Approaching

Grade 6
Approaching
Reproducibles
Practice
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Reproducibles
Approaching
Practice
Grade 6
Grade 6
Approaching
Reproducibles
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Contents
Unit 1 • Changes
Perspectives Dynamic Earth
Vocabulary 1 Vocabulary 31
Comprehension: Character, Setting, Plot: Comprehension: Main Idea and
Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer 2 Key Details Graphic Organizer 32
Comprehension and Fluency 3 Comprehension and Fluency 33
Comprehension: Compare and Comprehension: Main Idea and
Contrast and Fluency 5 Key Details and Fluency 35
Genre/Literary Element 6 Genre/Text Feature 36
Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 7 Vocabulary Strategy:
Phonics: Short Vowels 8 Metaphor and Simile 37
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 9 Phonics: r-Controlled Vowels 38
Writing Traits: Organization 10 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 39
Writing Traits: Voice 40
Alliances
Vocabulary 11 TIME For Kids
Comprehension: Character, Setting, Plot: Vocabulary 41
Sequence Graphic Organizer 12 Comprehension: Author’s Point of View
Comprehension and Fluency 13 Graphic Organizer 42
Comprehension: Sequence and Fluency 15 Comprehension and Fluency 43
Genre/Visual Element 16 Comprehension: Author’s Point of View
Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 17 and Fluency 45
Phonics: Long Vowels 18 Genre/Text Feature 46
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 19 Vocabulary Strategy: Root Words 47
Writing Traits: Word Choice 20 Word Study: Compound Words 48
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 49
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 50
Environments
Vocabulary 21
Comprehension: Main Idea and
Key Details Graphic Organizer 22
Comprehension and Fluency 23
Key Details and Fluency 25
Genre/Text Feature 26
Vocabulary Strategy: Greek Roots 27
Word Study: Frequently
Misspelled Words 28
Writing Traits: Ideas 30
iii
Contents
Unit 2 • Excursions Across Time
Contributions Influences
Comprehension: Problem and Comprehension: Point of View
Solution Graphic Organizer 52 Graphic Organizer 82
Comprehension: Problem and Solution Comprehension:
and Fluency 55 Point of View and Fluency 85
Genre/Text Feature 56 Genre/Literary Element 86
Vocabulary Strategy: Latin Roots 57 Vocabulary Strategy:
Word Study: Irregular Plurals 58 Greek and Latin Suffixes 87
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 59 Phonics: Open Syllables 88
Writing Traits: Ideas 60 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 89
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 90
Democracy Past and Present

Comprehension: Compare and Comprehension:
Contrast Graphic Organizer 62 Theme Graphic Organizer 92
Comprehension: Compare and Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 94
Contrast and Fluency 65 Genre/Literary Element 95
Genre/Text Feature 66 Literary Elements:
Vocabulary Strategy: Rhyme Scheme and Meter 96
Greek and Latin Prefixes 67 Vocabulary Strategy: Personification 97
Word Study: Inflectional Endings 68 Phonics: Consonant + le Syllables 98
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 69 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 99
Writing Traits: Ideas 70 Writing Traits: Word Choice 100

Ancient Societies
Vocabulary 71
Comprehension: Point of View
Graphic Organizer 72
Comprehension: Point of View
and Fluency 75
Genre/Literary Element 76
Vocabulary Strategy:
Connotations and Denotations 77
Phonics: Closed Syllables 78
Writing Traits: Organization 80
iv
Contents
Unit 3 • Accomplishments
Common Ground Milestones
Comprehension: Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Theme Graphic Organizer 102 Graphic Organizer 132
Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 105 Comprehension: Cause and Effect
Genre/Literary Element 106 and Fluency 135
Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 107 Genre/Text Feature 136
Phonics: Vowel Team Syllables 108 Vocabulary Strategy: Paragraph Clues 137
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 109 Word Study: Prefixes 138
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 110 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 139
Writing Traits: Voice 140
Transformations
Vocabulary 111 TIME For Kids
Comprehension: Vocabulary 141
Theme Graphic Organizer 112 Comprehension: Main Idea and
Comprehension and Fluency 113 Key Details Graphic Organizer 142
Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 115 Comprehension and Fluency 143
Genre/Literary Element 116 Comprehension: Main Idea and
Vocabulary Strategy: Paragraph Clues 117 Key Details and Fluency 145
Phonics: r-controlled Vowel Syllables 118 Genre/Text Feature 146
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 119 Vocabulary Strategy: Synonyms and
Antonyms 147
Word Study: Suffixes -ion and -tion 148
Inspiration Writing Traits: Ideas 150
Vocabulary 121
Comprehension:
Sequence Graphic Organizer 122
Comprehension:
Sequence and Fluency 125
Vocabulary Strategy:
Prefixes and Suffixes 127
Word Study:
Frequently Misspelled Words 128
v
Contents
Unit 4 • Challenges
Changing Environments Shared Experiences
Comprehension: Author’s Point of View Comprehension:
Graphic Organizer 152 Theme Graphic Organizer 182
Comprehension: Author’s Point of View Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 185
and Fluency 155 Genre/Literary Element 186
Genre/Text Feature 156 Vocabulary Strategy: Homographs 187
Vocabulary Strategy: Paragraph Clues 157 Word Study: Greek and Latin Prefixes 188
Word Study: Suffix -ion 158 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 189
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 159 Writing Traits: Ideas 190
Taking Responsibility
Overcoming Challenges Vocabulary 191
Vocabulary 161 Comprehension:
Comprehension: Author’s Point of View Point of View Graphic Organizer 192
Graphic Organizer 162 Comprehension and Fluency 193
Comprehension and Fluency 163 Comprehension:
Comprehension: Author’s Point of View Point of View and Fluency 194
and Fluency 165 Genre/Literary Element 195
Vocabulary Strategy: Idioms 167 Alliteration and Assonance 196
Phonics: Vowel Alternation 168 Vocabulary Strategy:
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 169 Figurative Language 197
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 170 Phonics: Consonant Alternation 198
Writing Traits: Word Choice 200

Standing Tall
Vocabulary 171
Comprehension:
Theme Graphic Organizer 172
Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 175
Genre/Literary Element 176
Vocabulary Strategy: Homophones 177
Word Study: Prefixes and Suffixes 178
vi
Contents
Unit 5 • Discoveries
Myths Breakthroughs
Comprehension: Problem and Comprehension:
Solution Graphic Organizer 202 Sequence Graphic Organizer 232
Comprehension: Problem and Comprehension:
Solution and Fluency 205 Sequence and Fluency 235
Genre/Literary Element 206 Genre/Text Feature 236
Vocabulary Strategy: Word Origins 207 Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 237
Word Study: Homophones 208 Word Study: Greek Roots 238
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 210 Writing Traits: Organization 240
Personal Strength TIME For Kids

Comprehension: Comprehension: Author’s Point of View
Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer 212 Graphic Organizer 242
Comprehension: Comprehension: Author’s Point of View
Cause and Effect and Fluency 215 and Fluency 245
Genre/Text Feature 216 Genre/Visual Element 246
Vocabulary Strategy: Vocabulary Strategy:
Adages and Proverbs 217 Connotations and Denotations 247
Word Study: Word Study: Suffixes -ive, -age, -ize 248
Words from Around the World 218 Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 249
Write About Reading: Write an Analysis 219 Writing Traits: Word Choice 250
Writing Traits: Word Choice 220
Innovations
Vocabulary 221
Comprehension:
Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer 222
Comprehension:
Cause and Effect and Fluency 225
Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 227
Word Study: Latin Roots 228
vii
Contents
Unit 6 • Taking Action
Resources Extraordinary Finds
Comprehension: Main Idea and Comprehension:
Key Details Graphic Organizer 252 Sequence Graphic Organizer 282
Comprehension: Main Idea and Comprehension:
Key Details and Fluency 255 Sequence and Fluency 285
Genre/Text Feature 256 Genre/Text Feature 286
Vocabulary Strategy: Latin Roots 257 Vocabulary Strategy: Greek Roots 287
Word Study: Suffixes -ible and -able 258 Word Study: Absorbed Prefixes 288
Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency 260 Writing Traits: Word Choice 290
Witnesses Taking a Break

Comprehension: Cause and Comprehension:
Effect Graphic Organizer 262 Theme Graphic Organizer 292
Comprehension: Cause and Comprehension: Theme and Fluency 294
Effect and Fluency 265 Genre/Literary Element 295
Vocabulary Strategy: Repetition and Imagery 296
Adages and Proverbs 267 Vocabulary Strategy:
Word Study: Figurative Language 297
Suffixes -ance, -ence, -ant, and -ent 268 Word Study: Words from Mythology 298
Writing Traits: Voice 270 Writing Traits: Word Choice 300

Investigations
Vocabulary 271
Key Details Graphic Organizer 272
Key Details and Fluency 275
Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues 277
Word Study: Greek Suffixes 278
viii
Vocabulary
Name
consolation glimmer indispensable perception

phobic sarcastic threshold heinous
A. Write the correct word after its meaning.
1. absolutely needed or essential
2. the way you think about a situation or issue
3. hurtfully meant in a sense opposite to what is said
4. an entrance or boundary
5. something that comforts during a time of loss or grief
6. a subtle or faint sign
7. shockingly evil or bad
8. having a fear of something
B. Answer each question with a vocabulary word.

9. Which word would you use to describe a serious crime?
10. Which word would you use to describe a doorway?
11. Which word would you use to describe eating,

breathing, and sleeping?
Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1 1

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the character, setting, and plot

compare-and-contrast graphic organizer.
Characters
Setting
Beginning

Middle
End
2 Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1

Comprehension and Fluency
Name
Read the passage. Use the visualize strategy to help you form
mental images as you read.
SMART START
Normally the cafeteria was so noisy you couldn’t hear a tray drop. But
13 now, Alex’s footsteps echoed across the huge room. There were a few
25 other students in the cafeteria, all avoiding eye contact with one another.
37 Alex’s backpack landed with a thud on the table. He was here after school
51 for his first session in “Smart Start,” a program offering free tutoring for
64 students. Alex wondered whom the school thought they were fooling with
75 their opposite-name trick. Smart Start meant “Stupid Forever.”
83 Alex had been sentenced to Smart Start for math. His parents, already
95 worried about his grades, were even more concerned because the
105 Statewide Math Aptitude Test was approaching. Math had always been
115 torture for Alex. To make matters worse, his little sister had advanced and
128 was taking the same math subject as he, despite being almost two years
141 younger.
142 Alex unearthed the crumpled registration form and began to fidget with
153 it, a nervous habit of his. Absentmindedly, he folded over the strip with
166 his name on it repeatedly, scoring it until there was a sharp crease. Next,
180 he tore the strip off, holding the page against the edge of the table. What
195 remained was a nearly perfect square—ideal for one of Alex’s favorite
207 pastimes: origami.

209 He began folding one of the common origami patterns, the bird base.
221 Using his thumbnail to form the sharp creases, Alex created a triangle,
233 and added some petal folds. Soon the bird base was complete, and he was
247 partway into making the crane. He didn’t hear the footsteps of the person
260 approaching his table.

Name
“You must be Alex. I’m Sophia,” announced the girl, extending her hand.
Startled, Alex quickly shoved his folded paper aside. Sophia continued, “I’m in
eighth grade. Tell me a little bit about yourself. What do you like to do?”
“Anything but math!” Alex replied.
“Well, I guess that’s why you’re here,” Sophia said with a laugh. “I used to
hate math, too,” she offered.
Alex knew that Sophia was making an effort to put him at ease, so he asked
politely, “What made you start to like it?”
“Believe it or not, I think it was marching band. I realized that counting beats
and tracking measures is all about math. Hey, what’s that you’re hiding?” she
teased, tugging at his folded form.
Quickly, Alex folded and creased, his hands awhirl. “Ta-da—a crane!” he
proclaimed, presenting the transformed shape.
“That’s awesome,” said Sophia. “Do you mind if I take it apart?” Alex
shrugged, and Sophia carefully unfolded each step of the crane. Sophia looked
excited about the wrinkled sheet. “Don’t you see? What you have here is most
of your math course, right in front of you!” She flattened the paper out with the
palm of her hand. “Do your first fold,” she
commanded. “You began with a square, and
created two rectangles. You have a fraction,
too: one half! Fold it again. Now you have
four quarters.” Sophia pointed to the top fold.
“What fraction does this flap represent?”

“One quarter?” Alex responded.
“Duh! Obviously, right? Get out some more
paper, and let’s do some geometry!”
If math tutoring was going to be origami,
Alex thought, maybe it would be a Smart Start
after all.

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast and Fluency
Name
A. Reread the passage and answer the questions.
1. At the beginning of the story, what is Alex’s attitude toward math

tutoring and the Smart Start group?
2. In the middle of the story, what does Alex start to make? What is
his attitude toward this pastime?
3. What does Sophia show Alex about math and origami?
4. At the end of the story, what is Alex’s attitude toward Smart Start?
How is his attitude similar to or different from his attitude at the
beginning?
B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to

expression and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.
Number of Words Correct

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Literary Element
Name
The Long Hard Climb

Today is my first day back at school after severely breaking my femur bone.
In all honesty, after three excruciatingly boring weeks at home, I’m ecstatic to
be back. Now, I’m looking up at the imposing front door of the school. I count
the steps: there are ten. No problem, I think; I usually gallop swiftly up these
steps every day. Then, I begin—crutches first, good leg second—to ascend what
now seems in my perception like Mount Everest.
“Hurry. That’s the second bell ringing,” Bridget, my best friend, urges.
As the sweat glimmers on my forehead, I respond, “I’m trying, but I can’t
exactly catapult myself up to the door. This is harder than it looks!”
Answer the questions about the text.
1. Realistic fiction is an invented story that could happen in real life.

How can you tell that this text is realistic fiction?
2. Who is the narrator of this text? Is the narrator also a character in

the text?
3. Dialogue often tells you how a character feels. Give an example of Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
how Ashleigh shows her feelings through dialogue.

Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues
Name
Look at this example of context clues in a sentence. The underlined words

help explain what concerned means.
Alex had been sentenced to Smart Start for math. His parents, already
worried about his grades, were even more concerned because the
Statewide Math Aptitude Test was approaching.
Read each passage below. Underline the context clues that help
you figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then circle the
best definition for each word.
1. Math had always been torture for Alex. To make matters worse, his
little sister had advanced and was taking the same math subject as
he, despite being almost two years younger.
a. done poorly b. moved ahead c. accepted math
2. What remained was a nearly perfect square—ideal for one of Alex’s

favorite pastimes: origami.
a. subjects b. hobbies c. foods
3. Alex knew that Sophia was making an effort to put him at ease,
so he asked politely, “What made you start to like it?”
a. rudely b. noisily c. nicely
4. “Do your first fold,” she commanded.
a. ordered b. walked c. allowed

Phonics: Short Vowels
Name
Every syllable in a word has one vowel sound. The letters a, e, i, o, and u can
stand for the short vowel sounds. Some vowel combinations can also stand for
short vowel sounds.
short a as in apple short e as in egg and head short i as in mist
short o as in shop short u as in swung
A. Look at the short vowel sound in each row. Read each word
and draw a circle around the word that has the vowel sound. The
first one has been done for you.
1. short o group prod hope
2. short u unit shrunk cute
3. short a cash bake rail
4. short e key sheet spread
5. short i drill slide sleigh
B. Read the words below and listen to their short vowel sounds.
Then write the words in the correct column in the chart. The first
one has been done for you.

rank fuss still dent sock
trim threat stuck thank pond
short a short e short i short o short u
rank

Write About Reading: Write an Analysis
Name
Evidence is details and examples from a text that support a writer’s ideas. The
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how the author
used details to create a realistic story.
Topic In “Smart Start,” details about the characters and setting

sentence make events in the plot seem realistic. Details about how
quiet the cafeteria is show that the plot events do not
take place during lunch hour. Details that help make the
characters believable include Alex feeling embarrassed to
Evidence
go to Smart Start, Alex being good at origami, and Sophia
helping him connect math to something he enjoys. The
author used these details to make the characters, setting,
Concluding
and plot seem like people, places, and events in real life.
statement
Write a paragraph about the text you have chosen. Cite evidence
from the story to show how the author used character, setting,
and plot to create a realistic story. Remember to use evidence to
support ideas and to use different sentence types.
Write a topic sentence:

Cite evidence from the text:
End with a concluding statement:

Writing Traits: Organization
Name
A. Read the draft model. Use the questions that follow the draft to
help you think about ways to give the draft a stronger opening.
Draft Model
I was hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was cold and foggy.
I could feel the steep cliffs rising sharply above us.
1. Why is the narrator at the Grand Canyon?
2. How can you hint at or tell about a problem to make the opening
more interesting?
3. Is anyone with the narrator?
4. What does the narrator see and hear while hiking?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details that will grab the
reader’s attention and make him or her want to learn more about
the narrator’s hike.

Vocabulary
Name
inflicted adversity alliance confinement

reminisce retrieved smuggle spindly
Write each word next to its definition.
1. regained or brought back
2. way to keep someone or something from moving

about freely
3. agreement to work together for a common goal
4. very thin and weak
5. remember and talk about something that happened in

the past
6. condition of misfortune that is often out of a person’s control
7. bring in or take out illegally or secretly
8. caused harm or damage

Write four sentences. Use one vocabulary word in each sentence.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Comprehension: Character, Setting, Plot: Sequence Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the character, setting, plot:

sequence graphic organizer.
Characters
Setting
Problem
Event

Event
Solution

Name
Read the passage. Use the visualize strategy to help you form
mental pictures as you read.
Appreciation
It was the first day of school in Nebraska, and Hermann had a good
14 reason to be nervous. He did not remember what it felt like to go to
29 school! That had certainly not always been true. He had been a good
42 student when he lived in New York City, but then in 1882, his father had
57 become ill. Hermann had to leave school to help his family. When his
70 father finally was well enough for Hermann to return to school, his father
83 made an announcement. The family was going to move to the Nebraska
95 prairie to farm.
98 This life in Nebraska was extremely hard, and Hermann and his father
110 were busy from morning until late at night. First, they had to fix the walls
125 of their sod house so they would not fall down, and then they had to repair
141 the cracks in order to keep the wind out. After that, it was time to plow
157 the fields and tend to the crops. Unfortunately, the attention and effort
169 needed to ensure that they had food on the table left no time for Hermann
184 to attend school.
187 When fall arrived in 1884, Hermann’s father had made his decision.
198 He wanted Hermann to return to school, because being a pioneer farmer
210 was hard, and he didn’t want his son to have as difficult a life as he had.
227 As Hermann walked the three dusty miles to school, he became more
239 and more nervous and wondered if he would make new friends and if he
253 would do well in school. Back in the city, there had always been someone
267 to talk to, but there was no one here. Hermann heard only the occasional
281 sound of whistling wind or howling coyotes.

Name
By the time Hermann reached the one-room school, everyone had already
gone inside. When he opened the door, a young woman said, “You must be
Hermann. I am Miss Peal.” The teacher pointed to a seat at the far side of the
classroom. The students all watched as Hermann crossed the room. Someone
stifled a giggle. By the time Hermann finally sat down, he felt humiliated.
“Class, please!” Miss Peal said sharply, and then she turned to Hermann.
“Don’t worry, you haven’t missed anything,” she said. “I’ve just been asking
students to read aloud and spell a few words so that I can give them partners.”
When it was his turn, Hermann found it hard to read. He had not been in
school for a long time and was out of practice. It made sense that his partner was
Rosa, a girl approximately three or four years younger.
It was soon time for lunch, so Hermann seated himself away from the other
students and pulled out his food. Then he saw Rosa sitting alone. She looked
toward Hermann. Finally, it hit him. “Are you hungry?” Hermann asked Rosa.
After she nodded, he said, “I’ll share with you.”
“And I’ll help you in return!” she said. She
quickly began to rifle through the pages of
her spelling book. Finally, she found the page
she had been looking for. “Spell the word
‘appreciate’ and use it in a sentence.” Hermann
carefully spelled each letter, and then he
Dynamic Graphics/JupiterImages
grinned. “I appreciate your help,” he said.
“So do I,” Rosa said, smiling shyly. Finally,

Hermann was beginning to feel a little more
confident. This had not been a perfect first day, A one-room schoolhouse with
but he thought this might be a very good year. teacher and students

Comprehension: Sequence and Fluency
Name
1. What problem does the first sentence introduce?
2. What are three sequence words in paragraphs 8 and 9 of the

passage?
3. Order the events below in the sequence in which they happen in

the passage.
Hermann shares his lunch with Rosa.
Hermann feels nervous about going to a new school.
Rosa offers to help Hermann with his schoolwork.
Hermann feels more confident about going to school.
Hermann and Rosa become partners in school.

intonation. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Visual Elements
Name
Women’s Rights, 1848

The year was 1848, and Molly Simpson traveled from Baltimore to the Seneca
Falls Convention, a women’s rights convention in New York State. Molly had
the honor of making the opening remarks. She addressed her fellow suffragists:
“We are here because we want the same rights as men. We want the vote; we
want to be able to go to college. With the vote, we could influence politicians to
gain opportunities we deserve. We could become elected officials!” The crowd
applauded.
1. Historical fiction is based on real events from the past. How do you
know that this text is historical fiction?
2. Who is the main character in the text? What does she do?

3. What is the first action in this text before Molly addresses the
convention? What is the last action?
4. What illustration could be added to present details of the historical

time and support the plot?

Name
Look at the example of context clues in a paragraph. The underlined words

explain that the word difficult means “hard.”
He wanted Hermann to return to school, because being a pioneer farmer
was hard, and he didn’t want his son to have as difficult a life as he had.
best definition for each word.
1. After that, it was time to plow the fields and tend to the crops.
Unfortunately, the attention and effort needed to ensure that they
had food on the table left no time for Hermann to attend school.
a. ignore b. plow c. take care of
2. Some kids covered their mouths as they stifled giggles. By the

time Hermann finally sat down, he felt humiliated.
a. muffled b. started c. expressed
3. “Class, please!” Miss Peal said sternly, and then she turned to
Hermann. With kindness she said, “Don’t worry, you haven’t
missed anything.”
a. quietly b. jokingly c. seriously

Phonics: Long Vowels
Name
Every syllable in a word has one vowel sound. The vowels a, e, i, o, and u
sometimes stand for the long vowel sounds. Some vowel combinations can
also stand for long vowel sounds.
long a as in apron, train, make long e as in me, compete, tree, bean
long i as in lion, five, fly long o as in go, nose, boat, mow
long u as in music, huge, cue
A. Read the words in the box and sort them according to the long
vowel sound.
tone jeans gaze glue raise

bead foam tile cube try
long a long e long i long o long u

B. Read the first word in each row. Then circle the word that has
the same long vowel sound. The first one has been done for you.
1. float roam leap clock
2. name home pave dread
3. while shrine bill trim
4. seat guess dwell meal
5. cruel fuel scuff crank

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence that shows how two
authors developed the plots of their stories.
Topic In both “Smart Start” and “Appreciation,” the authors

sentence use details about the main characters’ pasts to begin the
plots. “Smart Start” begins with Alex’s thoughts about the
tutoring program and his love of origami. “Appreciation”
Evidence begins by telling why Hermann moved to Nebraska and
missed so much school. Then, in both stories, the main
character meets someone who gives him unexpected help.
Concluding
In these two stories, the authors set up the plot by first
statement
telling important details about the characters’ pasts.
Write a paragraph about the two texts you have chosen. Cite
evidence from the stories to show how each author developed
the plot. Remember to include a strong concluding statement
and to use complete sentences that have both a subject and a
predicate.


Writing Traits: Word Choice
Name
A. Read the draft model. Use the questions that follow the draft
to help you think about ways to use strong, vivid words to create
a clearer picture of what is happening.
Draft Model
In the orchard, Hester and John met the scary soldiers. John wanted to leave,
but Hester gave each soldier a nice apple.
1. What time of day is it? Would the orchard be scarier if the story
took place at night?
2. Why are the soldiers there? What words can you use to describe
what makes them scary?
3. What strong, vivid words can you use to describe how John and
Hester feel about the soldiers?
4. Is there something about the soldiers that makes Hester want to

give them apples? What words can you use to make this clearer?
B. Now revise the draft by adding precise, descriptive words and

phrases that will help the reader visualize what is happening in

the orchard.

Vocabulary
Name
classification compartment engulfs flanked

maneuvering obscure species submerged
Label each statement as True or False. If the statement is false,

rewrite it as a true statement.
1. Classification helps to organize things into groups.
2. A compartment is something you wear.
3. When something engulfs an object, the object becomes covered.
4. If an entrance to a museum is flanked by statues, the statues are

on one or both sides of the entrance.
5. Maneuvering is a planned and careful movement.

6. To obscure something makes it easier to see.
7. Cats and dogs belong to the same species.

.
8. A submerged leaf floats on top of the water.

Comprehension: Main Idea and Key Details Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the main idea and key details
graphic organizer.
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to help you

understand new facts or difficult information.
Amazing Plant Discoveries

Trees with exploding seedpods? Rat-eating plants? Do these really
9 exist? We think we know a great deal about our world. But each year,
23 scientists discover many new kinds of plants. These discoveries help
33 us learn about how plants adapt to the geography and the environment
45 in which they live.
49 The Kew Gardens Discovery

53 England’s Kew Gardens is famous for its gardens and its research. Their
65 botanists travel the world in search of new species of plants. In 2009 they
79 made hundreds of great discoveries. Some were plants found in the rain
91 forests of West Africa. One kind of tree had not been seen before. The
105 botanists named it Berlinia korupensis. It was named after the park where
117 it was found.
120 Berlinia korupensis is an odd tree. It is very tall. It goes 140 feet into
135 the rainforest canopy. It also lets go of its seeds in a very forceful way.
150 Plants have different systems for sending off their seeds. Some seeds
161 are carried by wind or float on water. Others may be carried by birds or
176 other animals. Some may drop to the ground in animal waste. Still others
189 take time to break down a hard outer shell. The white flowers of this tree
204 grow into seedpods. These pods are a foot long. Each pod holds two or
218 three seeds. When the pods burst open, they shoot out the seeds. The seeds
232 travel through the air like missiles.

Name
It is hard for trees and other plants to survive

in a rain forest ecosystem. They are all competing
for the sunlight. They all try to reach the top of
the canopy. The seeds of this tree travel far from
the tree. This gives the seed a chance to live. They
don’t have to compete for energy from the sun.
The Rat-Eating Pitcher Plant

In 2009 other botanists made another remarkable
discovery. They were exploring a mountainous This is the rat-eating pitcher
area in the Philippines. They had heard about an plant known as Nepenthes
attenboroughii.
unusual pitcher plant. As the botanists approached
a remote mountaintop, they saw the plants. Clearly,
they were one of the largest pitcher plant species in the world. They were meat-
eating plants. They were so large they could swallow a rat. Carnivorous plants
capture prey. They need to have a way to digest it. They must also have a way to
use what they’ve eaten. This plant uses a scent to attract prey. Insects and small
animals tumble into a tube so large it can hold a rat or mouse. Inside, sticky ribs
keep the prey from escaping. Then chemicals at the bottom digest it.
All plants need nitrogen to live. Generally, roots absorb it from the soil.
However, these pitcher plants grow where the soil is sandy. The soil contains
little nitrogen. These plants must get it elsewhere. They get it from what
they “eat”!

Today, some people call this plant a rat eating plant. Some say it is one of
the planet’s most dangerous plants. Regardless, the head of Kew Gardens says,
“[T]here is so much of the plant world yet to be discovered.” There is also so
much left to learn.

Comprehension: Main Idea and Key Details and Fluency
Name
1. What are three details you read about the newly discovered pitcher
plant in the text under the head “The Rat-Eating Pitcher Plant”?
2. The main idea of paragraph seven is that plants need nitrogen to

live. Which detail links this idea to pitcher plants?
3. There are many details in the text about the pitcher plant. Which
statement below is the main idea about this plant? Circle the letter
of your answer.
a. Scientists are always discovering new species of plant life.
b. These pitcher plants can swallow rats.
c. Scientists recently discovered a very unusual species of huge pitcher plant.

d. All plants need nitrogen to live.

accuracy. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
Aquatic Plants
Plants that live under water are called
hydrophytes. These aquatic plants have
adaptations that help them live in water.
Adaptations are special traits. The stems
and leaves allow the plants to move freely
in water. The hydrophyte’s roots anchor the
plant in the water rather than supply nutrients
to the rest of the plant. Finally, a hydrophyte
usually has a variety of leaf shapes. This A water lily is a hydrophyte.
Its leaves, stem, and roots are
allows for maximum water absorption and adaptations for living in water.
photosynthesis.
1. Expository text contains facts about a topic. How do you know this
is expository text?
2. What does the heading tell you about the topic?
3. Look at the diagram. What does the caption tell you that is not in
the text?
4. How does the diagram reinforce the concepts in the text?

