NEXT STEP GUIDED READIN G 11#11+#,2 - CB-VRSB · PDF file · 2015-09-16NEXT STEP...

NEXT STEPGUIDED

READINGAssessment

Assessment Forms & Lesson Resources

Richardson & WaltherGRADES

3–6LEVELS

K–Z

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 2

ContentsSTEP 1: READING INTEREST SURVEYReading Interest Survey: Grades 3 and 4 (Beginning of the Year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Reading Interest Survey: Grades 3 and 4 (Midyear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Reading Interest Survey: Grades 5 and 6 (Beginning of the Year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Reading Interest Survey: Grades 5 and 6 (Midyear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Reading Interest Survey Class Profile: Grades 3 and 4 (Beginning of the Year). . . . . . . . . 9Reading Interest Survey Class Profile: Grades 3 and 4 (Midyear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Reading Interest Survey Class Profile: Grades 5 and 6 (Beginning of the Year). . . . . . . . 11Reading Interest Survey Class Profile: Grades 5 and 6 (Midyear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

STEP 2: DEVELOPMENTAL WORD KNOWLEDGE INVENTORYDevelopmental Word Knowledge Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13–14Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Recording Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Class Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

STEP 3: COMPREHENSION ASSESSMENTGrade 3Literary Text Passage 1: Am I a Robot? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18–19 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Informational Text Passage 1: The Statue of Liberty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21–22 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Literary Text Passage 2: Frog and Locust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24–25 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Informational Text Passage 2: The Lives of Turtles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27–28 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Literary Text Passage 3: Maddie Helps Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30–31 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Informational Text Passage 3: Bunches of Fruit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33–34 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Grade 4 Literary Text Passage 1: Erik’s First Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36–37 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Informational Text Passage 1: A Park in Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39–40 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Literary Text Passage 2: Three Brothers and the Cherry Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42–43 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Informational Text Passage 2: Women Soldiers in the Revolutionary War . . . . . . . . . 45–46 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Literary Text Passage 3: Just in Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48–49 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Informational Text Passage 3: Insect Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51–52 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Grade 5 Literary Text Passage 1: Zephyr Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54–55 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Informational Text Passage 1: Beekeeping Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57–58 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59


Literary Text Passage 2: The Shoemaker’s Luck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60–61 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Informational Text Passage 2: Fighting Fires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63–64 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Literary Text Passage 3: A New Friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66–67 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Informational Text Passage 3: Deserts of the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69–70 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Grade 6 Literary Text Passage 1: The Winter Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72–73 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Informational Text Passage 1: Funny Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75–76 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Literary Text Passage 2: Superflash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78–79 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Informational Text Passage 2: Rolling Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81–82 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Literary Text Passage 3: The Woodcutter’s Complaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84–85 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Informational Text Passage 3: “I Will Fight No More Forever” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87–88 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Comprehension Passages Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Whole-Class Comprehension Assessment Class Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

STEP 4: READING ASSESSMENT CONFERENCEWord List 1: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Word List 2: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Word List 3: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Word List 4: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Word List 5: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Word List 6: Scoring Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Reading RecordsLevel Text Type Title K Literary A Hard-Working Boy Who Loved to Learn . . . . . . . . . . . . 98–99 K Informational From Seed to Sunflower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100–101 L Literary The Perfect Pet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102–103 L Informational Amazing Bats! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104–105 M Literary Kristi Yamaguchi: Dreaming of Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106–107 M Informational Whirling, Twirling Tornadoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108–109 N Literary Ellen Is Missing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110–111 N Informational Yeti, Fact or Fiction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112–113 O Literary The Unsinkable Molly Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114–115 O Informational Deep Sea Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116–117 P Literary Lucy’s Lucky Charm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118–119 P Informational History of the Bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120–121 Q Literary Harry Houdini: The Great Escape Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . 122–123 Q Informational The Wreck of the Arabia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124–125


R Literary A Good Summer After All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126–127 R Informational Animals of the Galapagos Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128–129 S Literary George Washington Carver: The Plant Doctor . . . . . . . 130–131 S Informational Building the Pyramids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132–133 T Literary The Mystery of the Missing Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134–135 T Informational Very Inventive Kids! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136–137 U Literary Marian and Eleanor: A Story of Courage . . . . . . . . . . . 138–139 U Informational Chameleons: Super-Strange Creatures

of the Rain Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140–141 V Literary The Cupcake King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142–143 V Informational Is a Rocket Trip in Your Future? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144–145 W Literary Roberto Clemente . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146–147 W Informational Colonial Hairstyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148–149 X Literary Grounded. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150–151 X Informational Bald Eagles: Flying High Once Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152–153 Y Literary Charles Brace: Hero of the Newsies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154–155 Y Informational Microchips to the Rescue! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156–157 Z Literary The Alex Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158–159 Z Informational The True Story of the Teenager Who Climbed

the World’s Tallest Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160–161

Reading Assessment Conference Class Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Class Reading Progress Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

GUIDED READING LESSON RESOURCESGuided Reading Grouping Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164Transitional Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Levels J–M) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Transitional Guided Reading Anecdotal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Transitional Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167–168Sound Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Analogy Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Personal Word Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Fluent Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Levels N–Z) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Fluent Guided Reading Anecdotal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Fluent Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174–176


Name Date

Reading Interest Survey: Grades 3 and 4 Beginning of the Year

Reading Interest Survey

Directions: Please answer each question. Be honest!

1. How do you feel about reading?

☐ I don’t like to read. ☐ Reading is okay, sometimes. ☐ I like reading. ☐ I love to read!

2. How often do you read at home?

☐ never ☐ 1–2 days a week ☐ 3–4 days a week ☐ every day

3. I like to read…..(check all that apply)

☐ poetry ☐ books about people ☐ books about science

☐ mysteries ☐ books about sports ☐ books about animals

☐ realistic fiction ☐ fantasy ☐ books about history

4. No Yes

Do you check out books from the public library?

Do you visit local bookstores?

Do you have an e-reader, such as a Nook or Kindle?

5. What is the most recent book you have finished?

6. What is your favorite book series?

7. List three hobbies or activities you like to do in your free time.

8. What would you like to learn more about?


Name Date

Reading Interest Survey: Grades 3 and 4 Midyear








☐ poetry ☐ books about people ☐ books about science

☐ mysteries ☐ books about sports ☐ books about animals

☐ realistic fiction ☐ fantasy ☐ books about history

4. Who is your favorite author?

5. List one or two strategies you use when you read.



Name Date

Reading Interest Survey: Grades 5 and 6 Beginning of the Year








☐ poetry ☐ comics/graphic novels ☐ biography/autobiography ☐ nonfiction–science

☐ mysteries ☐ historical fiction ☐ nonfiction–history ☐ nonfiction–sports

☐ realistic fiction ☐ fantasy ☐ nonfiction–animals/nature

4. No Yes If you answered “Yes”…

Do you check out books from the public library?

How often?

Do you visit local bookstores?How often?

Do you have an e-reader, such as a Nook or Kindle?

What book did you most recently download?

5. What is the most recent book you have finished?

6. What is your favorite book series?

7. List three hobbies or activities you like to do in your free time.



Name Date

Reading Interest Survey: Grades 5 and 6 Midyear


Directions: Please answer each question as honestly as you can.






☐ poetry ☐ comics/graphic novels ☐ biography/autobiography ☐ nonfiction–science

☐ mysteries ☐ historical fiction ☐ nonfiction–history ☐ nonfiction–sports

☐ realistic fiction ☐ fantasy ☐ nonfiction–animals/nature

4. Who is your favorite author?

5. List one or two strategies you use when you read.

6. What would you like to know more about?

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Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 13STEP 2: Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc.

STEP 2: Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory

1. grabI’ll grab a handful of popcorn.

2. chunkA chunk of ice fell from the roof.

3. freshWe had fresh vegetables on our salad.

4. clothThe cleaning cloth was full of dust.

5. switchLet’s switch seats so you can see.

6. droveWe drove 40 miles to get to the beach.

7. yeastThe yeast made the bread dough rise.

8. flightThe flight home took four hours.

9. throatWhen I was sick, I had a sore throat.

10. trainWe took the train to visit my aunt this summer.

11. sproutThe seedling will sprout if it gets enough water.

12. porchWe sat out on the front porch after dinner.

13. squirtWhen it’s hot, I squirt my friends with the hose.

14. crawlMost babies crawl before they learn to walk.

15. bloomThe flowers in our garden bloom every spring.

16. jointThe knee is the biggest joint in the human body.

17. meltedAll the snow melted when the sun came out.

18. knockedWe knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

19. stoppingWe will be stopping by your house after lunch.

20. shakingMy dog was shaking because he was scared.

21. flurriesWe had a few short snow flurries last night.

22. absentI was absent from school because I was sick.

23. frozenWe will skate on the frozen pond.

24. marbleThe marble statue was very pretty.

25. unwrapI can’t wait to unwrap my birthday presents.

26. treasureI read a book about buried treasure.

27. fortunateWe were fortunate that the rain stopped

before the game.

28. sterilizeShe will sterilize the bottles to kill any germs.

29. gladiatorThe brave gladiator fought against the lion.

30. corporationMy uncle works for a big corporation.

Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory

Word List

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc.

Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Recording Sheet

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GRADE-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

Which words should I assess?

Grades 3 and 4, beginning of the year: the first 25 words

Grades 3 and 4, middle and end of the year: 30 words

Grades 5 and 6: 30 words

Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory

Directions Use the guidelines at right to determine which words you’ll use to assess students. The Word List is on page 16 in the Assessment Forms book.

1. Distribute a Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Recording Sheet to each student (see page 17 in the Assessment Forms book). Have students write their names on the sheets.

2. Introduce the assessment in kid-friendly language, saying:

Today I am going to learn more about your spelling and phonics skills. I will say some words I want you to write. If you don’t know how to spell a word, say it to yourself and write the sounds you hear. I won’t be grading these papers. I will use what I learn to help you improve your reading and spelling.

3. Clearly pronounce each word on the word list. Pronounce the word again, and read the sentence provided to give context. Say the word one last time.

4. Have students write each word on their recording sheets. Remind them to think about each sound in the word. Do not help students other than offering encouragement.

5. Collect the sheets and score them using the Scoring Sheet on page 18 in the Assessment Forms book.

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 14STEP 2: Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory

1. grabI’ll grab a handful of popcorn.

2. chunkA chunk of ice fell from the roof.

3. freshWe had fresh vegetables on our salad.

4. clothThe cleaning cloth was full of dust.

5. switchLet’s switch seats so you can see.

6. droveWe drove 40 miles to get to the beach.

7. yeastThe yeast made the bread dough rise.

8. flightThe flight home took four hours.

9. throatWhen I was sick, I had a sore throat.

10. drainThe water went down the drain.

11. sproutThe seedling will sprout if it gets enough water.

12. porchWe sat out on the front porch after dinner.

13. squirtWhen it’s hot, I squirt my friends with the hose.

14. crawlMost babies crawl before they learn to walk.

15. bloomThe flowers in our garden bloom every spring.

16. jointThe knee is the biggest joint in the human body.

17. meltedAll the snow melted when the sun came out.

18. knockedWe knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

19. stoppingWe will be stopping by your house after lunch.

20. shakingMy dog was shaking because he was scared.

21. flurriesWe had a few snow flurries last night.

22. absentI was absent from school because I was sick.

23. frozenWe will skate on the frozen pond.

24. marbleThe marble statue was very pretty.

25. unwrapI can’t wait to unwrap my birthday presents.

26. treasureI read a book about buried treasure.

27. fortunateWe were fortunate that the rain stopped before the game.

28. sterilizeShe will sterilize the bottles to kill any germs.

29. gladiatorThe brave gladiator fought against the lion.

30. corporationMy uncle works for a big corporation.

Developmental Word Knowledge InventoryWord List

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 15Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Recording Sheet

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Word Knowledge Inventory

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 16STEP 2: Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Scoring Sheet

Developmental Word Knowledge InventoryScoring Sheet

Directions1. Place a 3 in the first column for each word spelled correctly. 2. Circle the spelling features the student missed for each misspelled word.

Record additional errors or observations in the space provided.3. Determine the student’s spelling stage by identifying the column in which the student first makes two errors. 4. Record data at the bottom of the form.

Spelling Stages

Phonetic (P) Transitional (T) Fluent (F) Advanced (A)

Spelled Correctly

Short Vowels

Consonant Blends &

Silent Letters

Consonant Digraphs

Long Vowels

Complex Vowels Inflectional Endings Multisyllabic Words

(2 syllables)Multisyllabic Words

(3+ syllables)

1. grab a gr

2. chunk u -nk ch

3. fresh e fr sh

4. cloth o cl th

5. switch i sw tch

6. drove o_e

7. yeast -st ea

8. flight igh

9. throat thr oa

10. drain dr ai

11. sprout spr ou

12. porch or

13. squirt squ ir

14. crawl aw

15. bloom oo

16. joint oi

17. melted -ed

18. knocked kn (silent) -ed /t/

19. stopping -ing (double consonant)

20. shaking -ing (spelling change)

21. flurries ur -s (spelling change)

22. absent ab sent (closed syllable)

23. frozen fro (open syllable)

24. marble mar (r-controlled syllable ble (-le syllable)

25. unwrap wr (silent) un (prefix)

26. treasure ea -ure

27. fortunate -ate

28. sterilize -ize

29. gladiator -tor

30. corporation -tion

Total Score: / total correct words tested

Circle Spelling Stage: P T F A(Spelling stage corresponds to feature with which the student first made two errors)

Notes/Observations

Student Date

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 17STEP 2: Developmental Word Knowledge Inventory Class Profile

Developmental Word Knowledge InventoryClass Profile

Directions: Record the total number of words tested in the space below. Then, for each student:1. Record the total words spelled correctly. 2. Check (3) each spelling feature column where the student made two or more errors. Reminder: The first column where a check appears indicates a student’s spelling stage.

Spelling StagesTotal Words Tested Phonetic (P) Transitional (T) Fluent (F) Advanced (A)

StudentTotal Words

Spelled Correctly

Short Vowels

Consonant Blends &

Silent LettersConsonant Digraphs

Long Vowels

Complex Vowels

Inflectional Endings

Multisyllabic Words

(2 syllables)Multisyllabic Words

(3+ syllables)

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Teacher

Date Grade


GRADE 3 • Literary Text: Fiction

Read the story. Then answer questions 1–8.

Am I a Robot?Shawn and Pat were brothers. Twelve-year-old Shawn was

always up to mischief. He did not always do his homework on time, and sometimes he “forgot” to wash the dishes.

Nine-year-old Pat, on the other hand, always did his chores without complaining. His teachers always said, “Pat is delightful to have in class—so different from his brother!”

Pat did not think much about how wonderful he was until one day when he was watching Mostly Martin, a television show about a new boy moving into town.

“Martin is too perfect,” said one of Martin’s neighbors. “He never gets into trouble and does everything he’s supposed to do. He must be a robot!”

Pat thought hard. He knew that robots were machines that looked like people, but were not really alive. They always followed orders and did everything right. If you were a robot, he wondered, how would you know?

Pat decided to ask his parents. “Am I a robot?”His father laughed. “Sure,” he said, “and it’s

time to change your batteries!”


Am I a Robot? GRADE 3 • Literary Text: Fiction

“Dad’s just kidding!” said Pat’s mother. “Of course you aren’t a robot, Pat, you’re our son.”

Pat felt better, but that night he began to worry again. Naturally his mother would say he was real. A nice mother wouldn’t tell her son he’s a robot!

Pat crept down the hall to Shawn’s room. Shawn was playing a computer game in the dark.

“How can I know for sure that I am not a robot?” asked Pat.Shawn put his computer game aside and looked at Pat. He could

tell that his little brother was really worried.“What makes you think that you could be a robot?” he asked.“People always say I’m perfect,” said Pat. “But nobody is

perfect. Only robots are!”Shawn smiled to himself. He had the perfect advice for

his brother. The next morning, his mother opened Pat’s bedroom door.

“Time for school!” she called. “No!” yelled Pat, trying hard to throw a temper tantrum.“Patrick,” his mother

bellowed, “get up right this minute!”

Pat gave a few more kicks. He felt very silly, but he was happy. No robot would ever act this way. Now he knew for sure that he was a real person.

Am I a Robot?Name Date

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1. Read this sentence from the story. “Patrick,” his mother bellowed,

“get up right this minute!”

What does bellowed mean? A smiled happily B whispered quietly C said loudly D asked calmly

2. Which sentence describes Pat? A He is always up to mischief. B He does his chores without

complaining. C He never does his homework on time. D He is two years older than his

brother Shawn.

3. Why does Shawn help Pat in the end? A He wants Pat to pay him. B He can see that Pat is worried. C He wants Pat to like him. D He likes to play jokes on Pat.

4. What advice does Shawn give Pat? A He tells Pat to misbehave. B He tells Pat to behave. C He tells Pat to act like a robot. D He tells Pat to talk to his dad.

5. What lesson does Pat learn in this story?

A Brothers always cause trouble. B Robots can be good friends. C He must always follow orders. D He’s human even though he is

well behaved.

6. How does Pat’s problem begin? A His brother calls him a robot. B He gets in trouble for making noise

in school. C He sees a TV show about a

perfect boy. D He plays a computer game

one night.

7.

Which phrase best fits in the middle of the Venn diagram?

A are helpful C are confused B have temper D are worried

tantrums

8. Which is the best summary of what happens in this story?

A Two boys are always getting into trouble. One boy always gets caught, but people think the other boy is perfect because he does not.

B After watching a TV show, Pat figures out that he is actually a robot.

C Two brothers watch a TV show and start acting like robots. Their parents play along by changing their batteries.

D A boy worries that he is a robot because he is always perfect. His brother helps him prove that he is a real person.

Boys RobotsBoth

Have feelings

Get into mischief sometimes

Are always perfect

Run on batteries

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Read the article. Then answer questions 1–8.

The Statue of Liberty

Have you ever been to New York City? There are many exciting things to see. One sight is the famous Brooklyn Bridge. It was built more than 100 years ago. Another is the Empire State Building. It is one of the tallest buildings in the world. You can ride an elevator to the top of the building. From there, you can see for miles.

One of the best things to see in New York is the Statue of Liberty. It stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The statue had its 125th birthday in 2011.

The Statue of Liberty is a statue of a woman in a long robe holding a torch. She stands for freedom. She is 151 feet high. In 1884, France gave her as a gift of friendship to the United States. In the following year, the statue was shipped to the United States in 300 pieces. Once the pieces arrived, it took another year to reassemble the statue and put it on a base. She still stands on that same spot.

GRADE 3 • Informational Text


The best way to see the statue is to go to Battery Park. Stand in Battery Park looking out at the water. The Statue of Liberty is across the harbor in front of you. To the right you will see Ellis Island. Behind you is an old fort that you can explore.

Do you want to see the statue up close? You can take a ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island. You can even go inside. To get to the crown of the statue, you will need to climb hundreds of steps up a circular stairway. Once you are in the crown, you can look out of one of the 25 viewing windows.

Since 1886, millions of people have visited the Statue of Liberty. For many people who came to the United States by ship from other countries, the Statue of Liberty was the first thing they saw. She is an important symbol of America.

Liberty Island

Ferry Terminal

East Coast Memorial

State Street

Batte

ry Pl

ace

Coast Guard Memorial

Playground

Battery Gardens Restaurant

Ferry Tickets

Castle Clinton National Monument

(Fort)

Ellis Island

Emma Lazarus Memorial

Korean War Memorial

THE LAWN

BATTERY PARK

South Ferry Subway Station

NE

SW

The Statue of Liberty GRADE 3 • Informational Text

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The Statue of Liberty

1. Read this sentence from the article. “Once the pieces arrived, it took

another year to reassemble the statue and put it on a base.”

What does reassemble mean? A take apart B unpack from boxes C pay for D put back together

2. What is the Statue of Liberty holding in her hand?

A a Bible B a torch C a crown D a sword

3. What happened before the Statue of Liberty was shipped to New York?

A The statue had its 125th birthday. B A base for the statue was built in

New York Harbor. C France gave the statue to the

United States as a gift. D Many people who came here by

ship saw the statue.

4. Why is the Statue of Liberty an important symbol of the United States?

A The statue came from France. B The statue is in New York. C The statue is on an island. D The statue stands for freedom.

5. The author’s purpose in this article is to

A compare New York with other cities. B give information about the Statue

of Liberty. C describe the city of New York. D tell why France gave the United

States the Statue of Liberty.

6. The author states that a good way to see the Statue of Liberty up close is to

A take a ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island.

B come to this country by ship. C drive across the Brooklyn Bridge. D ride an elevator to the top.

7. According to the map, Battery Park contains several of the following:

A memorials B playgrounds C bridges D restaurants

8. What is the main idea of this article? A The Empire State Building is one of

the tallest buildings in the world. B You can see the statue up close by

taking a ferry. C One of the best things to see in New

York City is the Statue of Liberty. D The Statue of Liberty is a woman

in a long robe.




Frog and LocustA long time ago, the rain did not

come for 12 whole months. The grass and the flowers turned brown. The leaves fell from the trees. In the valley where there was once a river, only a few puddles remained.

Beside one of those puddles lived a small green frog. The frog watched his puddle shrink a little each day, and he knew the puddle would soon be gone if rain did not come. That would be the end of Frog.

One morning Frog decided to sing a rain song. For 15 minutes Frog croaked his song, but no rain came. The rain god lived atop a high mountain and could not hear the song.

In a bush nearby lived a small brown locust. The locust knew that if rain did not come soon, he would die. So the locust sang a rain song, too. For 15 minutes he buzzed, but the rain god could not hear him either. When no rain fell, Locust became so sad that he started to cry.


Frog heard Locust crying and hopped over to the bush. “What’s wrong?” asked Frog. When Locust explained what he was crying about, Frog began to cry too. Together they made quite a racket. The noise gave Locust an idea.

“Maybe we should sing our songs together,” said Locust. Frog agreed, and they began to sing.

With two voices, the rain song was louder than before. But still the sound did not reach the ears of the rain god.

All over the valley, however, other frogs and locusts heard the song. Every frog began to croak, and every locust began to buzz. The creatures sang so loud that, at last, the rain god heard the song. The rain god gathered up many dark clouds, and the rain began to fall.

Soon the river was all filled up again. The trees got their leaves back, and the grass turned green. The world came back to life once more—thanks to Frog and Locust, who decided to join their voices in song.

