was going on. When she saw all the people, she thought it was a party. Police officers walked with her to keep her safe.

Ruby had to walk past a group of angry people every day. She walked quietly with the officers. For a whole year, no one came to Ruby’s class. Her teacher stayed and taught her.

The next year, more African-American students came to the school. Things got easier for Ruby.

Learning always meant a lot to her. She also thought it was important for people to respect each other. When she grew up, she started the Ruby Bridges Foundation. It is a group that works to teach children about respecting all people.

As you can see from these stories, age does not matter. Children are able to do some amazing things. There’s a lot you can do before you grow up!


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Section 6

Benchmarks

Reference and Research Information

Benchmark LA.A.2.2.8The students selects and uses a variety of appropriate reference materials, including multiple presentations of information such as maps, charts, and photos, to gather information for research projects.

Author’s Purpose


Contents

Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Passages What a Grand Canyon! Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Big, Bigger, Biggest Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

One Mixed-Up Country Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Not Just Lunch Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Working for Women’s Rights Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174


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What a Grand Canyon!by Andrew Gonzalez

What is powerful enough to cut through miles of land? Believe it or not, water is. However, there needs to be a lot of water that moves quickly through the land for a long time.

Water moving through Arizona formed the Grand Canyon. A canyon has steep sides. There is often a stream going through it.

The Grand Canyon’s steep sides are made of rocky hills, cliffs, and other shapes. At some points, the sides of the canyon are more than a mile high!

The mighty Colorado River runs through the middle of the Grand Canyon. It flows through the canyon for about 277 miles. In some places, the canyon is less than a mile wide. In other areas, it is as wide as 18 miles.


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ARIZONA

Grand CanyonNEVADA

UTAHCOLORADO

NEWMEXICO

Colorado River

The Grand Canyon is located close to where Arizona meets Utah and Nevada. The canyon does not cross the borders of Arizona. The Colorado River is 1,450 miles long—much longer than the canyon. In fact, the river goes through seven states!

Scientists know that rocks change very slowly. Many things can happen over the course of time. They discovered that the canyon probably formed about six million years ago.

What happened six million years ago? The Colorado River carried tons of sand, mud, and small rocks with it every day. The river was strong enough to carve the canyon into the land. Wind and rain also wore away the rocks.

The Grand Canyon is in the desert where the climate is hot and dry. That is one reason the river could carve through the land. The dry soil was easy to move.


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Kaibab Limestone

Grand Canyon Rock Layers

Redwall Limestone

Muav Limestone

Bright Angel Shale

Tapeats Sandstone

Vishnu Schist

Toroweap Formation

Coconino Sandstone

Hermit Shale

Supai Group

The Grand Canyon is made up of many layers of rocks. Scientists have special names for each layer.

The canyon also teaches us about the history of Earth. Looking at it, you can see many colors because you are looking at different layers of rocks. The oldest rocks are on the bottom. They are more than two billion years old. These rocks were there before the canyon was carved. Each layer of rocks in the canyon is newer than the one below it.

Today, the canyon is home to many plants and animals. Big animals like deer and mountain lions live in the canyon. There are also small animals like rabbits, squirrels, bats, snakes and frogs.

Humans have lived in and around the canyon, too. Some were there 4,000 years ago. We know this from art made in the canyon’s caves. The Navajo people settled near the canyon about 500 years ago. Today, five Native American tribes live near the canyon. There is even a village inside the canyon!

Every year, people visit the canyon from all over. Groups can hike or ride mules to the bottom. They must be very careful. At the bottom, they can even ride rafts on the river.

The Grand Canyon is difficult to describe in words. Many people take pictures when they go. They want to amaze their friends back home!


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Big, Bigger, Biggestby Packard Shoal

What does big mean? It can mean heavy, long, or tall. What is the biggest thing you can imagine? What is the tallest or longest?

If an insect were three inches long—would you say it was big? Now picture a cat the same length as the insect. Is the cat long? What if a river were only three inches long?

Big can mean something different, depending on what you are talking about. You need to compare it to other things in the same group. Sometimes, a table or a bar graph can help. Comparing an insect to a cat or to a river does not make sense—comparing it to other insects does.


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Building

Tallest Buildings in the World

Hei

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2,000

1,900

1,800

1,700

1,600

1,500

1,400

1,300

1,200

1,100

1,000

0

Taipe

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Plaz

a

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101

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88

stor

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88

stor

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108

sto

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88

stor

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88

stor

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80

stor

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69

stor

ies

102

sto

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78

stor

ies

One of the tallest buildings in the world is the Taipei 101 building in Taiwan. It is 1,671 feet tall and has over 100 stories. Inside are offi ces and a shopping mall. The building has 61 elevators. They are the fastest elevators in the world. It takes only about 30 seconds to get to the top.

In Malaysia, you can fi nd two very tall buildings

called the Petronas Towers. Each tower is 1,483 feet high. They each have 88 stories .

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What is considered big for an ocean? Oceans cover most of Earth. Oceans are wide and long, and they are also very deep.

The world’s biggest ocean is the Pacific Ocean. North America

and South America are on one side of this ocean. The other side touches Asia and Australia. The Pacific Ocean’s deepest point is 35,840 feet below the surface! That’s many times greater than the tallest building.

