Character
Read the sentences.
Conner knows everyone on our block. He's always the first one to go and say hello to new neighbors.
What is Conner probably like?
clever friendly
friendly
As the night ended, the sun splashed across Casey's bed. He opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he saw was the beautiful blue ribbon on his bookshelf.
What is the setting of the story?
What is in Casey's bedroom in the morning.
John didn't know what to take to school for Show and Tell. He asked his mother for an idea. She suggested he take the ribbon his dog won at the pet parade.
What is the problem in the story?
What is John didn't know what to take to school for Show and Tell.
One day, a turtle and a rabbit decided to race each other. The rabbit was sure he would win. After all, he was much faster than the turtle.
When the race started, the rabbit began to sprint as fast as he could. Soon, he was way ahead of the turtle.
"I may as well take a nap," the rabbit thought. "That slow turtle will never catch up with me!"
While the rabbit slept, the turtle kept going and going. He never stopped, even when he got tired. The turtle reached the finish line while the rabbit was still asleep. The slow turtle won the race!
What did the turtle do when the rabbit took a nap?
1. He stopped to wait for the rabbit.
2. He kept going and didn't stop.
2. He kept going and didn't stop.
Hoops!
Joelle grabbed her basketball from the hallway. Running out to the blacktop court, she dribbled the ball on the sidewalk. Maybe today her brother Patrick would let her play with him and his friends.
Patrick and his group were already there when she arrived. "Can I play?" Joelle asked.
Patrick shook his hear. "You know you're too young, Jo," he answered. He started yelling orders at his friends, and they broke into teams to play. Just because he was the tallest, he thought he was the best. Joelle sighed.
What is the solution to the problem in the story?
1. Joelle works on her jump shot until she can sink the basket every time.
2. Patrick and his friends tell the older kids to leave.
3. Joelle gets older, so Patrick says she is old enough to play.
4. Joelle practices, and Patrick sees that she's a good player.
What is Joelle practices, and Patrick sees that she's a good player.
Read the sentence.
Brett sends his mother flowers for her birthday every year.
What is Brett probably like?
sweet messy
sweet
Hoops!
Joelle grabbed her basketball from the hallway. Running out to the blacktop court, she dribbled the ball on the sidewalk. Maybe today her brother Patrick would let her play with him and his friends.
Patrick and his group were already there when she arrived. "Can I play?" Joelle asked.
Patrick shook his hear. "You know you're too young, Jo," he answered. He started yelling orders at his friends, and they broke into teams to play. Just because he was the tallest, he thought he was the best. Joelle sighed.
What is the story's setting?
1. an apartment building
2. a school gym
3. an empty classroom
4. an outdoor basketball court.
What is an outdoor basketball court.
Hoops!
Joelle grabbed her basketball from the hallway. Running out to the blacktop court, she dribbled the ball on the sidewalk. Maybe today her brother Patrick would let her play with him and his friends.
Patrick and his group were already there when she arrived. "Can I play?" Joelle asked.
Patrick shook his hear. "You know you're too young, Jo," he answered. He started yelling orders at his friends, and they broke into teams to play. Just because he was the tallest, he thought he was the best. Joelle sighed.
What is the main problem in the story?
1. Patrick is tall, so he thinks he's the best basketball player.
2. It gets too dark, so Joelle has to stop practicing.
3. Joelle wants to play, but Patrick says she's too young.
4. Some bigger kids beat Patrick and his friends in a game of basketball.
What is Joelle wants to play, but Patrick says she's too young.
One day, a turtle and a rabbit decided to race each other. The rabbit was sure he would win. After all, he was much faster than the turtle.
When the race started, the rabbit began to sprint as fast as he could. Soon, he was way ahead of the turtle.
"I may as well take a nap," the rabbit thought. "That slow turtle will never catch up with me!"
While the rabbit slept, the turtle kept going and going. He never stopped, even when he got tired. The turtle reached the finish line while the rabbit was still asleep. The slow turtle won the race!
What is the lesson of this fable?