Frog and Locust GRADE 3 • Literary Text: Fiction

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1. The story says, “Together they made quite a racket.”

What does racket mean? A beautiful song C pretty picture B loud noise D pair

2. Why are Frog and Locust so worried about the rain?

A They are afraid the river will flood. B They will die if it doesn’t rain soon. C They don’t want the rain to ruin

their concert. D They want to take a bath.

3. How do Frog and Locust feel at the beginning?

A worried C excited B pleased D angry

4. What can you infer about the rain god from this story?

A He doesn’t really know how to make it rain.

B He wants to help the creatures in the valley.

C He wears a gold crown and a long dark robe.

D He likes to travel around to see different places.

5. What lesson can be learned from this story?

A Working together is better than working alone.

B People who try too hard usually fail. C Good things come to those who wait. D Animals and people do not get

along.

6. Frog and Locust try to solve their problem by

A calling all their friends. B visiting the gods. C singing a rain song. D moving to a new home.

7.

Which item best describes the cause of the rain?

A The rain god comes back from vacation.

B The river flooded. C All the animals do a rain dance. D All the animals sing a rain song.

8. What is the main problem in this story?

A Frog and Locust do not like each other.

B The rain god lives on a high mountain.

C The grass and flowers have turned brown.

D There has been no rain for 12 months.

Frog and Locust

Rain

EffectCause

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Read the article about turtles. Then answer questions 1–8.

The Lives of Turtles

There are about 250 kinds of turtles. Most turtles live near fresh water. These include painted turtles, box turtles, and snapping turtles. They spend part of their time swimming in the water and part of it on land. Not all turtles live this way, though. Land turtles, also known as tortoises, do not swim at all.

TortoisesTortoises move slowly. They do not have webbed feet like turtles

do. Their legs are short and stumpy, perfect for walking on land and digging. Tortoises have high, rounded shells. Many tortoises can pull their heads, legs, and tails inside their shells, and they do so at any sign of danger. Their strong shells protect them from other animals.

Turtles have no teeth. Instead they have strong beaks that can cut food like scissors. Unlike most other turtles, tortoises eat only plants.

Like all turtles, tortoises hatch from eggs. The female tortoise digs a hole, lays some eggs, and covers them with soil or sand. When the baby tortoises hatch, they must dig their way out of the hole. They never see their mother. The largest tortoises can grow to four feet long. They may weigh up to 600 pounds.


Sea TurtlesLike tortoises, sea turtles lay their eggs on land. The female

comes out of the ocean and digs a hole on a beach. She lays her eggs, covers them with sand, and returns to the sea. When the baby turtles hatch, they head straight for the water.

Sea turtles can swim fast. Their front legs are flippers. They use these flippers to “fly” through the water. Although most turtles can pull their heads and legs inside their shells, sea turtles cannot.

Sea turtles need to stay in warm water all year long because they are cold-blooded. Their bodies cannot adjust to big changes in temperature. Some sea turtles migrate hundreds of miles each year to reach warm water.

The green sea turtle eats only plants. Other sea turtles eat both plants and animals. The largest and heaviest of all sea turtles is the leatherback. Its favorite food is jellyfish.

Leatherback turtles are the largest turtles on Earth. They can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.

Bog turtles are the smallest turtles in North America. They grow to no more than 4.5 inches and weigh less than 5 ounces.

The Lives of Turtles GRADE 3 • Informational Text

Name Date

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The Lives of Turtles

1. Read this sentence from the article. “When the baby turtles hatch, they

head straight for the water.”

What does the word head mean in this sentence?

A part of the body that has eyes and a mouth

B to act as chief or leader of a group C one side of a coin D to move in a certain direction

2. How do tortoises protect themselves from danger?

A They bite with their beaks. B They hide inside their shells. C They swim away fast. D They run away from danger.

3. How are tortoises and sea turtles alike?

A Both eat animals. B Both dig holes for their eggs. C Both move slowly. D Both live in the sea.

4. Suppose you see a turtle that has flippers and eats only plants. What kind of turtle is it?

A leatherback turtle B painted turtle C green sea turtle D snapping turtle

5. Which statement is true? A Most turtles live near fresh water. B Tortoises are the largest turtles. C Most turtles live in the ocean. D All turtles can pull their heads inside

their shells.

6. Where do tortoises live? A on a beach B in the ocean C on land D in fresh water

7. Why did the author include a pencil in the diagram?

A Because bog turtles like to eat wood B To compare the size of a bog turtle

to that of a pencil C To compare the size of a leatherback

turtle to that of a pencil D Because the author used a pencil to

draw the illustration

8. What is the main idea of this article? A There are many kinds of turtles that

live near fresh water, in the ocean, or on land.

B Many kinds of turtles can pull their head, legs, and tails inside their shells.

C All kinds of turtles dig holes to lay their eggs and then leave.

D The largest land turtles may weigh 600 pounds, but leatherbacks grow even larger.



Maddie Helps OutMaddie and her father

slid into the last empty seat in the crowded subway car, exhausted. This was their second day in Washington, D.C., and they’d been sightseeing nonstop, trying to fit everything into a three-day trip.

Today they’d visited the White House, the Capitol, and the Air and Space Museum; all the walking and waiting in line had worn them out.

“It sure feels good to sit down!” her dad exclaimed. “I think I’ll just close my eyes and relax until we get to our stop.”

While he rested, Maddie looked on her father’s phone at the pictures he’d taken of their vacation. She saw the great dome of the Capitol and the beautiful gardens of the White House; she smiled, remembering how much fun they’d had touring the grounds.

As she was scrolling through the images, she heard the little boy behind her whimpering annoyingly. Although the subway car was crowded, she wished the boy and his mother would go sit somewhere else.

She tried to ignore him, but a moment later he let out an ear-piercing shriek that startled Maddie and jerked her father awake. Maddie turned around and glared at the boy.



The boy’s mother pulled the boy onto her lap and rocked him gently. She smiled wearily at Maddie and said, “He’s crying because we just came from the zoo, and he didn’t get to see his favorite elephant today.”

Upon hearing these words, the boy howled again. “I wanted to see Kandula!” he shouted.

“I know,” his mother said soothingly, “but the zookeeper took Kandula inside for a bath. We’ll see him the next time we visit the zoo.”

“But I want to see Kandula right now!” the boy sobbed.Suddenly, Maddie felt sorry for the boy; she knew how miserable

it felt when things didn’t go your way. She flipped through the photos on her dad’s phone and found one he had taken of Kandula when they were at the zoo the day before. She held the phone out to the boy.

“You can see Kandula right now,” said Maddie. “Look, here’s a picture of him!”

The little boy gazed at the picture, then squealed with delight. “Look, Mama! It’s Kandula!”

In an instant, his mood was transformed. He tucked his head under his mother’s chin, and then, to Maddie’s surprise, he fell sound asleep.

“Thank you so much,” the woman whispered to Maddie.Maddie grinned. “You’re welcome,” she whispered back.

Maddie Helps Out GRADE 3 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


1. The story says, “The little boy gazed at the picture.” What does gazed mean?

A grabbed C yelled B cried D looked

2. What does Maddie do with her dad’s phone?

A makes a phone call B looks at some pictures C sends a text message D takes some pictures

3. Which words best describe Maddie? A clever and kind B shy and nervous C bossy and loud

D silly and careless

4. What is a logical inference about the boy and his mother?

A They are on a three-day visit to Washington, D.C.

B This was their first visit to the zoo. C They live in Washington, D.C.

D They usually take the bus.

5. What is the lesson in this story? A Help may come in unexpected ways. B A long trip can make you homesick. C It is often hard to make new friends. D Patience pays off.

6. Why are Maddie and her dad exhausted?

A They had to run to catch the subway. B They’ve been traveling on a crowded

subway car. C They visited three places in one day. D They walked around the zoo all day.

7.

Which event belongs in the first box? A Maddie and her dad get on the

subway. B The boy’s mother is grateful. C Maddie and her dad take a bus tour

of Washington, D.C.

D The boy loses a toy.

8. Which is the best summary of this story?

A Maddie’s dad is tired after walking around Washington, D.C. all day with Maddie. While he sleeps, Maddie and a little boy talk about elephants.

B On a visit to Washington, D.C., Maddie meets a little boy who is upset because he didn’t see his favorite elephant at the zoo. The boy feels better when Maddie shows him a picture of the elephant on her father’s phone.

C Maddie and her dad visit many places in Washington, D.C. Their favorite place is the zoo. During the visit, Maddie makes friends with a woman and her little boy.

D Maddie and her dad take a trip to Washington, D.C. They visit the zoo, and Maddie’s dad takes pictures of the animals. Then Maddie meets a little boy who has never been to the zoo, so she shows him the pictures.

Maddie Helps Out

boy is crying

boy falls asleep

Maddie gives him the phone

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Read the article about bananas. Then answer questions 1–8.

Bunches of Fruit

Bananas are the perfect snack. Not only are they sweet and delicious, but they come in their own convenient wrapper, so you can take them anywhere. Best of all, bananas pack a nutritional punch! They are high in potassium, an important mineral. They also contain vitamins and lots of fiber.

A small number of bananas are grown in the United States. But most of the bananas we eat are grown on large farms, or plantations, in Central America. Bananas grow best in warm places that get lots of rain. They grow on plants that look like palm trees. The banana plant, however, is considered an herb rather than a tree because it lacks a strong, woody stem. The plants can grow as high as 30 feet. When they reach their full height, flowers grow out from the stem. These flowers produce bananas.

Two or three times each year, the plants produce fruit. The bananas grow in clusters, which are known as “hands.” A hand consists of 10 to 20 bananas. Growers sometimes call bananas “fingers.” Each bunch of bananas has about 15 hands, and so a whole bunch may have as many as 200 bananas and can weigh more than 100 pounds.


Banana plants are not strong enough to support the weight of so many bananas. So farmers use wooden poles to hold the fruit upright. After about three months, the bananas are ready to be picked. At this point, they still aren’t the sunny yellow color of ripe bananas. Farmers pick them when they’re green and firm. That’s how they’re shipped to stores. They continue to ripen and turn yellow along the way.

If you love bananas, you’ve got a lot of company. Americans have been enjoying bananas since the first shipment arrived in the United States in 1876. Today, we eat more bananas than any other fruit. More bananas are sold than apples and oranges combined. The average American eats over 26 pounds of bananas each year!

Amount of Fruit One Person Eats in a Year

apples grapes bananas oranges

poun

ds (l

bs) p

er p

erso

n

Source: USDAFRUITS

20

10

30

16.5 lbs

26.2 lbs

11.6 lbs

7.6 lbs

Bunches of Fruit GRADE 3 • Informational Text

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1. Read this sentence from the article. “The banana plant, however, is

considered an herb rather than a tree because it lacks a strong, woody stem.”

What does lacks mean? A produces B grows C contains D is missing

2. As the bananas grow, farmers use wooden poles to

A turn the bananas downward. B cut the bananas from the plants. C support the weight of the bananas. D check to see if the bananas are firm.

3. Which of these steps happens last? A The bananas begin to turn yellow. B A banana plant grows to full height. C Flowers grow out of the plant’s stem. D Farmers use poles to hold the fruit

upright.

4. In 1876, why didn’t most Americans know how to eat bananas?

A Most people did not go to school then.

B They had never seen bananas before.

C They preferred apples. D They thought bananas looked

strange.

5. Which sentence from the article is an opinion?

A Bananas are the perfect snack. B They even come in their own

wrapper. C Bananas grow in warm places that

receive plenty of rainfall. D They grow 15 to 30 feet tall.

6. What do banana plants look like? A foil wrappers B wooden poles C a person’s hands D palm trees

7. According to the bar graph, Americans eat the least amount of which fruit?

A apples B oranges C grapes D bananas

8. What is this article mostly about? A what bananas look like B where bananas come from and

how they grow C what bananas taste like D why Americans love to eat bananas

Bunches of Fruit




Erik’s First JobErik was jealous of his

older sister, Martha. She always bragged about how much she loved baby-sitting and how much money she earned. Erik wanted a job of his own.

One summer morning, Mrs. Yee, a neighbor, strolled by.

“Erik, I wonder if you can help me. I’m going away for my daughter’s wedding, and I need someone to water my garden.”

Minutes later, Erik had the job of watering Mrs. Yee’s garden once a week for three weeks unless there was a heavy rain—and he would get paid a generous fee of $15.00!

The first week Mrs. Yee was away, it rained on Tuesday, so Erik did nothing. This job was going to be even easier than he had thought!

The second week, Erik’s friend Philip invited him to go camping for the whole week. When Erik asked his mom for permission, she frowned.

“Have you forgotten your job?” she asked. “It is your responsibility, not mine. “ Erik went camping, thinking it would rain at least once. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny week—perfect for camping.


The third week, Erik swam every day and tried to ignore the fact that it was almost the end of summer. On Saturday morning, Erik woke suddenly when he realized he had forgotten to water Mrs. Yee’s garden all week. Erik dashed to his employer’s garden. Most of the flowers had survived, but when he leaned over to check the roses, his heart sank. The white rose in the center had shrivelled and died. The tag dangling from the dead plant read, “Pearl Beauty—$13.95.”

There was only one solution. Erik borrowed $15.00 from Martha Moneybags, rode his bike to Dom’s Garden Center, and bought the last Pearl Beauty rose in stock.

At dinner that night, Martha gave her brother a thoughtful glance. “I have to baby-sit tomorrow night. Do you remember the Gleasons with the four children?”

“Yes,” sighed Erik. Martha was going to show off again, just when he had been such a failure.

“Well, it’s hard work looking after all of them. Would you like to come along and be my assistant? I’d split the pay with you,” said Martha.

“You would?” said Erik in amazement. “Thanks! I’m in!”

Erik’s First Job GRADE 4 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


Erik’s First Job

1. The story says, “The tag dangling from the dead plant read, ‘Pearl Beauty— $13.95.’” What does dangling mean?

A hanging C growing B shooting D rising

2. Why is Erik eager to water Mrs. Yee’s garden?

A He loves flowers. B It seems like an easy job. C He would rather babysit, but his

sister has that job. D He wants to earn money of his own.

3. How is Erik different from his sister, Martha?

A He makes more money. B He seems a lot older. C He is not as responsible. D He is more confident.

4. Why does Martha offer to share her baby-sitting job with her brother?

A She already has enough money. B She feels sorry for him and wants

to help him. C She wants the job of watering

Mrs. Yee’s garden. D She wants Mrs. Yee to see Erik working.

5. What lesson does Erik learn? A If you ignore your responsibilities,

the consequences can be costly. B A real friend shares your good times

and your bad. C Don’t do something today that you

can put off until tomorrow. D Working for people in your

neighborhood seldom turns out well.

6. Just before Mrs. Yee returns home, Erik goes to Dom’s Garden Center to

A buy his mother a rose like Mrs. Yee’s Pearl Beauty.

B get a present for Mrs. Yee’s daughter’s wedding.

C replace a rose that died when he failed to water it.

D get his sister a present so she would treat him better.

7.

Choose the correct answer to complete the chart. A Erik biked to the garden center. B Erik went swimming. C Erik’s mother forgot to remind him

that he had a job. D Erik got a babysitting job.

8. Which is the best summary of this story?

A A boy and his sister work many jobs and make lots of money.

B A boy goes camping and has a wonderful week with his friend.

C A boy agrees to water a neighbor’s garden while she is away.

D A boy does not do his job and has to pay to replace a special flower.

It rained.Erik went camping

with Philip.

Reasons Why the Garden Wasn’t Watered

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Read the article about a national park. Then answer questions 1–8.

A Park in Danger

Everglades National Park in Florida is the most endangered national park in America. The purpose of making a national park is to protect the plants and animals that live there. But things that happen outside the park also affect the life within it. The Everglades is home to many plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. But many of these plants and animals are in danger of disappearing forever because of outside activity.

Everglades National Park is part of a much larger area known as the Everglades. At one time, water flowed freely in the Everglades. During the rainy season, water would fill the Kissimmee River. Then it flowed into Lake Okeechobee. Once the lake became full, water spilled over onto the flatland. From there, a shallow sheet of water moved slowly down the Florida Peninsula. Then it emptied into Florida Bay. The water was only a few inches deep in some spots, but it was up to 50 miles wide and over 100 miles long.

Today, water in the Everglades is no longer free-flowing. Canals have been built to drain most of the water. A dike has been built to hold back the water of Lake Okeechobee. Cutting off the flow of water into Everglades National Park has done more harm than good. Now it threatens the wildlife in the park.



Water pollution is another reason some plants and animals are disappearing. Years ago, large areas of the Everglades were drained and turned into farmland. Today, the fertilizers used on crops are polluting the water. Many kinds of plants are disappearing. Animals that depend on these plants for food no longer have enough to eat.

The problems facing Everglades National Park are very serious. But there is still hope. Work is underway to save the park. The federal government and several other groups are cooperating. They are trying to undo the damage. Let’s hope they can save the Everglades before it is too late.

Gulf ofMexico

Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Gulf of Mexico

FLORIDA WATERFLOW

Area of detail

Fast Fact: The Everglades once covered 4000 square miles in southern Florida; now it covers about half that area.

Lake Okeechobee

Caloosahatchee River Caloosahatchee River

Florida Bay

Florida Bay

Lake Okeechobee

Kissimmee RiverKissimmee River

Historical WaterflowHistorically, Lake Okeechobee would overflow during the rainy season, sending a shallow sheet of water down the Florida Peninsula to Florida Bay.

To make room for people to live and farm, a dike and canals were built to reduce the flow of water from Lake Okeechobee down the Florida Peninsula.

CurrentWaterflow

flow ofredirected water

A Park in Danger GRADE 4 • Informational Text

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A Park in Danger

1. The article says, “Canals have been built to drain most of the water.”

What does canal mean? A a dike built by people B a channel built by people through

which water flows C a natural stream D a low spot in the earth where

water collects

2. What is the cause of water pollution in the Everglades?

A motorboats B factories C farm fertilizers D animals don’t have enough to eat

3. Years ago, people drained parts of the Everglades because they wanted to

A create farmland. B build a dam. C widen the river. D protect plants and animals.

4. What is the main source of problems in the Everglades?

A The rainy season is too short. B There are too many plants and

animals. C Water is no longer allowed to

flow freely. D Water spills out of Lake Okeechobee.

5. Which sentence expresses the author’s opinion of how people have changed the Everglades?

A The purpose of making a national park is to protect the plants and animals that live there.

B The Everglades is home to many unique plants and animals.

C Once the lake became full, water spilled over onto the flatland.

D Cutting off the flow of water into Everglades National Park has done more harm than good.

6. Before humans interfered with the waterflow, during the rainy season, which of the following happened when Lake Okeechobee filled?

A A dike prevented the lake from flooding surrounding farmland.

B Canals drained the excess water into the Gulf of Mexico.

C The overflow created channels that flowed into the Gulf of Mexico.

D The overflow created a shallow sheet of water that traveled slowly to Florida Bay.

7. Which of the following is not illustrated in the map?

A where the canals drain water B where the dike is located C the size of the original waterflow D the size of the current waterflow

8. What is another good title for this article?

A Can We Save the Everglades? B How Farming Endangers Wildlife C Florida Waterways: A History D National Parks and the Environment



Three Brothers and the Cherry Tree

Once upon a time, three brothers lived with their mother in a cottage on the bank of a river. The river was not wide, but it was swift and powerful. Neither the brothers nor their mother had ever attempted to cross it.

Across the river from the cottage stood a cherry tree. Every summer, the boys’ mother watched the fruit grow and ripen on the tree. When they were deep red and as large as plums, the cherries dropped one by one to the ground, where they went uneaten and eventually rotted. “What a shame!” the boys’ mother said. Year after



year, the sight of the cherries compelled her, for she longed to eat the fruit.

Many summers passed, and the brothers became young men who were tall, strong, and sure of themselves. One day, they noticed their mother staring sadly at the cherry tree, as she often did. “Mother has given us everything,” the oldest brother said. “Now we should give her something in return. Let’s find a way to gather the cherries.”

The youngest brother, who seldom looked before he leaped, thought that was a great idea. He threw off his shoes, jumped into the water, and started swimming. But the swift river carried him off.

The middle brother was a bit more sensible than the youngest. With a pocketknife, he cut some branches from a tree and then tied them together to make a raft. He put the raft in the river, climbed on, and started paddling with his hands. But the powerful river carried him off, too.

The oldest brother was both clever and careful. He sat down for a long time to think. Then he found an axe and walked along the riverbank, looking at each tree that grew there. He stopped at a tall, strong oak and started chopping it. After a while, he gave the tree a gentle push. It fell across the river to make a sturdy bridge.

Just then the oldest boy saw his two brothers, dripping with water, trudging up the riverbank. “You are just in time to gather cherries for our mother,” he said with a smile. With that, the three brothers walked across the bridge to the other side of the river.

Three Brothers and the Cherry Tree GRADE 4 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


Three Brothers and the Cherry Tree

1. The story says, “Just then the oldest boy saw his two brothers, dripping with water, trudging up the riverbank.”

What does trudging mean? A floating along B walking with great effort C jumping up and down D running in circles

2. How do the brothers get across the river?

A One brother cuts some branches and makes a raft.

B They swim across the river. C They walk across a bridge made

from a tree. D They make a boat and row across.

3. How does the oldest brother feel after he chops down the oak tree?

A tired from the hard work B angry that his bothers didn’t help C proud that he figured out a way to

cross the river D jealous that his brothers got to go

swimming

4. Why did the boys wait years before trying to gather the cherries?

A They thought they would get in trouble if they picked cherries from someone else’s tree.

B They thought the river was too big an obstacle.

C They didn’t really like the taste of cherries.

D They didn’t really care about their mother.

5. What lesson does this story teach? A Thought and planning lead to success. B Keep good ideas to yourself. C It is selfish to wish for something

you cannot have. D Some people never make mistakes.

6. What do the boys decide to do for their mother?

A build her a raft B gather cherries for her C take her across the river D build a new cottage for her

7. Which graph best shows how the brothers respond to their problem?

A

B

C

D

8. Which sentence best summarizes what happens in this story?

A Two brothers try to cross a river and fail, but then a third brother tries.

B A mother is sad because delicious cherries go to waste every year.

C A mother and three sons live across a river from a cherry tree.