The Atlantic Ocean also touches North and South America. On its other side are Europe and Africa. The Atlantic Ocean is 28,231 feet deep at its deepest point.

A View of the Pacific Ocean


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Planet

Distances Across Planets

Dis

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90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

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s

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ne

There is not much on Earth that is bigger than an ocean. In space, plenty of things are larger. The oceans may be many feet deep, but planets are many, many miles across.

Jupiter is the biggest planet. It is an outer planet, which means it is far away from the sun. Like other outer planets, Jupiter is made of heavy gases. Jupiter is about 89,000 miles across. Three hundred Earths could fit inside it!

Saturn is a little bit smaller than Jupiter. It is also a gas giant. Saturn is about 74,400 miles across. If you counted the rings around it, Saturn would be even wider than Jupiter.

As you can see, “big” comes in all sizes! If someone tells you something is big, you should ask a few more questions.


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Alaska

SouthCarolina

Arizona Texas

Vermont

Maine

Florida

Nebraska

Tennessee

One Mixed-Up Countryby Julia Seahorn

Jason was bornin a state full of cornbecause the weather’s just right

in Nebraska.Sheila’s warm coatbuttons up to her throatbecause the winters are cold in

Alaska.

Nathan can boastthat he lives on the coastin the east (though he’s

nowhere near China).He need not be franticto see the Atlantic.He’s near it in South Carolina.

Ilene and Ramonalive in hot Arizona.They have all the sunshine they

want,If snow’s what they like,they should take a long hike.There is plenty of snow in

Vermont.

There’s so much to see.Texas! Maine! Tennessee!Room for pools, and for skis,

and for skates!Room for cold and for hot!Just look what we’ve gotIn our fifty United States!


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Not Just Lunchby Edgar Ringer

It’s the weekend, and it is lunchtime again. You’re hungry, but sitting at the same old table sounds boring. Why not try a picnic lunch? Eating outdoors with your family and friends is a great way to make lunchtime exciting and fun.

The first thing you will need to do is prepare the food. If you need to cut up anything or use a stove, you will need an adult’s help. Don’t forget to clean up after yourself.

Your meal will need a main dish. If you have leftovers from another meal, you might be able to bring it. If not, sandwiches are the perfect choice.

The park is a great place to have a picnic lunch.


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Making a sandwich is pretty simple. First, spread out two pieces of bread. Next, decide what you want inside. Maybe you want something sweet, like peanut butter and jelly. You might prefer cheese and meat. You can add lettuce or slices of other vegetables. Mustard or another sandwich spread can add flavor to your tasty creation. Once everything you want is on the bread, put the slices together. You may want to cut the sandwich in half to make it easier to eat. Put the sandwich in plastic bags or use aluminum foil to keep it fresh and neat.

What else should you include? You can bring anything that is easy to carry. You can make a small bag of trail mix. Trail mix can include nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. You can also use dried fruit, pretzels, or cereal. Gently shake the bag to really mix your delicious and nutritious trail mix!


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There are many other things you can bring to your picnic as well. Fruit is always a good choice. Cheese and crackers are also a delicious treat to bring on a picnic.

You will need something to drink, of course. You can bring a pitcher of water or juice if it’s not too hard to carry. Juice or milk in portable drink boxes will be the easiest to bring.

For a sweet and crunchy dessert, try “Ants on a Log.” It’s not what it sounds like! All you need is celery, peanut butter, and raisins. A piece of celery will be your “log.” Peanut butter will be your yummy “sticky surface.” If you don’t want to use peanut butter, cream cheese works just as well. Put raisins on top. These are the “ants.” It’s a fun name for a fun treat!

“Ants on a Log”— a healthy and delicious snack!


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You will also need a way to carry everything. You can use a basket. You might also want to use a cooler to carry and chill your food. If you don’t have either of these, try a paper bag. You can even have each person carry their own bag lunch.

Some places have picnic tables, but some don’t. You might want to bring something to sit on. An old blanket or a big towel works well. Make sure no one minds if you get it a little dirty. If it is a sunny day, bring sunscreen and put it on every hour so you don’t get a sunburn.

Don’t forget plates, forks, and other utensils. Remember to the napkins—eating can get messy!

Make sure you do not leave a mess behind after you are done with your picnic. Look for a garbage can nearby. Bring a plastic bag along in case you can’t find a place for your trash.

There is no need to rush back inside after you eat. Bring something fun to play with outdoors, like a ball or a kite.

What if it rains? Don’t let that stop you from having fun. Have your picnic indoors!


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Working for Women’s Rightsby Angeline Davis

Today, American adults can all help choose their leaders. They do this by voting. They vote to choose a president and other important people. For almost 150 years, half of adults could not vote. This was because women were not allowed to vote.

Women were not allowed to vote in America until 1920. Many people worked hard for this change. Two women that accomplished a great deal for this cause were Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born in 1815. Women at that time did not have a lot of the same rights men had. In 1848, Elizabeth helped lead a meeting in Seneca Falls, New York, to change this.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton speaks at the Seneca Falls meeting.


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The people at the meeting made a list of rights they believed women should have. This important meeting began the fight for women’s rights in the United States.

Women at the meeting said they wanted to vote. Many people around the country were shocked by the idea. They thought women could not make good choices in certain matters. Elizabeth continued to fight for the rights of women. Two years later, in 1850, a bigger meeting was held. This one was for women all over the country. More and more people took part.

