Daily Reading Comprehension (sample readings for teachers)l

[Angel]

Day 31

To the Teachers:

Cause and Effect
Students practice identifying cause-and-effect relationships by looking for what happens (the effect) and why it happens (the cause).
Evaluate Evidence
Students practice evaluating evidence by identifying the author’s main idea and examining the evidence the author uses to support that idea.

Introduce the Cause and Effect skill to students. Say: When something happens, it is the effect. The thing that makes it happen is the cause. Model by walking to the light switch and turning off the lights. Ask: What caused the lights to go out? (flipping the switch) What is the effect of flipping the switch? (The lights went out.) Say: Often a writer will use causes and effects to explain a problem or a chain of events. The passage you will read is about wildfires. As you read, look for cause-and-effect relationships in the text. Then remind students of the Determine Important Information strategy (Week 5). Point out that identifying important information helps you find causes and effects. Then have students read the instructions at the top of the page and the passage. When students have finished reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

Wildfires in Washington

Wildfires take place with alarming frequency in the drier areas of the United States, especially in the
western states. Not only do the fires cause immediate damage by killing plants and animals in their path, but they can also have long-term effects that harm the ecosystem.

At the Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington State, different types of wildlife—such as the burrowing owl, the sagebrush vole, and the pygmy rabbit—abound. Visitors to Hanford Reach might also see elk, porcupines, and jack rabbits that live near the free-flowing Columbia River. The area is protected from development, which has helped these species thrive.

Over the last decade, several major wildfires have broken out at Hanford Reach. Thousands of acres have burned. One type of plant that has been severely damaged in the fires is sagebrush. This poses special problems for many of the species living in the park. First, animals such as the sage grouse depend on sagebrush as part of their natural habitat. It can take thirty years for sagebrush to grow large enough to provide shelter for these animals. Second, after the sagebrush burns, an invasive species called cheat grass can grow quickly in its place. Unfortunately, cheat grass burns more easily and at higher temperatures than sagebrush. That means that after sagebrush is destroyed, wildfires can occur more frequently and be even more devastating.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. According to the passage, which is one immediate effect of wildfires?
People stop visiting the area.
Cheat grass grows.
Plants are killed.
Animals must learn to live in new habitats.

2. According to the author, why is it a problem when sagebrush burns in a fire?
Animals move into the area where the sagebrush grew.
Sagebrush can take many years to grow large enough to provide shelter.
Young sagebrush plants grow rapidly and stop other species from growing.
Sagebrush burns hotter and more easily than other grasses.

3. How are species protected at Hanford Reach National Monument?
There are limits on land development there.
Wildfires rarely occur there.
National park workers take care of them.
Cheat grass provides a habitat for them.

4. In the passage, which of the following is not a long-term effect of wildfires in Hanford Reach National Monument?
Animals lose their habitat.
Cheat grass replaces sagebrush.
More destructive wildfires may occur.
People clear forests to help them regrow.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Write a sentence explaining why sagebrush is such an important plant at Hanford Reach National Monument.


ANSWER KEY:

1.D 2.B 3.A 4.D

Sample sentence: Sagebrush provides shelter for animals and keeps out invasive plant species such as cheat grass.

[Angel]

Day 32

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Cause and Effect skill. Say: Fiction writers often use cause-and-effect relationships to create a problem for the characters in their story or to start a chain of events that moves the plot forward. Understanding what happens and why it happens in a story is important for good comprehension. Then remind students of the Ask Questions strategy. Say: As you read, ask yourself questions to find the causes and effects in this passage. Then direct students to read the passage before completing the skill and strategy practice activities.

Reading:

Building a House of Cards

One day after school, Phil and Curtis were thinking of something fun to do. “Let’s have a contest to see
who can build the tallest house of cards,” Phil suggested.

“Okay,” said Curtis, “but you know I’m the house-of-cards champion.”

“We’ll see,” Phil said as he took two packs of cards from his desk.

The two boys began working. Curtis first placed two cards so that they were touching each other at the top, making the shape of an upside-down V. Then, he did the same thing with two more cards, placing them beside the first pair. Soon, he had a line of cards that looked like teepees. Next, he placed cards flat across the tops of the teepees to make the foundation for the next level.

Phil stood four cards on their edges to form a tall rectangle. Then, he placed cards flat on top of the rectangle to make the foundation for his next level.

Now the brothers’ troubles began. When Curtis tried to build his second level of teepees, he found that the cards on the bottom level would not stand. His teepees collapsed! When Phil tried to build his second level, the rectangle-shaped hut made of cards fell in a heap.

“Well, this is frustrating,” said Phil.

“I have an idea,” said Curtis. “Maybe my teepees would work better on top of your rectangle.”

“Let’s try it!” Phil said.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.
1. Why do Phil and Curtis want to build houses with cards?
They cannot find any other materials to build houses with.
They are thinking of something fun to do.
They are in a contest with their friends.
They are doing a school project.