D Three brothers try to cross a river to get cherries for their mother.

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

acted without thinking

thought situation through before acting

10 oldest middle youngest

•

10 middle youngest oldest

10 oldest youngest middle

10 youngest middle oldest

•

•

•

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Read the article about American’s first women soldiers. Then answer questions 1–8.

Women Soldiers in the Revolutionary WarIn 1775, American colonists desperately wanted to break free

from British rule. It seemed the only way to do so was to go to war. The ensuing war with Britain lasted nearly eight years. Almost all of the soldiers who fought in the conflict were men, because women were not allowed to fight. Nevertheless, some women found ways to join the cause.

Sybil Ludington was 14 years old when the war broke out. Her father was the commander of a militia in New York. On April 26, 1777, a messenger came to their house with urgent news. The British had attacked a town in nearby Connecticut. British forces would soon be in New York.

Sixteen-year-old Sybil volunteered to rally the militia troops. She rode on horseback all night—on muddy roads through pouring rain—to warn the countryside that the British were on the way. Sybil became known as the female Paul Revere.

Another woman who took up the fight was Margaret Corbin. In the second year of the war, her husband, John, was stationed at Fort Washington in New York. Margaret accompanied him from Philadelphia, and with other women, she cooked and cared for the wounded soldiers. In November, the British launched an attack on Fort Washington. John was in charge of loading and firing a small cannon. In the middle of the assault, John was struck and killed. Margaret took his place at his cannon and continued firing until she, herself, was seriously wounded.



Perhaps no woman went to greater lengths to fight in the Revolutionary War than Deborah Sampson. In 1782 Deborah disguised herself as a man by cutting her hair and putting on men’s clothes. Then she signed up for the continental army under the name Robert Shurtleff.

Over the next year and a half, Deborah saw battle numerous times and fought in many hand-to-hand skirmishes. In one battle near Tarrytown, she was wounded in

the head by a saber. But she refused to go to the hospital because she did not want the doctor to discover her secret. She continued to fight, and eventually came down with a terrible fever. This time she was hospitalized, and her secret came to light. In 1783, she was given an honorable discharge from the army.

It was many years before women were allowed to serve openly in the American military. But all along, women have found ways to serve bravely during times of war.

1751 1948

Congress passes an act that allows women to serve

officially in the military and receive veteran’s benefitsDeborah Sampson enlists in

army as Robert Shurtleff

Sybil Ludington rides to rally militia

Revolutionary War begins

1761

Sybil Ludington is born

1760

Deborah Sampson is born

Margaret Corbin is born

1776

Margaret Corbin is injured while firing cannon at

Ft. Washington

1783

Treaty of Paris ends the Revolutionary War

1775 17821777

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Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 47

Women Soldiers in the Revolutionary War

1. Sybil Ludington “volunteered to rally the militia troops.”

What does rally mean? A gather together B tease C protest D befriend

2. Margaret Corbin joined the battle at Fort Washington because

A Philadelphia was attacked. B women were allowed to join the

army there. C there were already enough nurses. D she took over the cannon when

her husband was killed.

3. The militia troops most likely thought Sybil Ludington was

A foolish for riding in the rain. B brave for riding out to warn them. C silly for trying to join the militia. D loyal to the British troops.

4. Why was Deborah Sampson given an honorable discharge?

A because she was a brave soldier who fought in many battles and skirmishes

B because her disguise worked so well C because she was hospitalized D because the real Robert Shurtleff

was a good soldier

5. Which sentence states an opinion? A Deborah was in a battle near

Tarrytown, where she was wounded. B On April 26, 1777, a messenger

came to Sybil Ludington’s house. C In 1775, American colonists went to

war with England. D No woman went to greater lengths

to fight in the war than Deborah Sampson.

6. Deborah Sampson ended up in the hospital

A because she got a very high fever B after being wounded with a saber C because she had too many

hand-to-hand skirmishes D when she was injured by a cannon

7. According to the timeline, which of the following statements is true?

A Congress passed an act allowing women to join the military in 1775.

B Deborah Sampson and Sybil Ludington were the same age.

C Margaret Corbin was injured in 1776. D The Revolutionary War spanned

from 1775–1948.

8. What is another good title for this article?

A The Battle of Tarrytown B Going to War with England C Women Who Fought for a Cause D A Woman Soldier Named Robert




Just in Case“Is there going to be a flood?”

Janelle asked her parents. She glanced quickly from her mother to her father, both of whom looked anxious and exhausted. Her dad and the other men in town had spent the morning adding sandbags to fortify the levee down by the river. For years this wall of earth had held strong, keeping the Mississippi from flooding its banks, but after three straight days of torrential rain, the water was high. If the levee broke, Janelle’s neighborhood would be flooded for sure.

“We’ve done all we can to keep the river out,” Janelle’s dad said. “The levee seems to be holding up pretty well, and I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Janelle felt momentarily relieved, but she knew the storm wasn’t over yet. Outside, the sky was still a severe gray as the thunder roared and the rain continued to pound the earth.

“But just in case,” her dad added, “I think we should start moving some things over to Uncle Mike’s.” Uncle Mike’s house was farther from the river, on higher ground. “I’ll start loading some things into the pickup truck.”

“And Janelle, why don’t you and I start moving a few things upstairs,” said her mom. “We’ll take everything we need to cook and


eat upstairs. Canned goods, pots and pans, a camp stove, a lantern. It’ll be fun, just like camping out in our own house.”

Janelle tried to muster a sense of adventure, but really all she wanted was for the storm to pass. She remembered hearing about her friend’s cousin who lived in Arkansas and how their house had been flooded a few years back, and everything they owned had been destroyed.

By nightfall, everything the family needed had been moved upstairs. Janelle’s dad had taken their new couch, several chairs, and their television set to Uncle Mike’s. They moved their car, too, in case the road flooded. Before going to bed, Janelle helped her dad move the fishing boat from the backyard and tie it to the front porch—just in case.

Lying in bed that night, Janelle tossed and turned fitfully as she listened to the heavy rain beating on the roof. “Everything will be all right,” she whispered just before falling asleep.

Several hours later, Janelle woke up. She sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding. But then she realized it was light outside and that instead of rain, she heard birds chirping. The next minute she heard the rumble of a truck’s engine as it passed by on the road outside. She heaved a grateful sigh. “I guess the levee held after all,” she said to herself with a smile.

Just in Case GRADE 4 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


Just in Case

1. Read this sentence from the story. “Her dad and the other men in

town had spent the morning adding sandbags to fortify the levee down by the river.”

What does fortify mean? A build B decrease C demolish D strengthen

2. Janelle’s parents are worried that A the town would run out of sand. B lightning would strike the house. C the river would flood the town. D rain would ruin their crops.

3. When Janelle “sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding,” she felt

A relieved to see that the rain had stopped.

B afraid that she and her parents were in danger.

C upset about losing her home and moving away.

D excited about enjoying a new experience.

4. At the end, why does Janelle think that the levee held after all?

A It’s morning. B Her dad tells her that they will be fine. C She hears a truck going by outside. D Her dad wakes her in the middle of

the night.

5. What is a theme of this story? A Save some money for a rainy day. B We must face our fears. C Sometimes your luck runs out. D Always be prepared.

6. What do Janelle and her mom do to prepare for the flood?

A They move some things upstairs. B They put their TV in Dad’s truck. C They go to stay with Uncle Mike. D They add sandbags to the levee.

7.

Which statement belongs on the right side of the if-then chart? A Janelle’s family will cook upstairs. B Janelle’s family will keep their

furniture at Uncle Mike’s. C Janelle’s family will be able to drive

to Uncle Mike’s house. D Janelle’s family will escape in the boat.


A A man saves a couch and a TV from a flood.

B A group of men work together to stop a flood.

C A family gets ready in case there is a flood.

D A girl and her parents camp inside their house.

IF the levee holds THEN

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Read the article about an unusual insect. Then answer questions 1–8.

Insect InvasionInsects are all around us, but most of the time we don’t give them

much thought. One insect, however, is impossible to ignore. It’s the 17-year cicada. These cicadas spend most of their lives underground. But when they finally come out, they do it in a very big way.

From Egg to InsectLike other insects, the 17-year cicada starts life as an egg. The

adult female lays up to 600 eggs at one time in a tree branch.Roughly seven weeks later, immature cicadas, or nymphs, hatch

wingless from the eggs. They fall to the ground and burrow about a foot into the earth. This is where they’ll spend the next 17 years.

Finally, when 17 long years have passed, the insects crawl out of their holes. Within hours of their arrival above ground, the nymphs shed their outer skins and emerge as adult cicadas.

All Together Now!It is the short life of adult cicadas that gets all the attention.

That’s because nature has choreographed it so that the 17-year cicadas appear all at once, on exactly the same day. In regions where this happens, people go to bed one night with no cicadas in sight, and wake to find adult cicadas are everywhere, covering everything.

There’s something else that makes these adult cicadas impossible to miss. They’re noisy! The males make a loud, shrill buzzing that never lets up. The sound is produced when a section of their abdomens vibrates. A single male cicada is as loud as a food



blender, and in fact this “song” is the loudest of any insect. Just imagine the racket that thousands of cicadas can make when they all sing at once.

For most people who experience it, the invasion is pretty unpleasant. Cicadas are slow, clumsy fliers, and they frequently fly right into people. Those in the know often carry umbrellas to avoid getting rained on by a swarm of insects!

Luckily, the cicada invasion doesn’t last long. The adults live only about 30 days. They die soon after mating. Their bodies slowly break down and become part of the soil. Life returns to normal—until 17 years go by and the next invasion hits.

Female lays eggs on tree branches. All cicadas die within 30 days of leaving the ground.

Nymphs hatch from the eggs and fall to the ground. They burrow into the soil.

Nymphs tunnel through the ground, feeding on liquid drawn from tree roots, for 17 years.

Nymphs emerge from the ground and climb upward to find a place where they can shed their skins.

Male cicadas make a loud buzzing sound to attract females.

7 weeks

17 years3–5 days

30 days

Life Cycle of the 17-Year Cicada

Insect Invasion GRADE 4 • Informational Text

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Insect Invasion

1. The article says, “Within hours of their arrival above ground, the nymphs shed their outer skins and emerge as adult cicadas.”

What does emerge mean? A are made B look back C come out D take shape

2. Where do 17-year cicadas spend most of their lives?

A underground B in a nest C on houses D in a tree

3. What happens just after the cicada nymphs crawl out of their holes?

A They shed their outer skins. B They feed on tree roots. C They dig down into the ground. D They bump into people.

4. Which of these places would people most likely stay away from during a cicada invasion?

A the woods B a supermarket C a movie theater D a library

5. Which sentence states an opinion? A The cicada’s life cycle lasts 17 years. B The nymphs crawl out of their holes. C The adult cicada is nearly two inches

long. D For most people who experience

it, the cicada invasion is pretty unpleasant.

6. A cicada invasion does not last very long because

A the bodies of the cicadas break down.

B each cicada starts life as an egg. C adult cicadas live only about 30 days. D cicadas are slow, clumsy fliers.

7. What do nymphs feed on during their 17 years living underground?

A tree bark B worms C water D liquid from tree roots

8. What is the main idea of this article? A There are all kinds of insects all

around us. B A cicada invasion is a short but

unforgettable part of the cicada’s 17-year life cycle.

C The cicada nymphs live under the ground.

D The cicada invasion doesn’t last very long.




Zephyr Mountain

When Will’s friend Josh invited him to go on a hike to the top of Zephyr Mountain, Will was ecstatic. He had never gone hiking before and was eager to explore the wilderness.

That is, until his older brother, Nate, heard about the trip at bedtime that night.

“You’re going hiking? So unfair!” Nate muttered under his breath. “Well, I sure wouldn’t want to be you.”

“Why not?” asked Will.“The bears, of course.” “Bears?” said Will, shaken at the thought.“Yeah, they’re everywhere on Zephyr Mountain, and they love to chase

kids into the lake—so be careful!”“I’ve never heard anything about bears, and besides, why would Josh

have invited me to go to Zephyr Mountain if the place was so dangerous?” Will tried to sound bold and unafraid, but he was trembling under the covers.

The next morning at school Will cornered Josh before the bell rang. “Do you think we’ll have any run-ins with bears when we go hiking?” he asked breathlessly.

“Of course not!” Josh replied. “I’ve gone hiking on Zephyr Mountain dozens of times, and I’ve never seen a single bear.”

Despite Josh’s reassurance, Will couldn’t stop thinking about bears. One minute he’d be immersed in a video game, and the next, an image of himself running for his life, chased by a hulking grizzly herding him toward the lake, flashed in his mind.


The night before the hike, Will overheard Nate griping in the kitchen, complaining about what a boring weekend he was going to have because he’d been grounded.

“You should have thought about that before you decided to practice karate kicks near my favorite ceramic lamp,” his mother said.

In the morning, Nate poked Will, who was cowering under his blankets, still thinking about the vivid nightmare he’d just had about a ferocious bear with sharp teeth. “You’d better get up if you’re going hiking.”

“I’m not going,” whimpered Will.“I thought you were looking forward to it.”“I’m afraid of bears.”“Oh, there aren’t any bears on Zephyr Mountain,” Nate said

apologetically. “I just made that up.”Will peeked his head out from under the covers and looked at his older

brother. “There really aren’t any bears?”“No bears,” said Nate. “I promise.”Will jumped out of bed and scrambled to get ready. He had to hurry so he

wouldn’t be late.On the hike Will forgot all about bears because there was too much else

to occupy his mind. When he finally reached the summit of Zephyr Mountain, he looked out at the vista and smiled. Too bad Nate wasn’t there to see the view.

Zephyr Mountain GRADE 5 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


Zephyr Mountain

1. The story says, “When Will’s friend Josh invited him to go on a hike to the top of Zephyr Mountain, Will was ecstatic.”

What does ecstatic mean? A unsure C scared B happy D curious

2. Why was Nate grounded? A He lied to his brother. B He didn’t want to go hiking. C He stayed up past his bedtime. D He broke his mother’s favorite lamp.

3. Which feeling best describes Nate’s attitude toward his brother at the beginning of the story?

A jealous B ecstatic C annoyed D frustrated

4. Why did Nate tell Will he had lied about the bears?

A His mother told him to. B Nate is concerned for his brother’s

safety. C Nate felt sorry he had scared Will. D His mother told him he wasn’t

grounded anymore.

5. Which statement is a theme of the story?

A Never go hiking in the woods alone. B Your words can have a greater effect

than you know. C Don’t let your fears stop you. D Always trust your family.

6. Why did Nate lie to his brother? A so Will would invite him along on

the hike B because he wanted Will to stay home

and keep him company C because he wanted Will to get in

trouble D because he was upset about being

grounded

7.

What event belongs in Box 1? A Will asks Josh about bears on

Zephyr Mountain. B Will enjoys hiking on Zephyr

Mountain. C Will has a nightmare about bears. D Nate practices karate in the house.

8. What is the main problem in the story?

A Nate is grounded. B Will is afraid to go hiking because

of bears. C Nate breaks his mother’s lamp. D Nate and Will can’t get along.

Will tells Nate about his hike; Nate warns him

about bears.

Will decides not to go hiking; Nate confesses

he made up the fact that bears are on the mountain.

Will worries about bears

all week.

Will enjoys his hike.

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Read the article about bees. Then answer questions 1–8.

Beekeeping Basics

Open a jar of golden honey. Eat a spoonful and enjoy its special sweetness. There’s nothing quite like it! But how do we get it?

The honey in your home was most likely made by bees in a hanging movable-frame beehive. This type of beehive is made and used by beekeepers, people who harvest honey. The beehive looks like a stack of boxes. Inside are wooden frames where bees build wax honeycombs for storing their honey.

The amazing thing about a beehive is how much it is like a factory for making honey. Each hive is home to a colony of as many as 60,000 bees. A

colony has one queen that lays eggs. Other bees have different jobs, such as building the honeycomb, keeping it clean, feeding the young, or making honey. Some bees are guards that protect the hive. If a guard sees you as a danger to the colony, it will sting you.

The bees make honey from nectar, a sweet liquid inside flowers. A bee sucks nectar from a flower and then brings it back to the hive. The bee places the watery nectar in a honey cell. Then other bees add more and more nectar.



“House bees” fan their wings over the cell to remove the water. As the water evaporates, the nectar changes into gooey honey. When the honey is ready, wax-making bees cover the cell with a wax cap so the honey doesn’t drip out. Bees must gather nectar from more than a million flowers to make just one pound of honey!

Using special tools, beekeepers extract the honey without breaking the honeycomb so that the bees will not need to rebuild it. When the beekeepers put the frames back into the hive, the bees start filling them with honey again.

No bee can make honey alone. It takes a large team of very hard workers to get the job done. We can learn a lot from these little creatures about working together to accomplish good things.

The inside and outside covers protect the hive from the weather and provide ventilation.

Honey that can be harvested is stored in supers.

The queen lays eggs in the brood chamber; this is where the colony’s own honey and pollen is stored.

The bottom board provides an entrance to the hive.

outside cover

inside cover

shallow super

brood chamber

reversible bottom board

Movable Frame Bee Hive

Beekeeping Basics GRADE 5 • Informational Text

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Beekeeping Basics

1. The article says, “beekeepers extract honey without breaking the honeycomb.”

What does extract mean? A take out C make B fill up D eat

2. What happens just after the nectar in a honey cell becomes gooey honey?

A Bees place more nectar into the cell. B House bees fan their wings over

the cell. C Bees cover the cells with a cap

of wax. D The honey drips out of the cell.

3. How is a beehive like a factory? A All of the bees work the same hours

every day. B Many bees do different jobs to make

one product. C There is only one bee that owns and

rules the hive. D The beehive is located in an area

with lots of bees.

4. Which statement best reflects the author’s opinion about bees?

A They are skilled workers who use special tools to extract honey.

B They are hard workers who know how to function as a team to create an amazing food.

C Different bees have different jobs in the hive.

D They must gather nectar from more than one million flowers to make one pound of honey.

5. The author’s purpose in this article is to

A compare bees with other insects. B describe the inside of a beehive. C make people want to keep bees. D to give information about

beekeeping and how honey is made.

6. Which of the following is not part of a beekeeper’s job?

A fanning honey cells to remove water B making a movable-frame beehive C harvesting honey D using special tools so the honeycomb

doesn’t get broken

7. Why is the brood chamber important? A It’s where the queens lays eggs and

the colony’s own food is stored. B It’s where beekeepers harvest the

honey. C It protects the bees from the

weather. D It protects the queen from the

beekeeper.

8. Which sentence best states the main idea of the article?

A Be careful around honeybees—they sting!

B Most honey is made in movable-frame beehives.

C Honey is made in beehives that run like factories.

D Beekeepers have been around a long time.




The Shoemaker’s LuckA long time ago, Silas the Shoemaker took young orphan Jacob as his

apprentice and taught him his craft. As Jacob grew, he craved the excitement of the city and was determined to set out on his own. Silas cautioned his young apprentice about the difficulties of starting life in city with no friends or experience. But Jacob would not listen, and on his 18th birthday, he set out for the city.

Jacob traveled on foot for many days until finally, he reached the city. Taking all the money he had saved over the years, he rented a shop on a busy street and set to work making shoes.

Unfortunately for Jacob, there were a dozen other shoemakers in the city, and all of them had years of experience and were skilled craftsmen. As the weeks passed, Jacob did not have a single customer, and unsold shoes piled up in the window. The number of coins in his purse dwindled, and he could not enjoy any of the marvels of the city.


Now it happened that, unknown to Jacob, a pair of mice lived in the shop walls. They pitied young Jacob and wished they could help. “Jacob should move to a village where he is the only shoemaker,” suggested one mouse. “Then people would buy his shoes. But how can we persuade him to leave the city? I know he wants desperately to stay here.”

The two mice put their heads together and came up with a scheme. As soon as Jacob left that evening, the mice jumped into the pile of shoes and gnawed holes in each and every one. When Jacob returned the next morning, he wept at the sight of the ruined shoes. “I’ve had awful luck in this shop and in this city! Silas was right; I should have listened,” he wailed. “I can’t go back to my own village, but perhaps I can start anew in another small village.”

Jacob started to pack, but as he did, a woman stopped to peer in the shop window. Then she hurried inside, picked up a shredded shoe, and exclaimed, “I must have a pair of these smart-looking sandals!”

Amazed and pleased, Jacob sold the woman a pair of shredded shoes. He now had some money for his journey! Then he went back to packing. But a moment later, a man entered the shop, picked up a pair of shredded shoes, and immediately said he wanted to purchase the sandals. After that, more and more customers came into the shop, and soon Jacob had sold every pair of shredded shoes.

Jacob wasted no time wondering what he should do. He unpacked his tools and set to work making sandals. From that day on, Jacob always had many eager customers, and with his full purse, he could explore his wonderful new hometown.

The Shoemaker’s Luck GRADE 5 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


The Shoemaker’s Luck

1. The text says, “the number of coins in his purse dwindled.”

What does dwindled mean? A shrank C multiplied B shook D jingled

2. Why does Silas caution Jacob against moving to the city?

A He thought Jacob needed more experience.

B He worried Jacob would become an orphan.

C He knew rents were high. D He thought the city was too far away.

3. Based on what you read, which word pair best fits in this sentence?

As a shoemaker, Jacob was but .

A skillful . . . greedy B determined . . . unsuccessful C lazy . . . lucky D rich . . . unhappy

4. Which was the most important reason Jacob had for deciding to leave the city?

A The mice ruined his shoes. B He preferred to make sandals. C He could not make a living. D He wanted to live in a village.

5. What lesson does this story teach? A Keep your troubles to yourself. B Happiness is better than wealth. C Don’t accept help from others. D Things don’t always turn out the way

you expect.

6. Why is Jacob unsuccessful when he first arrives in the city?

A He doesn’t have enough money. B Mice keep chewing up his shoes. C No one likes to wear sandals. D He doesn’t have the skill to compete

with the other shoemakers.

7.

Which statement describes the effect of the mice’s actions?

A Jacob moved to the country. B Jacob decided to return to Silas

and work with him. C The mice got sick. D Jacob became a successful

sandal maker.

8. What is the best summary of this story? A A shoemaker rents a shop, but he

can’t make a living because mice keep chewing holes in his shoes.

