Crayon History

Close Reads
with mystery Pictures

differentiated passage for grades 3-6

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aY
YOU m
so Li KE:
Al
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COnnect

Angie
CLICK HERE TO FIND MORE!
 Digital Pages
Google Slides
What you need to get started:
1. Have access to the Internet and a Google Account. (FREE)
2. Click below to make a copy of files that you need below and save the
file on your own Google Drive.
3. Decide which questions you’d like students to use and delete the other
pages. (If you use the mystery grid page, make sure you assign the
mystery grid set of questions that are color-coded)
4. Assign each student their own copy of the passage you’d like them to
work on.
5. They will interact with the file while in the edit mode.
6. Printer access to print out the mystery grid to color or to print the
finished product. (Both OPTIONAL)
One Drive
What you need to get started:
1. Have access to the Internet and a Google Account. (FREE)
2. Click below open the file in Google Slides.
3. Click file > Download > Microsoft PowerPoint
4. Open download and save to your computer.
3. Decide which questions you’d like students to use and delete the other
pages. (If you use the mystery grid page, make sure you assign the
mystery grid set of questions that are color-coded)
4. Upload to OneDrive and assign each student their own copy of the
passage you’d like them to work on.
5. They will interact with the file while in the edit mode.
6. Printer access to print out the mystery grid to color or to print the
finished product. (Both OPTIONAL)
1.
1. Click the buttons to make a
copy of the passages needed.
2. Delete the Question options
you do not want to use.
3. Edit/Delete the “5 Day Plan” as
needed.

Student Pages
© Fun in 5th Grade

Passage #1: Fiction Circle/ Triangle/

Square/3rd
Paired Passage 4th & 5th 6th
Teacher Instructions
I am so excited you chose this resource. I hope that you and your
students enjoy these passages and activities. I created this resource to
have students practice interpreting higher levels of text by using
specific strategies that will help them do just that. There are many
ways that you can use this resource, and I’m going to explain some
things for you.

Included in this resource, you will find everything you need to implement
close reading with your students.

• Teacher Instruction Pages: These pages are for you to help make
using the resource as easy as possible!
• Close Reading Printables: These pages are for you to print out for
your students to use. These are great for their notebooks or folders
to keep handy to use again and again.
• Passages: There are three different passages differentiated at
three levels. Each level has the same set of questions, so students
won’t even know they have different levels of passages.
• Questions Pages: These come in two versions. One version has
answers with colors that correspond to the mystery grid. The other
version is for if you do not want to use the mystery grid.
• Mystery Grids: Each passage has a mystery grid where students can
answers questions and then color the mystery pictures based on
their answers!
• Answer Keys: These are provided for your convenience for both the
questions and mystery grid.
• Graphic Organizers: These are optional and can be used with your
passages as you see fit.

Symbol Level
Below Level
(Typical 3rd grader)

On Level
© Fun in 5th Grade

(Typical 4th - 5th grader)

Above level
(Typical 6th grader)
 Teacher Tips & Tricks
When using this resource, I have a few tips. How you do it is up to you,
but I thought I would just offer my suggestions.
• I wait to give the pictures until they have at least done the 1st and 2nd
read questions. I check their work and then hand them the grid.
• The mystery pictures are just an option, and this resource can be
used without them by using the question pages WITHOUT the colors
below the answers.

Questions with colors Questions without colors For

For mystery pictures! use without mystery pictures!

© Fun in 5th Grade

 Mystery Picture Tips
When using the mystery pictures, the directions state what to do, but I
wanted to further explain them for you. When using the mystery
pictures and the questions specifically for the grid, follow the
instructions below:
• Students will read the passage and answer the questions how you
see fit.
• They will choose one of three answer choices and highlight or circle
their answers.
• Once they are ready to complete the mystery grids, make sure they
understand the directions.
• They will take their answer for each question and use the colors
listed below their answer. See the example below. The answer for #1 is
the second answer choice, which has the color white listed.
• Students will then go to their grids and look for all of the 1s and color
them white. The 2s would be light blue and so on.