1. It's important to work hard and never give up.
2. It's important to rest when you feel tired.
1. It's important to work hard and never give up.
The Turkey Drive
Ready, Zeke? Let's round up these turkeys! Mother called.
Zeke herded the big birds into a squawking mass. Mother hitched up the mules. Zeke scattered some grain in front of the turkeys, urging them onward.
Zeke loved the fall turkey drive. Vermont farmers walk their turkeys all the way to Boston to sell them. This year Zeke had convinced Papa to let him and Mother go. Papa would have gone himself, but he was laid up with a broken leg. Zeke's big sister Katie was taking care of things at home. Zeke was planning to show Papa that he could take care of things on the road.
After two weeks on the long, dusty road, the birds didn't need much pushing. They seemed happy to be nearing Boston. Turkeys, as everyone knew, weren't terribly smart.
Around noon Zeke led the flock onto a narrow bridge. This was a covered bridge built with a roof and wooden sides to keep the winter snows off. Mother followed in the wagon, keeping the turkeys from straying.
What happened next would have been funny, if it hadn't been such a mess. When they entered the cool darkness inside the covered bridge, the turkeys believed that night had fallen. When turkeys thought it was nighttime, they stopped everything and just went to sleep. Before he knew it, Zeke's two hundred turkeys were asleep on the bridge!
To make matters worse, a horse and buggy arrived, wanting to cross the bridge.
"I'm Dr. Gray!" the driver said. "I need to visit a patient over there - quickly!"
Zeke would have to carry all his turkeys back into the sunlight! He squared his shoulders and waded through the flock to the lead turkey. He picked it up and took it outside. He repeated this with the second and third birds. Mother got down to help, and even the doctor joined in. As each bird came into the light, it woke up. But most of the turkeys were still in the dark.
As he lugged another bird outside, Zeke banged his head on a beam of the bridge and yelped. Several turkeys woke up at the sound, fluttering their wings. That gave Zeke an idea.
He returned to the wagon and grabbed the mules' leads. Shouting loudly, he moved forward onto the bridge with the mules and wagon. Turkeys stirred and moved. Mother and the doctor began shouting also. Within minutes, they had cleared the bridge.
Dr. Gray shook Zeke's hand. "Fine job, young man," he said and hopped into the buggy to attend to his patient.
Zeke, Mother, and the two hundred turkeys resumed their march toward Boston.
What is the solution to the problem in the story?
1. Zeke wakes the turkeys by making a loud noise.
2. Dr. Gray wakes up the turkeys when he drives up in his buggy.
3. Zeke's mother and Dr. Gray help Zeke move the turkeys.
4. Mother rides in the wagon to keep the turkeys in line.
What is Zeke wakes the turkeys by making a loud noise.
Read the sentences.
Zoe smiled from ear to ear when she saw the ticket. "This is the best birthday present ever!" she said.
How is Zoe probably feeling?
happy angry
happy
Oscar thought it was time to get a breath of air, so he began to make his way to the surface. Before he reached it, a large shadow came toward him. Was it a shark? He thought of his parents on the beach. Would this be the end of vacation?
What is the setting of the story?
What is in the ocean in the summer.
Emily knew she had to get to school on time, but her mother said she couldn't drive her. Emily decided to leave early and walk to school.
What is the problem in this story?
What is Emily's mother could not drive her to school and she needed to be on time.
Read "The Giant Turnip," a Russian folktale.
One day, an old man planted a turnip. He took good care of it, and he watered it every day. The turnip grew until it was bigger than the man himself!
The old man went to pull the turnip out of the ground, but he wasn't strong enough. So, he asked his wife to help him. Together they pulled and pulled, but the giant turnip didn't move.
The wife asked their daughter for help. The three of them pulled and pulled, but nothing happened.
Next, the daughter asked the dog for help, and then the dog asked the cat. They pulled and pulled as hard as they could. Still, the turnip stayed right where it was.