Vocabulary Strategy: Greek Roots
Name
Read this sentence from the passage and note the word in bold.
But each year, scientists discover thousands of new kinds of plants. These
discoveries help us learn about how plants adapt to the geography and
environment in which they live.
Many English words have word parts called roots. They come from other
languages, such as Latin and Greek. The word geography contains two Greek
roots. The root geo means “earth” and graph means “to draw, write, or make a
picture.” Geography means “the physical features of a place.”
Read each question below about words with Greek roots. Then
circle the letter of the best answer.
1. If eco- means “environment,” and system means “an organized

whole made of several parts” what is an ecosystem?
a. the organized whole of an environment
b. birth place of an animal
c. collection of animals that are the same
2. If botany is the study of plants, what is a botanist?

a. a person who lives in a cold climate
b. a person who studies plants
c. a person who studies animals
3. If canopy comes from a Greek word that means “a curtain or

covering over a bed,” what do you think a canopy in a forest is?
a. leaves on the forest floor
b. leaves at the top of the forest
c. a large mosquito net

Word Study: Frequently Misspelled Words
Name
Some words are difficult to read and write because they have vowels or
consonants that do not follow regular spelling patterns. One way to learn the
correct spelling is to study a word syllable by syllable. Knowing that each
syllable has a vowel or a vowel team can help you spell difficult words.
A. Read each word. Circle the letter that shows the word correctly
divided into syllables. The first one has been done for you.
1. nickel a. nick/el b. ni/ckel
2. effect a. effe/ct b. ef/fect
3. busy a. b/usy b. bus/y
4. minute a. min/ute b. minu/te
5. probably a. prob/a/bly b. pro/bab/ly
6. especially a. esp/ecia/lly b. es/pe/cial/ly
B. Fill in the missing letters to write a word from the box. Then
write the entire word on the line. The first one has been done
for you.
caught library different bought Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
7. b o u g h t bought
8. d i fe ent
9. c u ht
10. l i b a y

Name
Evidence is details and examples from a text that support a writer’s ideas.
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to analyze a
main idea.
In “Amazing Plant Discoveries,” details about a West

Topic
African tree discovered by Kew Gardens’ botanists
sentence
support the idea that plants have to compete for food
and energy. Berlinia korupensis grows in a rain forest
where trees must compete for sunlight, so this tree grows
very tall into the canopy. It also has seedpods that burst
Evidence
open to shoot its seeds far away. This gives the seeds a
better chance to live. These key details about this tree’s
adaptations support the author’s idea that studying a
Concluding
“new” plant helps scientists understand how plants
statement
compete to survive.
from the text to support your analysis of the author’s use of
details to develop a main idea. Include relevant examples and
use compound sentences correctly and effectively.


Writing Traits: Ideas
Name
A. Read the draft model. Use the questions that follow the
draft to help you think about ways to focus on the topic and
add precise details.
Draft Model
There are many unusual rainforest plants. They are very different from the
plants you would find in your backyard!
1. Which rainforest plant do you want to focus on?
2. What is different about this plant?
3. What details will help the reader visualize the plant and
understand why it is unusual?
B. Now revise the draft by focusing on one type of rainforest

plant. Provide rich, focused details about that plant and why it
is unusual.

Vocabulary
Name
cascaded documentation dynamic plummeting

pulverize scalding shards exerts
1. sharp pieces of glass, metal, or other materials
2. falling from a high place
3. full of energy or forceful
4. written proof or support for a claim
5. puts energy or power towards doing something
6. to crush into small pieces or powder
7. flowed or poured down
8. boiling, hot enough to do hurt or injury

9.
10.
11.
12.

Name
graphic organizer.
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to identify the main
idea and key details.
Mount St. Helens

The Sleeping Giant
3 Mount St. Helens is a volcano. Like a sleeping giant, it lay quiet for
17 more than 100 years. But on May 18, 1980, the giant woke up with a
32 boom. A strong earthquake shook beneath it.
39 At 8:32 a.m. that day, volcanologist David Johnston radioed his
49 colleagues at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS had set up a
62 base in Vancouver, Washington. There they would watch volcanic activity
72 in the mountain range. Johnston watched Mount St. Helens from a camp
84 on the mountain. He said, “Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it!” Mount St.
96 Helens exploded. It caused one of the largest landslides ever recorded. The
108 north face of the mountain fell in the blast. Trees were blown down like
122 matchsticks. Fifty-seven people, including Johnston, died. After the smoke
131 cleared, more than 240 miles of forest was gone.
140 Warning Signs

142 There had been warning signs. In 1978 scientists at the USGS thought
154 that Mount St. Helens might blast again. By 1980 an earthquake was
166 recorded beneath Mount St. Helens. Three days later, another quake was
177 recorded. After that, the quakes hit like waves. There were about 15 per
190 hour. Pilots flew over the volcano and saw cracks in the glaciers. They also
204 saw avalanches. The giant could not sleep with the shaking of the earth
217 below. Huge blasts of steam in April and May led to the great quake on
232 May 18.

Name
A Real-life Laboratory
Peter Frenzen flew over the blast zone after the eruption. Frenzen was an
ecologist. Ecologists are scientists who study how living things interact with
their environment. All he could see below was a burnt landscape and a “ghost
forest” of ash. Still, Frenzen felt excited. Mount St. Helens became a real-life
laboratory.
Frenzen walked around the blast zone and saw that many plants and animals
still lived. Small animals that live beneath the ground came out from the ash.
Jerry Franklin, another scientist, said that
buried roots, bulbs, and seedlings were
important in rebuilding forests. The plants
that still lived on Mount St. Helens would
make new homes for animals. They would
start the recovery of the forests. It was true.
Large areas of the forest came back to life in
the first summer after the blast.
In 1982 Congress set up a monument of
Austin Post/Cascades Volcano Observatory/USGS

110,000 acres on Mount St. Helens. The
monument protects the mountain from
logging. It also gives the forests the chance
to grow back. Since then, trees and plants
have spread across the land. Writer and
scientist Tim McNulty has called Mount

St. Helens a lesson in hope. As long as
nature is allowed to run, he says, it is a clock Mount St. Helens after its eruption
that keeps ticking. in 1980

Name
1. What are three key details from the third paragraph?
2. What do these three details have in common?
3. Use the details to figure out the main idea. What is the main idea in
the third paragraph?

phrasing and rate. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
Laki Volcano
A volcanic eruption produces hot steam
Robert Krimmel/Cascades Volcano Observatory/USGS

and lava. However, poisonous volcanic gases
can also cause Earth’s temperatures to drop.
In the winter after Iceland’s Laki volcano
erupted in 1783, severely cold temperatures
and volcanic gases spread throughout the
northern hemisphere. Farm animals and crops
in Iceland died from the poisonous gases
and extreme temperatures. As a result, many
people died of starvation. Poisonous gases from Laki blocked
the sun and led to a very cold winter.
1. Narrative nonfiction gives a main idea and accurate details about a

topic. How do you know this is narrative nonfiction?
2. What happened after Laki erupted?
3. How does the caption help the reader understand the text?
4. What is the heading? What information does it give the reader?

Vocabulary Strategy: Metaphor and Simile
Name
Look at these examples of a simile and a metaphor, both describing the

volcano Mount St. Helens.
Simile: “Like a sleeping giant, it lay quiet for more than 100 years.”
Metaphor: “But on May 18, 1980, the giant woke up with a boom.”
A simile compares two things or ideas using the words like or as. A metaphor
is a direct comparison that refers to one thing as another. It does not use like or
as. In both examples above, the volcano is compared to a sleeping giant.
For each of the following comparisons, circle the letter of the

sentence that best states what the comparison expresses. Then
write either “simile” or “metaphor” on the line to tell which kind
of comparison each one is.
1. “Trees were blown down like matchsticks.”
a. The trees were tall and thin.
b. The trees caught fire from the earthquake.
c. The explosion was strong enough to easily blow down trees.
2. “After that, the quakes hit like waves.”

a. The area was flooded.
b. Earthquakes came one after another.
c. Earthquakes are as dangerous as tidal waves.
3. “[Nature] is a clock that keeps ticking.”
a. Natural events occur when their time comes.
b. Nature needs to be wound up like a clock.
c. Nature needs new batteries from time to time.

Phonics: r-Controlled Vowels
Name
When a vowel is followed by the letter r, they form a special r-controlled vowel
sound. Some r-controlled vowel sounds are:
the /ûr/ sound, as in shirt the /ôr/ sound, as in horn
the /âr/ sound, as in care the /är/ sound, as in march
A. Read the first word in each row. Find the word that has the
same r-controlled vowel sound. Draw a circle around that word.
The first one has been done for you.
1. share cave dare core
2. corn soak third thorn
3. cart bargain capture task
4. stir port best skirt
B. Read each word. Circle the correct sound for each word. The
5. starve /ûr/ /är/

6. surf /ôr/ /ûr/
7. torch /ôr/ /âr/
8. their /âr/ /ôr/

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence that supports his or her
argument about the author’s use of main ideas and key details.
Topic I believe all the main ideas in “Mount St. Helens” are
sentence important to understanding the volcano’s impact on the
environment. The main idea of the first section is how
devastating the 1980 eruption was. In the second section,
details about watching the volcano support the idea that
Evidence
predicting an eruption is necessary. The main idea of the
third section is that the eruption made special scientific
work possible. Because the main ideas explain events
Concluding before, during, and after the eruption, readers understand
statement the effect of the volcano.
from the text to analyze how well the main ideas helped you
understand the topic. Support your argument with clear reasons
and relevant evidence. Include complex sentences.


Writing Traits: Voice
Name
to help you think about ways to give a distinct voice to the text.
Draft Model
I sometimes walk in the swamp near my home. In my high boots, I see frogs
and trees in the fog. I usually walk alone. All I can hear is my steps in the water.
1. How can you change the first sentence to give it a particular “voice,”
or style and tone?
2. What does the narrator see and hear in the swamp? What could
the narrator feel, taste, or smell in the swamp?
3. What words would help the reader understand how the narrator
feels about being alone in the swamp? What vivid descriptions
would show this?
B. Now revise the draft by adding words and phrases that help
to develop the style and tone of the writing.

Vocabulary
Name
basically formula manufactured inventory

salaries factors fluctuate available
Label each statement as True or False. If the statement is false,

1. Items that are basically the same are similar in many ways.
2. An empty department store has a large inventory.
3. Items that are manufactured are usually made in small amounts.
4. One of the factors for success in school is paying attention in class.
5. Something that is available at a store is not yet ready to be bought.

6. Salaries are the amount of money workers earn for doing a job.
7. You can often use a formula to figure out a math problem.
8. When prices fluctuate, they stay the same for a long period of time.

Comprehension: Author’s Point of View Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the author’s point of view

graphic organizer
Details Author’s Point of View

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to help you

understand difficult sections of the text.
The Ups and Downs of Inflation

From earning to spending and everything in between, inflation affects
10 what happens to your money. As a result, inflation can have powerful
22 effects on the way you live.
28 Simply put, inflation is when prices rise. You are able to buy less with
42 each dollar you have. Inflation affects what you buy—from a candy bar to
56 a football to a car. What if you were to get the same allowance two years
72 in a row? If the price of a candy bar goes up the second year, then you will
90 have to save more to buy one.
97 Why, Oh Why?
100 Economists study the way money is made, used, and shared. Some
111 economists say that inflation means there are “too many dollars chasing
122 too few goods.” In this situation, there is a greater supply of money than
136 goods.
137 To understand this, picture an economy with two goods, paper money
148 and skateboards. What would happen if a company could not get enough
160 wheels for all the skateboards? Each skateboard would become more
170 valuable because there are not enough in supply. Not everyone who wants
182 one could get one. That pushes up the price because people will be willing
196 to pay more. This shortage of goods can lead to what is called “cost-push”
210 inflation.
211 Prices can also be pushed up if the government prints lots more money.
224 This can cause inflation. If the money supply is too large, the value of
238 each dollar drops. When the value of the dollar drops, prices go up.

Name
With inflation, people want more goods and services than the economy can
afford. Sometimes the government spends more money than it takes in from
taxes. When governments pay their bills by printing more money instead of
raising taxes, it can cause inflation. The new money supply causes people to
want to spend more. The demand for more goods and services drives prices up.
People sometimes add to inflation as they try to protect themselves from it.
If you had a job, you might ask for more pay. As a result, your employer might
have to raise prices to pay for your higher wages. This leads to more inflation.
Spending Habits During Inflation

Inflation affects people differently depending on their income. Some people
have incomes that stay the same. Some may have incomes that do not rise
enough to match inflation. These people do not have the money to buy what they
usually do. They may have to go without things. Inflation can cause people to go
into debt. Some may borrow money to pay for their day-to-day needs.
If people think prices will keep rising, they may buy ahead of their need. If
something you planned to get next year will cost more later, you may decide to
get it right away. That thinking can lead people to spend more money and save
less. If you save today and inflation rises,
your money will not be worth as much in the
future. A dollar will still look like a dollar.
It will still be called a dollar, but it will take
more dollars to pay for your wants and needs.

Inflation can be hard on people and
nations. National leaders work to control
high inflation. Stopping it can be a challenge. In the United States, the Federal Open
People often don’t want the government to Market Committee (FOMC) tries to
figure out ways to keep inflation low.
cut back on services. Most people don’t want This helps keep the U.S. economy
to pay higher taxes. Something has to give. strong.

Comprehension: Author’s Point of View and Fluency
Name
1. Look at the second paragraph. When there is inflation, can you buy
more or less with your money than when there is no inflation?
2. Read the first paragraph under the head “Spending Habits During
Inflation.” How does the author say people’s lives might change if
prices go up but their income stays the same?
3. In the next-to-last paragraph, what does the author say some

people might do if they know prices are going to rise?
4. Based on the details the author includes, which statement best

describes the author’s point of view about inflation? Circle the letter
of your answer.
a. Inflation only affects governments, not people.

b. Inflation is helpful for most people.
c. Inflation can change how people live.

rate. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
Making a Budget
To make a monthly budget, first write the One Student's Monthly Budget
planned actual
amount of money you think you will earn for $140
the month. Next, below that, write the amount
$120
you think you’ll spend on things you really
$100
need, such as food. Then, write your planned
expenses for things you want, such as a new $80
phone. At the end of the month, write your $60
actual earnings and expenses. Compare the $40

final amounts to your plan. Was your plan $20
accurate? Do you need to spend more wisely
Income Needs Wants Savings
and spend less on things you don’t need?
1. Expository text gives facts and information about a topic. It may use
graphs to support the text. How do you know this is expository text?
3. How does the text expand on the idea in the heading?
4. What is one fact that you learned from the bar graph?

Vocabulary Strategy: Root Words
Name
When you come across an unfamiliar word, try to recognize its root. Use the
meaning of the root to help you find the word’s meaning, as with the word
shortage below. root = short meaning: "a lack or amount that is too small"
Not everyone who wants one could get one. That pushes up the price
because people will be willing to pay more. This shortage can lead to
what is called “cost-push” inflation.
Read each passage and notice the word in bold. Study the
meaning of its root. Then circle the letter of the correct meaning
of the word in bold.
1. From earning to spending and everything in between, inflation

affects what happens to your money. Simply put, inflation is when
prices rise. You are able to buy less with each dollar you have.
root word: inflate
a. higher prices b. lower prices c. less money
2. Some economists say that inflation means there are “too many
dollars chasing too few goods.”
root word: economy
a. people who add money to the economy
b. people who study the economy
c. people who spend money in the economy
3. Each skateboard would become more valuable because there are

not enough in supply.
root word: value

a. having worth b. high quality c. inexpensive
4. Prices can also be pushed up if the government prints more money.
root word: govern

a. printing office b. owners of banks c. leaders of the country

Word Study: Compound Words
Name
A compound word is made up of two smaller words. There are three different
types of compound words: closed compounds, such as footprint, open
compounds, such as air bag, and hyphenated compounds, such as stir-fry.
• Compound nouns are usually hyphenated when they end with the word in
or on.
• Compound nouns can be either hyphenated or closed when they end with
the words off, out, or up.
A. Read each sentence. Look for two words that should be

connected to make a closed compound. Circle the words, then
write the compound on the line. The first one is done for you.
1. There were several sheep in the farm yard . farmyard
2. My team mate gave me a ride home from the game.
3. We ate fresh water melon at the picnic.
4. The doctor listened to my heart beat .
5. I found a beautiful sea shell on the beach.
B. Read each pair of words. Decide which pair should be

hyphenated to make a compound word. Underline the pair
and add a hyphen. The first one is done for you.
6. full-time air bag
7. light bulb twenty five
8. drive in post office
9. slip up full moon
10. question mark right handed

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to support a claim about
the author’s point of view.
I think the author shares a clear point of view in “The

Topic
Ups and Downs of Inflation” that the causes of inflation
sentence
are hard to identify and control. The author includes
several possible causes of inflation. For example, goods
Evidence may become scarce. The government may not be able to
pay its bills. People may also encourage inflation when
they react to money problems by making poor choices.
Concluding By discussing different reasons why inflation happens, the
statement author makes clear how difficult it is to control.
from the text to analyze whether the author expresses a point of
view about the topic. Remember to use evidence to support your
claim and to avoid run-on sentences and comma splices.


Writing Traits: Sentence Fluency
Name
to help you think about how you can add transitions to connect
related ideas.
Draft Model
Each year I go through my clothes and choose many to donate to charity.
I rarely wear these items. Other people could use them.
1. How can you add a sentence using the transition for instance to
show an example of the types of clothes that are donated?
2. How can you use a transition such as also, in addition, or another

to add an idea that is similar to one already in the draft?
3. What transition can you use to explain why the speaker rarely
wears the items? Make sure your transition connects a cause and
an effect.
B. Now revise the draft by adding transitions that connect related

ideas.

Vocabulary
Name
artifact communal derived inscription

millennium stationery utilize yields
1. amounts of something, such as crops
2. human-made object from a particular period in history
3. writing paper or envelopes
4. shared by a group
5. traced back to its origin
6. use
7. something that is written or carved as a lasting record
8. period of 1,000 years

9. Which word describes something you would use to write a letter?
10. Which word would you use to describe an ancient vase?
11. Which word would you use to describe the writing on a statue?

Comprehension: Problem and Solution Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the problem and solution

graphic organizer.
Problem Solution

Name
Read the passage. Use the ask and answer questions strategy
before, during, and after each section.
The Mysterious Olmecs

The Olmecs were an ancient people who lived around 1200–400 b.c.
12 They lived in Middle America. Today we call the region Mexico and
24 Central America. There is a lot that is mysterious about the Olmecs. We
37 know that they made their own written language and calendars. Yet their
49 language and numbers are difficult for us to understand. All we can do is
63 guess what they mean. The Olmecs are well known for their huge rock
76 sculptures. Yet we don’t know what the sculptures stand for. One thing we
89 do know is that the Olmecs were a complex people. We see their mark on
104 later cultures such as the Mayans and Aztecs.
112 The name Olmec means “people of rubber country.” They lived where
123 rubber trees grew. It seems that the Olmecs were the first people to make
137 what we think of as rubber. They mixed vine juice with a milk-like liquid
151 from the trees. With this mixture, they made balls that could bounce high.
164 They used the balls to play games. Later, other cultures continued to play
177 ball games and found more ways to use rubber. The Olmecs’ discovery
189 may be why we use rubber today.
196 Early Writing in the Americas

201 Archaeologists have proof that the Olmecs were the first people in the
213 Americas to write. Scientists discovered an important stone that dates
223 back to about 900 b.c. Writing is carved into the rock. More pictures and
237 symbols were found on statues and masks. One rock slab has 465 carvings.
250 Yet, we have not figured out the Olmecs’ written code.

Name
A Matter of Time
Olmec calendars combined two different calendars. Priests needed to keep
track of their ceremonies, so they made one calendar with 260 days. They made
another calendar that had 360 days for other events. The two calendars together
were called the Long Count calendar. Long Count dates contained five simple
numbers made up of lines and dots.
The Amazing Zero

Archaeologists credit the Olmecs with inventing zero. The Olmecs used a
base-20 counting system. They wrote separate numbers from 1–20, just as we
do for 1–10 today. To make their system work, they needed a zero.
The idea of zero is common to us. However, most ancient people did not
understand it. It is really a very complex idea. Sometimes zero serves as a
placeholder to explain other numbers. Zero also stands as its own number. The
Olmecs understood that.
Stone Sculptures
Huge stone faces were found at several Olmec sites. These strange stone
carvings range in size from five to nine feet tall. The images all have grim, flat
faces. Each head wears what seems to be a helmet. No one knows why. The
carvings may be of Olmec rulers. It seems
likely that the Olmec culture had many classes

of people. Leaders would have ruled over the
artisans and laborers. Maybe they demanded
the images be made. It is a mystery.
We still have a lot to learn about the
Olmecs. What we have learned so far points
to an advanced ancient culture. Researchers
have many more mysteries to unravel.
Perhaps we will learn even more about Olmec
contributions in the future. Olmec sites

Comprehension: Problem and Solution and Fluency
Name
1. Look at the text under the heading “A Matter of Time.” What

problem did the Olmec priests need to solve?
2. How did they solve that problem?
3. Which statement below describes the problem that the Olmecs

solved by inventing zero? Circle the letter of the best answer.
a. The Olmecs solved the problem of counting in base twenty.
b. The Olmecs solved the problem of dividing by twenty.
c. The Olmecs solved the problem of multiplying by ten.
B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention

to rate and accuracy. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
The Moors’ Influence on Western Europe

In 711, the Moors crossed into Spain. They remained there until 1492.
During their rule, the Moors influenced all of Western Europe, not just Spain.
Although Moors made advancements in agriculture and architecture, their
greatest influence was intellectual. They built more than seventy libraries in the
city of Cordoba alone. Together, Muslims, Jews, and Christians gathered there
to study philosophy, science, and medicine. As Moorish cities fell to outsiders,
some great libraries remained.
Golden Age of Islam brings

about a culture of learning
750–1258
600 800 1000 1200 1400

711 719 1085
Moors cross Moors control King Alfonso VI Moorish rule ends with 1492
into Spain almost all of Spain captures Toledo the fall of Granada
1. Expository text provides information about people and places in

history. How do you know this passage is expository text?
2. What does the heading tell you about the topic? Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
3. What information does the timeline provide?
4. Give one example of how the timeline supports a fact in the text.

Vocabulary Strategy: Latin Roots
Name
Look at the word credit in the sentence below. This word has a Latin root.
“Archaeologists credit the Olmecs with inventing zero.”
Many English words have word parts called roots. These come from other
languages, especially Latin and Greek. The word credit has the Latin root
cred, meaning “believe.” If the archaeologists credit the Olmecs, it means they
believe the Olmecs invented zero.
Circle the letter of the answer that correctly defines the word in
bold in each passage.
1. “The idea of zero is common to us. However, most ancient people

did not understand it. It is really a very complex idea.”
The Latin prefix com- means “together.” The Latin root plexus
means “braided or twisted.” In the sentence above, what does
complex mean?
a. easy b. unknown c. complicated
2. “Sometimes zero serves as a placeholder to explain other numbers.”

The Latin root serv means “to perform the duties of.” In the
sentence above, what does serves mean?
a. is used b. waits c. disappears
3. “These strange stone carvings range in size from five to nine feet
tall. The images all have grim, flat faces.”
The Latin root imag means “likeness.” In the sentence above, what
does images mean?
a. artists b. carvings c. visitors
4. “Leaders would have ruled over the artisans and laborers.”

The Latin root art means “skill.” In the sentence above, what does
artisans mean?
a. skilled workers b. stone carvers c. farmers

Phonics: Irregular Plurals
Name
Most nouns become plurals by adding -s. Some nouns do not follow this form
and have an irregular plural form.
• Words ending with -fe: change -fe to -ve and then add -s, as in knife/knives
• Words ending with -f: change -f to -v and then add -es, as in wolf/wolves
• Words ending with -o: add -es, as in potato/potatoes
A. Read each word in bold. Circle the correct irregular plural

form. The first one has been done for you.
1. wife wifes wives
2. tornado tornados tornadoes
3. thief thieves thiefs
4. life lifes lives
5. loaf loaves loafes
B. Read each word. Write the irregular plural form on the line.

6. echo echoes
7. half
8. shelf
9. tomato
10. scarf

Name
described a problem and any solutions to it.
Topic In “The Mysterious Olmecs,” the author explains that

sentence the problem of understanding the Olmec culture hasn’t
been completely solved. Though we know that the Olmecs
were the first to use rubber and probably invented zero,
Evidence people who study this ancient culture don’t understand all
the Olmecs’ artifacts. Some pictures and symbols can’t be
read yet. Even the large stone faces are still a mystery.
Concluding
The author’s examples show that solutions to the problem
statement
of studying the Olmecs are still needed.
from the text to analyze how a problem is described and whether
any solutions are explained. Remember to maintain a formal style
and to use common and proper nouns correctly.


Name
to help you think about ways to provide supporting details that
will tell the reader more about the main idea.
Draft Model
Inventors built the first computer to do calculations. Now people also use
computers for research and to keep in touch. These machines have Internet and
word processing software.
1. When were computers first invented?
2. How big were the first computers? What kinds of calculations did
they perform?
3. What details could be added to explain how and why

computers changed?
4. How is society affected by the wide availability of the Internet

and of word processing software?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details that will help

the reader learn more about how computers have changed

over time.

Vocabulary
Name
aspiring foundation restrict withstood

speculation principal promote preceded
1. describes someone who wants to achieve a goal
2. basis on which something is developed
3. came before something else
4. most important
5. help grow or progress
6. limit or confine
7. thought or guess that is not based on fact
8. resisted or held out against something

9.
10.
11.
12.

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the compare and contrast

graphic organizer.
Both

Name
Read the passage. Use the ask and answer questions

strategy before, during, and after each section.
What is a Democracy?
The United States of America is a democracy. Most people have thought
12 so since the nation began. What does democracy mean? The Greek
23 prefix demo- means “people.” The Greek root word cracy means “rule.”
34 Democracy, therefore, suggests a government ruled by the people. What
44 exactly does this mean in a country like ours?
53 In Search of Liberty
57 When the Puritans came to America, they wanted liberty. They left
68 England in search of freedom of religion. In America, they faced a new
81 problem. They had to build a new government. Yet they wanted to protect
94 their freedom of choice. They decided to meet together to make their own
107 laws. These gatherings were called town meetings.
114 Town-Hall Meetings

116 In Puritan times, town halls were where people took care of town
128 business. Sometimes, these buildings were also used for worship. Early
138 settlers looked forward to town meeting days. The meetings were more
149 than a time to talk and vote. People didn’t have telephones or other ways
163 to connect like they do today. The town meetings became public social
175 gatherings.
176 As New England grew, people with common interests settled together
186 in small towns. As a result, people living in the same town often had the
201 same goals. Voters wanted to solve problems for the good of all. The
214 citizens participated directly in legislation. In small towns this form of
225 democracy worked.

Name
Today people still hold town meetings. Not only is it still a good way of
governing, but it is a tradition. Many people see the town meeting as a symbol
of democracy.
Two Kinds of Democracy

The kind of democracy that takes place in town-hall meetings is called
“direct democracy.” In early New England, direct democracy worked well.
The townspeople were able to make decisions together.
However, as small towns grew, town meetings were impractical. Face to face
dialogue was not possible. For the same reason, the town meetings were not
useful at the state and national level.
Fortunately, there is another form of democracy. It is known as “representative
democracy.” This means that people vote for leaders who make laws for them.
These elected representatives make decisions for the people who voted them into
office. Direct democracy works best with large groups of people. This form of
democracy is necessary in a nation such as ours.
Democracy in the United States Today

What system of democracy does the Representative
Direct Democracy
United States have today? Our nation Democracy
is much too large for all to participate 1. Works best in towns 1. Works for towns, cities,
with small populations. and the nation with large
directly in making laws. So, our state populations.

and national governments must be 2. Allows each voter to 2. Citizens elect people
speak his/her mind. to represent their
representative democracies. ideas about laws and
government.
Some small local governments do still
3. Allows voters to make 3. Representatives discuss
govern with direct democracy like they decisions directly for the issues and make
themselves. decisions for the people
did in colonial America. Some people they represent.
might say that a representative democracy 4. Value is placed on 4. Value is placed on
personal freedom and personal freedom and
is not a pure democracy. However, both political equality. political equality.
forms of democracy try to protect freedom
for all. Both forms protect citizens equally under the law.

Comprehension: Compare and Contrast and Fluency
Name
1. Look at paragraph 3. What is one way in which earlier life in the

United States was different from life today?
2. Look at the chart at the end of the passage. What are two ways
that direct democracy and representative democracy are similar?
3. Which statement below describes a difference between direct

democracy and representative democracy? Circle the letter of the
best answer.
a. In direct democracy, leaders make decisions for people they

represent; in representative democracy, voters make decisions
for themselves.
b. A representative democracy works better for small groups of

people than a direct democracy.
c. In a representative democracy, citizens elect others to represent

their ideas; in a direct democracy, citizens state their own ideas
in public.

rate and accuracy. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
The U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011
nation’s highest court. It hears cases
Name Began serving
brought before it and interprets the
Constitution. The Supreme Court can Antonin Scalia 1986
decide that a law passed by Congress Anthony M. Kennedy 1988
is unconstitutional or constitutional. Clarence Thomas 1991
It can also tell a state that one of its
Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1993
laws goes against the Constitution.
Supreme Court members are chosen Stephen G. Breyer 1994
by the president and approved by John G. Roberts 2005
Congress. They serve until they (Chief Justice)
choose to retire. The Supreme Court Samuel A. Alito, Jr. 2006
is made up of eight associate justices Sonia Sotomayor 2009
and one chief justice.
Elena Kagan 2010
1. Expository text contains information about real people and events.

How do you know this is an example of expository text?
2. What does the heading of the text tell you about the topic?
3. Look at the chart. What is the title of the chart?

