May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 540L: What Are Globes And Maps? ◆ PAGE 1

What Are Globes And Maps?

What Is A Globe?Earth is a planet. The earth orbits around the sun and spins on its axis. The axis is the line in the middle of the earth that runs from the North to the South Pole. A globe is a map of earth. Globes are shaped like a sphere, like a ball. Globes show land and oceans. Some globes show country borders, too.

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A globe shows what Earth looks like.

What Are Maps?Some maps of the earth are flat. A map of the world is like a flat globe. Maps can show the entire earth. Maps can also show a tiny part of

the earth. Maps can show continents, countries, and cities. Maps can also show bodies of water and land.

What Are The Lines On Maps And Globes Of The World?Maps of the world often show lines. These lines are called coordinate lines. These lines help people find different parts of a map quickly. One map line running left and right in middle of the world is the equator. The equator line separates the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere. There are lines that run parallel above and below the equator. These lines are called lines of latitude. The equator is zero degrees latitude.

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There are also lines that run up and down from the North Pole’s to the South Pole. These lines are called lines of longitude. Many maps also show the prime meridian. The prime meridian is a line of longitude set at zero degrees. All lines that run east of the prime meridian are in the Eastern Hemisphere. Lines

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 540L: What Are Globes And Maps? ◆ PAGE 2

that run west of the prime meridian are in the Western Hemisphere.

What Do Maps Of The World Show?Maps of the world can show many things. Maps of the world show continents. Continents are the largest bodies of land on earth. Maps of the world show water. Oceans and seas are big bodies of water. Maps of the world might also show countries. Countries are areas of land run by a government.

People use maps to learn about the world. People use maps to move around the world. People use maps to look at for fun.

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Maps are globes made flat.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 600L: Harry Houdini: Chained to Magic ◆ PAGE 1

Harry Houdini: Chained to Magic

Man OverboardA tugboat floated in New York’s East River. It was summer and it was hot outside. The sun beat down on reporters who stood on the tugboat. All the people on the boat walked around freely. All except for one man. One man was handcuffed. His legs were chained together. The reporters jotted notes. Their cameras flashed. The man was put into a crate. Then the crate

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Houdini could escape from chains in a matter of minutes.

was nailed shut. It was covered with heavy metal. The crate was tied shut. Finally, it was lowered into the water.

The reporters watched with surprise. Would the handcuffed man survive? Would he drown? The reporters didn’t have much time to think. Less than a minute later, the man swam to the surface. Everyone cheered. They pulled the man back onto the tugboat. His chains were gone.

The crate was lifted above the water. It looked untouched. When they opened it, they found the chains inside. People could not believe it. Who could go underwater locked inside a box and escape so quickly?

Harry Houdini, that’s who.Houdini was one of the most famous

magicians ever. He had just shown reporters his Overboard Box Escape. It was one of many tricks he tricks did in his lifetime.

From Hungary to the CircusHarry Houdini was born named Erik Weisz. He was born in 1874 in Budapest, Hungary. Harry was the son of a rabbi. He had six siblings. When he was four years old, Harry’s family immigrated to Wisconsin. When Harry’s family got to the United States, they changed their last name to “Weiss.” Erik’s name was changed to “Ehrich.” His nicknames became “Ehrie” or “Harry.”

Later, Harry’s family moved to New York City. Harry began working at circuses. At nine years old, Harry was a trapeze artist. Soon after that Harry began his magic career. He then changed his stage name to Harry Houdini.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 600L: Harry Houdini: Chained to Magic ◆ PAGE 2

Life of MagicAt first, Houdini struggled as a magician. He started with card tricks, but a lot of magicians did card tricks. Houdini needed to invent other acts so he tried other tricks. He performed escape acts. He locked himself in handcuffs and escaped.

In 1899, Houdini got his big break. A traveling show hired him to do his acts. Houdini became known for escaping from handcuffs, chains, ropes, straightjackets, and jails. Many times he escaped while being strung upside down. Other magicians copied the famous magician. Houdini tried to stop the copycats. He began doing more dangerous and amazing escape acts. He began locking himself inside milk cans, coffins, and boxes.

