Grade 4 Journeys

Read and Respond

Unit 5
Assessments for the following readings:

The World According to Humphrey

I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the

Vote

The Ever-Living Tree: The Life and Times of a

Coast Redwood

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable

Friendship

The Fun They Had

Name:_______________________________ Date: __________________

Read and Respond

The World According to Humphrey

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. What did Humphrey notice about the Thomas household?

a) Humphrey noticed the TV was constantly left on.
b) Humphrey noticed the family spoke louder than other people.
c) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’ are things Humphrey noticed about the Thomas household.

2. When did Mr. Thomas turn the TV off?

a) Mr. Thomas turned the TV off during dinner.
b) Mr. Thomas turned the TV off when he went to bed.
c) Mr. Thomas didn’t turn the TV off; the TV was left on twenty-four hours a day.

3. What did DeeLee want to do when she discovered the TV didn’t work?
a) DeeLee wanted to take the TV to the repair store when she discovered the
TV didn’t work.
b) DeeLee wanted to go to her grandmother’s house when she discovered the
TV didn’t work.
c) DeeLee wanted to go to the movies when she discovered the TV didn’t work.

4. How did Mr. Thomas spend his time at his grandmother’s house when he
was a child?
a) Mr. Thomas spent his time playing games and playing outside.
b) Mr. Thomas spent his time watching TV.
c) Mr. Thomas spent his time looking after his brothers.

5. Did Mr. and Mrs. Thomas enjoy their TV free time?

a) No, they didn’t enjoy their TV free time; as soon as they discovered the TV
was unplugged they plugged it back in and started watching it.
b) Yes, they did enjoy their TV free time; they decided to keep it unplugged for a
few more days because they enjoyed seeing their children playing outside.
c) Mr. Thomas enjoyed the TV free time but Mrs.Thomas did not.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. ______ A.J.’s pet hamster narrates the story.

2. ______ Mrs. Thomas would listen to the radio and watch TV at the same time.
3. ______ The Thomas kids stayed up later than usual when they didn’t have a TV
to watch.
4. ______ A.J. and Garth cleaned Humphrey’s cage together.
5. ______ Mr. Thomas discovered Humphrey was responsible for unplugging the
TV.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. Was A.J.’s family excited to look after Humphrey for the weekend?
Support your answer with evidence from the story.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. Why wasn’t Humphrey enjoying his stay at A.J.’s house?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. How did the Thomas family spend their TV free evening?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Why do you think Mr. Thomas didn’t want Mrs. Thomas to tell A.J. about
Garth coming over?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
 Read and Respond
The World According to Humphrey
ANSWER KEY

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. What did Humphrey notice about theThomas household?

a) Humphrey noticed the TV was constantly left on.
b) Humphrey noticed the family spoke louder than other people.
c) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’ are things Humphrey noticed about the Thomas
household.

2. When did Mr. Thomas turn the TV off?

a) Mr. Thomas turned the TV off during dinner.
b) Mr. Thomas turned the TV off when he went to bed.
c) Mr. Thomas didn’t turn the TV off; the TV was left on twenty-four hours a day.

3. What did DeeLee want to do when she discovered the TV didn’t work?
a) DeeLee wanted to take the TV to the repair store when she discovered the
TV didn’t work.
b) DeeLee wanted to go to her grandmother’s house when she discovered
the TV didn’t work.
c) DeeLee wanted to go to the movies when she discovered the TV didn’t work.

4. How did Mr. Thomas spend his time at his grandmother’s house when he
was a child?
a) Mr. Thomas spent his time playing games and playing outside.
b) Mr. Thomas spent his time watching TV.
c) Mr. Thomas spent his time looking after his brothers.

5. Did Mr. and Mrs. Thomas enjoy their TV free time?

a) No, they didn’t enjoy their TV free time; as soon as they discovered the TV
was unplugged they plugged it back in and started watching it.
b) Yes, they did enjoy their TV free time; they decided to keep it
unplugged for a few more days because they enjoyed seeing their
children playing outside.
c) Mr. Thomas enjoyed the TV free time but Mrs.Thomas did not.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. __F____ A.J.’s pet hamster narrates the story.