Vocabulary Strategy: Greek and Latin Prefixes
Name
You can often use prefixes, or word parts at the beginnings of words, to help
you understand a whole word’s meaning. Many prefixes are from Latin or
Greek. Look at the following example.
democracy
The Greek prefix demo- means “people.”
demo- + cracy = ruling by the people
A. Match each prefix on the left to the root it belongs with

on the right to form a complete word.
1. sys tect
2. tele lation
3. legis logue
4. dia phones
5. pro tem
B. Choose the prefix tele-, meaning “distance,” or the prefix

pro-, meaning “in front of or before,” to add to each of the
following words or roots. Then use the new word in a sentence.
6. -scope
7. -vide
8. -vision
9. -gress

Word Study: Inflectional Endings
Name
The spelling of some verbs does not change when the endings -ed or -ing are
added: orbit, orbited, orbiting.
For words ending in a short vowel followed by a consonant, double the final
consonant before adding -ed or -ing: skip, skipped, skipping.
For words ending in a consonant followed by a silent e, drop the e before
adding -ed or -ing: slope, sloped, sloping.
Read each verb in bold. Then circle the correct -ed or -ing form of
the verb. The first one has been done for you.
1. care careing caring
2. want wantted wanted
3. smile smiling smileling
4. pat pating patting
5. clap clapping claping
6. taste tastted tasted

7. change changing changeing
8. fold folding foldding
9. sip sipped siped

Name
compared and contrasted ideas to explain the topic.
Topic In “What Is Democracy?” the author compares early

sentence forms of government to facts about today’s government
to explain what democracy is. For example, a description
of the way Puritans met to make laws shows how a direct
Evidence
democracy is different from one in which representatives
of the people make laws. The chart shows how governing
a small group is different from making laws for a large
population. By showing similarities and differences
Concluding between two types of government, the author helped me
statement understand what democracy means.
Write a paragraph about the text you chose. Cite text evidence to
show how the author compared and contrasted ideas. Develop
your analysis with concrete details, and use singular and plural
nouns correctly.


Name
draft to help you think about what supporting details can
be added to tell the reader more about the topic.
Draft Model
Last week, our class voted. Kids were on the ballot. Carla promised many
things. I voted for her. She won!
1. What office was the class voting for?
2. Who exactly was on the ballot?
3. What exactly did Carla promise?
4. Why did the narrator choose to vote for Carla?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details to provide

important information about the class election.

Vocabulary
Name
alcove commerce domestic exotic

fluent stifling upheaval utmost
1. speaks or writes a language very well
2. small space set back in a wall or room
3. major or sudden change that often creates problems
4. suffocating or extremely close
5. unusual and interesting
6. related to family or life at home
7. buying and selling of products to make money
8. greatest or highest amount

9. Which word would you use to describe what happens at a market?
10. Which word would you use to describe someone’s language skills?
11. Which word would you use to describe a sudden change in government?

Comprehension: Point of View Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the details and point of view

graphic organizer.
Details Point of View

Name
Read the passage. Use the make predictions strategy to make

logical guesses about what will happen next.
Kush, A Land of Archers

The morning air was hot and steamy. Swatting the insects feasting on
12 my arms, I sat with my ears tuned to the hills not far from the Nile River.
29 The sounds of battle still echoed in my head. Fighting was common in the
43 land of Kush. Jealous pharaohs often wanted to rule our land just south
56 of Egypt.
58 Some people called our land Nubia, the land of gold. Nubia had other
71 goods, such as iron and precious stones. Foreigners from other kingdoms
82 wanted to claim our resources.
87 Our army of archers was recognized far and wide. Bows and arrows
99 were Kush weapons of war. Our archers were skilled and strong. Our army
112 had resisted the enemy in the most recent invasion. However, the gold
124 mines would always be at stake.
130 Running my fingers through the dirt, I sketched a battle scene. At
142 twelve, the leaders declared I was too young to see war for myself. I was
157 forbidden to observe, even from the sidelines. However, memories of
167 the sounds of the distant battle drums stirred my imagination. I quickly
179 outlined pictures of muscular archers, bows and arrows held high. I
190 imagined myself in the lineup. If only I could be there with my father
204 and brothers.
206 Father assigned me the farm chores and protection of the household
217 during any invasion. Even with those responsibilities, I made time for
228 target practice every day. My oldest brother had given me one of his old
242 bows and taught me the basics of archery. He said I was a natural archer.
257 So, I practiced more.

Name
Each spring we looked forward to the “Festival of Many Villages.” People

came from all around, and the celebration lasted for several days. Everyone
brought food. Dancing and eating went on for days. Potters brought their
artwork to sell or trade.
My favorite part of the festival was the archery contest. Archers of all ages
came to prove their skill. The best athletes won the praise of the people. I had
anxiously waited for this year’s festival to arrive. I was nervous because for the
first time, I would compete in the great contest.
“Mother, you will be proud of me today,” I said as we walked toward the
festival grounds. “I plan to compete in the archery contest.” At first, Mother
looked surprised. Then she smiled as if she understood what this meant to me.
“Oh, little Markos, give yourself time to grow!” my older brother teased,
messing up my hair with his huge hands.
Ignoring my brother, I walked on to the archery field. I turned in my name
for the contest. Soon afterward, the drummers began to call everyone to gather
at the field.
One by one, archers were called to prove their skill. Finally, I heard my name.
I walked to the field, fighting my fear. I slowly drew the arrow back in my
kiniosha, or bow, yet stood frozen in place.
Aware that the crowd was waiting, I had to let go. “Zing!” I felt the arrow
release. My eyes followed the arrow as it rose
into the vivid blue sky. When I ran toward the
targets, the villagers began chanting my name.

My arrow had plunged into the most distant
target of all. It was where the experts’ arrows
landed!
Now I knew I could be one of the famous
Kush archers. Someday I would protect the
land, treasure, and people of Kush. “Markos
the Archer” sounded just right.

Comprehension: Point of View and Fluency
Name
1. What pronouns does the narrator use on the first page of the story?
2. Who is telling the story? How do you know?
3. Which point of view is this story told from? Circle the letter of the
best answer.
a. first-person point of view
b. second-person point of view
c. third-person point of view
4. Write three details you learn about the narrator in paragraphs 4

and 5.

expression. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Hasina, Fabric Maker of Deir el-Medina

“Hasina, please fix the stitching of this fabric,” my boss Amisi tells me.
“It will become a robe for the Pharaoh’s son, after all.” My name, Hasina, means
“good” in Egyptian. I am proud of my name. I try to be good at my job as a
fabric maker in my city of Deir el-Medina. “Of course. It must be perfect for
our future king,” I say. In my country, many women work outside of the home.
However, tomorrow I will clean my house, cook, and keep my family “nefer.” It
means “pure and beautiful.” This is my most important job.
1. Historical fiction takes place in a real setting from history. What is

the setting of this text?
2. Historical fiction often uses foreign words. What are three foreign
words in the text?

3. What does the text tell you about the women of the time?

Vocabulary Strategy: Connotations and Denotations
Name
Look at the word feasting in the sentence below to see an example of a word
with a strong connotation.
“Swatting the insects feasting on my arms, I sat with my ears tuned to the
hills not far from the Nile River.”
There are many words the writer could have used instead of feasting that
have similar meanings, or denotations—eating, dining, or nibbling. The word
feasting, however, suggests eating a lot and with great enjoyment. That is its
connotation, the tone that the word has in its context.
Read each of the following excerpts from the passage. Then

circle the letter of the word that could best replace each word in
bold without changing the tone of the sentence.
1. Some people called our land Nubia, the land of gold. Nubia had
other goods, such as iron and precious stones. Foreigners from
other kingdoms wanted to claim our resources.
a. neighbors b. enemies c. leaders
2. Archers of all ages came to prove their skill. The best athletes won
the praise of the people.
a. raves b. approval c. worship
3. I had anxiously waited for this year’s festival to arrive. I was nervous
because for the first time, I would compete in the great contest.
a. fearfully b. cautiously c. nervously
4. “Oh, little Markos, give yourself time to grow!” my older brother

teased, messing up my hair with his huge hands.
a. kidded b. pestered c. mocked

Phonics: Closed Syllables
Name
When a syllable ends in a consonant, it is called a closed syllable. Most closed

syllables have a short-vowel sound.
vul as in vulture bas and ket as in basket
A. Read the words in each row. Circle the word that begins with a
closed syllable. The first one has been done for you.
1. whole lazy pantry
2. music classic student
3. pilot whisper later
4. muffler people frozen
5. flea pumpkin being
6. human roost necklace
B. Rewrite each word on the line. Draw a slanted line (/) after the first
closed syllable in each word. The first one has been done for you.
7. kingdom king/dom

8. mental
9. ponder
10. tunnel

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how the point
of view helps the author develop the main character and the plot.
In “Kush, a Land of Archers,” the first-person point

Topic
of view helps readers imagine what the main character
sentence
experiences. The main character, Markos, tells the story,
so we know only what he thinks, sees, and hears. He hears
the drums and draws the men in battle as he imagines
Evidence
them. When Markos enters the archery contest, we know
how nervous he feels. We watch the surprising events
happen through his eyes. The author’s use of first-person
Concluding
point of view helps bring the character of Markos alive
statement
and adds to the suspense.
Write a paragraph about the story you have chosen. Cite

evidence from the text to show how the point of view affects your
understanding of the main character and the plot. Remember to
use evidence to support your ideas and to use irregular plural
nouns correctly.


Name
help you think about ways to make the conclusion stronger.
Draft Model
It was time for Mario to return home. As he boarded the airplane, he turned
and waved back to us. He was now truly part of our family.
1. How might the conclusion help to clarify previous events in the story?
2. What descriptive words and phrases can you add to show the
intensity of Mario’s and the family’s feelings?
3. What details would help make the conclusion more interesting

or surprising?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details that will help create an
interesting, satisfying conclusion to the story.

Vocabulary
Name
benefit deftly derision eaves

expertise impudence legacy symmetry
Label each statement True or False. If the statement is false,

1. Eaves are an important part of a plant.
2. If you do something deftly, you do it quickly and with skill.
3. If you have expertise in something, you are very good at it.
4. Feeling tired is one benefit of going to sleep early.
5. Derision can usually make people feel good.

6. If something has symmetry, it has beauty and balance.
7. A legacy is something that will occur in the future.
8. When you behave with impudence, you are being respectful.

Name
Read the selection. Complete the point of view graphic organizer.

Name
Read the passage. Use the make predictions strategy to make

logical guesses about what will happen next.
Approaching Zero
Basu counted the steps, doing quick measurements as he walked along
11 the south bank of India’s Ganges River. He had arisen before daybreak,
23 and the sun was now rising in the east. By his calculations, he had walked
38 12,563 steps, covering about one-quarter of the distance from his small
49 village. By the time the sun was directly overhead, he should finally
61 reach the university at Patna. There he hoped to find Aryabhata. Perhaps
73 the great mathematician could help him with the questions he’d been
84 pondering. How do you measure the passing of time and days? How do
97 you determine the circumference of Earth?
103 From what Basu had heard, Aryabhata had all of the answers. However,
115 the master did not like to be disturbed. Basu’s parents had warned him
128 not to go. “Why would a wise scholar want to waste his time with a
143 twelve-year-old boy?” his father had chided. But Basu had a burning
154 desire to study math. According to the local scholars, Aryabhata’s book
165 described the earth as a sphere that rotated around the sun, and explained
178 mathematics, time, astronomy, and other mysteries of the universe.
187 Basu dragged a stick along the dirt, drawing a line. Was it a straight line
202 between where he just was and where he was going? He posed question
215 after question to himself to pass the time and kept a running step count as
230 he went—18,231. The sun was just where Basu expected.

Name
Finally, Basu spotted a man crouched on a mat by a small, low table. He

could see the man was writing with a long iron spike that he dipped in ink,
etching the surface of hardened palm leaves. Basu held his breath and took quiet,
short steps, cutting the remaining distance in half, and then in half again, until
finally he was standing beside Aryabhata. Basu was so close he could see the
mysterious numbers and symbols.
Basu was invisible to Aryabhata, who was lost in his thoughts. Just then a
beetle flew off the spike and landed on Basu’s arm. He brushed it off without
thinking and jarred Aryabhata’s hand, which skidded across the ink. Aryabhata
looked up in a flash of anger and thundered, “Who are you?”
“I am just a merchant’s son,” said Basu, “but I’ve come here hoping to absorb
a fraction of your knowledge and wisdom.”
Aryabhata gave him a hard stare and replied, “All right. You may ask me one
question.”
Basu thought for a moment. “I walked 50,348 steps to get here. Then I crossed
your courtyard, cutting the distance in half and in half again. Now I cannot get
any closer. What number tells how many steps I have to go?”
A broad smile lit Aryabhata’s face. “You have just asked the very question I
have been working on for ages. The answer is
zero. There are zero steps left, and zero is the
number.”
“There’s one other thing I want to know—”
Basu began.

“You have zero questions left!” Aryabhata
admonished. Basu looked crushed with
disappointment, but Aryabhata laughed. “Zero,
plus one thousand! You may ask me as many
questions as you wish, because I think we can
learn a lot together.”

Name
1. In the first paragraph, how is the character Basu described?

Put a check on the line in front of the best answer.
The narrator calls himself I and uses pronouns such as my and mine.
The narrator calls the character Basu and uses pronouns such as he, him,
and his.
2. From reading paragraph five, do you think the narrator is

Aryabhata? Why or why not?
3. Use your answers for items 1 and 2 to figure out the point of view of
the story. Whose point of view is the story written from? Circle the
letter of the best answer.
a. Basu’s
b. Aryabhata’s
c. someone who is not a character in the story

4. What is the point of view of this story?


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Urco: Craftsman in Training

“Father, I want to be a craftsman, an artist,” pleaded Urco, a twelve-year-old
boy. The year was 1425.
“No, my son. You must work as a laborer like the rest of us, building roads
and temples in our great city of Cuzco,” replied Urco’s father. As angry as he
felt, Urco knew that most men did just what his father had said. They dedicated
their lives to building the city high in the mountains. Urco was different. He
wanted to create goblets and ornaments for the nobles and the king! Now, Urco
had to convince his father to allow him to make those things.
1. Historical fiction is about a real time and place in the past. What
detail in the text tells you when this story takes place?
2. Where does this text take place? What detail from the dialogue, or
spoken words, tells you where the text takes place?

3. Write an example of dialogue from the text. What does the dialogue
tell you about the character who speaks the words?

Vocabulary Strategy: Greek and Latin Suffixes
Name
Sometimes when you know the meaning of a suffix you can figure out what a
word means. Look at these Greek and Latin suffixes and their definitions.
-ment act of, state of -ible tending to, given to
-ion, -tion state of, result of -nomy laws of
Now read this sentence: “Basu looked crushed with disappointment.”
Knowing the meaning of the suffix -ment helps you understand that
disappointment means “the state of being disappointed.”
Read each excerpt from the passage. Underline the suffix of each
word in bold. Then circle the letter of the best meaning for each
word. Look at the list of suffixes and definitions above for help.
1. By his calculations, he had walked 12,563 steps, covering about

one-quarter of the distance from his small village.
a. the results of walking
b. the results of calculating
c. the results of leaving his village
2. According to the local scholars, Aryabhata’s book described the earth

as a sphere that rotated around the sun, and explained mathematics,
time, astronomy, and other mysteries of the universe.
a. laws of the universe
b. laws of math
c. laws of the earth
3. Basu was invisible to Aryabhata, who was lost in his thoughts.
a. being thoughtful
b. not being seen
c. not being lost

Phonics: Open Syllables
Name
When a syllable ends in a vowel, it is called an open syllable. Most open

syllables have a long-vowel sound.
ba as in bacon pre as in prefix mi as in minus
co as in cozy su as in super
A. Read each word. Underline the open syllable. The first one has
been done for you.
1. favor
2. unit
3. resists
4. brutal
5. labor
B. Read the words in each row. Circle the word that has an open
syllable. The first one has been done for you.
6. basket open finger

7. fever yellow dinner
8. relay bottle happen
9. effort member voter
10. rival ticket fasten

Name
Evidence is details and examples from a text that support a writer’s analysis.
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence that supports his
or her ideas about the author’s use of point of view.
The author’s use of third-person point of view in

Topic
“Approaching Zero” helped me understand the characters
sentence
and added interest to the plot. In the first half of the
story, the narrator tells us Basu’s thoughts and worries.
Evidence When Basu finally meets the master, the narrator shows
how stern Aryabhata’s reactions are. It is a surprise when
Aryabhata softens and says that Basu can be his student.
Concluding
The third-person point of view helps readers understand
statement
both characters and adds an interesting twist to the plot.
Write a paragraph about the story you have chosen. Cite text
evidence to analyze how the third-person point of view helped
you understand the characters and the plot. Remember to use
possessive nouns correctly.


Name
help you think about using transitions to clarify shifts in time or
setting.
Draft Model
Uncle Max agreed to show me the magic trick. I tried to learn how to hold
the coin the way he showed me. I got it, and I pulled the coin out of Uncle
Max’s ear.
1. When and why did Uncle Max agree to teach the narrator the trick?
2. What happened after Uncle Max agreed? How was the narrator
able to learn to do the trick?
3. What transitional words and phrases could be added to help

connect all the events?
B. Now revise the draft by adding transitions to clarify shifts in

time or setting.

Vocabulary
Name
commemorate forlorn contemplate majestic
A. Write each word next to its definition.
1. miserable or lonely
2. grand or impressive
3. to think about something seriously
4. to honor or remember
B. Write four sentences. Use one vocabulary word in each sentence.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Comprehension: Theme Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the theme graphic organizer.
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name
Read the passage. Check your understanding by asking yourself

what the message of the poem is.
At Grandmother’s Pueblo
When I visit my grandmother’s pueblo,
6 I hear songs I can’t understand.
12 I see folks who are happy and smiling
20 Saying welcome to family land.
25 New Mexico, so dry and vast,

31 Holds a painted canvas before me,
37 With deserts and valleys and mountains
43 As far as the eye can see.
50 Nature proudly displays

53 Her work for us to savor.
59 When the sun bows low, I see
66 A rainbow like a party favor.
72 Grandmother weaves her blankets

76 And tells us stories of tricksters.
82 I listen as if in a trance
89 While the campfire dances and flickers.
95 When Grandma comes to my room

101 Later on, she holds to the light
108 A blanket she made just for me
115 That holds me in its arms all night.

Comprehension: Theme and Fluency
Name
1. In the first stanza, the speaker says that at Grandmother’s pueblo,

“I hear songs I can’t understand.” What do those words mean?
What does this tell you about life at the pueblo?
2. The descriptions in the last part of stanza 1 and in stanzas 2 and 3

describe the people, land, and nature around the pueblo. How does
the speaker feel about the people, land, and nature there?
3. Based on the words the poet uses to describe the blanket from
Grandma, how do you think the blanket makes the speaker feel?
4. Think about all the details in this poem. Which statement describes
the theme of this poem? Circle the letter of your answer.

a. Being in nature is like being at a party with friendly people.
b. It is fun to listen to trickster stories told around a campfire at a pueblo.
c. A place that seems different at first can turn out to be welcoming and secure.


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Museum Trip
While walking through the gallery, it seemed
That I was on a journey through the years.
Ancient statues stared ahead and dreamed.
Waiting, watching, beckoning each appeared.
Look at these and this and those things, they said,
As I saw the cases of golden things
That were useful to people so long dead,
Golden crowns and cups, masks and bowls and rings.
But then the afternoon grew late, and we
Had to leave this place of treasures and things rare.
And though we left there’s so much more to see.
I want to come back here again to share.
It makes me wonder what on Earth they’d say
If those people were here to tell us today.
1. What is one thing that tells you this poem is a lyric poem?
2. Write four words that show an example of the poem’s main

rhyme scheme.
3. Write the syllables that are stressed in the line “While walking
through the gallery it seemed” .
4. What does the speaker wonder about these “people so long dead”?

Literary Elements: Rhyme Scheme and Meter
Name
Rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhyming words at the ends of lines.

To identify rhyme scheme, give a letter—a, b, c, d—to each new sound at
the end of a line. If a sound is repeated, give it the same letter as the word it
rhymes with. The rhyme scheme of the stanza below is abab.
Example: Do you see a
a flying bird? b
Could it be a
her song I heard? b
Meter is a pattern of the syllables that are stressed when a poem is read aloud.
Example: As far as the eye can see.
Read the stanza from the lyric poem below. Then answer
the questions.
At Grandmother’s Pueblo
Nature proudly displays
Her work for us to savor.
When the sun bows low, I see
A rainbow like a party favor.
1. Which two end-words in this stanza rhyme?

2. Write the rhyme scheme of the stanza. Remember, if end-words do
not rhyme, they get different letters.
3. Write the last line of the stanza. Underline each syllable you think
needs to be stressed.

Vocabulary Strategy: Personification
Name
A poet sometimes gives human abilities or feelings to nonhuman objects,

animals, or ideas. To understand these images better, look for the thing that is
personified. It will be doing or feeling something human, as New Mexico is in
these lines.
New Mexico, so dry and vast,
holds a painted canvas before me
Read each passage. Then answer the questions.
1. Nature proudly displays

Her work for us to savor.
What is personified? Hint: The human action is “proudly displays

her work.”
2. When the sun bows low, I see

A rainbow like a party favor.
What is personified? Hint: The human action is “bows low.”

3. I listen as if in a trance
While the campfire dances and flickers.
What is personified? Hint: The human action is “dances.”
4. A blanket she made just for me

That holds me in its arms all night.
What is personified? Hint: The human action is “holds me in

its arms.”

Phonics: Consonant + le Syllables
Name
Every syllable in a word has one vowel sound. When a word ends in -le,
the consonant before it plus the letters -le form the last syllable. This type of
syllable is called a consonant + le syllable.
A. Read each sentence. Circle the word that has a consonant

+ le syllable. The first one has been done for you.
1. The ring from my grandmother is valuable to me.
2. My friend rode his bicycle to my house.
3. My dad likes to scramble his eggs for breakfast.
4. I need a needle to sew the button back on.
5. Can you whistle that new tune?
B. Read each word. Draw a line to the word with the same
consonant + le syllable. The first one has been done for you.
6. durable beagle
7. simple speckle

8. befuddle securable
9. squiggle noodle
10. freckle trample

Name
of a poem developed the theme.
Topic The author of “At Grandmother’s Pueblo” uses

sentence figurative language to help develop the theme. The speaker
says New Mexico holds a painted canvas, Nature displays
her work, and the campfire dances. These personifications
Evidence help me understand the speaker’s feelings of joy and
wonder. The last metaphor, the blanket holding the
speaker in its arms, is another example. The series of
Concluding
personifications helped me understand the poem’s theme
statement
that a new place can make you feel welcome and loved.
Write a paragraph about the text you chose. Cite evidence from
the text to show how the author uses details to develop the
theme. For a poem, remember to include examples of literary
elements or figurative language. For a story, include key plot
events. Use appositives correctly.


Name
help you think of precise, vivid words you can add.
Draft Model
Wherever I go, I bring my sketchpad and special pencil. They are two of my
favorite possessions. The pages are blank until I draw a picture on them. This is
why I love my sketchbook so much.
1. What does the sketchbook look like? Why is the pencil special?
2. What descriptive words can show how the narrator feels about the
blank pages?
3. What precise, vivid words can describe the drawings the narrator
creates on the sketchbook pages?
B. Now revise the draft by adding precise, vivid words to help

readers understand more about the writer and the sketchbook.

Vocabulary
Name
resemblance unseemly enthralled regulation

capacity fallow negotiate insight
1. clear understanding of the true nature of something
2. description of a field not in use but still able to grow crops
3. greatest amount that something can receive or hold
4. inappropriate or improper
5. in agreement with official rules or laws
6. had your attention held by something
7. similarity that is easy to see
8. bargain with someone in order to come to an agreement

9. Which word would you use to describe someone who is behaving rudely?
10. Which word would you use to describe how many marbles can fit in a jar?
11. Which word would you use to describe a way people settle an argument?

Name
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name
Read the passage. Use the make, confirm, and revise predictions
strategy to help you understand the theme.
Stuck Together
Rosa entered her apartment building just as a woman with red hair was
13 coming out. Rosa knew the woman lived in the building, but she had no
27 idea who she was. Then again, Rosa didn’t know anyone in the building.
40 She and her mother had just moved in a month ago. While people weren’t
54 rude, they weren’t exactly friendly, either. Rosa missed the people in her
66 old building, where tenants knew one another and chatted in the lobby.
78 Rosa pushed the “up” button on the elevator and waited for it to arrive. Then
93 she waited some more. “Oh no,” she muttered quietly to herself, “not again.”
106 Rosa lived on the seventh floor. Sighing, she trudged slowly up the
118 stairs. By the time she got to her floor, she was very tired. Rosa’s mother
133 was inside the apartment.
137 “Que pasa?” asked her mother.
142 “I had to walk all the way up the stairs again. Somebody should do
156 something about that elevator,” Rosa answered.
162 “I’ve called the landlord many times, but I haven’t heard anything
173 back,” her mother told her.
178 The next morning, Rosa and her mother walked to the elevator. They
190 hoped for the best. Luckily, the elevator actually came. There were people
202 already on it, including the red-haired lady. Rosa and her mother got on.
215 The doors closed behind them. People smiled, but no one spoke. That is,
228 nobody spoke until they realized that they weren’t moving.
237 “Not again,” said the woman with the red hair.

Name
“I’ve written to the landlord about how often this broken elevator
malfunctions,” said a man with a black briefcase. He pulled the red alarm button,
and it made a clanging noise. “Now we just have to wait until someone outside
pushes an elevator button.”
Rosa looked at her mother, who smiled and said, “It doesn’t seem like
the landlord is listening to our complaints. Maybe if we all got together and
pressured him, he would fix the elevator.”
“I don’t know,” said a man in jogging shorts. “I don’t really like to get
involved in problems.”
Rosa smiled. “Hi, I’m Rosa, in 7L, and this is my mom, Maria. You’re stuck
in an elevator. You’re already involved.”
The man smiled back. “You have a point. I’m Saul, 8R.”
One by one, everyone introduced himself or herself. As they waited, they
talked about the problems they’d been having with the elevator and ways to get
the landlord to fix it.
“Perhaps if we could write a letter and have everyone in the building sign it,
the landlord would listen,” someone suggested.
“We could say that we are going to call the city’s housing department,” Saul put
in. “Or if we all say that we won’t pay our rent, I bet we get the elevator fixed.”
“I can write the letter,” Maria offered.
The other people in the elevator agreed to
review the letter and help get signatures from all
the building’s tenants.

Just then the elevator started descending
again. As it made its way down to the first floor,
Rosa felt proud of her mom for getting everyone
to agree to work together. Maybe this building
would turn out to be as friendly as the old one.
At the very least, it would have a working
elevator.

Name
1. Look at the first paragraph. Why does Rosa miss the people in her
old building?
2. What event forces the people in Rosa’s new building to introduce

themselves to each other?
3. What happens when Rosa’s mother suggests that together they

might convince the landlord to fix the elevator?
4. Which statement best describes the theme of this story? Circle the
letter of your answer.
a. When people move to a new place, they should introduce themselves.

b. When people ride in elevators, they should be friendly.
c. When people have something to work toward together, they can become friendlier.


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Practice Makes Perfect

“Rosa, it’s a great way to practice your Italian,” my mother had told me. She
had asked me to babysit for Christina, my four-year-old cousin from Italy.
Christina is playing in the backyard. “La palla!” she suddenly screams.
“What are you saying?” I ask. She points up at the red ball caught in the tree.
My neighbors, the Chens, rush over. “What’s wrong?” they ask.
“The ball she was playing with is up there,” I reply.
“Get some other balls from the bin, Rosa,” Mrs. Chen says. “We’ll toss them
up and try to free hers.”
We throw balls into the tree. Finally, down comes the red ball. “La palla,” I
say, handing the ball to Christina.
Mr. Chen says, “Rosa, I didn’t know you spoke Italian!”
1. Realistic fiction has realistic characters. Explain how one character

in this story is realistic.
2. Who is telling the story? How do you know?
3. What foreign language dialogue is used in the story? Who says it?
4. Foreshadowing gives the reader hints to later events. How does the
first sentence foreshadow the end of the story?

Name
Sometimes surrounding words and phrases can give you the context you need
to help you understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Look at this example
of context clues from the passage. The underlined words help explain that
trudged means “walked slowly and heavily.”
Sighing, she trudged slowly up the stairs. By the time she got to her floor,
she was very tired.
letter of the best definition for each word.
1. Rosa missed the people in her old building, where tenants knew
one another and chatted in the lobby.
a. enemies b. strangers c. people who live

in an apartment
building
2. “Oh no,” she muttered quietly to herself, “not again.”
a. spoke quickly b. spoke quietly c. spoke clearly and

loudly
3. “I’ve written to the landlord about how often this broken elevator
malfunctions,” said a man with a black briefcase.
a. doesn’t work b. works perfectly c. looks beautiful
4. Just then the elevator started descending again. As it made its way
down to the first floor, Rosa felt proud of her mom for getting
everyone to agree to work together.
a. going up b. going across c. going down

Phonics: Vowel Team Syllables
Name
Every syllable in a word has only one vowel sound. Sometimes the vowel
sound is spelled with more than one letter. When this happens, the syllable is
called a vowel team syllable. Vowel teams have more than one letter that stand
for a single vowel sound. Vowel teams include:
ai as in main ea as in reader ee as in breezy
oi as in toil ou as in mouth
A. Divide each word into syllables. Underline the vowel team.