In 1852, Elizabeth met Susan B. Anthony. Elizabeth and Susan did a great deal of work together. They started a women’s rights newspaper in 1868. Soon, they started a large group that fought for women’s rights. The group met every year for 50 years.

Both Susan and Elizabeth wanted America’s laws to be changed to let women vote. First, lawmakers had to vote to make the change. They did not do so for many years. Big changes take a great deal of time.


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1800 1825 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950

1918:15 states allowwomento vote

1905:Susanmeets with the president

1890:Wyoming becomesfirst state to let womenvote

1872:Susanarrestedfor voting

1868:Elizabethand Susanstart a women’srightsnewspaper

1852:Susan B. AnthonymeetsElizabethCady

1848:SenecaFallsmeeting

1920:Women in the UnitedStatesareallowedto vote

Susan kept working to get women the vote. She would do anything it took to change the unfair laws. She even broke a law in 1872 by voting. Susan was arrested because the law said she could not vote. Many people in the country heard about what she had done. They began to understand what Susan and the other women were fighting for. They started to see how important it was to allow women to have the same rights that men had.

Starting in 1869, women in Wyoming could vote. However, Wyoming was not officially a state at the time. It was not until 1890 that it became a state—and the first state to allow women to vote. Soon after, more states gave women this important right. In 1896, Utah and Idaho passed laws letting women vote. Other states soon did the same thing. By 1918, the women of 15 states had the same voting rights as men. However, in the rest of the country, women still did not have these rights.


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Elizabeth and Susan were happy to see some states change their laws, but their fight was not over. They did not want to stop until every woman in the country could vote. Susan even met with President Theodore Roosevelt to discuss the issue in 1905.

Fifteen years later, their dream came true. In 1920, women in all the states got voting rights. A law was passed that said all American women could vote.

Sadly, Elizabeth and Susan were not alive to see it. Elizabeth died in 1902, and Susan died in 1906. Even though they were gone, their dream lived on. The law would not have been changed without their efforts. In fact, the new law was named after Susan B. Anthony.

Now, men and women over the age of 18 can help choose their leaders. History has shown us just how important it is to have the right to vote.


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STOP

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Writing+

Contents

Section 1: FCAT Writing+ Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

6-Point Writing Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182

Writing Checklist for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183

Writing Prompts: Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Writing Prompts: Narrative (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . .185

Writing Prompts: Expository (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . .189

Section 2: Writing Plan Format (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193

Writing Plan Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194

Section 3: Writing Sample Format (LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Writing Sample Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Cloze Selection Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Section 5: Stand-Alone Questions Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224

Stand-Alone Questions Format Explanation for Students . . . . . .225

Short-Response and Extended Response Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232

Anchor Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

FCAT

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Section 1

Writing+ Prompts

In this section, students will practice responding to narrative and expository writing prompts. Encourage students to plan out their responses carefully and refer to their outlines when they write. You may wish to provide students with the Writer’s Checklist on page 183.

A rubric for scoring student responses (p. 182) and sample student responses (pp. 253–286) are provided.

Benchmarks

Benchmark LA.B.1.2.1

The student prepares for writing by recording thoughts, focusing on a central idea, grouping related ideas, and identifying the purpose for writing.


The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the topic and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a logical organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion, and transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas; demonstrates a command of language, including precision in word choice; generally has correct subject/verb agreement; generally has correct verb and nouns forms; with few exceptions, has sentences that are complete, except when fragments are used purposefully; uses a variety of sentence structures; and generally follows the conventions of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.


The student produces fi nal documents that have been edited for correct spelling; correct use of punctuation, including commas in series, dates, and addresses, and beginning and ending quotation marks; correct capitalization of proper nouns; correct paragraph indentation; correct usage of subject/verb agreement, verb and noun forms, and sentence structure; and correct formatting according to instructions.

FCAT

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FCAT

6-Po

int W

riti

ng

Ru

bri

cP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

t

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

cl

early

focu

sed

on

the

top

ic a

nd th

e to

pic

is e

xpla

ined

co

mp

lete

ly.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

m

ostly

focu

sed

on

top

ic.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

p

artia

lly o

n to

pic

but

in

clud

es u

nrel

ated

de

tails

.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

not

fo

cuse

d. In

clud

es

unre

late

d de

tails

.

Fo

cu

s D

isp

lays

m

inim

al a

war

enes

s of

the

top

ic. C

onta

ins

man

y un

rela

ted

deta

ils.