2. __F____ Mrs. Thomas would listen to the radio and watch TV at the same time.
3. __T____ The Thomas kids stayed up later than usual when they didn’t have a TV
to watch.
4. __T____ A.J. and Garth cleaned Humphrey’s cage together.
5. __F____ Mr. Thomas discovered Humphrey was responsible for unplugging the
TV.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. Was A.J.’s family excited to look after Humphrey for the weekend?
Support your answer with evidence from the story.

Yes, A.J.’s family was excited to look after Humphrey for the weekend. As soon
as A.J. came home from school his mom and siblings went straight over to give
Humphrey a “warm welcome”.

2. Why wasn’t Humphrey enjoying his stay at A.J.’s house?

Humphrey wasn’t enjoying his stay at A.J.’s house because he was surrounded
by constant noise and found it impossible to sleep. Some of the TV shows
scared him and the TV being on constantly drove him crazy.

3. How did the Thomas family spend their TV free evening?

The Thomas family spent their TV free evening talking, sharing stories, and
playing cards.

4. Why do you think Mr. Thomas didn’t want Mrs. Thomas to tell A.J. about
Garth coming over?

(Answers will vary) I think Mr. Thomas didn’t want Mrs. Thomas to tell A.J. about
Garth coming over because A.J would be upset by the news and might have told
his parents to cancel the visit or he might have left before Garth arrived.
Name:_______________________________ Date: __________________

Read and Respond

I Could Do That!
Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Which of the following did Esther’s mother think Esther was too young to
do?
a) Thread a needle.
b) Open a millinery shop.
c) Make tea.

2. How did Esther feel when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery?
a) Esther felt angry when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.
b) Esther felt anxious when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.
c) Esther felt proud when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.

3. Which of the following didn’t Esther do in South Pass City?

a) Own a business.
b) Run a printing press.
c) Help the ill and injured.

4. How did Judge James Stillman feel about women in Wyoming being allowed
to vote?
a) Judge James Stillman felt very unhappy about women in Wyoming being
allowed to vote.
b) Judge James Stillman felt worried about women in Wyoming being allowed to
vote.
c) Judge James Stillman felt happy about women in Wyoming being allowed to
vote.

5. Who did Esther Morris believe in?

a) Esther Morris believed in her husband John.
b) Esther Morris believed in herself.
c) Esther Morris believed in Judge Stillman.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. ______ Esther’s mother went to vote with her father.

2. ______ Esther opened her first hat shop in Illinois.
3. ______ Most people living in South Pass City were male.
4. ______ Esther Morris was sworn in as a judge on September 6, 1870.
5. ______ Esther Morris made history by becoming the first woman in the United
States to hold public office.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. Why couldn’t Esther claim her late husband’s estate?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. Was Esther’s husband John supportive of her goal to improve women’s

rights? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. Why did Esther invite Colonel William Bright and Herman Nickerson to
her home?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Why wouldn’t Judge Stillman give the court docket to Esther?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
 Read and Respond
I Could Do That!
Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote
ANSWER KEY

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Which of the following did Esther’s mother think Esther was too young to
do?
a) Thread a needle.
b) Open a millinery shop.
c) Make tea.

2. How did Esther feel when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery?
a) Esther felt angry when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.
b) Esther felt anxious when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.
c) Esther felt proud when her son Archy joined the fight to end slavery.

3. Which of the following didn’t Esther do in South Pass City?

a) Own a business.
b) Run a printing press.
c) Help the ill and injured.

4. How did Judge James Stillman feel about women in Wyoming being allowed
to vote?
a) Judge James Stillman felt very unhappy about women in Wyoming
being allowed to vote.
b) Judge James Stillman felt worried about women in Wyoming being allowed to
vote.
c) Judge James Stillman felt happy about women in Wyoming being allowed to
vote.

5. Who did Esther Morris believe in?

a) Esther Morris believed in her husband John.
b) Esther Morris believed in herself.
c) Esther Morris believed in Judge Stillman.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. __F____ Esther’s mother went to vote with her father.

2. __F____ Esther opened her first hat shop in Illinois.
3. __T____ Most people living in South Pass City were male.
4. __F____ Esther Morris was sworn in as a judge on September 6, 1870.
5. __T____ Esther Morris made history by becoming the first woman in the United
States to hold public office.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. Why couldn’t Esther claim her late husband’s estate?