B A young man decides to become a shoemaker, but he is not successful and decides to leave the city.

C A shoemaker moves to the city and opens a shop, but he has no success until he starts making sandals.

D A young man opens a shoe shop in the city, but no customers will buy his shoes.

Mice chewed up Jacob’s shoes

EffectCause

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Read the article about fighting fires. Then answer questions 1–8.

Fighting Fires

Nothing gets people moving faster than the word fire. When someone yells “Fire!” most people dash for the exits. Their only thought is to get out of the building fast. Firefighters, on the other hand, race just as quickly toward the fire. They want to put out the blaze as quickly as possible.

There are more than one million firefighters in the United States today. Firefighters are trained to go to the scene of a fire, determine the intensity and extent of the fire, assess whether it is safe to enter the area, and then figure out how to extinguish the flames. While they are doing all this, they also have the responsibility of rescuing any people who may be trapped by the blaze.



Back in the 1600s, there were no trained firefighters in the American colonies. Putting out fires was everyone’s job. Cities and towns had no indoor plumbing, running water, or fire hydrants, so water from a pond, river, or well had to be carried to the fire in buckets. When a fire broke out, everyone ran to help. They formed a bucket brigade. Men formed one line leading from the water supply and passed buckets of water to throw on the fire. Women and children formed another line, sending empty buckets back to be filled. This was a very slow way to put out a fire, and many homes burned to the ground

before they could be saved.Then in 1736, Benjamin Franklin came

up with the idea for a fire department. He convinced a group of people in Philadelphia to form the Union Fire Company. They became the first official volunteer firefighters in the country.

Today, three out of four American firefighters are volunteers. These brave men and women do not get paid for their work, but they are in good company. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere were all volunteer firefighters, too, in their day. In some areas of the United States, you can become a volunteer firefighter when you are 16 years old. If you’ve always dreamed of being a volunteer firefighter, you may have the chance soon!

FIREFIGHTER FACTS

There are almost 1,150,000 firefighters serving in the United States. Here are some statistics about these brave men and women.

Volunteer 72%

Between the ages of 20 and 49 75%

Female career firefighters 3.7%

Fighting Fires GRADE 5 • Informational Text

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Fighting Fires

1. The article says, “They formed a bucket brigade.”

What does brigade mean in this sentence?

A a group of people organized for a purpose

B a machine built to hold buckets C a formation of soldiers in an army D a truck used to fight fires in a city

2. Benjamin Franklin was the first American to

A join a bucket brigade. B lose a house to a fire. C pay trained firefighters. D form a fire department.

3. People formed “bucket brigades” to A prevent fires. B extinguish fires. C rescue people. D warn people.

4. Why were women and children given the job of passing the empty buckets?

A The empty buckets protected them from the fire.

B Women didn’t want to get wet. C So children wouldn’t be tempted

to play with water. D Empty buckets were lighter and

easier to carry.

5. The author’s main purpose in this article is to

A tell an entertaining story about a firefighter.

B give information about firefighters in the past.

C convince people to become firefighters.

D teach people to be more careful with fire.

6. Why did so many homes burn to the ground in the 1600s?

A No one wanted to help their neighbor put out a fire.

B The people didn’t know how to put out a fire.

C Bucket brigades were too slow and inefficient.

D There was no water to put in the buckets.

7. Which statement most accurately summarizes information about firefighters from the chart?

A Most fire fighters are male volunteers between the ages of 20 and 49.

B Almost half of all firefighters are male volunteers.

C Women do not serve as volunteer firefighters.

D One quarter of firefighters are between the ages of 16 and 20.

8. Which would be another good title for this article?

A The History of Firefighting B Benjamin Franklin’s Idea C The First Official Volunteer D Becoming a Volunteer Firefighter




A New FriendOn my way into school that

morning, I admit I was feeling a little apprehensive. The first day of school can be nerve-wracking under the best circumstances, but I didn’t know a soul in this city; my dad and I had just moved to Newport News, Virginia, a week earlier. As far as I was concerned, we might as well have been on Mars.

I walked toward the school nervously, my stomach feeling queasy and my legs shaking so violently I was sure everyone could see. Other students were striding around confidently, greeting each other with grins on their faces, and catching up after the long summer break. In years past, I would have been just like them, eager to meet up with all my friends after two months apart. But now I’d left all my friends behind, and I felt like I had a neon sign above my head flashing “New Kid.” Still, I told myself to quit being so self-conscious. I reminded myself to smile, be friendly, and make an effort to meet new people if I had a chance. The first person I bumped into (literally, since I almost knocked her over trying to get through the door) was a girl who looked to be about my age. I had no idea where my classroom was and I figured she might know, so with my resolution in mind, I immediately blurted out, “Can you tell me where Room 210 is?”


The girl looked at me strangely, and I thought my plan to make friends was already backfiring. “Sorry, I’m not sure where Room 210 is,” she said. “Today is my first day here, and I’m a bit disoriented myself.” She stuck out her hand and said, “By the way, my name is Lan. Well, it’s Xiulan, really, but most people call me Lan.”

“Really?” I said. “You’re new too?” So, apparently, I was wrong. I wasn’t the only one! “My name is Trish,” I told her. “Well, Patricia, really, but most people call me Trish.”

We both started laughing. By the time we had walked down the hall, I knew that she had a brother who was a freshman in high school, she loved to skateboard, and she had moved to Newport News from Hawaii because her mom and dad were both in the Navy. I also found out she didn’t know a single person at the school—except me.

“Wow, that’s such a coincidence,” I said, “because my dad is in the Navy, too. He got transferred to the naval base at Norfolk, so we just moved here from Florida.”

A moment later the bell rang, signaling that school was about to start and it was time to go to our classrooms. “I’ll see you at lunchtime, Xiulan-called-Lan.”

“It’s a deal, Patricia-called-Trish.”We both cracked up and went

in search of our rooms. I’m not sure what Lan was thinking at that moment, but I was thinking that this new school might be kind of fun after all.

A New Friend GRADE 5 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


A New Friend

1. The story says, “On my way into school this morning, I admit I was feeling a little apprehensive.”

What does apprehensive mean? A worried C amused B excited D resentful

2. Why did Trish move to Newport News? A She did not like Florida. B Her dad lost his job. C She didn’t know anyone at her

old school. D Her dad got transferred.

3. Which of the following statements most accurately describes Trish?

A Trish is very shy. B Trish does not know how to

make friends. C Trish is a person who tries hard to

make the best of a difficult situation. D Trish is a person who gives up easily.

4. Why does Trish say that she “might as well have been on Mars”?

A She’s moved to a new country. B Nothing looks familiar to her and

she feels out of place. C She is nervous about meeting

new people. D Newport News looks like Mars.

5. What is a theme of this story? A Honesty is the best policy. B You can make a situation better by

being friendly and open. C Real friends share everything they

have. D If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

6. What does Trish think is a coincidence in the story?

A She and Xiulan both have parents in the Navy and recently moved to town.

B Trish and Xiulan are both nervous. C Neither girl knows where her

classroom is. D Both girls are eager to make a friend.

7.

Which of the following information from the Venn diagram was not part of the story? A Trish is sure she’ll make friends. B Trish moved from Florida. C Lan’s parents are in the Navy. D Trish and Lan are happy to have

made a friend.

8. Which sentence best summarizes this story?

A Two girls whose parents are in the Navy move to the same town.

B Two girls are eager to move to a new town and make new friends.

C A girl is nervous about starting at a new school, but she soon makes friends with another new girl.

D Two girls find out they have a lot in common with each other.

Lan Trish

• moved from Hawaii • has a brother

• moved from Florida• is confident she’ll

make new friends

• parents in the Navy• have nicknames• happy to have

made a friend

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Read the article about deserts. Then answer questions 1–8.

Deserts of the United StatesWhen you hear the word desert, you might think of parched, barren land

and sizzling temperatures. It’s true that all deserts are dry, generally getting less than 12 inches of rainfall per year. But all deserts are not alike. The United States has four deserts, each with its own unique characteristics.

The Great BasinYou might be surprised to learn that in the Great Basin desert it actually

gets very cold! In winter, temperatures in this desert can drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, the desert gets 60 percent of its precipitation as snowfall. The Great Basin is the largest desert in the United States. It’s situated between two mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east. The region was once home to many large salt lakes, but they have mostly dried up, leaving behind soil that is very salty and unsuitable for most vegetation. Some plants have adapted to this saline soil and thrive, but there are very few cacti here.


AL GA

FL

TN

KY

IN

MI

OH

NY

PA

WVVA

MD DE

CTMA

VTNH

ME

RINJ

NC

SC

KS

NE

SD

ND

MN

IA

MO

AR

LA

MS

IL

WI

TX

OKNM

NM

MT

OR

WA

CA

NV

ID

UT

AZ

CO

= Great Basin Desert

= Mojave Desert

= Sonoran Desert

= Chihuahuan DesertKEY

DESERTS OF THE UNITED STATES


The Mojave DesertThe Mojave Desert, just to the south of the

Great Basin, is the country’s smallest and driest desert. The Mojave gets only 4 to 6 inches of rain each year, mostly in the winter. Death Valley, California, is located in the Mojave. This is the hottest spot in the entire country; the highest temperature ever recorded there was 134 degrees Fahrenheit!

The best-known symbol of the Mojave Desert is the Joshua tree. This tree is actually a yucca plant, and it has “arms” that bend and extend outward.

The Sonoran DesertThe Sonoran Desert lies south of the Mojave and gets

rain in both summer and winter. This leads to some diverse plant life, although the region is still quite dry. It has an annual rainfall of 4 to 12 inches, depending on which side of the desert is being measured.

One of the most exciting sights in the Sonoran Desert is the stately saguaro cactus. It can grow as high as 50 feet and may live more than 200 years. It also grows “arms,” but not until it is 50 years old.

The Chihuahuan DesertFinally, the Chihuahuan Desert lies to the east of the

Sonoran. It has many mountains that are 3,000 to 6,000 feet tall, and its winters can be cool. Freezing conditions are common in the northern part of the desert because of the high altitude. Plants that cannot survive in the cold are found in the southernmost regions of the desert. Unlike the Sonoran or the Mojave, the Chihuahuan is mainly a shrub and grass desert without any tall trees or cacti.

Joshua Tree

Saguaro Cactus

Deserts of the United States GRADE 5 • Informational Text

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Deserts of the United States

1. The article says, “Some plants have adapted to this saline soil and thrive.”

What is the meaning of saline? A very healthy B containing salt C offered for sale D rich and moist

2. What is unusual about the Great Basin?

A Sixty percent of its precipitation is snowfall.

B It has many lakes. C It is filled with people. D It has a lot of vegetation.

3. How are the Joshua tree and the saguaro cactus similar?

A They both grow a few inches per year. B They both can grow to 50 feet tall. C They both have spiny leaves. D They both grow arms.

4. What is a likely reason that most trees are unable to grow in the Great Basin?

A The ground is too wet. B The soil is too salty. C There are too many mountains. D There is not enough precipitation.

5. Which sentence from the article states an opinion?

A The United States has four deserts, each with its own unique characteristics.

B It is true that deserts are dry, generally getting less than 10 inches of rain per year.

C One of the most exciting sights in the Sonoran Desert is the stately saguaro cactus.

D The Mojave Desert is the smallest and driest desert in the United States.

6. In which desert do the highest temperatures occur?

A Great Basin Desert B Sonoran Desert C Mojave Desert D Chihuahuan Desert

7. Which desert is the northernmost in the United States?

A Great Basin Desert B Sonoran Desert C Mojave Desert D Chihuahuan Desert

8. Which sentence best states the main idea of this article?

A Plants that cannot survive in the cold are found in the southernmost regions of the desert.

B When you hear the word desert, you might think of parched, barren land and sizzling temperatures.

C It is true that deserts are dry, generally getting less than 12 inches of rain per year.

D The United States has four deserts, each with its own unique characteristics.




The Winter Count

We had just finished a hearty stew when the tepee door lifted and more of my relatives swept in, accompanied by an icy blast of wind. Several aunts and uncles and my cousin Bear Tooth paid their respects to Grandmother and Grandfather as they took their seats by the fire.

“The first snow is falling, and it is time to review the winter count of our people,” Grandfather announced as my mother spread out a large buffalo hide covered with small pictures. “Bear Tooth, take a stick from the fire and hold it near so we can all see.”

Bear Tooth smirked at me as he moved toward the fire. He would be 13 this year, and Grandfather was recognizing that he would soon be a man. I was only a few months younger than Bear Tooth, but he always got to do things first.

“As you know,” Grandfather began, “the pictures on the hide show what happened each year and how we survived. According to some, the Lakota should have been eradicated years ago, but here we are. My grandfather started this count when he drew a picture of the battle with the Crow. Many Crow warriors died, but so did some of our best Lakota men.


“This one is from the year I was born, 1823,” said Grandfather as he pointed to a picture. “One day, a man named Dog Ghost had such a bad quarrel with his wife that he left the camp. But that was a hard winter. He froze to death in a blizzard.”

The adults shook their heads and muttered at this needless tragedy.“Here was a very bad year,” Grandfather went on. He pointed at a figure

covered with spots and holding his stomach. “Many Lakota died of smallpox, including my grandfather and my sister. That is when I became the keeper of the count.”

Grandfather paused and looked at the family gathered around him. “Soon there will be no more room on this skin, and I will not be here to tell the old stories. Someone else will have to carry on.”

“I would like to be that man,” cried Bear Tooth suddenly.“It’s good to hear your enthusiasm, boy,” said Grandfather with a smile.

“But the person chosen must first know the old stories. Let me tell what happened the year you were born.”

The Winter Count GRADE 6 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


The Winter Count

1. The story says, “According to some, the Lakota should have been eradicated years ago, but here we are.”

What does eradicated mean? A saved C honored B moved away D wiped out

2. What happened to make Grandfather take over the role of keeping the winter count?

A His grandfather died of smallpox. B Dog Ghost died in a blizzard years ago. C He fought bravely in a battle with

the Crow. D The family ran out of room on the

buffalo hide.

3. How does Grandfather feel about Bear Tooth becoming the keeper of the winter count?

A He thinks Bear Tooth should start immediately.

B He does not think Bear Tooth has enough enthusiasm.

C He thinks Bear Tooth will soon leave the camp.

D He does not think Bear Tooth is ready yet.

4. How does the narrator feel about Bear Tooth?

A friendly C jealous B amused D anxious

5. Which word best describes the mood of this story?

A serious C frightening B playful D mysterious

6. Why did Grandfather choose Bear Tooth to get a stick from the fire?

A He is signaling that Bear Tooth is his favorite grandchild.

B He is acknowledging that Bear Tooth is growing up and is ready for more responsibility.

C He knows the narrator is afraid of fire. D He knows Bear Tooth wants his job.

7.

Which event do you think would most likely be recorded on the Winter Count?

A the first snowfall of the year B the time Bear Tooth was stung by a bee C the great flood that washed away half

the village D the signing of the Declaration of

Independence


A A man quarrels with his wife and makes a fatal choice.

B A Lakota family gathers to hear stories about their history.

C Two Lakota children talk with their grandfather about battles.

D Smallpox strikes a Lakota village, and few people survive.

The Winter Count

Crow and Lakota battle smallpox epidemic

Dog Ghost freezes in blizzard

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Read the article about money. Then answer questions 1–8.

Funny MoneyCounterfeiting of paper money in the United States has quite a long

history. Ever since people began using paper currency, criminals have been making fake money. During Colonial times, when each colony issued its own “notes” or bills, counterfeiting was a huge problem. Most of the bills were small and printed on only one side, and their designs were fairly simple. Anyone with just a bit of skill and the right tools could copy them easily.

In the 1860s, the United States Treasury began issuing its own paper money. Since 1877, the U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing has printed all U.S. currency. From the start, the government tried to design bills that would be hard to copy. The bills were printed on cotton and linen paper with red and blue fibers running through it. The bills bore a Treasury seal and very elaborate designs. These steps helped cut down on some of the counterfeiting. But they did not put counterfeiters out of business.

Beginning in 1996, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing started adding advanced security features to try to prevent counterfeiting. These were the first major design changes made to U.S. currency since 1928. Now, the Bureau will issue new bills every 7 to 10 years for all notes from $5 to $100. The government does not plan to issue newly designed $1 bills since these are not popular with counterfeiters. The most recent bills were issued between 2004 and 2008. They are made from a special ink that changes color when light hits the money at different angles. Also, the new bills have an embedded security thread that glows blue when illuminated by ultraviolet light. The bills’ new watermarks can be seen from both sides when the bill is held up to a light. All of these features are extremely difficult to copy.



The government’s new bills look funny. The portraits on the front of the bills are much larger than before and are slightly off center. The new bills are also much more colorful and “busier,” with additional writing and purple symbols throughout.

Preventing counterfeiting is an ongoing battle. But maybe this “funny money” will finally put an end to the phony money business forever.

Counterfeit Bill FeaturesFeature Authentic Bills Counterfeit Bills

Portrait The portrait seems lifelike; it is distinct from the background.

The portrait seems lifeless and flat. Details blend into the background, which is often darker than that of an authentic bill.

SealsThe saw-tooth points of the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are clear and sharp.

Counterfeit seals may have uneven, blunt, or broken saw-tooth points.

BorderThe border of a genuine bill is composed of fine lines that are clear and unbroken.

The lines in the outer margin of the border and in the scrollwork may be blurry.

Serial Number

Serial numbers have a distinctive style and are evenly spaced; they are printed in the same ink color as the Treasury seal.

Serial numbers may differ in color or shade of ink from the Treasury seal. The numbers may not be uniformly spaced or aligned.

Paper Paper has tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout.

Red and blue lines may appear, but they are printed on the surface, not embedded in the paper.

Funny Money GRADE 6 • Informational Text

Name Date

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Funny Money

1. The article states “new bills have an embedded security thread.”

What does embedded mean? A strong C built in B unraveled D effective

2. Why was counterfeiting a real problem in Colonial times?

A The bills were easy to copy. B Everyone used one kind of paper. C Bills were not printed in color. D People thought the bills looked funny.

3. Why doesn’t the government plan to issue any newly designed $1 bills?

A The bills are already too difficult for counterfeiters to copy.

B The American people don’t want any more “funny money.”

C The government plans to replace the bills with coins.

D There is not enough profit in $1 bills to interest counterfeiters.

4. A banker is most likely to check $100 bills with an ultraviolet light in order to

A make sure that the portraits are off center. B see if the bills have embedded security

threads. C make the writing on the bills look purple. D put an end to the phony money business

forever.

5. Which sentence from the article gives the author’s opinion?

A These were the first design changes made to U.S. currency since 1928.

B Now, the Bureau will issue new bills every 7 to 10 years for all notes from $5 to $100.

C The government’s new bills look funny. D Preventing counterfeiting is an ongoing

battle.

6. Which of these events happened first? A The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

began printing all U.S. currency. B The U.S. Treasury began issuing its own

paper money. C Counterfeiters began making money on

cotton and linen paper. D The government put security threads

into paper money.

7. What characteristics does the serial number on a genuine bill have?

A It has a distinct style and the numbers are evenly spaced.

B It is printed in the same ink as the Treasury seal and unevenly spaced.

C It is printed in a different color than the Treasury seal and has a distinct style.

D The numbers in the serial number are irregularly spaced to make them harder to copy.

8. What summarizes this article best? A Criminals have a history of making fake

money. The U.S. government has tried to stop counterfeiting, but nothing has worked.

B In Colonial times, each colony printed its own money. Since 1877, all U.S. bills have been printed by the U.S. Treasury.

C New U.S. bills look odd because they are colorful and the portraits are off center. The government prints new bills every 7 to 10 years.

D Since Colonial times, people have been making counterfeit U.S. money. The government has tried many ways to stop it, and bills now have sophisticated security features.




Superflash“Devlin, that was a fantastic

rehearsal!” said Kenzie, our lead singer, as she strode across the stage.

Mike, our guitar player, strummed a riff on his electric guitar while his cousin, Devlin, kept rhythm with the drums.

As I packed up my keyboard, Mike and Kenzie came over, and we glanced at Devlin sauntering down the aisle to the water fountain.

“He’s an awesome drummer!” Kenzie gushed. She gave us each a high-five then ran out the door to catch her ride.

“I hate to say it, but Devlin is better than Rob,” Mike said. “That settles it; as far as I’m concerned, Rob is history! What do you say, Justin?”

“You mean you want to kick Rob out of Superflash?” I stammered incredulously.

Rob was my best friend and our band’s drummer, and, more to the point, he was the one who had the idea of forming a band in the first place. Rob was away on a class trip until Wednesday, and our student council had made a last-minute request that we perform at the dance on Friday. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity to play at the dance; but if we wanted to be ready, we needed to rehearse like crazy, so Mike’s cousin Devlin had offered to fill in for Rob until he got back.


Having Devlin fill in was one thing, but doing what Mike outrageously suggested, was quite another; I was practically shaking with anger. “Yeah, I agree that Devlin’s a great drummer, but so is Rob, and besides, Rob is Superflash. He picked us for his band, in case you forgot, and now, just because he’s missing a couple of rehearsals, you want to replace him? Boy, how’s that for friendship!”

“Look, Justin, that’s just how it is in the music business,” Mike said nonchalantly, as if he’d had years of experience working with rock bands.

“Talent is the name of the game, my friend.”

As much as I enjoyed being a member of the band, I could not condone this utterly traitorous move. “Sorry, but if you want to expel Rob from Superflash, then you’ll have to find yourself another keyboard player.”

“Whoa, guys, wait a minute,” interrupted Devlin as he walked toward us. “I overheard the last part of your conversation, and I don’t want to be the cause of any upheaval here. I’d love to join your band, but I don’t want to displace anyone, especially not the guy who founded Superflash and writes all the songs! But maybe you’ve got room for me in another capacity—like the horn section.” He grabbed a saxophone from an instrument case, and within moments the auditorium was overflowing with sweet-sounding bebop.

“I guess we’ve solved our personnel problem; Devlin can be our sax player!” Mike declared.

For the moment, I was tremendously relieved, knowing that Superflash would remain intact, and that we would be ready for our Friday-night gig. But at the same time, I wondered how cohesive our band really was and how much longer Superflash would last.