2. What happens when Curtis starts to build a second level for his house of cards?
Phil says that he will help him.
His house of cards falls apart.
Phil knocks over the bottom level.
He wins the contest.

3. Why is Phil frustrated?
Curtis will not help him build his card house.
He runs out of cards for building his house.
Both his and Curtis’s card houses fall.
Curtis’s card house is bigger than his.

4. What happens as a result of both Phil and Curtis having trouble building the second level?
They decide to work together.
They decide to stop building.
They decide to start a new contest.
They decide to ask for help.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Write a question you had about what was happening in the passage. If you found the answer, write it.


ANSWER KEY:

1.B 2.B 3.C 4.A

Questions will vary.

[Angel]

Day 33

To the Teachers:

Introduce the Evaluate Evidence skill to students. Say: When writers write nonfiction, they usually do so to tell us more about something, to try to persuade us about a topic, or to teach us how to do something. When we read, we must figure out why an author wrote something and evaluate the evidence that the author provides for the claims he or she makes. Tell students the passage they will read is about interesting rock formations in Utah. Point out the second sentence in the second paragraph. Say: The writer is making the claim that water is responsible for the rock formations. In order to support this claim, the writer will likely explain how the water makes the rock formations. Then remind students of the Determine Important Information strategy. Say: As you read, think of each claim the author is making, and look for the important information that supports that claim. Then direct students to read the passage before completing the skill and strategy practice activities.

Reading:

Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon

Imagine the spires at the top of a sand castle—the kind you create by dripping layers of very wet sand. Hoodoos, a type of rock formation found primarily in Bryce Canyon, Utah, look something like wet sand, but they are made from colorful rock. Every year, millions of people come to Bryce Canyon to look at the pole-shaped hoodoos, which range from 5 to 150 feet tall.

What caused these amazing formations? Scientists believe that water is responsible. Over millions of years, water and ice have shaped the limestone of the area, creating canyons, deep bowls, plateaus, and hoodoos. On many days in this region, the temperatures are freezing at night and much warmer during the day. The sun melts snow, and the resulting water flows into cracks in the limestone. When the water freezes at night, it expands and causes the cracks to widen and pull the rock apart. This is called frost wedging. Another way that water shapes the hoodoos is simply through rainfall. The rain contains a small amount of acid, which causes the soft limestone to dissolve. Some layers of rock in the hoodoos are harder than other layers, making parts of the hoodoos wear away more slowly. This gives hoodoos their unusual shapes and appearances.

Visitors to Bryce Canyon can hike through miles of natural mazes formed by hoodoos. However, to protect the fragile spires, visitors are asked to stay on the trails. If they were to climb on the hoodoos, they could damage the formations and rob future generations of the chance to see something that took eons to form.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Why does the author discuss sand castle spires at the beginning of the passage?
to help readers visualize hoodoos
to remind readers of their childhood
to show that hoodoos are made of sand
to explain how people create hoodoos

2. Which phrase provides the best evidence that hoodoos have an amazing appearance?
Some layers of rock in the hoodoos are harder.
Over millions of years, water and ice have shaped the limestone.
When the water freezes at night, it expands.
Every year, millions of people come to Bryce Canyon to look at the hoodoos.

3. Which statement is not made in the passage?
Frost wedging shapes limestone.
Wind shapes limestone.
Water shapes limestone.
People can harm hoodoos.

4. Which phrase best supports the idea that humans can affect the rock formations?
Every year, millions of people come to Bryce Canyon.
Visitors can hike through miles of natural mazes formed by hoodoos.
If they were to climb on the hoodoos, they could damage the formations.
Scientists believe that water is responsible.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: What information from the passage would be important for writing a report about weathering in Bryce Canyon?


ANSWER KEY:

1.A 2.D 3.B 4.C

Students should reference information from the second paragraph of the passage.

[Angel]

Day 34

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Evaluate Evidence skill. Say: When a writer gives a main idea, he or she will give you details that support the main idea. These details are evidence that support the author’s claims. Read the third sentence of the first paragraph. Say: This is the main idea. What evidence would you expect to see to support this main idea? (the properties of gold that make it valuable) Then remind students of the Ask Questions strategy. Say: As you read, ask questions about the main ideas that the writer gives in the passage. Look for the supporting details in the passage. Then direct students to read the passage and to complete the skill practice activity. Pair students for the strategy practice activity, or complete it as a group.

Reading:

The Value of Gold

People have treasured gold for thousands of years. But just what makes gold so valuable? Gold has several important properties that contribute to its value. First, it reflects light very well and has an attractive yellow color, making it ideal for use in jewelry. Second, it is very malleable, or easy to shape. Because gold is soft and easy to work with, it can be hammered into thin sheets that do not crack. These sheets can then be used to add decorative details to artwork or buildings. Third, it does not rust or wear away. It keeps its shape, which means that gold jewelry and art objects can pass from generation to generation and become more valuable over time. Fourth, gold is an excellent conductor of electricity, making it a good choice for electronics.