Esther couldn’t claim her late husband’s estate because she was a woman.

2. Was Esther’s husband John supportive of her goal to improve women’s

rights? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

No, Esther’s husband John wasn’t supportive of her goal to improve women’s
rights. Many years before Esther was a judge, John told her that politics was the
business of men. Even when she became a judge, John still didn’t believe
women should be allowed to vote and tried to tell her how to conduct her
business.

3. Why did Esther invite Colonel William Bright and Herman Nickerson to
her home?

Esther invited Colonel William Bright and Herman Nickerson to her home
because they were both running for governor and she wanted them both to
commit to allowing women to vote if they won the election.

4. Why wouldn’t Judge Stillman give the court docket to Esther?

Judge Stillman wouldn’t give the court docket to Esther because he didn’t think
she deserved to be a judge because she was a woman.
Name:_______________________________ Date: __________________

Read and Respond

The Ever-Living Tree
The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Which of the following was essential for the little redwood’s survival?
a) Cold, heavy air.
b) The formation of glaciers.
c) Slow-moving rivers of ice.

2. Why didn’t the indigenous women live in the forest?

a) They didn’t live in the forest because they were terrified of the animals living in
it.
b) They didn’t live in the forest because they respected the forest too much to
inhabit it.
c) They didn’t live in the forest because there was not enough food for them to
eat in it.

3. Which of the following world events happened around the time the redwood
was struck by lightning?
a) General Washington became the president of the United States.
b) Christopher Columbus landed at the southeastern part of North America.
c) Marco Polo arrived in China.

4. Which of the following extracts from the text is not a simile?

a) “The outside of the tree looked like an apartment house for spiders.”
b) “Its new rings of wood grew closer together like pages of a book.”
c) “Its wood was curled into a lump cozy enough for a chipmunk to rest upon.”

5. What does the timeline show?

a) The timeline shows the major historical events happening in America while
the redwood was growing.
b) The timeline shows all of the world events that happened after the redwood
died.
c) The timeline shows the major world events that were occurring while the
redwood was growing.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. ______ Alexander the Great was a talented general.

2. ______ Fire destroyed the redwood tree.
3. ______ The redwood tree protected animals from predators.
4. ______ The indigenous peoples used the fallen redwood as fuel.
5. ______ The redwood tree is still an important part of the forest today.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did the spiders inhabiting the redwood affect the tree’s growth?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. Give an example from the text that shows the redwood was beneficial to
the animals living in the forest.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. What happened when the redwood cones fell to the ground?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Did the redwood become useless when it was struck by lightning and fell
to the ground? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
 Read and Respond
The Ever-Living Tree
The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood
ANSWER KEY

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Which of the following was essential for the little redwood’s survival?
a) Cold, heavy air.
b) The formation of glaciers.
c) Slow-moving rivers of ice.

2. Why didn’t the indigenous women live in the forest?

a) They didn’t live in the forest because they were terrified of the animals living in
it.
b) They didn’t live in the forest because they respected the forest too much
to inhabit it.
c) They didn’t live in the forest because there was not enough food for them to
eat in it.

3. Which of the following world events happened around the time the redwood
was struck by lightning?
a) General Washington became the president of the United States.
b) Christopher Columbus landed at the southeastern part of North America.
c) Marco Polo arrived in China.

4. Which of the following extracts from the text is not a simile?

a) “The outside of the tree looked like an apartment house for spiders.”
b) “Its new rings of wood grew closer together like pages of a book.”
c) “Its wood was curled into a lump cozy enough for a chipmunk to rest
upon.”

5. What does the timeline show?

a) The timeline shows the major historical events happening in America while
the redwood was growing.
b) The timeline shows all of the world events that happened after the redwood
died.
c) The timeline shows the major world events that were occurring while the
redwood was growing.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. __T____ Alexander the Great was a talented general.

2. __F____ Fire destroyed the redwood tree.
3. __T____ The redwood tree protected animals from predators.
4. __F____ The indigenous peoples used the fallen redwood as fuel.
5. __T____ The redwood tree is still an important part of the forest today.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did the spiders inhabiting the redwood affect the tree’s growth?

The spiders inhabiting the redwood didn’t affect the tree’s growth in any way.