Superflash GRADE 6 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


Superflash

1. The story says, “As much as I enjoyed being a member of the band, I could not condone this utterly traitorous move.”

What does condone mean? A understand C explain clearly B argue against D give approval to

2. Why was the band rehearsing without their drummer and founder?

A They needed to prepare for a performance on short notice and Rob was away on a class trip.

B Mike wanted to audition his cousin Devlin for the band.

C Rob chose to go on a class trip rather than rehearse for the dance.

D The student council wanted a new drummer for the band.

3. Which character in this story acts selfishly? A Kenzie C Mike B Justin D Devlin

4. How will Kenzie most likely feel when she hears Devlin is joining the band?

A She’ll be upset because she doesn’t like him.

B She’ll be happy because she thinks he’s a great musician.

C She’ll be annoyed because she thinks Rob is a better musician.

D She won’t mind, because she plans to leave the band.

5. Which sentence best states the theme of this story?

A People must be willing to sacrifice almost everything for success.

B True friends stand up for each other. C A band without a saxophone will not be

very popular. D Problems usually work themselves out if

you don’t try to influence others.

6. What makes Mike decide they’ve solved their personnel problem?

A Kenzie sings her favorite song. B Mike explains how the music

business works. C Justin offers to quit the band. D Devlin picks up a saxophone and plays.

7.

If Kenzie came down with a sore throat, what do you think Mike and Justin would most likely do?

A Mike would hold auditions for a new singer; Justin would visit Kenzie.

B Mike would visit Kenzie; Justin would hold auditions for a new singer.

C Mike and Justin would decide to cancel rehearsals for the week.

D Mike would make Kenzie chicken soup; Justin would ask Devlin to be the backup singer.

8. What is the main problem in this story? A A band called Superflash is not ready to

play at a dance. B No one in the band likes the lead singer

or her voice. C Mike wants to replace the band’s

drummer. D Devlin is new to school but is trying to

take over the band.

Mike Justin

guitar player, focused on talent of band members

keyboard player, loyal to

friends

love music, members of Superflash

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Read the article about a place in Britain. Then answer questions 1–8.

Rolling Stones

About 5,000 years ago, people in what is now Britain began building a mysterious arrangement of giant stones on the Salisbury plain. Known as Stonehenge, the surviving structure consists of 80 stones arranged in two concentric circles. The inner ring consists of bluestone, and the outer is made of large sandstone blocks known as sarsen. Most of the stones stand upright, but some have great slabs resting horizontally atop them. The heaviest stones in the outer ring weigh as much as 30 tons.

The how and why of Stonehenge has mystified people for centuries. Some archeologists believe Stonehenge’s design was based on the movement of the sun. For that reason they think the structure may have been used by the ancients as a calendar to keep track of the seasons. Other experts think that it might have been a temple or a monument where people went to honor the dead. And the newest theory to emerge suggests that the monument might have been a sacred site that the ancients believed had magical healing properties. But each of these is only speculation.



As to how the enormous stones got there, no one is quite sure. The monument’s massive outer blocks were probably quarried about 20 miles away, where sandstone is plentiful. But the inner bluestones are a bigger mystery. The nearest source of bluestone is a full 160 miles away in Wales. Thus some scientists think the stones must have been pried from the ground and moved all that way by glaciers during the Ice Age. One thing is certain—moving them manually wouldn’t have been easy.

In 2000, a man named Philip Bowen attempted to coordinate an effort to move just one three-ton stone from Wales to Salisbury. He worked with engineers, geologists, and volunteers to solve the mystery of how the stones might have been moved. First, they pulled the rock by sled across the land. Then they used a raft and long rowing boats to transport the stone across the water. They used the knowledge of many experts and spent approximately $150,000. After three months, it became too difficult a task and they quit. After all of their effort, they had moved the stone only 21 miles. So how the stones were transported remains a mystery.

Preseli Mountains

Bristol Channel Bristol

CELTIC SEA

Swansea

Cardiff Avon River

Stonehenge

WALES

Area of detail

London

ENGLAND

N

E

S

W

Rolling Stones GRADE 6 • Informational Text

Name Date

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Rolling Stones

1. The article says, “The how and why of Stonehenge has mystified people for centuries.”

What does mystified mean? A puzzled C rewarded B angered D impressed

2. Which detail best supports the idea that the bluestones at Stonehenge came from Wales?

A Philip Bowen and a group of volunteers moved a bluestone 21 miles.

B Wales is the nearest source of bluestones.

C Engineers, geologists, and archaeologists all tried to solve the mystery.

D The bluestones are set in a circle that points toward Wales.

3. Why was the group of volunteers moving a three-ton stone?

A They wanted to prove the stones came from Wales.

B They wanted to learn more about how it could be done.

C This last stone explained the purpose of Stonehenge.

D They wanted the stone to have a proper home.

4. Why don’t we know how and why Stonehenge was constructed?

A The builders tried to keep it a secret. B The site was considered sacred and

magical. C It was built as a calendar that is now out

of date. D It was built more than 5000 years ago

and there are no written records or oral traditions to give us information about how and why it was built.

5. The author’s purpose in this article is to A compare Stonehenge with other places. B entertain with a story about Philip

Bowen. C give information about Stonehenge. D teach a lesson about respecting the

past.

6. Which detail suggests that Stonehenge was built as a calendar?

A There are 80 stones in the structure. B Some stones stand upright and some

are horizontal. C Some people think that a magician

moved the stones. D Its design appears to have been based

on the movement of the sun.

7. Which geographic feature is closest to Stonehenge?

A the Bristol Channel B the Preseli Mountains C the Avon River D London

8. Which would be another good title for this article?

A A Colossal Calendar B Glaciers of the Ice Age C Philip Bowen’s Treacherous Journey D The Mysteries of Stonehenge




The Woodcutter’s Complaint(A Retelling of a Swedish Folktale)

Once there was an old married couple. Every morning the man left the house grumbling about how pampered his wife was to be lazing around all day. Every night he complained about how hard he had labored chopping firewood in the forest.

Finally, the old woman could take no more. “Fine!” she exclaimed. “Tomorrow we’ll switch jobs; you stay home and I’ll go chop wood.”

The next morning, the old woman packed a small lunch and hoisted the axe onto her shoulder. On her way out, she reminded her husband to bake the bread, keep an eye on the cow, and mash some turnips for dinner.

Smirking to himself about how easy his day was going to be, the old man started a fire in the oven and slid the dough inside to bake. As soon as that was accomplished, he led the cow up to the pasture to graze. He found a spot beneath a tree, feeling smug as he considered how well everything was going until he suddenly remembered the bread in the oven. He couldn’t leave the cow alone in the pasture, but she would not stop eating the grass. He had to tug on her rope the


whole way home, and by the time he got there, the bread was burned to a crisp.

Then it was time to peel and boil the turnips, but he had no idea how he could watch the cow outside and cook inside at the same time. Suddenly, a brilliant idea dawned on the old man. As with most houses in Sweden, their humble cottage was roofed with sod, so the old man put the cow on the roof to graze. Then he took the rope that was tied to her halter, flung it down the chimney, ran inside, and grasped the other end of the rope to keep the cow from running away. But before he could start preparing the turnips, the cow slipped off the roof and the old man shot up the chimney.

Just then the old woman arrived home hauling a huge pile of firewood. Seeing her cow hanging from the roof, she took the axe and freed the poor beast. The next moment, she heard a loud thunk from inside, and she ran in to find her husband lying bruised and sooty in the fireplace. He entreated her to let him go back to working in the forest.

“Taking care of our home is no picnic,” he moaned, “and I’ll not be complaining again.”

The Woodcutter’s Complaint GRADE 6 • Literary Text: Fiction

Name Date


The Woodcutter’s Complaint

1. The story says, “He entreated her to let him go back to working in the forest.”

What does entreated mean? A ordered C begged B trusted D dreamed

2. Which sentence describes the wife’s day in the forest?

A She grumbled all day about how hard she had to work.

B She had a successful day and brought home a load of firewood.

C She had as much trouble in the forest as her husband did at home.

D She was exhausted and could barely get the wood home.

3. Which word pair best describes the husband in the story?

A lazy and pampered B good-natured and clever C complaining and dissatisfied D silly and mean

4. Why does the man have difficulty doing his wife’s chores?

A He is not used to doing many things at once.

B He doesn’t know how to cook turnips. C He is not strong enough. D He doesn’t know how to take care of

the cow.

5. What is the theme of this story? A The grass is not always greener on the

other side. B Women cook better than men. C Chopping wood is harder than taking

care of a cow. D Hard work and dedication pay off.

6. Why does the man want to put the cow on the roof?

A The chimney would keep the cow warm. B That’s what other Swedish farmers do. C He needs the cow to mow his roof. D He needs to work inside without the cow

wandering off.

7.

What goes in the empty box in the sequence chart?

A The wife agrees to chop firewood. B The man goes up the chimney. C The man cooked the turnips. D The man milks the cow.

8. Which is the best summary of this story? A An old couple lives in a cottage near

a forest, where the husband goes every day to cut firewood.

B An old man stays at home one day to bake bread, take care of the cow, and mash some turnips for dinner.

C An old couple shares daily chores, including baking bread, caring for a cow, and cooking.

D An old man thinks his wife has an easy life, so they switch jobs for a day and he learns that her job is not easy at all.

The wife comes home with a huge

pile of wood.

The old man puts the cow on the roof.

The old man starts a fire and puts the bread

in to bake.

The cow falls off the roof.

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Read the article about Chief Joseph. Then answer questions 1–8.

“I Will Fight No More Forever”

The Nez Percé people lived for many centuries in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, in what is today the state of Idaho. In the 1800s, however, as part of this country’s westward expansion, white settlers began pouring into that rich and beautiful region with the intention of claiming the land for themselves—and the United States Army helped them take it. A band of Nez Percé, led by Chief Joseph, resisted the settlers and fought for the right to stay on

their land, but they were ultimately defeated. In 1877, after more than three months of battling with the United States Army, Chief Joseph surrendered to the Army’s General Howard; his speech ended with these famous words:

Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.

Chief Joseph and the other survivors of his band were forced to leave their homeland and were sent more than a thousand miles away to reservations in Oklahoma. Many died of sickness, and those who lived wanted desperately to go back home. In January 1879, Chief Joseph delivered this speech (through an interpreter) to a large gathering of United States officials and members of Congress:



There has been too much talking by men who had no right to talk. Too many misrepresentations have been made, too many misunderstandings have come up between the white men and the Indians. If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian he can live in peace. There need be no trouble.

Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. . . .

You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born free should be contented penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases. . . .

Let me be a free man—free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade, where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself—and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.

Finally, in 1885, eight years after they were removed from their land, Chief Joseph and his followers were allowed to return to the Pacific Northwest.

AZAL GA

FL

TN

KY

IN

MI

OH

NY

PA

WVVA

MD DE

CTMA

VTNH

ME

RINJ

NC

SC

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NE

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IL

WI

TX

NM

NM

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WASHINGTON

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

IDAHO

UTNV

CACO

Nez Percé Territory

Nez Percé Reservation in Indian Territory

“I Will Fight No More Forever” GRADE 6 • Informational Text

Name Date

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1. The passage says, “I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.” What does the word penalty mean in this sentence?

A opinion C request B punishment D government

2. Chief Joseph believed free men should be able to

A travel, work, and trade as they choose. B tell other tribes where to live. C disobey the law. D tell white people where to live.

3. The Declaration of Independence states “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” How does this statement compare to Chief Joseph’s beliefs?

A Chief Joseph believed Indians were superior to whites.

B Chief Joseph believed that white people and Indian people should follow different laws.

C Chief Joseph approved of whites taking Indian land as one of their rights.

D Chief Joseph agreed that all men are created equal.

4. Read this sentence from the passage.

“You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born free should be contented penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases . . .”

What did Chief Joseph mean by this? A You can’t expect any man who was

born free to be happy as a prisoner. B The rivers in his homeland change

course when something bad happens. C A man who was born free can live a

contented life anywhere. D As long as the rivers run, no man should

ever be kept in a pen.

5. Why were the Nez Percé sent to reservations in Oklahoma?

A The land was better for farming. B Oklahoma already had large Native

American populations. C They could choose their own teachers

and religious beliefs there. D White settlers and the U.S. government

wanted to take over their land.

6. What happened to the Nez Percé just after Chief Joseph surrendered?

A They were defeated by the U.S. Army. B They met with a group of Congressmen. C They returned to their homeland. D They were sent away to reservations.

7. Compare the original territory of the Nez Percé with the reservation they were sent to. What can you infer about how their lifestyle changed after the relocation?

A Their lifestyle was the same. B They had plenty of room to hunt and

gather on the reservations; they just had to adjust to new wildlife and plants.

C They had much less room to travel for their seasonal activities.

D Instead of catching salmon in rivers, they became deep-sea fishermen.

8. What is the main idea of the speech Chief Joseph made in 1879?

A People who break laws cannot expect freedom.

B Whites can live in peace with Indians if they respect them as equals.

C A country’s laws are more important than individual people.

D Whites and Indians can’t live together.


BEGINNING OF YEAR MIDDLE OF YEAR END OF YEAR

Literary Informational Literary Informational Literary Informational

GRADE

3

Am I a Robot? The Statue of Liberty Frog and Locust The Lives of

Turtles Maddie Helps Out Bunches of Fruit

1. C2. B3. B4. A

5. D6. C7. A8. D

1. D2. B 3. C4. D

5. B 6. A7. A8. C

1. B2. B3. A4. B

5. A6. C7. D8. D

1. D2. B3. B 4. C

5. A6. C7. B8. A

1. D2. B3. A4. C

5. A6. C7. A8. B

1. D 2. C3. A4. B

5. A6. D7. C 8. B

GRADE

4

Erik’s First Job A Park in DangerThree Brothers

and the Cherry Tree

Women Soldiers in the

Revolutionary WarJust in Case Insect Invasion

1. A2. D 3. C4. B

5. A6. C7. B 8. D

1. B 2. C3. A 4. C

5. D6. D 7. B 8. A

1. B2. C3. C 4. B

5. A6. B7. D8. D

1. A2. D3. B 4. A

5. D6. A7. C8. C

1. D 2. C 3. B4. C

5. D 6. A7. C8. C

1. C2. A3. A4. A

5. D6. C7. D8. B

GRADE

5

Zephyr Mountain Beekeeping Basics The Shoemaker’s Luck Fighting Fires A New Friend Deserts of the

United States

1. B2. D 3. A4. C

5. B6. D 7. D 8. B

1. A2. C3. B4. B

5. D6. A 7. A 8. C

1. A2. A3. B4. C

5. D6. D7. D8. C

1. A2. D3. B4. D

5. B 6. C 7. A8. A

1. A2. D 3. C 4. B

5. B 6. A 7. A 8. C

1. B2. A3. D4. B

5. C6. C 7. A8. D

GRADE

6

The Winter Count Funny Money Superflash Rolling Stones The Woodcutter’s Complaint


1. D2. A3. D4. C

5. A6. B7. C 8. B

1. C 2. A3. D 4. B

5. C6. B7. A8. D

1. D2. A 3. C4. B

5. B6. D7. A 8. C

1. A2. B3. B 4. D

5. C6. D7. C8. D

1. C2. B 3. C 4. A

5. A 6. D 7. B8. D

1. B2. A3. D4. A

5. D6. D7. C8. B

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Student Date

Word List 1 • Scoring Sheet

Word List 1Scoring Sheet

Directions:1. Show student Word List 1 on page 4 in the Assessment Conference Book. Have the

student read the word list down each column. Do not assist the student in any way, other than to ask the student to reread a word if you did not clearly hear the attempt.

2. Score the words as follows:

Words Read Correctly: Only count a word as correct if the student reads it quickly and automatically, with no hesitation or sounding it out.

Words Read Incorrectly: If the student reads the word incorrectly, circle it and write the attempt in the box.

Words Skipped: Write a minus (–) in the box if the student skips or does not attempt a word.

Words Sounded Out: If the student sounds out a word, note it by writing “S.O.” in the box. Even if the student eventually decodes the word, it is still counted as an error.

If the student skips or misses three words in a row, stop the assessment.

3. Record the number of words read correctly (as indicated with a check mark) in the space provided. Refer to the Scoring Chart on this page for the approximate level at which to begin the Reading Assessment Conference.

Number Correct:

ran sing book

dog bike house

bed these walk

sit some good

fun she town

ask day

tell think

fish sleep

black girl

can’t light

/25

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.

Scoring Chart

If a student scores Then

0–5 Begin at Level D.

6–10 Begin at Level E.

11–14 Begin at Level F.

15–18 Begin at Level G.

19–22 Begin at Level H.

23–24 Begin at Level I.

25

Use Word List 2. If a student scores 5 or below on that list, begin assessment at Level I.


Student Date

Word List 2 • Scoring Sheet











Number Correct:

step handle carry

them flower listen

race almost someone

clown because grandfather

noise kitchen telephone

rain myself

bird couldn’t

door heavy

branch family

through pretty

/25

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.

Scoring Chart


1–5 Use Word List 1.

6–10 Begin at Level J.

11–15 Begin at Level K.

16–20 Begin at Level L.

21–24 Begin at Level M.

25

Use Word List 3. If a student scores 15 or below on that list, begin assessment at Level M.

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 94Word List 3: Scoring Sheet











Number Correct:

bench thunder obey

smile husband ceiling

candy extra either

invite body attention

pie polite beauty

third sandwich

decide daughter

alive sure

gentle island

reply machine

/25

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.

Student Date

Scoring Chart




16–18 Begin at Level N.

19–22 Begin at Level O.

23–24 Begin at Level P.

25

Use Word List 4. If a student scores 15 or below on that list, begin assessment at Level P.












Number Correct:

turkey design settlement

helmet accept doubtful

brain carton persuade

spread author information

disturb vacation ocean

worry possible

gurgle medical

furnace earthquake

hobby passenger

compare ornament

Student Date

/25

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.

Scoring Chart




16–20 Begin at Level Q.

21–22 Begin at Level R.

23–24 Begin at Level S.

25

Use Word List 5. If a student scores 15 or below on that list, begin assessment at Level S.












Number Correct:

vault underneath introduction

cardboard normal influence

breathless baggage merchandise

discovery establish theory

climate satisfaction aquarium

fought abandon

wriggle regulation

pigeon democracy

quality generous

weapon literature

/25

Student Date

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.

Scoring Chart




16–20 Begin at Level T.

21–22 Begin at Level U.

23–24 Begin at Level V.

25

Use Word List 6. If a student scores 15 or below on that list, begin assessment at Level V.












Number Correct:

education insignificant behavior

social suspicion unfortunate

knowledge tournament silhouette

obvious missionary amateur

estate cylinder lieutenant

commercial dismal

benefit punctuation

communication federal

auditorium resemblance

penetrate appetite

Scoring Chart




16–20 Begin at Level W.

21–22 Begin at Level X.

23–24 Begin at Level Y.

25 Begin at Level Z.

/25

Student Date

sing 3

bench bunch

author –

dismals.o.


Assess: Decoding & FluencyDirections: Share the text introduction; invite the student to read the text aloud. Record errors and self corrections, using the Key Recording Conventions. Analyze the student’s errors and strategy use, answering the questions at right; see the Assessment Conference Book for complete guidelines. Assess fluency with the rubric below; circle the rating. Then turn the page to complete the assessment.

Student Date

Teacher Grade

ANALYZE ERRORS ANDSTRATEGY USE

Analyze errors and self-corrections to determine whether the student is using meaning cues (M), structure cues (S), or visual cues (V); record the cues the student uses for each error.

What problem-solving strategies does the reader use?❑ monitors for meaning

❑ rereads

❑ uses decoding strategies

❑ self-corrects

❑ no observable strategies

2

1

Reading Record

STEP 4: Reading Record

Errors➤ Write substituted word

above correct word:

➤ Write O above omitted word.

➤ Write word with a caret.

➤ Write T for teacher assistance.

➤ Draw an arrow back to where the student reread.

Self-Corrections➤ Write SC for self-corrections.

(Self-corrections do not count as errors.)

Key Recording Conventions

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FLUENCY RUBRIC

◆ word-by-word reading

◆ no expression

◆ moderately slow reading in two- or three-word phrases

◆ some expression

◆ phrased but some rough spots

◆ appropriate expression most of the time

◆ smooth reading with a few pauses

◆ consistent appropriate expression

1

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3

Have the student read the rest of the text silently. Begin analyzing the student’s errors and strategy use while he or she finishes.

Text Introduction: This passage is about a boy who grew up on a farm. Read to find out what job he had as an adult.

Cues Used

Text Errors SC M S V

This is the true story of a boy who lived a long

time ago. He was born in 1809. That is more than

200 years ago. The boy was born in the state of

Kentucky. His parents were farmers and they moved

around a lot. They lived in several different log cabins.

The cabins had only one room for the whole family.

From the time he was very small, the boy had

many chores. There was always a lot of work to do

on the farm. He fetched water from the creek. He

collected sticks to build fires. He planted pumpkin

seeds.

Total Errors

K A Hard-Working Boy Who Loved To Learn

LEVEL Literary Text: Biography

Word Count: 102

6 Scoring Directions: ➤ Total the number of errors from the first page. ➤ Locate the error number on the table at right;

the Accuracy Rate (A.R.) appears below it.➤ Record the Accuracy Rate (A.R.), Comprehension Score, and

Fluency Rating (see Fluency Rubric) in the space provided. ➤ Determine whether the text is at the student’s instructional,

independent, or frustrational level using the table; the intersection of the Accuracy Rate (A.R.) and Comprehension Score indicates the level.

➤ Consider the student’s Fluency Rating; if it is a 3 or above, the student is fluent at this level. If it is a 2 or below, fluency will be a focus during guided reading.

Student Date

Assess: ComprehensionDirections: ➤ Ask the student to retell the passage. Say, “Tell me what you read.” You may prompt the student, saying “Tell me more” or

“What else do you remember?” Prompting does not lower a student’s score. Rate the retelling with the rubric; circle the score.➤ Then ask the Comprehension Questions; circle 1 for a correct answer, .5 for a partially correct answer, and 0 for an incorrect one.

Total the Question Score. The student may look back in the text; record LB next to the question if the student looks back. ➤ Add the Retelling Rating to the Question Score to get the Comprehension Score.

REFLECT What did you learn about this child as a reader? 7

Accept any reasonable answers; samples provided.