Fo

cu

s D

isp

lays

no

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

the

top

ic.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is o

rgan

ized

, w

ith a

cle

ar

beg

inni

ng, m

iddl

e,

and

end,

and

usi

ng

tran

sitio

n w

ords

.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is o

rgan

ized

w

ith b

egin

ning

, m

iddl

e, a

nd e

nd.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

show

s lit

tle

orga

niza

tion

or

conn

ectio

n b

etw

een

idea

s.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is n

ot

orga

nize

d. T

here

is

no c

lear

beg

inni

ng,

mid

dle,

and

end

.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Incl

udes

eith

er a

se

nten

ce o

r phr

ase

and

left

to ri

ght

pro

gres

sion

. Ide

as

are

exp

ress

ed in

no

iden

tifia

ble

ord

er.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Incl

udes

eith

er

pic

ture

onl

y,

scrib

ble

s or

lett

er

strin

gs, o

r sim

ple

left

to

righ

t pro

gres

sion

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

man

y de

tails

to

sup

por

t the

mai

n id

ea a

nd th

e w

ord

choi

ce is

sp

ecifi

c an

d en

gagi

ng.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

incl

udes

det

ails

that

su

pp

ort t

he m

ain

idea

and

mos

tly

spec

ific

wor

d ch

oice

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

uses

som

e de

tails

an

d p

redi

ctab

l e

wor

d ch

oice

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

few

sup

por

ting

deta

ils a

nd s

imp

le,

rep

etiti

ve w

ord

choi

ce.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

few

det

ails

and

wor

d ch

oice

is b

asic

.

Su

pp

ort

Few

det

ails

or

exa

mp

les

and

limite

d w

ord

choi

ce.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

All

sent

ence

s ar

e co

mp

lete

and

co

ntai

n m

ostly

co

rrec

t sp

ellin

g,

gram

mar

, and

p

unct

uatio

n. W

ritin

g ha

s a

varie

ty o

f se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

s.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Mos

t se

nten

ces

are

com

ple

te a

nd th

ere

are

few

sp

ellin

g,

gram

mar

, and

p

unct

uatio

n er

rors

. Se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

ha

s so

me

varie

ty.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Sent

ence

s co

ntai

n so

me

spel

ling,

gr

amm

ar, a

nd

pun

ctua

tion

erro

rs.

Writ

ing

has

no

varie

ty in

sen

tenc

e st

ruct

ure.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Sent

ence

s ha

ve li

ttl e

or

no

pun

ctua

tion

and

num

erou

s gr

amm

ar a

nd

spel

ling

erro

rs. T

here

is

no

varie

ty in

se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Num

erou

s sp

ellin

g an

d gr

amm

atic

al

erro

rs. B

asic

un

ders

tand

ing

of

sent

ence

str

uctu

re.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Min

imal

un

ders

tand

ing

of

lett

er/s

ound

co

rres

pon

denc

e,

little

use

of

cap

ital

izat

ion

or

pun

ctua

tion.

U

Writ

ing

that

is u

nsco

rab

le o

r is

unre

late

d to

the

topi

c or

is il

legi

ble

.

65

43

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Writer’s ChecklistHere is a checklist to help you do your best when you respond to the FCAT Writing+ prompts. Keep this checklist in mind when you plan, write, and review your answers.

Read the prompt carefully.

Think about the central idea of your answer.

Make an outline to organize your ideas.

As you write, support your ideas by adding details.

Use transitional words such as first, however, and also

Review your answer for punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar

FCAT

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Writing Prompts

Example of a Prompt That Asks You toWrite a Story

Example of a Prompt That Asks You toWrite to Explain

FCAT

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FCAT

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Section 2

Writing Plan Format

The FCAT Writing+ test consists of four types of multiple-choice questions: questions based on writing plans, questions based on drafts, questions based on a cloze selection, and stand-alone questions about conventions.

In this section, students will practice answering multiple-choice questions based on sample student writing plans. These questions will assess focus and organization. The writing plans consist of graphic organizers and information that a student has created in preparation for writing.

Benchmarks


The student prepares for writing by recording thoughts, focusing on a central idea, grouping related ideas, and identifying the purpose for writing.


The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the topic and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a logical organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion, and transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas; demonstrates a command of language, including precision in word choice; generally has correct subject/verb agreement; generally has correct verb and nouns forms; with few exceptions, has sentences that are complete, except when fragments are used purposefully; uses a variety of sentence structures; and generally follows the conventions of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

FCAT

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Get Ready to Take on Writing+

Writing Plan Format

The questions in this section are called multiple-choice questions. A multiple-choice question is followed by several answer choices.

Writing plans such as a web, chart or list help you to organize your thoughts before you write your fi rst draft. In this section, you will look at students’ writing plans and answer multiple-choice questions.

Always read all the answer choices under each question, and decide which answer is correct. Fill in the bubble next to the answer you think is correct for each multiple-choice question. Do not make any marks outside the bubble.

Tip

FCAT

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Ian’s Writing Plan

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TipLook at Ian’s plan again. Decide which activity Ian cannot do after school.

Tip Find the first topic on the plan. Decide which answer choice best supports that

TipLook at the titles of the columns in Ian’s plan. Then look at the subtopics. Decide how the topics are linked to each other.

FCAT

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Amy’s Writing Plan

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Section 3

Writing Sample Format


In this section, students will practice answering multiple-choice questions based on sample student drafts. These drafts include numbered markers that denote sentence and paragraph placement. Students will be tested on revision techniques, conventions, and cohesiveness of the drafts.

Benchmark


The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the topic and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a logical organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion, and transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas; demonstrates a command of language, including precision in word choice.

FCAT

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Get Ready to Take on Writing+ Writing Sample Format


In this section, you will be asked to answer multiple-choice questions based on samples of students’ writing. As you read these passages, pay attention to how the writer organized his or her ideas.


Tip

What do these mean?

FCAT

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Section 4

Cloze Selection Format


In this section, students will practice answering multiple-choice questions based on cloze selections. These passages contain numbered blanks that represent missing information that test students’ knowledge of conventions. Students are asked to select the best answers that complete the blanks in the selection.