2. Give an example from the text that shows the redwood was beneficial to
the animals living in the forest.

Answers may include: woodpeckers eating insects living in the tree, gray
squirrels storing acorns in it, fox babies and racoons sheltering in the tree’s cave
to keep safe from predators etc..

3. What happened when the redwood cones fell to the ground?

When the redwood cones fell to the ground, some of the cones burst open and
their seeds sprouted into new trees.

4. Did the redwood become useless when it was struck by lightning and fell
to the ground? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

No, the redwood didn’t become useless when it was struck by lightning and fell to
the ground. The roots from the redwood helped other trees to grow, provided
food for insects, and nutrients from the tree went back into the soil.
Name:_______________________________ Date: __________________

Read and Respond

Owen & Mzee
The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Why would Owen never be able to return to the wild?

a) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because he would miss Mzee
too much.
b) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because his habitat had been
completely destroyed.
c) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because he didn’t have the
necessary skills to survive alone in the wild.

2. What did Owen do when he first arrived at Haller Park?

a) Owen charged at Stephen and Dr. Paula.
b) Owen ran straight over to Mzee.
c) Owen collapsed from exhaustion.

3. What did Mzee do when he first encountered Owen?

a) Mzee snuggled up to Owen.
b) Mzee hissed at Owen.
c) Mzee tickled Owen.

4. Why have Mzee and Owen formed such a close bond?

a) No one knows why Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond.
b) Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond because Mzee thinks Owen
is his mother.
c) Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond because they were both
orphaned as babies.

5. Which of the following extracts from the text isn’t a fact?

a) “News of Owen and Mzee’s friendship quickly spread around the world.”
b) “Their photographs have appeared in countless newspaper and magazine
articles.”
c) “Owen’s future is bright.”
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. ______ Hundreds of hippos were left stranded on a reef after a tsunami hit the
east coast of Africa.
2. ______ Rescuing Owen was challenging and time consuming.
3. ______ Owen was scared of water when he arrived at Haller Park.
4. ______ Owen and Mzee are inseparable.
5. ______ Owen and Mzee’s story made international news.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did Dr. Paula and Stephen try to calm Owen down? Did this work?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. Is Owen’s friendship with Mzee one sided? Support your answer with
evidence from the text.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. How did Mzee help Owen recover from his traumatic experience?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Why is Owen and Mzee’s friendship unusual?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
 Read and Respond
Owen & Mzee
The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
ANSWER KEY

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Why would Owen never be able to return to the wild?

a) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because he would miss Mzee
too much.
b) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because his habitat had been
completely destroyed.
c) Owen would never be able to return to the wild because he didn’t have
the necessary skills to survive alone in the wild.

2. What did Owen do when he first arrived at Haller Park?

a) Owen charged at Stephen and Dr. Paula.
b) Owen ran straight over to Mzee.
c) Owen collapsed from exhaustion.

3. What did Mzee do when he first encountered Owen?

a) Mzee snuggled up to Owen.
b) Mzee hissed at Owen.
c) Mzee tickled Owen.

4. Why have Mzee and Owen formed such a close bond?

a) No one knows why Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond.
b) Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond because Mzee thinks Owen
is his mother.
c) Mzee and Owen have formed such a close bond because they were both
orphaned as babies.

5. Which of the following extracts from the text isn’t a fact?

a) “News of Owen and Mzee’s friendship quickly spread around the world.”
b) “Their photographs have appeared in countless newspaper and magazine
articles.”
c) “Owen’s future is bright.”
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. __F____ Hundreds of hippos were left stranded on a reef after a tsunami hit the
east coast of Africa.
2. __T____ Rescuing Owen was challenging and time consuming.
3. __F____ Owen was scared of water when he arrived at Haller Park.
4. __T____ Owen and Mzee are inseparable.
5. __T____ Owen and Mzee’s story made international news.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did Dr. Paula and Stephen try to calm Owen down? Did this work?

Paula and Stephen tried to calm Owen down by putting a blanket over Owen’s
head. This did not work.

2. Is Owen’s friendship with Mzee one sided? Support your answer with
evidence from the text.

No, Owen’s friendship with Mzee isn’t one sided. Owen often follows Mzee
around the enclosure and at other times Mzee follows Owen around. They are
always gentle with one another and spend most of their time together.