Next Step Guided Reading Assessment, Grades 3–6 © 2013, Scholastic Inc. • 99STEP 4: Reading Record

Retelling Notes:

Accuracy Rate (A.R.) Comprehension Score Fluency Rating

Reading LevelErrors 0 1 2 3 4 5 6A.R.% 100 99 98 97 96 95 94

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5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Question Types: V = vocabulary; KD = key detail; I = infer; CA = character analysis; E = evaluate

1. The text says “He fetched water from the creek.” What does fetched mean? (V)got; brought . . . 1 .5 0

2. What were some chores the boy had on the farm? (KD)fetching water; collecting sticks; planting seeds; carrying corn; splitting logs . . . (2+ details = 1 point) 1 .5 0

3. Why did Abraham Lincoln read books outside? (I)He could only read during breaks from his chores; he couldn’t go to school regularly so he had to find time during chores . . . 1 .5 0

4. How was Abraham Lincoln helpful to his parents? (CA)He did many chores; he was strong; he did well in school . . . 1 .5 0

5. What qualities does the author think made Abraham Lincoln a good person to be president? (E)He liked to learn and work hard. 1 .5 0

Question Score

+ Retelling Rating = Comprehension Score

Level K texts are at this student’s:

Independent Level Instructional Level Frustrational Level

LEVEL K: A Hard-Working Boy Who Loved to Learn

4 RETELLING RUBRIC

◆ Recalls few or no story elements.

◆ Retells basic story elements (characters).

◆ Retells important story elements (characters and problem).

◆ Retells important story elements and events in sequence (beginning, middle, end).

◆ Retells all important story elements and events in sequence and adds personal thinking.

1

2

4

3

5



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2


Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

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3

K From Seed to Sunflower

LEVEL Informational Text

Cues Used


Do you like to eat sunflower seeds? Those

crunchy little seeds sure taste good. But sunflower

seeds are much more than a tasty snack. Those small

seeds can grow up to become giant sunflowers. How

do they grow from seeds to sunflowers?

Getting Started

Every sunflower begins as a tiny seed. If a

sunflower seed is going to become a sunflower, it

must be planted in the ground. Spring is the best

time to plant the seeds. That is when the soil is wet

from rain showers and is beginning to warm up after

winter. To sprout, sunflower seeds need warmth and

water. About a week after the seed is planted, the

seed bursts open.

Total Errors

Text Introduction: Sunflower seeds are a popular, healthy snack. Read to find out how a tiny sunflower seed grows into a giant flower.

1

Word Count: 115






Student Date







Retelling Notes:

4 RETELLING RUBRIC

◆ Recalls little or no information.

◆ Retells basic information (one or two facts).

◆ Retells important information (main idea/random facts).

◆ Retells important information (main idea and key facts).

◆ Retells all important information and adds personal thinking.

1

2

4

3

5

Level K texts are at this student’s:


5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Question Types: V = vocabulary; KD = key detail; I = infer; AR = analyze relationships; E = evaluate

1. This passage says that sunflower seeds need warmth and water to sprout. What does sprout mean? (V)grow; become a plant … 1 .5 0

2. Why is spring the best time to plant a sunflower? (KD)The soil warms up and the plant gets water from the spring rains. 1 .5 0

3. Why is it important that the sunflower dies? (I)The seeds drop to the ground so new flowers can sprout. 1 .5 0

4. How do the roots help the plant to grow? (AR)They get food from the soil for the plant. 1 .5 0

5. Explain what the author means by the last heading, “New Flowers Come From Old.” (E)The old sunflower dies and drops seeds to the ground. The seeds grow into new sunflowers in the spring. 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL K: From Seed to Sunflower


Reading LevelErrors 0 1 2 3–4 5 6 7A.R.% 100 99 98 97 96 95 94

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Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

1

Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

4

3

3


Text Introduction: Lilly and Ben can’t agree on what type of pet they are going to get. Read to find out how their problem is solved.

Cues Used


Saturday was the big day. Lilly and her brother,

Ben, were finally going to get a pet. There was just

one problem. Lilly wanted a dog, but Ben wanted

a cat.

“Dogs bark too much!” Ben said. “They jump on

everything and knock stuff down.”

“Cats are boring!” Lilly replied. “They hide under

the sofa. Sometimes you can’t even find them!”

The more Ben wanted a cat, the more Lilly

wanted a dog. But their mom and dad said they could

have just one pet. “You two are going to have to

come to an agreement,” they said.

“Cat,” Ben said.

“Dog!” Lilly shouted.

Total Errors

L The Perfect Pet

LEVEL Literary Text: Fiction

Word Count: 104






Student Date







Retelling Notes:



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1. In the story, Lilly and Ben stand face to face with their arms folded. Neither wants to budge. What does budge mean in this story? (V)to not give in; to not change your mind . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why do Lilly and Ben agree to buy the ferret? (KD)It plays like a dog, but likes to be petted like a cat. 1 .5 0

3. Why does everyone say, “uh-oh” at the end of the story? (I)They predict that Lilly and Ben will argue about what to name their pet ferret. 1 .5 0

4. Why is it difficult for Lilly and Ben to agree on a pet? (CA)They both like different pets and want to get their own way; they don’t like to compromise; they are both stubborn . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why is “The Perfect Pet” a good title for this story? (E)The ferret is the perfect pet because Lilly and Ben both like it; they agree. 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL L: The Perfect Pet

4 RETELLING RUBRIC






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2

4

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Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2


Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

4

3

3

L Amazing Bats!


Cues Used


Most people think bats are scary and spooky. But

they’re really not. When you learn more about these

creatures, you’ll see that they’re harmless. They’re also

very helpful!

Bat Habitat

There are more than 1,000 kinds of bats. They

live all over the world, except in very cold places or

hot deserts. Bats live together in big groups called

colonies. Many bats make their homes in caves or in

treetops. But some bats live in cities. These bats make

nests in buildings or under bridges.

Bats Are Not Birds

Bats can fly, but they are not birds. They have fur

instead of feathers.

Total Errors

Text Introduction: Bats are interesting animals. Read to find out where they live and other amazing facts that make them unusual creatures.

1

Word Count: 103






Student Date









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4

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Retelling Notes:

Level L texts are at this student’s:



1. The passage says, “Bats live in big groups called colonies.” What is a colony in this passage? (V)a group; bats living together . . . 1 .5 0

2. What is one way that bats are helpful? (KD)They spread seeds around; they eat mosquitoes; they eat bugs that feed on farmers’ crops . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why do bats that live in cities build their nests in buildings or under bridges? (I)It is cool and shady during the day like a cave; protects them from people and other animals; there aren’t caves in the city . . . 1 .5 0

4. How are bats and birds alike? How are they different? (AR)Birds and bats can fly; birds have feathers, bats have fur; birds lay eggs, bats don’t; bats are nocturnal, birds aren’t . . . 1 .5 0

5. What is the author’s purpose for including the map on the front? (E)To show that bats live everywhere, except in the Arctic and Antarctica; that bats are found all over the world; that bats are common . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL L: Amazing Bats!



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

1

Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

4

3

3


Text Introduction: During the Winter Olympics, athletes from around the world compete in winter sports. Read to find out how Kristi Yamaguchi was inspired and worked to become one of the best ice skaters in the world.

Word Count: 103

Cues Used


Some dreams really do come true. Kristi

Yamaguchi’s sure did. She won a gold medal at the

Olympics. What was her secret? She worked very, very

hard. And she always remembered her dream.

Kristi was born in California in 1971. When she

was a baby, no one guessed she would become a

great ice skater one day. That’s because she was

born with clubfeet. With clubfeet, a person’s feet are

turned inward. That makes it hard to walk normally.

As a baby, Kristi had to wear casts on her feet. This

helped make them straight. Later she had to wear

special shoes for a few years.

Total Errors

M Kristi Yamaguchi: Dreaming of Gold

LEVEL Literary Text: Nonfiction






Student Date








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1. Kristi skated in competitions. What is a competition? (V)a contest; when you compete against someone to win a prize . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why did Kristi’s parents want her to skate? (KD)They thought it was a good hobby for her; it made her ankles and feet strong . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why is Kristi Yamaguchi a good role model? (I)She was able to reach her dream even with her clubfeet; she helps other people; she encourages children with disabilities . . . 1 .5 0

4. Give an example from the story that shows that Kristi was determined. (CA)She never gave up her dream of being an ice-skater; she practiced before school . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why is “Always Dream” a good name for her group? (E)She encourages children to have hope and to work towards their dreams, even if they have a problem . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL M: Kristi Yamaguchi: Dreaming of Gold

4 RETELLING RUBRIC






1

2

4

3

5



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

1


Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

4

3

3

Text Introduction: Tornadoes form in various places during the warmer months of the year. Read to find out more about this fascinating type of extreme weather.

Cues Used


Tornadoes whirl and twirl and cause big

problems! This article will tell you all about this

powerful type of storm.

Spinning Wind

Tornadoes are made from winds that spin inside

strong thunderstorms. A tornado looks like a big

funnel or an elephant’s trunk. They are dark because

the winds pick up dirt from the ground.

Tornadoes happen most often in spring and

summer. Each year, there are about a thousand

tornadoes in the United States. They can happen any

place. But they are most common in an area called

“Tornado Alley.” This area includes states that are in

the center of America, such as Kansas, Oklahoma,

and Texas.

Total Errors Word Count: 108

M Whirling, Twirling Tornadoes







Student Date







4 RETELLING RUBRIC






1

2

4

3

5

Retelling Notes:


Level M texts are at this student’s:



1. The passage says that a tornado looks like a big funnel. What is a funnel? (V)an object that is big at the top and small at the bottom; a cone shaped object . . . 1 .5 0

2. How do the winds of a tornado make it dangerous? (KD)Wind picks up trees and destroys houses; it can move cars; debris can hit people . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why do most tornadoes form in the spring and summer? (I)That is when we have a lot of thunderstorms. 1 .5 0

4. How are waterspouts and dust devils similar? How are they different? (AR)Both are shaped like a funnel; both are types of tornadoes; water spouts are clear and form over water, but dust devils are dark and form over the desert. 1 .5 0

5. Why is an elephant’s trunk a good comparison to a tornado? (E)Both are grey and get narrow at the bottom; both are hollow in the center . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL M: Whirling, Twirling Tornadoes

Reading LevelErrors 0 1 2 3 4 5 6–7A.R.% 100 99 98 97 96 95 94

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Student Date

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❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

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Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

2

4

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3

1

Word Count: 101

Cues Used


Matt’s sister, Anna, had a pet spider named Ellen.

It was a trap-door spider that Anna found in the yard.

The spider lived in a glass jar on Anna’s windowsill.

It was dark brown and about the size of a walnut. It

was friendly and perfectly harmless.

Now, Matt wasn’t scared of many things. He

wasn’t afraid of thunderstorms. He didn’t mind the

dark. He even thought snakes were pretty cool. But

there was one thing he was totally frightened of.

Spiders!

He was terrified of big spiders. He was terrified

of little spiders. He was even terrified of teeny-tiny

spiders.

Total Errors

Text Introduction: Anna has a pet spider named Ellen who escapes from her jar. Read to find out what happens as Anna searches for her.

N Ellen Is Missing







Student Date







Retelling Notes:

LEVEL N: Ellen Is Missing


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5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONSQuestion Types: V = vocabulary; KD = key detail; I = infer; CA = character analysis; E = evaluate

1. The story says Anna coaxed the spider back in the jar. What does the word coaxed mean in this story? (V)gently move; lead slowly . . . 1 .5 0

2. Give some reasons why Anna is not afraid of spiders. (KD)She studied them at school; she thought they were fascinating; her spider was friendly and harmless . . . 1 .5 0

3. How does Matt probably feel when Anna tells him Ellen is missing? (I)nervous, scared, worried . . . 1 .5 0

4. Why does Matt feel like a wimp for being afraid of spiders? (CA)Spiders are small and harmless; his sister isn’t afraid of spiders; others might make fun of him . . . 1 .5 0

5. What lesson does Anna learn? (E)You shouldn’t make fun of people who are afraid. People have different fears. 1 .5 0

Question Score



4 RETELLING RUBRIC






1

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4

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5



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2


Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

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4

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3

Word Count: 108

Text Introduction: Some people believe a strange creature called a Yeti lives in the mountains of Asia. Read to find out why people believe in the Yeti and why scientists want more proof.

N Yeti, Fact or Fiction?


Cues Used


A Mystery in the Mountains

Some people say that it lives in the snowy

mountains of Asia. They say it is eight feet tall and

has thick white fur. Some say it looks like a giant ape.

Only a few people say they have ever seen one, and

most scientists doubt it really exists!

Just what is this strange creature? The Yeti! If

you have never heard of the Yeti, you might know its

other name. It is sometimes called the “Abominable

Snowman.”

Tales of the Yeti have been around for hundreds

of years. But in all that time, no one has been able to

prove it’s real.

Total Errors

1






Student Date







Retelling Notes:

4 RETELLING RUBRIC






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5

Level N texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL N: Yeti, Fact or Fiction?

5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONSQuestion Types: V = vocabulary; KD = key detail; I = infer; AR = analyze relationships; E = evaluate

1. The passage refers to the stories of Yeti as a legend. What does the word legend mean in this story? (V)modern myth; a made up story told from one person to another . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why do people doubt the Yeti is real? (KD) no pictures or video have ever been taken; no one has captured one; scientists don’t believe it exists . . . 1 .5 0

3. What characteristic of the Yeti may be a reason why more people haven’t seen the creature? (I) They are afraid of humans. 1 .5 0

4. Compare a Yeti to an ape. How are they similar? (AR)both have hair; walk on two feet; are tall . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why is “Yeti, Fact or Fiction?” a good title for this passage? (E)No one can prove or disprove that the Yeti exists. 1 .5 0

Question Score



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Student Date

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❑ rereads


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2

Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

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3

Text Introduction: Molly Brown survived the sinking of the Titanic. Read to find out how she survived this disaster and helped others to survive as well.

O The Unsinkable Molly Brown


Cues Used


In 1912, workers put the finishing touches on the

Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world.

It stretched as long as three football fields. It was as

tall as an eleven-story building. The completed ship

weighed 46,000 tons. And it cost ten million dollars

to build!

The owners of the Titanic declared the ocean

liner “unsinkable.” They believed it would stay afloat,

no matter what. For its maiden voyage, the ship was

scheduled to sail from England to the United States.

It would dock at the port of New York City.

Total Errors

1

Word Count: 94







Student Date







Retelling Notes:


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LEVEL O: The Unsinkable Molly Brown


1. When the ship crashed, Molly was knocked to the floor and baffled. What does baffled mean in this story? (V) puzzled; confused; surprised . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why was Molly Brown on the Titanic? (KD)It was the first ship she could get a ticket for; she wanted to get to America because her grandson was sick . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why did people consider the Titanic to be “unsinkable”? (I)It was the biggest ship in the world; people spent millions of dollars building it; it was brand new . . . 1 .5 0

4. What kind of person was Molly? Give a specific example of this trait. (CA) kind, caring, brave, courageous (e.g., kind—she helped other passengers) . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why is “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” a good title for this story? (E)Because Molly refused to give up; she fought hard to survive . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score



4 RETELLING RUBRIC






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Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


◆ no expression


◆ some expression





1

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Text Introduction: There are many areas of the ocean that have never been explored. Read to find out how scientists are exploring these areas and what they are finding.

O Deep Sea Exploration


Cues Used


People always talk about how incredible it would

be to travel to Mars or some other distant planet.

Yet some of the largest places that have never been

visited are right here on Earth. The ocean is full of

amazing unexplored areas!

The ocean is huge. That’s because a lot more

of the Earth is covered with water than with land.

Imagine the Earth is a pie cut into ten slices. Seven of

the slices would be made up of ocean, and only three

slices would be made up of land. That’s why when

astronauts view the Earth from space it looks blue

rather than green.

Total Errors

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LEVEL O: Deep Sea Exploration


1. There is a trench in the ocean that is 7 miles deep. What is a trench? (V)deep ditch, big hole . . . 1 .5 0

2. How did scientists know about giant squids before 2005? (KD)The squids washed up on beaches. 1 .5 0

3. Why do scientists know so little about creatures that live at the bottom of the ocean? (I)They can only study them through cameras; they are hard to locate because the bottom is so deep . . . 1 .5 0

4. How is the ocean similar to Mars? (AR) Many unknowns about both; humans have never visited Mars or some parts of the ocean; people study them with remote control cameras. 1 .5 0

5. Why does the author compare the Mariana Trench to Mt. Everest? (E)Mt. Everest is the highest point on the Earth, and the Mariana Trench is the deepest. 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: A softball player named Lucy finds a charm one day and believes it helps to solve her problems. Read to find out if it really works.

P Lucy's Lucky Charm


Cues Used


Lucy had been having a horrible softball season.

Every time she got up to bat, she struck out. Her

batting slump wasn’t helping her team, the Panthers,

one bit.

Now the Panthers were up against the Blue Jays.

When Lucy stepped to the plate, the score was tied,

and the bases were loaded. Twice she swung and

missed. She had two strikes against her. Lucy sighed

and tapped the tip of her bat on the ground. This

cleared away some dirt, exposing something shiny.

She bent over and picked it up. It was a tiny silver

charm in the shape of a four-leaf clover!

Total Errors

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LEVEL P: Lucy's Lucky Charm


1. In the story Lucy says, “This lucky charm has transformed me into a great player.” What does transformed mean? (V)changed, turned into; altered . . . 1 .5 0

2. How does the author show that Lucy is nervous when she can’t find the charm? (KD)Her hands get shaky; she begins to perspire . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why did Lucy play well after finding the charm if it wasn’t lucky? (I)It gave her confidence; it tricks her into believing she can hit the ball . . . 1 .5 0

4. How do Lucy’s feelings change in this story? (CA)She becomes confident of her batting skills; she realizes she doesn’t need luck to be a good batter . . . 1 .5 0

5. What lesson does Lucy learn? (E)The lucky charm did not cause her success. 1 .5 0

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P History of the Bicycle


Text Introduction: Bicycles are a popular form of transportation. Read to find out how they have changed over time.

Cues Used


The bicycle is a simple vehicle, but it has a rich

and interesting history. Since the introduction of

the first bike nearly 200 years ago, bicycles have

undergone many transformations that have made

them better and better.

The bicycle was invented in Germany in 1817.

The first ones were made out of wood and didn’t

have any pedals. People rode them by pushing

along the ground with their feet, kind of like riding

a scooter.

Big Changes in Bikes

In the 1860s, pedals were added to bikes, but

they were placed on the front wheel. That meant

riders used the front wheel both to pedal and to steer.

Total Errors

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LEVEL P: History of the Bicycle


1. The article says that rubber tires were another enhancement. What does enhancement mean? (V)improvement; something that made it better . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why were the bicycles made in the 1860s difficult to ride? (KD)hard to control; made of metal or wood causing a bumpy ride; pedals attached to front wheel . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why are bicycles we have today safer than those built in the 1870s? (I)The old bikes were too tall, making it dangerous if you fell; bikes are easier to control, which means fewer accidents. 1 .5 0

4. Give at least two ways bicycles have become better. (AR)faster; easier to steer and control; safer; smoother ride . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why do you think bicycles remain a popular form of transportation? (E) People can afford to buy them; easy to get around on; quicker than walking; good exercise; no pollution . . . 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: Harry Houdini was an amazing magician. Read to find out how he became one of the best magicians of all time.

Q Harry Houdini: The Great Escape Artist


Cues Used


Harry Houdini was one of the most famous

magicians of the 20th century. In fact, many people

still consider him to be the greatest magician who

ever lived. He was often referred to as an “escape

artist” because he was skilled at performing tricky

escapes in his magic shows. His audiences were

regularly amazed by his daring feats. They couldn't

figure out how Houdini got free. But he always did.

Houdini was born in Hungary in 1874. He moved

to the United States with his family when he was just

four years old. When he was a teenager, he became

interested in magic.

Total Errors

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Level Q texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL Q: Harry Houdini: The Great Escape Artist


1. Audiences were amazed by Houdini’s daring feats. In the story, what does the word feats mean? (V) amazing acts; accomplishments . . . 1 .5 0

2. What caused Houdini to change from card tricks to escape tricks? (KD) He was bored with card tricks; he wanted to rise above the crowd; he wanted to try harder feats. (2+ details = 1 point) 1 .5 0

3. Houdini died long ago. Why do many people still consider him the greatest magician ever? (I) He did things other magicians of his time didn’t do; he changed the whole idea of what a magic show was and became a legend. 1 .5 0

4. Why did Houdini enjoy performing dangerous tricks? (CA) He liked the attention; he knew how to get out . . . 1 .5 0

5. What would have happened if people had learned Houdini’s secrets for his magic tricks? (E) They wouldn’t have been nervous watching him; they wouldn’t be as interested; they would have stopped coming . . . 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: The Arabia sank in the Missouri River many years ago. Read to find out what happened when explorers were able to uncover the sunken ship.

Q The Wreck of the Arabia


Cues Used


You’ve heard of the Titanic shipwreck, but do you

know about the Arabia shipwreck? During the 1800s,

the steamboat Arabia traveled up and down rivers

in Missouri and Ohio, and other states. Sometimes it

carried passengers and sometimes it carried goods,

such as clothing and food.

On September 5, 1856, the Arabia hit a tree

trunk hidden below the surface of the water in the

Missouri River. The trunk tore a gash in the ship’s

side. The Arabia filled with water and began to sink.

Fortunately, the ship was not carrying any passengers

that day, and the crew was able to escape to safety.

Total Errors

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Word Count: 104







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LEVEL Q: The Wreck of the Arabia


1. The wreck of the Arabia only had one casualty. In this story, what does the word casualty mean? (V)accident victim; someone that died . . . 1 .5 0

2. What caused the Arabia to sink? (KD)It hit a tree trunk that tore a hole in the side of the ship. 1 .5 0

3. Why did explorers want to dig up the ship in 1987? (I)They thought they might find treasure; it was an adventure; they could do it since the river had moved . . . 1 .5 0

4. How would maps and special scientific tools help modern-day explorers find old buried treasure? (AR)maps help people find old land features; tools help them locate metal and other materials buried underground . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why do you think the explorers chose to build a museum and display the items that were found? (E)It was like a piece of missing history; so people could learn what things were like a long time ago. 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: When Amanda’s friends leave for the summer, she is sure it is ruined. Read to find out how it turns out to be better than Amanda expected.