One of the most important reasons that gold is valuable, however, is that it is rare. Although gold exists in many places throughout the world, it is not easy to find or to mine. People who mine gold usually have to work very hard to get even tiny amounts of the precious metal. The fact that it is both beautiful and useful makes people want more of this precious metal than they can easily get, which drives up its price.

Finally, gold is valuable because people perceive it to be a symbol of wealth. Throughout recorded history, gold has been associated with wealth and power. Today we still value it for many of the same reasons that our ancestors did.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. What evidence does the author use to support the idea that gold is ideal for use in jewelry?
It reflects light well and is pretty.
It is very malleable and conducts electricity.
It is rare and hard to mine.
It has a high price and is used to decorate buildings.
2. Which piece of evidence explains why gold is commonly used in electronics?
It reflects light well.
It conducts electricity well.
It is very malleable.
It keeps its shape.

3. Which statement does not explain why gold is valuable?
Gold has several properties that make it useful.
Gold is desirable for making jewelry and other objects.
Gold is difficult to mine.
Gold has been treasured for thousands of years.

4. Which statement best supports the idea that gold is rare?
It is associated with wealth and power.
It is both beautiful and useful.
It is not easy to find or to mine.
It is soft and easy to work with.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Write a question that can be answered with information from the passage. Then have a partner answer the question.


ANSWER KEY:

1.A 2.B 3.D 4.C

Questions will vary.

[Angel]

Day 35

To the Teachers:

Tell students they will practice both the Cause and Effect and Evaluate Evidence skills. Tell students they will read about a woman named Shirley Chisholm. Say: As you read, think about what Shirley Chisholm does and why she does these things. Also look for the claims that the writer is making and the evidence he gives to support these claims. Then direct students to read the passage and to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

Shirley Chisholm

“Aim high!” Shirley Chisholm told her political supporters, and she practiced what she preached. Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, Chisholm spent part of her childhood in the island nation of Barbados. She returned to New York later, graduated from Brooklyn College, and earned a Master of Arts degree at Columbia University. Chisholm spent some time working in early childhood education before running for political office in the New York State Assembly.

After serving in the assembly, Chisholm ran for U.S. Congress in 1968 and became the first African American woman to be elected. Chisholm opposed the Vietnam War, and in her first speech in Congress, she promised to vote against any more spending on defense. “Our children, our jobless men, our deprived, rejected and starving fellows, our dejected citizens must come first,” she said.

Aiming higher still, in 1972 Chisholm decided to run for president of the United States. She was the first African American to run as a candidate for the presidency in a major political party, and she was the first woman to run for president as a democrat. Ultimately, the democrats chose George McGovern as their candidate. McGovern later lost the presidential election to republican Richard Nixon. Afterward, Chisholm explained that she was tired of waiting for change to come someday in the future. “I ran because somebody had to do it first. I ran because most people thought the country was not ready for a black candidate, not ready for a woman candidate. Someday—it was time in 1972 to make that someday come.”

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Chisholm ran for U.S. president because ....
she disliked George McGovern
she wanted the Democratic Party to become a major political party
it was time for the first African American and female candidate
she lost her position in the U.S. Congress

2. Which of the following best supports the idea that Chisholm believed in “aiming high”?
She ran for the presidency in 1972.
She served in the New York State Assembly.
She was educated in Barbados.
She lost the election to George McGovern.

3. Why does the author include the quote at the end of the passage?
to show that Chisholm believed that George McGovern should not be president
to show that Chisholm believed that she would become president
to show that Chisholm was brave and admirable
to show that Chisholm’s ideas changed between 1968 and 1972

4. Chisholm vowed to vote against spending additional money on the war because she wanted ....
more money to be given to New York
the money to help poor people instead
people to oppose the Vietnam War
support from the Republican Party

STRATEGY PRACTICE: What information in the passage is most important for understanding Shirley Chisholm’s political career?


ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.A 3.C 4.B

1st paragraph, last sentence; 2nd paragraph, 1st sentence; 3rd paragraph, 1st and 2nd sentences

[Angel]

Day 36

To the Teachers:

Compare and Contrast
Students practice comparing and contrasting by looking at the similarities and differences between two or more people or things.

Make Inferences
Students practice making inferences by using clues in a passage to understand what is being implied or inferred.

Introduce the Compare and Contrast skill to students. Say: When we look at the similarities and differences between two or more things, we are comparing and contrasting. To reinforce the concept, you may wish to draw a Venn diagram on the board and label the diagram “oranges” and “apples.” Invite volunteers to list the similarities and differences between the fruits. Then tell students they are going to read about the eating habits of ancient Romans. Remind students of the Make Connections strategy (Week 2). Say: As you read, make connections with the text in order to compare and contrast eating two thousand years ago with eating today. Have students read the instructions at the top of the page and the passage. When students have finished reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

Eating the Roman Way Today

It’s hard to believe that there could be many similarities between the way we eat today and the diet and eating habits of ancient Romans. However, excavations at the ancient Roman towns of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum have uncovered at least one significant parallel. Romans enjoyed convenient ways to get their food and ate on the go, just as we do today.