1. creature
2. rounded
3. straighten
4. beehive
5. spoilage
B. Read the words in each row. Circle the word that has the
same vowel team as the word in bold. The first one has been
done for you.

6. sixteen sneeze teamwork
7. exploit smoothly moisten
8. leader maintain impeach
9. household below holdout
10. painful exclaim explanation

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to support an argument
about what the theme of a story is.
I think the theme of “Stuck Together” is that people
Topic
will work for a common cause when someone takes the
sentence
first step. I read that people in Rosa’s new building didn’t
usually talk to each other. They were all angry about
Evidence the broken elevator, but they had done little to solve the
problem. When some of them get stuck in the elevator,
Rosa’s mom speaks up. They decide her idea to work
Concluding together to get the elevator fixed is a good one. I think
statement events in the story support the message that people often
need a little prodding to work together.

evidence from the text to show how events in the plot support
what you identified as the theme, or the author’s overall
message. Remember to pair action verbs with direct and indirect
objects correctly.


Name
draft to help you think about transitional words and phrases that
will make it easier for readers to keep track of where and when
events take place.
Draft Model
It had snowed hard during the night. The snow was very deep. Sally and her
sisters built a snow fort. They saw that their elderly neighbors needed help shoveling
their sidewalk. Sally and her sisters discussed together the idea of helping them.
1. What transitional words and phrases would show when Sally and
her sisters built the fort? What words and phrases would show
when other events happened?
2. What transitional words and phrases would show where different

events took place?
3. What other words and phrases would help guide the reader
smoothly from one event to the next?
B. Now revise the draft by adding transitions to help readers keep

track of when events take place and where the sisters are when

events occur.

Vocabulary
Name
recoiled feebly skewed roused

vastness summon persistent dilemma
1. the quality of being very large
2. lacking strength
3. difficult problem or choice
4. continues despite interference or obstruction
5. woken up from sleep or rest
6. call upon for a certain action
7. took an indirect route
8. fell back suddenly in fear or shock

9.
10.
11.
12.

Name
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name
strategy to help you understand the theme.
Poppy and the Junior Tigers

Poppy watched the group of 12-year-olds limply dribbling basketballs
9 around the court at the community center.
16 “C’mon,” Poppy shouted. “More energy! Try passing.” As usual,
25 however, passing was a disaster. Balls hit people’s heads and shoulders.
36 The balls rarely landed in anyone’s hands.
43 Poppy sighed. This was not what she had had in mind when she had
57 agreed to coach the community junior league basketball team. She had
68 figured she’d be a superb basketball coach. After all, she was a state
81 champion forward on her high school’s basketball team. Coaching would
91 be fun! But after a few weeks with the Junior Tigers, Poppy was changing
105 her tune. Not only were the Junior Tigers not interested in dribbling drills,
118 but they also balked at running drills and shooting drills. Although Poppy
130 had tried to explain just how important the drills were to performing well,
143 the Junior Tigers just didn’t seem to care.
151 Poppy called out, “Kia, you’re begging for someone to steal the ball.
163 Pass lower! Rosa, stop fiddling with your hair and focus! Carl, don’t run
176 with the ball, but don’t trip over it, either!”
185 Mike, a tall, skinny kid who enjoyed hogging the ball, smirked. “Yeah,
197 Carl, love your coordination.”

201 “Cut it out, Mike,” said Poppy. “Act like a team member!”
212 That evening, Poppy explained the situation to her dad. “None of the
224 children seem to care about playing well, and I just don’t see the point
238 when they make no effort. Maybe I should just quit and put us all out
253 of our misery.”

Name
“Maybe you just need to motivate them,” said Poppy’s dad.

The following day at practice, Poppy made an announcement to the team.
“You know, you guys could be playing games that make your community proud.
You could be learning teamwork. Some of you could maybe even be good
enough to one day get a basketball scholarship. Instead, you just want to fool
around. You don’t care, and since you don’t care, well, I don’t care either. So,
I want to tell you that today is my last day coaching you guys. Oh, and yeah,
by the way, the center has to find a
replacement, and unless that happens, it
will be your last week for a while, as well.”
“Really?” asked Mike, looking crestfallen,
his usual grin gone. “But I like basketball.”
“Yeah, we all do. Don’t you think you’re
being a little mean?” asked Kia. “We’re
just kids.”
Poppy sighed, “Yep, kids that should try
harder and put in real effort. Now, line up for
layups. I’m still the coach for now.”
To Poppy’s surprise, the Junior Tigers
actually lined up without the usual shoving and pushing. They took turns
shooting at the basket in an almost orderly fashion. When Carl missed, Mike did
not make fun of him.
Poppy tried dribbling drills. While there was still a bit too much chatter and

running with the ball, there was no complaining.
At the end of practice, Poppy felt encouraged. She said, “Hey, guys! You
made some effort out there, so I’ll make some effort as well. If you want to do
this—really do this the right way—I’ll stick around and try to whip you into
shape. What do you think? Raise your hand if you are really ready to be a team.”
Then Poppy smiled because everyone’s hand went up.

Name
1. Look at paragraph 3. Poppy is unhappy with the way the Junior

Tigers are playing. Why is she unhappy?
2. What does Poppy do to get the team to work harder in practice?
3. How do the Junior Tigers change their behavior when they think
Poppy is going to quit?
4. Which statement best describes the theme of this story? Circle the
letter of your answer.
a. When people think someone is quitting, they try harder.
b. When people have a reason to work hard, they will usually do it.
c. When people practice, they can win in games like basketball.

phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Mustering Courage
On weekends, Julian toils hard at his landscaping job. He mows lawns, clips
hedges, and heaves heavy loads of mulch all morning. By noon, he is starving.
He heads for the town deli to buy lunch. Julian sees a long line, and his stomach
growls. “Who is next? What can I get for you?” the man at the counter hollers.
People in back of Julian start to shout their orders: “Tuna on whole wheat!”
“Hot pastrami on rye!” “Grilled cheese!” Julian feels lost. His English is getting
better, but his throat closes and his face reddens at times like these.
A woman says to him, “It is your turn, dear. Go ahead. I will wait.”
Thankful for her kindness, Julian musters his courage. “Turkey on a roll!”
he shouts.
“You got it, my friend,” answers the man.
Confident, Julian replies, “Thanks, buddy!”
1. Realistic fiction takes place in a realistic setting. What is the setting

of this story? Is it realistic?
2. How do you know that the story is told from the third-person limited

point of view?
3. Look at the second sentence of the story. List the verbs used in
the sentence.
4. How does the title of the story reveal the theme?

Vocabulary Strategy: Paragraph Clues
Name
Look at this example of context clues in a paragraph. The underlined words

explain that drills means “lessons that involve practicing a skill over and over.”
Not only were the Junior Tigers not interested in dribbling drills, but they
also balked at running drills and shooting drills. Although Poppy had
tried to explain just how important the drills were to performing well, the
Junior Tigers just didn’t seem to care.
Read each passage below. Underline the context clues that

help you figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then
circle the letter of the best definition for the word.
1. Poppy watched the group of 12-year-olds limply dribbling

basketballs around the court at the community center.
a. middle b. a position in c. a building for a

basketball special purpose
2. Not only were the Junior Tigers not interested in dribbling drills,
but they also balked at running drills and shooting drills. Although
Poppy had tried to explain just how important the drills were to
performing well, the Junior Tigers just didn’t seem to care.
a. laughed b. complained c. stopped
3. “Really?” asked Mike, looking crestfallen, his usual grin gone.

“But I like basketball.”
a. unhappy b. pleased c. angry
4. To Poppy’s surprise, the Junior Tigers actually lined up without the

usual shoving and pushing. They took turns shooting at the basket in
an almost orderly fashion.
a. way of looking b. way of doing things c. team

Phonics: r-Controlled Vowel Syllables
Name
Every syllable in a word has one vowel sound. When a vowel is followed by
the letter r, both letters must remain in the same syllable because they act as a
team to form a special r-controlled vowel sound. This type of syllable is called
an r-controlled vowel syllable.
mar as in market ger as in danger ror as in error
A. Read each word. Then circle the r-controlled vowel syllable.

1. flavor
2. platter
3. calendar
4. current
5. pamper
B. Read each word. Draw a line from the first syllable of the word
to the second syllable with the correct r-controlled vowel syllable.

6. sweeper sweep tor
7. actor ac er
8. gutter gut ter
9. anchor an lar
10. solar so chor

Name
about whether events in a story’s plot support a clear theme.
I think the plot of “Anita and the Junior Tigers” clearly

Topic
supports the theme that a bold action is often needed to
sentence
get a good result. I read that Anita had trouble getting kids
on her team to work hard. When she wanted to quit as
Evidence coach, her dad’s advice gave her a new perspective. In the
central plot event, Anita tells the kids she is leaving them.
That makes them start trying. I think the key plot events
Concluding
show how the characters change and make clear the theme
statement
that trying a new approach can make things happen.

evidence from the text to support a claim about whether key
plot events clearly develop the theme. Be sure to show how plot
events cause characters to change. Remember to use the correct
verb tenses so that subjects and verbs agree.


Name
help you think of ways to make the conclusion stronger.
Draft Model
Susan said her last lines in the play and the stage went dark. The lights came
back on, and the audience went wild with applause. She had done it!
1. How does Susan feel when she hears the audience’s reaction? Why?
2. What does Susan learn about herself from finishing the

performance?
3. What other details could help clarify previous events and give
readers a sense of closure?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details that will help the reader
better understand how Susan feels and what she has learned.

Vocabulary
Name
windswept sharecropper impoverished abundant

unearthed solitude ingenuity productivity

1. If something has been unearthed, it has been dug up.
2. A sharecropper works in a big city.
3. A factory with high productivity produces a large amount of goods.
4. If you prefer to work in solitude, you like to work with others around you.
5. It takes creativity and ingenuity to invent new things.

6. You are likely to see sand blowing around on a windswept beach.
7. If you only have a few coins, you have an abundant amount.
8. If you are impoverished, you are very wealthy.

Comprehension: Sequence Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the sequence graphic organizer.
Event

Name
Read the passage. Use the summarize strategy to identify

important ideas and events.
Clean Water Partners

The facts are clear. Nearly a billion people in the world need safer
13 drinking water. Unclean water causes illnesses. Each year millions
22 of people die from drinking unsafe water. How would life be without
34 safe water?
36 A Water Crisis
39 In some countries, people spend hours a day carrying water to their
51 homes. Women and girls are often the ones who do this chore. Because
64 of this task, the women cannot take jobs. The girls cannot go to school.
78 Sometimes they must walk long distances to find water. Often the water
90 is unclean. Where water is scarce, people are usually poor. Where there
102 is unsafe water, people become ill.
108 Solving the Problem

111 Getting clean water to all people is a major problem. However, people
123 are starting to take action. More people understand what is at stake.
135 They are talking to others about it. Many people are raising money to
148 dig water wells.
151 First Things First

154 Planners of water projects know what must come first. Outsiders
164 must take time to know the people they want to help. Everyone can
177 work together if there is trust.
183 Next, the project planners teach the people how the new water source
195 will work. The people learn about public health. They learn how to fix
208 problems that may come up later. Then the community decides how they
220 can help the most.

Name
Working Together
A tiny village in South Africa had only a trickle of water for 2,000 families.
The villagers knew they must solve their problem. A dam had been built in the
1920s. The dam made a lake, which was used mostly to water farm crops. Over
the years, more and more canals were added. Those canals carried water out to
new villages. Finally, there were too many places for the water to go. Villagers
who lived at the end of the line barely received any water.
To survive, the villagers had to transport water from a well across a busy
highway. Every day they dodged speeding cars as they carried containers of
water to their homes. The highway company was concerned for their safety.
Teamwork
The highway company offered to drill a borehole, a deep hole used to find a
hidden source of water. The villagers had a community center. With no water, it
often sat empty. They chose the center as a perfect place to drill the borehole.
Next, it was time to decide how to pump the water to the community center.
The planners and village leaders decided
on a pump powered by the sun. South
Africa is short on electricity, but it has
plenty of sunshine. The solar pump
and two large water tanks were set up at
the center. The well supplied much water.

A Satisfying Outcome
The villagers often use their community
center now. Water is available for bathrooms
and showers. The children can play and
attend school instead of carrying water.
The villagers of Modderspruit in South
The villagers are grateful for all the people Africa worked together with outsiders
who helped them solve their problem. to solve their water problem.

Name
1. Look at the first paragraph after the head “Working Together.”

What is the problem that the villagers faced?
2. Which statement best describes the correct sequence of events

related to building a new well in the tiny village? Circle the letter of
your answer.
a. First, the company drilled a hole to find water, next people

chose to use a pump powered by the sun, then the pump
and water tanks were set up.
b. First, people chose to use a pump powered by the sun,

next the pump and water tanks were set up, then the company
drilled a hole to find water.
c. First, the pump and tanks were set up, next the company
drilled a hole to find water, then people chose to use a pump
powered by the sun.
3. What was the outcome of the steps the villagers took to solve
their problem?


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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Florida Community Defeats Air Polluters

For 30 years, the Royal Oak Corporation operated a charcoal factory in Ocala,
Florida. Ruth Reed, a community leader of African American homeowners,
organized her neighbors against the factory for polluting the air. First, they wrote
letters to officials to complain. That didn’t work, so they hung bed sheets to catch
the soot from the factory. They brought the dirty sheets to city council meetings
as proof. Finally, the officials listened. They said they would investigate. Ruth’s
group did not trust them. The group wisely hired their own experts to test the air.
Afraid of what the tests would show, Royal Oak closed the Ocala factory.
1. Narrative nonfiction uses story form to tell information about

real people and events. How do you know this is an example
of narrative nonfiction?
3. The author’s point of view is what the author thinks about the topic.
What sentence in the text shows the author’s point of view?
4. Narrative nonfiction contains facts. List one important fact the text provides.

Vocabulary Strategy: Prefixes and Suffixes
Name
Prefixes are word parts that come at the beginning of a word. Suffixes are
word parts that come at the end of a word. When a prefix or a suffix is added to
a word, the meaning of the word is changed.
Planners of water projects know what must come first.
The word planners contains the suffix -ers. Adding the suffix -ers changes the
meaning of plan to “people who plan.”
A. Complete each item below by writing the new word created

when the prefix and the word are combined. Then write the
meaning of each new word and use the word in a sentence.
1. un- (meaning “not”) + safe =
2. un- (meaning “not”) + clean =
3. trans- (meaning “across, through, or beyond”) + plant =
4. trans- (meaning “across, through, or beyond”) + form =

B. Add the suffix -er or -able to each word below and then use the
new word in a sentence.
5. outside
6. enjoy

Word Study: Frequently Misspelled Words
Name
Some words are difficult to read and write because the vowels or consonants
in them do not follow regular spelling patterns. To read and write frequently
misspelled words, the following tips may help:
• Look for phonics patterns you know.
• Read each word syllable by syllable. Make sure each syllable has a vowel
or a vowel team.
• Look for spelling patterns you know.
A. Read the words in each row. Then circle the word that has a
similar spelling pattern as the word in bold. The first one has
been done for you.
1. deceive panda receive eating
2. fought brought caught finger
3. country grown windy cousin
4. captain against frame chicken
5. relieve sleeve believe robin

B. Read each sentence. Underline the word with two syllables
and write it on the line. Then draw a slanted line (/) between the
syllables. The first one has been done for you.
6. What is the address of your place? ad/dress
7. Four young children live in our house.
8. I always like to eat eggs to start my day.
9. That snack costs one dollar.
10. Who knows the right answer?

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to analyze the author’s
use of sequence to explain how a problem was solved.
In “Clean Water Partners,” the author uses sequence to

Topic
show how the problem of supplying clean water can be
sentence
solved. The author explains the steps needed to get clean
water. When a place that needs better water is identified,
the first step is getting to know the people and their
Evidence
problems. Next, a plan is made. Then, as in Modderspruit,
several groups work together to drill a well and build a
pumping system. Learning about the steps that are taken to
Concluding
supply clean water helps me understand just how much is
statement
involved.
from the text to show how the author uses sequence to help
readers understand a process. Remember to use transitions
when needed and to use main verbs and helping verbs correctly.


Name
to help you think about what relevant details and evidence you
can add.
Draft Model
Mom and Dad were tired because they had three kids and full-time jobs. I got
my big brothers to agree that we would cook dinner twice a week. Everything is
better now.
1. What facts, examples, or quotations could you add to help readers

understand the family’s situation?
2. What details could you add to help readers understand the

narrator’s actions?
3. What details would help readers better understand and visualize

the conclusion?
B. Now revise the draft by adding relevant details and evidence to

help readers learn more about how one family solves a problem.

Vocabulary
Name
adept prominent spectators aristocracy

prevail collective perseverance trailblazer
1. someone who leads others into something unfamiliar
2. steady course of action, especially in spite of difficulty
3. description of a group of individuals working together
4. easily recognized; important
5. skilled or knowledgeable
6. people who occupy a high social class of wealth or power
7. people who observe something as part of an audience
8. succeed or win

9.
10.
11.
12.

Comprehension: Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the cause and effect graphic organizer.
Cause Effect

Name
Read the passage. Use the summarizing strategy to identify the

most important events in Clemente’s life.
Roberto Clemente: A Legendary Life

American Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente was born in 1934
11 in Puerto Rico. He showed outstanding skill in many sports as a young
24 boy. In high school, Clemente stuck with his favorite sport, baseball. Soon
36 the word was out about his talent.
43 Clemente was given a baseball contract with the Dodgers while he was
55 still in high school. He accepted the offer and soon moved to America.
68 One year later Clemente was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was with
81 the Pirates for 18 seasons until his untimely death. Clemente died at age
94 38 in a tragic plane crash.
100 Clemente had been a poor Latino boy growing up. Then he had a chance to
115 do something special. Clemente broke through the racial barriers of his day.
127 He overcame many obstacles and helped others who followed in his path.
139 Strike One

141 Clemente didn’t speak English when he arrived in America. Then he
152 discovered an even tougher problem: discrimination. As a black Latino,
162 Clemente had not thought much about his race. However, in the 1950s,
174 some states still had laws that separated blacks and whites. Clemente had
186 to find separate hotels during spring training. He often ate his meals alone
199 on the team bus.
203 Clemente thrilled baseball fans with his ability. However, sports
212 reporters did not rally around him. They teased him for his strong Latino
225 accent. He was a foreigner to the African Americans. He was an outsider
238 in the mostly white steel town of Pittsburgh. It seemed that Clemente
250 didn’t fit in.

Name
Clemente learned to speak out. He let everyone know it was wrong when
someone was treated unfairly. He demanded equal working conditions for
all. Reporters tried to call him “Bob” or “Bobby.” Clemente said words to the
effect of “I’m Puerto Rican and you can call me Roberto.” He was proud of
his heritage.
Play Ball
Clemente was a hard hitter. His lifetime batting average was .317. He
routinely kept batters from getting to base. He could outrun balls hit between
right and center field. Fans were awed by Clemente’s throwing arm.
Clemente won many awards. He took four National League batting titles.
Clemente was one of only ten players who had gotten 3,000 base hits. He won
12 Gold Gloves, which are given to the best fielding players.
Making a Difference
Clemente was a planner and a doer. In 1972 Nicaragua suffered a huge
earthquake. Clemente rounded up supplies to aid the victims. On New Year’s
Eve, he told his wife good-bye and took off for Nicaragua. Just after the plane
was in flight, one of the engines exploded. Then there was another explosion.
Two more blasts followed. The plane went down. When the word got out, fans
around the world mourned Clemente’s death.
Clemente had seen people struggle and

he wanted to help. He died serving others,
which had been his life goal. Those who
Don Tremain/Photodisc/Getty Images
knew him best would say that Clemente

was a model of hard work. He was a man
of integrity who stood by what he believed.
Clemente was willing to break down
barriers and lead the way for others to
follow. Clemente was a true success story.

Comprehension: Cause and Effect and Fluency
Name
1. Look at the first two paragraphs of the passage. What caused

Roberto Clemente to get a baseball contract when he was still in
high school?
2. Look at the first paragraph under the heading “Strike One.” What are
two effects of the discrimination that Clemente faced in the 1950s?
3. Which statement below describes an effect of Clemente’s great skill

in baseball? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. Clemente spoke out against his unfair treatment.
b. Clemente wanted people to call him “Roberto,” not “Bob.”
c. Clemente won many awards, including 12 Gold Gloves.
4. What caused Clemente’s airplane to crash in 1972?



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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Thurgood Marshall: First African American

Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908, in Baltimore, Maryland. After
finishing college, he experienced racial discrimination. He was rejected from
University of Maryland law school because he wasn’t white. How could this
brilliant man resolve this difficulty? He kept his dream and attended Howard
University law school. After he graduated first in his class, Marshall thought,
“I want to work for the rights of others.” So Marshall became a civil rights
lawyer. His biggest victory was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in
1954. In this case, the Supreme Court found racial segregation in public schools
unconstitutional. In 1967 Marshall became the first African American on the
Supreme Court. He worked for equal rights until he retired in 1991. Marshall
died in 1993.
1. A biography is a story about the life of a real person. How do you

know this text is a biography?

2. What sentence from the text adds suspense, or makes you
uncertain about what will happen next?
3. What part of a sentence supposes, or tells, words that Marshall

may have thought?
4. What personal experience may have led Marshall to become a civil

rights lawyer?

Name

help you figure out that heritage means “ethnic upbringing and background.”
Reporters tried to call him “Bob” or “Bobby.” Clemente said words to the
effect of “I’m Puerto Rican and you can call me Roberto.” He was proud
of his heritage.
letter of the best definition of the word.
1. He was with the Pirates for 18 seasons until his untimely death.
Clemente died at age 38 in a tragic plane crash.
a. too early b. sad c. at an old age
2. Clemente broke through the racial barriers of his day. He overcame

many obstacles and helped others who followed in his path.
a. things that stand in the way b. a section of a city c. qualities
3. Then he discovered an even tougher problem: discrimination.

As a black Latino, Clemente had not thought much about his race.
However, in the 1950s, the United States had laws that separated
blacks and whites.
a. language b. unjust treatment of c. dedication to a purpose

a group of people
4. He was a man of integrity who stood by what he believed.
a. skill b. intelligence c. honesty and courage

Word Study: Prefixes
Name
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word. A prefix changes

the meaning of a word. Knowing what the prefix means can help you determine
the meaning of the entire word.
un- not; opposite in- not; into out- surpass; away from
en- to make; put into super- above; over
A. Read each word in the box below. Then write each word next to
its correct meaning. The first one has been done for you.
incapable outfield superstar enlarge unclear
1. not clear unclear
2. not capable
3. away from the field
4. to make larger
5. better than a star

B. Read each word and underline the prefix. Then write the meaning
of the word on the line. The first one has been done for you.
6. unhook undo a hook
7. superhuman
8. indirect
9. incorrect
10. outlaw

Name
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to explain how an
author used text structure to show causes and effects in a person’s life.
“Roberto Clemente: A Legendary Life” helps me

Topic
understand Clemente by explaining what caused him to
sentence
take certain actions. The author shows how Clemente’s
athletic skill caused his success with the Pirates. I read
how racism caused him to feel like an outsider. When
people were insulted, Clemente defended them. Finally,
Evidence
when people needed help in Nicaragua, he chose to go
there. Sadly, he died as a result. Reading about the effect
Concluding
on Clemente of events in his life helped me understand
statement
him as a person.
from the text to show how the author used causes and effects to
help explain how a person lived. Remember to use evidence to
support your ideas and to use linking verbs correctly.


Name
help you think of ways to add a distinctive voice to the text.
Draft Model
The sky was dark. The wind blew hard. A tree crashed in the yard, and the
lights went out. My little brother started to cry, but Mom calmly lit candles and
started telling us stories.
1. How can you change the first sentence to give it an engaging style
and tone?
2. What sensory details would help describe the storm?
3. What details would explain the narrator’s feelings?
4. What details would show the author’s attitude toward the mother?
B. Now revise the draft by adding strong adjectives and verbs to

present the information in a more engaging voice.

Vocabulary
Name
commonplace initial invasive optimal

advocates designate insulation irrational
1. best or most appropriate
2. people who strongly support a cause
3. ordinary or unremarkable
4. material that stops heat or cold from escaping
5. the first of something
6. choose
7. not reasonable
8. tending to spread even when unwelcome

9. Which word would you use to describe something that is typical
and plain?
10. Which word would you use to describe behavior that does not
make sense?
11. Which word would you use to describe the best way of doing
something?

Name
graphic organizer.
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail

Name
Read the passage. Use the ask and answer questions strategy to
check your understanding of the text.
Trees for a Healthier Africa

Environmentalists are calling for people to plant millions of trees to
11 improve life in Africa. How can trees help? Forests in many regions of
24 Africa have not been conserved. Instead of being protected, many trees
35 have been cut and burned. Such deforestation can cause dire results.
46 Less rain, more heat, and erosion are just a few of the grim effects of
61 deforestation. As a result, crops can fail. Without food to eat, people
73 get sick or starve. This can also lead to fighting over fewer resources.
86 Environmentalists think tree planting is a good way to solve the problem
98 of deforestation.
100 Learning to Change

103 It helps for people to learn what happens when large numbers of trees
116 are destroyed. Now they are finding out how to restore the trees. People
129 are learning how not to ruin the forests in the future. When the trees
143 disappear, they must be replaced. If trees cease to grow, the land, climate,
156 and people are affected.
160 African people have learned about trees and the greenhouse effect.
170 Plants store carbon dioxide (CO2). When forests rot or burn, they put more
183 CO2 in the air. This causes the “greenhouse effect.” Gases like CO2 trap
196 heat close to the earth. The gases are like a glass roof in a greenhouse. The
212 glass holds in the sun’s heat. The greenhouse effect can cause our climate
225 to become warmer too. People in Africa are learning how to change this
238 problem by planting and protecting their trees.

Name
RIPPLE Africa—Cook Stoves and Fruit Trees

RIPPLE is a group in Malawi, Africa, that Fruit Tree
Planting
has helped plant millions of fast-growing
trees. They have taught people how to cut just
the branches for firewood, leaving the rest to
Income from More Food
grow. RIPPLE has also started a cook stove Sales of Fruit Improved Nutrition
project. People build cook stoves with mud
bricks. People use a new fuel, sparing the
Motivation
trees. RIPPLE has given people fruit trees, for Planting
More Trees
too. The fruit trees help with both food and
income, which in turn encourage more planting.
Green Belt Movement—Wangari Maathai

A Nobel Peace Prize winner from Kenya also helped the environment.
Beginning in 1976, Dr. Maathai encouraged tree planting. Through a group
called The Green Belt Movement, Maathai helped women plant more than
40 million trees. At the United Nations, Dr. Maathai asked people to stop
taking trees for granted.
The African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is another group working hard to turn
around deforestation. AWF studied the dwindling forests to see how they can

slow CO2 buildup. They made plans to increase tree growth. AWF knew it could
not let the forests shrink even more. AWF found places where women could
grow tree seedlings. The plants made income for women because AWF bought
them for replanting. Dr. Steven Kiruswa was the AWF Director in Tanzania. He
said, “AWF knows the threat of climate change to Africa. We must slow down
CO2 and deforestation.”
What Does It Take?

Reversing deforestation takes time. People want to turn it around by working
together. They are choosing not to make the same mistakes again.

Name
1. The main idea of the first paragraph of the passage is that

planting trees will improve life in Africa. What two key details in the
paragraph support that main idea?
2. What is the main idea of the fifth paragraph?
3. Give one key detail to support the main idea of that paragraph.
4. Look at the sixth paragraph. What is the main idea of this

paragraph? Circle the letter of the correct answer.
a. The AWF studies forests to slow CO2 build up.
b. The AWF helps African women earn better incomes.
c. The AWF works hard to reverse deforestation.
B.Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to


Words Read – =
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Genre Text/Feature
Name
Making Fashion from Plastic Bags

As part of the effort to “go green,” some fashion Trim and layer bags
designers are creating clothing from plastic bags.
Here’s how: First, flatten three or four bags. Use
Cover with paper
scissors to trim off the handles and bottom seams.
Next, layer the bags into one pile. Place paper on top
of the bags and below the bags. Then, iron for about Iron
fifteen seconds per side. Allow it to cool. Peel away
the paper. You can use your new plastic fabric to sew Remove Paper
dresses, tote bags, and more.
Sew
1. Expository text gives information about a topic. It may use a graphic

to support the information. How do you know this is expository text?
3. How does the text expand on the idea in the heading?
4. What steps in the process are shown in the flowchart?

Vocabulary Strategy: Synonyms and Antonyms
Name
Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning. Antonyms
are words with the opposite or nearly the opposite meaning. You can use
synonyms and antonyms to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words.
When trees disappear, they must be replaced.
Replaced is an antonym that means nearly the opposite of disappear.
Read each passage. If the underlined word is a synonym for the

word in bold, write S on the line. If it is an antonym, write A. Then
circle the letter of the correct definition for the word in bold.
1. Forests in many regions of Africa have not been conserved. Instead

of being protected, many trees have been cut and burned.
a. put away b. saved c. cut and burned
2. Such deforestation can cause dire results. Less rain, more heat, and
erosion are just a few of the grim effects of deforestation.
a. very bad b. unusual c. very good

3. It helps for people to learn what happens when large numbers of

trees are destroyed. Now they are finding out how to restore the
trees.
a. planted b. saved c. put an end to
4. AWF studied the dwindling forests to see how they can slow CO2
buildup. They made plans to increase tree growth.
a. growing b. changing c. shrinking

Word Study: Suffixes -ion and -tion
Name
A suffix is a word part that can be added to the end of a base word. A suffix
changes the meaning of the word. The endings -ion and -ation mean “the act,
state, or result of.” They change the base word from a verb to a noun.
A. Read each word and underline the suffix. Then write the base
word on the line. The first one has been done for you.
1. inspiration inspire
2. observation
3. reaction
4. expression
5. confusion
B. Each sentence below contains a base word and the base word
with -ion or -ation added. Circle the base word. Underline the
word with the ending -ion or -ation. The first one has been done
for you.
6. It was hard to locate the hotel because it was in a remote location.