Houdini’s Most Famous ActsDaily Mirror Newspaper Challenge

In 1904, a newspaper in England called the Daily Mirror challenged Houdini. The newspaper said it had handcuffs from which no one could escape. The newspaper also said it took a man five years to make the handcuffs. Houdini accepted the challenge. 4,000 people watched him being locked into the special handcuffs. Houdini struggled to take off the handcuffs. He had to cut his jacket off with a knife he held in his mouth. After more than an hour, Houdini escaped. The crowd cheered.

Milk Can Escape

One of Houdini’s most famous escapes was the Milk Can Escape. Before the act began, Houdini challenged the audience hold their breath as long as it took him to escape. First, he was

handcuffed. Then, Houdini was put inside a giant milk can. Next, the milk can was filled with water and shut. Sometimes the milk can would be placed inside a crate and tied shut. Houdini always escaped the milk can.

Water Torture Cell

Other magicians copied Houdini’s Milk Can Escape. So Houdini invented another escape. In this new escape, he locked his feet together. Then Houdini was lowered, upside down, into a tank full of water. The tank was made of glass so people could see him. Houdini performed this escape for the rest of his life.

The Water Torture Cell was one of Houdini’s most famous acts.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 600L: Harry Houdini: Chained to Magic ◆ PAGE 3

Suspended Straitjacket Escape

Another of Houdini’s most famous escapes was the Suspended Straitjacket Escape. In this trick, Houdini was tied into a straitjacket. Then, he was hung upside down from a building. People on the street stopped to watch. Traffic would stop, too. Sometimes winds would knock Houdini against the building. Houdini escaped the suspended straitjacket in less than three minutes.

Buried Alive Stunt

One of Houdini’s most dangerous acts was his Buried Alive Stunt. He did this act only three times in his life. The first time he did it, Houdini almost died. He was buried six feet under the earth. Then he started digging himself out. He panicked. He tried to call for help. No one could hear him. Finally, his hand broke free from the ground. Then Houdini passed out. The magician later said that the stunt was very dangerous.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 380L: Heist: The Greatest Art Thefts of All Time ◆ PAGE 1

Heist: The Greatest Art Thefts of All Time

Stolen ArtA heist is a robbery. Heist is a word sometimes used for art thefts. Heists are illegal. Many times thieves get caught. Sometimes they get away. Thieves have made many heists in history. Here are some of the most famous.

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The Mona Lisa is a famous and valuable painting.

The Mona LisaIn 1911, a man worked in the Louvre, a famous museum in France. The museum showed one of the world’s most famous paintings. This painting was the Mona Lisa. Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian painter, made it.

One day this man stole the Mona Lisa. He hid it under his coat. The thief was Italian. He thought the Mona Lisa belonged in Italy. Police found the Mona Lisa two years later.

The ScreamNorway hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994. The world watched the Olympics on TV, but two thieves were not watching. Instead, they broke into a gallery. No one paid attention to the alarm. No one screamed. They might have been too busy watching the Olympics.

The thieves took Norway’s most famous painting, The Scream, by artist Edvard Munch. The thieves left a note to the museum guards. The note said, “Thanks for the poor security.” Police captured the thieves three months later and found the painting as well.

The Gardner Museum HeistOne day in Boston, two men dressed as police officers walked to the Gardner Museum. They knocked on the door. Museum guards opened the door. They said hello. They let in the

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 380L: Heist: The Greatest Art Thefts of All Time ◆ PAGE 2

“police.” The fake police handcuffed the guards. They put the guards in the museum basement.

The two men weren’t officers at all. They were thieves. They stole thirteen pieces of art. Experts think the art was worth a half billion dollars. It was the biggest art heist in history. The art is still missing. The thieves are still “at large.” This means real police have not yet caught them yet.

Lost and FoundSometimes stolen art is found. Sometimes it is lost. The art that is stolen is worth a lot of money. In many ways the art is priceless.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 520L: If We Didn’t Have Magnets . . . ◆ PAGE 1

If We Didn’t Have Magnets . . .

Who Needs Magnets Anyway?A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field. A magnetic field is a force that pushes or pulls some kinds of metals.

Some objects can be magnetized. This means the object can be made into a magnet. When a magnet touches some metal objects, some of those objects also become magnets for a short time.

Sounds pretty boring, right? Who needs magnets anyway? Why do we need magnets? What would happen in a world without magnets?