3. How did Mzee help Owen recover from his traumatic experience?

Owen refused to eat unless he was near Mzee. Mzee’s presence helped Owen to
find his appetite and regain his strength.

4. Why is Owen and Mzee’s friendship unusual?

Owen and Mzee’s friendship is unusual because Owen is a mammal and Mzee is
a reptile. Mammals and reptiles don’t usually interact in the way Owen and Mzee
do.
Name:_______________________________ Date: __________________

Read and Respond

The Fun They Had

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Why did Margie dislike school?

a) Margie disliked school because she was sick of taking tests and not
succeeding.
b) Margie disliked school because the other kids in her class were unkind to her.
c) Margie didn’t dislike school; she loved spending time at school with her
friends.

2. How did Margie feel when her teacher was fixed?

a) Margie felt relieved when her teacher was fixed.
b) Margie felt happy when her teacher was fixed.
c) Margie felt disappointed when her teacher was fixed.

3. What is unusual about Margie’s teacher?

a) Margie’s teacher is male.
b) Margie’s teacher is a machine.
c) Margie’s teacher assigns homework.

4. What was Margie doing before she had to start school?

a) Margie was finishing her math homework.
b) Margie was talking to the inspector.
c) Margie was reading the book Tommy found.

5. Was Margie enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson?

a) Yes, Margie was enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson.
b) No, Margie wasn’t enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson.
c) Margie’s feelings about her arithmetic lesson are not expressed in the text.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. ______ Tommy discovered a book that was written on May 17, 2157.
2. ______ Margie gave her teacher an apple.
3. ______ Mechanical teachers are normal to Tommy and Margie.
4. ______ Margie attended school Monday to Friday.
5. ______ Margie and Tommy are in the same class.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did Margie feel about Tommy’s discovery of a real book? Why did
she feel this way?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

2. Does Tommy think paper books or his telebooks are better? Support
your answer with evidence from the text.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

3. Why was Margie surprised to discover that humans used to be teachers?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Would you like to be educated in the way Margie and Tommy are?
Explain your opinion.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
 Read and Respond
The Fun They Had
ANSWER KEY

Please circle the answer that best fits the question.

1. Why did Margie dislike school?

a) Margie disliked school because she was sick of taking tests and not
succeeding.
b) Margie disliked school because the other kids in her class were unkind to her.
c) Margie didn’t dislike school; she loved spending time at school with her
friends.

2. How did Margie feel when her teacher was fixed?

a) Margie felt relieved when her teacher was fixed.
b) Margie felt happy when her teacher was fixed.
c) Margie felt disappointed when her teacher was fixed.

3. What is unusual about Margie’s teacher?

a) Margie’s teacher is male.
b) Margie’s teacher is a machine.
c) Margie’s teacher assigns homework.

4. What was Margie doing before she had to start school?

a) Margie was finishing her math homework.
b) Margie was talking to the inspector.
c) Margie was reading the book Tommy found.

5. Was Margie enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson?

a) Yes, Margie was enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson.
b) No, Margie wasn’t enthusiastic about her arithmetic lesson.
c) Margie’s feelings about her arithmetic lesson are not expressed in the text.
Please read each statement carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE. Write F if you think the statement is FALSE.

1. __F____ Tommy discovered a book that was written on May 17, 2157.
2. __F____ Margie gave her teacher an apple.
3. __T____ Mechanical teachers are normal to Tommy and Margie.
4. __T____ Margie attended school Monday to Friday.
5. __F____ Margie and Tommy are in the same class.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences.

1. How did Margie feel about Tommy’s discovery of a real book? Why did
she feel this way?

Margie felt excited and curious about Tommy’s discovery of a real book because
she had never seen one before.

2. Does Tommy think paper books or his telebooks are better? Support
your answer with evidence from the text.

Tommy thinks his telebooks are better than paper books because he thinks paper
books are wasteful.

3. Why was Margie surprised to discover that humans used to be teachers?

Margie was surprised to discover that humans used to be teachers because she
doesn’t think humans are smart enough to do the job.

4. Would you like to be educated in the way Margie and Tommy are?
Explain your opinion.

Students will have their own opinions so answers will vary.