The Final Version

Will look like this.
This is an answer key.
© Fun in 5th Grade

Do not show it to
students.
Close Reading Strategies
Pre-reading: Focus their thinking by having them
1 read all of the questions connected to the text and make
some predictions based on the title and pictures. Have
them number the paragraphs.

1st read: Have students read the text for the first
2 time and focus on what the text is saying. They should
annotate or mark up the text while reading using the
“Mark It Up” symbols printable. Then, they should answer
the “1st Read” questions.

2nd read: Have students re-read the text. Now that

3 they know what the text says, have them focus on how
the text says it. They should annotate or mark up the text
while reading using the “Mark It Up” symbols printable. They
should answer the “2nd Read” questions, and/or use the
graphic organizers that are provided.

3rd read: They should re-read the text again if time

4 permits. Now that they know what the text says and how
it says it, they should focus on the meaning of the text.
They should think about the ways they can connect with
the text. They should annotate or mark up answers to the
questions while reading using the “Mark It Up” symbols
printable.
© Fun in 5th Grade

5 Write & Respond: Answer the text-

dependent writing prompt using specific details from the
passage.
Close Reading
1st Read: Get the Gist
 Can you state the main idea of the text?
 Can you summarize the text?
 What do you notice right away?
 Do you have any questions?
 Circle words you do not understand.

2nd Read: Dig Deeper

 Do you know the text structure that is being used?
 Are there any text features to look at?
 Underline key vocabulary being used.
 What is the author’s purpose, and how does he/she
feel about the text?
 Circle words you do not understand.

3rd Read: One More time

 Can you make any inferences about the text?
 Can you connect to the text in any way?
 Use the text to answer the questions.
© Fun in 5th Grade
 Mark it up!
Use the marks below while reading the text.

Number the paragraphs.

?
Put a question mark near
anything you have a question
about.

!
Put an exclamation point near
anything you find exciting or
interesting.

X Put an “X” near anything

you don’t understand.

Underline Key
underline Vocabulary

Circle any Words you

circle Don’t understand
Put a star next to anything

*** you think is important.

 Mark it up!
Use the marks below while reading the text.

Number the paragraphs.

anything you have a

question about

anything you find exciting

or interesting

anything you don’t

understand

Key Vocabulary

any Words you Don’t

understand

anything you think is

important
Name: Date:

Crayola Company History

Crayola™ is a brand used by artists and students everywhere!
Crayola products are sold in over 80 countries worldwide. They are best
known for the large variety of colors they use for their crayons.
Crayola has always had a colorful background. The company was
first founded over a hundred years ago. The founders never thought
that the company would grow as much as it has over the years.
Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith were cousins who founded Binney &
Smith in New York in 1885. The company began by producing colorant for
industrial use. For example, they made the pigments used to color barn
paint and the chemicals used to make tires black.
In 1902, Binney and Smith noticed that schools were in need of safe
and affordable wax crayons. They started developing a formula for
crayons. A year later in 1903, they created their famous wax crayons.
They called the crayons “Crayola”. The word “Crayola” comes from two
French words which mean “chalk” and “oily”. The first box had eight
crayons in it. They were black, brown, red, violet, orange, yellow, blue, and
green and sold for a nickel. The wax crayons were a success, so the
company expanded, or grew, to offer ten different sizes of crayon
boxes.
As time passed, Binney & Smith created other art products such
as chalk and colored pencils. They even acquired, or gained, the rights to
products such as Silly Putty. Over the years, they’ve won many awards
for their products.
Binney & Smith introduced more crayon colors and eventually made
boxes of 64 crayons in 1958. Washable markers and pencil crayons were
also introduced by them. By 1998, Crayola had created
120 different crayon colors. Today there are a total of
170 Crayola crayon colors, with more colors to come.
With that rainbow of color choices, you’re sure to
find one that fits your needs!
It was not until January 1, 2007 that Binney &
Smith officially rebranded themselves as Crayola
LLC. The Crayola company is based in Pennsylvania.
Crayola products are nontoxic and safe for children
to use. Therefore, they are the most popular
choice of art supplies for parents and teachers.

© Fun in 5th Grade

Name: Date:

Crayola Company History

Crayola™ is a brand recognized by artists and students
everywhere! Crayola products are sold in over 80 countries worldwide.
They are best known for the large assortment of colors they use for
their crayons.
Crayola has always had colorful roots. The company was first
founded over a hundred years ago. The founders never anticipated that
the company would grow as much as it has over the years.
Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith were cousins who founded Binney &
Smith in New York in 1885. The company originally produced colorant for
industrial use. For example, they made the pigments used to color barn
paint and the chemicals used to make tires black.
In 1902, Binney and Smith noticed that schools were in need of safe
and affordable wax crayons. They started developing a formula for
crayons. A year later in 1903, they created their famous wax crayons.
They called the crayons “Crayola”. The word “Crayola” comes from two
French words which mean “chalk” and “oily”. The first box had eight
crayons in it. They were black, brown, red, violet, orange, yellow, blue, and
green and sold for a nickel. The wax crayons were a success, so the
company expanded to offer ten different sizes of crayon boxes.
As time passed, Binney & Smith created other art products such
as chalk and colored pencils. They even acquired, or obtained, the rights
to products such as Silly Putty. Over the years, they’ve won many
awards for their products.
Binney & Smith introduced more crayon colors and eventually
produced boxes of 64 crayons in 1958. Washable markers and pencil
crayons were also introduced by Binney & Smith. By 1998,
Crayola had created 120 different crayon colors. Today
there are a total of 170 Crayola crayon colors, with
more colors to come. With that rainbow of color
choices, you’re sure to find one that fits your needs!
It was not until January 1, 2007 that Binney &
Smith officially rebranded themselves as Crayola LLC.
The Crayola company is based in Pennsylvania. Crayola
products are nontoxic and safe for children to use.
Therefore, they are the most popular choice of art
supplies for parents and teachers.

© Fun in 5th Grade

Name: Date:

Crayola Company History

Crayola™ is a brand recognized by aspiring artists and students
everywhere! Crayola products are sold in over 80 countries worldwide. They
are best known for the large assortment of colors they use for their
crayons.
Crayola has always had colorful roots. When the company was first
founded over a hundred years ago, the founders never anticipated that
the company would expand as much as it has over the years.
Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith were cousins and they founded
Binney & Smith in New York in 1885. The company originally produced colorant
for industrial use. For example, they made the pigments used to color barn
paint and the chemicals used to make tires black.
In 1902, Binney and Smith noticed that schools were in need of safe
and affordable wax crayons. They started developing a formula for
crayons and a year later in 1903, created their famous wax crayons. They
called the crayons “Crayola”, which comes from two French words which
mean “chalk” and “oily”. The original box had eight crayons in it. They were
black, brown, red, violet, orange, yellow, blue, and green and sold for a nickel.
The wax crayons were a success, so the company expanded to offer ten
different sizes of crayon boxes.
As time passed, Binney & Smith created other art products such as
chalk, colored pencils, markers, and paints, and they even acquired the
rights to products such as Silly Putty. Over the years, they’ve won
numerous awards for their products.
Binney & Smith introduced more crayon colors and eventually
produced boxes of 64 crayons in 1958. Washable markers and pencil crayons
were also introduced by Binney & Smith. By 1998,
Crayola had created 120 different crayon colors. Today
there are a total of 170 Crayola crayon colors, with a
promise of more colors to come. With that rainbow of
color choices, you’re sure to find one that fits your
needs!
It was not until January 1, 2007 that Binney &
Smith officially rebranded themselves to become
Crayola LLC. The Crayola company is based in
Pennsylvania. Crayola products are nontoxic and safe
for children to use. Therefore, they are the most
popular choice of art supplies for parents and
teachers.