Finally, the cat asked a tiny mouse to help them. Once again, the group pulled and pulled. This time, the turnip came out! Everyone was tired but happy. They had done it together!
Who pulled the turnip out?
1. The mouse pulled the turnip out by itself.
2. The old man pulled the turnip out by himself.
3. Everyone pulled the turnip out together.
Everyone pulled the turnip out together.
David and his dog, Spot, were best friends. They went everywhere together. At bedtime, David whistled for Spot to jump in his bed. One winter night, David whistled and whistled, but Spot did not come.
How could David solve his problem?
What is --answers may vary.
Read the sentences.
Ella did a little dance in her new dress. Her eyes were sparkling, and she couldn't stop smiling. She snapped a picture and sent it to her best friend.
How is Ella probably feeling?
sad excitedexcited
The students gather on the rug as the art teacher tells them about today's art class. They will be painting pottery.
The kids gather paint, brushes, and the clay pottery and bring it to the table. Then they paint until class is over.
They clean up, then line up at the door.
What is the setting of the story?
What is in an art class.
Mrs. Anderson wanted a fresh pineapple for her cake. The store near her did not have any fresh ones, so she went to another store and bought it there.
What is the problem in this story?
What is the store near her did not have any fresh pineapples for her cake.
Review "The Giant Turnip," a Russian folktale.
One day, an old man planted a turnip. He took good care of it, and he watered it every day. The turnip grew until it was bigger than the man himself!
The old man went to pull the turnip out of the ground, but he wasn't strong enough. So, he asked his wife to help him. Together they pulled and pulled, but the giant turnip didn't move.
The wife asked their daughter for help. The three of them pulled and pulled, but nothing happened.
Next, the daughter asked the dog for help, and then the dog asked the cat. They pulled and pulled as hard as they could. Still, the turnip stayed right where it was.
Finally, the cat asked a tiny mouse to help them. Once again, the group pulled and pulled. This time, the turnip came out! Everyone was tired but happy. They had done it together!
What is the lesson of this folktale?
1. You can do hard things if you work together.
2. You can do hard things by yourself.
3. You should not try to do things that are too hard.
You can do hard things if you work together.
Josh loved second grade, but he did not like recess. Josh's class was always the last one out to the playground. Every day, Josh ran to get a swing, but they were always taken.
What could Josh do to solve his problem?
What is - - answers may vary.
Read the sentences.
Tommy bought a drum set and played it late at night. His neighbors left angry notes on his door for weeks!
What is Tommy probably like?
noisy quiet
noisy
As the night ended, the sun splashed across Casey's bed. He opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he saw was the beautiful blue ribbon on his bookshelf.
What is the setting of the story?
What is in Casey's bedroom in the morning.
Robert was afraid the flooding river would reach his home. His parents were away, and he was watching his little sister. He saddled his horse, and he and his sister rode to the top of the hill.
What is the problem in this story?
What is Robert was afraid the flooding river would reach his home.
The Fox and the Chickens
Once there were six chickens who all lived together on a farm. They did not always get along. But they shared a common threat - a fox who wanted to make a meal of the chickens. Regardless of their differences, the six chickens always came together to defend themselves from the fox. Whenever the fox came around, the chickens would make such a racket that the farmer would come running and chase the fox away. If the farmer didn't get there fast enough, instead of running in different directions to get away from the fox, the hens and the roosters would band together and charge the fox. The hens would peck at him, while the roosters jumped on his back and sunk their talons into his hide until the fox was too angry and confused to try to eat them, and would slink away in disgrace. But one day, the chickens were not getting along. They were so angry with one another that they could not bear the idea of sharing a coop anymore. When the farmer let them out of the coop one morning to eat bugs in the pasture, they took the opportunity to run away. Each chicken went in a different direction. Over the next six days, as the fox encountered each chicken on its own, it ate up every one.
What is the theme of the story?
What is it is better to work together than to work alone.
Jake and Kate liked to ride their tricycles around the block together. One day a wheel fell off of Kate's tricycle.
How can they solve their problem?
What is - - answers may vary.