7. My cousin and I rarely connect online, so we make every
connection count.
8. We have to act soon and choose the best action.
9. Her instruction is so high-quality that she only needs to instruct
for a short time.
10. What is your favorite form of expression, and do you express
yourself that way?

Name
the author’s choice of words to provide information and make a point.
I think the author of “Trees for a Healthier Africa”

Topic
could have used even more strong words to help readers
sentence
understand the importance of trees. Although the author
uses words like dire, grim, and ruin to describe the effects
of deforestation, some other words and phrases are not as
Evidence
strong. For example, “cease to exist” could be changed
to “are wiped out.” The phrase “repeat their blunders”
would be stronger than “make the same mistakes.” When
Concluding
explaining something as important as reforestation, the
statement
author could have used even more words that show how
urgent the issue is.
from the text to analyze whether the author’s choice of words
helps to convey the overall message. Remember to support your
claim with enough evidence and to use irregular verbs correctly.


Name
draft to help you think about ways to add opposing claims and
counterarguments to help strengthen the writer’s argument.
Draft Model
We should all own a reusable shopping bag. This will keep plastic out of our
landfills.
1. How might readers challenge or criticize the statement in the first

sentence? Make this criticism an opposing claim.
2. What would be a good counterargument to that opposing claim?
3. What might be an opposing claim to the statement in the second

sentence?
4. What would be a good counterargument to that opposing claim?
B. Now revise the draft by adding opposing claims and

counterarguments to those claims.

Vocabulary
Name
alignment calamity generated periodic

prolonged tenacity eclipse inconvenience
1. stubbornness and persistence
2. lengthened in time
3. happens at regular time intervals
4. proper arrangement of parts
5. something that causes discomfort or trouble
6. serious or tragic event marked by loss and distress
7. produced or created
8. event in which light from the sun or moon is hidden

9. Which word would you use to describe a flood that destroys a town?
10. Which word would you use to describe a meeting that goes on longer than
expected?
11. Which word would you use to describe someone who does not give up easily?

Name

graphic organizer.

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to check details in the
text to make sure you understand it.
Preparing for an Inevitable Earthquake

If the ground starts to shake, what should you do? People who live
13 where there are earthquakes need to know. Having a plan for this kind
26 of crisis can save lives. California has a history of bad earthquakes.
38 People can lower the risk. California tries to prepare everyone for what
50 could happen.
52 Rock plates shifting far below the earth’s surface cause earthquakes.
62 Pressure builds between the plates until they break free. This can move
74 or break apart the earth on the surface. Strong earthquakes can make
86 buildings fall apart. Phone service is often lost. Gas and power lines can
99 break. Landslides, floods, and fires may take place. In coastal areas,
110 tsunamis can bring huge sea waves over the land. People must be trained
123 so lives can be saved.
128 What Rescuers Recommend

131 Oddly, people cause one of the greatest risks during an earthquake.
142 People tend to run outside to escape. Most accidents happen when people
154 try to leave or move within a building. Broken pieces of the building can
168 fall on the person fleeing. Rescue teams from all over the world agree on
182 one thing. To reduce injury and death, people should take three simple
194 steps. The earthquake plan is called “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” The
206 first step is to drop down on your hands and knees. This keeps you from
221 falling if the floor shakes. The next step is to take cover under a strong
236 table or desk. Hold on to the table tightly. If you don’t have a sturdy table,
252 find a close inside wall. Cover your head and neck with your arms. People
266 should practice this procedure so they won't panic and run.

Name
Managing the Risk

Most Californians expect to face an earthquake someday. The history of
California earthquakes goes back more than two hundred years. In 1906 a
terrible earthquake in San Francisco destroyed the city. Between 225,000 and
300,000 people were homeless after that disaster. Five major earthquakes have
struck since that time. California leaders have taken steps to help save lives
when earthquakes strike.
Scientists and government leaders have researched how to prepare California
for the next big earthquake. Lawmakers have made important changes to
building codes. Builders must now make homes and buildings stronger. They
have also learned which places would be most likely to be hit by an earthquake.
Builders cannot build in those high-risk places. Older buildings must be
inspected. Dangerous structures must have signs posted to let people know
the risk.
In countries where buildings
are made of mud-brick (adobe),
there is much more danger. Those
structures are not built to withstand
an earthquake. Then it does make
sense to run outside. In California,
G.K. Gilbert/USGS
most buildings are not as likely to
collapse. The stricter building codes
have reduced this danger.
Preventing Unnecessary Loss Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Earthquake scientists, emergency managers, and city leaders are working

together in California. The leaders have published a handbook about how to
respond to earthquakes. Cities hold public drills to help people practice the
“Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” procedure. Children learn at school what to
do in an earthquake. If everyone prepares for what may come, there will be
fewer injuries.

Name
1. Look at the paragraph under the heading “What Rescuers

Recommend.” What does the author say is the cause of most
accidents during an earthquake?
2. What three steps should people take if an earthquake hits?
3. Look at the first two paragraphs under the heading “Managing

the Risk.” Write one detail that the author includes about how
lawmakers in California are preparing for earthquakes.
4. How would you describe the author’s point of view—positive,

negative, or objective? Explain.


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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Reforestation in Guatemala
Entire villages in Guatemala can be wiped
out by a mudslide. In 2005, Anne Hallum saw
for herself the horrible effects. She said that
one couple lost their home and their children
in a mudslide. Deforestation, or cutting down
trees, is one reason for the problem. “We
learned the hard way that without trees we are
at risk,” said José Avelino Boc, a lemon farmer
and Alliance member. Hallum is the co-founder
Lloyd Sutton/Alamy
of the Alliance for International Reforestation
(AIR). She has taught villagers to plant trees
to protect their forests and villages since 1992.
Hallum said, “Food, shade, fertilizer, and Replanting trees is one way
mudslide protection—the trees can do it all.” to protect villages from
mudslides.
1. A historical account is a kind of expository text. It provides

information about people, places, and events. It may use primary
sources. How do you know this text is a historical account?
2. About what important topic does this text provide information?

What are two details about the topic?
3. How do the photograph and caption help you understand ways that
mudslides can be prevented?

Name

explain that crisis means “disaster.”
If the ground starts to shake, what should you do? People who live where
there are earthquakes need to know. Having a plan for this kind of crisis
can save lives. California has a history of bad earthquakes.
Read each passage below. Underline the paragraph clues that

help you figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then circle
the letter of the best definition for each word.
1. Landslides, floods, and fires may take place. In coastal areas,

tsunamis can bring huge sea waves over the land.
a. on the sea b. under the sea c. near the sea
2. Oddly, people cause one of the greatest risks during an earthquake.

People tend to run outside to escape. Most accidents happen when
people try to leave or move within a building. Broken pieces of the
building can fall on the person fleeing.
a. flying b. running away c. falling
3. To reduce injury and death, people should take three simple steps.
The earthquake plan is called “Drop, Cover, and Hold On!” The first
step is to drop down on your hands and knees. This keeps you from
falling if the floor shakes. The next step is to take cover under a
strong table or desk. Hold on to the table tightly. If you don’t have a
sturdy table, find a close inside wall. Cover your head and neck with
your arms. People should practice this procedure so they won’t
panic and run.
a. covering b. dropping c. way of doing things

Word Study: Suffix -ion
Name
The suffix -ion means “the act, state, or result of.” When added to a verb,
the suffix changes the base word to a noun.
Sometimes the spelling of the base word changes when -ion is added:
permit/permission.
A. Draw a line to match the verb with the noun that is made by
adding -ion. Remember that the spelling of the verb may change
in the new word. The first one has been done for you.
Verb Noun
1. subtract election
2. divide expansion
3. expand subtraction
4. decide decision
5. elect division
B. Read each word. Write the base words on the line. The first

6. explosion explode
7. conclusion
8. explanation
9. prediction
10. admission

Name
paragraph below cites evidence to share an opinion about two points of view.
I think the authors of “Preparing for an Inevitable

Topic
sentence Earthquake” and “Reforestation in Guatemala” both
express their points of view well. The text about
earthquakes shares the opinion that “people must be
trained” to protect themselves. That direct way of
Evidence
expressing a point of view is followed by examples of
what to do and facts about safer buildings. The text about
Guatemala uses strong words and quotations from real
people to share a more personal point of view. Both the
Concluding
statement
factual information in one text and the more personal
approach in the other express points of view that help
readers understand the topics.
Write a paragraph about the texts you have chosen. Cite evidence
from the text that supports your opinion about how the two
authors express their points of view. Remember to pair pronouns
and antecedents clearly.


Name
to help you think about how to make the order of importance
clear to the reader.
Draft Model
There are good reasons to have an earthquake kit. Lights may go out, so you
will need flashlights. Gas lines may break, so you will need ready-to-eat food.
Water may become undrinkable, so you will need bottled water.
1. What is the most important reason to have an earthquake kit?

What words or phrases would help show its importance?
2. How can the other reasons be changed or rearranged to help

clarify the logical sequence of the text?
3. What sequence words and phrases would help clarify the

relationships between the ideas?
B. Now revise the draft by rearranging sentences and adding

sequence words and phrases to strengthen the order of
importance.

Vocabulary
Name
assess compensate deteriorated devastating

implement peripheral potential summit

1. When something has deteriorated, it is in a better condition than it

was before.
2. To compensate for missing lunch, one might have a large afternoon

snack.
3. In a dance contest, the judges assess the dancers’ performances.
4. Devastating news usually makes people feel happy.
5. When you implement a new plan, you are avoiding it.

6. Peripheral vision can help you see things that are next to you.
7. You climb down to the summit of a mountain.
8. A seed has the potential to become a plant.

Name

graphic organizer.

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to check for

understanding as you read the passage.
Jesse Owens: A Message to the World

Jesse Owens was an African American track-and-field star who set world
13 records and won four Olympic gold medals. Without a doubt, Owens
24 earned his victories at the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany. However, he
36 achieved an even greater victory for people everywhere. In 1936, Germany
47 was under the control of Adolf Hitler. The Nazis had planned to prove that
61 white athletes were better than other races. Jesse Owens won four gold
73 medals and dealt a blow to that Nazi myth. Owens was clearly a superior
87 athlete.
88 Ready, Set, Go!

91 Owens’s parents named him James Cleveland Owens when he was
101 born in 1913. The family moved from Alabama and settled in Ohio in the
115 1920s. A new teacher from Ohio mistook his nickname, “J.C.,” for “Jesse.”
127 His new name stuck. Owens became a track star in high school, setting
140 records in the high jump and running broad jump. He went on to The Ohio
155 State University in 1933. Owens tied world records for the 100-yard dash
167 in 1935. He set new world records for the 220-yard dash, the 220-yard low
181 hurdles, and the running broad jump. Owens’s success was not just a flash
194 in the pan. He was only warming up for the Olympics.
205 Hitler promised the Olympic Committee that he would not promote
215 racism during the games. Yet signs and banners with Nazi beliefs were all
228 around. The Nazis hoped to prove that white people were the best. Jesse
241 Owens competed with bold courage as the world watched. Performing to
252 the best of his abilities, Owens proved the Nazis wrong—not once, but
265 four times.

Name
Excellence Fights Discrimination

Owens set new Olympic and world records. It didn’t matter that the Nazis
called him inferior. Owens needed bold courage again when he went home.
People cheered his success, but discrimination was a fact of life in America.
Owens still had to ride in the back of the bus at home. Black people could not
live in certain neighborhoods back then. He wasn’t invited to the White House
for honors the way heroes are today.
Despite his problems, Owens was a man who inspired others. He enjoyed
speaking to youth groups and at sports banquets. Owens loved working with
youth. He was a director and board member for the Chicago Boys’ Club. He
passed on his life message, “Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase
it, and you’ll start believing it.”
Receiving Recognition
Owens had carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and triumphed
at the 1936 Olympics. Eventually he received the honors he deserved. In 1976,
Jesse Owens was finally invited to the White House. President Gerald Ford gave
him the Medal of Freedom award that
year. After Owens’s death, President
George H.W. Bush awarded him the
Congressional Gold Medal in 1990.
Today, Owens’s desire to help youth

continues. His three daughters work
to keep his mission alive. They run
Ingram Publishing
the Jesse Owens Foundation, which

provides services to young people. Its
goal is to help them go the extra mile Jesse Owens won four gold medals
to become all they are meant to be. at the 1936 Olympics.

Name
1. Look at the first paragraph of the passage. What does the author
say about the victories that Owens achieved at the 1936 Olympic
Games?
2. In the last paragraph on the first page, what words does the author
use to describe the way Owens competed in the 1936 Olympics?
3. Look at paragraph 3 on the second page. What does the author

say about the honors that Owens received in 1976 and then in
1990? What does the word eventually say about the author’s point
of view?
4. Which statement best describes the author’s point of view about

Jesse Owens? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. Owens was not a good athlete, but he was a strong person.

b. Owens was a great athlete, but he was not a very strong person.
c. Owens was a great athlete and a strong person.


Words Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Battle with Polio

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was Major Events Related to
the 32nd president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Life
from 1933 to 1945. He was the only U.S. Date(s) Event
president elected four times. FDR saw 1921 Diagnosed with polio
the country through two difficult times:
The Great
the Great Depression and World War II. 1929–1939
Depression
Many Americans at the time did not know
FDR is president of
that FDR suffered a hard time of his own. 1933–1945
the United States
In 1921, he became ill during a family
United States enters
vacation. He was diagnosed with polio, 1941
World War II
a disease that causes paralysis. For many
years, FDR needed to use a wheelchair. 1945 World War II ends
He never let his disease slow him down. President Roosevelt
1945
FDR became a champion of polio dies
research that led to a vaccine in 1955— Salk Polio vaccine
1955
ten years after his death. used effectively
1. What main event in FDR’s life does this text focus on?

2. What two words would you use to describe FDR?
3. How is the information in the table organized?
4. Write two examples of extra information that the table tells you
about FDR’s years as president.

Vocabulary Strategy: Idioms
Name
An idiom is a group of words that means something more than the meanings
of its individual words.
It’s raining cats and dogs out there! I’m soaked!
You can use context clues and the usual meanings of the words to figure out
that raining cats and dogs means “raining heavily” in the passage above.
you figure out the meaning of each idiom in bold. Then circle the
letter of the meaning of each idiom.
1. He set new world records for the 220-yard dash, the 220-yard low
hurdles, and the running broad jump. Owens’s success was not just a
flash in the pan. He was only warming up for the Olympics.
a. overwhelming b. exciting c. a one-time success
2. Owens set new Olympic and world records. It didn’t matter that the
Nazis called him inferior. Owens needed bold courage again when
he went home. People cheered his success, but discrimination was
a fact of life in America. . . . Owens had carried the weight of the
world on his shoulders but triumphed at the 1936 Olympics.
a. been skilled b. done what c. was responsible for

was expected many people’s hopes
3. They run the Jesse Owens Foundation, which provides services to

young people. Its goal is to help them go the extra mile to become
all they are meant to be.
a. do more than b. run farther c. pay more money

is necessary

Phonics: Vowel Alternation
Name
Adding a suffix to the end of a base word sometimes changes a vowel sound
in the original word. For example, a base word may have a long-vowel sound
that becomes a short-vowel sound after a suffix is added. The word crime has a
long i sound, while the word criminal has a short i sound. The change in vowel
sound between related words is called vowel alternation.
A. Read each sentence. The underlined word has a long-vowel

sound. Circle the related word that has a short-vowel sound. The
1. The nation put together a strong team for the national meet.
2. We are happy to reside in a community with many residents.
3. The storyteller was wise and she shared her wisdom with us.
4. I will invite him with a hand-delivered invitation.
B. Read the words below. Draw a line from the base word to the
related word that has vowel alternation. The first one has been
done for you.
5. metal competition

6. repeat criminal
7. compete reference
8. crime original
9. origin metallic
10. refer repetition

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how an author
used details to support his or her point of view about the subject.
In “Jesse Owens: A Message to the World,” the author

Topic
sentence includes many details to support an overall message
that Owens was a superior athlete and person. The
author includes facts about how Owens broke track
records and won medals at the 1936 Olympics. Details
Evidence about the atmosphere of racism at the Olympics and the
discrimination Owens faced at home in America are also
included. Despite these problems, Owens helped many
children help themselves and was an inspiration to others.
Concluding
statement All these details make the author’s point of view about
Jesse Owens a convincing one.
from the text to show how the author used details to support
his or her point of view. Remember to use intensive or reflexive
pronouns correctly.


Name
to help you think about what transitions you can add to connect
ideas and indicate time order.
Draft Model
My brother was born healthy. He developed a heart problem. His weak heart
made him sick.
1. When was the brother born in the list of events? What word or
phrase could help the reader understand the order of events?
2. When did he develop his heart problem? What transitions could

help the reader understand the order of events?
3. What transitions would help the reader understand why the

brother’s heart problem led to sickness?
B. Now revise the draft by adding transitions to connect ideas

and to show when events took place.

Vocabulary
Name
benefactor empathy endeavor entail

extensive indecision multitude tentatively
1. understanding of the thoughts and feelings of another
2. with hesitation or uncertainty
3. serious effort to do something challenging
4. someone who gives a gift
5. great amount
6. inability to make a choice
7. include or make necessary
8. wide-reaching in size, amount, or degree

9.
10.
11.
12.

Name
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name
Read the passage. Use the summarize strategy to check your

understanding.
Decisions
Scene 1: Shama’s bedroom in the afternoon. The walls are plastered
11 with posters depicting Shama’s favorite band, The Black Hats. Shama is
22 sitting at her desk, frantically typing on her computer while she talks on her
36 telephone.
37 Shama (worried): I can’t get on the ticket site. Something’s not
48 functioning properly. It’s just not working right. What? Are you certain?
59 (growing more upset) The concert is sold out? Is there anything I can do?
73 (brief pause) Good-bye. (Hangs up the phone and lets out a wail. The door
87 opens, and Shama’s older brother, Danny, walks into her room.)
97 Danny: Are you okay?
101 Shama: Not okay—I’m a complete wreck, actually. The concert is sold
113 out. (She abruptly begins to bawl.) I desperately wanted to go.
124 (sniffling and wiping away her tears) Oh, well, Ms. Allie wanted to
136 know if I could babysit the twins that night because it’s her wedding
149 anniversary. I suppose now I can tell her “yes.”
158 Danny: Better you than me. Seriously, those twins are an absolute
169 nightmare.
170 Scene 2: It’s a few weeks later, and Shama is on her bed, reading a book.
186 There is the sound of footsteps pounding up the stairs. Shama’s door opens,
199 and Rhonda, Shama’s friend, enters.
204 Rhonda (excitedly): I have unbelievably awesome news! Someone gave
213 my aunt tickets to the concert tonight, and she has no desire to go, so
228 guess which lucky duo gets them?
234 Shama (jumping up in excitement): Yes! (grimacing and letting out a
245 groan) Oh no! I told my neighbor I would babysit.

Name
Rhonda: Just cancel. This is definitely more important.

Shama: It’s her anniversary, so I can’t just leave her in the lurch.
Rhonda: That’s total insanity. It’s the Black Hats, your all-time favorite band,
and who knows when they’ll return? On the other hand, wedding anniversaries
come every single solitary year!
Shama: You have a point. Maybe she won’t object to celebrating tomorrow,
instead, since it’s not like they won’t still be married.
Scene 3: Shama is standing in front of

Ms. Allie’s door. Just as she starts to knock,
Ms. Allie pulls into the driveway and then gets
out of the car with shopping bags.
Ms. Allie: Hi, Shama! I just bought the
most extraordinary dress for my anniversary
dinner, and we got a reservation at the hottest
new restaurant. It will be the perfect tenth
anniversary!
Shama (trying to look happy): Great. I just
wanted to confirm. See you tonight.
Scene 4: Shama’s kitchen. Danny is hunched over his homework at the

cluttered kitchen table. Shama enters.
Shama: Rhonda got me a ticket for the Black Hats tonight and—

Danny (interrupting): Stop right there. I know what you’re going to ask, and
no, I absolutely can’t accommodate you on this one. Not only are those twins
a nightmare, but also I have homework. Plus, I promised Mom I would finally
clean my room.
Shama: What if I promise to clean your room?
Danny: Not worth it.
Shama: What if I promise to clean your room for a month?
Danny: A month? That sounds pretty equivalent to a night with the terrible
twins. It’s a deal.
Shama: Yes! Black Hats, here I come.

Name
1. Look at Scene 2. What problem does Shama have?
2. Look at Scene 3. Shama plans to cancel her babysitting job with

Ms. Allie. What happens instead?
3. In Scene 4, what do Shama and her brother Danny decide to do?
4. Which statement describes the theme of this story? Circle the letter
of your answer.
a. You should not agree to babysit on the night of a big concert.
b. Sometimes you need to compromise to get what you want.

c. If you agree to do something, you should not change your mind.


Words Read – =
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Name
Hard Rock!
SCENE 2 The basement of Scott’s house; Scott tunes his guitar and Jake sets
up his drum set.
SCOTT (playing the guitar): Hey, Jake. Are you ready to hear the new song I
wrote?
JAKE: Sure, why not? Let’s hear it.
Scott turns his amplifier up and begins to strum very hard and sing in a rough
voice. The song increases in volume. Jake gets up and paces around the room
uncomfortably. He taps his foot in a nervous way as Scott finishes the song with
three loud chords—bomp, bomp, BOHHHHMP—and a wild scream into the
microphone.
SCOTT (breaking the sudden silence): So . . . what do you think? It’ll be our
first big hit, right?
JAKE (rubbing his chin, as if deep in thought): Um, well, it is original. I
mean, I’ve never heard anything quite like it before . . . (His voice trails off.)
SCOTT: Awesome! I knew you’d like it.
1. Who are the characters in this text? How do you know?

2. Where does the action take place? How do you know?
3. Describe what you know about Scott.
4. What do you think Jake’s conflict is in this scene?

Vocabulary Strategy: Homophones
Name
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.
Many homophones have different spellings, too. Look at the word site in the
sentence below.
“I can’t get on the ticket site.”
A homophone for site is sight. The word site means “place.” The word sight
means “the ability to see” or “the act of seeing.”
A. Using the homophone pairs below, write the correct

homophone for each clue.
right/write grown/groan wail/whale ball/bawl knight/night
1. use a pen
correct
2. increased
deep sound of pain
3. long, loud high-pitched cry
large mammal that lives in the sea
4. round object
cry
5. opposite of day
fighter for a king
B. Finish each sentence below using one of the homophones

shown.
6. (sight/site) The mall will be built
7. (your/you’re) I love to dance
8. (great/grate) Last night at the dance

Word Study: Prefixes and Suffixes
Name
A prefix is a word part that is added to the beginning of a base word. A prefix
always changes the meaning of the base word. A suffix is a word part added to
the end of a base word that changes its meaning and its part of speech.
A. Circle the prefix in each word. Then draw a line to the meaning
of the word. The first one has been done for you.
1. disagree to add to list or roll
2. repayment not agree
3. unfairness outside
4. enroll to pay back
5. outdoors not fair
B. Read the first word in each row. Then circle the word that has
the same suffix. The first one has been done for you.
6. graceful delightful disgrace
7. unhappiness readiness happier

8. unevenly unlikely eventual
9. enjoyment entangle enforcement
10. outsider designer helpful

Name
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how a
character’s dialogue and actions help develop the theme of a play.
In “Decisions,” the main character’s dialogue and

Topic
sentence actions support the theme that keeping a promise is as
important as getting what you want. Shama says she
“desperately” wants to go to her favorite band’s concert.
When she unexpectedly gets tickets, she’s upset that she
Evidence
already took a babysitting job. She realizes she can’t
back out because her client is depending on her. Finally,
she works out a deal with her brother to take her place.
Concluding
Shama’s actions and dialogue show that she understands
statement
the importance of being responsible.
Write a paragraph about the play you have chosen. Cite evidence
from the text to show how a character’s dialogue and actions
help to show what the theme of the play is. Remember to use
possessive pronouns correctly.


Name
to help you think about how adding dialogue would help develop
the characters.
Draft Model
“Let’s do something to help Lucy with her math,” Hiram suggested. Jarel
asked, “What should we do?”
1. What additional dialogue would tell readers more about Hiram’s

personality?
2. What dialogue would tell readers more about Jarel?
3. What other words could Jarel and Hiram say to show how each one
feels about Lucy?
4. What language would convey the characters’ tone of voice?
B. Now revise the draft by adding dialogue and other details to

help develop the characters.

Vocabulary
Name
adjustment chattering ember mentor

nomadic sturdy rapport reunites

1. If you make an adjustment to something, you change it.
2. An ember is something that can be used to cool you off.
3. If people are chattering, their conversation is difficult to understand.
4. A group that is nomadic stays in one place all the time.
5. Something that reunites people brings them together.

6. A mentor is a person who can show or teach you how to do

something better.
7. A sturdy chair is badly built and probably unsafe to sit on.
8. If you have a rapport with someone, you probably argue a lot.

Name
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name

understanding.
DELAYED
DELAYED, DELAYED, DELAYED read the Departure Board.
7 All flights in and out of Chicago were stalled
16 by the howling winds outside.
21 Rosie stared hard at Delight Flight 2040 Chicago to Boston.

31 —Change, Change, Change! she yelled silently at the board.
40 Get me out of Chicago!
45 Suddenly the Departure Board flickered and Rosie held her breath.
55 DELAYED blinked and changed . . . to CANCELLED.
61 —STUCK, JUST MY LUCK!
65 Next to her, another girl gave a gasp.

73 —¡¿CANCELADO!? ¿Por qué?
76 —Me llamo Estrella, said the girl.

82 Pointing to the board, she said,
88 —Y mi vuelo se cancela.
93 —Look, and you’ll see why, said Rosie.

100 A blizzard was swirling outside the large windows.
108 Estrella’s mouth dropped open and she rushed over to look.
118 —This is . . .? said Estrella, her eyes wide.

125 —Snow, said Rosie. You have never seen snow?
133 —No snow in Panama, Estrella explained.
139 —I’ve seen plenty of snow, up to here.

147 I’ve had it with snow, Rosie said.
154 And I want to get home!

Name
Just then the airport speakers

gave a loud crackle.
—Attention ALL passengers! ALL flights are cancelled.
Poor Estrella looks so scared.

—Me llamo Rosie. Let me help you,
Rosie said to the girl.
Rosie spoke to a person at the counter.

—I need to get to Boston,
and my friend needs to get to Panama.
While they waited, Rosie took

Estrella’s arm.
—Come, said Rosie to Estrella.
Let’s go look at the snow!
They wheeled their bags to the

window.
Being stuck together might be better
than being stuck alone.

Name
1. At the beginning of the passage, Rosie’s plane is delayed. How

does Rosie feel?
2. In stanzas 10 and 11, what does Rosie do when she sees that
Estrella looks scared about her cancelled flight?
3. In the last stanza, what is Rosie thinking? How have her feelings
changed?
4. Based on the details in the passage, which statement best

describes the theme of the passage? Circle the letter of your
answer.
a. Helping someone else can make your own problems seem

easier to handle.
b. Traveling during winter can be frustrating.
c. Be careful before helping a stranger.


Words Read – =
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Name
Worlds Apart
I hope the seat next to me stays empty!
I want to read my book on the plane.
I’ll just sit down and spread myself out
And open my novel Worlds Apart.
There’s a tall man standing over me, smiling.

Perdone, señorita. Este es mi asiento.
What in the world did he just say?
Oh no! There goes the empty seat!
He’s reaching into his briefcase,

Pulling out his own book.
Mundos Aparte, the cover says.
Why does this book look so familiar?
Oh, I can’t believe this! Of all books!

Excuse me, sir! He won’t believe this.
Ah, sí. Worlds Apart. Buen libro!
Laughter between two strangers fills the plane.

1. Free-verse fiction tells a story in verse form. It has no rhyme or
meter. What tells you this text is free-verse fiction?
2. An interior monologue shows the private thoughts of the main

character. What are three examples of interior monologue?
3. How does the main character act toward the tall man?

Vocabulary Strategy: Homographs
Name
Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.
They may also be pronounced differently. Look at the word winds in the
sentences below.
All flights in and out of Chicago were stalled by the howling winds
outside.
The road winds around the mountain.

In the first sentence, you say winds with a short i. It means “movements of air.”
In the second sentence winds has a long i and means “turns in a circle” or
“moves on a curving path.”
A. Look at the homograph in bold in each sentence below.

Decide if the definition in parentheses is correct for that word in
that context. Circle correct or incorrect.
1. Change, Change, Change! she yelled silently at the board.

(small coins)
correct incorrect
2. Just then the airport speakers gave a loud crackle.