Benchmark



FCAT

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Get Ready to Take on Writing+ Cloze Selection Format


In this section, you will be asked to answer multiple-choice questions based on short passages that have incomplete sentences. Use your knowledge of grammar and conventions to correctly complete the sentences.


Tip

FCAT

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Section 5

Stand-Alone Questions Format


In this section, students will practice answering multiple-choice questions about grammatical conventions including: capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Benchmark



FCAT

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Get Ready to Take on Writing+ Stand-Alone Questions Format


In this section, you will be asked to answer multiple-choice questions about capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Always read the questions and answer choices carefully. This section has three answer choices for each question. Read every answer choice, even if you think you’ve already found the correct answer.

When you choose the answer to a question, make sure you fi ll in the bubble completely. Do not make any marks outside the bubble.

Tip

FCAT

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Rubric for Short-Response Questions

Score Description

Rubric for Extended-Response QuestionsScore Description

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Answer Key

Question CorrectAnswer

SSS Benchmark Content Focus Content Difficulty

FCAT

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FCAT Writing+ Answer Key

See anchor papers on pp. 253–286.


SSS Benchmark Content Focus

FCAT

6-Po

int W

riti

ng

Ru

bri

cP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

tsP

oin

t

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

cl

early

focu

sed

on

the

top

ic a

nd th

e to

pic

is e

xpla

ined

co

mp

lete

ly.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

m

ostly

focu

sed

on

top

ic.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

p

artia

lly o

n to

pic

but

in

clud

es u

nrel

ated

de

tails

.

Fo

cu

s W

ritin

g is

not

fo

cuse

d. In

clud

es

unre

late

d de

tails

.

Fo

cu

s D

isp

lays

m

inim

al a

war

enes

s of

the

top

ic. C

onta

ins

man

y un

rela

ted

deta

ils.

Fo

cu

s D

isp

lays

no

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

the

top

ic.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is o

rgan

ized

, w

ith a

cle

ar

beg

inni

ng, m

iddl

e,

and

end,

and

usi

ng

tran

sitio

n w

ords

.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is o

rgan

ized

w

ith b

egin

ning

, m

iddl

e, a

nd e

nd.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

show

s lit

tle

orga

niza

tion

or

conn

ectio

n b

etw

een

idea

s.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Writ

ing

is n

ot

orga

nize

d. T

here

is

no c

lear

beg

inni

ng,

mid

dle,

and

end

.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Incl

udes

eith

er a

se

nten

ce o

r phr

ase

and

left

to ri

ght

pro

gres

sion

. Ide

as

are

exp

ress

ed in

no

iden

tifia

ble

ord

er.

Org

an

iza

tio

n

Incl

udes

eith

er

pic

ture

onl

y,

scrib

ble

s or

lett

er

strin

gs, o

r sim

ple

left

to

righ

t pro

gres

sion

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

man

y de

tails

to

sup

por

t the

mai

n id

ea a

nd th

e w

ord

choi

ce is

sp

ecifi

c an

d en

gagi

ng.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

incl

udes

det

ails

that

su

pp

ort t

he m

ain

idea

and

mos

tly

spec

ific

wor

d ch

oice

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

uses

som

e de

tails

an

d p

redi

ctab

l e

wor

d ch

oice

.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

few

sup

por

ting

deta

ils a

nd s

imp

le,

rep

etiti

ve w

ord

choi

ce.

Su

pp

ort

Writ

ing

has

few

det

ails

and

wor

d ch

oice

is b

asic

.

Su

pp

ort

Few

det

ails

or

exa

mp

les

and

limite

d w

ord

choi

ce.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

All

sent

ence

s ar

e co

mp

lete

and

co

ntai

n m

ostly

co

rrec

t sp

ellin

g,

gram

mar

, and

p

unct

uatio

n. W

ritin

g ha

s a

varie

ty o

f se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

s.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Mos

t se

nten

ces

are

com

ple

te a

nd th

ere

are

few

sp

ellin

g,

gram

mar

, and

p

unct

uatio

n er

rors

. Se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

ha

s so

me

varie

ty.

Co

nv

en

tio

ns

Sent

ence

s co

ntai

n so

me

spel

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for narrative prompt on page 185

Score Point 6

I remember a few summers ago when I visited the beach for the first time. I didn’t know if I would like it or not. I got to try a lot of new things there.

I had gone swimming in a pool before, but I’d never swam in water that had waves. I was even a little scared of the waves before I tried them. It was like going on a ride! I rode the waves with my parents. I wanted to keep swimming even when my parents were ready to get out of the water!

Another new thing I got to try was building a sand castle. At first, it just fell apart, and I thought I would never figure out the right way to make it. Once my brother told me to add water to the sand, the castle stayed together. I made two more and dug a road. It was like a little city.

I also flew a kite for the first time when I was there. The wind was just right that day. I had a great time at the beach. I’ve been there a few times since then, and I am always excited to go now that I know how much fun it is.

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Score Point 5

I remember when I visited the beach for the first time a few summers ago. I didn’t know if I would like it or not.

I got to try a lot of new things there. I got to swim in the waves. The waves were so much fun! It was like going on a ride. I rode the waves with my parents. I wanted to stay in the water for a long time!