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If We Didn’t Have Magnets...Parents Could Not Buy Toys for Kids

Not really. If we had no magnets, then grownups could not use credit or debit cards. Grownups use these cards to buy things like toys. Credit cards have a strip on the back. The strip is magnetized. The strip has information. The strip sends messages to a bank. Then the bank allows the card to spend money. If you set a magnet next to a credit card, you’ll erase the information on the strip. Then your family won’t be able to use the card. So don’t do that. You want toys, right? Magnets help us buy things.

There Would Be No More Performances

Okay, there would still be performances. But they’d be harder to hear. Do you like concerts? Theater? Do you like television shows? Well, you had better sit close to the show. Without magnets, you would not be able to hear your favorite performers well. Performers use microphones and speakers. Microphones and speakers have magnets. These magnets make the sound louder. Magnets help us hear well.

You Would Get Lost Forever

Just kidding. Not if you had a compass. A compass would help you find which way you

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 520L: If We Didn’t Have Magnets . . . ◆ PAGE 2

are going. A compass has a magnetized pointer. The pointer is pulled by Earth’s magnetism. If you’re walking in the forest and know where you are going, a compass can help you. Magnets help you find the right way.

Your Laptop Would Run Out of Battery Power

Well, not exactly. Some laptops have magnetized chargers. These magnets help connect the power cord to be connected to the laptop. The magnet helps keep the charger in place. If someone trips over the charger, the

cord would not be damaged. The cord would be pulled out easily. Magnets keep your things connected.

Doctors Would Not Be Able to Heal Anyone

That’s not exactly true. What is true is that doctors use a special machine that has magnets. Doctors call this machine an MRI. An MRI can look deep into your body. An MRI can see if anything is wrong. Magnets can save your life.

You Would Have to Eat Rotten Food

No you wouldn’t. If your family has a fridge, thank your lucky magnets. A refrigerator uses magnets to keep the fridge door closed. A closed door helps keep food fresh. Magnets help us eat well.

Who Needs Magnets Anyway? We do!We all need magnets. They help us in our daily lives. They help us stay healthy. They help us find fun. Magnets give us direction. A world without magnets would be a difficult one to live in. Learning more about magnets might help you discover other ways they can be used.

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The magnets in this MRI machine can detect illness.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 670L: It’s a Map, Map, Map, Map World ◆ PAGE 1

It’s a Map, Map, Map, Map World

Maps Show PlacesMaps show something about a place. Different maps can show different things. Read on to discover maps you might see.

Political MapLook at a map of the United States of America. Do you see the states? See the capitals? If you do, the map you are looking at is a political map. These maps can show borders of countries. They can show cities and towns. Sometimes political maps show states or counties.

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Close up of map showing Jackson, the capital of Mississippi.

Physical MapAnother kind of map is a physical map. These maps show what the earth looks like. These maps show water. Physical maps show mountains. They also show elevation. Elevation is how high or low land is.

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Different colors represent water, land, snow, and ice.

Topographic MapA topographic map is similar to a physical map. This map shows more land features than a physical map. A topographic map shows more elevation facts. These maps show contour lines. Contour lines show elevation. Contour lines drawn close together means steep elevation. Contour lines drawn far apart show flatter land.

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Contour lines and numbers show elevation.

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH). (rev. 2-18-16)

Lexile 670L: It’s a Map, Map, Map, Map World ◆ PAGE 2

Climate MapSome maps show climate—a place’s weather over a period of time. Different colors on climate maps show different climates. For instance, a dark green color might stand for the tropics. A yellow color might stand for the desert. The map key tells you what the color means.

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Green shows the tropical areas and yellow the desert areas in this map of Africa.

Economic or Resources MapSome maps show the economy or resources of a place. An economy is the way people make, buy, sell, or trade things. Economic/resource maps have icons that show what kinds of resources the place has. Reading the map key of an economic or resource map is important. These map keys tell you what the icons mean.

For instance, a cow’s head icon might mean that a place herds cattle. A plant stalk icon might mean that a place has lots of farming.

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Top Ten Cattle-Raising and Oil-Producing States

Road MapRoad maps are common maps. Have you ever seen a GPS? Have you ever needed directions to get from one place to another? If so, you might use a road map. Road maps show streets and highways. Many smart phone apps show road maps. These apps can also show traffic patterns. They show the best ways to get to another place.

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GPS can show road maps.