R A Good Summer After All


Cues Used


Amanda had been looking forward to summer for

weeks, but now that it was here, she was miserable.

Isabelle was at summer camp, and Kate was visiting

her cousins three states away. How was she supposed

to enjoy the summer without her two best friends to

hang out with?

Her parents tried to cheer her up, but Amanda

preferred to mope around the house.

“Hey, I met the new neighbors this morning,”

her father told her one night at dinner.

Amanda yawned.

“They seem very nice,” he said. “And this might

interest you: They have a girl your age.”

Total Errors

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Word Count: 99







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LEVEL R: A Good Summer After All


1. In the middle of the story, Amanda was sulking in her room. What does sulking mean? (V)pouting; feeling sorry for herself . . . 1 .5 0

2. What two things do Amanda and Surupa have in common that are mentioned in the story? (KD) They both like soccer and the Screaming Chilies. 1 .5 0

3. What motivates Amanda to invite Surupa to the park to play soccer? (I) She was lonely; she wanted someone to play soccer with . . . 1 .5 0

4. How does Amanda change from the beginning to end of the story? (CA) She thinks her summer will be horrible but then realizes it will be great; she doesn’t think she can be friends with someone from another culture, then realizes they are more alike than different. 1 .5 0

5. At the end, why does Amanda think India is an awesome place? (E)she thinks her new neighbors are interesting; she enjoys Indian food; she thinks it is cool to speak two languages . . . 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: Many unusual and different animals live in the Galapagos Islands. Read to find out more about these special and unique creatures.

R Animals of the Galapagos Islands


Cues Used


Welcome to the Galapagos!

If you visited the Galapagos Islands in South

America, you wouldn’t see very many people, but

you would see a lot of animals. Some of the creatures

that live on the islands aren’t found anywhere else

in the world. Many of the animals that live there are

fearless, because they don’t have predators to chase

after them. For the animals of the Galapagos, life is

pretty good!

Galapagos Favorites

One of the most famous animals in the islands is

the Galapagos giant tortoise. These tortoises are the

biggest in the world, and they can weigh as much as

500 pounds.

Total Errors

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LEVEL R: Animals of the Galapagos Islands


1. The text says that two kids of iguanas inhabit the Galapagos. What does inhabit mean? (V) live in, occupy . . . 1 .5 0

2. What do the animals of the Galapagos Islands have in common? (KD)no predators; fearless; some are not found anywhere else . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why do sea lions in the Galapagos Islands want to swim with humans? (I)Never been hurt by a human; people who visit do not harm or scare them; they are playful . . . 1 .5 0

4. Describe at least three ways marine iguanas are different from land iguanas. (AR) Marine iguanas don’t live as long; they have a blunt nose; they weigh less than land iguanas; they live near water; they’re great swimmers . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why do you think people travel from all over the world to see the animals of Galapagos? (E)Can’t see them anywhere else; they are unusual . . . 1 .5 0

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S George Washington Carver: The Plant Doctor

LEVEL Literary Text: BiographyReading Record



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Text Introduction: George Washington Carver was a creative thinker who knew a lot about farming. Read to find out how he influenced the way products are used and crops are grown.

Cues Used


When people think of George Washington

Carver, they often think of peanuts. That’s because

he came up with nearly 300 uses for that crunchy

little nut. But that’s not all he did. He was one of the

world’s greatest innovators and scientists. During his

life, he made a number of important discoveries and

inventions. One of his greatest achievements was

teaching farmers how to grow better crops.

George Washington Carver had a long and

productive life, but he got off to a very rough start.

He was born a slave on a farm in Missouri in 1864.

Total Errors

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LEVEL S: George Washington Carver: The Plant Doctor


1. The first paragraph refers to Carver as an innovator. What does innovator mean in this passage? (V) someone who invents things or creates new uses for things . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why did Carver encourage farmers to rotate crops instead of planting the same crop year after year? (KD)to make the soil healthier; to produce better crops . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why was Carver given the nickname of “Plant Doctor”? (I)He enjoyed taking care of plants. 1 .5 0

4. What is one word you could use to describe George Washington Carver? Give a specific example of this trait. (CA)determined, creative, smart, helpful (e.g., creative—he found many uses for peanuts) . . . 1 .5 0

5. What might have happened if Moses and Susan hadn’t sent George to school? (E)He wouldn’t have gone to college. He may not have helped farmers. He might not have made so many inventions. 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: Egyptian pyramids have long been a mystery to many people. Read to find out more about these interesting structures.

S Building the Pyramids


Cues Used


The Egyptian pyramids are massive, ancient, and

most of all, mysterious. They are among the largest

structures ever built, reaching hundreds of feet in

the air. But because they were built so long ago, it’s

impossible to determine certain facts about them.

We do know that Egyptians started building pyramids

nearly 5,000 years ago. They built more than 100

in all.

Mummies Inside!

We also know that pyramids were burial places

for Egyptian kings and queens. Egyptians believed

that if they took proper care of their dead rulers, the

rulers would enter the afterlife—a life after this one

on earth.

Total Errors

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Word Count: 101






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LEVEL S: Building the Pyramids


1. The author describes the pyramids as massive. What does massive mean in this story? (V) large; gigantic; huge . . . 1 .5 0

2. How did they move the heavy stones? (KD) They made the roads slippery and used ramps; oxen pulled sleds . . . 1 .5 0

3. What caused the pyramids to survive for thousands of years? (I)They were built of huge stones. 1 .5 0

4. What similar idea is illustrated in steps 4 and 5 of the chart? (AR)Both show techniques for moving heavy stone—ropes and a ramp . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why did the author most likely include the section “Mummies Inside!”? (E)to explain why the pyramids were built; to describe what was inside the pyramids . . . 1 .5 0

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Text Introduction: Julia is confused when her new watch goes missing at her sleepover. Read to find out how she solves the mystery.

Cues Used


Julia’s mother was in a decidedly grouchy mood.

For the third straight night, raccoons had gotten into

the trashcan, and now garbage was strewn all over

the backyard.

Her mother was so out of sorts that she almost

forgot to say “Happy Birthday” to Julia. But at

breakfast, she presented Julia with a small blue box

tied with a pretty red bow. Inside was the sparkly

purple watch Julia had been talking about for months.

She couldn’t wait to get to school and show it to her

friends, Mia and Natalie.

As anticipated, her friends “oohed” and “aahed”

with envy when they saw the watch.

Total Errors

T The Mystery of the Missing Watch


Word Count: 105







Student Date








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1. Each of Julia’s friends coveted her watch when she showed it to them. What does coveted mean? (V)wanted, desired . . . 1 .5 0

2. Where does Julia leave her watch while she is playing softball? Why is this an important detail for the story? (KD)On the picnic table—the raccoons could reach it . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why might the author have mentioned raccoons at the start of the passage? (I)So that when the watch goes missing, readers will have an idea about who might have taken it . . . 1 .5 0

4. Julia did not accuse her friends of stealing. What does that show about her? (CA)She thinks before she speaks; she trusts her friends . . . 1 .5 0

5. What lesson do you think Julia learns? (E)Trust your friends; make sure you have evidence before accusing someone; hang on to your valuable jewelry . . . 1 .5 0

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LEVEL T: The Mystery of the Missing Watch


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Text Introduction: Inventors have made the world a better place for many years. Read to find out about some wonderful inventions that were created by kids.

Word Count: 112

Cues Used


When kids are asked what they would like to

be when they grow up, guess what the number one

answer is? Inventor! But you don’t have to wait until

you’re an adult to put on your inventor’s hat. You can

become a kid inventor right now.

A Tool for the Blind

Throughout history, kids have come up with some

genuinely interesting and useful inventions. In 1824, a

15-year-old French boy named Louis Braille invented a

revolutionary way for blind people to read.

As a young boy, Braille was blinded in an

accident involving an awl, a very sharp, pointed tool.

Afterward, his parents sent him to a special school for

blind children.

Total Errors

T Very Inventive Kids!







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1. The passage states that Frank Epperson inadvertently left his drink with a stick in it outside on the porch. What does inadvertently mean? (V)accidentally; mistakenly; carelessly . . . 1 .5 0

2. How did Louis Braille improve the life of blind people? (KD)They were able to read easier and faster by using raised dots. 1 .5 0

3. Why is it ironic that Louis used an awl to create his system of raised dots? (I)That is what caused him to go blind. 1 .5 0

4. Which two inventions have the most in common? (AR)Epperson’s and Braille’s because they helped people with medical challenges or problems live better lives. 1 .5 0

5. What type of kid might be an inventor? (E)One who likes to solve problems; is creative; likes to daydream; likes to think of better ways to do something . . . 1 .5 0

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LEVEL T: Very Inventive Kids!

Reading LevelErrors 0 1 2 3 4–5 6 7A.R.% 100 99 98 97 96 95 94

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Text Introduction: Years ago it was difficult for African Americans to be treated fairly. Read to find out how two women worked together to take a stand against racial prejudice.

Word Count: 100

Cues Used


During the 1930s, Marian Anderson was a

famous American singer and Eleanor Roosevelt was

the first lady of the United States, married to President

Franklin Roosevelt. A deeply unjust event caused the

two women to join forces. Their story says a lot about

how people who stand up for their beliefs can change

the world.

At the time, Anderson was one of the most

popular performers in the United States. She also

happened to be African American. Everyone agreed

that she was hugely talented, but even though slavery

had ended nearly a century before, deep prejudice

against African Americans remained.

Total Errors

U Marian and Eleanor: A Story of Courage

LEVEL Literary Text: Nonfiction







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1. In the story, Marian and Eleanor’s collaboration was one of the earliest acts in the Civil Rights movement. What does collaboration mean? (V)working together, cooperation . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why did Eleanor Roosevelt get involved with Marian Anderson? (KD)She didn’t like the way Marian had been treated by Constitution Hall. 1 .5 0

3. The passage says that tears were rolling down Marian’s face as she sang “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” in front of the Lincoln Memorial. What was Marian feeling during this moment? (I)gratitude; thankfulness for her freedom; pride in her country . . . 1 .5 0

4. Compare and contrast Eleanor and Marian. (CA)Both worked for civil rights, were courageous; Eleanor was white, Marian black; Eleanor was First Lady, Marian a singer . . . 1 .5 0

5. Explain how the two women showed courage. (E)Both fought against prejudice when African Americans were not treated fairly. 1 .5 0

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LEVEL U: Marian and Eleanor

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Text Introduction: Chameleons are fascinating creatures with strange behaviors and unusual characteristics. Read to find out more about these curious reptiles.

Cues Used


Let’s say you were given a homework assignment

to make up an imaginary animal. You would have a

pretty hard time dreaming up a creature as bizarre

as a chameleon! Almost everything about these

lizards is super-strange—including their rolling eyes,

long tongues, curly tails, funny feet, and talent for

changing colors.

Extraordinary Skills

Chameleons have superb vision, especially in

comparison to other reptiles. A chameleon can rotate

its eyes independently. That means it can look in two

totally different directions at the same time. When

a chameleon spots an insect, it trains both of its

eyes on the tasty target. Then zap! Out shoots the

chameleon’s astounding tongue.

Total Errors

U Chameleons: Super-Strange Creatures of the Rain Forest


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Retelling Notes:


1. The passage describes a chameleon as having many attributes. What does attribute mean? (V)characteristic; something that describes it; a trait or feature . . . 1 .5 0

2. Name at least two characteristics that were mentioned in the passage that make chameleons unusual reptiles. (KD)rotating eyes; long tongues; change colors; prehensile tails; fused toes . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why is the speed of the chameleon’s tongue important? (I)Insects move fast, so chameleons need to be quick to catch them; it makes them good hunters . . . 1 .5 0

4. How do their attributes help chameleons survive? (AR)Tongue grabs insects to eat; feet and tail help them cling to branches to hunt and hide; eyes help them see prey . . . 1 .5 0

5. What was the author’s purpose for including the diagram on the front? (E)To help readers picture a chameleon; to show the strange parts . . . 1 .5 0

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LEVEL U: Chameleons: Super-Strange Creatures of the Rain Forest


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Text Introduction: Max wants to find something he does well. Read to find out how being good at something can cause problems.

Word Count: 116

Cues Used


Max desperately wanted to be good at

something. He wasn’t good at basketball and he

wasn’t great at math. He didn’t have much talent for

the drums, although he loved to play them more than

anything. He did happen to be exceptionally good at

sleeping through his alarm clock when it went off in

the morning at 6:45, but no one gives out prizes

for that.

Then one day Max discovered something he

was really good at: cupcakes. It was his little sister’s

birthday, and Max was feeling generous, so he offered

to bake some cupcakes for her party. He went into

the kitchen and invented his very own recipe for

Banana Blueberry Double Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.

Total Errors

V The Cupcake King







Student Date







Retelling Notes:


1. In the story, Max is indisputably the best at baking cupcakes. What does indisputably mean? (V)absolutely; without a doubt; couldn’t be argued with . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why are Max’s cupcakes so popular? (KD)They taste delicious, have new flavors . . . 1 .5 0

3. How does the reporter probably feel about getting the recipe? (I)She’s happy to have a big story; surprised Max is giving it away 1 .5 0

4. How do Max’s feelings change throughout the story? Support your thinking with examples from the story. (CA)Unhappy—he believes he is not good at anything; happy—people like his cupcakes; unhappy—making cupcakes is boring; happy—can play drums again . . . 1 .5 0

5. What lesson does Max learn in this story? (E)Sometimes it is not about being really good at one thing but about enjoying what you do . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level V texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL V: The Cupcake King


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Text Introduction: Rocket travel fascinates many people. Read to find out if it might become a reality in your lifetime.

Word Count: 94

V Is a Rocket Trip in Your Future?



Cues Used


10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . blast off! Believe

it or not, you may someday get the chance to travel

into space. A number of companies have been

working to create small rockets designed to make

space travel possible for regular people, not just

specially trained astronauts.

To the Edge of Space

The first launches won’t take people to the

moon or Mars. Instead, they will be quick jaunts

to the very edge of space, a region that is often

defined as starting 100 kilometers (roughly 60 miles)

above Earth.

Total Errors






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Retelling Notes:

Level V texts are at this student’s:



1. The text says the price of rocket trips will be exorbitant. What does exorbitant mean? (V)very expensive; very high . . . 1 .5 0

2. What will rocket ship travelers experience while they are in space? (KD)They can float in the cabin; they can see Earth from a new perspective; they do something very few others can say they’ve done. (2+ details = 1 point) 1 .5 0

3. What can you infer about the people who have put down a deposit to go on a rocket ship? (I)They are wealthy; adventurous; willing to take risks . . . 1 .5 0

4. How will commercial rocket trips differ from airplane trips of today? (AR)Rockets will be smaller, carry fewer passengers, go farther into space, be more expensive, passengers will experience weightlessness . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why did the author include the chart on the front? (E)To show how much higher than the other objects a rocket will travel; to show that none of the objects now goes into space . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL V: Is a Rocket Trip in Your Future?



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

1

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above correct word:








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Text Introduction: This passage is about a poor boy named Roberto Clemente who became a baseball player. Read to find out how he became famous.

Cues Used


Roberto Clemente was a superstar in the very

best sense of the word. “Not only was he one of the

greatest athletes,” said Yankees star center-fielder

Bernie Williams, but he was “a great human being

as well.” Indeed, he was a preeminent baseball

player and role model. He was also a humanitarian,

dedicating his post-baseball life to helping others

in need.

Clemente was born in a village in Puerto Rico

on August 18, 1934, the youngest of seven children

in a very poor family. As a boy, he worked a number

of different jobs, including delivering milk, but his

passion was always baseball.

Total Errors

W Roberto Clemente


Word Count: 103







Student Date









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Retelling Notes:


1. Roberto Clemente is described as a humanitarian. What is the meaning of humanitarian? (V)someone who helps others, tries to make life better for others . . . 1 .5 0

2. Give at least two details that showed he was a great ballplayer. (KD)He won 12 Gold Glove awards; hit lots of home runs; helped win two world championships . . . 1 .5 0

3. Roberto Clemente said, “I don’t believe in color.” What message was he trying to communicate through this statement? (I)He looked at people for who they were, not the color of their skin; he thought people should have equal rights. 1 .5 0

4. What evidence supports the claim that Clemente was generous and kind? (CA)He built playgrounds; held baseball clinics; helped earthquake victims . . . 1 .5 0

5. What makes Roberto Clemente a good role model? (E)He worked hard; helped others; cared about civil rights . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level W texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL W: Roberto Clemente

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Text Introduction: People have always been concerned about their hair. Read to find out about the unusual hairstyles that were common during the colonial days.

Word Count: 97

Cues Used


Hairstyles are important in our culture, and people

put a lot of effort into them, cutting and washing and

blow drying. Hairstyles, however, are not a modern

invention. Throughout history there have been

different hairstyles, and some of the most interesting

ones date to colonial times.

Wigs for Men

During the 18th century, men rather than women

gave the most attention to hairstyles—or make that,

“wigstyles.” That’s right: colonial men wore wigs,

a trend started in France by King Louis XIV, who

donned a flowing mane of false hair in order to

hide his bald spot.

Total Errors

W Colonial Hairstyles








Student Date









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Retelling Notes:


1. The passage describes women’s hair as being festooned for formal balls. What does festooned mean? (V)decorated with fancy things; styled . . . 1 .5 0

2. Which colonial men wore wigs and why? (KD)Wealthy or high-ranking colonial men wore wigs as a trend and a symbol of their status. 1 .5 0

3. Why did colonial men take their wigs to the wigmaker to be washed instead of doing it themselves? (I)It would need to be curled again; they didn’t have the right equipment . . . 1 .5 0

4. Why didn’t children wear wigs? (AR)They would get dirty; they were too expensive . . . 1 .5 0

5. Describe a hairstyle that would not be acceptable for a colonial woman attending a ball. Provide support from the text. (E)Short and close to the head (versus big, towering); unshaped or rough (no guide wires or pads) . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level W texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL W: Colonial Hairstyles



Student Date

Teacher Grade




❑ rereads


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2

1


Reading Record



above correct word:








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Text Introduction: Sometimes it’s hard to take responsibility for our mistakes. Read about the consequences Zach has to face when he makes a bad decision.

Word Count: 112

Cues Used


Snow had been falling ceaselessly all week, and

Zach had cabin fever. He and his best friend, Ryan,

were stuck inside, playing video games—again. Zach

was dying to go outside and kick around his soccer

ball. Then he got an idea. They could improvise a

soccer field in the living room!

Ryan looked at him like he was nuts. “Uh, yeah.

I’m sure your mom will love that idea! Didn’t you

get in hot water a few months ago for playing ball

inside? I seem to recall that you were grounded for

two weeks.”

“I’ll be really careful this time,” Zach said. He

badgered Ryan until he reluctantly agreed to play.

Total Errors

X Grounded







Student Date







Retelling Notes:


1. In the story, Zach is hoping his mom will be more lenient if he blames the broken vase on Ryan. What does lenient mean? (V)forgiving; tolerant; less likely to punish him . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why is Ryan reluctant to agree to play soccer inside? (KD)Ryan thinks it is risky, something could get damaged, Zach will be grounded . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why does Zach think his mother won’t notice the missing vase? (I)He cleaned up the pieces; it was above the fireplace; she has had it for awhile . . . 1 .5 0

4. What internal conflict does Zach struggle with when confronted by his mom? (CA)He doesn’t want to be grounded, but knows he will feel worse if he blames the broken vase on Ryan. 1 .5 0

5. What is a lesson someone could learn from this story? (E)Always tell the truth; think about the consequences of your actions . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level X texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL X: Grounded


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above correct word:








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Text Introduction: Many people admire and respect the bald eagle. Read to find out how this powerful bird has struggled throughout the years to survive.

Cues Used


For more than two centuries the bald eagle

has been a vivid emblem of the United States. The

founding fathers chose the eagle because they

thought the great, soaring bird was a fitting symbol of

a young America that was ready to soar. Yet despite

its beloved role as one of the nation’s icons, for much

of the 20th century this noble bird teetered on the

brink of extinction. However, thanks to actions taken

by the U.S. government and vocal conservationists,

the bald eagle has made an impressive comeback.

Eagles Face Extinction

When the United States was a young country,

it was home to an estimated 300,000 bald eagles—

which aren’t “bald,” by the way.

Total Errors

X Bald Eagles: Flying High Once Again


Word Count: 115






Student Date







4 RETELLING RUBRIC






1

2

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3

5

Retelling Notes:


1. The passage states that one of the problems the bald eagle faced was human encroachment. What does the word encroachment mean? (V)advancement; an intrusion; move in . . . 1 .5 0

2. According to the passage, name at least two problems the bald eagle has faced. (KD)shrinking habitat; hunted; pollution/pesticides . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why wouldn’t you find eagles in a desert? (I)They need fish to survive; they live in tall trees . . . 1 .5 0

4. What was the result of the use of pesticides (DDT) on the eagle population? (AR)DDT leaked into rivers; the eagles ate contaminated fish, and that caused the egg shells to be soft and to not hatch, which led to fewer baby eagles . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why did the author include this text feature? (E)It shows how the eagle population has changed, almost being extinct in 1960, but growing again . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level X texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL X: Bald Eagles


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above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


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1

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Text Introduction: Charles Brace was a man who wanted to help others and better his community. Read to find out how he improved the lives of children in New York City.

Cues Used


In the 19th century some American children

didn’t go to school but instead worked long hours

just like adults. They worked in mines and factories, in

agriculture and canneries, as newsboys, messengers,

and peddlers. Some of the children were orphans

living on the streets, and they worked these grueling

jobs simply to survive.

Charles Brace wanted to do something about

this situation. Brace was trained as a minister, but

decided that instead of doing his work in a church, he

preferred to help people more directly. Brace decided

to focus his efforts on improving children’s lives and

working to give them a better future.