I also got to play in the sand for the first time. I made a sand castle. It fell apart at first. My brother told me to add water to the sand. Then I made two more castles and a road.

I flew a kite for the first time, too. My kite was bright red, and that is my favorite color. It was a lot of fun because the wind was just right that day.

I had a great time at the beach. Maybe next time, I will bring a friend and we can swim together.

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Score Point 4

I went to the beach one day a few summers ago. I got to try new things. I swam in the waves. It was like going on a ride. My favorite rides are roller coasters.

I also got to play in the sand for the first time. That was hard at first, but then I added water to the sand. My brother told me to do that. I made a sand castle. I’ve never seen a castle.

I flew a kite for the first time, too. We bought the kite at the toy store. It was a good day for flying a kite. I had a great time at the beach.

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of visiting a new place. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I went to the beach. I didn’t know if it would be fun. I got to swim in the waves. They were like rides. I like roller coasters. The water was too cold. I added water to the sand to make a castle. I’ve never seen a castle. I flew a kite. I like kites. The beach is a lot of fun.

Score Point 1

Similar to a 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of visiting a place for the first time. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

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Score Point 6

I had a lot of fun when I tried acting in a play for the first time. I didn’t know if it would be fun or if I would be good at it. There were a lot of new things to learn, but I enjoyed it.

One thing I had to learn was how to speak loudly enough. The director told me to pretend I was yelling because I was angry or excited. I shouted as loudly as I could! I even had to sing loudly.

I also had to learn how to remember my lines. I didn’t want to forget what to say during the play. My best friend helped me study my lines, and we giggled a lot when I got them wrong.

I also had to learn some dance steps. I’d never danced in front of anyone before. The steps were fast, and some of them were hard.

I thought that acting in front of an audience would be a little scary. When the show started, I just pretended the people weren’t there, and did my very best. My parents were very proud of me. I hope I can act in another play soon. Maybe next year!

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Score Point 5

A fun thing I did for the first time was acting in a play. I didn’t know if I would like it or be good at it. There were a lot of new things to learn, but I liked it.

One thing I had to learn was how to speak loudly enough. That was fun because the director told me to pretend I was yelling because I was angry or excited. I shouted as loudly as I could!

I had to remember my lines. My best friend helped me. We giggled a lot!

I had to learn a dance. I had never danced in front of anyone before. I like watching dancers on TV.

I was scared about acting in front of an audience. I just pretended they weren’t there. My parents were very proud of me. I hope I can act in another play soon. Maybe next year!

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Score Point 4

I acted in a play for the first time. It was a lot of fun. I had to learn a lot of new things. I also learned new things when I first rode my bike.

I had to talk loudly in the play. The director told me to pretend I was yelling. I had to remember what to say. I didn’t want to forget during the play. My best friend helped me at her house. We had fun.

I had to dance, too. That was fun. I like watching dancers on TV.

I had to act in front of many people. My parents were very proud of me. I hope I can act in another play soon. Maybe next year!

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of trying something new. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I was in a play for the first time. I didn’t know if I would like it. I learned new things in the play and when I rode my bike.

I talked in the play. I had to pretend to yell. I had to say a lot. I had to dance. Lots of people watched. My parents were

proud of me.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of trying something new. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

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Score Point 6

Last week, I met a goal that took a lot of hard work. I wanted to get a grade above 90 on my science test. Science is hard for me, but I decided it was important to try to do better.

I tried very hard to do well. I made sure to listen in class. I didn’t let myself daydream. I didn’t even look out the window. I even asked my teacher for some help after school. He was proud of me for working so hard.

At home, I read my textbook very carefully. For a few days before the test, I read over all my worksheets every night. My mother practiced the science words with me.

I knew a lot by the time I took the test. When I got the test back, my grade was 96! I was so proud!

FCAT

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Score Point 5

Last week, I met a goal that took a lot of hard work. I wanted to get a grade above 90 on my science test. Science is hard for me, and sometimes I get grades I don’t like.

I tried very hard to do well. I listened in class, and didn’t look out the window. I asked questions. I even asked my teacher for some help after school. He was proud of me for working so hard.

At home, I read my textbook carefully. It has colorful pictures. Before the test, I read over my worksheets every night. My mother practiced the science words with me. I eveb skipped my favorite TV show.

I knew a lot by the test. My grade was 96! I was so proud! I learned a lot.

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Score Point 4

I had a really hard goal last week. I wanted to get a good grade on my science test. Science is for me, and sometimes I get grades I don’t like. My best subject is reading. I like math, too.

I asked questions. My teacher helped a lot. He was proud of me for working so hard.

I read my textbook at home. When I didn’t understand a sentence, I read it again. My textbook has pictures. There’s a picture of insects. My mother practiced the science words with me. Then we had a snack. I love graham crackers. I skipped my favorite TV show. It’s a funny cartoon. I learned a lot. I got a 96 on the test!

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of meeting a goal. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I wanted to do well on my science test. I like reading better. Science is hard. I asked lots of questions.

My mom made popcorn. My mom helped me with the science words. They were hard. I got a 96 on the test. I have a social studies test on Friday.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of meeting a goal. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

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Score Point 6

I had to work very hard on my project for the science fair. I wanted to do a really good job that I could be proud of. I did an experiment to see what kind of soil makes plants grow best.