(at that moment)
correct incorrect
3. Rosie spoke to a person at the counter.
(part of a bicycle wheel)
correct incorrect
B. Circle the letters of ALL the correct meanings of each word in
bold below. Each word will have two or three correct meanings.
4. just a. fair b. exactly c. recently
5. spoke a. looked b. talked c. part of a wheel
6. counter a. person who counts b. underneath c. a high table

Word Study: Greek and Latin Prefixes
Name
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word that changes its
meaning. Many English words have a Greek or Latin prefix added to a base
word or root.
The following are some Greek and Latin prefixes and their meanings.
pro- “before” sub- “under” com- “with”
co- “together” post- “after” trans- “across”
co-worker postdate submarine profession transport
A. Find a word from the box that has the same prefix. Write it on
the line. The first one has been done for you.
1. profile profession
2. suburb
3. co-host
4. translate

5. postpone
B. Read each word. Use the meaning of the underlined prefix to

match the word to its definition. The first one has been done.
6. propose an underground train
7. subway move something to another place
8. copilot put forward an idea
9. postwar after a war
10. transfer pilot who works together with another pilot

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how an author
develops the theme of a story by describing how characters’ feelings change.
By showing in “Delayed” how two strangers change,

Topic
sentence the author develops the theme that it’s easier to share
adversity than to face it alone. At first, the author shows
how angry and frustrated Rosie is when her flight is
cancelled. Then Rosie notices how scared another girl is.
Evidence
Rosie’s feelings change out of concern for Estrella. She
explains the snow to her and tries to get help at the desk.
Showing how Rosie’s feelings change because of someone
Concluding
else helps the author express the theme that facing
statement
problems together is easier than doing so alone.
from the text to show how the author’s description of characters’
feelings helps to convey the theme. Remember to use correct
pronoun-verb agreement.


Name
help you add details and events to develop the plot.
Draft Model
Jojo watched as the movers carried the boxes into the house. She wished she
were still in her old home in her old neighborhood. A boy Jojo’s age came out
from next door.
1. What events and details could be added to tell readers more

about Jojo?
2. What events or details could be added to help make the

conflict clearer?
3. What details would show how Jojo is affected by meeting a

new neighbor?
B. Now revise the draft by adding details and events to help

develop the plot. Your details and events should show readers
more about what happens between Jojo and the neighbor and
how the events affect Jojo.

Vocabulary
Name
lounge obligation answerable proportion

1. If you are answerable to someone, you must tell him or her why
you did something.
2. If you have an obligation to be on time for dinner, it is okay to

be late.
3. A lounge is often considered a good place to relax.
4. If you have a disagreement with a friend, it is helpful to blow things

out of proportion.

Name
Read the selection. Complete the point of view graphic organizer.

Name
Read the poem. Check your understanding by asking yourself

what point of view the poem is told from.
Dear Lola,
2 It’s been a full day since you’ve gone missing and
12 I’ve been a bundle of nerves.
18 Time and again I strain to hear you scratching,
27 scratching at the door. Or see your face as you
37 come barreling down the street.
42 I’ve put up posters and pounded the pavement
50 for hours, wishing I had gotten that back gate
59 fixed faster. Then you would still be here, softly
68 snoring in your battered, blue bed, instead of
76 outside scared and alone. I miss you, Lola.
84 I’m wishing on a star that I find you SOON!
94 Love, Carolyn
96 Dear Carolyn,
98 You won’t believe the adventure
103 I’ve been having! It’s been a wild ride!
111 The gate was open, so I raced right out
120 and chased a squirrel for miles. After that,
128 I was lost. I was scared stiff at first,

137 but then a nice woman took me in. She
146 gave me food and made a big bed for me.
156 This morning we walked past a poster
Image Source/PunchStock
163 with a picture that looks a lot like me.

172 She smiled and said that big changes will
180 be just around the corner. She says I’ll
188 have a visitor soon. I hope it’s you.
196 Love, Lola

Name
1. Look at the first letter in the poem. Carolyn is the speaker. Whom
does Carolyn write to? What does she write about?
2. Look at the second letter in the poem. Lola is the speaker. Who is
Lola? Whom does she write to? What does she write about?
3. What point of view is each letter written from? How do you know?
4. The two speakers in this poem show two sides of the same story.
Which statement best describes what you learned because there
are two speakers? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. Lola ran away and found a new home and never wants to see Carolyn again.

b. Carolyn has been very worried about her missing pet, but Lola has been having a
great time all along.
c. Lola has been having a nice time with the woman who rescued her, but Carolyn
has run away and is lonely.

Number Words Correct

Words Read – =
of Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
Cheering Up Callie
Callie was sullen, sad
Since her friend Frances had moved far away.
Her brother Ben wanted to cheer her up,
But nothing he said seemed suitably soothing.
Callie just sat in a chair, staring out the window.
Then Ben had an idea;
He started making funny faces and silly sounds,
Flipping backward like a jumping monkey.
He cracked her up with his antics,
And at last, she burst into giggles.
1. Free verse poetry does not have a traditional rhyme scheme of

words at the end of each line. How can you tell that this text does
not have a traditional rhyme scheme?
2. Free verse does not have traditional meter, or pattern of rhythm.

It often uses rhythms of everyday speech. Copy a sentence or
line from the poem that sounds like something you might say in
a conversation.
3. Narrative poetry tells a story. What story does this poem tell?
4. Alliteration is repetition of a consonant sound at the beginnings of

nearby words. Assonance is repetition of a vowel sound. Give an
example of each from the poem.
Alliteration
Assonance

Literary Elements: Alliteration and Assonance
Name
Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginnings of words

near one another.
Example: big brown bears
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound inside words near one another.
Example: cold bones
Read these lines of the free verse poem. Then answer the
questions.
You won’t believe the adventure

I’ve been having! It’s been a wild ride!
The gate was open, so I raced right out
and chased a squirrel for miles. After that,
I was lost. I was scared stiff at first,
but then a nice woman took me in. She gave
me food and made a big bed for me. This
morning we walked past a poster with a picture
that looks a lot like me.
1. There are two examples of alliteration in the last sentence. Write

them below.

2. There is an example of assonance in the second line. Write it below.
3. Read the passage aloud. Write your favorite example of repeated

sounds. Explain why you like it.

Vocabulary Strategy: Figurative Language
Name
An idiom is a group of words in which the meaning is different from the meanings
of the individual words. Context clues can help you figure out the meaning of an
idiom such as “pounded the pavement” in the poem about a girl looking for her
lost dog.
I’ve put up posters and pounded the pavement for hours
Based on the context, you can tell that pounded the pavement means “looked
long and hard.”
Read each passage. Use context clues to help you figure out the
meaning of each idiom in bold. Then answer the question below
the passage.
1. It’s been a full day since you’ve gone missing and

I’ve been a bundle of nerves.
How does Carolyn feel?
2. Or see your face as you

come barreling down the street.
How does she imagine her dog will come down the street toward her?
3. You won’t believe the adventure

I’ve been having! It’s been a wild ride!
How does Carolyn’s dog, Lola, feel about her time away?
4. I was scared stiff at first,

but then a nice woman took me in.
How did Lola feel at first?

Phonics: Consonant Alternation
Name
A suffix is a word part that comes at the end of a base word and changes the
word’s meaning. Adding a suffix may change the sound of the consonant in the
base word. For example, in the word sign, the consonant g is silent. When you
add the suffix -al to make signal, the g is no longer silent. This kind of change
is called consonant alternation.
A. Read each pair of words. Circle the pair that has consonant
alternation. Then write the letter that has a change in sound.
1. crumb/crumble flex/flexible b
2. love/lovable design/designate
3. refuse/refusal office/official
4. create/creation propose/proposal
5. public/publicity suburb/suburban
B. Read each word in bold. Circle the related word that has
consonant alternation. The first one has been done for you.

6. confuse confusion confused conflict
7. magic magical maximum magician
8. reject region rejecting rejection
9. muscle muscles muscular muscled
10. music musician mute musically

Name
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to show how the
author’s choice of words helped to convey a poem’s meaning.
Topic In “Dear Lola,” the author chose words that helped me

sentence imagine Carolyn’s experience. For example, the author
uses the expressions “bundle of nerves,” “pounded the
pavement,” and “wishing on a star” to show how Carolyn
Evidence feels after Lola ran away. She uses the word scratching
twice to show what it’s like to hear Lola at the door.
The word battered helps me visualize what Lola’s old
Concluding
bed looks like. Together, these word choices help make
statement Carolyn’s worry about Lola both vivid and believable.
Write a paragraph about the poem you have chosen. Cite

evidence from the text to show how the author’s word choices
helped convey the poem’s meaning. Remember to use transitions
that show how your ideas go together and to use pronouns
correctly.


Name
help you add sensory language to create a more vivid picture in
the reader’s mind.
Draft Model
The spade digs in the ground.
It lifts the crumbling clods of dirt.
Then it gently covers the tiny seeds.

The soil smells like spring.
1. What do the crumbling clods of dirt look like? Is there anything in

the dirt?
2. In the third line, what is “it”?
3. When were the seeds planted? What do the seeds look like in
the dirt?
4. In the last line, exactly how does the soil smell like spring?
B. Now revise the draft by adding sensory language. Your

changes should help bring to life the speaker’s experience.

Vocabulary
Name
audacity deception desolate exploits

oblivious somber steadfast valiant
1. notable deeds or heroic achievements
2. unaware
3. mostly deserted
4. courageous or showing bravery
5. depressing and dismal
6. act that conceals the truth
7. dedicated to a purpose
8. boldness that comes from confidence or arrogance

9. Which word would you use to describe someone who doesn’t know what is going
on around him?
10. Which word would you use to describe the boldness and arrogance of a character?
11. Which word would you use to describe the act of wearing a disguise?

Comprehension: Problem and Solution Graphic Organizer
Name
Read the selection. Complete the problem and solution graphic

organizer.
Character
Setting
Problem
Events
Solution

Name
strategy to check your understanding as you read.
Athena and Arachne

Long ago when Greek gods and goddesses roamed the Earth, there lived
12 a young maiden by the name of Arachne. Arachne was known far and
25 wide for her skillful weaving. The cloths she wove had such magnificent
37 patterns and images that women came from all over to see them.
49 Those who saw her work said that surely she must have been taught by
63 Athena, the goddess of weaving. When Arachne heard this, she laughed
74 and said she had taught herself. She even went so far as to claim that her
90 skills were superior to those of Athena. “Let the goddess try to match her
104 skills against mine,” she declared.
109 Now, it is a foolish thing to challenge the Greek gods, but that did not
124 stop Arachne. She announced, “I’m sure I could win in a contest with her.
138 If I lost, I would accept the penalty.”
146 Athena was displeased when she heard of Arachne’s claims. She decided
157 to pay the maiden a visit. To give Arachne a chance to apologize for her
172 boasting, Athena disguised herself as an old lady. She had gray hair and
185 walked with a stick.
189 Athena approached Arachne and spoke to her. “I can see that you do
202 your craft well. However, it would serve you to be more humble and not
216 set yourself above the gods and goddesses. You should yield the goddess
228 Athena’s place to her and take back your boastful words. I’m sure Athena
241 would pardon you if you made amends to her.”

Name
Arachne replied, “I don’t need anyone’s advice. Athena is welcome to try and
match my skills.”
At those bold and foolish words, the old woman took off her disguise and
said, “It is I, Athena, and since it is a contest you want, it is a contest you
shall get.”
Arachne blushed when she realized to whom she was speaking, but she did not
change her mind. The contest began at once.
The goddess and mortal took their places at looms. They wove thread in and
out at a furious pace, and it didn’t take long for images to begin appearing on
the cloth.
Athena’s images portrayed the power of the gods against various mortals who
had displeased them. Her images were meant as a warning to Arachne that her
pride was both unwise and dangerous.
Arachne ignored the warning, and the images she wove were scenes of the
gods and goddesses doing foolish things. The gods were shown as feeble and
reckless. Arachne’s work was flawless and beautiful but full of scorn for the
gods and goddesses.
Incensed at Arachne’s disrespect, Athena ripped up Arachne’s cloth. Arachne
cried out at seeing her work destroyed. In response, Athena said to her, “You
are foolish and vain, but I can see you love
your craft, so I will take pity on you and not
kill you. Instead, I will let you spin forever.”
With those words, she sprinkled a magic juice

upon Arachne. Arachne’s body shrank, her
limbs changed, and her fingers turned into
legs. Her belly grew round, and from it came
a fine thread. Athena had turned Arachne into
a spider to pursue her skill as a weaver by
making and remaking spider webs.

Comprehension: Problem and Solution and Fluency
Name
1. Read the first three paragraphs of the story. Arachne’s problem is

that she wants to prove she is a better weaver than Athena. How
does she try to solve this problem?
2. Athena disguises herself as an old lady and goes to visit Arachne.

What problem is Athena trying to solve by doing this?
3. At the end of the story, Athena’s problem is that she wants to

punish Arachne for making fun of the gods. Which statement below
describes the way Athena solves that problem? Circle the letter of
your answer.
a. Athena kills Arachne.
b. Athena makes the people in Arachne’s cloth come alive and attack her.
c. Athena weaves a magical cloth that carries Arachne out of the kingdom.
d. Athena destroys Arachne’s cloth and turns Arachne into a spider.

intonation and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Name
The Wings of Icarus

“What are you making, Dad?” Icarus asked his father, Daedalus. He was
constructing something from wax and feathers. The two were prisoners in the
labyrinth his father had created for King Minos. This was getting the best of
Daedalus’s temper.
“You’ll see, Icarus, you’ll see. We will show that crazy king who’s smarter,”
Daedalus said. “Here, Son, try these on.” He handed his son a pair of wings he
made from the wax and feathers.
“You’re kidding, right, Dad?” Icarus replied.
“Not at all. Use these wings to escape,” Daedalus ordered. He fastened the
wings to his son’s body. “Now go, but don’t fly too close to the sun.”
As Icarus flew, he felt excited and powerful. He forgot his father’s warning
and flew higher—almost touching the sun. Suddenly, Icarus felt his wings
getting heavy. Before he knew it, he fell to the sea below. Sadly, Icarus drowned.
The Icarian Sea was named in his honor.
1. Myths often have characters with non-human powers. What

non-human power is given to a character in this text?

2. Myths teach a lesson about something a culture considers
important. What lesson do you think this text teaches?
3. Describe the series of events in this text that are larger than life.

Vocabulary Strategy: Word Origins
Name
Many words in English come from older languages such as Latin or Greek.
Sometimes a word that you don’t know has the same origin as a word you
do know. For example, knowing that a portrait is “a picture or description of
a person” can help you figure out that portrayed means “to show in words or
pictures.”
Athena’s images portrayed the power of the gods against various mortals
who had displeased them.
Read each sentence below. Look for context clues to help you
figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then look at the
word’s origin and the meaning of the origin word. Circle the letter
of the best definition for each word in bold.
1. The cloths she wove had such magnificent patterns and images that
women came from all over to see them.
Origin: magnificus, meaning “splendid.”

a. old-fashioned b. excellent c. complicated
2. She even went so far as to claim that her skills were superior to
those of Athena.
Origin: superiorem, meaning “higher.”

a. equal b. neater c. better
3. I’m sure Athena would pardon you if you made amends to her.
Origin: emendare, meaning “to correct, to free from fault”

a. changes b. an apology c. improvements
4. Incensed at Arachne’s disrespect, Athena ripped up Arachne’s cloth.
Origin: incendere, meaning “set on fire.”

a. crying b. laughing c. angry

Word Study: Homophones
Name
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and
meanings. For example, here/hear and board/bored are homophone pairs.
A. Read the words in both columns. Draw a line to connect the

homophones. The first one has been done for you.
1. there vain
2. vane pane
3. idle their
4. heel idol
5. pain heal
B. Read each word below. Then write the word from the box next
to its homophone. The first one has been done for you.
shear minor mail their bare

6. sheer shear
7. bear
8. male
9. miner
10. they’re

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to analyze the plot and
explain the way a character solved a problem.
In “Athena and Arachne,” the plot shows the steps

Topic
sentence
Athena took to stop Arachne’s boasting. Angered by
Arachne’s boast that she is the best weaver, Athena first
disguises herself. She tries to get Arachne to take back her
conceited claim. Arachne doesn’t. So Athena reveals who
Evidence she is. Then she challenges Arachne to a weaving contest.
Arachne’s design mocks the gods, so Athena turns her into
Concluding a spider. The plot of this myth shows how Athena went
statement about solving the problem of Arachne’s pride.
Write a paragraph about the myth you have chosen. Cite

evidence from the text to analyze how events in the plot show the
way a character solves a problem. Remember to use transitions
to make clear the order of events and to use adjectives correctly.


Name
to help you think about what transitions you can add to indicate
shifts in time or setting and to connect plot events.
Draft Model
Jacob heard Dragon was threatening the kingdom. He decided to visit Dragon.
He left for the journey to Dragon’s cave. Jacob arrived at the cave.
1. What transitional words and phrases would help show readers

when it was that Jacob heard about Dragon threatening the
kingdom? What transitions would show when Jacob decided to
visit Dragon?
2. What transitions would help show the connections between the

events in the first and second sentences?
3. What transitions would help indicate shifts in setting?
B. Now revise the draft by adding transitions to help clarify shifts

in time and setting and to help connect plot events.

Vocabulary
Name
disposed eavesdropping fortitude infinite

retaliation rigors stoop undaunted
1. mental strength
2. platform with steps at a building’s door
3. strike back to try to get even
4. endless
5. not discouraged or unafraid
6. condition that makes things difficult
7. inclined to do something
8. secretly listening to a conversation
B. Write four sentences. Use one vocabulary word in each

sentence.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Name
Read the selection. Complete the cause and effect

graphic organizer.
Setting
Event Character’s
Reaction
Event Character’s
Reaction
Event Character’s
Reaction

Name
strategy to check your understanding as you read.
Following a Star
Henry walked carefully through the dark woods. He wished he could
11 go faster, but he remembered his mother’s words, haste makes waste. The
23 woods were not a safe place for a runaway slave. Nowhere was. His only
37 hope was to travel safely on the Underground Railroad to Canada and
49 freedom. Each home on the line would provide protection from those who
61 would whip or imprison him—or worse—if they caught him.
72 Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby. Henry jumped. He squeezed his eyes
83 shut tight and told himself, “A coward dies a thousand deaths. A brave
96 man dies but once.” He turned around, sure that he would see an angry
110 slave catcher. Instead he saw the friendly face of a boy not much older
124 than himself. “I thought…”
128 “Shh!” the boy hushed Henry, then led him to a large oak.
140 Next to the tree was a woman just a little taller than Henry. He didn’t
155 need to see her clearly to know that she was Harriet Tubman, the former
169 slave who had guided so many other slaves to freedom. She was holding a
183 folded sheet of paper in her hand.
190 “I was told that this letter is a warning to folks that you are an escaped
206 slave,” Harriet told Henry quietly. “I will tell you how to make your way
220 along the Underground Railroad.”

224 Then in a calm voice, Tubman explained how to get to the first station.
238 “Look for a lit lantern hanging outside a home.” She reminded Henry that
251 along with those who would help him, there were also those who could
264 destroy him—wild animals and people.
270 “Mrs. Tubman, please take me with you!” Henry blurted out.

Name
“I’m sorry,” Harriet Tubman said quietly. She looked at the letter in her
hand. Harriet knew that taking Henry along with the other boy would only put
everyone in even more danger.
“But how will I know which direction to
go in?” Henry asked.
“Follow the North Star, and always be
remembering—stay alert. Didn’t your
mama ever tell you danger foreseen is half
avoided?”
Henry thanked Harriet Tubman and began
his journey. He knew he couldn’t stay in the
woods much longer. He needed a clear view
of the sky so he could see the North Star.
As Henry moved closer to the edge of
the woods, the moonlight came down on
the trees. It created shadows that turned the
trees into snarling dogs and men with sticks and ropes. The images filled Henry
with a twisting fear. Thinking about the punishments he would face if he were
captured terrified him. He began to wonder if he should turn back and return to
the plantation. He might still receive a beating, but it would be nothing like what
would happen if he were captured.
Still, life at the plantation was very hard. There, he belonged to the master.
Although he was just a teenager, Henry worked six long days a week, picking

cotton under the boiling sun.
Henry was unsure of what to do. With a heavy sigh, he thought of something
else his mama used to say, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Henry had the
experience of being a slave his whole life. He knew that he just HAD to be free!
Henry looked up at the sky and searched until he found the North Star shining
down on him like a ray of promise. Fortune favors the bold, thought Henry, and
he took off to follow the North Star to freedom.

Name
1. Look at the second paragraph of the passage. Why is Henry afraid

when hears a twig snap?
2. Read the statements below. Which statement describes why

Harriet Tubman will not take Henry with her? Circle the letter of
your answer.
a. She thinks that Henry would slow them down.
b. She has a letter telling people to be on the lookout for Henry.
c. She does not trust Henry.
d. She and Henry are going in different directions.
3. Look at the text in the middle of the second page. What is the effect
of the moonlight shining on the trees? How does this affect Henry?
4. In the next-to-last paragraph, what does Henry remember that

finally helps him decide to move on?


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Text Feature
Name
The Strength to Speak Out

“Rebecca has been gone for what feels like ten years, Pa, but it is still 1838,”
Mrs. Miller told her husband.
Mr. Miller replied, “We have to be strong, dear. She has important work to do.
Here is a letter that came for you today. Read it aloud.”
Mrs. Miller excitedly began reading: “My Dear Mama, I miss you and Papa
so. Don’t fret about me, for I am safe and well. I have listened to wonderful
speakers at the abolitionist meeting in Pennsylvania Hall. Angelina Grimké Weld
gave a powerful speech against slavery. She urged us all to join together against
the shame of our nation. Mama, would you believe that even I took the stage
and spoke to the other abolitionists? It is true, Mama. Before that, Mrs. Weld
took my hands and looked in my eyes and said, ‘Rebecca Miller, stand up and
speak your mind, for yours is a sharp mind and your voice is one of courage.’
Be proud, of me Mama. I have become the strong woman that you had hoped
me to be. With love and devotion to you and Papa, Rebecca”
1. Write two text features that help you know this text is historical fiction.

2. What character is writing this letter? What does the letter reveal
about the actions of this character?
3. Dialect is the style of speech used by people in a certain setting.

Write an example of dialect from the text. Explain how the use of
dialogue helps you understanding the time period.

Vocabulary Strategy: Adages and Proverbs
Name
Adages and proverbs are short sayings. They can give important truths about
life. They can also provide wise rules to follow. Look at the passage below.
Henry walked carefully through the dark woods. He wished he could go
faster, but he remembered his mother’s words, haste makes waste.
The words haste makes waste are a proverb. It means “when you hurry, you
make more mistakes.”
Read the passages below. Underline the context clues that help
you figure out the meaning of each proverb in bold. Then circle
the letter of the best definition of each proverb.
1. Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby. Henry jumped. He squeezed

his eyes shut tight and told himself, “A coward dies a thousand
deaths. A brave man dies but once.” He turned around, sure that
he would see an angry slave catcher.
a. A brave man has nine lives.
b. Every fear is like a small death for the coward, but a hero
stands up to fear.
c. If you are brave, you can move faster.
2. “Follow the North Star, and always be remembering—stay alert.

Didn’t your mama ever tell you danger foreseen is half avoided?”
a. Being prepared helps you face danger.
b. Avoid danger and you will be happy.
c. Danger is scary and bad.
3. Henry looked up at the sky and searched until he found the North
Star shining down on him like a ray of promise. Fortune favors
the bold, thought Henry, and he took off to follow the North Star
to freedom.
a. You must be very lucky to be brave.
b. Good luck comes to those who are brave.
c. If you are brave, you will be free.

Word Study: Words from Around the World
Name
The English language has many words that come from languages around the
world. Some words keep the same spelling and pronunciation as the foreign
word, while other words change a little as they become part of the English
language. A dictionary can be used to learn about the history of a word.
A. Draw a line to match each English word on the left to its related
Spanish word on the right. The first one has been done for you.
1. plaza torta
2. chocolate cañón
3. barbecue plaza
4. tortilla chocolate
5. canyon barbacoa
B. Read the words from around the world. Then use its spelling
and meaning to find and circle the related English word. The first
6. safar in Swahili means “journey”

safety safari boat
7. iglu in Inuit means “house”
sticky iguana igloo
8. pudelhund in German means “to splash about” plus “dog”
poodle water doghouse
9. kruisen in Dutch means “to go across”
kitchen rude cruise

Name
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to analyze how a
character changes as a result of events in the plot.
Topic Events in the plot of “Following a Star” cause the main

sentence character to react and change. Henry is nervous as he
escapes from slavery on the Underground Railroad. In the
woods, a boy appears and leads him to Harriet Tubman.
Evidence She says a letter tells slave hunters how to find Henry, but
she directs him to the next station. Henry is afraid to go
by himself, but Harriet encourages him to be brave. These
Concluding
events show how Henry learns to handle his fears and to
statement
carry on in the face of danger.

evidence from the text to analyze the way events in the plot show
how a character changes. Remember to use precise language
and to use demonstrative adjectives correctly.


Name
help you think about how you can add strong, vivid words to help
readers visualize the setting and the characters.
Draft Model
Song desperately looked for her sister, but the forest hid her well. Song called
out her sister’s name. The only answer was the sound of an owl. Song walked
carefully through the trees.
1. What strong verbs could you use to describe how Song looks and
sounds as she searches and calls out?
2. What vivid words could you use to help readers visualize the forest
and understand what Song feels?
3. How do you want the sound of the owl to affect readers? What
specific words could help you describe the owl’s sound to get
that effect?
B. Now revise the draft by adding strong, vivid words that will
help readers better visualize the setting and the action and to
understand how Song is feeling.

Vocabulary
Name
inefficient nutrients industrial manipulation

modification mutated sparse surplus

1. Cars and trucks are considered industrial products.
2. If you want to get a job done quickly, do it in an inefficient manner.
3. If you have a surplus of food, you do not have enough food.
4. A math problem may involve the manipulation of numbers.
5. If you make a modification to something, you change it.

6. Food that contains many nutrients is usually unhealthy to eat.
7. A tree on which leaves are sparse will provide a lot of shade.
8. A mutated plant is exactly like the plant it originally came from.

Name

graphic organizer.
Cause Effect

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to check your

understanding as you read.
Something to Write On, Please

Paper is so common today that it is hard to think of life without it. Yet
16 that is just how people lived before paper was invented. In spite of this,
30 people found ways to record their ideas.
37 The earliest writing material used by humans was the wall of a cave.
50 Not much is known about prehistoric writing, but one thing is sure. The
63 writing inside caves could not be moved. To read it, a person would have
77 to go to it. Back then, people had to walk wherever they went. So, cave
92 writing could not reach many readers.
98 Stone and Papyrus

101 Much of the early writing of the Egyptians was hieroglyphics, which
112 means picture symbols. The ancient Egyptians carved their writing into the
123 stone of temples or monuments. Because of where the writing was done,
135 the words lasted as long as the buildings.
143 Later the Egyptians made an early paper-like material called papyrus.
153 The word paper gets its name from papyrus. Papyrus was named for
165 a grass that grew around the Nile River. To make papyrus paper, the
178 Egyptians cut thin strips of grass and soaked them in water. Soaking the
191 strips softened them. To make a flat surface, they laid the strips at right
205 angles to each other. Then they pounded the strips into a thin sheet. The
219 sun dried and stiffened the sheets. Dried papyrus was so much lighter
231 than stone. Papyrus could be rolled into sheets called scrolls that could
243 be carried.

Name
Clay Tablets
Near Egypt, the ancient Mesopotamians
made a wedge-shaped writing called
cuneiform. Using reeds from the river, they
made impressions in wet clay. When the clay
dried, the writing became permanent. Yet the
clay tablets could still be carried by hand.
In fact, historians think that one of the
earliest uses of writing in Mesopotamia was
to note lists of goods. The lists were sent with
the goods when they were shipped. Because
the writing was permanent, people could
quickly tell if something was missing!
Ts’ai Lun’s Secret Formula

A man named Ts’ai Lun was the first person to make something like the paper
we use today. He worked in the Chinese Imperial Court over 1,900 years ago.
At that time, books in China were made of bamboo, tortoise shell, and other
things that were heavy. Silk was also used to make books, but that was costly.
Lun set out to find something better to write on.
He started by soaking plant parts and bark in water. Once the water softened
the fibers, Lun used a wooden tool to pound them. After being soaked and

pounded, the fibers became thin and threadlike. Using a sieve, Lun carefully
separated the threads from the mixture. Then the threads were pressed and dried
together. They formed thin sheets that one could write on.
Going Paperless?
We use a lot of paper today, which means many trees are cut down for this
purpose. Recently, bamboo has been used to make paper. Bamboo grows fast,
while trees take a long time to grow. Now with people writing on computers,
one day, we may not require paper at all!

Name
1. Look at paragraph 4 on the first page of the passage. What caused

the strips of grass to soften when Egyptians were making papyrus?
2. Look at paragraph 2 on the second page of the passage. Early

writing in Mesopotamia was used to make lists of goods that were
shipped to other places. What was one effect of the permanent
writing on those lists? What signal word helps you see the cause
and effect?
3. Look at paragraph 4 on the second page of the passage. What

was the effect of Ts’ai Lun’s soaking and pounding the soft fibers
of plants? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. The fibers became stiff and hard.
b. The fibers turned white so they could be written on.
c. The fibers became thin and threadlike.