© Fun in 5th Grade

Name: Date:
Crayola Company History
Directions: Read the passage. Then, answer the questions. When finished,
use your answers here to help you color the mystery grid.
1st Read Questions
Today there
Binney &
are a total They
of 170 Smith
founded
Crayola created
Binney &
crayon other art
According to the passage, colors, with a Smith in
1 products
which happened first? promise of New York in
such as
more colors 1885.
will come.
chalk.
PURPLE
WHITE
B LUE
to change
The root brand, which means or update to burn or to label or
to give a name to, in the the partly burn mark
2 word rebranded helps you image/name a piece of livestock
figure out that rebranded of a wood again by burning
means… company
ORANGE GREEN
RED

As used in the passage, what Reduced Grew Spread out

3 is the meaning of the word
expanded? ORANGE YELLOW RED

In what year was the box of 1885 1902 1958

4 64 crayons introduced? PURPLE GREEN B LUE

Schools The original

The wax
needed box had
crayons
What caused Crayola to safe and eight
5 were a
begin making wax crayons? affordable crayons in
success.
crayons. it.
ORANGE
© Fun in 5th Grade PURPLE YELLOW
Name: Date:
Crayola Company History
2nd Read Questions
The Crayola
Crayola is company
Crayola the best started
products company small but
grew
Which idea is best consist only to buy through the
6 supported by details in of crayons your art years to
this passage? and markers. supplies become
from. what it is
GREEN today.
B LUE
ORANGE

Which of the following Compare & Order & Problem &

7 text structures is this Contrast Sequence Solution
passage written in? WHITE GREEN B LUE

What is a synonym for Gained Lost Misused

8 the word acquired as used
in the passage? WHITE BLACK RED

Today there
Washable Crayola are a total
Which detail from the
markers and products of 170
passage does NOT support
pencil crayons are Crayola
the main idea sentence
were also nontoxic crayon
9 below? colors, with a
introduced by and safe
Binney & for children promise that
The company has been around more colors
for a long time and has grown Smith. to use.” will come.
significantly over the years.
YELLOW PURPLE B LUE
To inform the To
reader about entertain To describe
What was most likely the the evolution with a the way
10 author’s purpose for of the story crayons
writing this passage? Crayola about are made
company crayons
GREEN
© Fun in 5th Grade WHITE ORANGE
Name: Date:
Crayola Company History
Directions: Read the passage. Then, answer the questions.
1st Read Questions

Today there
Binney &
are a total They
of 170 Smith
founded
Crayola created
According to the passage, Binney &
1 crayon other art
which happened first? colors, with a Smith in
products
promise of New York in
such as
more colors 1885.
will come.”
chalk..

to change
The root brand, which means
or update to burn or to label or
to give a name to, in the
the partly burn mark
2 word rebranded helps you
image/name a piece of livestock
figure out that rebranded
of a wood again by burning
means…
company

As used in the passage, what

Spread out
3 is the meaning of the word Reduced Grew
expanded?

In what year was the box of

4 1885 1902 1958
64 crayons introduced?

Schools The original

The wax
needed box had
What caused Crayola to crayons
5 safe and eight
begin making wax crayons? were a
affordable crayons in
success.
crayons. it.
© Fun in 5th Grade
Name: Date:
Crayola Company History
2nd Read Questions
State an idea that is best
6 supported by details in
this passage. Explain.
Name the type of text
7 structure this passage is
written in. Explain.
What is a synonym for
8 the word acquired as used
in the passage? Explain.
Give two details from the
passage that support the
main idea sentence below.
9
The company has been around
for a long time and has grown
significantly over the years.
What was most likely the
10
author’s purpose for
writing this passage?
Explain.
© Fun in 5th Grade
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Name: Date:
Crayola Company History Writing Prompt
The Crayola company was very successful in growing their company
over the years. Support that statement using specific examples
from the text.
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Name: Date:
Crayola Company History
Directions: Read the passage. Answer the questions. Use the answers for

© Fun in 5th Grade

each question to determine which color to use.
(Ex. If your answer to question 1 has the color “pink” under it, color all of
the number 2s pink.)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4
2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Name: Date:
Crayola Company History Answer Key
Directions: Read the passage. Answer the questions. Use the answers for

© Fun in 5th Grade

each question to determine which color to use.
(Ex. If your answer to question 1 has the color “pink” under it, color all of
the number 1s pink.)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4
2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

2 2 6 6 3 3 7 7 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Name: Date:
timeline
© Fun in 5th Grade
Name: Date:

Timeline
Date Event
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© Fun in 5th Grade
Crayola Company History Answer Key