First, I found a book in the library about how to grow plants.Next, I chose a type of plant and three kinds of soil. I planted the seeds and wrote down what kind of soil I used for each one.

Then I had to check the plants every day and write down how much they had grown. I wrote everything in a chart. I also watered the plants every day with a watering can.

After that, I had to decide which kind of soil helped the plants grow the best and make a poster about it. I even drew a graph!

Finally, I brought my poster to the science fair and told everyone about the project. People said it was really interesting. That made me feel good. My project took a lot of work, but I was so proud when it was done.

FCAT

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Score Point 5

I had to work very hard on my project for the science fair. I did an experiment with plants. I wanted to see what kind of soil makes plants grow best. I love to work in the garden.

First, I found a book in the library about how to grow plants. I read the book. Next, I planted the same kind of plant in three kinds of soil. I wrote down what I did.

Then I took care of my plants. I wrote down how much they grew every day. After that, I decided which kind of soil worked best. I made a poster with lots of facts. I brought my poster to the science fair. The people really liked it. I was proud of all my hard work.

FCAT

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Score Point 4

I worked hard for the science fair. I found out what kind of soil makes plants grow best.

I love to work in the garden. I read a book about plants. I planted plants in three different kinds of soil. I got dirt on the floor. I took good care of the plants. I wrote down how much they grew.

I made a poster. I showed people my poster at the science fair. They liked it a lot. I did a lot of work. I was proud of my project.

Score Point 3

Similar to 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of working hard on a project. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I did a project for the science fair. I used different dirt. I planted three plants. I like plants. I wrote down how they grew. I had to be neat.

I made a poster. I made pictures of the plants. I like flowers.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of working hard on a project. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

FCAT

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for expository prompt on page 189

Score Point 6

When I am older, what I want to be is a zookeeper. There are a few reasons I want to have this job. The biggest reason is that I love animals.

If I am a zookeeper, I can spend lots of time with all kinds of animals. I will get to know the animals well and even train them to listen. Maybe I will teach them tricks.

Another reason I want to be a zookeeper is that I like explaining things to people. If I am a zookeeper, I will teach people who visit the zoo about the animals. I will answer their questions. I think that would be fun.

I like science, and that is important for a zookeeper. It can help me understand what the animals need to keep them healthy.

Being a zookeeper will be a lot of work. I will have to keep things clean for the animals. But I think I will enjoy it. It will be such a fun job!

FCAT

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Score Point 5

I want to be is a zookeeper. There are a few reasons I want to have this job. One is that I love animals.

If I am a zookeeper, I can spend lots of time with all kinds of animals. Maybe I will teach them tricks.

I also like explaining things to people. I explain things to my little sister all the time. If I am a zookeeper, I will teach people who visit the zoo about the animals.

Also, I like science. That is very important for a zookeeper. I will know how to keep animals from getting sick.

Being a zookeeper will be hard work. I will have to get the animals everything they need. I think it will be a fun job!

FCAT

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Score Point 4

I want to be a zookeeper when I am older. My friend wants to be a movie star. I love animals.

I want to spend time with lots of different animals. I will train them and make friends with them. I will be like their best friend.

I also like explaining things to people. I explain things to my little sister all the time.

Also, I like science. That is very important for a zookeeper. I got 100 on my science test. I will know what the animals need not to get sick.

Being a zookeeper will be hard work. I will have to do a lot of work. It will be a lot of fun! I will bring my friends to the zoo.

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of a job the student wants. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I will be a zookeeper when I am older. That is because I love animals. My friend wants to be a movie star. I will train the animals. My friend has two rabbits. Their names are Nutmeg and Fluffy. I like all kinds of animals. I will be their friends. I like science. I got 100 on my science test. Doctors need to know science. I will help the animals. I like to tell people about things. Teachers do that, too. I will answer questions about the animals. I will know what the animals need. The will need different kinds of food. People like different kinds of food, too. Some animals will need to be cold. Some animals will need to be warm. Being a zookeeper will be hard work. I will have to give the animals what they need. But it will be a lot of fun! I will bring my friends to the zoo. We will visit the monkeys.

Score Point 1

The writing barely addresses the topic of a job the student wants when he or she is older. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

FCAT

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Score Point 6

If a friend visited my town from another state, there are a few places I would show him. I know lots of great places in my town.

First, I would take him to the park a few blocks away from my house. Maybe we would play soccer. We could play on the playground and ride on the slide. It’s also a good place to just sit and talk to each other.

Next, I would ask my dad to drive us to the shopping center. We could look at the toys in the toy store, and I would show him the giant train set.

After that, I would show him the statues by the town hall. Those are interesting because not every town has statues like them.

I would also bring him to the bowling alley. I wouldn’t even care who won. I love bowling.

There is so much to do in my town. My friend might have to stay for a few days to see everything!

FCAT

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Score Point 5

If a friend visited my town, I would show him a few good places.

First, we would go to the park a few blocks away. It is on a hill. We would play soccer at the park and go on the slide and the swings. I am on a soccer team.

Then I would ask my dad to drive us to the shopping center. I go there a lot. We would go to the toy store and look at the train set. I would also show him the statues by the town hall. They are interesting because not every town has them.

After that, we would go to the bowling alley. Bowling is a lot of fun, no matter who wins. I went bowling last week.

There is so much to do in my town. My friend might have to stay for a few days!

FCAT

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Score Point 4

If a friend visited, we would go to the park near my house. It is on a hill. I roll down the hill sometimes. We would play soccer. I am on a soccer team.

I would ask my dad to take us to the toy store. I would show him the train set at the toy store. I like toy stores. I would show my friend the statues.

We would go to the bowling alley. Bowling is fun. I went bowling last week. My friend would have fun.

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of what the student would show a visitor to his or her town. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I would take my friend to the park. It is on a hill. My team is good. We would play soccer. I am on a soccer team. We would go to the store. I like the trains. We would see the statues. We would go bowling.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2 point response but the writing barely addresses the topic of what the student would show a visitor to his or her town. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

FCAT

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Score Point 6

My favorite book is called Sick in Bed by Bruce Gold. Sick in Bed is about a girl named Erica who is eight years old,

like me. Erica thinks she is going to have a boring day because she is sick.

Instead, she imagines funny and interesting things happening. In her imagination, the spider on her wall talks to her. He tells her that eating flies always makes him feel better. Erica even imagines that the spider does a tap dance! At the end of the day, Erica realizes that she has not been bored at all.

I like the book because it is so funny. I laughed really hard. I also like it because Erica is a lot like me. I hate to be bored, too. The last time I was sick in bed, I wished something interesting would happen. Maybe the next time I’m bored, I will imagine that something funny is happening to pass the time. I’m glad this book gave me that idea!

FCAT

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Score Point 5

My favorite book is a funny fantasy book. It is called Sick in

Bed. The author is Bruce Gold. I got it from the school library. It is about a girl named Erica who is eight years old, like me.

Erica in the book thinks she will have a boring day because she is sick. She imagines that funny things happen. The spider on her wall talks to her. He tells her that eating flies makes him feel better. I would never eat flies.

The spider even does a tap dance. I have never tried tap dancing.

This book is really funny. Erica is a lot like me. She hates to be bored. I was sick a week ago and I was bored. Maybe next time I am bored, I will use my imagination like Erica. I’m glad this book gave me that idea!

FCAT

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Score Point 4

My favorite book is Sick in Bed. It is by Bruce Gold. It is about a girl named Erica. My cousin’s name is Erica, too.

Erica in the book is sick. She thinks she will be bored. But she imagines that funny things happen. She imagines that the spider on the wall talks to her. He tells her that he eats flies. The spider tap dances, too. I don’t know how to tap dance.

This book is funny. If I get sick, I will use imagine things like Erica. I’m glad this book gave me that idea!

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point answer but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of the student’s favorite book or movie. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

I really like this book. The girl’s name is Erica. My cousin’s name is Erica.

Erica is sick. She pretends the spider on her wall talks to her. He does a dance. This book is really funny. I liked it a lot.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of the student’s favorite book or movie. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

FCAT

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Score Point 6

The game H.O.R.S.E is my favorite game to play in gym class or at recess. I like it so much because it is like basketball, but you can play with a few people or a lot of people.

Everyone stands in line. They take turns shooting baskets. If you make a basket, you just go to the end of the line. If the ball does not go into the basket, you get a letter of the word H.O.R.S.E. If you get all the letters, you are out of the game. The last person left wins.

You can use different words. I like picking words like P.I.G. or H.I.P.P.O.P.O.T.A.M.U.S. Those are my favorite animals.

It is fun to play H.O.R.S.E. no matter what word we use. It is a good practice for playing regular basketball.

FCAT

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Score Point 5

H.O.R.S.E is my favorite game to play in gym class or at recess. We played it during recess twice this week. You can play with a few people or a lot of people. Everyone takes turns shooting baskets. I like going first. If you make a basket, you just go to the end of the line. If you miss, you get a letter of the word H.O.R.S.E. When everyone except one person has all the letters, the last person left wins.

You can pick different words. I like choosing words like P.I.G. or H.I.P.P.O.P.O.T.A.M.U.S. Those are my favorite animals. But it’s fun no matter what word we use.

H.O.R.S.E. is a good practice for playing regular basketball.

FCAT

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Score Point 4

H.O.R.S.E. is a fun game to play. It is one of my favorite games. We played H.O.R.S.E. during recess twice this week. It’s like basketball, and I really like basketball. The name H.O.R.S.E. is silly, but the game is fun.

You can play with a few people or a lot of people. Everyone takes turns shooting baskets. I like going first. If the ball goes into the basket, you just go to the end of the line. If you do not make a basket, you get a letter of the word H.O.R.S.E. If you get all the letters, you are out.

You can do other words. I like the words P.I.G. or H.I.P.P.O.P.O.T.A.M.U.S. The game is fun. It is good for playing regular basketball.

Score Point 3

Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the information relates to the topic of how to play a game. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

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Score Point 2

H.O.R.S.E. is fun. I also like checkers. We played H.O.R.S.E. at recess. Javier won. Everyone takes turns shooting baskets. I like going first. If you miss, you get a letter. You are out if you get all the letters. Just having H is okay, but getting E is bad! I play H.O.R.S.E. a lot.

Score Point 1

Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses the topic of explaining the rules of a game. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics are poor.

FCAT

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