Words Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
The Abacus: Oldest Counting Machine

For thousands of years, the abacus has
been used as a counting machine. In many
countries, merchants used the wooden beads
of the abacus to count goods they bought and
sold. Historians think that the early abacuses
were probably lines drawn in the sand. These
lines stood for units, such as 100s and 1,000s.
Small pebbles within those lines stood for
numbers. When people started using written
numbers to count, the abacus lost popularity
Wooden beads on an abacus were
in Europe. But some people in the world still used to count units.
use it today.
1. Expository text provides factual information about a topic. What is

the topic of this text?
2. What does the heading tell you about the abacus?
3. In the diagram, what does each column of beads stand for?

Name
In a cause-and-effect relationship, one thing (the cause) makes another thing

(the event) happen. Paying attention to cause-and-effect clues can help you
figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words. For example, context clues in the
sentence below show that not requiring paper is the effect of using computers
to write. This relationship helps you figure out that require means “need.”
Now with people writing on computers, one day, we may not require
paper at all!
Read each passage below. Underline the cause-and-effect clues

that help you figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then
circle the letter of the definition of each word in bold.
1. To make papyrus paper, the Egyptians cut thin strips of grass and
soaked them in water. Soaking the strips softened them.
a. made them thin b. made them less soft c. made them soft
2. To make a flat surface, they laid the strips at right angles to each
other. Then they pounded the strips into a thin sheet.
a. wove b. hit again and again c. glued
3. The sun dried and stiffened the sheets.

a. made stiff b. took the stiffness out of c. broke
4. Using reeds from the river, they made impressions in wet clay.
a. marks b. puddles c. dirt
5. When the clay dried, the writing became permanent.
a. blurred b. lasting a long time c. readable

Word Study: Latin Roots
Name
A root is a basic word part that gives a word the most important part of its
meaning. Many English words have roots from Latin. The following are some
Latin roots and their meanings:
• aud means “hear” • bene and bon mean “good”
• flect and flex mean “bend” • port means “carry”
• struct means “build” • fac and fact mean “make” or “do”
audible flexible transport benefit

artifact audience factory reflected
structure benevolent report obstruct
A. Read the words in the box above. Sort them based on their
Latin roots. Write each word in the correct column. The first one
has been done for you.
aud bene fact flect port struct
audible

B. Read the first word in each row. Circle the word that has the
same Latin root as the first word. The first one has been done
for you.
1. portable payable airport fortunate
2. construct structure credit conductor
3. audio terrible porter auditorium
4. factor against governor manufacture

Name
the author’s use of cause-and-effect relationships to explain the topic.
Topic I think the author of “Something to Write On, Please”

sentence believes that wanting to share writing easily caused people
to try different materials. Writings on cave walls could
not be moved, so people looked for other methods. Marsh
grass grew in Egypt, so Egyptians learned to make papyrus
Evidence to write on. Where local clay was plentiful, writing on clay
tablets was easy. Silk was expensive, so Ts’ai Lun tried out
plants until he created paper. As these ideas show, the need
Concluding for cheaper and lighter writing materials caused people to
statement keep trying new things to write on.
from the text to support your argument about the author’s
descriptions of cause-and-effect relationships. Remember to use
comparative adjectives correctly.


Name
help you think about how to best organize the text so that ideas
are logically connected.
Draft Model
The washing machine was a very important invention. It made life easier
for many people. Before, clothes were washed by hand. This took hours. Now
washing machines could do most of the work.
1. What signal words can you insert to highlight cause-and-effect

relationships?
2. How could sentences be revised or rearranged to clearly link causes

and effects?
3. What words or phrases can you use to signal the order of events?
B. Now revise the draft by adding signal words that will help
the reader understand the order of events and the relationships
between ideas.

Vocabulary
Name
colleagues conservatively deduction drones

galaxy sustain ultimately verify
1. establish the truth
2. people you work with
3. large cluster of stars
4. makes a low, constant sound
5. cautiously
6. conclusion formed using reasoning
7. give support
8. eventually or at the end
B. Write four sentences. Use one vocabulary word in each

sentence.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Name
Event

Name
Read the passage. Use the reread strategy to check your

understanding as you read.
Satellites Take Archeology to New Heights

Like detectives, archeologists hunt for information that is often hidden.
10 They dig for clues about ancient people whose cultures have vanished and
22 are gone from view. For many years, archeologists used simple tools such
34 as hand shovels and sifters. They carefully removed sand and dirt from
46 relics. They hoped these objects from the past would unlock the mysteries
58 of ancient civilizations. Now a new tool has changed archeology. Satellite
69 images reveal secrets hidden below the earth. They show in a picture what
82 the human eye cannot see.
87 Going High-Tech
89 In 2000 archeologist Sarah Parcak began searching for traces of ancient
100 villages in Egypt. She knew that the Nile River floodplain could have
112 buried buildings. The desert sands could have covered whole settlements.
122 Parcak thought she could try a high-tech way to pinpoint, or narrow down,
135 likely sites. She wanted to use satellite imaging to help find hidden sites.
148 In 2010 Parcak and her team had two sets of satellite images to study.
162 They compared both sets for over a year. Parcak saw that the most
175 revealing images were taken during late winter. When the soil was wet, the
188 outlines of underground buildings showed up. The ancient buildings were
198 made of mud brick. When they were wet in the winter, they stood out from
213 the soil around them. Now the team had clues, a starting point.

Name
Proof on the Ground

In the satellite pictures, Parcak and the team could easily spot the pyramids
that were above the ground. They compared those images with outlines of
structures that were underground. They found more pyramids! The satellite
pictures also showed the layout of a whole underground city. Using the images,
Parcak and her team were able to make a map of Tanis, once an ancient Egyptian
capital.
The archeologists knew they had to prove their theories. In 2011 Parcak’s
technology pinpointed where to dig. Parcak’s team explored the Tanis site with
other archeologists from France. They found houses right where the images
had shown them to be. They located two pyramids. “They found an almost
100% correlation between what we see on the imagery and what we see on the
ground,” Parcak said.
In total, the high-tech research
has uncovered 17 buried pyramids,
1,000 tombs, and 3,000 settlements.
Parcak’s idea of using satellite
technology has paid off. She is
Purestock/SuperStock
eager to see how this technology
will reveal more about life in
ancient Egypt.
Pictures of the earth taken from satellites
can help archeologists.
Further Exploration

Archeologists predict there will be many more uses for satellite technology.
Today the Egyptian government helps protect their ancient sites using satellite
images. If there is looting, the authorities will know quickly. This will help keep
down theft in the tombs. Archeologists can also use satellites to study places
where ground visits are not safe.
Satellites were first used to explore space. Now they can help us know our
own planet better. Sometimes you have to step back to see the big picture.

Name
1. Look at paragraph 2 on the first page of the passage. What did

Sarah Parcak begin doing in 2000?
2. After Parcak and her team had two sets of satellite images, what
they did they do next? What signal words tell you how long they
spent doing this?
3. Look at paragraph 1 on the second page of the passage. After

Parcak and her team saw outlines of pyramids and other structures
in the underground city, what did they do? What signal words show
the sequence?
4. What step did Parcak and her team take to prove their theories?
Circle the letter of your answer.
a. They compared two different sets of satellite images.
b. They dug and explored the site of Tanis.
c. They mapped out pyramids and houses in Tanis.


Words Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Shipwreck Located Below Lake Ontario

Jim Kennard searched for the British
warship HMS Ontario for 35 years. In 2008,
he teamed up with Dan Scoville. The two men
used sonar, or sound, technology to find the
shipwreck in Lake Ontario. But underwater
divers could not reach it. The ship lay 500 feet
below the surface. The men used an underwater
remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that Scoville
developed. The ROV has bright lighting and
cameras that take images of shipwrecks. The
The HMS Ontario was 24.5 meters
images showed a large sailing ship. Finally, (over 80 feet) long. Its masts were
Kennard had found the HMS Ontario. almost as tall as the length of the
ship.
1. What scientific language is used in this text?

2. In your own words, describe the ROV.
3. A technical account may be organized sequentially to show what

events led to the discovery. How is the information in the text
organized? How does that help you understand the text?
4. What did you learn from the diagram and caption?

Name
Look at the sentence below. The underlined words give a definition or

restatement of the meaning of the word vanished.
They dig for clues about ancient people whose cultures have vanished and
are gone from view.
Read each passage below. Underline the context clues that

define or restate the meaning of each word in bold. Then circle
the letter of the correct meaning for each word.
1. They carefully removed sand and dirt from relics. They hoped
these objects from the past would unlock the mysteries of ancient
civilizations.
a. mysteries from the past b. objects from the past c. ancient civilizations
2. Satellite images reveal secrets hidden below the earth. They show in
a picture what the human eye cannot see.
a. secrets b. parts of the earth c. pictures
3. Parcak thought she could try a high-tech way to pinpoint, or narrow

down, likely sites.
a. narrow down b. high tech c. lose track of
4. Parcak saw that the most revealing images were taken during
late winter. When the soil was wet, the outlines of underground
buildings showed up.
a. late b. outlined c. showing clearly
5. If there is looting, the authorities will know quickly. This will help
keep down theft in the tombs.
a. shooting b. exploring c. stealing

Word Study: Greek Roots
Name
A root is a basic word part that gives a word the most important part of its
meaning. Many English words have roots from Greek. Knowing Greek roots can
help you figure out the meaning of many words.
• photo means “light” • graph means “write”
• aero means “air” • psych means “mind”
A. Read each sentence. Underline the word that has a Greek root.
Then write the root on the line. The first one has been done for you.
1. Running is a great aerobic exercise. aero
2. We used a telephoto lens to take the pictures.
3. My brother read a biography of his favorite pitcher.
4. The doctor’s patient had a form of psychosis.
5. The latest plane was more aerodynamic than earlier models.
6. The fabric is photosensitive and it will fade in the sunlight.
B. Draw a line to match two words that have the same Greek root.

7. photojournalist psychic
8. psychology autograph
9. aerial photosynthesis
10. paragraph aerate

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below analyzed the author’s use of sequence
to explain a topic.
Topic By describing events in order, the author of “Satellites

sentence Take Archeology to New Heights” helped me understand
the topic of satellite imaging. I read that Sarah Parcak
thought of using satellite imaging to find buried Egyptian
Evidence buildings. By 2010, her team had two sets of images to
study. They realized images of wet soil were more useful.
Then they compared these to outlines of known buildings.
Finally, they dug for and found buildings buried exactly
where the images showed they would be. Reading the
Concluding
steps that Parcak took helped me to understand how
statement
satellite imaging can be used.
from the text to analyze the author’s use of sequence to explain
a topic. Remember to use clear transitions and to use more and
most correctly.


Name
to help you think about how to strengthen the organization of the
paragraph’s main idea and supporting details.
Draft Model
I think we should visit the moon again. The last time a human walked on the
moon was in 1972. Since that time, there have been many advances in technology.
1. What words or phrases could you add to make the topic sentence
clearer?
2. How could the second sentence be revised to help it better support

the topic sentence?
3. What points could be added to help strengthen the ideas in the last
sentence and to link ideas to the topic? What transitions could be
used?
4. What sentence could you add to the end to make the reader want
to read the next paragraph?
B. Now revise the draft by creating a stronger topic sentence and

by giving stronger, more specific support for the topic.

Vocabulary
Name
catastrophic elevating computations subsequently

magnetic obsolete application deployed
1. the act of putting something to use
2. arranged in order to be used
3. out of date and no longer used
4. disastrous
5. occurring or coming after
6. raising higher
7. calculations using math
8. able to attract metal objects

9. Which word would you use to describe a hurricane that destroys
a town?
10. Which word would you use to describe adding and subtracting
numbers?
11. Which word would you use to describe an old object that is no
longer used?

Name

graphic organizer.

Name

understanding.
Hurtling Through Space from Home

You can find out what it’s like to travel in space without even leaving
14 your home. Space hobbyists have written amazing computer programs.
23 Some let you see what’s out there as if you were at a planetarium. Other
38 programs let you soar as if you were in a spacecraft. Space exploration
51 can be a lot of fun. Computer space exploration is not just for kids and
66 teenagers. Many computer astronauts are adults. They also want to fly a
78 spacecraft through our vast solar system.
84 Tech Space Travel

87 Have you ever gazed up at the night sky in awe? You can now get a
103 closer look without going to a planetarium. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey
115 has begun mapping the universe. Its inventors have seen hundreds of
126 millions of objects. You can see images and data from the survey with a
140 computer. Just log onto SkyServer. Go on a journey through the night sky.
153 It would be easy to get lost in space so SkyServer has games to keep its
169 astronauts on course.
172 Since 2009 NASA and Microsoft have worked together. NASA made
182 their space images free for public use. The result is the WorldWide
194 Telescope. Its makers call it “the world’s best telescope.” This online tool
206 gathers data from telescopes around the world. You can take trips into
218 space, seeing what it was like billions of years ago. You can learn how
232 it might look in the future. You can view the planets’ positions from any
246 place on Earth.

Name
Stellarium is also an astronomy program. It’s easy to observe the sun, moon,
planets, and stars with it. Zoom in to find the names of objects in the sky. Look
at the universe from anywhere in space, not just from Earth. Simply type in the
name of the planet you would like to visit. You can enjoy the wonder of it all at
close range with real space images.
Celestia is another piece of free software that provides the experience of space
exploration. You will not view space from a spacecraft cockpit in this adventure.
However, you may plot locations in the solar system and travel between planets.
There is an easy “Go To” feature. Just pick a planet or star you wish to zoom in
on. You will see stars, planets, and moons pass by until you get to the location.
Virtual Orbiting
Bruce Irving is one of NASA’s Solar System
Ambassadors. He is an author and teacher of
computer space explorers. His free, online
books help people with Dr. Martin Schweiger's
space simulation program called Orbiter. You
can imagine you’re riding in a spaceship by
using pre-recorded flights. Launch and re-entry
modeling make for realistic space travel. Later
Graphics such as this—the
on, you might learn how to plan your own trip cockpit of the Orbiter’s Delta-
to Mars or Jupiter. Orbiter has enough levels of glider vehicle—add to the realism
of space-flight simulation.
learning to challenge even advanced users.

It’s easy to get interested in space exploration and flight simulation. Computer
programs have paved the way for many people of all ages to learn more about
space. Willing scientists and computer experts have made the thrill of spaceflight
possible for everyone. Give it a try and discover how real space travel can seem.
Simulations Require Training

Spaceflight simulation demands some learning before you can do much
more than take a demonstration ride. Demo models provide a hint of the many
possibilities available. Experiencing simulations of launches of your own space
shuttle or orbiting planets of your choice will require some tutorial work. For
the beginner, using the planetarium-style programs are a better way to start
exploring space.

Comprehension: Author's Point of View and Fluency
Name
1. Look at the third paragraph of the passage. What details

does the author include about what you can do using the
WorldWide Telescope?
2. At the end of paragraph 4, what words does the author use to

describe what you will experience using the program Stellarium?
3. In the last paragraph, what phrase does the author use to describe
what scientists and experts have made available to everyone?
4. How would you describe the author’s point of view about computer
programs that simulate space exploration?
a. They are only for people who are training to become astronauts.
b. They are good mainly because they are free of charge.

c. They are valuable because they allow many people to see what space is like.


Words Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
NASA’s Robotic Lander Maximum Hovering Altitude of

Robotic Lander, Oct.–Nov. 2011
100
Picture a “robot” spaceship landing on a
90
faraway planet. NASA is testing such a robotic
80
lander to explore the moon and other bodies 70
in space. “Mighty Eagle” is the first of this 60
type. It’s a 700-pound, three-legged craft that’s 50
four feet tall and eight feet wide. In 2011 it 40
was able to fly 100 feet high, stop a while, 30
and then land safely. A computer guides the 20
“Mighty Eagle,” our newest step in exploring 10
space. Altitude First Second Third

(in feet) test test test
1. Expository text explains a topic. It often presents scientific

information. How do you know this is expository text?
2. What does the heading tell you about NASA ’s lander?

3. What name has NASA given the lander?
4. How many tests does the line graph show?

Vocabulary Strategy: Connotations and Denotations
Name
The denotation of a word is its dictionary definition. The connotations of a

P6_Text
word are the meanings it has in context that are beyond its basic meaning.
P6_Text
An example is the word wonder in the sentence below. In that context, its
connotation is of a beautiful sight almost beyond imagination.
You can enjoy the wonder of it all at close range with real space images.
Read each passage below. Then circle the letter of the correct
connotation for each word in bold.
1. Other programs let you soar as if you were in a spacecraft.
a. fly freely b. land softly c. fly, but not very high
2. Space exploration can be a lot of fun. Computer space exploration

is not just for kids and teenagers.
a. study b. teaching c. adventure
3. They also want to fly a spacecraft through our vast solar system.
a. big b. huge beyond imagination c. medium sized
4. Celestia is another piece of free software that provides the

experience of space exploration.
a. adventure b. activity c. memory
5. Bruce Irving is one of NASA’s Solar System Ambassadors. He is

an author and teacher of computer space explorers.
a. unfriendly visitors b. friendly representatives c. astronauts

Word Study: Suffixes -ive, -age, and -ize
Name
A suffix is a word part that can be added to the end of a base word.
A suffix changes the meaning of the word. The suffix -ive means “ability to,”
the suffix -age means “action or process,” and the suffix -ize means “make.”
Sometimes adding a suffix changes the spelling of the base word.
For example, when the suffix -ive is added to the word create, the
final e is dropped before adding the suffix: creative.
A. Read the word in bold. Then circle the related word in the row
that has a suffix added. The first one has been done for you.
1. vocal vacation vocalize volume
2. modern modernize materialize moment
3. expense expensive expand pensive
4. final finish fixed finalize
5. act age active alive
B. Read the word in bold and the sentence. Circle the word in the
sentence that has the same suffix as the word in bold. The first

6. motorize You’ve been gone for so long that I hardly
recognize you.
7. secretive What a positive impact the cleanup had on

the neighborhood!
8. passage Our new car has far more storage than our old one.
9. negative My art class is exciting because we get to be

really creative.
10. socialize I plan to specialize in technology when I go to college.

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to support an opinion
about the author’s point of view.
I think the author’s choice of words in “Hurtling

Topic Through Space from Home” shows a very positive point
sentence of view toward the topic. The author uses words such
as amazing, wonder, and thrill to describe computer
programs that let people experience space travel. Vivid
Evidence words like soar, gazing, and shoots give readers a better
sense of what it’s like to use the programs. The author
also says how “easy” it is to get interested in space while
using the programs. For these reasons, I believe the author
Concluding
has a very positive point of view toward the subject.
statement
Write a paragraph about the text you chose. Cite evidence from
the text to support your argument about the author’s point of
view. Remember to use concrete details and to use comparative
forms of good and bad correctly.


Name
to help you revise the draft by replacing less-precise words with
content words about the technical subject.
Draft Model
My favorite piece of new technology is a tablet computer. It has a fast
processor and programmable keys. It also has lots of memory.
1. What words in the model can be replaced with more precise

content words about this new technology?
2. How can you use content words to be more specific about the
amount of memory the tablet has?
3. What other content words can you add to the draft? For example,
does the tablet have a camera? Does it have any special apps?
B. Now revise the draft by replacing less-precise words with

content words.

Vocabulary
Name
commodity distribution dominant edible

impenetrable ornate replenished significant
1. safe to be eaten
2. item of value that is bought and sold
3. important or having consequences
4. elaborately decorated
5. impossible to break through
6. resupplied or refilled
7. ruling or having authority
8. process of delivering goods

9. What word would you use to describe a plant you can eat?
10. What word would you use to describe a fancy necklace with many jewels?
11. What word would you use to describe a person who likes to be in charge or in
control?

Name
graphic organizer.
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail

Name
check for understanding as you read.
Harnessing the Sun’s Energy

For as long as people have lived on Earth, they have depended on
13 the sun. Energy from the sun is called solar energy. In ancient times,
26 people were warmed directly by the sun. They also used the sun’s energy
39 indirectly. Solar energy was stored in the wood they burned. It was in
52 the plants they ate. Today we often use solar energy stored in oil, coal,
66 and natural gas resources. These resources take a very long time to form,
79 and we are using them up. Earth receives light from the sun constantly.
92 So, direct solar energy is renewable as long as the sun shines.
104 Many ancient people found ways to use solar power by converting,
115 or turning, sunlight into thermal energy (heat). Greeks and Romans used
126 the sun’s reflection on mirrors to light torches. Romans found that glass
138 windows would hold the sun’s warmth inside. Native Americans built
148 houses into the sides of cliffs. Their homes held in the sun’s heat from
162 the day to keep them warm at night. Solar science is not new, but we keep
178 learning the best ways to use the sun’s power.
187 From Light to Electricity

191 Today we have found out how to turn solar energy into electrical energy
204 (electricity). In 1839 a French scientist found that when certain materials
215 absorbed light, they made electricity. In 1905 Albert Einstein described the
226 details of this process. Einstein’s work was the basis for much progress in
239 solar science.

Name
Convert, Collect, and Store

Cell
In the 1950s, American scientists made a
solar cell that could change the sun’s energy
into power. One cell did not produce much
electricity. Soon the cells were placed into Module
larger units called modules. For even more
power, NASA put solar modules into a unit
called an array. NASA used this technology
for space travel.
The sun’s energy had to be stored somehow, Array
or there would be no power unless the sun was

shining. Scientists found ways to store electrical power in batteries. They also
discovered that heat could first be collected and then stored. In 1767 a Swiss
scientist developed the first solar collector. A flat plate collector uses black
metal plates covered with pieces of glass. The glass heats up as the sun strikes.
The heat is then carried by water or air to storage. Collectors are often used for
heating homes or water. A focusing collector is used to capture greater heat.
In these, a layout of carefully placed mirrors focuses the sunlight. The light is
concentrated into a small black receiver, making it very hot.
Available and Renewable

Solar power has many advantages. Solar power does not pollute. This resource

is free and available. The cost of collecting and storing solar energy is still
somewhat of a problem. However, more people are using solar power in their
homes and businesses. Water heaters and collection panels are cutting energy
costs. New designs in windows, skylights, and shingles help homeowners use the
sun’s energy.
Humans have looked for ways to use our amazing sun since ancient times.
With the need for renewable energy, looking to the sun just makes sense. The
potential for solar power is enormous.

Name
1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that people have always
used the sun’s energy. Write two key details from the paragraph
that support the main idea.
2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
3. Look at the first paragraph under the heading “Available and

Renewable.” Think about how these two key details are related:
(1) solar power does not pollute, and (2) solar power is free and
available. Which sentence below states the main idea of the
paragraph? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. The cost of collecting solar power is still a problem.

b. Solar power has many advantages.
c. More and more people are using solar energy.


Words Read – =
Errors Score
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Lithium: The World’s Newest Commodity

Oil and natural gas fuel our cars and homes. Now, lithium has become
a valuable commodity, or product. Lithium is a light silvery-white metal that
conducts electricity. Electronics that require
a long battery life, such as laptops and
mobile phones, run on lithium. The world’s
largest supply lies within the salt flats of salt crust
Chile and Bolivia in South America. Lithium liquid brine

is a clean energy source. But mining for it is
rock salt
dirty work. The metal is pumped out of the
ground and left to heat up in the hot desert
sun. It then becomes a yellow greasy liquid
that can be used as energy. Some people
ask the question: How much damage to the Lithium comes from a layer of liquid
environment will lithium mining cause? brine found in the earth.
1. What is the topic of this text?

2. Why is lithium becoming a valuable commodity?
3. According to the diagram and caption, what layer does lithium

come from?

Vocabulary Strategy: Latin Roots
Name
Many words in English have Latin roots. For example, the word energy has
the Latin root erg. The Latin root erg means “work.” This meaning will help you
understand that energy means “the ability to perform work.”
Energy from the sun is called solar energy.
You can use a Latin root as a context clue to help you understand other words
that have the same root.
Study the chart of Latin roots and meanings. Then draw a line
to connect each word on the left with a word on the right that
has the same root.
Latin Root Meaning

flec, flex bend
scrib, scrip write
vert, vers turn
sign sign
1. reflection signal
2. described reverse
3. converting flexible
4. designs script

Word Study: Suffixes -ible and -able
Name
A suffix is a word part that comes at the end of a base word. It changes
the meaning of the base word and the part of speech.
• The suffixes -ible and -able mean “capable or worthy of” or “tending to.”
• Adding -ible and -able to a word changes the word to an adjective.
A. Read each word and underline the suffix. Then write the
suffix on the line. The first one has been done for you.
1. horrible ible
2. terrible
3. probable
4. usable
5. sensible
B. Read each clue in bold. Then circle the word that matches the
clue. Use the suffixes to help determine the meaning. The first
6. worth great value fashionable valuable

7. causing comfort adorable comfortable
8. capable of being divided profitable divisible
9. tending to break breakable breakfast
10. worthy of being loved lovable reliable

Name
The student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence that supports an
argument about the author’s use of main ideas and key details.
I believe all the main ideas in “Harnessing the Sun’s

Topic
sentence
Energy” are important to understanding the use of solar
energy in today’s world. The first main idea is how solar
energy is stored in nature and how it was used in the past.
Then details about scientific research support the main
Evidence idea that progress has been made in harnessing the sun’s
energy. The last main idea is that we are still learning
ways to make use of the sun successfully. Because the
Concluding
main ideas all relate to the history of using solar energy, it
Statement
is easy to understand the topic.
from the text to analyze how well the main ideas helped you
understand the topic. Remember to support your argument
with clear reasons and relevant evidence, and to use adverbs
correctly.


Name
draft to help you think about how to vary sentence length
and sentence structure.
Draft Model
We need to protect our water supply. People, animals, and plants will die
without it. We should stop pollution.
1. What new details could you add to the first sentence to grab the
reader’s attention? How could adding this information make the first
sentence a compound sentence?
2. How could you make the second sentence shorter to emphasize

the point? How could this sentence be reorganized so the subject
is not at the beginning?
3. What words, phrases, or clauses could you add to the third

sentence to better relate this idea to the other sentences?
B. Now revise the draft by varying the sentence length and

structure so that the writing seems more natural and more able
to keep the reader’s interest.

Vocabulary
Name
agitated crucial futile populous

presumed smoldering undiminished urgency

1. If someone is badly hurt, there is an urgency to take them to

the hospital.
2. When someone is agitated, they feel calm and relaxed.
3. If your feelings were undiminished, they likely decreased.
4. If something is crucial, it is not very important.
5. A smoldering object is not hot and cannot burn you.

6. It is futile to use a cup of water to put out a big fire.
7. A town that is populous does not have many people living there.
8. If you presumed that you could accomplish something, you

believed that you could do it.

Name

graphic organizer.
Cause Effect

Name
check your understanding as you read.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

New York City was a booming factory center in 1911. The garment
12 industry was one of the largest employers. Because there were so
23 many garment factories, owners often cut corners to make money. As a
35 result, owners didn’t pay well. Women and girls who had just moved to
48 America often took these jobs because they had to support their families.
60 They worked long hours cutting and sewing fabric in unclean, crowded
71 factories.
72 The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory made a popular women’s blouse called
82 the shirtwaist. Nearly 500 of the 600 workers were young women and
94 girls. The factory occupied the top three floors of a building. Sewing
106 machines and cutting tables crowded every inch of space. Cloth scraps
117 littered the floors. Thread and cloth hung over chairs and tables. There was
130 no time for cleanup.
134 At 4:45 p.m. on March 25, 1911, a blazing fire broke out at the Triangle
149 Shirtwaist Factory. It was the close of a workday. Some workers had their
162 coats, ready to leave. It was a tragic ending for the 146 people who died
177 that day. They were trapped in flames just minutes before they left for
190 home!
191 A man on the eighth floor heard the first cry of fire. He and the manager
207 grabbed buckets of water. However, long rope lines of shirtwaist blouses
218 hung above sewing tables. While the men tossed water on the fire, one
231 of the ropes burned in two. As a result, the flaming blouses fell onto
245 electric sewing machines and wooden tables below. Soon the room was an
257 uncontrolled wildfire.

Name
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

As clouds gather before a storm, the first sparks of flame warned of the
dreadful disaster to come. There was bedlam inside the factory. The workers
found exits locked. There was only one fire escape. One elevator worked, but for
only a short time. Stairwells soon filled with fire. Because they had nowhere to
go, the workers faced hard choices.
A young woman named Sarah worked on the ninth floor that tragic day. She
said, “There was screaming and shoving and many girls tried to climb over
the machine tables.” Sarah saw flames coming from all sides as she waited for
the elevator. “Suddenly I was holding the sides of the door looking down the
elevator shaft with girls screaming and pushing behind me.” Sarah reached for
the elevator cable and slid down the shaft. She passed out and landed on top of
the elevator. Many others fell on top of Sarah.
Many other girls tried to
escape through the windows.
Unfortunately, they were unable
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

to do so. The deadly fire was
over in thirty minutes.
In this factory, advice when
most needed was least heeded.
[LC-USZ62-34985]
Experts had called for safer
conditions after other fires had
occurred. In 1909 union workers

protested. Factory owners Horse-drawn fire engine, on its way to the Triangle
ignored their cries. The owners Shirtwaist Company fire
did not have to go to jail, but
public anger led to reform. Workers organized, and political leaders took action.
Many would say that the reforms were better late than never. For the women
who lost their lives, however, it was too little too late.