Total Errors

Y Charles Brace: Hero of the Newsies


Word Count: 104







Student Date








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Retelling Notes:

Level Y texts are at this student’s:



1. In the story, the newsies had to survive on a meager amount of food. What does the word meager mean? (V)small amount; not enough; barely any . . . 1 .5 0

2. Give two examples of how Charles Brace helped the newsies. (KD)provided part-time education; opened lodging houses; started Orphan Trains . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why were Charles Brace’s ideas for reform eventually accepted by others? (I)People felt sorry for the newsies and other orphans; they realized they needed to take better care of orphans . . . 1 .5 0

4. What is one word that could describe Charles Brace? Support your answer with an example from the text. (CA)compassionate; creative (e.g., concerned because he worried about the newsies) . . . 1 .5 0

5. What is the main idea of this article? (E)Charles Brace worked hard to ensure that newsies had a better life. 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL Y: Charles Brace


4 RETELLING RUBRIC






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above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


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1

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3

Text Introduction: Technology can do amazing things when it comes to keeping people in touch with each other. Read to find out how it worked to reunite a family with their lost cat.

Cues Used


In 2006, a black and orange house cat named

Willow wandered away from her home in Boulder,

Colorado. In hopes of tracking Willow down, her

owners put up “Lost Cat” fliers all around town, but

they had no luck. Nobody called to say they’d seen

Willow. Eventually the family gave up all hope of ever

seeing their beloved kitty again.

Stray Cat Mystery

Fast forward to 2011. One day in early September

a man spotted a cat slinking along a busy street in

New York City. The cat had no collar, so the man

assumed she was a stray.

Total Errors

Y Microchips to the Rescue!


Word Count: 99







Student Date









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1

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5

Retelling Notes:


1. The passage says that the workers at the animal shelter did some sleuthing when Willow was brought to the shelter. What does sleuthing mean? (V)investigating; looking for information . . . 1 .5 0

2. How does the microchip inserted inside an animal work? (KD)The identification number on the chip helps locate the pet owner. 1 .5 0

3. Why does a vet use a syringe to insert a microchip in a pet? (I)To put the microchip under the skin; it won’t hurt the pet . . . 1 .5 0

4. Why is implanting a microchip better than putting a tag on a pet’s collar? (AR)A collar could come off or someone could take the collar off; the microchip can store more information than a tag. 1 .5 0

5. How do the diagram and map work together to give information about microchips? (E)Both work together to show how a small microchip can transmit information across many miles. 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level Y texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL Y: Microchips to the Rescue!



Student Date

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❑ rereads


❑ self-corrects


2

1

Reading Record



above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


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1

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3


Text Introduction: Milo finds himself in a very difficult situation when asked to work with a classmate who makes him feel inferior. Read to find how Milo handles his dilemma.

Word Count: 102

Cues Used


When Mr. Peters announced that the class

was going to work in groups on their social studies

assignment, Milo felt his stomach do a double

backflip. By some horrible stroke of luck, he’d wound

up in a group with Alex and his sidekick, David.

“Oh, good,” Alex said as the three boys settled

into their places in the back of the room. “We get to

work with Mr. Brainiac. With Milo the super-nerd who

thinks he’s better than everybody else. This is going to

be fun!” When he said the word “fun,” he pounded

his fist on his desk, and Milo jumped.

Total Errors

Z The Alex Problem







Student Date









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Retelling Notes:


1. Milo felt nostalgic for the old days. What does nostalgic mean? (V)wishful for things to be the way they were when he was younger . . . 1 .5 0

2. Why is Milo uneasy about working with Alex on the project? (KD)Alex had been picking on him; they have different interests; Alex is a bully. 1 .5 0

3. Why do you suppose David shares personal information about Alex with Milo? (I)He feels sorry for him; he is trying to help Milo understand Alex’s behavior; he likes Milo . . . 1 .5 0

4. Does Milo care about having integrity? How do you know? (CA)Yes—he feels bad for betraying David and behaving like a bully. No—he used information shared in confidence to make Alex feel bad. 1 .5 0

5. Does Milo deal with his problem effectively? Why or why not? Use support from the text. (E)(Answers will vary.) 1 .5 0

Question Score


Level Z texts are at this student’s:


LEVEL Z: The Alex Problem

4 RETELLING RUBRIC






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❑ rereads


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above correct word:








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FLUENCY RUBRIC


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Text Introduction: People have many different dreams and goals. Read about one teenager’s dream and the challenges he faced to accomplish it.


Cues Used


Visiting Antarctica, becoming a veterinarian,

starring in a Hollywood movie—achieving any

of these impressive goals is more common than

climbing Mount Everest. In all of history, only about

5,000 people have managed this feat. It requires

preparation, endurance, and great skill. In 2010,

Jordan Romero managed to climb this awesome

mountain when he was just 13 years old!

Mighty Everest

Everest, the world’s tallest peak, stands 29,035

feet above sea level. It’s part of the Himalayan chain

of mountains, and it’s on the border between China

and Nepal. Near Everest’s peak, conditions are

treacherous. The air is so thin that there isn’t

enough oxygen to breathe unless a person’s body

is properly prepared.

Total Errors

Z The True Story of the Teenager Who Climbed the World´s Tallest Peak


Word Count: 114






Student Date







Retelling Notes:

4 RETELLING RUBRIC






1

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4

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5

Level Z texts are at this student’s:


5 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Question Types: V = vocabulary; KD = key detail; AR = analyze relationships; I = text feature; E = evaluate

1. The story states that Jordan would face difficult challenges on his big ascent. What does the word ascent mean? (V)climb up the mountain; journey upward . . . 1 .5 0

2. How did Jordan prepare for the climb? (KD)he skied; snowshoed; climbed mountains; slept in a special tent . . . 1 .5 0

3. Why can climbing Mount Everest be so dangerous? (AR)little oxygen at top, so it’s hard to breathe; get cramps; it’s cold . . . 1 .5 0

4. Why did Jordan leave good luck charms at the summit? (I)to leave a record of his accomplishment; to prove he was there; to show he accomplished his goal . . . 1 .5 0

5. Why do you think the author wrote this passage? (E)to tell about the youngest person to climb Mt. Everest; to share information about mountains and mountain climbing . . . 1 .5 0

Question Score


LEVEL Z: The True Story of the Teenager . . .


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Next

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Guided Reading Grouping Form

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

Stage:

Instructional Level(s):

Stage:


Stage:


Readers: Readers: Readers:

Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Stage:


Stage:


Stage:


Readers: Readers: Readers:


Transitional Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Levels J–P)Title: Level:

Instructional Focus:

Day 1 Date: Day 2 Date:

Befo

re R

eadin

g

Book Introduction: (3–4 minutes)

This book is about

New Vocabulary:

Model Focus Strategy:

Briefly review Day 1’s work. (1–2 minutes) Restate the strategy and introduce any new vocabulary. Invite students to continue reading.

New Vocabulary:

Durin

g Rea

ding Text Reading With Prompting (10–14 minutes) Prompt for self-monitoring, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension as needed.

See Transitional Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart on page 139 for ideas.

Afte

r Rea

ding

Teaching Points (1–2 minutes) Choose one or two strategies to teach each day (self-monitoring, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and/or comprehension). See Transitional Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart on page 139 for ideas.

Shared Retelling/Summary or Comprehension Conversation (choose one per day; 2–3 minutes)

Shared Retelling/Summary• What happened in the story? • What was important? Why?• Stop, Think, Paraphrase (STP)• Beginning-Middle-End (B-M-E)• Five-Finger Retell• Very Important Part (VIP)• Somebody-Wanted-But-So (S-W-B-S)• Track Character’s Feelings (B-M-E)

Other:

Word Study (choose one; if appropriate; 3–5 minutes) Word Study (choose one; if appropriate; 3–5 minutes) Sound Boxes Analogy Charts Make a Big Word

Sound Boxes Analogy Charts Make a Big Word

Day 3 Date: Reread book for fluency, if needed. (5 minutes)

Guided Writing (15–20 minutes)Literary: B-M-E, Five-Finger Retell, S-W-B-S, Event-Details, Problem-Solution, Character Analysis, Compare and ContrastInformational: Chapter summary, VIP, My New Learning, Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect

Other:

Comprehension Conversation• What did you think about this text? What questions do you have?• What kind of text is this? Have you read other texts like this one?

How is this text different (or similar)? What did you learn?• What was the big idea/central message/lesson/moral? Why do you think that?• Why do you think the author chose to begin and end the text that way?• What words would describe [character or idea]? • Did [character] change? How? What caused the change? • What motivated the character to [name specific action from the story]?• Describe the relationship between events, ideas, people, or concepts.


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sition

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ding A

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otal

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Title:

L

evel:

Instru

ction

al Fo

cus:

Date

:

Day 1

Day 2

Nam

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VF

RC

DV

FR

COb

serv

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ns

Next

Step

s:

Key:

D =

deco

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V = vo

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F = fl

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= ret

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; C =

comp

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Transitional Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points ChartStrategy/Reading Skills During-Reading Prompts After-Reading Teaching Points

Self-

Moni

torin

g Monitor for meaning (M)

Think about what is happening right now in the book. Try something that looks right and would make sense.

Read a sentence from the text and make a nonsensical error. Invite the students to say, “Stop!” when they hear the word that doesn’t make sense.

Cross-check Did that make sense and look right? Reread and think about what would make sense.

Deco

ding

Reread and think What can you do to help yourself figure out that word? Reread and think.

Demonstrate making a miscue, rereading using picture and context clues to figure it out.

Cover the ending Cover the ending and look for a part you know in that word.

Write a word with an ending such as -s, -ed, -ing, -er, or -ly. Show students how to cover the ending to figure out the word. Then, write another word and invite students to show you how they will figure it out.

Chunk big words Break the word into parts and think about what would make sense.

Write a multisyllabic word from the book and invite students to chunk the word into smaller parts. Then, put the chunks together to decode the big word.

Use analogies Can you think of a word that has the same part in it?

Show students how to use analogies by writing a word part such as –aw on the whiteboard and asking, Do you know a word that has this part in it? When students respond with saw, you say, Yes, use saw to help you figure out the words draw, shawl, crawl, and so on.

Voca

bula

ry

Reread for clues Reread the sentence and think about the context clues.

Select one or two unfamiliar words that were defined in the text. Guide students to read for context clues and use illustrations to determine the meanings of the words.

Check the picture Stop, use your finger to mark your place, and search the illustrations for help.

Use a known part Look for a word part you know to see if it helps you understand the meaning.

Flue

ncy

Phrasing Read a few words together so it sounds smooth.

Demonstrate appropriate phrasing, intonation, and/or expression. Then say, Reread this part with me.

Expression Can you pretend you are the character and read it the way (s)he would say it?

Attend to punctuation What does that period (or other punctuation mark) tell you to do as a reader?

Point out, demonstrate, and discuss the author’s use of punctuation.


Com

preh

ensio

nDuring Reading

Stop, Think, and Paraphrase Stop, think, and paraphrase. Demonstrate the strategy:• Stop: Cover the text with your hand.• Think: Think about what you just read.• Paraphrase: Tell what you read as you look at the

picture.

Retelling Think about who and what. Who was on this page? What did he or she do or say?What did you read on this page?What’s the problem?

Demonstrate the Who and What Strategy by retelling who was on the page and what he or she did or said.

Character Analysis How does the character feel right now? Insert three sticky notes on pages of the book where the character’s feelings change. Invite students to write one word that describes the character’s feelings. Share and discuss.

VIP Identify a very important part and explain why it is important.

Use sticky flags to mark important events and ideas as they read.

After Reading

Strategy/Reading Skills After-Reading Teaching Points

Shared RetellingBeginning-Middle-End (B-M-E)

Demonstrate retelling what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Have students retell it this way.

Five-Finger Retell Teach readers to use the fingers on one hand to recall and retell the five elements of the story. Thumb: The characters are . . . Pointer finger: The setting is . . . Tall finger: The problem is . . . Ring finger: The events are . . .Little finger: At the end . . .

VIP Students share a VIP they marked and explain why it is important.

Somebody-Wanted-But-So (S-W-B-S)

Demonstrate how to summarize the story by recalling the main character (Somebody), the character’s goal (Wanted), the problem (But), and the solution (So). Have students retell it this way.

Comprehension Conversation Use these questions to initiate a comprehension conversation:• What did you learn? What did you notice? What questions do you have?• What kind of text is this? Have you read any other texts like this? What is a different text

on the same theme or by the same author?• What was the big idea/central message/lesson/moral? Why do you think that?• Why do you think the author chose to begin and end the text that way?• What words would you use to describe [character]? Did [character] change

throughout the story? • What motivated the character to [name specific action from story]?


Soun

d Box

es


Analogy Chart


Personal Word Wall

Aaboutacrossafteragaina lotall rightalmostalreadyalwaysanimalsanotheranyarearoundasked

Bbabiesbeautifulbecausebeenbeforebeginningbelieveboughtbrotherbroughtbuildbusybuy

Ccalledcamecarecaringcarrycaughtchildrenclothescomecomingcouldcoursecousincried

Ddecideddidn’tdieddifferentdoesdoesn’tdonedon’tdroppedduring

Eeachearlyeasyelseenoughespeciallyevereveryexceptexcitedexciting

Ffamilyfatherfavoritefeltfieldfinallyfindfirstfollowfoundfourfriendfrightenedfromfunny

Ggavegetgettinggirlgivegoesgonegoodgreatgroupgrowguess

Hhalfhappilyhappyhappeninghardhavehavingheadhearheardheartheavyhe’shimhome hourhousehurt

IifI’llit’s (it is)importantinsteadinterest

JJobjustjumped

KKeepkeptkindknewknowknown

Lladylargelaterlaughlaughlaughedlearnleaveleftlet’slifelittlelivelonglooked

Mmademainmakemakingmanymeanmiddlemightmoneymoremorningmostmothermovemuch

Nnamenamednearneednevernewnextnicenightnonenothingnow

Oofoffoftenohonceoneonlyotherouchourown

Ppeopleperfectperhapspersonpicturepieceplacepossibleprettyprobablyproblemput

Qquietquick

Rreadyrealreallyreasonreceivereceivedriderightroomroundrunning

Ssaidsawscaredschoolseparateseveralshouldsincesomethingsometimessoonsoundspecialstartedstaredstillstoppedsummersuddenlysurpriseswimming

Ttalkteachthanthat’stheirthentherethesetheythey’rethingthoughtthrewthroughtogethertoo triedtroubletrytouchturntwo

Uunderuntiluponuseusually

Vvery

Wwalkwantwantedwaswasn’twatchwaterwearwentwerewhatwhenwherewhichwhilewhitewhowhywithwoodsworkworldwouldwrote

Yyardyearyesyouyoungyouryou’re


Fluent Guided Reading Lesson Plan (Levels N–Z)Title: Level:

Instructional Focus:

Day 1 Date: Day 2 Date:

Befo

re R

eadin

g

Text Introduction: (3–4 minutes)

This text is about

New Vocabulary:

Model Focus Strategy:

Briefly review Day 1’s work. (1–2 minutes) Restate the strategy and introduce any new vocabulary. Invite students to continue reading.

New Vocabulary:

Durin

g Rea

ding

Read and Respond: (10–14 minutes) Students read silently and take brief notes that address the comprehension focus.Conferences: Confer briefly with each student, coaching as needed. See the Fluent Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart on page 146.

Afte

r Rea

ding

Share and Teach: (1–2 minutes) Invite students to share their notes; make a related teaching point. See the Fluent Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart on page 146.

Discussion Questions: (3–5 minutes) Discussion Questions: (3–5 minutes)

Word Study (2–3 minutes)• Spelling-Meaning Connection • Greek and Latin Word Roots

Word Study (2–3 minutes)• Spelling-Meaning Connection • Greek and Latin Word Roots

Day 3 Date: Guided Writing Prompt (10–20 minutes) (optional)


Flue

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Date:

T

ext:

Focu

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Less

on (c

ircle)

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and D

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Retel

l As

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s Ma

in Ide

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Evalu

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Infer

Othe

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each

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3

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1 2

3

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Next

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Fluent Guided Reading Prompts and Teaching Points Chart

Strategy/ Reading Skills

During-Reading Prompts and Scaffolds After-Reading Teaching Points

Self-

Moni

torin

g

Monitor for Meaning

Cross-check

Did that make sense? Read that sentence again and try to figure out that word.

Try breaking the word apart. Is there a part you know?

Select a sentence from the text that contains a challenging word. Read the sentence aloud substituting a nonsensical word for the challenging word. Say, Does that make sense? What should you do when it doesn’t make sense? Reread and chunk the word. Let’s try that. Write the tricky word on a whiteboard and discuss strategies for decoding it. • Reread and think what would make sense.• Cover the ending.• Chunk the word.• Connect to a word with a similar spelling.Then have the students reread the sentence correctly.

Voca

bula

ry

Reread for Clues Are there clues in the sentence (or text feature) that can help you figure out what the word means?

Select an unfamiliar word from the text and discuss strategies for determining the meaning of the word. • Reread or read on and look for clues.• Check the picture or visualize the sentence.• Use a known part.• Connect to a word that has a similar spelling.• Use the glossary.

Use a Known Part Do you see a root or element you know?

• Teach Greek and Latin word roots.

Com

preh

ensio

n

RetellSTP What happened on this page?

Stop, think, and paraphrase.Demonstrate the strategy:• Stop: Cover the text with your hand.• Think: Think about what you just read.• Paraphrase: Tell what you read as you look at the picture.

Who-What Who is the most important character on this page and what is he or she doing?

Demonstrate the Who and What Strategy by retelling who was on the page and what he or she did.

Five-Finger Retell Retelling using your Five-Finger Retell.

Teach readers to use the fingers on one hand to recall and retell the five elements of the story. Thumb: The characters are . . . Pointer finger: The setting is . . . Tall finger: The problem is . . . Ring finger: The events are . . .Little finger: At the end . . .


Com

preh

ensio

n

Ask Questions (and answer them)

What are you wondering?

How are ____ and _____ similar? How are they different?

What caused . . .?

What was the effect of . . .?

What is the main idea of . . .?

What are some examples of . . .?

Ask literal questions: Select a paragraph from the text and model how to ask a literal question that is answered in the passage. Have students take turns asking a question they wrote in their notebooks and invite other students to answer the question using the information in the text.Ask inferential questions: Select a paragraph from the text and model how to ask an inferential question, one that is NOT answered in the text but must be inferred. Have students take turns asking a question they wrote in their notebooks and invite other students to answer the question using the information in the text and their background knowledge to infer.Ask complex questions: Select a paragraph from the text and model how to ask a complex question such as cause-effect, compare-contrast, main idea-detail. Have students take turns asking a question they wrote in their notebooks and invite other students to answer the question using information in the text.

Determine the Main Idea and Key Details

What is this passage mostly about?

Use the heading and repeated words to determine the main idea.

Find the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Do the illustrations help you determine the main idea?

What is the author’s point?

What details support the main idea?

Demonstrate Determine Main Idea and Key Details: Select one heading from the text and show students how to turn it into a question. For example, in the book Ants, Bees, and Other Social Insects (Hirschmann, 2004) the first chapter heading is “Insect Society.” The main-idea question might be, “What is an insect society?” or “Why do insects live in a society?” Write the main-idea question on the left side of a T-chart. Then ask students to share the facts they read today that answer the main-idea question. Record the details students provide (in bulleted form) on the right side of the T-chart. Emphasize that a key detail must relate to the main-idea question. You may have to spend several lessons helping students determine the main idea. Once students can create their own main-idea question from the heading and are able to list key details, they are ready to learn how to create a main-idea statement that includes the heading and tells what the passage was mostly about. In the example above, the main-idea statement might be “In an insect society, each insect has a special job that helps the other insects survive.”

Evaluate What is the author’s message?

What are the different points of view in this passage?

Why did the author write this piece?

How is your opinion different from or similar to the author’s?

What evidence does the author use to support his or her point?

Show students how to use the main idea and key details in the text to determine the author’s message or main point.

Show students how you identified a theme of a short story. Usually a theme is a lesson the reader can learn from the text.

Discuss the difference between a fact and an opinion. Ask students to give you a statement the author makes and then discuss whether the statement is a fact (something that is objectively true) or an opinion (someone’s personal belief.) Students can then take turns turning a fact into an opinion and vice versa.


Com

preh

ensio

nSummarize Find three or four key words in the

passage to help you summarize.

Use the main idea and key details to summarize the passage.

Scaffold the Summarize strategy: Ask students to share three or four important words or phrases from the passage. If students are having trouble giving you important words, scaffold them by providing the first letter of each word. Then show students how to use the key words/phrases to summarize the important points of the passage. This strategy is best taught after students have learned how to determine the main idea and key details.

Character Analysis

Think about the character’s actions. What trait describes the character?

How does the character feel in this part of the story?

How has the character changed in the story?

Show students how to use the action a character takes to assign a character trait. Fables are a great text source for this strategy because they are short and focus on the characters. After reading the fable “The Lobster and the Crab” in the book Fables by Arnold Lobel, (1980), ask students to contribute actions the lobster took on one side of a T-chart and the character trait that matches that action on the other. In this fable, the lobster entices his friend, the crab, to go out on the ocean in an old boat full of holes. You could discuss how this action shows the lobster is adventurous (or some might say foolhardy).

Infer Use dialogue, actions, or the character’s thoughts to draw an inference.

Why do you think the character did (or said) that?

What is the character thinking now?

Draw attention to a character’s action (dialogue or thoughts) and show students how you make an inference from that action. For example, the character might bully a younger student on the playground. You could infer that the younger student is afraid of getting hurt or that the bully likes to be in charge. Remember, inferences are not stated directly in the text. You need to emphasize that an inference is what the reader is thinking as he or she reads.

Discussion Questions

• What kind of text is this? Have you read any other texts like this? What other texts have we read on the same theme or by the same author?

• What was the big idea/central message/lesson/moral? Why do you think that?• Why do you think the author wrote this text? What was his or her purpose?• How is this poem (fable, myth, etc.) similar to (or different from) others that we read?• How is the theme of this book different from the theme of … [state the title of another book you’ve

read together]?• How do the illustrations contribute to the mood of the story?• What words would you use to describe [the character]? Did [the character] change throughout

the story?• What was your opinion of that book? Does anyone have a different opinion? Why do we have

different opinions?• How did the author use reasons and evidence to support the main idea?• Have we read other texts on this same topic? How were they similar (or different)?

What new information did we learn from this text?• Compare and contrast the most important points from this book and the one we read earlier

in the year that was on the same topic.

NEXT STEP GUIDED READIN G 11#11+#,2 - CB-VRSB · PDF file · 2015-09-16NEXT STEP...

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