Buying baked bread is one example of a convenience in both the ancient and modern worlds. Most people today purchase bread in a store. There is evidence that Romans bought their bread, too, rather than baking it themselves. A large wall painting in Pompeii shows customers buying loaves of bread in a shop. Archaeologists have identified more than 30 shops that may have been bakeries. Signs on walls told Roman shoppers that certain vendors sold bread. In addition to these discoveries, archaeologists found that few homes in Pompeii had ovens, which suggests that most people did not bake at home.

Ancient Romans also had a version of take-out food. Pompeii is filled with shops that contain dishes to hold or display food. Many shops had built-in stoves that allowed them to cook and serve food. Types of foods that have been found in these shops include dates and lentils.

Archaeologists have also uncovered many houses with small barbecue grills. However, few of these houses had sets of dishes. Taken together, these pieces of evidence suggest that Romans frequently grabbed a quick bite to eat at home, right off the grill, or bought a meal to go. Sound familiar?

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. The passage mainly compares and contrastsancient and modern ....
food shops and stores
favorite foods
cooking and eating habits
cities and homes

2. Which feature of life for ancient Romans would most likely not apply to people today?
having a home with no oven
buying bread from a bakery
getting a take-out meal
having a grill but not dishes

3. What could you probably find today that you would not have found in ancient Rome?
barbecue grills in houses
dishes in homes
signs in shops
stores that sell food

4. Based on information in the passage, how are people today like ancient Romans?
People today eat meals together as a family.
People today eat foods that someone else prepared.
People today spend a lot of money on take-out food.
People today cook food at home when we have time.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Describe a common eating habit that you share with the ancient Romans.

ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.A 3.B 4.B

Responses will vary.

[Angel]

Day 37

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Compare and Contrast skill. Then tell students they are going to read two accounts of a whale-watching trip. Then remind students of the Organization strategy (Week 4). Say: As you read, pay attention to how each account is organized. Have students read the instructions at the top of the page and the passage. When students have finished reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

The Whale Watch

Jeongsoo and Samuel went on a whale-watching trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with their class. They each wrote an account of what they saw and did. Read their accounts.

Jeongsoo’s Account
I had looked forward to our Cape Cod whale-watching trip all year. When we finally got on the boat, I thought, “This is it!” After a year of studying everything about whales, we were finally going to see them. Being on the boat was great. It was sunny and windy, the waves were enormous, and it wasn’t long before we noticed our first whale, a huge finback that spouted water up through its blowhole just a few feet from the boat. We saw 12 whales altogether, including minke whales, humpbacks, and the endangered right whale. And I videotaped them all! They were the most amazing creatures I’d ever seen.

Samuel’s Account
All year our class had studied whales, and I worked really hard learning about them and about the ocean. I could hardly wait to see the whales in their own habitat, and I was excited when we finally got to the boat. The waves were huge, though, and when the boat started moving, I began to feel weird. Then I got nauseated—really, really nauseated. I spent the whole day miserable with seasickness, curled up in a chair in the boat’s cabin. I heard everyone shouting as the whales breached and spouted, but I missed it all. Luckily, Jeongsoo videotaped the whales, so I got to see his video. The whales really were awesome.”

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. What is one similarity between Jeongsoo’s and Samuel’s experiences?
They both got really sick.
They both had a great time.
They both looked forward to the trip.
They both sat in the ship’s cabin.

2. Samuel’s time on the boat was different from Jeongsoo’s because Samuel ....
saw a whale spout
did not see any whales during the trip
had studied whales all year
enjoyed being on the ship

3. The boys both thought that the ....
whales were amazing
trip was fun
boat movement was sickening
humpback whale was huge

4. Jeongsoo’s experience was more enjoyable than Samuel’s because Jeongsoo ....
learned more about whales in school
did not get sick
went to Cape Cod
had a better seat on the ship

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Are the accounts organized by cause and effect, sequence, or main idea and details?
How does the organization help you compare and contrast the accounts?


ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.B 3.A 4.B

Sample answer: The accounts are organized sequentially. This makes it easier to compare the events because you can compare each event in order.

[Angel]

Day 38

To the Teachers:

Introduce the Make Inferences skill to students. Say: A writer doesn’t tell us everything that happens, because doing so would make what we are reading uninteresting, or because the extra information is not necessary for us to understand the writer’s main point. Instead, the writer relies on us to make inferences as we read. When we infer, we use clues from the text and our prior knowledge to figure out the information that is not included. Then tell students they are
going to read about a way of helping people in poor countries. Remind them of the Make Connections strategy. Say: Whenever you make an inference, you have to make a connection with what you are reading. You can’t make an inference without drawing upon your prior experience. Direct students to read the passage and to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

A Little Can Go a Long Way

In a village in Uganda, a woman named Fatima Serwona ran a small store. She sold food and other useful items. However, she had trouble making enough money to keep the shelves stocked. To stay in business, Fatima got a microfinance loan—a small sum of money from a person in another country. It was just enough for her to buy a cell phone. She let villagers make calls using her phone and charged them a small fee for each call. This helped her make enough money to keep her shelves stocked with items. Fatima then used the money to send her children to school and improve their lives, as well as her own.

Microfinance is the practice of giving small loans to people in need. Most microfinance loans are for less than two hundred dollars. The loans are used to start or expand a small business, such as catching fish, raising chickens, weaving, or selling produce. Lenders are willing to make these loans because most of the people who receive them are very likely to repay the loans.

Microfinance loans are important for several reasons. The businesses that these loans support often provide needed services or goods to their communities. Also, many of the people who receive microfinance loans cannot get money any other way. And although they have to pay a high rate of interest on the money they borrow, the rate is lower than if they borrowed from a local moneylender.

It doesn’t seem like such a small amount of money could make a big difference, but microfinance loans have been shown to help improve individual lives and revitalize whole communities like Fatima’s.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Why did Fatima Serwona buy a cell phone?
to make calls to order goods
to make additional money for her business
to link her village with other villages
to call villagers to tell them about her store

2. Why do you think so many microfinance borrowers are likely to repay their loans?
The borrowers are both successful and grateful.
The lenders threaten them if they do not repay.
The interest rates are very low.
The borrowers become rich from the loans.

3. One way Fatima Serwona’s loan helped her community was by ....
making her wealthier than her neighbors
giving villagers a way to make phone calls
helping villagers get their own loans
sending children from her village to school

4. Based on information in the passage, which statement about Fatima’s village is most likely true?
Many people own their own stores.
All of the children go to school.
Most people receive microfinance loans.
Few people have phone service.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: If you were given a microfinance loan, what would you do with the money?


ANSWER KEY:

1.B 2.A 3.B 4.D

Responses will vary.

[Angel]

Day 39

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Make Inferences skill. Say: When we make inferences, we use our background knowledge and clues from the text to fill in information that we haven’t been told directly. Then tell students they are going to read about wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Remind students of the Organization strategy and of the common ways a passage can be organized (main idea and details, fact and opinion, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem and solution). Say: As you read, pay attention to how the writer organizes her ideas. Stop after you read each paragraph and think about what that paragraph was mostly about and how the writer organized the information. Then have students read the passage. When students have finished reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

The Return of the Wolf

Wolves once prospered in Yellowstone National Park, but by 1926, humans had hunted them to extinction there. The absence of wolves affected many parts of the Yellowstone ecosystem. Most significantly, the disappearance of wolves led to a huge increase in the number of elk. This in turn had negative effects on plants and animals in the park.

Park authorities tried to keep the elk population under control by hunting, but in the late 1960s and 1970s, the U.S. government and the park managers began considering a new policy. They wanted to return to natural processes for regulating the balance of wildlife in the park. In 1995, Congress authorized reintroducing the gray wolf to Yellowstone. The first wolves were brought in from Canada a year later.

Almost immediately, authorities noticed differences in the park. As a result of the reintroduction of wolves, the number of elk declined. This led to an unexpected change. The number of willow trees and aspen, which elk eat, increased. Beavers, which feed on willows, in turn grew more numerous. In addition, the populations of some songbird species and small mammals that live in aspen stands have since grown. Other animals and people have benefited, too. Scavengers, or animals that eat dead animals, have increased in number. And visitors to Yellowstone are able to see and hear wolves in the park again.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Which is most likely the reason the elk population grew when wolves disappeared from Yellowstone?
Elk were able to find better shelter.
Elk moved into the wolves’ territory.
Elk were not being hunted by wolves.
Elk were eating more willow and aspen trees.

2. Why do you think the park managers and the U.S. government wanted a new strategy for dealing with elk in the park?
because their old strategy did not work well
because voters wanted more wolves in parks
because of the growing beaver problem
because hunters wanted to hunt more animals

3. Why might the number of scavengers have grown when wolves returned to Yellowstone?
The elk stopped eating scavengers’ food.
New visitors to Yellowstone left food behind for scavengers.
The wolves caused an increase in beavers, which scavengers eat.
Scavengers could eat the remains of animals that wolves had killed.

4. The vegetation of Yellowstone probably suffered when wolves were gone because ....
elk ate too many plants
there were no wolves to eat the plants
there were more beavers to eat the plants
too many songbirds nested in the plants

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Is the passage organized by compare and contrast, cause and effect, or problem and solution? Explain.

ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.A 3.D 4.A

Sample answer: The article is organized by cause and effect. It tells the effects of wolves' absence and presence in Yellowstone National Park.

[Angel]

Day 40

To the Teachers:

Tell students they will practice both the Compare and Contrast and Make Inferences skills by reading about a person who was important in the civil rights movement. Build background on the civil rights movement, if necessary, before students read the passage. When students have finished reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities.

Reading:

Crusader for Civil Rights

Fannie Lou Townsend was born in 1917 in Mississippi, the youngest of twenty children. She and her family were sharecroppers, moving from place to place to pick crops. Townsend toiled in the fields from the age of six. Her family was poor, and she often went hungry. But unlike most children of sharecroppers, Townsend went to school whenever she could, and after finishing sixth grade, she continued to study on her own.

Townsend married Perry Hamer in 1944 and worked hard just to try to get by. Then, in 1962, she attended a meeting that changed her life. The meeting was held by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Like other groups, such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the SNCC used nonviolent means to try to end segregation in the South. One of their aims was to register African Americans to vote. At the time, Fannie Lou didn’t realize African Americans had a constitutional right to vote. When she later went to register, she and others were jailed and beaten. She lost her job as a result and continued to be threatened with violence.

Fannie Lou Hamer went on to work for the SNCC to help other African Americans register to vote. She was a founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and spoke on television about the terrible effects of segregation. She was beaten and shot at over the years for her efforts, but she never gave up. Until her death in 1977, Fannie Lou struggled to help the poor and needy in her community and worked in politics to end discrimination.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. How was Fannie Lou Townsend different from most sharecroppers’ children?
She grew up in Mississippi.
She went to school.
She did not work in the fields.
She had enough to eat.

2. Why might the SNCC meeting have changed Fannie Lou’s life?
She made new friends there.
She learned how to make more money.
She met her future husband there.
She learned about fighting segregation.

3. How were the SNCC and the SCLC similar?
Both were founded in part by Fannie Lou.
Both provided free education to children.
Both used nonviolent means to end segregation.
Both were started to help sharecroppers.

4. Based on information in the passage, Fannie Lou was someone who ....
had many opportunities
was afraid of change
did not give up easily
disliked people in power

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Based on what you know about voting, why do you think Fannie Lou thought it was important to register African Americans to vote?

ANSWER KEY:

1.B 2.D 3.C 4.C

Sample answer: Voting was important to Hamer because it gave people a voice in deciding how people were treated and the laws that were passed.

[Angel]

Day 41

To the Teachers:

Character and Setting
Students practice analyzing character and setting by looking at the traits and motivations of a character and where and when a passage’s events take place.
Theme
Students practice identifying the theme by looking for the central message or lesson in a passage.

Introduce the Character and Setting skill to students. Say: The characters are who or what a passage is mostly about. Good readers study a character’s traits. This means they know what the character looks like or what the character says, does, and believes. The setting is where and when a passage takes place. Tell students they are going to read a biography about a man who opened schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Say: Studying the character and setting of a biography helps us better understand why the author thinks this person is important to write about. Then remind
students of the Monitor Comprehension strategy (Week 1). Say: As you read, notice if your focus drifts from the passage. If that happens, pause for a moment and think about what you can do to refocus. Then begin reading again. Have students read the instructions at the top of the page and the passage. When students have finished, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

One School at a Time

Greg Mortenson is an adventurer who once loved to climb mountains. Born in 1957, he grew up on the
slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. After his sister Christa died in 1992, he decided to try climbing Pakistan’s K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, in her memory. Although Mt. Everest in the Himalaya Mountains is higher, K2 is considered more difficult and treacherous to climb. During an attempt to climb the mountain in 1993, snow, ice, and bad weather forced Mortenson to turn back.

Mortenson recovered from frostbite and exhaustion in the rural Pakistani village of Korphe. There he saw a group of children writing in the dirt with sticks. He learned that they had no pens or pencils, no books—not even a school or a teacher. Mortenson promised to build them a school, even though he had no idea how he would accomplish it.

It took years to raise the money to build the school. Some of the contributions to Mortenson’s cause came as pennies donated by American schoolchildren. Mortenson even sold his own belongings to raise cash. The Korphe School was finished in 1996.

Since then, Mortenson has established more than 75 schools in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. His schools educate both boys and girls in an area where schooling for girls is very rare. Mortenson’s aim is to use education to promote peace in this often dangerous and violent area, one school at a time.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Based on information in the passage, which word best describes what K2 is like?
familiar
beautiful
comforting
dangerous

2. Which word best describes Mortenson’s behavior in paragraph 1?
adventurous
hopeful
reckless
fearful

3. How did the village of Korphe change Mortenson’s life?
It inspired him to become a teacher.
It motivated him to climb mountains.
It inspired him to build schools.
It motivated him to create a memorial for his sister.

4. Mortenson’s actions in paragraphs 2 and 3 show that he is ....
stubborn and argumentative
caring and determined
clever and ambitious
frustrated and angry

STRATEGY PRACTICE: How do you think Mortenson changed between 1993 and the time described at the end of the passage? How do you think the setting contributed to the change in his character?

ANSWER KEY:

1.D 2.A 3.C 4.B

Sample answer: Mortenson became concerned about others. He saw the need that people had in poor countries such as Pakistan.

[Angel]

Day 42

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Character and Setting skill. Then tell students they are going to read a first-person account of someone’s trip to an unusual place. Say: Because this is written in the first person, the main character is also the writer. As you read, pay attention to what the writer says and does to better understand his character. Then remind students of the Visualization strategy. Say: As you read, make a mental image of the important details. Have students read the passage. When students have finished, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

The Blue Lagoon

I have always loved going to unique, out-of-the-way places, but the strangest place I’ve ever visited was the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. The seawater of the Blue Lagoon is heated far beneath Earth’s surface. Although most lagoons are natural, this one is man-made. A nearby power plant pumps the hot water up from a mile below the surface, through a lava formation. The water that’s not used to make heat and electricity at the power plant is sent into the huge lagoon cut out of solid black rock formed from lava. The water is very warm—about 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also full of minerals that make it appear a bright, shockingly blue color.

When I visited, I walked along a pathway carved through rock, toward a bathhouse. There, I changed into a swimsuit and ran outside. The air was freezing, so I plunged into the lagoon, shivering. In a minute I was warm—except for the top of my head, which was out of the water. Clouds of steam rose into the chilly air above the water so thickly that I could hardly see the dozens of other people bathing. The water felt silky, and I slathered an unusual mud on my face from wooden tubs around the lagoon. I rinsed the mud off under a hot waterfall. By the time I left, I was sure I would never experience anything stranger or more wonderful than the Blue Lagoon.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Which word best describes the narrator?
timid
playful
curious
sarcastic

2. Where is the passage mostly set?
in a hot seawater pool in Iceland
under a waterfall at a hot spring
near a volcano in Iceland
in a power plant in Iceland

3. Based on information in the passage, which of these would you not expect to see at the Blue Lagoon?
bright blue water
fish swimming
people covered in mud
clouds of steam

4. Which word best describes how the narrator feels about the Blue Lagoon?
amused
frightened
awed
confused

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Write the words or phrases from the passage that helped you visualize the Blue Lagoon.

ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.A 3.B 4.C

Responses will vary.

[Angel]

Day 43

To the Teachers:

Introduce the Theme skill to students. Say: A theme is a lesson or view about life that the author wants to share. Most of the time, the theme is not stated directly in a passage or story. You must look at what happens or study the main ideas in a passage or story to understand the theme. Tell students they are going to read a folk tale. Say: A folk tale usually has a moral or lesson about life. As you read, think about the lesson that the author is trying to teach. Then remind students of the Monitor Comprehension strategy. Say: A good way to make sure you understand the theme is to reread the story after you think you know what the theme is. Then you can check to see if your theme makes sense in the story. After students finish reading, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

The Most Powerful Thing in the World

Long ago, there lived a man who worked as a humble stonecutter. He was not happy with his job or his
position in life. As he struggled at his work, chipping away at stone, he saw a wealthy merchant pass by and thought, “How I wish I were as powerful and influential as that merchant!” Suddenly, the stonecutter was transformed into a wealthy and powerful merchant. Others now envied him.

One hot day, as the wealthy man walked around the town observing all that he owned, he became annoyed by the strength of the sun’s rays. “How I wish I were as powerful as the sun!” he thought, and suddenly he became the sun, scorching others with his heat and brilliance.

Then one day a dark cloud crossed beneath him. Rain poured down and the wind blew, limiting the sun’s power over others. “How I wish I were as powerful as the storm!” he thought, and he became a storm with rain and wind. People feared his great force, but when he blew against a huge rock, the rock did not move. “How I wish I were as powerful as that rock!” he thought, and in a moment he became the rock.

Not long afterward, he heard a hammering sound and felt a part of himself change. “What could be more powerful than me, the rock?” he wondered. He looked down and saw, much to his surprise and disappointment, that a humble stonecutter was chipping away at him.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. The stonecutter wants to be like the merchant because ....
he wants to be feared like the merchant
the merchant is important
the merchant is humble
he wants to be envied like the merchant

2. Why is the stonecutter unhappy with each new thing he becomes?
He always sees something more powerful.
He does not like being envied.
He wants people to like him.
He misses his life as a stonecutter.

3. Which of these is the most powerful in the passage?
the stonecutter
the merchant
the storm
the rock

4. A theme of the passage is that people ....
should always wish for what they want
are all powerful in their own way
will be happy with whatever they become in life
should seek wealth and power

STRATEGY PRACTICE: If the stonecutter had stopped making wishes after he became a merchant, how would it have affected the passage’s theme?

ANSWER KEY:

1.B 2.A 3.A 4.B

Sample answer: The stonecutter wouldn’t have learned the lesson to be happy with what you have.

[Angel]

Day 44

To the Teachers:

Remind students of the Theme skill. Say: Nonfiction passage themes are usually views about the world that an author has. When you look for the theme of a nonfiction passage, ask yourself, Would the author agree with this statement about the world? Then remind students of the Visualization strategy. Say: If you visualize what is happening in the passage, you may find it easier to understand what the author’s theme is. Have students read the passage. When students have finished, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

Helping Horses

Many people with visual impairment use guide dogs to help them get safely from place to place and to alert them to danger. But what can blind people do if they are allergic to dogs or just don’t like them? For some people, the answer is provided by the Guide Horse Foundation.

Janet and Don Burleson founded the nonprofit organization in 1999. They began training miniature horses to help guide visually impaired people. Miniature horses look just like regular horses, only much smaller. They are generally less than 34 inches tall.

Cuddles was the foundation’s first guide horse in full service. She became 45-year-old Dan Shaw’s helper. Shaw has an eye disease that caused his sight to deteriorate. One night, while filling out an application to get a guide dog, Shaw heard a news story on TV about people training horses to guide the blind. Shaw loves horses and wanted a guide animal that would live a long time. He applied, and a year later, Cuddles and Shaw began training as a team.

On a trip to New York, Cuddles helped Shaw safely navigate Times Square, a very busy part of the city at night. The next day, Cuddles calmly rode the elevator with Shaw to the crowded top of the Empire State Building, a famous skyscraper. Cuddles even guided Shaw on the ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty, rode the escalator in a store, and traveled on the subway system.

Shaw says that he feels truly blessed to have Cuddles. He believes that Cuddles has changed his life for the better by giving him more independence and self-reliance.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. How did people probably feel when they saw Cuddles in New York City?
annoyed that the horse blocked traffic
surprised by seeing a miniature horse in a building
disappointed that Shaw did not have a guide dog
pleased that Cuddles is very cute

2. You can tell that an important quality for a guide horse is ....
having the ability to handle many situations
being small in size
being independent
having the ability to run quickly

3. How did Cuddles change Dan Shaw’s life?
She became Dan Shaw’s best friend.
She made Dan Shaw famous.
She helped Dan Shaw start a business.
She gave Dan Shaw confidence.

4. Which of these is a theme in the passage?
Visually impaired people are brave for facing many challenging situations.
Animals are special because they can help people do otherwise impossible things.
Horses are better than dogs as guide animals.
New York City is a magical city with unique attractions.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: Describe how you visualized Cuddles and Dan Shaw on the city streets.

ANSWER KEY:

1.B 2.A 3.D 4.B

Descriptions should include details from the passage.

[Angel]

Day 45

To the Teachers:

Tell students they will practice both the Character and Setting and Theme skills by reading about a child musician. Encourage students to pay attention to who the main character is and what kind of theme his story has. Then remind students of the Monitor Comprehension strategy. Say: After you read each paragraph, pause to think about the main idea. Have students read the passage. When students have finished, direct them to complete the skill and strategy practice activities. Review the answers together.

Reading:

A Musical Prodigy

Imagine knowing at age two what you want to do for the rest of your life. Jay Greenberg, nicknamed “Bluejay” because these birds make a lot of noise for their size, did just that. He has been called the greatest musical talent to come along in 200 years. And all of this praise was said about a teenager!

When Greenberg was just two years old, he started drawing pictures of musical instruments and wrote the word cello. His parents got him a cello, and by age three, he was composing music. In 2001, at age ten, he began attending the Julliard School, one of the world’s best music conservatories, in New York City. Within two years, he had composed five symphonies. And by 2009, he had written more than 70 musical compositions for such groups as the New Haven Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Greenberg is a musical prodigy, or extremely gifted young person. Unlike most kids, he doesn’t download music from the Internet; he downloads it from his own mind! When he composes works, he hears them in his head complete, as if an orchestra were playing them. His hero is Beethoven, and for fun, he fools around with classical music compositions, changing and rewriting them. He is completely devoted to his calling, once telling his mother that he would die if he could not compose music.

Questions:

SKILL PRACTICE: Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

1. Which words best describe Jay Greenberg?
carefree and relaxed
anxious and withdrawn
focused and gifted
uncertain and unhappy

2. Which statement best describes a theme of the story?
Music appeals to all kinds of people.
You do not have to be an adult to have great talent.
Sometimes it is important to fit in.
Education helps people accomplish their goals.

3. Jay Greenberg’s parents can probably be described as ....
stern
controlling
trusting
supportive

4. Which of these is a theme of the story?
Kids should enjoy their childhood.
People should pursue things they are passionate about.
Being talented brings fame, as well as difficulties.
People must create balance in their lives.

STRATEGY PRACTICE: What information in the passage helps you understand why Jay Greenberg is called a prodigy?

ANSWER KEY:

1.C 2.B 3.D 4.B

Students should reference information that points to Greenberg's abilities or accomplishments at a young age.