Name
1. Look at the beginning of the passage. What caused factory owners

to cut corners in places like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory?
2. Look at paragraph 4 on the first page of the passage. What caused

the flaming blouses to fall onto the sewing machines and tables
below them?
3. What was the effect of the blouses falling onto the electric sewing
machines and wooden tables?
4. Look at paragraph 1 on the second page of the passage. What was

one cause of the women being trapped in the factory during the
fire? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. The exit doors were locked.
b. It was the end of the workday.
c. There were no elevators.

intonation and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Baltimore in Flames
For firefighters at Engine 15 in Baltimore, Maryland, February 7, 1904,
seemed like an ordinary Sunday morning. But everything changed at 10:48 a.m.
That is when they received a fire alarm from John Hurst and Company. Soon
after the fire engine arrived at the building,
a basement fire caused an explosion in the
elevator shaft. The fire spread quickly. For
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

two days, firefighters worked hard to put
out the blaze that took over the city. The
New York Times reported on February 9,
1904, “A territory twelve full city blocks
by nine, and extending beyond over a mile
[LC-F8-44294]
and more of water front, is left in smoking,
hideous ruins.” As terrible as the fire was,
the city of Baltimore quickly began to Smoke and ruins from the great
rebuild and recover. Baltimore fire of 1904
1. Name one feature of narrative nonfiction that this text contains.

2. What newspaper is used as a primary source in the text?
3. What happened after the fire?

Vocabulary Strategy: Adages and Proverbs
Name
Adages and proverbs, such as “look before you leap,” are traditional sayings
that make statements about life. Readers can use context clues to understand
the meaning of an adage or a proverb. Look at the example below. The
underlined context clue helps explain the meaning of “as clouds gather before
a storm.”
As clouds gather before a storm, the first sparks of flame warned of the
dreadful disaster to come.
Read each passage below. Use context clues to help you

understand each adage or proverb in bold. Then circle the letter
of the sentence that states the meaning of the adage or proverb.
1. In this factory, advice when most needed was least heeded.

Experts had called for safer conditions after other fires had
occurred. In 1909 union workers protested. Factory owners
ignored their cries.
a. The owners had the safety of the workers in mind.
b. The owners needed to pay attention to the warnings, but

they didn’t.
c. If someone had told the owners about the problems, everything

would have been different.
2. The owners did not have to go to jail, but public anger led to reform.
Workers organized, and political leaders took action. Many would
say that the reforms were better late than never.
a. When things change, things stay the same.
b. Changes after a disaster come too late to do any good.
c. It was good that things changed even though disaster had already
happened.

Word Study: Suffixes -ance, -ence, -ant, and -ent
Name
A suffix is a word part that comes at the end of a base word. It changes the
meaning of the base word and the part of speech. The suffixes -ance and
-ence mean “ the quality of” or “having.” The suffixes -ant and -ent mean “being
or performing.” Adding these suffixes to a word can change an adjective into
a noun.
A. Read each sentence. Circle the word that best completes the
sentence. The first one has been done for you.
1. The of my new computer is impressive. perform performance
2. She was found to be of all charges. innocent innocence
3. It’s not hard to tell the between the twins. different difference
4. He shows when he’s speaking in public. confidence confident
5. The star shines brightly in the night sky. brilliance brilliant
6. The is on the other side of the school. entrant entrance
B. Read each word in bold. Underline its suffix. Then find a word
in the box that has the same suffix. Write the word on the line.

appearance excellent constant conference
7. servant constant
8. importance
9. indifferent
10. evidence

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to compare the use of
primary source information in two historical accounts.
I think primary source information in “The Triangle

Topic Shirtwaist Fire” describes events more vividly than
sentence primary source information in “Baltimore in Flames” does.
The newspaper quotation about the Baltimore fire helps
show how much damage there was as a result of a fire in
that city. However, when the author quotes Sarah Dworetz
Evidence
about the New York fire, we can almost see and hear the
frightening scene. I believe primary sources in “Baltimore
Concluding
in Flames” are used less successfully than they are in “The
Statement
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.”
Write a paragraph about the two texts you have chosen. Cite evidence
from the texts to support your claim about the use of primary
sources in both. Remember to use transitions to show how ideas are
related and to compare with adverbs correctly.


Name
to help you think about how to make the style and tone more
objective.
Draft Model
Cars kept zooming through our neighborhood like mad and not stopping at the
stop sign. It was crazy dangerous to cross the streets.
1. How could the sentences or information in the draft be rewritten to

reflect a more formal style?
2. Which words and phrases in the draft should be replaced or left out
to create a more objective tone?
3. Would changing the narrator’s voice help make the draft more
objective? If so, what words and phrases should be changed?
B. Now revise the draft by changing the style and tone of the
piece to give it a more formal and objective voice.

Vocabulary
Name
protein correspond saturated extract

resilient foliage hypothesis alternative
1. take with special effort or care
2. choice between two or more things
3. able to recover from a difficult situation
4. a guess that hasn’t been tested or proven
5. full or soaked with a liquid
6. in agreement or similar in function
7. group of plant or flower leaves
8. organic molecule making up a large portion of the mass of living
plants and animals

B. Write three sentences. Use one vocabulary word in each

sentence.
9.
10.
11.

Name
graphic organizer.
Main Idea
Detail
Detail
Detail

Name

understanding of key ideas.
Researching the Ocean’s Secrets

Scientists didn’t know much about deep-sea life until Jacques
9 Cousteau’s inventions changed everything. Cousteau, a Frenchman,
16 wanted to dive deep below the surface of the sea. Skin divers had no
30 way to carry air with them. They had to swim near the surface. Cousteau
44 invented an underwater camera and a way to carry air below the surface.
57 Then he could explore.
61 Goggles, Cameras, and Scuba Diving

66 Goggles were not common diving gear in the 1930s. Free-swimming
76 divers usually swam without anything to cover their eyes. Cousteau tried
87 some goggles. He was amazed at what he saw. Cousteau was excited to
100 share his discovery with the world. His camera would not work under
112 water, so he figured out how to make it waterproof. Cousteau was set to
126 make history.
128 Still, Cousteau wanted to dive deeper than was possible without an
139 air supply. He wanted to be free like the fish. However, deep-sea divers
152 had to breathe with hoses or tubes that kept them tied to a ship with air-
168 supply equipment. In 1943 Cousteau and Emile Gagnan invented a new
178 underwater breathing system. They called the device the Aqua-Lung. This
188 gear made deep underwater exploration less difficult.
195 The new gear became known as Self-Contained Underwater Breathing
204 Apparatus, or SCUBA. The breathing apparatus fed air to divers at the
216 same pressure as the water around them. It allowed divers to spend more
229 time below. Scuba gear changed the way Cousteau and others explored
240 the oceans.

Name
From the Sea to TV

Cousteau needed a vessel, a boat of just the right size from which he
could dive. In 1950 Cousteau found the perfect ship. He named her Calypso.
She was strong, yet small. She was built so she could go over shallow
coral reefs. Calypso was perfect for both exploring and filming Cousteau’s
underwater adventures.
Cousteau fixed Calypso up as a laboratory. Calypso’s workspace carried
underwater cameras and diving gear. A shark cage was tied to the deck. An
underwater observation room known as “Calypso’s false nose” was added. The
nose chamber was a large enough space for two of the crew to film under water.
Cousteau wanted to share what he and his crew saw below.
Cousteau began filming his explorations. His underwater pictures got the
attention of National Geographic magazine. Soon his sea adventures were seen
on televisions across America. His weekly program became so popular that it
ran for nine years. Cousteau narrated
the shows himself, describing his
How does SCUBA work?
underwater stories with delight.
Cousteau thought of his films as Tank is filled with air
at high pressure.
nature adventures. He explored sea
life with a sense of awe and shared
that with his TV viewers.
First-stage regulator lowers
Cousteau also brought attention
air pressure to a safe level.
to ocean conservation. He wanted

to protect the sea life he loved. He
founded the Cousteau Society in
Second-stage regulator supplies air
1974. Cousteau brought the beauty on demand at needed pressure.
of underwater life into people’s
homes and inspired the world.

Name
1. The main idea of the second paragraph is that using goggles made
Cousteau want to explore under water even more. Write two key
details from the paragraph that support the main idea.
2. Write two key details from the first paragraph under the heading
“From Sea to TV.” What do these details tell about?
3. Look at the second paragraph under the heading “From Sea to TV.”
What main idea is supported by these key details: an underwater
observation room was added to Calypso, and Calypso’s workspace
carried underwater cameras and diving gear? Circle the letter of
your answer.
a. The Calypso was set up as a laboratory.

b. A shark cage was tied to Calypso’s deck.
c. Cousteau wanted to share what he and his crew saw below.

accuracy. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
Jane Goodall: Chimpanzee Expert

Jane Goodall was interested in animals from a young age. In 1960 she left
England and went to Gombe, Tanzania, in Africa. There, she began her lifelong
study of chimpanzees. Unlike other scientists, Goodall took a very personal
approach to her research. She gave
the chimpanzees names instead of GOODALL’S DISCOVERIES
numbers. Goodall made many new Observes male chimp eating
discoveries about chimpanzees. For a baby bush pig.
example, she discovered that they
are omnivores. That means that they
eat meat and plants. In 1986 Goodall Sees chimps hunting other
came out with her book Chimpanzees small mammals.
of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior.
Today, Goodall travels 300 days
a year. She teaches people about Discovers male chimps
making and using tools.
wildlife conservation.
1. What does the heading tell you about Jane Goodall?

2. What is the meaning of the technical term omnivores?
3. What new information do you learn about chimpanzees from the

third step in the flow chart?

Name
When you read an unfamiliar word, context clues, or surrounding words and
phrases, may help you figure out the unfamiliar word’s meaning. Look at the
example below. The underlined words give you context clues to help explain
what conservation means.
Cousteau also brought attention to ocean conservation. He wanted to
protect the sea life he loved.
Read each passage. Underline the context clues that help you
figure out the meaning of each word in bold. Then circle the letter
of the correct answer to the question.
1. Goggles were not common diving gear in the 1930s. Free-

swimming divers usually swam without anything to cover their
eyes. Where would you wear goggles?
a. on your hands b. on your ears c. on your eyes
2. Cousteau needed a vessel, a boat of just the right size from which he
could dive. In 1950 Cousteau found the perfect ship. What kind of
vessel might you find on a small lake?
a. a beach house b. a fishing pole c. a rowboat

3. An underwater observation room known as “Calypso’s false nose”

was added. The nose chamber was a large enough space for two of
the crew to film under water. Instead of in a big theater, where do
you think chamber music is usually played?
a. in a smaller room b. outdoors c. by the sea
4. Cousteau narrated the shows himself, describing his underwater

stories with delight. What was Cousteau mainly doing when he
narrated?
a. laughing b. arguing c. talking

Word Study: Greek Suffixes
Name
A suffix is a word part that comes at the end of the word and changes the
meaning of the word. Many suffixes come from Greek. Recognizing Greek
suffixes and knowing their meanings can help you read words and determine
their meanings.
• The suffix -ician means “a specialist in.”
• The suffix -phobia means “an abnormal fear.”
• The suffixes -logy and -ologist mean “science of” and “scientist.”
A. Read each word in bold and underline the suffix. Then circle
the word in the row that has the same suffix. The first one has
been done for you.
1. politician pharmacist magician
2. arachnophobia claustrophobia arachnid
3. sociology ecology zodiac
4. geologist physics biologist
5. electrician nutritious physician

B. Complete the word equation by adding the Greek suffix. Write
the new word on the line. The first one has been done for you.
6. mus + ician = musician
7. aqua + phobia =
8. techno + logy =
9. anthrop + ologist =
10. astro + logy =

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below cited evidence to analyze the author’s
use of details to develop a main idea.
In “Researching the Ocean’s Secrets,” details about

Topic
creating an underwater breathing apparatus support the
sentence
idea that Jacques Cousteau helped divers do things they
could never do before. Cousteau wanted to dive deeper
into the ocean than people ever had. Before Cousteau,
the air supply to divers had to come from a ship on the
Evidence
surface. His invention of SCUBA let divers swim without
a hose and breathe air at the correct pressure. These key
details about inventing SCUBA support the author’s
Concluding
idea that Cousteau helped divers do something new and
statement
exciting.
from the text to support your analysis of the author’s use of details
to develop a main idea. Remember to include relevant examples and
to use negatives correctly.


Name
to help you think about using the sequence of steps in a process
to help readers understand how and why something was done.
Draft Model
To make a goldfish home, you need a bowl or tank, purified water, and special
gravel. Rinse the tank with some purified water. Clean the gravel with purified
water. Put the gravel in the tank. Fill the tank with more purified water
1. What word or phrase could you add to signal the first step in
making a goldfish home?
2. What words or phrases could you use to signal the second and
third steps in the process?
3. What word or phrase can you use to signal the last step in the
process?
B. Now revise the draft by adding words and phrases that will
help the reader understand the sequence of steps involved in
setting up a goldfish home.

Vocabulary
Name
exquisite intrinsic meticulously excavation

bedrock intriguing methodical embark
1. begin a trip or activity
2. beauty in craftsmanship or form
3. process of digging to reveal information about past civilizations
4. solid, underlying rock beneath soil on the earth’s surface
5. in a systematic, routine way
6. appealing to a person’s curiosity or interest
7. belonging to or part of the nature of something
8. very carefully with great attention to detail

9. Which word would you use to describe a beautifully made piece of jewelry?
10. Which word would you use to describe a subject you want to know more about?
11. Which word would you use to describe what you do when you start a journey?

Name
Event

Name
Read the passage. Use the summarize strategy to restate the

most important points.
Ancient Threads Reveal Early Weavers

Bits of cloth found in a South American cave have given scientists a
13 peek into an ancient culture. A new way of finding an object’s age has
27 proved the cloth is 12,000 years old.
34 A New Kind of Test

39 For many years, archaeologists did not have a good way to tell how old
53 their discoveries were. They could only guess that things found together
64 were from the same time.
69 Then in 1947 a scientist named Willard Libby tried to find out the age
83 of fossils for a paleontology study. Libby came up with a theory based on
97 a scientific fact. All living plants take in a small amount of carbon-14. The
111 amount of carbon-14 in an object changes as time passes.
121 Using logic, Libby thought he could tell when something had died by
133 measuring the amount of carbon-14 that was left. He called this process
145 “carbon dating.” Thanks to Libby, scientists can be more certain of the age
158 of their discoveries.
161 In the 1980s, archaeologists first found signs that humans had lived
172 inside a cave in Peru. They used carbon dating to find the age of bone and
188 charcoal pieces found in the cave. Those objects all proved to be around
201 12,000 years old. The information told them that humans had visited the
213 mountains soon after the last glacier period ended 12,500 years ago.

Name
More Advanced Dating

Archaeologists also found bits
of rope and woven thread inside
the cave in Peru. They found finely
woven bits of fabric and bundles of
plant material useful for weaving.
From this find, archaeologists could
tell that an advanced people had
been in the cave. They did not know
how old the samples were, however.
Scientists knew humans had
disturbed the cave at some time. No
one knew when. So no one could say
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

for sure if the bits of cloth had been
left behind 100 years ago or 12,000
years ago.
The small pieces of cloth had
not been tested with the other cave
Guitarrero Cave is located in Peru in South
samples for a reason. Until lately, America. Fibers found in the cave were left
carbon testing was not useful for behind about 12,000 years ago.
such small fragments. Finally, in
2011 a more advanced method of carbon dating was used on the bits of fabric.
This technique can tell the age of even one hair. Archaeologists now knew that

the bits of fabric were also 12,000 years old. The scientists were certain that
prehistoric people had made them.
Scientists were able to learn more about who visited the cave. Early
researchers thought that humans had gone hunting for food in the mountains.
Hunters would likely have been men. Scientists suspect from studying other
cultures that women would have been the cloth weavers. This suggests that
women must also have gone into the mountains. They must have stayed in the
cave long enough to weave fabric. Perhaps the men hunted while the women
made cloth and rope in the cave.
Scientists have fresh insights about ancient times because of carbon dating.
They now have a way to look into history—sort of like having a telescope on the
past. They can discover more about the time before written history.

Name
1. Look at sentences 1 and 2 in the second paragraph under the

heading “More Advanced Dating.” Why were the small pieces
of cloth not tested before 2011? What signal words tell you the
sequence of events?
2. In 2011 what happened to the pieces of cloth? What did

archaeologists learn?
3. Think about the entire passage. Which of these events happened

last? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. Archaeologists found signs that humans had lived in the cave.
b. Archaeologists found bits of rope and thread in the cave.

c. A more advanced method of carbon dating was used on bits of fabric.


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
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Genre/Text Feature
Name
The Niaux Cave: Gallery of Prehistoric Art

The Niaux Cave is located in the Pyrenees Mountains in southern France. It is
famous for its very old wall paintings. The cave entrance is set high on the side
of a mountain. Scientists think that this land formation created a warm climate.
Therefore, the caves sheltered both animals and people at the end of the last
Ice Age. In 1906 wall drawings of
three bison, a horse, and a weasel
were found in the main hall of the
Niaux Cave. In 1971 scientists
studied the paintings. A process
CAROLUS/Pixtal/agefotostock
called radiocarbon dating tested the
charcoal used to create the wall art.
The purpose was to identify how
old the art was. The tests confirmed
that the paintings were at least
A prehistoric wall painting from the Niaux
14,000 years old. Cave in France
1. How would you describe the topic of this expository text?

2. What important times and dates are mentioned in the text?
3. What details does the photograph show?

Vocabulary Strategy: Greek Roots
Name
Knowing the meaning of Greek roots can help you figure out the meanings of
unfamiliar words, such as archaeologists in the following sentence.
For many years, archaeologists did not have a good way to tell how old
their discoveries were.
Look at the chart of Greek roots. Then read each passage and
choose the correct meaning for each word in bold.
Greek Root Meaning
archaeo ancient
ology study or science of
paleo prehistoric past
tech skill
1. For many years, archaeologists did not have a good way to tell how
old their discoveries were.
a. people who b. people who c. soil scientists

design buildings study the past
2. Then in 1947 a scientist named Willard Libby tried to find out the
age of fossils for a paleontology study.
a. study of prehistoric b. study of light c. study of stone

times statues
3. Finally, in 2011 a more advanced method of carbon dating was used

on the bits of fabric. This technique can tell the age of even one hair.
a. scientist b. electrical c. skilled way of doing

equipment things

Word Study: Absorbed Prefixes
Name
Sometimes when a prefix is added to word, the last letter of the prefix gets
“absorbed” by the base word or root. This means the last letter of the prefix
changes to match the first letter of the base word or root.
• The prefix ad- means “to” or “toward.”
accompany (ad + company) means “to go with someone”
arrange (ad + range) means “to put into order”
attain (ad + tain) means “to reach to or arrive at”
• The prefix in- usually means “not” or “the opposite of” (indirect).
Add im- to words that begin with m (immaterial) or p (impossible).
Add ir- to words that begin with r (irrelevant).
Add il- to words that begin with l (illegible).
Read each word in bold and circle the absorbed prefix. Then draw
a line from the word to its meaning. The first one has been done
for you.
1. imperfect not legal
2. accompany to make familiar
3. illegal not mature

4. irresponsible not regular
5. immature to go with someone
6. impossible not responsible
7. accustom not perfect
8. irregular not possible

Name
student who wrote the paragraph below analyzed the author’s use of sequence
to explain a topic.
By describing steps in order, the author of “Ancient

Topic
Threads Reveal Early Weavers” helped me understand the
sentence
topic of dating artifacts. I read that a scientist developed
a way to date ancient objects using carbon. With this
method, archaeologists in the 1980s learned that people
lived in caves in Peru about 12,000 years ago. In 2011, an
Evidence
improved kind of carbon dating helped them prove that
the cave people had woven cloth. Reading the sequence
Concluding
of events helped me understand what was involved in
Statement
identifying the age of the mysterious Peruvian fabrics.
from the text to analyze the author’s use of sequence to explain a
topic. Remember to use clear transitions and to use prepositional
phrases correctly.


Name
to help you think about how to choose time-order words to show
the sequence of steps in a process.
Draft Model
Marsha wanted to paint her desk. She prepared the area by putting down
newspaper. She sanded the desk. She cleaned the surfaces gently. She let the
desk dry. She started painting.
1. What time-order word or phrase could you use to show the first
thing Marsha did to prepare the area for painting her desk?
2. What time-order words and phrases could you use to clarify the
order of the next three steps Marsha took to prepare the desk for
painting?
3. What time-order word or phrase could you add to identify the last
thing Marsha did in this paragraph?
B. Now revise the draft by adding time-order words and phrases

that will help readers better understand the order of steps in the
process described.

Vocabulary
Name
incentive horizons recreation unfettered
1. the limit of someone’s experiences
2. something that motivates a person
3. free and unrestricted
4. an activity that a person does for fun
B. Write four sentences. Use one vocabulary word in

each sentence.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Name
Detail
Detail
Detail
Theme

Name
Read the passage. Check your understanding by asking yourself

what the theme, or message, of the poem is.
Ode to Mr. Lincoln

I watch as you sit on your marble chair,
9 I see your marble arms and hands, solid and firm
19 As the earth itself, and I think to myself those hands
30 Once held a whole country together. I think to myself
40 Those hands once held the future of democracy
48 As gently as morning light falls on a field of battle.
59 How could one man not bend under that burden?
68 You saw to it that people were free,

76 No matter their color or race or creed,
Photodisc/Punchstock
84 No matter what songs they sang.
90 You saw to it that all of your people had choices.
101 You followed the path you chose for yourself
109 As surely as the stars follow their paths across the sky.
120 The worries of your life are behind you, Mr. Lincoln,
130 Though once they lay heavy on your heart—
138 As weighty as mountains of stone on the horizon,
147 As numerous as snowflakes covering a burial ground.

155 The union has lasted far beyond four score and seven years,
166 but you can rest till time and tide are done
176 and let your thoughts wander wherever they will.

Name
1. Reread the first stanza. Who is the speaker talking to?
2. In the first stanza, the speaker describes Lincoln’s hands as “solid

and firm/As the earth itself.” What does that tell you about the
speaker’s view of Lincoln?
3. What does the phrase “The worries of your life are behind you” mean?
4. Which statement best describes the theme, or message, of this

poem? Circle the letter of your answer.
a. Although Lincoln is now dead, his accomplishments have

lasted a long time.
b. Lincoln led the country during the Civil War.

c. The burdens that Lincoln faced caused him to live a short life.


Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre/Literary Elements
Name
To an Artist
The city is bustling, noisy, and bright
With trucks, cars, and taxicabs, both day and night,
And with people so anxious to get here or there,
As they text on their cell phones and fuss with their hair.
On they go, pounding the pavement and street.
On they go, wearing their shoes off their feet.
At a corner an artist stands, paintbrush in hand,
A statue of silence observing the land.
Like a wizard, he captures a moment—Look! There!
Beauty on canvas; most pass, unaware.
1. Lyric poetry expresses the speaker’s thoughts and feelings. In this

text, what are two thoughts or feelings the speaker expresses?
2. An ode is a lyric poem that praises one topic, such as a person,

a part of nature, an object, or an idea. In this text, what is the
speaker praising?
3. In poetry, repetition occurs when the same words, phrases, or lines

are repeated. What repetition can you find in the poem?
4. Imagery is the use of words that appeal to the senses and create
powerful images. What is one powerful image in the poem?

Literary Elements: Repetition and Imagery
Name
Repetition is the repeating of a word or phrase.

Example: Sing, sing. Sing your song.
Imagery is the use of words to create a picture in the reader’s mind.
Example: Like dark lace, the bare branches of winter’s trees spread
across the sky.
Read the lines of the ode below. Then answer the questions.
Ode to Mr. Lincoln

I watch as you sit on your marble chair,
I see your marble arms and hands, solid and firm
As the earth itself, and I think to myself those hands
Once held a whole country together. I think to myself
Those hands once held the future of democracy
As gently as morning light falls on a field of battle.
How could one man not bend under that burden?
1. What phrase is repeated in the poem?
2. What is another important word that the poem’s speaker repeats?

3. What are two strong images, or pictures, that come to mind as
you read?
4. Write a short poem about morning. Include repetition and imagery.

Vocabulary Strategy: Figurative Language
Name
Poets use figurative language, such as similes and metaphors, to engage

readers by creating images through comparison. One type of figurative
language is hyperbole, or exaggeration, as in the bold phrase in this passage.
Authors use hyperbole to emphasize a point.
The worries of your life are behind you, Mr. Lincoln,
Though once they lay heavy on your heart—
As weighty as mountains of stone on the horizon,
As numerous as snowflakes covering a burial ground.
Read each passage and pay special attention to the words in

bold. Then read each statement below the passage and write
an X to show if it is true or false.
1. I see your marble arms and hands, solid and firm

As the earth itself, and I think to myself those hands
Once held a whole country together.
The speaker believes that the marble arms and hands of Lincoln’s
statue are more solid than the earth itself.
True False
The hyperbole helps express the feeling that the statue’s marble
arms and hands are very solid.
True False
2. You followed the path you chose for yourself

As surely as the stars follow their paths across the sky.
The speaker compares the way Lincoln followed his path through
life to the way a star follows its path across the sky.
True False
The hyperbole helps give the feeling that Lincoln was uncertain in
the path he followed.
True False

Word Study: Words from Mythology
Name
Many English words contain Greek or Latin word parts. Some of these word
parts come from Greek and Roman myths. Understanding the relationship
between English words and their origins in mythology can help you determine
the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Word from Mythology Meaning
Echo Greek character who could only repeat the words of others
Janus Roman god of beginnings
Muses Greek goddesses of arts and sciences
Olympus Mountain home of the Greek gods
Flora Roman goddess of flowers
Titans Greek gods who were giants
Sirens Greek beings who lured sailors to their deaths with songs
A. Read each sentence. Use the information in the chart to

underline the word that comes from Greek or Roman mythology.
Then write the Greek or Roman name that the word comes from.
1. The surfer came into shore on a titanic wave. Titans

2. Cars and buses pulled over when they heard the siren.
3. When we yelled our names into the cave, we heard an echo.
4. A floral arrangement was at the center of the dinner table.
5. The science museum had an exhibit on the human body.
6. We enjoy watching the Winter Olympics.
7. I really like having my birthday in January.

Name
about what the theme of a poem is.
I think the theme of “Ode to Mr. Lincoln” is how

Topic important it is to remember that the difficult things
sentence
Abraham Lincoln accomplished have lasted. The poet
says that Lincoln’s “solid and firm” hands held the
country together. He didn’t actually do it with his bare
Evidence
hands. The poet is saying how strong and resolved he was.
By saying that the union has lasted beyond 87 years, the
Concluding poet shows that Lincoln’s achievement was a lasting one.
statement For these reasons, I believe the theme of this poem is that
Lincoln’s life continues to affect us all.
Write a paragraph about the poem you chose. Cite evidence

from the text to show how details in the poem support what you
think is the theme, or the poet’s overall message. Remember to
combine sentences correctly as needed.


Name
to help you choose words with connotations that accurately
express the speaker’s feelings.
Draft Model
I like to look at clouds as they move across the sky. They look like a good
place to lie down and take a nap or read a book.
1. Why do the clouds look like a good place to lie down and take
a nap? What words make you think of a relaxing place?
2. How might it feel to lie down on the clouds? What words will best
convey how the speaker feels about lying in the clouds?
3. How would you describe time passed in the clouds? What words
best convey the sort of experience the speaker might have on
a cloud?
B. Now revise the draft by adding descriptive words with

connotations that accurately and clearly express the
speaker’s feelings.

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Grade 6

Bothell, WA • Chicago, IL • Columbus, OH • New York, NY

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be

Send all inquiries to:

Democracy Past and Present

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Personal Strength TIME For Kids

Witnesses Taking a Break

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

consolation glimmer indispensable perception

A. Write the correct word after its meaning.

1. absolutely needed or essential

2. the way you think about a situation or issue

3. hurtfully meant in a sense opposite to what is said

5. something that comforts during a time of loss or grief

6. a subtle or faint sign

7. shockingly evil or bad

8. having a fear of something

B. Answer each question with a vocabulary word.

9. Which word would you use to describe a serious crime?

10. Which word would you use to describe a doorway?

11. Which word would you use to describe eating,

Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1 1

Read the selection. Complete the character, setting, and plot

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2 Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1

207 pastimes: origami.

Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1 3

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4 Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1

A. Reread the passage and answer the questions.

1. At the beginning of the story, what is Alex’s attitude toward math

3. What does Sophia show Alex about math and origami?

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to

Number of Words Correct

Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1 5

The Long Hard Climb

Answer the questions about the text.

1. Realistic fiction is an invented story that could happen in real life.

2. Who is the narrator of this text? Is the narrator also a character in

how Ashleigh shows her feelings through dialogue.

6 Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1

Look at this example of context clues in a sentence. The underlined words

a. done poorly b. moved ahead c. accepted math

2. What remained was a nearly perfect square—ideal for one of Alex’s

a. subjects b. hobbies c. foods

so he asked politely, “What made you start to like it?”

a. rudely b. noisily c. nicely

4. “Do your first fold,” she commanded.

a. ordered b. walked c. allowed

Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1 7

1. short o group prod hope

2. short u unit shrunk cute

3. short a cash bake rail

4. short e key sheet spread

5. short i drill slide sleigh

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

short a short e short i short o short u

8 Practice • Grade 6 • Unit 1 • Week 1

Topic In “Smart Start,” details about the characters and setting

Write a topic sentence:

Cite evidence from the text: