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10 11 12 13 14 DOW 20 19 18 17 16 15
CCSS Reading/Language Arts Program

Program Authors
Diane August Jan Hasbrouck
Donald R. Bear Margaret Kilgo
Janice A. Dole Jay McTighe
Jana Echevarria Scott G. Paris
Douglas Fisher Timothy Shanahan
David Francis Josefina V. Tinajero
Vicki Gibson

Me
Grauv
Hill
Education
Bothell, 1/1/A • Chicago, IL • Columbus, OH • New York, NY
 THE BIG IDEA

Growing and Learning

W EEK 1 STO RYTIM E______________________________________________________________ _

Wolf! Fantasy........................................................................................................................... 10
by Becky Bloom; illustrated by Pascal Biet
Jennie and the Wolf F a b le ..........................................................................................32

W EEK 2 TRA D ITIO N S______________________________________________________________________

Yoon and the Jade Bracelet Realistic Fiction.................................... 34

by Helen Recorvits; illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska

A w ard Family Traditions Expository T e x t.............................................................................54
.w i n n e r ,
8s**»»V

W EEK 3 COMMUNITIES____________________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

m
Gary the Dreamer Narrative N o n fic tio n ..................................................... 58

by Gary Soto; illustrated by Elizabeth Gomez

Sharing Polkas and Pitas Expository T e x t ..................................................... 72

Gary
Dreamer

W EEK 4 INVENTIONS_________________________________________________ SCIENCE

ALL ABOARD!
EL I J AH Mc COY S All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam
STEAM ENGINE
Engine B io grap hy........................................................................................................... 74
by Monica Kulling; illustrated by Bill Slavin
Lighting the World Expository T e x t.......................................................................92

W EEK 5 TIM E FOR KIDS____________________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

A Mountain
of History A Mountain of History Expository T e x t................................................... 94

A Landmark Street Expository T ext...................................................................... 98

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 THE BIG IDEA

Figure It Out
W EEK 1 COOPERATION____________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

Roadrunner's Dance Folktale........................................................................100

'A w a r d by Rudolfo Anaya; illustrated by David Diaz

iWINNER,
Deltona Is Going Batty Expository Text............................................................. 120

W EEK 2 IMMIGRATION SOCIAL STUDIES

The Castle on Hester Street Historical Fiction .................................1 24

by Linda Heller; illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Next Stop, America! Expository Text ..................................................................... 142
'A w a r d
iWINNER,

W EEK 3 GOVERNM ENT__________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

Eileen Chkisteiow
***** ** ***
Vote! Expository T e x t......................................................................................................... 146

'A w a r d
by Eileen Christelow
.w i n n e r ,
*, * V> A Plan for the People Expository T e x t.............................................................. 168

W EEK 4 SURVIVAL____________________________________________________ SCIENCE

Whooping Cranes in Danger Expository T e x t .............................. 172

by Susan E. Goodman
Help the Manatees! Expository T e x t ..................................................................1 8 6

W EEK 5 FIG U R E IT OUT

The inventor Thinks Up Helicopters P oetry......................... 188

by Patricia Hubbell
T he In v en to r T h in k s Up
Helicopters Montgolfier Brother's Hot Air Balloon P o e try ................................... 192

by J. Patrick Lewis

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U N IT THE BIG IDEA

One of a Kind
W EEK 1 BE UNIQUE____________ ____________________________________________________________

arlina
$ ini1^„j C*£r*d, Martina the Beautiful Cockroach Folktale.................................194
by Carmen Agra Deedy; illustrated by Michael Austin
'A w a r d
•WINNER,
Get a Backbone! Expository T e x t ............................................................................ 2 1 6

W EEK 2 LEA D ERSH IP_______________________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

Finding Lincoln Historical F ic tio n ................................................................. 2 2 0

'A w a r d by Ann Mala spina; illustrated by Colin Bootman
.WINNER,
A Great American Teacher B io grap hy.......................................................... 2 38

W EEK 3 D ISCO VER IES________________________________________________ SCIENCE

Earth Expository T e x t....................................................................................................2 4 0

by Jeffrey Zuehlke
Coyote and the Jar of Stars L e g e n d ............................................................ 2 56

W EEK 4 NEW IDEAS___________________________________________________ SCIENCE

Big Ideas Big Ideas from Nature Expository T e x t ................................................ 2 58
from
Nature by Adrienne Mason
Perdix Invents the Saw M y th ....................................................................... 2 7 0

W EEK 5 TIM E FOR KIDS____________________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES

Riding
t h e R a ils
West! Riding the Rails West! Expository T ext.................................................. 2 72
Discovering Life Long Ago Expository T ext................................................ 276

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 THE BIG IDEA

Meet the Challenge

WEEK 1 C H O IC ES____________________________________________________________
REAL STORY
The Real Story of Stone Soup Folktale...........................................2 7 8
by Ying Chang Compestine; illustrated by Stephane Jorisch
'A w a r d
WINNER
Healthful Food Choices Expository T e x t....................................................... 2 98

ECKER WEEK 2 SKILLS A N D T A L E N T S

The Talented Clementine Realistic Fictio n ........................................ 3 00

by Sara Pennypacker; pictures by Marla Frazee
Clementine and the Family Meeting Realistic F ic tio n ..................... 3 2 0
'A w a r d
WINNER, by Sara Pennypacker; pictures by Marla Frazee

WEEK 3 A D A PTATIO N S _____________________________________ SCIENCE

A m a z in g W ild lif e o f t h e

Amazing Animals of the Mojave Expository T e x t...................326

by Laurence Pringle
Little Half Chick Folktale.......................................................................................... 3 40

W EEK 4 F L I G H T SCIENCE ‘

Hot Air Balloons Expository T e x t ................................................................. 342

by Dana Meachen Rau
Bellerophon and Pegasus M y t h .................................................................... 358

WEEK 5 IN S P IR A T IO N
WinningestWomanof the
Iditarod Dog Sled Sate The Winningest Woman of the Iditarod
Sn«touham»-MNlov-rwIMw

Dog Sled Race Poetry.............................................................................................. 360

by J. Patrick Lewis
Narcissa Poetry................................................................................................................ 3 6 4
by Gwendolyn Brooks

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 THE BIG IDEA

Take Action
WEEK 1 LET'S TRAD E!______________________________ SOCIAL STUDIES
^ C lev er , J ackT I
Clever Jack Takes the Cake Fairy T a le ................................................3 6 6
mr~id
TAKES « . CAKE

by Candace Fleming; illustrated by G. Brian Karas

When Com Was Cash Expository Text..................................................................3 8 6
A w ard
^w in n e r

OMianam o gwahwmJ

WEEK 2 REUSE A N D RECYCLE_______________________________________________

Bravo, Tavo! Realistic F ic tio n ........................................................................................ 3 9 0

by Brian Meunier; illustrated by Perky Edgerton
P»I*VS< Trash Into Art Expository T e x t....................................................................................4 1 2
Aw ard
WINNER,
ss*«»

W EEK 3 T E A M IN G UP_______________________________________SCIENCE

Wildfires Expository Text...................................................................................................... 4 1 6

by Seymour Simon
Windy Gale and the Great Hurricane Tall Tale ........................................ 4 3 0

W EEK 4 G O O D C IT IZ E N S SOCIAL STUDIES

m
Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady
Stanton and the Right to Vote Bio g rap hy......................................4 3 2
by Tanya Lee Stone; illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
'A w a r d
.w i n n e r ,
Susan B. Anthony Takes Action! Biography................................................. 4 5 2

WEEK 5 T IM E FOR KIDS____________________________________ S C I E N C E ^ \

It's All in the Wind Expository T e x t .................................................................... 4 5 6

Power for All Expository T e x t ..............................................................................................4 6 0

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 THE BIG IDEA

Think It Over
W EEK T TREASURES_________________________________________________________
yClNGSMD^
ANDTHE
'°U)£,\ TQtlc
King Midas and the Golden Touch Drama/Myth................... 4 6 2
by Margaret H. Lippert; illustrated by Gail Armstrong
Carlos's Gift Realistic Fiction..................................................................................... 4 7 8

W EEK 2 W EATHER__________________________________________________________________________
fJORA'S/\RK
ByNa/altt Kimey-Wanmk
EmilyArnoldMcCui/y
Nora's Ark Historical Fictio n.................................................................................. 48 2
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock; illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
The Wind and the Sun F a b le ..............................................................................5 0 4
'A w a r d
.WINNER,

W EEK 3 LEARNING TO SU CCEED ___________________________________ SCIENCE

Out of This World!

The Ellen Ochoa Story B io g rap h y.......................................................... 50 6
by Liane B. Onish
The Ellen Ochoa Story
■ ■ H jH b. A Flight to Lunar City Adventure S to r y .......................................................... 51 8

W EEK 4 ANIM ALS AND YOU________________________________________ SCIENCE

Alligators and Crocodiles Expository T e x t ...................................... 52 0

by Gail Gibbons
The Monkey and the Crocodile F olktale...................................................54 4
£*«.gibbon*

W EEK 5 FUNNY TIM ES_____________________________________________________________________

Ollie's Escape P o etry............................................................................................ 54 6

by David Crawley
The Gentleman Bookworm P o etry............................................................... 550

by J. Patrick Lewis
NASA-JPL

G lo ssary...................................................................... 552
9
..

Essential Question
What can stories teach you?
Read about how stories help
a wolf make new friends.
By B ecky Bloom
Illustrated b y P c lS C c ll Biet
 a fter w alking for m any days, a w olf w andered
into a quiet little town. He w a s tired and hungry, his
feet ached, and he had only a little m oney that he
kept for em ergencies.
Then he rem em bered. T h ere’s a farm outside this
village, he thought. I’ll find some food there ...
A s he peered over the farm fence, he sa w a pig, a
duck, and a cow reading in the shn.
 The w olf had never seen animals read before.
“I’m so hungry that my eyes are playing tricks on
m e,” he said to himself. But he really w a s very
hungry and didn’t stop to think about it for long.
The w olf stood up tall, took a deep breath ... and
leaped at the animals w ith a how l—

“AaaOO O O O ooo! ”
Chickens and rabbits ran for their lives, but
the duck, the pig, and the cow didn’t budge.
“W hat is that aw ful n oise?” com plained the cow.
“I can ’t concentrate on my book.”

STOP AND CHECK

Visualize Which words help you

visualize the wolf's actions?
 “Just ignore it,” said the duck.
The w o lf did not like to be ignored.
“W hat’s w rong w ith y o u ?” grow led the wolf.
“ C an ’t you see I’m a big and dangerous w o lf? ”
“I’m sure you a re,” replied the pig. “But couldn’t
you be big and dangerous som ew here else? W e’re
trying to read. This is a farm for educated animals.
N ow be a good w olf and go a w a y ," said the pig,
giving him a push.
 The w olf had never been treated like this before.
“Educated animals ... educated anim als!” the
w olf repeated to himself. “This is som ething new.
Well then! I’ll learn how to read to o .” And off he
w en t to school.
The children found it strange to have a w olf in
their class, but since he didn’t try to eat anyone,
th ey soon got used to him. The w olf w a s serious and
hardworking, and after m uch effort he learned to
read and write. Soon he becam e the b est in the class.

18
 Feeling quite satisfied, the w olf w en t back to
the farm and jum ped over the fence. I’ll show them,
he thought.
He opened his book and b egan to read:
"Run, w olf! R u n !
See w o lf ru n . ”
“You’ve got a long w a y to g o ,” said the duck,
w ithout even bothering to look up. A nd the pig,
the duck, and the cow w en t on reading their ow n
books, not the least im pressed.

20
21
 The w olf jum ped back over
the fence and ran straight to
the public library. He studied
long and hard, reading
lots of dusty old books, and
he practiced and practiced
until he could read
w ithout stopping.
“ T h ey’ll be im pressed
w ith my reading now, ” he
said to himself.
The w olf w alked up to the farm gate and
knocked. He opened The T hree L ittle P igs and
b egan to read:

‘‘O n c e u p o n a tim e th e re w e re th re e little p ig so n e d a y th e ir

m o th ercalled th em a n d to ld th em — "

“Stop that racket,” interrupted the duck.

“You have improved,” rem arked the pig, “but
you still need to w ork on your sty le .”
The w olf tucked his tail b etw een his legs and
slunk away.

Visualize How did the wolf feel after

he read the story aloud? Which words
help you visualize what happens?
------- -------
22
23
 But the w olf w a s n ’t about to give up. He
counted the little m oney he had left, w en t to the
bookshop, and bought a splendid n ew storybook.
His first very ow n book!
He w a s going to read it day and night, every
letter and every line. He w ould read so w ell that
the farm animals w ould admire him.

24
25
 D ing-dong, rang the w o lf at the farm gate.
He lay dow n on the grass, m ade him self
comfortable, took out his n ew book, and began
to read.
He read w ith confidence and passion, and the
pig, the cow, and the duck all listened and said
not one word.
Each time he finished a story, the pig, the
duck, and the cow asked if he w ould please read
them another.
So the w olf read on, story after story.

One minute he w a s Little Red Riding Hood,

em erging from a lamp,

then a sw ashbuckling pirate.

27
 “This is so m uch fun! ” said the duck.
“H e’s a m aster," said the pig.
“W hy don’t you join us on our picnic
to d ay?” offered the cow.
 A nd so th ey all had a picnic— the pig, the duck,
the cow, and the wolf. They lay in the tall grass
and told stories all the afternoon long.
“We should all becom e storytellers,” said the
cow suddenly.
“We could travel around the w o rld ,” added
the duck.
“We can start tom orrow m orning,” said the pig.
The w olf stretched in the grass. He w a s happy
to have such w onderful friends.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AND ILLUSTRATOR

BECKY BLOOM w a s born PASCAL BIET has lived in

in G reece but has traveled to France his w hole life. He w as
m any countries to w ork and born in the north of France,
go to school. She has m any in Saint-Laurent. He studied
different animals around her, visual communication and
but no wolf. Her other books design. He now lives and
include Leo a n d Lester, M ice w orks in Paris.
M ake Trouble, and C rackers.
 C haracter
SUMMARIZE W ants or Needs Feelings
Think about the important details in
WOLF! Summarize what you learned
about what stories can teach you.
Actions Traits
Use your Character Chart to help.

TEXT EVIDENCE
1. Tell why WOLF! is a fantasy, genre

2 . How does the wolf learn to read? What does

this show about his character? c h a r a c t e r

3 . Find the word wandered on page 13. What word

or phrase helps you figure out what it means?
SYNONYMS

4 . Write about why the animals didn't like the

wolf at first. Why did they change their minds?
Use details from the story to explain your answer.
W RI TE A B O U T R E A D I NG

Make Connections
m What does this story teach you about
& making friends? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why is it good for people to read

stories? t e x t t o w o r l d

31
 Compare Texts
Read about the lesson Jennie
learned from a wolf.

JENNIE
AN D THE WOLF
Jennie lived in a little cottage in the woods with
her mother. They were very poor.
“Oh, dear, we have no more eggs! And its
almost time for dinner!” said Jennies mother.
“I’ll run to the market, mother!” said
Jennie. “I’ll take the shortcut!” She rushed
out with her basket into the forest.
Deep in the forest, Jennie heard a loud moan.
Walking on, she made a shocking discovery.
A huge, gray wolf stood under a tree, crying!
“Please don’t run away,” the wolf said.
“Could you help me? No one else will.” The wolf
held out his paw. A large, sharp thorn was stuck
deep in his paw.
“Is this a trick?” Jennie asked. “I’ve heard
stories about wolves eating people.”
“Your knowledge of wolves is out of date,”
sighed the wolf. “Wolves don’t eat people anymore.
My brothers and I like to eat eggs. With ketchup!”
Illustration: Anne W ilson

The wolf cried again and looked at his paw.

 Jennie was inspired to help. She knelt down and
carefully removed the thorn. The wolf gently licked his
paw. “Thank you. I will not forget your kindness!” the wolf
promised. He bowed and disappeared into the forest.
Later, Jennie hurried home through the forest with her
basket of eggs. “GRRRROOOOW LLLL!” A pack of hungry
wolves appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path.
“What’s in the basket?” snarled one wolf. “It looks like
eggs!” cried another. “Where’s the ketchup?” asked a third.
Then a voice roared, “Let her go!” The wolf whom
Jennie had met earlier bounded down the path. “This girl
helped me when no one else would.” He told the pack how
Jennie had helped him.
The other wolves moved aside. Jennie thanked her new
friend, the wolf. Then she rushed down the path.
When Jennie got home, she helped her mother finish
cooking. At dinner, she told the amazing tale of the
gray wolf. Jennie also shared the moral she had learned:
Help others and they will help you.

Make Connections
What did you learn from this fable about
helping others? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n
I■
How are the wolves in this story like other
wolves you have read about? How are
they different? t e x t t o t e x t
^ JM
Essential Question
What can traditions teach
you about cultures?
Read about Yoon. Find out
what a tradition taught her.

Go Digital!
 Yoon and the
Jade Bracelet
ByHelen Recorvits
Pictures by Gabi Swiatkowska

M „,y n am e is Yoon. I cam e h ere from

Korea, a co u n try far away.

YOON AND THE JADE BRACELET by Helen Recorvits, pictures by Gabi S w iatkow ska. Text copyright ©2008 by Helen Recorvits. Pictures copyright ©
Soon after we settled in A m erica, it
was tim e to celebrate m y birthday. I was
h o p in g for a v e ry sp ecial p re se n t—a ju m p
rope. I w atched the girls in m y
school yard tu rn in g such a rope
an d ju m p in g an d sin g in g h ap p y

2008 by Gabi Sw iatkowska. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC.
songs. I w anted so m u ch to ju m p P
an d sin g w ith them , b u t I was
still the n ew girl. I h ad not
b een in v ited yet.
 On m y birthday, m y m other called to me.
"Little Yoon, come! I have a present for you!”
I clapped m y hands and ran to her.
She handed me som ething thin and flat wrapped
in pretty paper. "Happy birthday!” she said.
Jump ropes are not thin and flat, I thought. I
tried not to show m y disappointment. "Thank
you, Mother,” I said, smiling.

36
 M y m other watched excitedly as I opened the
present. It was a Korean storybook about a little
girl who was tricked b y a tiger. I knew the story,
and I laughed at the silly girl.
“The pictures are colorful,” I said.
“Yes, they remind m e o f the pictures you
draw, Yoon.”
I liked the book, but m y heart still longed for a
jum p rope.
“And here is another surprise,” m y m other said
as she handed me a lovely box.
 Inside was a pale green bracelet. I held its
cool smoothness in m y hand.
"A jade bracelet, Yoon," m y m other said.
“When I was a young girl, m y own mother
gave me this very bracelet. Now I am giving
it to yo u .”
“It is a wonderful present,” I said. It was
so wonderful I felt afraid to take it from her.
“Look, Yoon,” she said. “Here is your
Korean nam e now etched inside.” She
showed m e the dancing symbols that
m eant Shining Wisdom.
Then she told me the story o f jade. “Jade
•**? r.:,.
is a stone from the earth, but it is called
a the gem o f the heavens. Green is the color
of happiness and hope, and it is said that
wearing jade w ill bring you good luck. It is the
symbol o f truth and friendship. A precious
gem for a precious daughter.” M y mother
slipped the bracelet onto m y wrist.

tfil
mm

39
 At lunchtim e the next day at school, I sat at the
end of the table. An older girl from another class sat
down beside me.
"Oh, look,” she said, "you are wearing such a
pretty bracelet!”
"Thank yo u ,” I said.
 “You are alone today. I w ill be your friend. Would
you like to play jum p rope w ith m e?” the older
girl asked.
Jump rope? “Yes, yes!” I answered.
“Good! I w ill teach you. We w ill have fun!”
“Yes!” I said, smiling at m y new friend. Jump rope!
 After lunch we ran outside to play awhile. The
older girl tied one end o f the rope to the fence.
The she gave me the other end to turn, turn. She
jum ped and sang while I turned faster, slower,
faster. I turned and turned. My arm grew tired. I
had learned the rope part very well, hut I really
wanted to learn the jum p part.
"When will I jum p?” I asked.
“Tomorrow,” the older girl said. The bell rang.
It was time to go inside, and she took the rope
from me.
“I really like your bracelet," she said. “In
America, friends share things. If we are going to be
friends, you should share your bracelet with me.
You should let me wear it—just for today."
My birthday bracelet? Oh, no, no, no. I could not
share that. M y m other’s own m other had given it to
her, and now it was mine. No, no, I shook m y head.

STOP AND CHECK

V isu alize Visualize Yoon and

the older girl jum ping rope.
How does Yoon feel?

42
 “Well ... then how can we be friends?” the older
girl asked. “I thought you wanted to learn how to
jum p rope?”
I slipped the jade bracelet off and held it in m y hand.
M y m other said it would bring me good luck and good
friends. But sharing it did not seem right.
Q uickly the older girl grabbed the bracelet from me
and twisted it onto her own wrist. “Do not worry," she
said. “I will give it back tomorrow.”
 When I got hom e from school, I went
straight to m y room. M y m other came in
to check on me. As I sat on m y bed reading
m y new Korean storybook, she reached for
m y arm and gasped.
“Where is your bracelet, Yoon?”
I shrugged with shame, not trusting
m yself to speak.
“Oh, I see a sad face. Did you lose it at
school, Yoon?”
I shrugged again.
“Maybe it rolled away and is hiding
som ewhere here,” she said with teary eyes.
And she kneeled to look under m y bed.
“Mother,” I said, tugging her sleeve,
“I left it at school. I w ill get it tomorrow.”

STOP AND CHECK

V isu alize How does Yoon's mother

feel about the missing bracelet?
What words help you visualize what
is happening on this page?
 The next m orning I waited in the school yard for
the older girl. She was still wearing m y jade bracelet.
“It is time to give back m y bracelet/' I said.
“I will give it to you later/' she said, rushing past me.
A ll m orning m y heart was h eavy with worry. I
could not rem em ber how to spell “cat” or how to add
two plus two.
After lunch, w hen the children ran outside, I found
the older girl again. “You have m y bracelet and I want
it back,” I said.
“Stop bothering me! Do not be a pest!” She pushed
me away and laughed.
I was just like the silly girl in m y storybook. I had
been tricked b y a tiger.
 Back in m y classroom, I laid m y head on m y desk.
"What is wrong, Yoon?" m y teacher asked.
I told m y teacher about the older girl, and she sent
for her.
"Do you have som ething that belongs to Yoon?" m y
teacher asked her. “Is that her bracelet you are wearing?"
"Oh, no!" the older girl said w ith her trickster tongue.
"It is mine!"
"No! It is m y birthday bracelet!" I said.
The children in m y class gathered around us.
“Yoon was wearing it yesterday,” the ponytail girl said.
"Yes,” said the freckle boy. "I saw it, too."

47
 “Can you tell me som ething about this bracelet,
Yoon?" m y teacher asked.
“My m other gave it to me," I answered, looking
into the tiger girl’s face. “This bracelet is a symbol
o f kindness and courage. It is a symbol o f jade
friendship—true friendship.”
“Now you tell me about this bracelet," m y teacher
said to the older girl.
“Well ... it is smooth and green," she answered in a
sure voice.
I worried I would never get m y bracelet back. I did
not feel like Shining Wisdom. M y m other should have
nam ed me Shining Fool instead.
Then I had a very good idea. I whispered something
into m y teacher’s ear.

48
 “So tell me about the inside o f this bracelet/’ she
asked the older girl.
“Well ... it is smooth and green,” she repeated.
The teacher told her to take it off, and the girl
struggled to get it over her hand. M y teacher looked
inside and saw the dancing Korean symbols.
“Do you know what this says?” she asked the girl.
“No,” the older girl said. “Well ... I thought it was m y
bracelet. I used to have one just like it. Maybe this one
does belong to Yoon.”
M y teacher's eyes said Older-girl-you-are-in-trouble.
Then m y teacher slid the jade bracelet easily over m y
hand. “Here is your nam e bracelet, Shining W isdom.”
And it fit. Perfectly.

49
 M y m other saw the bracelet on m y wrist
after school. She clapped her hands. "Aha!
It was at school!”
"Mother,” I asked, “does wearing jade make
wishes come true?”

STOP AND CHECK

Visualize How does Yoon's mother feel when

she sees the bracelet again? Visualize or picture
in your mind what is happening in the story.
 “Yes," she said. “It is know n to happen.” She
smiled. “And what are your w ishes?”
So I told her about m y jum p rope wish and m y
wish for true friends.
And I told her a story about a wise girl who
tricked a tiger.
 Helen Recorvits has an e a rly
m em o ry o f h er m o th er read in g to her.
H er favorite story th en was C inderella.
W hen she was eigh t years
old, H elen b egan w ritin g h er
ow n stories. She shared th em Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author wrote
w ith h er cousins. She w rote
about a girl and her bracelet?
a w eek ly new spaper co lu m n
w h en she was a teenager. Tbday
she lives in Rhode Island. She
teaches second grade.

(Jabi Sw iatkow ska

was b o rn in Poland. H er first
m em o ry is o f the crows that
gathered in fron t o f h er house.
She w rote stories an d drew
pictures, m o stly o f princesses.
She studied art at the Lyceum
1
o f A rt in Poland. Gabi also
\:cm studied at the C ooper U n io n
School o f A rt in New York. She
lives in B rooklyn, New York.
 Respond to Reading
Summarize Characters

Think about the important details from S etting

Yoon and the Jade Bracelet. Summarize
Beginning
what you learned about the characters,
setting, and story structure. Details Middle
from your Story Map may help you. ________
End

Text Evidence
1. Tell why Yoon and the Jade Bracelet is realistic
fiction. G E N R E

2 . What happens in the beginning of the story when

Yoon meets the older girl? s e q u e n c e

3 . Find the word gem on page 39. What words or phrases

help you figure out its meaning? s e n t e n c e c l u e s

4 . Write about how Yoon gets her bracelet back at

the end of the story. Retell the events in order.
W R I T E A B O U T R E A D I NG

Make Connections
What did you learn about traditions
in Yoon's culture? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why is learning about traditions and

cultures important? t e x t t o w o r l d
Compare Texts
Read about different traditions
that families celebrate.

Traditions
M any different people live in the United States.
Some come from other countries. Some groups have
been here a long time. Each group has its special
culture and traditions. People w a n t to keep traditions
alive. They share them w ith their families. You can
learn about people by looking at their traditions.

Celebrating a New Year

Chinese families celebrate Chinese N ew Year.
Chinese N ew Year happens in January or February.
It lasts about tw o w eeks. The holiday m eans that
w inter is ending. Spring is on the w ay!
The traditions for Chinese N ew Year are very old.
Adults give children bright red envelopes. Red stands
_
for good luck and happiness. The envelopes are full
of good luck money.
 Families wear colorful
costumes to celebrate
Chinese New Year.

This holiday is also a time for feasts. Chinese

families share sw eet, smooth, rice cakes. Some
families eat a w hole cooked fish. They give
oranges as presents. They eat noodles, too. These
foods are sym bols for a happy year and long life.
In m ost big cities families w a tch the Chinese
N ew Year parade. Dragon dancers glide dow n
the street. Lion dancers w ear costum es in red,
yellow, and green. Bands march by in rows. Their
drums b eat out happy tunes. People in traditional
costum es go by on floats. T hey w a v e to the
crowd. BANG! W atch out for firecrackers! They
are part of the tradition, too. Loud sounds are
sym bols of a joyful time of year.
Families Get Together
Summer is a time for family reunions. M any
African Am erican families enjoy this tradition.
Aunts, uncles, and cousins travel from far away.
Family m em bers play gam es together. They tell
family stories. They share traditional foods, such
as barbecue and hom em ade sw eets. Sometimes
th ere’s a talent show. Family m em bers often
w ear special T-shirts to sh ow their pride.
Reunions can last for three days. People feel
sad w h en the reunion ends. Then planning
begins for the next o n e !

This family enjoys

traditional foods
at their reunion.
Storytelling and Dance
M any N ative Am erican cultures have
traditions of storytelling and dance.
The stories are from long ago. Older
people tell the stories to their children
and grandchildren. They m ay use the
culture’s native language. The stories
explain things in nature. They tell
about the courage of early people.
Some N ative Am erican groups get
together in the summer. They m eet
at big pow w o w s. These festivals
celebrate culture through dance and
music. Storytellers bring the old tales to life.
The soft notes of a flute m ay help tell a story.
The firm b eat of a drum adds power. People from
other cultures can w a tch and listen. Everyone
enjoys the stories and learns about the traditions.

Traditions Are Everywhere

Traditions are a kind of glue. They hold
families together. They make a culture strong. Native American
And traditions help us know the m any people storytellers pass
down tales from
in the United States.
long ago.

Make Connections
What can you learn about families through
their traditions? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Tell about some other family traditions you

have read about, t e x t t o t e x t
contribute to a community?
Read about the poet and author Gary Soto. Find
out about Gary's culture and his community.

Go Digital!

0-
 b y G a r y S o to

illu s tr a te d b y E liz a b e th G o m e z

I w as born in A p ril, a m onth w hen it rains and rains.

M aybe this is w h y w hen I w as th ree y e a rs old I liked
to open m y m outh and ta ste rain! A lso , A p ril is w hen
flo w ers bloom . B e e s arrive out of now here.
I lived in a sm all w h ite house. My d o g ’s nam e w as
B lackie . My c a t’s nam e w as B o o ts. I had a c a n a ry just
big g er than a big p e rso n ’s thum b . B u t m y bird fle w aw ay
w hen the little doo r o f its ca g e w as left open. So sorry,
little can ary, but I th in k it w as me w h o left it open!
 I rem em b er m y high chair. I rem e m b e r w atch in g m y
paren ts and o lder b ro th er at the d inner tab le. W h en I got
a little bigger, I got to sit w ith them . Most m orning s, I ate
oatm eal sp rin kled w ith brow n sugar. Th e su g ar w as like
ro cket energy. I b lasted out o f the house read y to play.
I played tag w ith the neig hb o r kids. I played hide-and-
seek. I played catch w ith o rang es. In our b ackya rd , w e
had an orange tree. W e also had plum , lem on, and ap p le
trees. L u ck y me! A n y tim e I w as h ung ry for a sn a ck, I ju st
w ent o utsid e and p icked a fruit!
 I d id n ’t have m any toys. My arm y m en w ere
pinto b eans and p e b b les. I played w ith them in the
dirt. I got d irty from playing hard. It seem ed like a
giant p e p p er sh a ke r had sp rin kle d me w ith dust!
My fa vo rite fruit w as w ate rm e lo n . A fte r I ate a slice
o f w ate rm e lo n , I ended up w ith se e d s in m y m outh.
Th e se se e d s w ere m y am m o to sp it at m y o ld er
brother. He w ould sp it so m e b a ck at me. It w as so rt
o f like a fun war. Th e se e d s fle w all over th e place.
 In kin d erg arten , I learned m y co lo rs. I learned to tie
m y sh o es and to be nice. I liked to sing, too. My b ro ther
said he could hear me from the next classro o m .
I m ade m y first friend , D arrell. I m ade an o th e r friend,
Jo s e . A t rece ss, w e w en t on the slide. It w as like a
h-Osn
big shiny spoon, and slip p ery! Then w e w en t on the
sw in g s. It w as s c a ry but fun going high and jum ping
out. Then w e w en t on the m onkey bars. If I fell, I never
got hurt.
In first grade, I p ra ctice d w ritin g the alp h ab e t. The
letters w ere big and blocky. I w ro te m y nam e: G A R Y .
So m e d ays m y nice te a ch e r w ould have to tell me,
“G ary, sit still.” I w ig g le d a lot in m y chair. I d ream ed a
lot. I w as b u sy looking at the floor, or m y hands, or out
the w in d o w —w ow , could th a t be m y c a n a ry in the tree?
I co u ld n ’t pro no unce so m e w o rd s. I co u ld n ’t say
“sa n d w ic h .” I w ould sa y “sa m m ie .” I knew th at tw o plus
tw o w as four. B ut w h at w as five plus seven ? I co u nted
out m y a n sw e r on m y fin g e rs, stic k y from the peanut
b u tter and jam inside m y “sa m m ie .”

STOP AND CH ECK

Ask and Answer Questions

Why does Gary like recess? Reread
page 63 to find the answer.

63

m*i
 In seco n d grade, w e co lle cte d m oney to help
child ren in A fric a . T h e y d id n ’t have an ythin g to eat.
I co lle cte d p ennies, lots of pennies. I noticed th at the
pennies w ere the sam e as me. You see, I w as natu rally
brow n, and even b ro w n er from running in the sun.
I felt like I w as g iving poor A fric a a p iece of me.
My c la ssm a te s got taller. B ut I seem ed to sta y the
sam e size. I still liked playing at re ce ss. I liked dod ge
ball, kickb all, and fo u rsq u are. I w ould tum ble w hen
I played so ccer. I w as q u ick. I ad m ire peop le w ho are
quick, and w ho play fair.

STOP AND CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions How does Gary feel

about collecting pennies? Reread to find the answer. mj

64
-A
■•%::
 B y third grade, I w as a good reader. I loved
p icture books. The p ag es w ere b rig ht and colorful
as to u can s, th o se tro p ical b irds w ith long b eaks.
E v e ry w e e k I w en t to the p u b lic library. I ch e cke d
out m oun tains of books.
I w as still a dream er. S o m e tim e s I w atch e d ants
going in and out of th e ir holes. O r I w ould w atch
w a te r racing in the curb . Th e rive r of w a te r carrie d
m a tch stick s, leaves, gum w ra p p e rs, and th o se poor
little ants! I rescued so m e of th o se ants. I put them
ca re fu lly on m y fin g e r and se t them on the ce m e n t
curb. T h e y lay fo r a w hile, like w e a k little sh ad o w s.
Then th ey w oke up and sta g g e re d aw ay.
 It w as fun in third g rade. I still stayed sm all, like
th o se ants I g uess. I w as sc a re d of m ath —poor me!
B ut reading w as w h at I really liked. I read on the
co u ch . I read in bed w ith ca rro t stic k s like pencils
in m y hands.

Visualize How does Gary feel about

reading? Use the words in the story
to picture what is happening.
 I liked to read in m y favo rite tree. O nce, w hen
B o o ts cam e by, I to ssed a p iece of b ark at him.
He looked around and m eow ed. I g ig g led . I to ssed
an o th er p iece o f b ark at him. Th is tim e B o o ts saw
me and clim b ed up the tree. W e sat on a fat limb,
the tw o of us. I read him a sto ry ab o u t a bird. He
licked his p aw s. The engine inside him began to
purr. I guess B o o ts liked read ing, too.
 On w ee ke n d s, m y fam ily w en t to C hinato w n.
W e bought g ro ce rie s there at the M exican store.
I rem em b er m ariach is roving the stre e t. Th eir
so m b rero s w ere huge. You co u ld n ’t see th eir eyes,
only th eir hanging m u stach e s. T h e ir tru m p e ts
blared. The g u itars stru m m ed . T h e ir vio lin s seem ed
to w eep . The g u ita rro n thum p ed deeply.
O ne tim e, I saw a dog d an ce to the m ariachi
m usic. The dog w en t b ack and fo rth , b ack and
forth, like he w as doing the ch a-ch a.
 E v e ry night I too k a bub b le bath in our d eep tub.
The w a te r roared from the fa u ce t as I clim b ed in.
The b u b b les rose like m o un tain s, no, like really p re tty
clo u d s. I sco o p e d up the b ub b les and p atted them
onto m y face. I p retend ed th at I had a b eard. I placed
so m e of the bub b les on m y head. Oh, a som brero!
I w as a dream er. I w as so m e tim e s in an o th e r w orld.
In bed, I co vered m yse lf w ith tw o b lan kets. I tho u g ht
ab out the d ay before I fell asleep , so tired. My legs
kicked, as I d ream ed I w as running fo r a to u ch d o w n
and the w h o le school w as w atch in g me!

0
Gary S oto g re w up to be an author. He d re a m e d
up ideas fo r m o re than fo r ty b o o k s fo r ch ild re n a n d
g ro w n -u p s. He shares his M exican-A m erican c u ltu re
th ro u g h his p o e m s a n d stories.
 About the
Author and Illustrator
G ary Soto m ay Elizab eth G om ez
be a dream er, but is a w ell-know n
he is also a reader. p ain ter and book
He says, “ I d o n ’t illustrator. Her
have m uch of a life d ream y p ainting s
b ecau se m y nose shine w ith lovely
is often stu ck in a book. B u t I co lo rs. “ In everyth in g I p aint,”
d isco vered that reading builds she sa ys, “ there are alw ays
a life inside the m ind. I enjoy people, anim als, plants, and
biograp hies and novels and b eauty.” E liza b e th also helps
reading in S p a n ish .” He also likes peop le paint m urals on sch o o
theater, sp o rts, and travelin g . w alls. She sa ys that she loves
G a ry is an aw ard -w in ning autho r to see a plain w all b eco m e a
of m ore than fo rty books for little gem .
children and gro w n-up s.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author
called himself a dreamer?
i
... . . .................. i iiniinin
-.|[T-.. —t i i r a ^
H
■ U
Respond to Reading
Summarize Event

Think about the sequence of events in ~T~

Event
Gary the Dreamer. Summarize what you ~T~
learned about Gary's life. Use your Event

Sequence Chart to help you.

Event

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Gary the Dreamer
is narrative nonfiction? g e n r e

2. Which main events does Gary tell about on

page 63? Make sure they are in order.
TEXT STRUCTURE: SEQUENCE

3. Find the word backyard on page 60. What clues

help you figure out what it means?
CO M POUN D W ORDS

4. Write about how Gary changed as he grew older.

What details did Gary use to show these
changes? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
What did young Gary learn from
his community? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How do authors and writers share

their cultures? t e x t t o w o r l d
 Genre* Expository Text

Compare T e xts
Read about how people in two
different cities share their cultures.

S h aring
and
You can count the stars on our country’s flag. There
are 50—a star for each state. You can also count cities in
those states. The num ber is BIG! There are more than
19,000 cities in the United States. Each city is hom e to
people from different countries and cultures.

Chicago, Illinois P o lis h d a n c e r s

w h irl in c o lo rf u l
M any people in Chicago come from co stu m e s.

Poland. Poland is a country in Europe.

In a Polish community, you can see signs
in Polish. You can sm ell Polish sausage.
You can hear Polish music.
Dance and m usic are an important part
of Polish culture. One dance group works
hard to teach people about Polish culture.
The performers in the Polonia Ensemble
share their culture through m usic and dance.
T h ey wear colorful traditional costumes. T hey
dance Polish dances, like the polka. T hey
sing Polish songs.
 The group contributes to the com m unity all year
long. The dancers m arch in parades. T h ey dance at
festivals. Sometimes they travel to other cities and
countries to share Polish traditions. T h ey want to
share their customs with everyone they meet.
M id d le E a s t e r n
D e t r o i t , Mi c hi gan b r e a d is b a k e d
fre sh e v e ry day.
People from m any Middle Eastern It is s e r v e d w ith
m e a ls .
countries live near Detroit. The people
of the com m unity contribute in m any ways.
One important w ay is with food. The three
Seblini brothers came from Lebanon.
T h ey wanted to share their culture with
the com munity. Plow did they share?
They opened a bakery!
Every day, the brothers bake fresh pita
and other Middle Eastern breads. T h ey bake
honey cake. T h ey make spinach pie and
stuffed grape leaves.
The bakery is also a place to meet.
People come from all over Detroit to enjoy
food and friendship.

Look A g a in \
When you look at our Make Connections
flag, think about the 50 How do people from the Polish
states. Then think about community contribute to life in
Chicago? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n
the different people and
cultures within each How can different cultures
state. Think about all the contribute to their communities?
traditions people share. T E X T TO T E X T
GCSb Genre • Biography

El ija h M c C o y 's

St e a m En g in e

By M onica K ulling
tv-- Illustrated by Bill Slavin

Essential Question
How can problem solving lead to
new ideas?
Read about Elijah McCoy's idea. Find out
how it made train travel safer and faster.
 r

t jU M M E R D A YS were mowing days

in Colchester, Ontario. Elijah M cCoy
watched his father cut the tall grass. He
was waiting for the machine to break.
W hen it did, he jumped for joy. Elijah
was only six, but already he was good
at tinkering with tools. ^
 Elijah M cCoy was born in 1844. His parents
had come to Canada on the Underground
Railroad. T hey didn’t talk much about the slave
days. Elijah and his eleven brothers and sisters kept
them busy.
Elijah’s mother and father saved every penny
they could to send Elijah to school. At sixteen, he
crossed the ocean to study in Scotland. Elijah had
a dream: he wanted to work with machines. He
wanted to become a mechanical engineer.
 In 1866, Elijah finished school in Scotland.
His family now lived in M ichigan. One day, a
locomotive rolled into the station with Elijah on
board. His mind was crackling with ideas.
In M ichigan, he was going to be an engineer!
Elijah went looking for work at the M ichigan
Central Railroad.
“It takes learnin’ to be an engineer,” said the
boss, spitting at Elijah’s feet. “I got ashcat work if
you wannit. Ain’t hard. You bail it in. You grease
the pig.”
“Excuse m e?” said Elijah.
“You shovel coal into the firebox,” replied the
boss, slowly. “You oil the wheels. You oil the
bearings. It’s not hard.”
 What a letdown! Elijah knew engines inside out.
He knew how to design them. He knew how to build
them. He also knew the boss didn’t think much of him
because he was Black. But Elijah needed work, so he
took the job.
The steam locomotive was exciting. People called
it the Iron Horse. It was a fire-breathing monster.
W hen it had a head of steam, it was faster than a horse
and buggy!
 Feeding coal into the firebox was hot, hard work. It
was also tricky. The fire boiled the water. T he boiling
water made steam. The steam worked the machinery. If
the fire got too hot, the boiler might explode. If it wasn’t
hot enough, the train wouldn’t move. Or it couldn’t
climb the smallest hill.
Elijah went to work in old clothes. An ashcat’s job was
a dirty one. Soon Elijah was covered in soot and cinders.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions

How did Elijah feel about his
job as an ashcat? Reread pages
80 and 81 to find the answer.
 A boy was under the train. His clothes smelled of oil.
“T hat’s your grease monkey,” said the boss. “H e’ll oil
the places you can’t get to.”
A grease monkey was paid pennies a day. At night he
slept on the train’s grim y floor. T he work was dangerous,
and boys often got hurt. Or worse.
There has to be a safer way, thought Elijah.

82
 Elijah baled in the coal as fast as he could. Sweat
poured down his face. His hands were raw. The water
in the boiler took time to heat up. W hile Elijah baled,
the grease monkey clambered around, oiling. Finally,
the train was tanked up, ready for its run.

83
 The engine huffed and puffed. Smoke billowed from
its stack. The wheels clacked. The locomotive chugged
along for about half an hour. Chug! Chug! Chug!
Suddenly, screeeeech! The train stopped cold. The
boy hopped down and crawled under the wheels. Elijah
hopped down with his oil can. The passengers stayed
put. T hey waited. And waited some more.
“All aboard!” cried the conductor.
The pig was greased and ready to go.
Chug! Chug! Chug!
 The passengers looked out at the passing farms.
T hey talked. T hey ate. T hey laughed.
H alf an hour later—screeeeech!
Tim e to grease the pig again.
W hat a job! Elijah didn’t know which part he hated
more—feeding the firebox or oiling the engine.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions

Why was early train travel so
slow? Reread pages 84 and
85 to find the answer.
 The train’s metal parts needed oil to work smoothly.
W ithout oil, the parts would stick and wear down. The
train would stop.
W hile Elijah scooped coal, his mind sparked with
ideas. Could he invent an oil cup that oiled the engine
while the train was running? Every night after work,
Elijah made drawings. Finally, he had a drawing of an
oil cup he knew would work.
 It took two years for Elijah to make a model of his
oil cup. In 1872, he applied for a patent to protect his
invention. Then he took the metal cup to work.
“T here’s a hole here to let the oil drip out,” Elijah
told the boss. “It drips oil when oil is needed. It drips it
where it’s needed. It’s simple. W h y not give it a try?”
Surprisingly, the boss agreed. Elijah attached the cup
to the engine.
“Just for the Kalamazoo run,” added the boss gruffly.
 The train rumbled off, heading for
Kalamazoo, M ichigan. The engine huffed and
puffed. Smoke billowed from its stack. The
wheels clacked. The train chugged along for
half an hour. Chug! Chug! Chug!
Everyone wondered when the train would
stop. But it didn’t. It chugged along for another
half hour. And another.
STOP A N D CHECK

Visualize What do you

think the train ride was
like? Use the descriptions
to visualize the ride.

Vv~ - i
w
 Elijah M cCoy’s oil cup worked! It oiled the engine
while the train was running. The train reached
Kalamazoo in record time. The grease monkey was
safe. Elijah was happy.
Elijah M cCoy’s oil cup made train travel faster
and safer. Elijah worked on engine inventions all his
life. He followed his dream. W hen Elijah got older,
he encouraged children to stay in school and to
follow their dreams too.

T he Real M c C o y !
Have you ever heard som eone say they w ant the
“real McCoy?” It means they w ant the real thing —
no knockoffs, no su b stitu te s. O ther inventors
copied Elijah McCoy’s oil cup, but their drip cups
didn’t w ork as well. W hen engineers w anted to
make sure they got the best oil cup, they asked for
the real McCoy.
Was Elijah McCoy a one-hit wonder? No way.
He was an inventing marvel. During his lifetim e,
he filed 57 patents — more than any other Black
inventor. Most of his inventions had to do with
engines, but several did not. Elijah invented a
portable ironing board, a lawn sprinkler, and even
a better rubber heel for shoes. W ant the best
q u a lity ? Ask for the real McCoy!
a)

89
 ABOUT t h e AUTHOR
a n d ILLUSTRATOR

M O N IC A KULLING B i l l Sl a v i n
was born in Vancouver, British has illustrated more than seventy
Columbia. As a girl, she loved children’s books including The
the outdoors. She climbed trees, Big Book o f Canada. He has won
played baseball, and rode her bike many awards for his illustrations.
She liked to read comic books, Now he is working on a new series
too. She began to read and write called Elephants Never Forget.
poetry when she was in high He lives in Ontario, Canada
school. W hen she was in college, with his wife,
she fell in love with children’s Esperanga Melo.
literature. Then
it was full steam
ahead. She’s been
writing children’s
books since then.

A u t h o r ’s Pu r p o s e
Why do you think the author wrote
about Elijah McCoy's life?

a
i4 > .
w
TS?
Respond t o
Reading
Su m m a r i z e Cause *■ Effect

Think about the important First *•

details from All Aboard! Next ►

Summarize what you learned
about how problem solving Then

led to new ideas. Your Cause

Finally
and Effect Chart may help you.

T ex t Ev i d e n c e
1. Which features tell you that All Aboard! is a
biography? g e n r e

2. What caused Elijah McCoy to invent the oil

cup? Tell the events in order, c a u s e a n d e f f e c t

3. On page 80, what two things does the author

compare? m e t a p h o r

4. Write about how Elijah McCoy's invention

made train travel safer and faster.
W R ITE A B O U T R EA D IN G

Make Connections
What did you learn about solving
problems from Elijah McCoy?
E S S E N T IA L Q U ES T IO N

Think of an invention that people

use every day. Describe how it
helps people, t e x t t o w o r l d

91
 Genre • Biography

Compare Texts
Read about how Thomas Edison's inventions
made the world a better place to live.

hting the
In 1878, Thomas Alva Edison started an
investigation. It would light up the world.
Back then, homes and streets were lit by gas.
People wanted to use electricity to light their
homes. No one had found a good way to do it.
Edison and his helpers tried to make an
electric light bulb. In an electric light bulb, a
strip of material gets hot and glows. However, the
strip burned up too quickly.
Edison examined many materials. None of them
worked. He even tried beard hair. Then he tried
bamboo. A strip of bamboo glowed for a long time
inside the bulb. Edison’s idea for the light bulb was
a success.
Edison’s solutions went beyond the light bulb. He
designed power plants to make electricity. He designed
a system to bring electricity into homes. Because of
Edison, most people have light and electricity today
 Its Electric!
Thomas Edison did many experiments with electricity.
You can do an experiment with electricity, too. Investigate
static electricity. Static electricity is an electric charge.
It can build up when objects are rubbed together. Static
electricity can pull objects together or push them apart.

Static Electricity Experiment

Cut several small pieces of Materials
tissue paper. • sc isso rs
• p la stic co m b
Place the pieces of paper on • w o o l s c a rf or sw e a te r
a table. • tiss u e p a p e r

Hold the comb over the papers.

What happens?
Now rub the comb on the wool
about 10 times.
Hold the comb over the paper.

What happens to the paper?

What causes the paper to stick to the
comb? Talk about your investigation
with a partner.

Make Connections
How did Thomas Edison solve a problem
with a new idea? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

What other inventors have you read about?

How are they alike? t e x t t o t e x t
Genre • Expository Text

Mountain
f History
M ount R ushm ore honors four special
United States presidents. They are G eorge
W ashington, Thom as Jefferson, Theodore
Roosevelt, and A braham Lincoln.

Essential Question
How do landmarks help us
understand our country's story?
Read about M ount Rushm ore
National M em orial. Find out w h at it
tells us about United States history.
 People from all over visit South Dakota's M ount Rushm ore National M em orial.

e ig h ty y e a rs ago. He ch o se
How can a mountain the fo ur p re sid e n ts. T h e y w ere
be a monument? sy m b o ls of our c o u n try ’s best
q u alities. G eo rg e W ash ing ton led
the new nation. A b rah a m Lincoln
E v e r y year, m illions o f people ended slavery. He kept the
travel to Mount R ushm ore. It nation to g e th e r during the Civil
is a m ountain in the B la c k Hills W ar. Th o m as Je ffe rso n helped
of South D akota. W h a t is so our co u n try grow. Th eo d o re
im p ortant ab o u t this m ountain? R o o seve lt saved land fo r parks.
The heads of four United S ta te s Th e se lead ers stand for the first
p resid ents have been carved 150 y e a rs of A m e rica n history.
into its side. Mount R ushm ore
is a national land m ark. It is also
STOP A N D CHECK
a national treasu re.
Ask and Answer Questions
Why are the four presidents
Rushmore's Birth on Mount Rushmore symbols
Michelle G ilders/Alam y

An artist nam ed G u tzo n Borglum of our country? Reread to

d esigned the m onum ent ab ou t find the answer.
 Four hundred
stone w orkers
helped carve
the faces.

Carving a Monument
C reating Mount R ushm ore
w as a big job. F irst, the artist
m ade sm all m odels of the
faces. He used them to guide
the w o rkers. The w o rke rs used
d yn am ite to ca re fu lly blast
aw ay the rock. Then th ey used
tools to ca rve the fa ce s into the
m assive m ountain.
Fo u r hundred people w orked
for fo urteen ye ars to finish the
grand scu lp tu re . The m onum ent
co st alm o st one m illion d ollars.

Think Big!
Ju s t how big are the face s on
Mount R u shm ore? R eally big!
The fa ce s of the p resid en ts are
s ix ty feet tall. Th at is as tall as
a six-flo o r building. T h e ir noses
are tw e n ty feet long. T h e ir
m ouths are eleven feet w ide. W orkers had to clim b up 500 feet above
the ground to carve the faces.
96
Native American History
N ative A m e rica n s lived in the
B la ck Hills long b efo re Mount
R ushm ore w as built. It w as a
sp ecial p lace for them . It is
im p ortant to learn ab o u t N ative
A m e rica n s and th e ir history.
Fo r this reason, the m onu m en t
includes a N ative A m e rica n
H eritage V illag e. V isito rs can see
tep ees. Th ey can find tra ce s of
N ative A m e rica n life long ago. The
H eritage V illag e g ives clu e s to
the past. It te a ch e s v isito rs even
m ore about Mount R ush m o re and
Native A m ericans teach visito rs about
our co u n try ’s history.
th eir culture at the H eritage V illage.

Discover the Facts

Respond to Reading
Most people v isit Mount
Rushm ore in the sum m er. Park 1. How can you tell that "A Mountain
of History" is expository text?
rangers talk ab o u t the h isto ry
G EN RE
of the m ountain. V isito rs can
visit the m useum to learn m ore. 2. How was the monument carved
They can d isco ve r fa c ts about into the mountain? m a in id e a
A N D K E Y D E T A ILS
the p resid en ts. T h e y can also
visit the a rtis t’s studio. 3. Find the word blast on page 96.
Researchers/Getty Im ages

Mount R ushm o re is an Use clues to figure out what it

im p o rtant landm ark. It is a means, m u l t i p l e - m e a n i n g w o r d s
sym bol of our c o u n try ’s history. 4. Why do so many people visit
Henry Bradshaw/Photo

And it rem inds people of four monuments and landmarks?

great p resid ents. T E X T TO W O R LD

97
 Genre • Expository Text

isg g j Compare Texts

: Read about a landmark street in
U S jjg i Los Angeles, California that celebrates
I Mexican-American culture.

O l v e r a S tre e t is the birth th e se is the A vila A d o b e. It w as

place of Lo s A n g e le s. It started built in 1818. It is the c it y ’s old est
w ith a sm all group of se ttle rs building. It sh o w s how people in
from M exico. Th at w as over C alifo rn ia lived b ack then.
tw o hundred ye ars ago. S in ce Fam ilie s visit O lvera S tre e t
then, Lo s A n g e le s has grow n to learn ab o u t C alifo rn ia history.
into a g reat city. A nd this city Th e y also enjoy the fam ous
rem em b ers its past. O lvera o u td o o r m arket. M usicians play
S tre e t is part of the El Pueblo ch e e rfu l M exican and Sp anish
de Lo s A n g e le s Monument. m usic. Fo lk d an ce rs w hirl in
This place keeps h isto ry alive. colo rful co stu m e s. E v e ry b o d y
Old b uildings and m useum s has a good tim e on O lvera
on O lvera S tre e t sho w visito rs S tre e t. A nd th ey learn ab ou t
about its M exican past. O ne of the past, too.

98
Places to Visit
O lvera S tre e t is ju st one of m any lan d m arks and
m onum ents in the U nited S ta te s. Here is a look at so m e
o thers. W h at do you think you can learn from each one?

GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL PARK -
AN IN T E R N A T IO N A L B IO S P H E R E R E S E R V E

Statue of Liberty Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Location: New York City, New York Location: Tennessee and North Carolina
Date C r e a t e d : 1886 D ate C r e a t e d : 1934
W hy It's Im portant: The statue is a symbol of W hy It's Im portant: The park is one of the last
freedom and liberty. France gave it to the United large hardwood forests in the country. It's a safe
States as a gift of friendship. It stands in New place for many animals. There are about 1,500
York City harbor. black bears in the park today.

John F. Kennedy Space Center Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Location: Cape Canaveral, Florida Location: Washington, D.C.
Date C r e a t e d : 1965 Date C r e a te d : 2011
W hy It's Im portant: The first men to walk W hy It's Im portant: Martin Luther King, Jr.
on the moon blasted off from the Kennedy Space wanted all people to have the same rights.
Center in 1969. Since then, NASA has launched He inspired people to fight for the rights of
135 missions from here. African Americans.

Make Connections
What can you learn from visiting landmarks?
E S S E N T IA L Q U ES T IO N
/ ....................
How are these landmarks and monuments like
others you have read about? t e x t t o t e x t
Essential Question
Why is working together a good
way to solve a problem?
Read about how a group of
animals work with Desert Woman
to stop a bully.
by Rudolfo Anaya • pictures by David Diaz
 “S sss," hissed Snake as he slithered out of his
hole by the side of the road. He bared his fangs and
frightened a family w alking home from the cornfield.
The mother th rew her basketful of corn in the air.
The children froze w ith fright.
“Father! ” the children called, and the father
cam e running.
“ S sss," Snake threatened.
“ Come a w a y ,” the father said, and the family took
another path home.
“I am king of the road,” Snake boasted. “No one
m ay use the road w ithout m y permission. ”
That evening the people of the village gathered
together and spoke to the elders.

102
 “We are afraid of bein g bitten by Sn ake,” they
protested. “He acts as if the road belongs only to him .”
The elders agreed that som ething should be done,
and so the follow ing morning th ey w en t to Sacred
Mountain, w h ere D esert Woman lived. She had created
the desert animals, so surely she could help.
“Please do som ething about Snake,” the elders said.
“He m akes visiting our neighbors and going to our fields
im possible. He frightens the children."
D esert Woman thought for a long time. She did not
like to interfere in the lives of the people and animals,
but she kn ew that som ething m ust be done.
“I have a solution,” she finally said.

103
 Dressed in a flow ing gow n, she traveled
on a summer cloud across the d esert to
w here Snake slept under the shade of a
rocky ledge.
“You will let people know w h en you are
about to strike,” D esert Woman said sternly.
And so she placed a rattle on the tip of
Snake’s tail.
“N ow you are Rattlesnake. W hen anyone
approaches, you w ill rattle a warning. This
w a y th ey will know you are nearby. ”
Convinced she had done the right thing,
D esert Woman w alked on the Rainbow back
to her home in Sacred Mountain.
However, instead of inhibiting
Rattlesnake, the rattle only m ade him more
threatening. He coiled around, shaking his
tail and baring his fangs.
“Look at m e,” Rattlesnake said to the
animals. “I rattle and hiss, and my bite
is deadly. I am king of the road, and no
one m ay use it w ithout my permission! ”

104
105
 N ow the animals w en t to D esert Woman
to complain.
‘‘ W ho, w h o ," O w l said, greetin g D esert
Woman w ith respect. “ Since you gave
Rattlesnake his rattle, he is even more of a
bully. He w ill not let anyone use the road.
Please take a w a y his fangs and rattle! ”
“W hat I give I cannot take a w a y ,” D esert
Woman said. “W hen Rattlesnake com es
hissing and threatening, one of you m ust
make him b eh a v e .”
She looked at all the animals assem bled.
The animals looked at one another. They
looked up, th ey looked down, but not one
looked at D esert Woman.
“I am too timid to stand up to
R attlesnake,” Quail w hispered.
“He w ould gobble me u p ,” Lizard cried
and darted away.
“We are all afraid of him ,” O w l adm itted.
D esert Woman smiled. “Perhaps w e
need a n ew animal to m ake Rattlesnake
b eh a v e ,” she su ggested .
“Yip, y ip ,” Coyote barked. “Yes, y e s .”
“If you help me, together w e can m ake a
guardian of the road,” D esert Woman said.
“I will form the body, and each of you will
bring a gift for our n ew friend.”

106
*mmmmmm

107
 She gathered clay from the Sacred
M ountain and w e t it w ith w a ter from a
desert spring. Working quickly but w ith
great care, she m olded the body.
“He needs slender legs to run fa s t,”
said Deer. He took tw o slender branches
from a m esquite bush and handed them
to D esert Woman.
She pushed the sticks into the clay.
“A nd a long tail to balance him self,”
said Blue Jay.
“ Caw, Caw ! Like mine," croaked
Raven, and he took long, black feathers
from his tail.
“He m ust be stron g,” cried the
m ighty Eagle, and he plucked dark
feathers from his w ings.
“A nd have a long beak to peck at
R attlesn ake,” said Heron, offering a
long, thin reed from the marsh.
“He needs sharp e y e s ,” said Coyote,
offering tw o shiny stones from the
riverbed.
A s D esert Woman added each n ew
gift to the clay body, a strange n ew bird
took shape.

108
109
 “W hat is your g ift?” O w l asked D esert Woman.
“I w ill give him the gift of dance. He w ill be
agile and fa s t,” she answ ered. “I w ill call him
Roadrunner. ”
Then she breathed life into the clay.
Roadrunner opened his eyes. He blinked and
looked around.
“W hat a strange bird,” the animals said.
Roadrunner took his first steps. He tottered
forward, then backw ard, then forward, and fell
flat on his face.
The animals sighed and shook their heads.
This bird w a s not agile, and he w a s not fast. He
could never stand up to Rattlesnake. He w a s too
awkward. Disappointed, the animals m ade their
w a y home.
D esert Woman helped Roadrunner stand, and
she told him w h at he m ust do. “You w ill dance
around Rattlesnake and peck at his tail. He must
learn he is not the king of the road.”
“Me? Can I really do it? ” Roadrunner asked,
balancing him self w ith his long tail.
“You need only to p ractice,”
D esert Woman said.
Roadrunner again tried his legs. He took a few
steps forward and bum ped into a tall cactus.
“Practice,” he said. He tried again and leaped
over a sleeping horned toad.

110
STOP A N D CHECK

Make Predictions Will Roadrunner

be able to beat Rattlesnake? Use clues
in the story to make a prediction.

ill
 He tried jum ping over a desert tortoise, but landed
right on her back. The surprised turtle lum bered away,
and Roadrunner crashed to the ground.
“I’ll never g et it righ t,” he moaned.
“Yes, you w ill,” D esert Woman said, again helping him
to his feet. “You need only to p ractice.”
So Roadrunner practiced. He ran back and forth,
learning to use his skinny legs, learning to balance w ith
his tail feathers.
“Practice,” he said again. “P ractice.”
With time, he w a s sw irling and tw irling like a twister.
The once aw kw ard bird w a s now a graceful dancer.
“I’ve got it! ” he cried, zipping dow n the road, his
legs carrying him sw iftly across the sand. “Thank you,
D esert W om an.”

112
 “Use your gift to help o th ers,” D esert Woman said,
and she returned to her abode on Sacred Mountain.
“I w ill,” Roadrunner called.
He w en t racing dow n the road until his sharp eyes
spied Rattlesnake hiding under a tall yucca plant.
“Sssss, I am king of the road ,” Rattlesnake hissed
and shook his tail furiously. “No one m ay use m y road
w ithout m y permission. ”
“The road is for everyone to u s e ,” Roadrunner
said sternly.
“Who are you?"
“I am Roadrunner.”
“ G et off m y road before I bite you! ” Rattlesnake
glared.
“I’m not afraid of you," Roadrunner replied.

113
 The people and the animals heard the
ruckus and drew close to w atch. Had
th ey heard correctly? Roadrunner w a s
challenging R attlesn ake!
“I’ll show you I am king of the road! ”
Rattlesnake shouted, hissing so loud the
desert mice trem bled w ith fear. He shook
his rattle until it sounded like
a thunderstorm.
He struck at Roadrunner, but
Roadrunner hopped out of the way.
“Stand still!” Rattlesnake cried and
lunged again.
But Roadrunner danced gracefully out
of reach.
Rattlesnake coiled for one more
attempt. He struck like lightning, but fell
flat on his face. Roadrunner had jum ped
to safety.
N ow it w a s Roadrunner’s turn. He
ruffled his feathers and danced in circles
around Rattlesnake. A gain and again
he pecked at the bully’s tail. Like a
whirlwind, he spun around Rattlesnake
until the serpent g rew dizzy. His eyes
g re w crossed and his tongue hung limply
out of his mouth.
“You win! You w in !" Rattlesnake cried.
“You are not king of the road, and you
m ust not frighten those w ho use it,”
Roadrunner said sternly.

114
when Roadrunner and Rattlesnake
meet? Was your prediction correct?

115
 “I promise, I prom ise,” the beaten
Rattlesnake said and quietly slunk
dow n his hole.
The people cheered and praised
the bird.
“N ow w e can visit our neighbors in
peace and go to our cornfields w ithout
fea r!” the elders proclaimed. “A nd the
children w ill no longer be frighten ed .”
“Thank you, Roadrunner! ”
the children called, w avin g as they
follow ed their parents to the fields.
Then the animals gathered around
Roadrunner.
“Yes, thank you for teaching
Rattlesnake a lesson," O w l said. “N ow
you are king of the road. ”
“No, now there is no king of the
road,” replied Roadrunner. “Everyone
is free to come and go as th ey please.
And the likes of Rattlesnake had better
w atch out, b ecau se I’ll m ake sure the
roads stay safe."

STOP AND CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions Why does

Roadrunner say there is no king of the
road? Reread to find the answer.

116
■

117
 ABOUTTHE
AUTHOR and
ILLUSTRATOR
A s a child, David Diaz
Rudolfo Anaya rem em bers w hen
played in the he first kn ew he
fields near Santa w an ted to be an
Rosa, N ew Mexico, artist. He w as
and sw am in the Pecos in first grade,
River. He also listened to the and he had just finished
c u e n tista s, storytellers w ho draw ing a face. David has been
told M exican folktales. Today, draw ing faces ever since then.
Rudolfo is also a storyteller. He likes to try n ew styles and
He w rites his ow n tales to n ew ideas.
share his M exican and Native
Am erican heritage.

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
Why do you think Rudolfo Anaya
wrote this story?
SUMMARIZE Detail

Think about the details from Roadrunner's

Dance. Summarize the main events in Detail

the story. The details from your Theme

Chart may help you. Detail

TEXT EVIDENCE Them e

1. Tell how you know that Roadrunner's
Dance is a folktale, g e n r e

2 . What lesson does Rattlesnake learn

at the end of the story? th em e

3. Find the word awkward on page 110. What context

clues help you figure out its meaning? a n t o n y m s

4. Write about the details that the author

used to help you figure out the story's theme
W R ITE A B O U T R EA D IN G

Make Connections
How did the animals and Desert
Woman work together to solve their
problem? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why is it important to work together

to solve problems? t e x t t o w o r l d
CCSS1 Genre • Expository Text
Compare Texts
Read about how people in one Florida
town worked together to solve a problem.

Deltona Is Going Batty

Buzz! Buzz! Slap! Buzz! Buzz! Slap!
In Deltona, Florida, those are the sounds of summer.
When sum mer comes, so do bugs.
The m ayor of Deltona worked with a group of people
to solve the bug problem. A m an involved with the
group came up with a fantastic answer. Bats! Bats like
to eat bugs. W hy not bring bats to Deltona? Let bats get
rid of Deltona's bugs!
The m ayor and the city governm ent liked this idea.
But people in Deltona had questions. Where would the
bats live? Who would pay for the bats?
The people who ran the city had to find answers.
Then they had to decide what to do.
Local Government Decides
The m ayor and other city officials met.
T hey came up with a plan for the bats. It
would not cost the town any m oney.
Bats can live in bat houses. Local business
people will pay for them. Volunteers will put
the bat houses in parks and public places.
The city officials talked to the people of
Deltona about the plan. Their cooperation
was important for the plan to work. Most
people agreed. T h ey wanted to try the plan.
The officials m et again to vote on the plan.
They decided to bring bats to Deltona!

The Bats Get a Home

Soon the first bat house was placed at City
Hall. People celebrated. It was Bat House Day
Will bats solve Deltona's bug problem? It
-5.2-
is too soon to tell. It takes time for a group
of bats to find a bat house and m ove in. The
people o f Deltona are willing to wait and see.
If bats don’t help, their local governm ent will
try something else. That’s w h y Deltona is a
good place to live.

Deltona is north of Orlando.

N n tm A - fr ic
e lo o ts to c k u /R o b c rt L. Siobero
 (I to r, t to b) Andrew Wakeford/Photodisc/Getty Images (2) U.S. Census Bureau, Public Information Office (PIO) (3) Jon Feingersh/Blend Images LLC
(4) Comstock/Comstock Images/Getty Images (5) Design Pics / Natural Selection Robert Cable (6) Brand X Pictu res/Pu nchSto ck
(7) Andersen Ross/Photodisc/Getty Images (8) Andersen Ross/Blend Images LLC (9) Creatas Im ages/PictureQ uest

122
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
How Local Government Works
Deltona has a local governm ent. Like m any

comes from a different part o f the city. Each is

The m ayor o f Deltona works closely with the
city commission. It has seven members. Each one

elected b y the voters who live in that part of town.

other towns, it has a m ayor and a city commission.
 The m ayor and city com m ission m em bers m eet
with the people in their com munities. T h ey talk with
the people to find out what they need.
Because it takes m any people to keep things
running smoothly, Deltona hires a city manager. The
city m anager works with the mayor, the commission,
and town departments, such as the fire and police
departments, to provide services.
The people o f Deltona know the secret o f a successful
com munity. People and governm ent must work
together. When people have a problem, such as
too m any bugs, they can ask their local
governm ent for help.

Make Connections
How did working together help the people of
Deltona solve the bug problem? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Compare this story about people working together

to other stories you have read, t e x t t o t e x t
 Essential Question
Why do people immigrate to new places?
Read about how Julie's grandparents came
to the United States.

124
f by
Linda Heller

Illustrated by
Boris Kulikov
 CAie day while Julie was
visiting her grandparents, her
grandfather said, “Did I ever
tell you about my good
friend M oishe?”
“You told me about Hershel,
the famous astronomer,” Julie
said with a giggle, “the one who
discovered that the moon
is a matzoh.
“And you told me about
Bessie, your little cousin whose
braids were so long she used
them for jump ropes. But you
never told me about M oishe.”

126
 “Moishe the goat was from my village in Russia,”
Ju lie’s grandfather said. “He pulled the wagon I rode in
when I came to America. Not only could Moishe leap
across oceans the way others jump over puddles, but he
also could sing. W e started singing the moment we left
Russia. ‘9,092 miles to go, 9,092 miles, after we pass that
small patch of snow w e’ll have 9,091 miles to go.’”

128
 Julie was about to join in, when her grandmother said,
“Sol, what are you telling that child?”
“A true story, just the way I remember it, Rose, dear,”
Ju lie’s grandfather said. “M oishe’s wagon was solid gold.
It shone like a shooting star when we flew over
the ocean.”

129
 “T hat’s a story, all right, but it’s not true!” Ju lie’s
grandmother said. “Grandpa came on a boat, like I did. It was
terrible. Hundreds of families were crowded together. Babies
were crying. Bundles were piled over. The boat rocked so
much, I thought we would drown. But in Russia, life for Jews
was very hard.
“W e couldn’t live or work where we wanted. Sometimes
we were attacked just because we were Jews. W e had to leave
Russia any way we could.”
 STOP A N D CHECK

Make Predictions What will Julie's grandmother

say about Grandpa's story? Make a prediction.

As her grandmother spoke, pictures grew in Ju lie’s mind of

her grandparents leaving their country and crossing a rough
winter ocean on a boat so crowded they could hardly move.
“Grandpa, is that how you really came?” Julie asked,
looking sad.
“Yes, it was,” Ju lie’s grandfather said. He, too, looked sad,
until he added, “But what a welcome I got when I arrived.
President Theodore Roosevelt rode his horse through a
blizzard of ticker tape to greet me. ‘Hello, Sol,’ he said.
‘M ighty glad you could come.’”
131
 “Don’t listen to another word,” Ju lie’s grandmother
said. “Grandpa’s brother M orris met him. The boat
docked first at Ellis Island. W e sat for hours and waited
to be inspected. Not everyone who came could stay. If
you were sick, you had to go back. I was so afraid they
would find something wrong with me, but, thank God,
I passed every test.”

STOP A N D CHECK

Confirm Predictions What did Julie's

grandmother say about Grandpa's story?
Was your prediction correct?

132
 “H ooray!” Julie shouted.
“Thank you, dear,” Ju lie’s grandmother said. She
gave her a kiss and said, “I have something to show you.”
Then she went to the closet.
Ju lie’s grandfather leaned closer and whispered to
Julie, “Everyone who came here was given a castle. M ine
was on Hester Street. It was so tall the pigeons couldn’t
fly all the way up to the roof. I had to carry them there.”

133
 Ju lie’s grandmother came back to the sofa carrying a
box. “Did Grandpa tell you about the horrible little room
he shared with Louie, the cigar maker, and Herman, the
tailor?” she asked as she sat down. “In those days people
had to take in boarders to help pay the rent. Life was hard.
Grandpa had a pushcart. He sold buttons fourteen hours a
day, six days a week. The only rest he got was on Sabbath.”
“Poor Grandpa,” Julie said, and she patted his hand.

134
 Ju lie’s grandfather was quiet for a moment, then he said,
“But what buttons I had! Buttons carved from diamonds,
emeralds, and rubies. Buttons as big as saucers. Buttons as big
as plates. Buttons you could use as sleds in the snow.”
Ju lie’s grandmother sighed loudly. “Grandpa sold small
buttons, small enough to fit through buttonholes. I’ll show
you,” she said as she opened the box. The box was filled
with photographs. Ju lie’s grandmother took out an old
photograph in a cardboard frame. In it Ju lie’s grandfather
stood next to his pushcart, which was full of little buttons.
135
 ... — «

“Grandpa looks so strong,” Julie said, feeling proud.

Ju lie’s grandfather found a photograph of a young girl
and showed it to Julie.
“This is a picture of your grandmother,” he said. “She
was very famous in those days.
“Everyone spoke of M r. W itkin’s beautiful daughter
Rose, who stayed home all day, nibbling chocolates.
“Her five big brothers had to watch so that nobody
stole her away.”
“I worked six days a week in a factory then, sewing
dresses. But I was very pretty,” Ju lie’s grandmother said,
smoothing her hair.
“You are still very pretty,” Ju lie’s grandfather said,
and he kissed her cheek.
“In Russia your grandmother sewed for royalty. She
made stitches so small, they couldn’t be seen. People
wondered how the dresses stayed together.”
“T hat part is true,” Ju lie’s grandmother said proudly.

136
 “As soon as I met your grandmother, I wanted to
marry her,” Ju lie’s grandfather said. “Every night I hired
fireflies to fly over her house and spell out ‘Rose, my
precious flower, I love you every hour.’ And Moishe and
I sang love songs under her window.
“Finally her father let me m arry her.
A year later your mother was born. No
one had ever seen such a beautiful child.
Then Esther, Ruthie, and Bennie were
born and they were just as beautiful. I made ^
them tiny jeweled crowns and they rode M
through the streets in hand-carved golden
baby carriages.”

137
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“Enough is enough,” Ju lie’s grandmother said.

“From now on I insist that Julie hear only the truth.
Grandpa and I had to work even harder to feed all
those babies, but we didn’t mind. W e had something
more valuable than jeweled crowns and golden baby
carriages. W e had each other and we were free to
live as we wanted.”
“T h at’s the truth, Rose, dear,” Ju lie’s grandfather
said. “And from now on that’s all that will pass
through my lips.”

138
 T hey sat quietly for a few minutes. Then Ju lie’s
grandfather smiled and whispered to Julie, “Did
I ever tell you about the time Moishe the goat and
I sang for President W ilson?”

STOP A N D CHECK

Reread How does Grandpa

feel about telling tall tales?
Reread to find out.

139
 Linda H eller
never knew her
grandparents, but Boris Kulikov
she heard the story was born in Saint
of how they sailed Petersburg, a big
across the Atlantic Ocean from city in Russia. Like
her parents. This inspired Linda the characters in A
to read about and visit Ellis Castle on Hester Street,Boris is
Island and write her own story. also an immigrant. He came to
Linda’s other books include America in 1997 and became
Today Is the Birthday o f the World. an illustrator. Boris now lives
in New York City.

Author's Purpose
Why do you think the author
includes both Julie's grandmother's
story and her grandfather's story?
JI) Janet Foster (rLC ^ rteS yjo f Boris
Summarize
Think about the details in The
Castle on Hester Street. Summarize
the grandparents' stories about
moving to America. The details from
yourThem e Chart may help you.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that The Castle on
Hester Street is historical fiction? g e n r e

2. Why does Grandfather tell made-up

stories about coming to America? t h e m e

3. On page 135, what does the author

compare to the buttons? s i m i l e s

4. What details did the author use to make

the theme clear? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
Why did Julie's grandparents immigrate
from Russia? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why do you think immigrants come to

the United States today? t e x t t o w o r l d

141
 Genre • Expository Text

Compare Texts
Read about the first place where many
immigrants to the United States stopped.

America! If you sail to New York, you pass the Statue

of Liberty. What you see next is Ellis Island.

The Statue of Liberty

stands on Liberty Island
in New York Harbor.
 Today, Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty National
Monument. The main building is a museum. Once it was a
gateway to America. It was open from 1892 to 1954. More
than 12 million people first entered the United States here.
How many people is 12 million? If they all stood in a line,
it could stretch like a bridge across the Atlantic Ocean!

Immigrants Arrive
Most of the immigrants to Ellis
Island came from Europe. The
largest groups came from Italy
and Ireland. Others came from
Russia, Germany, Sweden, and
other countries.
Why did they come? Some
were trying to escape war. Millions
came seeking jobs. They wanted
an opportunity, or chance, to
make a better life. Many people
came seeking freedom. They
wanted the right to live and
speak as they wished.

Families came to
Ellis Island in New York Harbor .... . America from all
over the world.
N e w Y o rk Ellis Island was
Hudson
River their first stop in
N ew J e r s e y the United States.

Ellis
of the City of New

Island

Map Key
Lib erty
(t) Lewis W. Hine/Museum

Island
Water
N e w Y o rk
 The immigrants spoke many languages. They had different
customs. However, everyone shared one thing. They had all
chosen to immigrate. They wanted to move to a new country.
They wanted to be Americans.

What Happened at Ellis Island

Immigrants crossed the ocean on crowded ships. When the
ships arrived in New York harbor, smaller boats took them to
Ellis Island. There the travelers hoped to become American
citizens. Thousands of people came every day.
First, everyone had to have a check-up. The government
didn’t want sick people coming into the country. Some sick
people stayed in the Ellis Island hospital until they were well.
Someone with an eye infection was sent back across the ocean!
People also had to take a written test. They had to answer
questions, give their names, and tell what country they were
from. They had to tell where they planned to go. They had to
promise to obey the laws of the United States.
After hours of waiting,
most people got good news.
The United States welcomed
them to their new home.
(bkgd) Bettmann/Corbis, (inset) B ettm ann/C orbis

Doctors gave
everyone who
came through Ellis
Island a check-up.
They checked
children, too.

144
Where They Went
From Ellis Island, the immigrants got on ferries to
New York City. Many people’s journeys ended there.
Thousands settled near friends and family. They stayed in
neighborhoods, such as Little Italy and the Bronx. Others
had more traveling to do. They headed west or south, to
other cities and states. Some went to places where they
could get a job in a factory or a mine. Others found good
farmland. No matter where the immigrants settled, they
never forgot Ellis Island.

IVIake Connections
What did many of the immigrants
want? E S S E N T IA L Q U ES T IO N

What stories have you read about

immigrants to America? How are those
stories like this article? t e x t t o t e x t
Essential Question
How do people make
government work?
Read about how a town
chooses a new mayor.
 S u p p o s e yo ur tow n is about
to ch o o se a new m ayor. How
w ill you do it?
Y o u ’ll vote!
Voting is a w ay to cho o se.
You can vote fo r favo rite
b ooks, m ovie stars, ca n d y bars
. . . or even puppies!

. I
No, tk e poodle1
Vote fo r
Tl*e y
Co<Ad* t
decide
ketv/oe e*
n e a*d a
poodle fo
tk e y
VOTED.
 If so m eo ne w a n ts to be The n ayoK i; the
elected m ayor, she needs to LcadeK of the city,
co n vin ce as m any people as le t 's <jo kelp Ch/is
fi^cl tone votes.
possib le to vo te for her!

A
 Many people ju st d o n ’t vote. W h y not?
M aybe they think th e ir vo te is like a little drop of
w ate r in an enorm ous ocean . T h e ir vo te is only one
out of m any, m any vo tes. B u t so m e tim e s the w in n er
of an electio n is d e cid e d by ju st a few votes.

fj l i i 'h\
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- * J ^■ ' , C r■ c _

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. y If people doh’t \
s - ^ f vote, t h e y re Ietti*<j
^eveKyo^e e l;e decicle
Afw for tker'i y

_____
 W ho d ecid ed w ho could vo te?
W hen this co u n try began, the Found ing F a th e rs w ro te a
co n stitu tio n . It said how w e w ould govern o u rse lve s. It said
people should vote; but it d id n ’t sa y w ho could vote. Th at
w as left to each sta te to d e cid e . A nd th at w as a problem !

ThCCowTfltotlOw I f doefw t f a y owly

doefct ray re* ca« vote, either! h/o^e*juft The Cowftftutfow
uoo/wpw C3w Vote.
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\ lawd, but I
there thiw-jf. ^ people CAN’T vote.
have a ricjht
\

A n g ry peop le p ro tested . T h e y w ro te
letters. Th e y held rallies and m ade
sp e e ch e s. T h e y m arched , w ere a rre ste d ,
and w en t on hunger strike s. So m e w ere
killed tryin g to claim th e ir right to vote.
But it too k m any ye ars, fo ur am e n d m e n ts
to the C o n stitu tio n , and several new law s
before all citize n s, 18 y e a rs or older,
w ere allo w ed to vote.
 If you w an t to vote, you need to register. W h e re ?
A t your tow n o ffice. O r you can d ow nlo ad a
reg istration form from the Internet, or you m ight
even find a booth set up at a sho p p ing mall or at a
political rally.
Do you w an t to join a political p a rty ? Y o u ’ve
p ro b ab ly heard of the D e m o crats and the
R ep u b lican s. But you could join the Green Party,
the Lib e rta ria n s, the A m e rica F irst Party, or the
P ro g re ssive s, to nam e ju st a few. O r you could be
in d ep en d en t and not join any p a rty at all.

About ^]0VGKi>\/v'Cwtj I; tbere

y — ^ /cbo oLf, bealtb care, a party
tbat tbiwk;
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eio<y fb o u ld

fitm
 B efo re you vote, y o u ’ll need to find
out ab o u t the d iffe re n t c a n d id a te s.
How ? Read n e w sp ap e rs, w atch T V new s,
listen to the radio, or su rf the Internet.
Do you ag ree w ith th eir ideas?

You m ight have a ch a n ce to hear the ca n d id a te s d eb ate.

You m ight even be able to ask questions!

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_________________________
 B efo re an electio n , e veryo n e trie s to guess
w ho will w in. P o llsters ask so m e of the vo te rs
w hom th e y ’re planning to vo te for. Then they
e stim ate w h o w ill be the w inner. But vo ters
can ch an g e th eir m inds.

■
 How can you help yo u r c a n d id a te w in?
You can vo lu n te e r to a n sw e r phones, call
vo te rs, a d d re ss e n velo p es, or hand out
flyers. C am p aig n s need lots of help.
A nd th e y need lots o f m oney to help
pay fo r phones, co m p u te rs, sta m p s, flyers
and b um p er stick e rs, and, m ost of
all, ads and m ore ads! W h e re ,, ,
( lyKat cH tke
will th ey find the m o n ey? \ Letter/ /ay?

IHIIIIIIIM— — !■ ■ »!■ ■ — — — ■■— ■'■""■I ■ II — II ■ || !■ — — W M M M M M T — I M ^ T W n r 1----------------------------- 1------------

>;"V. » ■ *'
 You m ight w an t to d on ate a few d o llars to your
favo rite ca n d id a te ’s cam p aig n . O r m ayb e y o u ’ll be invited
to a fu nd raising dinner. W ould you like to pay $ 2 5 0 for a
fa n cy ham b urg er and a ch a n ce to m eet the can d id ate ?
If you donate lots of m oney, m ayb e the ca n d id ate will
listen to you m ore than to oth er vo te rs. Is that fair? Does
that m ean yo u r vote will cou nt m ore than o th er v o te rs’
vo tes? T h e re ’s a lot of d isa g re e m e n t ab out this.
B y the last w e e k of the cam p aig n , e veryo n e is tired.
But the can d id a te s m ake m ore sp e e ch e s. Th e y shake
m ore hands, and th ey run m ore and m ore ads. Maybe,
ju st m aybe, th ey w ill co n vin ce an o th e r few vo te rs to
vote for them .

/^akej'
to /*© .

Som e of th ese ads can be v e ry m islead ing.

 Finally, it’s E le c tio n Day.

STOP A N D CHECK

Reread Why do candidates run more ads during

the last week of the campaign? Reread to find out.
_

Wi
 Most vo te rs are assig ned a p a rticu la r p lace to v o te —a
sch o o l, a library, a ch u rch b a se m e n t—w h e re v e r there is
sp ace for voting booths. W h a t if y o u ’re aw ay on voting
d ay? You can get an ab se n te e ballot in a d van ce . Som e
p laces let people vo te by mail or on the Internet. A few
p laces set up voting m ach in es early.
 *

, *

In m ost p laces, peop le use vo ting m ach in es. Many ★

cities and to w n s are rep lacing old m ach in es w ith new
e le ctro n ic ones. But in v e ry sm all to w n s, vo te rs still m ark
p ap er b allots w ith a p encil. H o w ever you do it, y o u ’ll
vote in a p rivate booth. No one can see how you vote.

... .....................................
 W hen the voting ends,
the counting begins! W ho
will w in? S ta y clo se to your
T V or radio to find out.
U sually a few hours afte r
the polls close, the w in n er
is announced.

a— 'iftHHittt'i "ih'nmi i .tiiiWfiiBrtfflwffawwtrrMWBti&jfeaas

 BUT W AIT!

W h at if the electio n is w on by
only a few vo te s? The can d id ate
w ho lost can ask that the vo te s be
counted again. Then it could take
a few d a y s—or lo n g e r—to ca re fu lly
recount the b allots and find out
w ho really w on.

f t # f t
 A t last, the electio n is d e cid e d . In the end
so m eo ne does w in . . . and so m eo n e does lose.
 Bkokaj* Loft. !
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You a re n ’t h ap p y? You w ish the o th er can d id ate

had w on? W ell, rem em ber, the m ayor w o rks for
e v e ry o n e —even the peop le w ho d id n ’t vo te fo r her.
S h e ’ll need to listen to all the vo te rs.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions What happens

when votes are recounted? Reread pages 161
and 162 to find the answer.
......

M
 A fte r she is sw o rn in, the new m ayor will have a
few ye ars to do her new job.
 *

She w o n ’t p lease all the peop le all the tim e, but

if she d oes a good job, m ayb e the vo te rs w ill e le c t
★i
her again!
 Abouf -(-he <-<
AUTHoR an4 ILLUSTRATOR
Eileen Christelow had a stran g e dream w hen she
w as ju st th ree y e a rs old. She d ream ed she could
read! In first g rade, she really did learn to read. From
then on, E ile e n ’s nose w as alm o st alw ays in a book.
A s Eileen g rew up, she d isco vered art and
p hotography. She also liked c h ild re n ’s books and
th o ug ht ab o u t w ritin g and illustrating one of her
ow n. A fte r a lot o f w o rk, E ile e n ’s first book w as
p ub lished. She w en t on to publish m any more!
Eileen g ets her sto ry ideas from n e w sp ap e rs, the
radio, and even co n ve rsatio n s.

A of hor's Purpose
Why do you think the author
uses two dogs as characters
in Vote!?
 Respond f o Reading
S o la r iz e D etails

Think about what you learned about

voting. Summarize what you learned about
choosing a new mayor. The details from your
Author's Point of View chart may help you.
Point of View

T exf Evidence
1. How do you know that Vote! is nonfiction?
What text features do you see? g e n r e

2. What is the author's point of view about voting? Do

you agree? a u t h o r ' s p o i n t o f v i e w

3. Find the word recount on page 161. How can the prefix
re- help you figure out what the word means? p r e f i x e s

4. Write about details that the author uses to show her

feelings about elections, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
Why is it important for people to vote in
elections? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How can people take part in community

government? t e x t t o w o r l d
 Compare Texts

The Constitution
is the highest law
in our country.

A Plan for the

People
T he U n ited S ta te s government s ta r t e d w ith a
plan. O ur c o u n tr y ’s le a d e rs w r o te th e p la n m o re t h a n
2 0 0 y e a rs ago. T h e p la n is called th e C o n stitu tio n .
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Im ages

All of our la w s com e from th e C o n stitu tio n .

168
A New Government
In 1787, the United States w a s a n ew nation
of thirteen states. The nation’s first plan for
governm ent had problems. Its leaders decided
to m eet to talk about a n ew plan. Fifty-five
delegates cam e to the m eetings. A d elegate is a
person w ho speaks for the citizens in each state.
George W ashington led the m eetings. He w a s the
country’s first president.

A Summer of Arguments
The m eetings b egan on a hot day
in M ay 1787. The d elegates gathered
together in the Philadelphia State
House. They closed the w in d ow s
becau se the m eetings w ere secret.
It w a s hot in the State House. W hen
th ey opened the w in d ow s to cool off,
bugs flew in. The d elegates argued
all summer in the hot, b u g g y rooms. Ben Franklin worried
that the delegates would
M aking a n ew plan for governm ent never agree.
w a s not easy or fun.
Some d elegates w an ted one person to run
the n ew governm ent. Others thought a group
should be in charge. They all agreed on one thing.
A group should make law s for the country. But
th ey disagreed on how to pick th ese leaders. The
famous inventor and statesm an Benjamin Franklin
attended the m eetings. He w ondered how the
group could ever m ake any decisions.

169
 ltJdutJi a ay i uu a
U.S. Constitution.

Making a Plan
The d elegates w rote their plan and called it the
United States Constitution. The Constitution w a s
only a fe w p ages long, but it w a s full of big ideas.
The Constitution show s how our governm ent
works. It says that people are in charge of the
governm ent. People vote to pick their leaders.
These leaders run the governm ent for the people.

A Government That’s Fair to All

The d elegates planning the Constitution met
for four months. They thought the Constitution
w a s a good plan. But not all d elegates signed it
on Septem ber 15, 1787. Some of them w an ted to
m ake sure the governm ent protected p eop le’s
rights, too. A right is som ething you are allow ed
to have or do. In 1791, Congress changed the
Constitution to protect the rights of Am erican
citizens. One right allow s people to speak freely.
These changes w ere called the Bill of Rights.
Bettm ann/Corbis

170
 A lot has changed since 1787. Our country
is a lot bigger. There are fifty states now. The
Constitution has been chan ged m any times, too.
But one thing has not changed. The Constitution
is still the plan for our governm ent.

Rights for Children

In 1959, m any co u n trie s sign ed a D eclaratio n of the
R ig hts of the Child. Here are so m e of th o se rights:
• C hild ren should gro w up free.
• C hild ren should g et an ed u catio n .
• C hild ren should have the ch a n ce to play.
W h at o th er rig hts should child ren have? This ch a rt
sho w s one c la s s ’s ideas. E a ch stu d e n t vo ted .

What rights should children have?

Be safe from bullies.

Own a pet.
Play safely.
Go to school.

0 12 3 4 5
Number of Votes
 cess Genre • Expository Text

W hooping

by Susan E. Goodman

Essential Question
P How can people help animals survive?
lal Geographic/Getty Im ages

9 Read about whooping cranes. Find out

how a group of scientists are helping
these birds survive.
 T h e r e are m any typ es of heroes. Superheroes
in comics catch bad guys. A stronauts risk their
lives to explore space. Doctors devote their
careers to finding cures for dreadful diseases.
Our story has heroes, too. Scientists and their
helpers are saving the w hooping cranes.

173
 Without places
Whoopers Need Help to get food and
Long ago, w hooping cranes lived all over raise families, the
North America. Then people started hunting them. whooping crane
c o u l d not survive.
Farmers and builders took over the m arshes these
birds called home. W hoopers w ere losing the
resources th ey needed.
By 1941, only fifteen w hooping cranes w ere left
in the wild. It looked as if th ey could die out forever.
Some people refused to let this happen. The
governm ent reserved land for th ese cranes to live
on. Hunters could not enter this wildlife refuge.
Scientists guarded this tiny flock in Texas.
Seventy years later, its population has grow n to
tw o hundred birds. But one flock is not enough.
A disease or storm could w ipe it out completely.
Scientists decided to create a n ew flock in
Wisconsin. Two groups of birds are safer than one.

174
A Tough Problem
Building a n ew flock of w hoopers is harder
than it seem s. These cranes are born up north.
Then th ey m igrate south in fall to avoid the cold
winter. In spring, th ey fly back north for the
summer. (Who says birds aren’t smart?)
Scientists had a big problem to solve. They
couldn’t just grab some w hoopers from the first
flock to start a n ew one. W hen returning north,
adult birds w ill only go back to the place they
w ere born. So all m em bers of the second flock
had to be born in the n ew spot. How could that
happen? Who w ould their parents be?

A Clever Solution
Eleven e g g s w ere about to hatch in spring This puppet
of 2001. Their parents w ere ready to w elcom e takes the place
of this whooping
these chicks to the world. Their puppet crane chick's
parents, that is! mother.
 Scientists had to raise the chicks, but the
w hoopers w e re n ’t supposed to get used to
people. The birds needed to be w ild to stay safe.
So humans pretended to be w hooping cranes.
They w ore w hite costum es to hide their faces and
bodies. They w ore puppets on their arms to deal
w ith the chicks.
The caretakers never spoke near the birds.
They “talk ed ” to the chicks by playing tapes of real
whooping cranes. They also had real w hoopers in
the refuge. The chicks needed to know w h at actual
grown-up w hooping cranes looked like.
Caretakers used the puppets to teach the
chicks the sam e skills that real parents would.
The puppets show ed them w here to sw im and Scientists used
w here to sleep. They even taugh t the chicks puppets to train
how to get along w ith other cran es! the babies how to
eat and drink, and
The puppets could teach m ost things. where to find the
But th ey couldn’t teach the chicks how to fly! right kind of food.

STOP AND CHECK

Reread Why did the scientists wear

white costumes and use puppets?
Reread to find the answer.
Mark P a yn e -G ill/n a tu re p l.co m
 A m
• 3*n ;* U.

The whoopers learned

The Biggest Parent of Them All to follow the ultralight
Pilots of ultralight planes could do the job. on the ground and in
They put on their costum es and got to work. the air. They had to
learn to recognize
A t first, the plane just rolled across the
their Wisconsin home
ground. A pilot played a special crane call, w hich from the air, because
meant, “ Come on, follow m e!" T h at’s exactly the plane would not
lead them back the
w h at the chicks did. Of course, the treats given
next spring.
out by the pilot’s puppet helped a lot!
A s days passed, the plane sped up. The chicks
did, too. Flapping their w in gs helped them go faster.
It also made their w in gs stronger. A t last, th ey ran
fast enough and flapped hard enough. A nd . . .
UP th ey w e n t!
Soon the cranes w ere flying alm ost every day.
They had to. Fall w a s coming. They had to be strong
enough to m igrate more than 1,200 miles to Florida.

177
Operation Migration
Finally, the Big Day came. This experim ent
started w ith eleven eggs. Two chicks had gotten
sick and died. One couldn’t fly w ell and m oved to a
zoo. The other eight w hoopers w ere ready to go!
Two ultralights revved their engines. One w ould
lead the birds. The other w ould track dow n cranes
that strayed from the flock. The planes took off.
The birds did, too. They w ere on their w ay!
Planes and birds w ere only part of the migration. This ultralight
A crew drove south, too. The birds had to eat and plane led the
whooping
rest each night. Scientists had chosen safe places
cranes to their
along the way. The crew rushed ahead to set up winter home
pens for them to stay in. in Florida.

£: :
 The trip w a s hard. The cranes flew up to ninety-
five miles on good days, only tw en ty on bad ones.
Often rain or w ind kept them from flying at all.
One sad night, a giant storm ripped their pen
apart. Caretakers spent hours searching and calling
for their w hoopers. A ll w ere fine, except one. He
had flow n into a pow er line and died.
A fter forty-eight days, the plane flew over the
birds’ w inter home in Florida. A caretaker on
the ground played the w hooping crane call. The
w hoopers sw ooped in for a landing. The first part
of the journey w a s a success!

• i
Whooping Crane Migration
 A Warm Winter
W hat w a s one of the first things the w hoopers
learned about Florida? Crabs are delicious! The shells
w ere hard, but the m eat w a s soft. Puppet parents
helped the w hoopers learn to peck them apart.
A t first, the cranes stayed in a pen as big as a
football field. It even had a pond w ith a fake w hooper
parent in it to make them feel safe. Actually, they
were safer in the pond. Cranes usually sleep in the
w ater at night. Splashing sounds w arn them if a
predator is nearby.
In time, caretakers took the top off the pen.
The cranes flew out to explore more of their n ew
home. Caretakers hid, w atch in g them enjoy The whoopers
yum my shrimp and snails. learned to eat
new foods, such
Generally the w hoopers returned to the pen
as crabs, in their
at night. Sometimes th ey didn’t. Two cranes w ere winter home
killed by bobcats; now there w ere five. in Florida.
Klaus Nigge/National Geographic/Getty Im ages

180
 In spring, the birds started eating more. Scientists wondered
if the whoopers
That w a s a good sign. They w ere storing energy
would know when
for a trip north. Still, the scientists wondered, to fly north to
w ould the cranes know w h en to leave? Wisconsin.

Homeward Bound?
One day, caretakers heard radio signals.
The cranes had leg bands that sent out these
sounds. The w hoopers w ere on the move!
Caretakers jum ped in tw o trucks to follow the
signals. They had to hurry. The trip home w ould
be much faster. Air has currents just like w ater
does. Birds ride th ese currents the sam e w a y
that surfers ride w aves.
The cranes traveled more than tw o hundred
miles the very first day. They w ere headed north.
But w ould th ey rem em ber their route?
Soon scientists had another thing to w orry
about. One crane left the group. A truck turned
to track her. W here w a s she going, and w hy?

STOP AND CHECK

Reread What were the scientists worried

about? Reread to find the answer.
 Day by day, the cranes kept flying. Then the group
of four reached Lake Michigan. They b egan to circle.
Oh no, thought the trackers. They do not know w hich
w a y to g o ! The w hoopers kept circling around and
around. A fter tw o hours, th ey finally turned w est.
They w ere on course!
Eleven days after leaving Florida, th ese four
cranes cam e in for a landing. They w ere very close
to the pen th ey g rew up in.
W hat about that last crane? She ended up visiting
The number of
a flock of sandhill cranes for a while. Sandhill cranes
whooping cranes
are relatives of w hooping cranes. Two w e ek s later, is beginning to
she cam e back home to the refuge. grow again.
A New Beginning
This first m igration w a s finished, but the
w hooping cran e’s recovery had just begun.
The next year, th ese five cranes flew south by
them selves. The ultralights w ere b u sy leading
sixteen n ew chicks.
The planes still lead m igrations each fall. But
now, w hooping crane parents are leading their
ow n chicks dow n South. Some of th ese chicks have
grow n up enough to have babies of their own.
The w hooping crane is still threatened.
It remains one of A m erica’s m ost endangered
birds, but scientists are hopeful. Luckily, the
flock keeps gettin g bigger.

STOP AND CHECK

Sum m arize How are the whooping

cranes doing now? Summarize what
you learned from "A New Beginning."
About the Author
Susan E. Goodman likes to w rite about
topics that excite her. The w hooping crane
is one of those topics. “W hen I first heard
this story, I kn ew I had to w rite about it,”
she says. “It’s so sad, and happy, funny
and am azing. It gives me h o p e.”
Susan has w ritten more than thirty
nonfiction books for children. Her w riting
has taken her all over the world. She has
flow n in a helicopter. She has taken a
plane to the Arctic. She has even ridden
in a m achine that trains astronauts to fly
the Space Shuttle. However, she has never
flow n in an ultralight plane on its w a y to
Florida. Not yet, anyw ay!

Author’s Purpose
 Respond to Reading
Summarize
Summarize how scientists helped save the
whooping cranes. The details from your
Author's Point of View chart may help you.

Text Evidence
1. Tell how you know that Whooping Crones
in Danger is expository text. What text
features do you see? g e n r e

2 . What is the author's point of view about the scientists

who help the whooping cranes? Do you agree with her?
Why or why not? a u t h o r ' s p o i n t o f v i e w

3 . Find the word hopeful on page 183. How does the

suffix -ful help you figure out the meaning? s u f f i x e s

4 . Write about how the author shows that saving

whooping cranes is important. What details does
she use? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
How are scientists helping
the whooping cranes survive?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Why are people all over the

world helping endangered
animals? t e x t t o w o r l d

■ill 185
Sifc fl
 Genre • Expository Text

Compare Texts
Read about a group of people Places to See Manatees in Florida
that helps manatees.

People in Florida are worried. The

Manatees can be seen
manatees are in trouble. Hundreds of these throughout Florida.
super-sized marine mammals are dying every They live along the
coast, and In rivers,
year. The population dropped from 3,000 springs, and bays.
to 2,500 in just twelve months. W hat caused
the problem? People.

Why Are Manatees

in Trouble?
Manatees make their home
in warm, shallow water. T hey
live in Florida rivers and bays
and in the ocean. T hey eat weeds
and grasses that grow in water.
Manatees don’t have many enemies
because they are so large. After all,
they’re related to elephants! However,
people have threatened their habitat.
M any people live in Florida now. Manatees
can be ten
Lots of people take vacations feet long
there, too. More people than ever and weigh
up to 1,200
are using the manatees’ habitat. pounds.

186
What Hurts the Manatees?
People race power boats in shallow waters where
manatees live. Some boaters crash into manatees and
hurt them. Fishing hooks and nets hurt manatees,
too. Swimmers also like to use the warm waters where
manatees live. T hat can drive the creatures away.

Taking Action
The Save the Manatee Club has taken action
to help manatees. The group educates people S l°w Pleas©
about these gentle giants. T hey teach kids and
grown-ups how to keep the manatees safe and
healthy. T hey rescue injured manatees. T hey
work to change laws to help manatees. Manatees Below
The club gives away banners and signs.
These remind boaters to go slow around manatees. Signs like
this teach
The group also teaches people to use less water. people how
Manatees need resources such as clean water. to protect
manatees.
Now people in Florida are more careful when they
use the manatees’ habitat. Manatees have a better
chance to survive. T hey can thank their friends in the
Save the M anatee Club!

Make Connections
How does the Save the Manatee Club help
manatees survive? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How is the Save the Manatee Club

like other groups that help animals?
T E X T TO T E X T

mmmmm
 Essential Question
How do people figure things out?
Read about different ways of flying.

Go Digital!

S?. $gS
m i
he Inventor Thinks Up
Helicopters

vertical
whirling
winding
bug,
that hops like a cricket
crossing a rug,
that swerves like a dragonfly
testing his steering,
twisting and veering?
Fleet as a beetle.
Up
down
left
right,
jounce, bounce, day and night.
It could land in a pasture the size of a dot
Why not?"

—Patricia Hubbell
 Ornithnpter
Circa 1903, G reat B rita in

W hile observers were whooping and clapping,

The pilot was happily snapping
Bird wings into place
For a wild goose chase,
And the plane was repeatedly flapping!
© Creative Editions, an imprint of The Creative Company, Mankato, MN

But no m atter the wind or the weather,

A pilot whose wings swing tog eth er
On a plane so absurd
As to think it’s a bird
Needs an engine as light as a feather.
—J. Patrick Lewis

190
 Respond to Reading
S u m m arize
Use details from "Ornithopter"
to summarize the poem.
Details from your Point of
View chart may help you.

Text Evidence
1. How can you tell that "The Inventor
Thinks Up Helicopters" is a free-verse
poem? GENRE

2 . In "Ornithopter," which words rhyme? Which

words have alliteration? l i t e r a r y e l e m e n t s

3 . What does the poet compare to a helicopter

in lines 6 and 7 of"The InventorThinks Up
Helicopters"? f i g u r a t i v e l a n g u a g e

4 . Reread "Ornithopter." Use details to explain what

the narrator thinks about the ornithopter. Do you
agree with the narrator's point of view? w r i t e
ABOUT READING

Make Connections
How many different ways of
flying are described in the
poems? Describe the inventions
in these poems, t e x t t o w o r l d
CCSS Genre • Poetry
>----------------------------------
Compare Texts
Read how a poet describes
the first balloon flight.
Montgolfier Brothers'
Hot Hir Balloon
1783, France

We stuffed the straw in the burner,

We stoked it furiously,
And ours was the first balloon to rise
Merrily aerially!

We might have gone much farther,

We flew superhumanly
Till our smart little cart started falling apart,
Sagging diagonally.

Our adventure over Paris

Was a twenty-five-minute flight.
And who was there but Benjamin Franklin,
Waving (without his kite)!

—/. Patrick Lewis

Make Connections
How did the brothers figure out how to fly?
Use details from the poem, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Compare this poem to "The Ornithopter."

How are the poems similar? How are they
different? t e x t t o t e x t

- - - r - .tieA AW1W - - *• '

Genre* Folktale

Essential Question
What makes different animals unique?
Read about Martina. Find out how she
chooses among her unique admirers.

Co Digital!
 the Beautiful Cockroach
A Cuban Folktale

retold b y
C arm en Agra D eedy

illustrated b y
M ichael A ustin

A tartin a Josefina Catalina

Cucaracha was a beautiful cockroach.
She lived in a cozy street lamp in
Old Havana with her big, lovable family.
Now that M artina was 21 days
old, she was ready to give her leg in
marriage. T he Cucaracha household was
crawling with excitement! Every senora
in the family had something to offer.
 Tia Cuca gave her una peineta,
a seashell comb.
Mama gave her una mantilla ,
a lace shawl.
But Abuela , her Cuban
grandmother, gave her consejo
increible, some shocking advice.
 “You want me to do W H A T ?” M artina
was aghast.
“You are a beautiful cockroach,” said Abuela.
“Finding husbands to choose from will be easy—
picking the right one could be tricky.”
“B-b-but,” stammered M artina, “how will
spilling COFFEE on a suitor’s shoes help me
find a good husband?”
Her grandmother smiled. “It will make him
angry! Then you’ll know how he w ill speak to
you when he loses his temper. T rust me, Martina.
The Coffee T est never fails.”

198
 M artina wasn’t so sure.

Meanwhile, Papa sent elperico, the parrot,

to spread the word.
Soon all Havana—from the busy sidewalks
of El Prado to El M orro castle—was abuzz
with the news.

M artina the beautiful cockroach was ready

to choose a husband.

199
 As was the custom, M artina would
greet her suitors from the balcony, under
her fam ily’s many watchful eyes.
Daintily, she sat down
and crossed her legs,
and crossed her legs,
and crossed her legs.
She didn’t have long to wait.
Don Gallo, the rooster, strutted up
first. M artina tried not to stare at his
splendid shoes.
Keeping one eye on his reflection,
Don Gallo greeted her with a sweeping
bow. “jCaramba! You really are a
beautiful cockroach. I will look even
more fabulous with you on my w ing!”
W ith that, he leaned forward and
crooned,
“M artina
Josefina
Catalina
Cucaracha,
Beautiful muchacha,
W on’t you be my wife?”
M artina hesitated only for an instant.
“Coffee, senor?”

201
 Right on cue, Abuela appeared.
W ith a quick glance at her
grandmother, M artina nervously
splattered coffee onto the rooster’s
spotless shoes.
“Oh m y!” she said with mock dismay.
“I’m all feelers today!”
“jK i-ki-ri-kiiii ! ” The rooster was
furious. “Clumsy cockroach! I will
teach you better manners when you
are my wife.”
M artina was stunned. The Coffee
Test had worked!
“A most humble offer, senor,” she said
coolly, “but I cannot accept. You are
much too cocky for m e.”

I
202
T w o
i
v
 Don Cerdo, the pig, hoofed up
next. His smell curled the little hairs
on M artina’s legs.
“W hat an unimaginable scent,”
M artina wheezed. “Is it some new
pig cologne?”
“Oh no, senorita. It’s the sweet
aroma of my pig sty. Rotten eggs!
Turnip peels! Stinky cheese!” Don
Cerdo licked his chops and sang,
“M artina
Josefina
Catalina
Cucaracha,
Beautiful muchacha,
W on’t you be my wife?”
M artina had already left in search
of coffee.
She wasted no time with the pig.
“jGronc! jGrone!” squealed Don
Cerdo as he dabbed at the coffee on
his shoes. “W hat a tragedy for my
poor loafers!”

205
 He really is quite a ham, thought Martina.
“Calm yourself, senor. I’ll clean them for you!”
“I’ll say you w ill!” he snorted. “W hen you are my
wife, there’ll be no end to cleaning up after m e!”
M artina rolled her eyes in disbelief.
“A most charming offer, senor, ” she said drily, “but
I must decline. You are much too boorish for m e.”
The Coffee Test had saved her from yet another
unsuitable suitor.

STOP AND CHECK

Visualize What happens when

Martina pours coffee on the pig?
Use the descriptions to visualize
the events in the story.

206
 The pig was scarcely out of sight when Don Lagarto,
the lizard, crept over the railing. His oily fingers brushed
the little cockroach’s lovely mantilla.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on a lady like that!”
“I don’t sneak. I creep,” he said, circling Martina.
For some reason this fellow really bugged her. “I’ve
had enough of creeps for one day,” said M artina. “Adlos. ”

207
 “But I need you! W ait!” The lizard fell on
one scaly knee and warbled,
“M artina
Josefina
Catalina
Cucaracha,
Beautiful muchacha,
W on’t you be my wife?”
M artina sighed. “Let me see if there’s any
coffee left.”
This time she wasn’t taking any chances.
M artina returned with T W O cups for the lizard.
“jPsssst! jPsssst!” he spat. Don Lagarto was livid
He changed colors three times before he finally
found his true one. “And to think,” he hissed. “I
was going to eat—er—MARRY you!”
M artina stared at the lizard. You could have
heard a breadcrumb drop.
“Food for thought, senor” M artina said
icily, “but I must refuse. You are much too
cold-blooded for m e.”
 W hen her grandmother returned to collect the
day’s coffee cups, M artina was still fuming.
“I’m going inside, Abuela .”
“So soon?”
“/Si! I’m afraid of whom I might meet next!”
Abuela drew M artina to the railing and pointed
to the garden below. “W hat about him ?”
M artina looked down at the tiny brown mouse,
and her cockroach heart began to beat faster.
T i-ki-tin , ti-ki-tan.
“Oh, Abuela , he’s adorable. W here has he been?”

210
 “Right here all along.”
“W hat do I do?”
“Go talk to him . . . and just be yourself.”
M artina handed Abuela her peineta and mantilla , then
scurried down to the garden. The mouse was waiting.
T i-ki-tin , ti-ki-tan.
“ Hola, hello.” His voice was like warm honey.
“M y name is Perez.”
“Hola,” she whispered shyly, “I’m M artina—”
“—the beautiful cockroach,” he finished for her.
“You think I’m beautiful?”

211
 The little mouse turned pink under his far.
“W ell, my eyes are rather weak, but I have excellent
EARS. I know you are strong and good, M artina
Josefina Catalina Cucaracha.” Then he squinted
sweetly. “ Who cares i f you are beautiful'?”
T I-K 1-T IN , T I-K I-T A N .
“M artina-a-a-a-a-a! Don’t forget the coffee!”
It was Abuela.
No, thought M artina. No coffee for Perez!
“M artina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha!”
“ St, Abuela .” M artina knew better than to argue
with her Cuban grandmother.
 W ith a heavy heart, she reached for the cup.
But Perez got there first. Quick as a mouse, he
splashed cafe cubano onto M artina’s shoes.
Now the coffee was on the other foot.
M artina was too delighted to be angry. At last,
she’d found her perfect match. But she had to ask,
“How did you know about the Coffee T est?”
Perez grinned. “W ell, m i amor, my love . . .
. . . I too have a Cuban grandmother.”

STOP AND CHECK

Reread Why doesn't Martina want

to pour coffee on the mouse?
Reread to find the answer.
 • I

Carm en Agra M ichael Austin

D eedy loves grew up in a small
spinning stories. She town in Florida,
travels around the where he combined
world entertaining his imagination and
people with her tales. Carmen love of drawing. He drew on
came to the United States from rocks, paper plates, boxes, and
Cuba in 1960. She and her family even the walls. He grew up
settled in Georgia. Carmen has to be an illustrator of many
not forgotten her Cuban culture. award-winning books.
She shares it with the world
through her stories.
 iu iisudlfij
Problem
Summarize
Think about how Martina finds a
husband. Summarize the events in
the story.The information from your
3.
Problem and Solution Chart may
help you summarize. Solution
____
Text Evidence
1. Tell how you know that Martino the
Beautiful Cockroach is a folktale, g e n r e

2. How does Martina's grandmother help her choose

a good husband? p r o b l e m a n d s o l u t i o n

3. Find the word creep on page 207. What nearby word

helps you figure out what creep means? s y n o n y m s

4. Write about how the author presents Martina's

solution to her problem. Why is it funny?
W RI T E A B O U T R E A D I NG

Make Connections
What makes Perez unique among Martina's
SUitOrS? E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O N

Why do people like to watch animals? What

is interesting about animals? t e x t t o w o r l d
w m mM

0
r w
 Genre • Expository Text

Compare Texts
Read about why some animals
are called vertebrates.

Get a Backbone!
M o st anim als in the w orld fit in one of tw o
groups. Som e have b ackb o n e s. The o th ers do
not. People, lizard s, ow ls, frogs, and sh a rks
all have b ackb o n e s. Touch the b ack o f yo ur
neck. T h a t’s w here yo u r b ackb o n e sta rts.
It’s a string of bones th at goes all the
w ay dow n yo ur b ack to yo u r tailb o ne.
W h at w ould you be like w ith o u t a
b ackb o n e? You co u ld n ’t w a lk or sit
up. Y o u ’d have to slith er around like
a w orm or sw im like an o cto p u s.
Th o se anim als have no b ackb o n e s.

backbone
(bkgd) Jaki Good Photography/Flickr/Getty Images (inset) Illustration: Joel H arris

A rooster is
a vertebrate.
Its backbone
helps hold up
its body.
Types of Vertebrates
A n im als w ith b ack b o n e s are called
vertebrates. All ve rte b ra te s have
b ackb o n es. How ever, not all v e rte b ra te s are
alike. Th ey have d iffe re n t featu res. So m e are tiny.
O thers are huge. So m e sw im , w h ile o th ers fly.
V e rte b rate s can be birds, am p h ib ian s, fish,
reptiles, or m am m als. A n im als in e ach group
share a unique q u a lity th at m akes them sp e cial.

A parrot is a
Birds bird. It has
Most birds can fly, but bees and b ats can, too! feathers and a
backbone.
Som e birds, like o strich e s and peng uins, c a n ’t fly at
all. O strich e s run. P eng uins w alk and sw im . So w h at
m akes birds sp e c ia l?
Fe a th e rs, of cou rse! F e a th e rs keep birds w arm .
They can help birds to fly and ste e r throug h the
air. The co lo r o f a b ird ’s fe a th e rs can help it hide A chameleon is
from p red ato rs or a ttra c t o th e r birds. a reptile. It is a
cold-blooded
vertebrate with
Reptiles scaly skin.

Liza rd s and sn akes are rep tiles.

Pics/Corbis
All rep tiles have sca le s covering (t) Salvador Manaois lll/Flickr/Getty Images (b) Corey Hochachka/Design

th eir bodies.
B e ca u se rep tiles are co ld -b lo o d ed ,
they m ust live in w arm p laces. So m e snakes,
tu rtles, and cro co d ile s live m o stly in w arm
water. Som e rep tiles live in d ry d e se rts. Most
rep tiles have low b od ies, fo u r sh o rt legs, and
a tail. O nly sn akes have no legs at all.
 Amphibians A frog is an amphibian.
A m p h ib ian s spend part These vertebrates live
in water and on land.
of th eir lives in w a te r and
part on land. Fro g s, toad s,
and sa lam an d e rs are am p h ib ian s.
Most am p hib ians sta rt out as an egg
floating in w ater. W h en th e y hatch, they
look like fish. Th e y b reathe through gills.
A s they grow older, th ey g row legs and
lungs and begin to live on land.

Fish are v e rte b ra te s w ith a sp ecial ability.

Clownfish are
Th ey can live in w ater. Fish d o n ’t have lungs to vertebrates that
breathe air. Th e y b reathe oxyg en using bod y spend their whole
parts called gills. lives in water.
Fish have m ore sp e cie s than any
oth er ty p e of ve rte b rate . Th ere are
about 3 2 ,0 0 0 kinds of fish! Th e se
cold -blo od ed anim als live all
over the w orld in rivers, stream s,
(t) Steve Williams Photo/Workbook Stock/Getty Images (b) Georgette Douwm a/Photodisc/Getty Im ages

o ceans, lakes, and ponds.

Vertebrates
This chart compares animals with backbones.
Animal Mouse Clownfish Frog
Group mammal fish amphibian

Body Covering fur wet, scaly skin smooth, moist skin

Where They Live woodlands oceans lakes, ponds

How They breathe breathe breathe though

Breathe through lungs through gills gills, skin, or lungs

218
Mammals
A m ouse and an elep h an t are related! H ow ? Th e y
are v e rte b ra te s, and th ey are m am m als. M am m als
are w arm -b lo o d ed anim als. Most have hair or fu r th at
co vers th eir b odies. Th e ir unique featu re is milk!
Mammal m o th ers feed th eir b ab ies m ilk.
All m am m als have lungs to b reathe air.
Most live on land. Som e, like w h ale s
and dolphin s, live in w ater. B a ts are
the only m am m als that have w in g s
and can fly. Th e y also sleep w hile
hanging up side dow n!
Lo o k around you. The next
tim e you see an im als, think
ab out them . A re th ey
v e rte b ra te s? W h at
are th eir sp ecial
featu res?

eiepnant iook ainereni,

Images (r) D igital Zoo /D igital Vision/Getty Im a g es

but they are both
mammals. Both have
backbones.

Make Connections
What one thing makes
(I) Image Source/Getty

vertebrates different from other

animals? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How are these animals like other

animals you have read about?
T E X T TO T E X T
 w h it e s
O N lV

Essential Question
How can one person change
the way you think?
Read how a librarian opens doors
for Louis in Alabama in 1951.
 tman
spina

M a la sp in a . Illustrated by Colin B oo tm an. Published by Albert Whitman & Com pany, 2009. All rights re s e rv e d .
 o , n his way home from school, Louis walked
past the main library. The doors swung open, and
Louis could see an enormous room filled with books.
Why, there must be a million books in there, maybe
more. Louis wished he could go inside and count
them for himself.
The books reminded Louis that he had to write an
essay on President Lincoln. But the library was for white
people only, just like the strawberry milkshakes at the
drugstore lunch counter, the swings in the city park,
and the best seats at the movie theater.
It was 1951 in Alabama, and Louis could play all
his piano scales and roller-skate backwards.
Still he couldn’t borrow a book from the
main library.
“How about some lemonade?” asked
Mama when Louis got home.
“I’m not thirsty.” He sat down, kicking
his foot against the table leg.
“What’s the matter?”

• •>B \
 Louis didn’t feel like talking. He was thinking that
Daddy always had books piled high by his bed. But
he had read those books again and again. Now Daddy
wanted a book on honeybees so he could learn how to
keep beehives. If Mama was ever going to have fresh
honey, Daddy needed to get inside that library, too.
“Maybe a little homework will cheer you up,” teased
Mama, as she let the biscuit dough rise for supper.
 That morning, Mrs. Yates had told Louis’s class
about the Civil War. The North and the South went
to battle over many things, including slavery. The
Southern farmers said they needed slaves to plant the
tobacco and pick the cotton. President Lincoln wanted
the slaves to be free.
“He dared to stand up for what he believed in, and
that made a lot of people mad,” said Mrs. Yates.
Louis raised his hand. “Did President Lincoln shake
things up when he was a boy?”
Mrs. Yates didn’t know the answer. “Why
don’t you find out and write us an essay,”
she said, giving him a book about Lincoln.
But the book didn’t say anything about M
 Now Louis stared at his blank paper. “I need to find
a book about President Lincoln when he was a boy,” he
told Mama.
“I have an idea,” Mama said.
After the biscuits were baked, she took Louis to
the basement of their church. She and her friends had
started a small library where people donated books
they didn’t want anymore. Louis saw cookbooks,
mysteries, and a book of maps, but no books about
President Lincoln or honeybees.
“One day soon we’ll be checking books out of the
main library. Just you wait,” Mama said on the way
back home.
Louis didn’t want to wait anymore. And he wasn’t
going to!

225
 The next day after school, Louis stopped in
front of the main library. Holding his breath,
he climbed the wide steps and pushed open
the door. Everywhere he looked, books were
shelved high. Louis didn’t have time to count,
but a million seemed about right.
The library was also full of people. Every one
of them turned to stare at Louis.
In the quiet room, Louis’s heart was beating as loud
as a tin drum. He began walking to the front desk. He
was so nervous that he bumped into a man’s chair.

STOP AND CHECK

 “Watch where you’re going, boy,” said the man.
“Excuse me,” mumbled Louis. On the polished floor, his
sneakers squeaked like an old rusty hinge.
Two librarians sat at the desk, looking at him. “Can’t you
read?” said one, pointing at the “Whites Only” sign next to
the door.
Louis’s face burned like it did when he ran fast on a hot
day in August.
The second librarian put down the book she was holding.
“You’d better go home,” she said, leading Louis back to the
door. As she gently pushed him outside, she whispered,
“Come back tomorrow after five.”

WHITES
ONLY
 Louis didn’t see how tomorrow would
be any different. Still, Mrs. Yates was
waiting for that essay. He had to go back.
The next afternoon, Louis told Mama
he needed to run an errand. Before she
could ask a question, he was off.
He ran all the way to the library
and up the front steps. It was after five
o’clock. The door wouldn’t budge when
he pushed it. Just as Louis turned to go,
he heard a voice.
“Shh, come in quickly.” The door
cracked open, and the librarian from
yesterday peeked out.
Inside, the library was dark and
quiet. “Now, what book did you want?”
she asked.
“I need a book about President
Lincoln when he was a boy.”

228
 “Follow me.”
Louis followed her down one stack
of books, then another. She stopped,
moving her finger along a high shelf.
“Here it is.”
She pulled down a book. Her hand
was shaking, like Louis’s insides. She
could get in big trouble for helping
him. She might have to pay a fine or
even lose her job.
Louis read the cover, Abe Lincoln
Grows Up, by Carl Sandburg. She had
found just the right book!
 Then Louis thought of something.
“Don’t I need a library card?”
Even Daddy and Mama couldn’t get a
library card. Staring down at his sneakers,
Louis wished he could disappear.
The librarian was quiet for a moment.
Then she tapped him on the shoulder.
“Come on. I’ll give you a temporary
one. You do live in town, don’t you?”
Louis raised his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
This librarian didn’t seem to mind shaking
things up at all!
Walking slowly down the street, Louis
looked at the book and his library card all
the way home.
 Louis burst in the kitchen door. He couldn’t wait to
tell everybody.
When she heard what had happened, Mama threw
up her hands in amazement. Daddy shook his head like
he had when Louis caught the catfish up at the lake last
summer. “Isn’t that something!” he kept saying.
Mama put her arm around Louis. “I hope no one got
in trouble.”
Daddy cleared his throat. “Mama and I just want you
to be careful.”

Visualize How do Louis's parents feel when

Louis comes home with the library book? Use
the descriptions to visualize how they act.

232
 That night, Louis and Daddy read about young Abe
and his kindness to animals. Though he grew up in the
wilderness, Abe didn’t like to shoot game. When he saw
his friends hurting a turtle, Abe refused to join in. He
didn’t care if he wasn’t like the other boys.
Abe also liked to have fun. Once he lifted a boy
upside down so he could walk across the ceiling. Abe
had to clean up the muddy footprints.
Abe could swing an ax, drive a plow, and win a
wrestling match with anyone he met. What he liked
best was to read a book. Some people said he was lazy
and thought too much. Abe was just in a hurry to learn
everything he could.

233
 When Louis sat down to write his essay,
he filled up three whole pages.

234
 WgSSm “President Lincoln did what he thought was
•II "
right, even when it shook people up,” Louis said
at bedtime.
Mama leaned to give him a hug. “Just like
r ' i ..'
you, Louis.”
Before Louis fell asleep, he remembered
something. The next time he went to the
main library, he needed to find a book about
honeybees for Daddy. Out of a million books,
Louis was sure he could find the perfect one.

STOP AND CHECK

Reread Why does Louis's mother say

"Just like you, Louis" and give Louis a
hug? Reread to find the answer.
- ™ r" ^ ww!wwMPi«i u»nm m m .wmmmrnvmwmm- ...... .

235
 About the
Author and Illustrator
Ann Malaspina Colin Bootman
was inspired to write was born in Trinidad.
by her fourth-grade The beauty and the
teacher. The teacher culture of the island
told students to write still inspire him. After
for five minutes without stopping. moving to New York as a child, he
“We could write anything at all, discovered comic books. He loved
as long as we kept our pencils the art in them. Colin is now
moving for five minutes,” says Ann. the award-winning illustrator of
Ann’s pencil has been moving ever twenty books for children. He
since. She has written seventeen wants young people to follow their
nonfiction books for children. own passions, too.
Several of them are about people
who fought for their civil rights.
Author’s Purpose
Why does the author tell a
story about Louis's problem?
 Respond to Reading
Summarize C h a r a c te r
S e ttin g
What are the important events E ffe c t
C au se
in Finding Lincoln?Tell them in
C au se ► E ffe c t
order. Use your Cause and Effect
Chart to help you summarize. C au se ► E ffe c t

Text Evidence
1. What makes Finding Lincoln historical fiction? g e n re

2 . What causes Louis to learn more about young

Abraham Lincoln? c a u s e a n d e f f e c t

3 . On page 224, Louis asks his teacher, "Did President

Lincoln shake things up when he was a boy?" What
do you think he means by "shake things up"? id io m s

4 . Write about what caused Louis to feel unhappy

when he went into the library. Tell the events in
order, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
How did the helpful librarian
change the way Louis thought?
E S S E N T IA L Q U ES T IO N

Who is a person who inspires people

in our country today? t e x t t o w o r l d
 ccsl Genre • Biography
A l a ty
AlcLeod
Compare Texts
Read about how one woman
helped many African Americans
to get an education.

a Great
American Teacher
In the past, some children in needed her help on the farm,
the United States could not get th ey let her go to school. M iss
an education. Mary M cLeod Wilson inspired M ary to learn,
Bethune helped change that. and soon she finished school.
Mary w a s born in 1875 in M ary w an ted to continue going
South Carolina. Her family lived to school, but her family had
in a tiny cabin on their cotton no money.
farm. Mary and her sixteen Then M ary Crissm an helped.
brothers and sisters w orked on She paid for M ary to go to
the farm. Back then, few schools college. It w a s not easy for
in South Carolina tau gh t African Mary. Some people w an ted to
Am erican children. deny African Am ericans the
chance to learn. M ary show ed
Mary’s Early Life her bravery by standing up for
One day, Emma Wilson her right to an education.
Courtesy of The State Archives of Florida

cam e to the farm. She w an ted A fter Mary finished college,

to teach African Am erican she becam e a teacher. She
children. M ary w a s eager to dream ed of opening a school
learn. A lthough her parents for African Am erican girls.

238
Everyone Gets a Chance Changing Lives
In 1904, m any African By the 1920s, M ary needed a
Am ericans m oved to Daytona b igger building for her school.
Beach, Florida to build a She opened a larger school
railroad. Mary decided to that joined w ith another school
open a school for the railroad nearby. The school becam e
w orkers’ children. Bethune-Cookm an College.
Building a school w a s hard M ary g rew up poor, but she
work. Mary rented an old helped m any African Am ericans
cottage for the school. Her have more opportunities.
neighbors helped her fix it up. B ecause of her, m any African
The first students w ere five Am ericans received an
girls and M ary’s ow n son. The education. She w a s a leader
students used burnt w ood for w ho w a s inspired to teach.
pencils and crushed berries for M ary’s story still inspires us.
ink. Mary biked around tow n
asking people to contribute
to the school. More students
came. They sold veg etab les
and gave concerts to raise
money for the school.

lAary witJn Ler

Students in
it Y v

Make Connections
How did Mary McLeod Bethune
change the way people thought?
E S S E N T IA L Q U ES T IO N

Who else has changed people's

lives? T E X T TO T E X T
Earth by Jeffrey Zuehlke. Text copyright ^ 2010 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Lerner Publications Company, a division of Lerner
Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this text excerpt may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission o f
Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

its neighbors?
Essential Question

Read about how Earth is different

What do we know about Earth and

from the other planets and the Moon

 Our Home Planet
H ave you ever seen this planet
before? This is Earth. It is hom e
to you and everyone you know.
Billions of people live on this
planet. Billions more plants and
animals live here too. That makes
Earth a special planet. As far as
we know, no other planet has
living beings on it.
How does Earth support life
w hen other planets do not? Our
From space, you can see Earth's
planet has everything creatures blue oceans and brown land.
need to live. It has water. It has How is our planet different
air we can breathe. from other planets?

People enjoy the bright sunshine

and warm temperatures on a beach.
Earth's w ater and air make it an
 Earth has warmth too. Gases covering the
planet hold in heat from the Sun. That keeps our
planet warm. But not too warm. Some planets are
m uch too cold to support life. Others are m uch
too hot. Earth is just the right temperature to
support life.
We can study Earth in our own backyard.
But scientists have also learned about Earth b y
studying space. T h ey have learned how other
planets are different from ours. Learning more
about space helps us understand w h y our planet
is one o f a kind.

STOP AND CH ECK

Summarize What did you learn about

Earth in this section? Summarize the
first section in your own words.
 K u ip e r
b e lt

S a tu rn

J u p ite r

Earth shares its neighborhood in space

with m any other planets. Earth is part of the
solar system. The solar system includes the
Sun and eight planets. It also includes rocks
called asteroids. D warf planets are part of
the solar system too. D w arf planets are
smaller than the eight main planets.
The Sun lies at the center o f the solar
system. The planets closest to the Sun are
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These
planets are made m ostly o f solid rock.
Scientists call them the rocky planets.
Illustration: George Ham blin
r
This diagram shows planets and
objects in our solar system. The
asteroid belt and Kuiper belt are
groups of rocky and icy objects.

■
Earth

245
 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are
called gas giants. T h ey are m ostly made of gas.
T h ey are the largest planets in the solar system.
T h ey are also farthest from the Sun.
Earth is the largest of the rocky planets. It
is the fifth-largest planet in the solar system.
Earth is nearly 8,000 m iles (12,800 kilometers)
wide. But our planet is m uch sm aller than the
gas giants. More than 1,000 Earths could fit
inside Jupiter, the biggest planet.
 r»'s .*
y v v v * s# P9 ^
\°

T h is p ic t u r e s h o w s t h e e ig h t p la n e t s in
o u r s o la r s y s t e m . T h e S u n a p p e a r s o n th e
le ft, a n d t h e d w a r f p la n e t P lu to is o n th e
rig h t. T h is p ic t u r e s h o w s t h e s iz e o f e a c h
p la n e t c o m p a r e d to o th e r s .

Earth is the third planet from the

Sun. The Sun is about 93 m illion
miles (150 m illion km) away from
Earth. To travel that far on Earth,
you would have to circle the globe
3.733 times!

The Sun may be very far

STOP AND CHECK
from Earth, but its rays warm
Summarize What have you learned the planet. Deserts like the
Sahara get very hot.
about Earth and its neighbors in this
section? Summarize this part of the
article in your own words.
 Earth's Orbit
around the Sun E a rth
/
a v e ra g e of
93 m illio n m ile s
(150 m illio n km ) r This diagram
shows the paths of
the rocky planets
E a rth 's
around the Sun.
o rb it Sun W

M e r c u r y 's
o rb it

M a r s 's ^
o rb it V e n u s 's o rb it

Each planet follows its own path around the Sun.

The path is called an orbit. The orbits are a little bit
elliptical (ee-LIHP-tih-kuhl). That m eans they are
oval-shaped paths. Earth takes a little more than
365 days to orbit the Sun. One trip around the Sun
equals one year.
Planets also rotate (ROH-tayt) as Earth's , d ire c tio n
o f sp in
they travel. T h ey spin around like Rotation /
1
a top. Each planet rotates around ■ I V4
its axis (AK-sihs). An axis is an
im aginary line that runs through
M w ■
a x is
i
the center o f the planet from top 1
\ . 1
to bottom. Earth's axis is tilted. So 1
\ 1l1 # , i

Earth leans to one side as it spins. m'

It rotates all the w ay around in 24

hours. That’s exactly one day. ■
Earth is tilted on its axis as
it rotates. It takes 24 hours
■
to complete one rotation.

248
Earth’s Closest Neighbor
E veryon e know s about E arth's closest
neighbor. We see it in the sky alm ost every
night. It is the M oon.
T h e M oon is m u ch sm aller th an Earth.
It is about 2,160 m iles (3,475 k m ) wide.
A bout 50 m oon s w ould fit in sid e Earth.
O ur M oon orbits Earth, ju st as Earth
orbits tbe Sun. T h e M oon takes about 27
days to travel aroun d Earth.
Like our plan et, the M oon also rotates.
But it rotates m u ch m ore slow ly th an
Earth. T h e M oon takes a little m ore than
27 days to tu rn all the w ay around. Since it
travels aroun d E arth in the sam e
o f tim e, the sam e side o f the M oon alw ays
faces us.

T h e M o o n lo o k s sm a ll w h e n
s h o w n s id e b y s id e w it h E a rth
( It is a c t u a lly m u c h f a r t h e r
fro m E a r t h t h a n s h o w n h e re .) NASA/JPL/USGS
 From night to night, the Moon seems to change
shape. Sometimes we can see the full moon. Other
times, it looks as if it has been cut in half. The
Moon's shape seem s to change just a little each
night. Over about one month, it grows into a full
moon and then gets sm aller and disappears again.

Moon seems to grow bigger until half of its

round shape shows (t o p r o w , l e f t t o r i g h t ). This is called
Researchers, Inc.

the moon's first quarter. It grows larger until we see

the full moon. The full moon shines for a night or
two. Then it looks smaller bit by bit, until we see the
Larry Landolfi/Photo

last quarter ( t h i r d r o w f r o m to p ). Finally, the crescent

disappears into a new moon.

250
T h e M o o n is c lo s e r to
E a rth t h a n a n y p la n e t s a re .
B u t it is still v e r y f a r a w a y .

We see only the parts o f the Moon that are lit

b y the Sun. As the Moon travels around Earth,
sunlight hits the Moon from different directions.
When it hits the side o f the Moon facing Earth,
we see a full moon. If it m ostly lights the side
facing aw ay from Earth, we see only a sliver.
The Moon m ay not seem far away. But it is
very far. Our Moon is 238,855 m iles (384,400 km)
from Earth. Imagine you could drive from Earth
to the Moon in a car going 50 m iles (80 km) per
hour. It would take nearly 200 days o f nonstop
driving to get there.

STOP A N D CHECK

Why does the Moon seem to

change shape? Reread to find the answer.
_____________ J
 The Moon's surface has
craters of many different
sizes. These craters are on
the side of the Moon that
faces aw ay from Earth.

Once you reached the Moon, what

would you see? The M oon’s surface
is m ostly gray rocks and dirt. You
would see some mountains and m any
deep valleys. You would also see
m any craters (KRAY-turs). Craters are
bowl-shaped pits in the surface. Some
craters are just a few m iles wide.
The largest ones are more than 1,000
miles wide (1,610 km).
1 Craters are formed w hen rocks or
f ice from space slam into the M oon’s This image shows the gray
surface of the Moon. The dark
I surface. These objects are called
patches are areas filled with
meteorites (MEE-tee-uh-ryets) and lava rock. This is the side of
J comets (KAH-mehts). the Moon we see from Earth.

252
 What else would you notice? There is no life on
the Moon. The Moon has almost no atmosphere.
So there is no air to breathe.
Without an atmosphere, nothing protects the
Moon from the Sun's heat. Nothing holds in any
of the Sun's warm th either. So the Moon gets very
hot and very cold. Sunny parts o f the Moon get as
hot as 253 °F (123 °C). Other places get as cold as
-387°F (-233°C).
• • • • • •

Look up at the night sky. Can you see the Moon,

our nearest neighbor in space? The Sun and the
planets are out there, too, even i f you can't see them
now. Look down at the ground. That's Earth, our
home planet. We are all part o f the solar system.

T h e M o o n is s e e n th r o u g h
a th in la y e r o f E a rth 's
a tm o sp h e re . T h e M oon h as
n o a t m o s p h e r e o f its o w n .

Corbis

253
About the Author

Jeffrey Zuehlke is the author of more

than forty-five nonfiction books for
children about amazing people, places,
and objects. Jeffrey has told stories
about sports stars and leaders from
history. And if you are curious about
veh icles—from snowplows to space
shuttles—he has probably written a
book for you. Some of his books take
readers to faraway countries. Others
explore exciting places in the United
States, such as the Grand Canyon.

Authors Purpose
■
Why do you think the author included
photographs and diagrams in Earth?
 Respond to Reading
Summarize Main Id ea

Tell the main ideas that you D etail

learned about Earth and its
D etail
neighbors. The information from
your Main Idea and Details Chart D etail

may help you.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Earth is expository text?
Identify the text features, g e n r e

2 . Why can Earth support life when its neighboring planets

cannot? m a in i d e a a n d k e y d e t a i l s

3 . Find the word rocky on page 244. How does the suffix -y
help you figure out what rocky means? s u f f i x e s

4 . Write about the main idea in "Our Home Planet" on

pages 242 and 243. Why do you think the author chose
this main idea? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g
 Compare Texts
Read this Native American legend
about why there are stars in the sky.

©IF D

A Cochiti Legend
Long ago, there were no books about astronomy. No
one explained how planets in the solar system moved
around the Sun. Instead, people looked up at the stars
and told stories about them. This is one o f those stories.
A crowd of animals and people gathered in the
forest. Coyote shoved his nose between Deer and Owl.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Shhh!” scolded Owl. “Earth Mother is speaking.”
“The sky is empty and dark. Can someone paint
pictures in the sky with these stars?” said Earth
Mother. She held a large clay jar.
T i l do it!” yelped Coyote, wagging his tail excitedly.
Earth Mother frowned. She remembered other
times Coyote had helped. He always made a mess of
Illustration: Jago Silver

things. She quickly handed the jar of stars to a tall man

standing nearby.

256
 “Sorry!” she said. “This man wants the job.”
“People have all the fun!” mumbled Coyote, slinking away.
The man dotted the sky with some stars. “This is called
f

I- f Great Bear,” he said. After carefully arranging more stars, he

said, “This is Mountain Lion.” Then he placed the brightest
and named it the Morning Star. He put the jar down and
gazed upwards.
Everyone admired the man’s beautiful creations.
Earth Mother smiled. No one noticed Coyote tiptoeing
through the crowd toward the jar.
“I can do better than that,” he boasted.
Just a few more steps and he’d reach the jar.
Coyote was so excited that he didn’t notice a pine
cone under his feet. He slipped on the pine cone,
flipped head over tail, and crashed into
the jar of stars! “ Tim/” Coyote howled.
Everyone gasped as the stars floated
up and scattered across the sky.
They remain there to this
day without names or
patterns, all because of
Coyote. And that’s why
Coyote looks up and
howls at the night sky.

Make Connections
Why did the Cochiti people make up this
story about stars? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Compare this story to nonfiction articles

you have read about space, t e x t t o t e x t
 by Adrienne Mason

Essential Question
What ideas can we get from nature?
Read how ideas from nature inspired
new inventions.
 S o m e tim e s a stic k y situ atio n can lead
to a g re a t invention. In the 1940 s, G eorge
de M estral w en t fo r a w alk w ith his dog.
A long the w ay, G e o rg e ’s p ants and his
d o g ’s fu r cau g h t tiny se e d s called burrs.
G eo rg e w as cu rio u s. W h y did the burrs
stic k so w ell? He looked closer. The burrs
w ere co vered in tin y hooks. G eo rg e used
this idea to invent a tw o -sid ed fastener.
It had hooks on one sid e and loops on
the other. Today th e se hook and loop
fa ste n e rs are used on e veryth in g from
sh o es to sp ace su its!
I n s p ira tio n
Observing how
burrs stick to cloth
and fur inspired one
inventor to create a
new fastener.

Th o se stic k y b urrs g ave de Mestral

a g reat idea. N ature p ro vid ed a m odel
th at G eo rg e could im itate. C o p ying , or
im itating , d esig n s from nature is called
b io m im icry [bigh-o-M IM -i-kree]. {B io
Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Im ages

m eans life and m im icry m eans to co p y.)

Fro m o w ls’ sh arp cla w s to e le p h a n ts’
b en d y noses, nature is full of m odels.
W e can learn from each one.
 O b servin g nature g ives us ideas fo r new things.
G eorge de M estral d id n ’t set out on his w alk thinking
he w ould cre a te a new fastener. B u t by being cu rio u s
and o b servan t, he did ju st that.

Nature Did It First

D esig ners often sta rt w ith a problem . T h e y m ay
look for so lutions in the natural w o rld . N ature has been
m aking and testing d esig n s fo r a long tim e! Nature
often has the an sw e rs to q u estio n s people ask.
More than a hundred y e a rs ago, the W rig h t Leonardo da Vinci
w as an artist and
bro thers, O rville and W ilbur, w o nd ered how to inventor. He lived
fly. Fo r an answ er, th ey w atch ed birds, the flying more th an 400 years
exp erts. W atching bird w in g s gave them ideas on ago. He looked at
birds' wings and then
how to design airp lane w in g s. W h ile bird w in g s drew plans for m any
are not id en tical to plane w in g s, th ey both can flying m achines.
fly. The W rig h t B ro th e rs built an
airplane in 1903. It w as the first to
lift up, up, and aw ay!
(bkgd) Purestock/PunchStock (inset) Mary Evans Picture Lib ra ry /A la m y
Smart Shapes
Watching
Fish and ca rs sh are a problem . It tak e s e n erg y fish gave car
to m ove a fish through w a te r and a c a r through air. designers a
Fish get e n e rg y from food. C ars get it from fuel. new idea for
a car’s shape
To cre a te a new fu el-savin g car, d e sig n e rs stud ied
the shap e of fish. T h e y found th at the b o xfish ’s squ are
shape w as stream lin ed . This m eans that the fish slip s
through the w a te r w ith o u t w astin g energy. B y m aking
(bkgd) WaterFrame/Alamy (inset) im ag ebroker/Alam y

the new c a r’s sh ap e sim ilar to th at of the boxfish,

they created a ca r th at sa ve s gas.
The c a r’s fram e is also sim ilar to the fish ’s skeleton .
The m etal fram e is th ick in so m e p lace s and th in n er in
others, just like the fish ’s bones. Th is sa ve s on m aterials
and puts streng th w h e re it is needed m ost.

261
Energy Savers
A ir co n d itio n e rs keep b uildings cool. The shap e of a
building can also help. In A fric a , te rm ite s gave b uilders
an exam p le of a self-cooling stru ctu re . Holes at the
bottom of term ite m ounds catch the w ind . Th e air rises
through tunnels and flo w s out the top. The te rm ite s
designed an effe ctive w a y to cool a stru ctu re . The
builders borrow ed th eir ideas. During the day, fans
on the first flo or blow cool air into the building. The How is a term ite
air rises and flo w s through ch im n eys on the roof. m ound like this
building in Africa?
This design saves m oney and energy.
They both need a
way to stay cool.

STOP AND CHECK

Sum m arize What did you

learn from reading the section
called "Energy Savers?"Tell
what the section is about.

In s p ir a tio n
Master Movers Grasshoppers
and the robot,
You c a n ’t travel to Mars, but a robot can.
Jollbot, can both
R ob ots can exp lo re p laces th at are not safe for jump.
people. R o b o ts c a n ’t w alk, but th e y still have to
(bkgd) ©iStockphoto.com/Alex25 (inset) IDPS - University of Bath

travel over dips and bum ps. S o m e tim e s th e y get

stu ck. D esig n ers are w o rkin g on a robot called
Jo llb o t to fix the problem . The nam e Jo llb o t
co m es from the w o rd s ju m p and roll. The Jo llb o t
can do both. The su p e r spring of g ra ssh o p p e r
legs gave d e sig n e rs th e ir idea.

263
Tunnel Makers
More than 2 0 0 ye ars ago, an
engineer w as trying to drill a
tunnel under a river. B ut each Shipworms and tunnel-
attem p t failed. The w alls kept builders need a way to
drill through wood or
falling in. Then he saw how rock safely.
ship w o rm s bored through w ood.
The anim al uses a tough shield
to drill. Then it builds a hard
tube along the tunnel w alls.
W h at a g reat idea! Th e en g in eer
copied the ship w o rm to build
the Th am es Tunnel. A s he drilled,
w o rkers lined the tunnel w alls
w ith b ricks.
M ixing N ew Materials Sticky gecko feet
Tiny hairs on a g e c k o ’s foot help it clim b gave doctors an
idea for a super
w alls. It can cling to ceiling s, too. S c ie n tists
Researchers, Inc. (inset) Robert Langer and Jeff Karp
sticky bandage.
studied g ecko feet to cre a te a b an d ag e w ith
bum ps. The b an d ag e is so stic k y it can even
atta ch w et su rfa ce s (like a hum an h eart!).
(bkgd) Volker Steger/Photo

Summarize What did you learn from reading

the section called "Mixing New Materials?"
Tell what the section is about.

265
 Working Together Ideas from locusts
Researchers, Inc. (inset) Matt M awson/Flickr/Getty Im ages

Bird s fly in flo cks. Fish sw im in sch o o ls. Th e y are helping to

do this w ith o u t hitting one another. C ars m ove in design safer cars,
large groups, too. But th ey often crash . Today, ca r
d esig n ers are learning from lo cu sts. T h e y stu d y
how the in se cts travel to g e th e r safely. One d ay you
m ight drive a ca r th at “se e s” the ca rs around it.
(bkgd) Kazuyoshi Nomachi/Photo

STOP AND CHECK

A sk and A nsw er Q uestions Why are car designers

studying locusts? Reread page 266 to find the answer.
J
266
Learning from the Experts
B io m im icry sho w s that ideas th at w o rk fo r nature can
w ork fo r people, too. It m akes sense. Need a m aterial
that is strong and stre tc h y ? Learn in g ab o u t sp id e r silk
w ould be a good p lace to begin. S p id e r silk is one of the
stro n g est fib e rs in nature. It is as fle xib le as an e la stic
band and strong like steel. Need a ty p e o f glue that
will harden in salt w a te r? W h a t do the sea cre a tu re s
b arn acles and m ussels use to stic k to ro cks? M aybe
nature a lre ad y has a plan or a re cip e peop le can use!
O b servin g how nature w o rks also sh o w s us w ays This cloth was
to help the planet. N ature d o es not w a ste m aterials woven from the
silk that spiders
or energy. A nd natural d esig n s do not pollute the use to spin webs,
air or w ater. Learn in g new
things w hile p ro tectin g E a rth ’s
re so u rce s—th a t’s an idea
w orth copying!
 A drienne Mason stu d ied to be a
scie n tist. La te r on she d ecid ed th at a
life in a lab w as not for her. B e ca u se
she loved talking and w ritin g ab out
scie n ce , she began to w rite books
instead. She has w ritte n m ore than
tw e n ty books fo r ch ild ren . Most are
ab o u t scie n ce , nature, and history.
W hen she isn’t w ritin g , A d rie n n e likes
to spend tim e ou td o o rs. She hikes,
cam p s, bikes, and w alks on the beach
near her hom e in w e ste rn C anad a.
(inset) Patrice H an sen
(bkgd) © iStockphoto.com /A lex25
Respond to Reading
Summarize Main Id ea

What ideas from nature led inventors D e ta il

to create new products? Information
D e ta il
from your Main Idea and Details Chart
may help you summarize. D e ta il

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Big Ideas From Nature is
expository nonfiction? Identify the text features, g e n re

2 . What is the main idea of this article? What is a key detail

that supports that idea? m a in i d e a a n d k e y d e t a i l s

3 . Find the word inspiration in the photograph label on

page 259. What is the root word of inspiration? What do
you think inspiration means? r o o t w o r d s

4 . Write about why page 263 has the heading "Master

Movers." Explain what details the author chose to go
with the heading, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
Describe how something in nature led
someone to a new idea, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Think about one of the inventions in this

article. How has it made our world better?
T E X T TO W O R LD
 Genre • Myth

Compare Texts
Read about how fish bones inspired
a young inventor long ago in Athens.

PERDIX
Invents the

SAW
In the days of gods
and goddesses, there lived an
inventor named D aedalus (DED-uh-lis).
He w a s famous throughout Greece
for his good ideas and his bad temper.
One day Daedalus heard a knock on his w orkshop
door. “W ho’s interrupting my w o rk ?” he grow led.
“It’s me, Uncle," said his tw elve-year-old nephew
Perdix (PER-dix). “I w an t to be a great inventor, too.
Will you teach m e?”
D aedalus’s back hurt from chopping firewood. His
shoulder ached from sw eepin g. He didn’t really w an t
to teach Perdix. Then he got an idea. “If you do all the
chores, I’ll let you w atch me invent things," he said.
Perdix did the chores, cooked m eals, and observed
how Daedalus worked. The boy had some clever
ideas. He w an ted to make a smaller ax for cutting
branches for firewood. D aedalus disagreed. “Just
leave the inventing to m e,” he alw ays hissed.

270
 One afternoon Perdix roasted a large fish for lunch.
After eating, D aedalus licked his fingers and sm acked
his lips. “That w a s pretty good, Perdix, but I’ve eaten
b etter,” he said.
Perdix sighed and started w ash in g the dishes. In
the process he cut his finger on the jagg ed backbone
of the fish. He held the backbone up and studied its
sharp edges. “I can imitate this
design and make a fine tool for
cutting w o o d ,” he thought.
The next day, Perdix
saw ed all the firew ood before
Daedalus aw oke. “How did
you finish your w ork so early?”
Daedalus snarled.
“It w a s easy w ith my n ew
invention, ” said Perdix. He
show ed his uncle the saw.
Daedalus w a s reluctant to
praise his clever nephew .
“It should be m y invention
because you cooked that fish
for m e," he sniffed.
Perdix just smiled. He
now realized that he w a s
a great inventor, too.

Make Connections
How did nature inspire Perdix? e s s e n t ia l q u e s t io n

What other inventions have you read about that

were inspired by nature? t e x t t o t e x t

271
the Rails

This train is a
m odel of an old
steam locom otive
at the G olden
Spike National
Historic Site
in Utah.

Essential Question
How is each event in history unique?
Read how the tran sco n tin en tal
railroad changed the United States.

:27%W
 W orkers take a break from building
a cross-country railroad.

by w agon w as hard, long, and

Why did people want dangerous. People w anted a
safer and m ore co m fo rtab le w ay
to go west?
to travel. B usin ess people w anted
a q u icker w ay to m ove goods.
I n 1825, the first railroad cam e A s a result, the governm ent
to the United States. A s a result, began thinking about building a
people discovered that taking new rail line. This railroad would
a train w as a m uch faster kind co n n e ct the w hole country.
of tran sp o rtatio n than riding a
horse or taking a w agon. Tw enty- Building a Railroad
five years later, a netw o rk of In 1862, P re sid e n t A b rah am
railroads co n nected tow ns and Lin co ln and C o n g re ss agreed
cities on the E ast C oast. th at a railroad should be built
U nfortunately, there w as no to co n n e ct E a st and W est.
quick w ay to travel to the W est Th e y p icked tw o co m p an ies
Coast. The trip took m onths. In to lay the train tra c k s. One
1841, the first pioneers rode in co m p a n y sta rte d laying tra cks
covered w ago ns from Missouri in S acram e n to , C alifo rn ia and
to farm land in O regon. Then, w e n t east.
in 1849, gold w as discovered in STOP AND CHECK

California. Tho usan ds of m iners Summarize Why was it

rushed to California to look for
B ettm an/C orbis

important to build a railroad

gold. The trip acro ss the co u n try across the United States?

273
 Transcontinental Railroad A Faster Way to Go
This m ap show s w here tw o railroad lines join ed On May 10,1869, the tra ck s w ere
to m ake cross-country train travel possible.
joined at P ro m o n to ry Point,
Utah. The new railroad m ade
em ig ratio n easier. B y w agon
Promontory train, the trip from M issouri to
Point
Omaha C alifo rn ia had taken five m onths.
Now a trip a cro ss the co u n try by
train too k ab out nine days. A s
Sacramento
a result, people traveling w e st
a p p re cia te d the railroads.
K ey Trains also carrie d mail and
IIHIH Railroad goo d s. C itie s g rew along the
• City
ra ilro a d ’s route. Peop le built
b u sin e sse s and fa cto rie s.

The oth er co m p an y started

in O m aha, N ebraska and w ent
w est. The tra c k s had to cro ss
nearly tw o tho usand m iles of d ry
plains, d ese rt, and m ountains.
Layin g tra ck s w as hard,
b ack-b reakin g w o rk. O ften, the
w e ath e r w as not a g re e ab le.
W o rkers had to be cap a b le of
w orking long hours in cold, heat,
and sto rm s.
Most of the railroad w o rke rs
w ere from China. Th e y had com e
to the United S ta te s seeking
a b etter life. T h e y risked their
lives to help A m e rica build the
Bettm an/Corbis

Railroad ow ners drove in a golden spike

railroad. w here the tracks from east and w est m et.
As w orkers w atched, th ey shook hands.
274
Trains Keep
Us Moving
Trains are still im p o rtan t in the
United S ta te s. E a ch year, trains
ca rry m illions of tons of goods
acro ss the cou ntry. Coal is the
m ost im p o rtant p ro d u ct they
carry. Coal is used to m ake
energ y to po w er fa cto rie s and
heat hom es. W ith o u t railroad s to
ca rry the coal, fa cto rie s w ould
clo se and hom es w ould be cold .
Many people also ride trains
to get to th eir jo b s or to travel
acro ss country. Trains m ake less
air pollution than ca rs, and th ey
d o n’t cau se tra ffic Jjam s. Trains * • *u-
Today, train s carry everything
are here to stay! from bricks to coal.

The population boom ed in

Respond to Reading
w estern sta te s. A nd the United
1. How do you know that "Riding
S ta te s eco n o m y g rew as people
the Rails West!" is expository text?
m oved w e stw ard to the P acific.
Identify the text features, g e n r e
The em ig ran ts w ho to o k the
tran sco n tin e n tal railroad have 2 . How was the transcontinental
railroad built? Tell the events in
m any d e sce n d a n ts in the W est.
order, s e q u e n c e
Today the d e sc e n d a n ts m ainly
use an o th er kind of v eh icle. 3 . Find comfortable on page 273.
Th ey travel by car. B u t thanks Use the suffix to tell what the
Steve C rise/Transtock/Corbis

word means, s u f f i x e s
to the tra n sco n tin e n ta l railroad,
m any people are living in 4 . Why are railroads important
California today. today? T E X T TO W O R LD
-----------------------------------------------------------
275
 Genre • Expository Text

Compare Texts
Read about a special way of
finding out about important
events in the past.

Discovering
Life Long Ago
In the past, people w ro te in
diaries and jo urnals. Th e y w ro te
letters to frien d s and fam ilies.
They also w ro te au to b io g rap h ies
to tell th eir life sto ries. D iaries,
journals, and au to b io g rap h ies
tell us w h at people tho ught
and felt. They also give d etails
about d aily life in the past.
Th e y d e scrib e the food people
ate. Th ey tell w h at kind of
tran sp o rtatio n th e y used.
Po sters, n e w sp ap ers,
and old p hoto graph s also give
d etails ab ou t even ts in the past.
So do sp e e ch e s and so ngs.
Pho to g rap hs sho w p e o p le ’s
clo th es and how they had fun.
Both w o rd s and p ictu res
from the past help us see how
people lived long ago. Th e y
tell a history of people, places,
This p oster w as an ad
Bettm ann/Corbis

and things. T h e y take us b ack

for the transcontinental
in tim e. railroad in 1869.
 mmm

A Pioneer’s Diary
Sallie H ester w as fo urteen ye ars
old w hen she traveled w e st in a
w agon train in 1849. She kept
a diary. You can read a part of
it below. W h a t d etails about
em igration
3
can you
J
learn from . . ,, ... .
In the 1840s, th o u san d s of fam ilies m oved w est
Sallie s d ia ry ? to O regon and Califo rnia in covered w agons.

Spring, 1849
When we camp at night, we form a corral with
our wagons and pitch our tents on the outside.
Inside of this corral we drive our cattle, with guards
stationed on the outside of the tents. . . .
W e have a portable table, tin plates and cups,
cheap knives and forks, camp stools, etc. . . .
W e live on bacon, ham, rice, dried fruits, molasses,
packed butter, bread, coffee, tea and milk, as we
have our own cows.

Make Connections
What can we learn about history from diaries,
newspapers, and photographs? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

What have you learned about transportation west

from old photos and diaries? t e x t t o t e x t
THE REAL STORY OF STONE SOUP by Ying Chang Com pestine, illustrated by St^phane Jorisch. Text copyright © 2007 by Ying Chang C om pestine. Illustration s
copyright © 2007 by Stephane Jorisch. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition published by
arrangement with Dutton Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

9
The

a surprising soup.
Genre* Folktale

Essential Question

Read how three brothers

by Ying C hang C om pestine
REAL
illustrated by Stephane Jorisch

choose healthful foods to make

What choices are good for us?
OF S T O N E S O U P
STORY
 y now, you have probably heard the old folktale
about stone soup. A hungry soldier tricks some stingy
villagers into making him a big pot of soup. The truth
is that stone soup was invented here in China, and
without any sly tricks.

Here is the real story.

 It all began when I hired those troublesome Chang
brothers to help me on my fishing boat. Nice boys, but
lazy and, I’m sorry to say, somewhat stupid. The only
good thing is I could get away with not paying them
very much.
 Even with three of them, I did most of the
work, and I kept the hardest job for myself. I
steered the boat.

STOP AND CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions What kind of

person is the narrator? Use the illustrations
and what you have read to find the answer.

281
 One summer day, after a full morning of fishing, I
decided to stop early for lunch.
“Time to eat, boys!” I yelled. “Dock the boat.”
After the Chang brothers got the boat tied up, my work
really began. Those boys were too dull to know what to do.
“Ting! Gather firewood. Pong! Prepare the cooking pot
and clean the fish. Kuai! Get some fresh water.”
“The cooking pot isn’t here,” interrupted Ting, the
oldest, a troublemaker. He always talked back to his elders.
“What do you mean the pot isn’t here? Where is it?”
They looked at one another and shrugged.
“You boys forgot the cooking pot? How could you?”
I asked.
“It’s your pot,” said Ting. “You should have remembered
to bring it.”
 Those stupid potato heads! What were we to do now?
Pong, the middle one and the most well-mannered of the
three, tried to apologize. “Sorry, Uncle. W e left in a hurry
this morning, and we— ”
Kuai, the youngest, interrupted. “W e don’t really need
a pot to cook lunch.” He whispered something to his
brothers. Kuai is always full of silly ideas.
“How are we supposed to cook lunch?” I asked. “With
a hole in the ground?”
Those crazy boys must have thought I meant it. N o
sooner had those words left my mouth than they started
digging a hole in the sandy beach.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Cooking lunch, of course,” said
Kuai. He began to line the hole with
banana leaves. Meanwhile, Ting
and Pong started a huge fire next
to the hole.
 “Now we need some stones,” said Kuai.
“For what?” I asked
Kuai didn’t answer. He picked up a
nearby rock and held it to his ear. “This is a
fish stone,” he announced. Then he threw
the rock in the fire.
“Come now,” I said. “Even you can’t be
foolish enough to believe— ”
“Shh!” Ting interrupted, holding a stone
to his ear. “I need to hear what it is telling
me. Aha! This is a fine vegetable stone.” He
tossed his rock into the fire, too.
I tried listening to a couple of stones. I didn’t hear a
thing. The hunger must have gone to their heads. “If you’re
so clever, what kind is this?” I handed a stone to Pong. He
listened for a moment.
“Aha! Uncle, you are brilliant. You picked out a yummy
egg stone.” He pitched my stone into the fire.
I had no idea what he was blabbering about. But
by this time I was hungry enough to eat anything,
even stones.

284
 “W e need something to carry water from the river and
to eat the soup with,” said Kuai.
“Oh, Uncle,” said Pong. “Could you use your mighty ax
to make some bowls from bamboo stalks?”
“Aiyo /” I grumbled. “I have to do all the work, as always!”
But it was true that none of them could be trusted with my
sharp ax.
With a few quick chops, I made four bowls from a thick
stalk. The boys used them to fill the hole with water.

285
 I shook my head at them. “Now we have
puddle and a fire. How do you expect to ge
the water over the fire?” I asked.
“Leave that to us,” said Ting.
“Uncle, you made the best bowls in the
village with nothing more than an ax,” said
Pong. “Could you use your graceful knife
to make some chopsticks to go with them?”
“Aiyo /” I cried. “You lazy boys want me
to do all the work.” Nevertheless, I carved
out some chopsticks. Unlike the Chang
brothers, I wasn’t stupid enough to eat hot
stones with my fingers.

286
 When I finished, I gave each boy a pair of my
skillfully carved chopsticks. “How long does it take the
stones to cook?” I worried that the stones might burn
like potatoes. Then I couldn’t believe what those crazy
boys did next. With long sticks, Ting picked a stone out
of the hot fire, and instead of offering it to his elder first,
he held it before Kuai and Pong!
They didn’t eat it, though. They whispered to it,
“Yu, yu, y u ” (“Fish, fish, fish”), and blew on it.
Then Ting dropped the stone into the
hole. Sploosh!

“A iyo /” I yelled.
Bubbles of steam shot off the stone as it sank to the
bottom. The steam carried a wonderful fish smell. I saw
pieces of fish floating in the soup. Those boys had told
the truth— it really was a fish stone! M y stomach purred
like a kitten.

STO P AND CH ECK

Ask and Answer Questions

Look at the illustration on page
286. Why are there pieces of fish
floating in the soup?

287
 Kuai gently stirred the soup. “Hmm, this is turning
into a tasty soup. If only we had a little salt, it would be
a soup fit for a schoolmaster.”
“Ting!” I said. “Get the salt off the boat.”
“It’s your salt. You get it,” Ting said rudely. I was
too hungry to teach him good manners. So I went to
get the salt.

288
 As I returned with the salt, T in g picked up the second
stone and held it before his brothers. “ Cai, cai, cai. ” They
whispered the word for vegetables three times and blew
on the stone. T in g dropped it into the soup.
Shoosh! M ore steam leapt into the air. Surprisingly,
I smelled vegetables! T he aroma was so yummy, my
stomach growled like an angry tiger.
Kuai stirred the soup again and sprinkled
in a little salt. “This is a wonderful
vegetable stone. If only we had a little
sesame oil, this would be a soup fit
for an emperor,” said Kuai.
“Ju st a moment!” I cried. “I’ll be
right back with the sesame oil.”
 When I returned with the sesame oil, T in g was holding
up the last stone. All three boys yelled, “Dan, dan, dan!”
(“Egg, egg, egg!”) Then they each blew hard on the stone,
one at a time.
“Why are you shouting at that stone, you potato
heads?” I asked.
“E gg stones don’t hear very well,” said Ting. He
dropped the stone into the soup.
 Shoom! T he hot stone brought the soup to a wild boil.
I couldn’t believe it when I saw threads of egg float to
the top. A luscious fragrance fdled the air. Even the
monkeys came closer to get a whiff.
Kuai drizzled in the sesame oil. M ore delectable
smells! By now I was sure the sounds from my hungry
stomach could be heard back in the village.
 Finally, T in g did something right. H e filled
one of the bamboo bowls with soup and served
me, his elder, first.

292
 I could hardly wait to taste it. I lifted the steaming bowl
to my lips and took a sip. “Mmmmm .. . Hao chi! Hao chi'!”
(“Tastes good! Tastes good!”) I must tell you that I have
never tasted such a wonderful soup! T he fish from the
fish stone was tender and fresh. T he wild mushrooms
and onions from the vegetable stone were flavorful. T he
threads o f egg from the egg stone were cooked just right.
Thanks to the bowls and chopsticks I had made,
now the boys could enjoy the soup, too. T he rest o f the
afternoon, they were happy and even worked a little
harder. N o t harder than me, o f course.

293
 From that day on, I always carried rocks in my
pockets and told everyone the secret o f making stone
soup. I even demonstrated how to whisper to fish and
vegetable stones, and how to yell at egg stones. But the
truth is, I still haven’t had time to make it. You know,
I work too hard already.
And that, my friends, is how I invented the real stone
soup. I don’t know how people ended up with that silly
old folktale.

Summarize How did the brothers

make stone soup? Tell the events
from the story in order.

295
 About the
Author and Illustrator
Ying Chang Stephane Jorisch
Compestine says lived near a big
that writing keeps her river in Canada
close to China, where as a teenager. He
she grew up. Ying loved floating in
writes cookbooks as boats of all kinds.
well as children’s books. She Stephane’s father illustrated
travels around the world talking comic strips. T hat inspired
about her life and her writing. Stephane to become an artist.
Ying says that traveling to new Stephane also illustrated
places lets her find the best food Emily'’s Piano and Anancy and
and the best stories. the Haunted House. H e now
lives in Montreal, Canada.

Authors Purpose
Why are the illustrations an
important part of this story?

296
 Respond To Reading
Summarize
Summarize the main events in the story.
Use the details from your Point of View
Chart to help you.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that The Real Story
o f Stone Soup is a folktale? g e n r e

2 . What is the narrator's point of view about the Chang

brothers? What is your point of view about them?
P O IN T OF VIE W

3 . Find the word apologize on page 283. How can you

use the word apology to figure out its meaning?
ROOT W ORDS

4 . Write about what Uncle thinks about himself

at the end of the story. Do you
agree with his point of view?
Why or why not?
WRITE A B O U T READING
A*

Make Connections
Which healthful foods do the Chang
boys choose to put in the soup?
ESSENTIAL QU ESTIO N

What are some healthful choices that

people make every day? t e x t t o w o r l d
 Compare Texts
Read about how people
can choose healthful food
to get energy.

Food Is Energy
What’s for dinner? There are so many
choices. Every time you go to the market you
find a va r ie ty of foods to eat. Which ones do
you choose? Why does it matter what you eat?
It matters because you move around and
think all day long. You go to school. You play
with friends. You do chores and homework.
All that activity takes energy. You get
energy from the food you eat. You need to
eat energy-producing food because, unlike a
plant, your body can’t make its own food.

Energy from the Sun

Think about the tomato you ate for lunch.
It began as a tiny seed. A seed contains just
enough food to begin growing. The plant
Publishing (b) Peter Frank/Corbis

uses energy from the Sun. It changes w ater

and air into food. It uses the food to produce
tomatoes. A farmer picks the tomato and Plants can make their
sends it to a supermarket. own food from sunlight.
(t) Ingram

298
 The next time you go to the
market, w hat will you buy?
You might choose a juicy red
tomato for tw o reasons. It’s
healthful and delicious, and
it’s good for you, too. It gives You can get
many healthful
you energy! vegetables at a
grocery store.

Recipe for Easy Salsa

Use a tomato to make a healthful snack. Try this recipe! Ask an adult to help.

What You Need O Chop tomato, onion, and cilantro.

1 large tom ato
© Place the chopped vegetables in a small bowl.
V4 red onion
Z2 cup cilantro © Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl.
Z2 lim e © Add a little bit of salt and hot sauce.
salt
h o t sauce
© Mix everything together with a spoon.

Enjoy your salsa with

baked corn chips!

(t) Boris SV/FIickr/Getty Images (b) Heather Winters/Photodisc/Getty Im ages

Make Connections
Why is it important to choose
healthful foods? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Compare the food choices in this

article to food choices in other
stories you have read, t e x t t o t e x t

299
 Clementine has a big problem. She has no
talents, and tonight is the big Talent-Palooza.
Every third and fourth grader will be dancing,
singing, or turning cartwheels—except
Clementine. Even Margaret, her best friend,
has an act. Now Clementine has to tell Mrs.
Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group LLC. All Rights Reserved. British Commonwealth Rights: The Talented
The Talented Clementine © 2007 by Sara Pennypacker, Illustrated by Marla Frazee © 2007. Reprinted by Permission of

Rice, the principal, and Margaret's teacher

why she won't be performing. What can
Clementine say? For once, she is completely
out of ideas.

Essential Question
How can you use what you know
to help others?
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, © 20 07.

Read about how Clementine finds

her special talent.
 hen I walked into the auditorium, I saw
Margaret’s teacher and Mrs. Rice sitting at the
side of the stage on tall director’s chairs. I tried
to hide, but Margaret’s teacher saw me. She
looked down at her clipboard and frowned. Then
she yelled so loud all the kids in the auditorium
stopped what they were doing to listen.
“Clementine, I don't seem to have you listed
here. No matter, w e’ll fit you in. What's your act?’’
I ; I went over there and whispered in her ear
that I didn't have one. I hoped the kids watching
thought I was saying I couldn't choose one
because I had too m any talents.
“What do you mean, you don’t have one?"
Margaret's teacher yelled, even though I was
right there.
Okay, fine. Maybe she
didn't yell it. But all the kids
were listening so hard, they
heard anyway.
“Hey, Clementine,” one
of the fourth graders called
out. “Your face looks like
it’s burning up! Maybe that
could be your act!”

Ask and Answer Questions Why does

Clementine whisper in the teacher's ear?
Reread page 302 to find the answer. I

■€jfi '
302 K ; M
 About a million kids laughed, even though
he was N-O-T, not funny. But he was right—when
I get embarrassed my face gets red and hot. So
I didn't yell anything back to him. I just stood
there with my red, hot face hanging down.
Mrs. Rice called me over. "Come sit beside
me, Clementine,” she said. "You can keep me
company during the rehearsal.”
 So I had to sit in between Mrs. Rice and Margaret's
teacher, right there at the side of the stage where all
the kids could see me and know that I had no talents.
The first act was called A Dozen Doozie
Cartwheelers. TWelve kids lined up, six on each side
of the stage.
“Wait!" I yelled. I ran into the gym and dragged a
tumbling mat back into the auditorium. I placed it on
the floor in front of the stage. Then I got some of the
Dozen Doozies to help me. Pretty soon we had all the
mats piled up.
 J —— _A

Margaret’s teacher was glaring at me. She tapped

her watch.
‘T hey’re going over/’ I explained. “No m atter how
they start off aiming, some of them are going over.”
And they did. At least half a dozen of the Doozies
went flying off the stage and right onto the mats. As
soon as we got those kids back up and checked them
for broken bones, I saw something else with my
amazing corner-eyes.
 "Stop!” I yelled. Then I ran over and grabbed a
handful of crackers from one of the third graders
just before they went into his mouth.
“You're up next,” I reminded him. “And you’re
whistling ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy.' No crackers!”
When I got back, Margaret’s teacher gave me a
look that said she was going to remem ber all this
nonsense when I got into her grade.
But Mrs. Rice gave me a thumbs-up. “Thank
you, Clementine,” she said. “Those crackers could
have been a problem.”
And you will not believe what happened next:
Margaret’s teacher apologized!
“I'm sorry,” she said.
“I'm a little antsy tonight.”
I wanted to stick around
to hear about why she
was antsy, but just then
I noticed that the Super-
Duper Hula-Hoopers had
been Hula-Hooping for
a while. I went over and
asked them how long they
were planning to go on.

306
 The girl on the right said, “I once went for five
hours and thirteen m inutes.”
The girl on the left made a face that said,
“That's nothing!”
“Well, you need to have an ending tonight,”
I said. “There are a lot of acts after yours."
I borrowed the jump-ropers’ CD player and
explained about how they could Hula-Hoop to the
music and then S-T-O-P, stop when it was over.
And I didn’t even get to sit down again for the
rest of the afternoon because everybody needed
my help for something. Finally, after everyone
had a chance to practice their acts, I went over
to Mrs. Rice.
“May I go into your office and use the phone?
I need to call my parents and tell them not to
come.”
“I think it's a little late for that.” Mrs. Rice
showed me her watch and then called out, “Thke
your places, people. Five minutes to showtime!”
308
 a i i
* ☆

Margaret’s teacher clapped her hands for

attention.
“Before we get started,” she said, “I just want
to thank you all for being part of the show.
Each and every one of you is helping to raise
money for the big school trip next spring. Except
Clementine.”
Okay, fine, she didn’t actually say, “Except
Clementine,” but you could see everyone was
thinking it.
Just then, the secretary came over and
handed her a note.
“Oh! Oh, my goodness!” she cried. She
jum ped up out of her seat faster than I thought
a grown-up should. “Oh, my goodness gracious,
it’s now! My daughter's having her baby! My
first grandchild!”
“Go,” said Mrs. Rice. "It’s all right. We can
handle the show. Just go be with your daughter.”
“Oh, thank you!” Margaret's teacher said. And
then she left so fast she really did lose one of her
bobby pins. It didn’t look like lightning, though.
It just looked like a bobby pin falling to the floor.
“Wow,” I said to Mrs. Rice. “So now you have
to run the whole show by yourself.”
 “No, not by myself,” Mrs. Rice said. “I have an
assistant. And that's you.”
“Me? Oh, no. I can't!”
"You can. And I’m certainly not doing this
alone.”
“I really can't. I don’t pay attention,
remember?”
“You do pay attention, Clementine. Not always
to the lesson in the classroom. But you notice
more about what’s going on than anyone I know.
And that’s exactly what I need tonight.”
“I don’t think this is a very good idea at all."
“Well, I do think it’s a good idea. I'll prove it
to you." Principal Rice called over one of the
Hula-Hoopers. “Hillary, what’s the second act
after intermission?”
Hillary looked around. “I don't have a program,”
she said. “Do you want me to get you one?”
Mrs. Rice told her No thanks, then she turned
to me. “Clementine, what's the second act after
intermission?”
“Caleb from the fourth grade is going to burp
'The Star-Spangled Banner’,” I told her.
“Does he need any props?”
“A two-liter bottle of root beer.”
“How long will it take?”
“Forty-one seconds. Forty-eight if he has to stop
to drink extra soda at the ‘rockets’ red glare' part."
 ..r A r .H

“I rest my case,” Principal Rice said.

She pointed a “no buts” finger at the empty
director's chair.
When a principal orders you to do something,
it is impossible to refuse. Some part of you
always gives in. So I climbed into the chair.
“Open the curtains!” Principal Rice said.
And the worried scribbling feeling exploded
all through my body.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions How does

Clementine feel about being the principal's
assistant? Reread page 310 to find the answer
 Well, you would think those kids had never had
a rehearsal.
First thing: all Dozen Doozies cartwheeled off
the edge of the stage. Well, except for one girl, who
forgot to move at all. Maria and Morris-Boris-Norris,
from my class, went on next, and they cartwheeled
right off the stage, too.
Nobody had to go to the emergency room,
though, and the audience thought the whole thing

312
 The next act was the O’Malley twins. Lilly had
convinced Willy not to do the thing with his lunch,
and to play a duet on the piano with her instead.
But when Lilly got up to the mike to announce the
act, she got so nervous she threw up.
I looked at Willy, sitting on the piano bench.
Willy does everything Lilly does. And sure enough,
he was getting ready.
“Not on the piano!” I yelled. Just in time.
Then I ran over and closed the curtains quick,
so the whole audience wouldn't get started, too.
When the janitor came running out to clean
everything up, I had a good idea.
“Send Sidney out now, in front of the curtains,”
I told Mrs. Rice.
“Why?” she asked. “There’s no microphone
out there.”
“That's okay. Sidney's really loud. And she's
going to recite a poem so there’s no cartwheeling,
just standing still. Besides, she’s got really
skinny feet, so she can fit out there if she stands
sideways.”
So Sidney went onstage and stood sideways and
yelled her poem. By the time she was done, the
stage was all mopped clean.
Next came the Hula-Hoopers, and they
completely forgot what I’d told them about
stopping. The music ended, but they just kept on
going. Finally, I had to close the curtains to pull
them off the stage so the jump-ropers could go on.
 The jump-ropers must have figured that if the
Hula-Hoopers didn't have to stop at the end of
the music, neither did they. So I had to close the
curtains on them, too.
Then came Margaret.
She did fine at the walking-on-stage-on-time
thing, which not everybody did. But just as she
got to the microphone, Alan took a picture of her
from the audience. Which was a bad mistake.
Whenever anyone takes a picture of Margaret
that she isn't expecting, she freezes. She says it’s
the horror of not knowing if she looks perfect or
not. Which I don’t understand, because Margaret
always looks perfect.
No matter, there she was, frozen on the stage
with her mouth hanging open. For one tiny
second, a little part of me thought, Good! No
showing off for you tonight!
But then my empathetic part took over.
I ran over to where Margaret could see me and
waved until I got her eyes to unfreeze. I pointed
to my hair and pretended to brush it.
 Margaret nodded like a robot. She turned to
the audience. “First, always brush your hair.
Even if it’s cut off like m ine.”
She looked back at me. I pretended to do up
some buttons, then I pointed to my right.
“Always make sure you’re buttoned up right,”
Margaret told the audience.
 Then I lifted my foot and crossed my fingers
over my sneaker.
“Never wear green sneakers!” Margaret said.
“Green sneakers are the worst!” Then she shook
herself, as if she’d been asleep. She went up
closer to the mike.
“Wait a minute," she said. "I was just kidding
about that one. You can wear any color sneakers
you want. And green is the most fashionable
of all.”
She zoomed me a smile so huge all her teeth-
bracelets sparkled like diamonds in the spotlight.
I zoomed her one back—except with no
teeth-bracelets because I don’t have them yet.
After that, Margaret was okay.
I went back and climbed up onto the director’s
chair, and Principal Rice gave me a huge smile,
too. She leaned over and said, “I have the answer
for you now, Clementine. About why you
can't have a substitute. It’s because there is no
substitute for you. You are one of a kind!”
And that’s when I realized I didn’t have
the worried feeling anymore. Instead, I had the
proud feeling: like the sun was rising inside
my chest.
 U U i

The proud, sun-rising feeling stayed with me

all through the rest of the show. And no m atter
what went wrong, which was plenty, Mrs. Rice
and I just fixed it.

STOP A N D CHECK

Visualize Use the descriptions to

visualize Clementine's actions at the
end of the story. How does she feel?

317
 About the
Author and illustrator
Sara Pennypacker was
shy as a girl. She loved
books, art, and baseball.
In fact, her dream was to
play major league baseball. Sara has not
yet lived her baseball dream. But she has
been able to combine her other two loves
She works with books and art! First she
was a watercolor painter with her own
studio. After that, she started writing
children's books.

Marla Frazee has written

and illustrated five books.
She has also illustrated
many other books, including
the Clementine series. Marla
studied art at a college in California.
Now, in addition to writing and
illustrating, she shares her talents by
teaching other people how to create
illustrations for children's books.
(t) Jerry Bauer (b) James Bradley

A uthor's Purpose
Why do you think the author chose
Clementine as the story's narrator?
 Respond to Reading
Summarize Details

What are the most important

events in this story? The details
from your Point of View Chart
may help you summarize. Point of View

Te^t Evidence
1. How do you know that The Talented Clementine is realistic
fiction? GENRE

2 . What does Mrs. Rice think about Clementine's lack of talent?

Tell why you agree or disagree. Find tw o places in the story
to show evidence for your answer, p o i n t o f v i e w

3 . Find the word impossible on page 311. How can the prefix
im- help you figure out what impossible means? p r e f i x e s

4 . Write about details the author uses to show Clementine's

point of view at the end of the show. Explain how this
compares to your point of view, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
How does Clementine use what she
knows to help others? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why do people perform in talent shows?

TEXT TO W O RLD

319
K
[. A
m
 ccsl Genre • Realistic Fiction
Compare Texts
Read about how Clementine's parents help her
gain confidence and get ready for a change.

From

and the hamilyMeeting

e m e n i m e

by Sara Pennypacker
pictures by Marla Frazee
I t ’s alm ost tim e for th e fam ily
m eetin g a t C lem entine's house, a n d
C lem entine is really nervous. W hat
[Reprinted by Permission of Disney«Hyperion. an imprint of Disney Book Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

did sh e a n d h e r little b ro th e r do this

by Marla Frazee © 20 11.

tim e? Did sh e e a t too m uch ju n k

fo o d ? M aybe sh e m isplaced one of
\Clementine and the Family Meeting © 2011 by Sara Pennpacker, Illustrated

D a d ’s tools? B oth Mom a n d D ad

h av e assu red h e r th a t this m eetin g
is only a b o u t good new s. B ut
C lem entine is n o t so su re . . .
 y dad called the m eeting to order.
“We are a very lucky family,” he said.
“Very lucky.”
“W hat’s on the agenda?” I asked.
“I’m getting to th at,” my dad said. “Now,
families change. They grow. It’s hard to believe,
but you’re eight and a half now, and your
brother’s almost four."
I clapped my hands over my brother’s ears.
“Should w e have a surprise party for him?
You know w hat would make a great present?
A gorilla! ”
“His birthday’s not for a few m onths,” my
mom said. “I vote w e table that discussion for
another tim e.”
“Well, so w h a t’s the good thing w e have
to talk about tonight?” I asked.
 My dad looked at my mom and raised his
eyebrows. My mom looked back at him and
smiled. She w aved her palm to him like a game
show host, as if to say “Show us these great
prizes, Bill! ”
My dad looked at my mom again, and this
time he looked like he w as going to cry! Not in
a sad way, but in an “I can’t believe how lucky
I am that you’re h ere” way. Which w as nuts
because my mom is alw ay s here.
“Families grow ,” he said again. “And
tonight . . . ” He stopped and smiled at my
mom again. “Tonight, your mother and I want
to talk to you about . . . an addition to our
family. Our family is about to grow again. ”
And then finally, I figured out w hat he w as
saying! I slid Pea Pod off my lap and jumped
up to give my dad and mom a hug.
“Yes! Thank you! Yes! You w o n ’t be sorry,
I promise I’ll take good care of it, you’ll barely
even notice it’s here . . . Thank you! ”
 Cauliflower w as sitting on the floor, looking
betw een me and our parents, completely clueless,
I leaned over and squeezed him hard. “W e’re
getting a gorilla, after all! ”
My mom fell back against her chair, laughing.
“Oh, Clem entine,” she said. “It’s definitely not
a gorilla! ”
I w as a little tiny bit relieved. The truth is, since
I got my kitten, I’m not sure I really w ant a gorilla
anymore. That would be a really big litter box.
I studied my parents. “What is it then? A pony?
W e’re getting a p o n y ?"
My dad pulled me over to him and held my
hands. “W e’re talking
about a new baby. A
brother or a sister for you
two. What do you think
about that? ”
What I thought about
that w as N-O, no th an k s!
 “No thanks to more people! Our family is
four. There are four sides to a puzzle so w e
can all work on it at once. Hot dogs come in
packages of eight, so w e can each have two.
A t the playground, four is an even number for
the seesaw s. Four can all be together in the
car. Four can be tw o and tw o sometimes, and
nobody is lonely. Two kids and tw o grown-ups.
Two boys and tw o girls. There are four sides to
the kitchen table, so w e each get one. Four is
a perfect number for a family! ”
While I’d been explaining all this, my brother
had snuck over to his favorite cupboard and
thrown all the pots and pans out, like a
personal-size tornado. He w as sitting inside
now, crashing lids together.
I pointed to the mess in the kitchen. “Look
at us! Lima Bean puts toy trucks in the ziti
and w e used a drill gun to stir the muffins this
morning because w e couldn’t find the mixer and
my rat is missing, which isn’t my fault, and so is
my hat, and maybe that is my fault, but how is a
baby going to help w ith anything, th at’s w hat I
w ant to know! It’s all moving too fast and w e ’re
not ready. ”
“Oh, honey,” my mom said. “Life is alw ay s
moving too fast and w e ’re n ev er ready. That’s
how life is. But somehow that’s just perfect.”
She dragged Zucchini out of the cupboard and
hauled him off to get his pajamas on.
 “Your mother,” my dad said, “is exactly
right. Things are alw ays changing— th at’s
life. And this?” He spread his hands to the
tornadoed kitchen. “Us? Toy-truck ziti, missing
hats, drill-gun mixers? Well, this is how w e roll,
Clementine. This is how w e roll.”

How do Clementine's parents help her understand

the changes in her family? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How are the plot and setting and theme in the

two stories about Clementine alike? How are they
different? t e x t t o t e x t
Genre • Expository Text

Amazing Wildlife of the

By Laurence Pringle

Essential Question
How do animals adapt to challenges
in their habitat?
Read about how different animals in the
Mojave Desert survive in a dry, hot place

Go Digital!
 eserts are challen g in g places to live. They
are d ry and o fte n ve ry hot. Each year o nly a few
inches o f rain fall in th e Mojave (M o-H A -vee). It
is N orth A m e ric a ’s sm allest desert. It lies m o s tly
in parts o f so uthern C alifornia and so uthern
Nevada. The Mojave has b o th m ou ntain s and
valleys. It includes Death Valley, th e low est and
h o tte s t place in N orth Am erica.
On a car ride th rough the Mojave desert, you
may pass by many miles o f bare, dusty earth and
scattered bushes. However, on a m orning hike you
can discover th at a desert is a lively place. Birds
sing. Lizards scurry after insects. Jackrabbits and
roadrunners dash am ong the bushes and cactus
plants.
 A Living Place
A lth o u g h it is very dry, the
Mojave is a living place or
e n viro n m e n t fo r m any fascinating
animals and plants. Over m any
years th ey have changed, or
adapted, so th e y live very well in a
dry, hot environm ent. They do this
in d iffe re n t ways. In the Mojave you
m ig h t see several kinds o f lizards.
They are all related. All lizards are
reptiles. Reptiles all have scaly skin.
However, th ey are d iffe re n t in m any
ways. The desert spiny lizard, fo r
example, is only a few inches long.
Most o f its fo o d is insects. This hawk looks out
for food from the
top of a yucca palm.

Mojave Desert
The name Mojave KEY
means “alongside
yl|P
!^ National Park
or Preserve
w a te r” It comes Water

from the Mojave • Desert

(t) Jack Goldfarb/Design Pics/Corbis (b) Illustration: Mapping Specialists, Ltd.

people. They were

Native Americans
who once lived
along the Lower
Colorado River.
The river flows
through part of
the Mojave desert.

328
 The chuckwalla is very different. It can grow
to almost three feet long. This big lizard eats
leaves, flowers, and fruit of plants. It also has a
special way of protecting itself. If a chuckwalla
senses danger, it quickly hides in a crack between
rocks. Then it gulps in air, making its body fatter.
It becomes tightly wedged in so that a predator
cannot pull it out.

This chuckwalla will

quickly squeeze itself
between rocks if a
predator comes near.
Getting Water in the Desert
Anim als g e t w ater in d iffe re n t ways in th e Mojave.
Coyotes, bobcats, and o th e r large m am m als can travel
a long distance fo r a drink. So can som e birds. Small
lizards, snakes, and mice are different. They ca n n o t
travel far. They m ig h t prefer to d rin k fro m a stream
or even a puddle, b u t these are rare treats in a desert.
They find w ater in d iffe re n t ways. They g e t som e from
tin y drops o f d e w th a t fo rm o v e rn ig h t on plants or
stones. Their main source o f w a te r is th e fo o d th ey
eat. Flowers, seeds, and leaves contain water. The
bodies o f insects, scorpions, and o th e r animals are all
at least half water. Some d esert animals g e t m ost or
all o f the w a te r th e y need sim p ly by e ating food.

STOP A N D CHECK

Reread What are some different

ways that animals in the Mojave get
water? Reread to find the answer.

This coyote can travel

far to find water.
Light Colors Help
People w h o live in o r visit deserts o fte n w ear
lig h t-c o lo re d clothes. This is sm art because dark
colors take in, or absorb, Sun energy, w hile ligh t
colors reflect it. You can avoid o verhe a ting by
w earing lig h t colors. Desert anirmais do the
same by being ligh t-colo re d.
Being lig h t-c o lo re d can help animals in a n o th e r
way. In the Mojave, the land is o fte n co lo red tan,
gray, and lig h t brow n. Pale mice, insects, o r lizards
are hard to see against this b ackg ro u nd . This gives
the animals som e p ro tectio n fro m p re da to rs th a t
tr y to catch and eat them .
N ot all desert animals are lig h t-c o lo re d . In some
parts o f th e Mojave, mice and lizards are m uch
darker. They are d iffe re n t because th e y live am o ng
rocks and soil th a t are black or dark brow n. In those
places, darker colors help th e m hide and survive.

331
Escaping the Heat
Desert animals are all alike in one way. They find
ways to avoid m id d a y heat. D iffe re nt animals do
this in d iffe re n t ways. Most o f th e m rest d u rin g the
h o tte s t tim e o f day. They are active in co o le r times,
such as m ornings, evenings, or at night.
D ifferent animals avoid heat in d iffe re n t ways.
Scorpions usually hide in shady places. However, if a
scorpion m ust be o u t in daytim e, it can stand tall on
its legs. This is called “ s tiltin g .” It keeps th e s c o rp io n ’s
b o d y fro m to u c h in g the h ot surface. A snake, o f
course, ca nn ot “ s tilt” because it has no legs! On a hot
day some snakes and lizards crawl up into bushes.
There, the air is cooler than on the h o t soil surface.

Reread How do scorpions

avoid the heat? Reread to
find the answer.

A scorpion uses
its legs to raise its
body above the
hot ground.

w
 * '- ' '

Most d esert animals also

escape th e heat by seeking
shelter u n d e r bushes, rocks,
and o th e r shady places.
B lack-tailed ja ck ra b b its
sprawl in th e shade. They
lose b o d y heat by panting
or b re a th in g rapidly. Heat
is also given o ff fro m m any
tin y b lo o d vessels in th eir
large ears.
Cool and Safe Underground
Many desert animals seek the coolness o f
u n d erg ro un d burrows. The a fte rn o o n soil te m p e ra tu re
may be as h ot as 140 degrees F! Just a fo o t or tw o
u nderground, the te m p e ra tu re m ig h t be 85 degrees.
Burrows p ro te c t animals fro m heat and also from
cold. Desert nights are o fte n chilly. W in te r snow
som etim es falls in the Mojave.
Desert to rtoise s spend m ost o f th e ir lives in
burrow s th ey dig. They co m e o u t in th e spring to
eat plant leaves, flowers, and fruit. Because th e ir
burrow s are big and o fte n several fe e t long, there is
room fo r o th e r animals too. A to rto is e b u rro w is an
e xcellen t hiding and resting place fo r kangaroo rats,
rabbits, snakes, lizards, owls, and o th e r small desert
creatures. Some join a sleeping tortoise. O thers use
an aba nd o ne d burrow.

These owl chicks make

a comfortable home in
this abandoned burrow.
 The hard shell of a
desert tortoise protects
It from predators,

Some d esert animals also use th e ir hid e ou ts in

a d iffe re n t way. In the evening, scorpions w a it just
inside th e ir shelters fo r th e ir next meal. A lizard,
beetle, or even a n o th e r sco rp ion m ig h t pass by.
These m ovin g animals make g ro u n d v ib ra tio n s th a t
scorpions can feel. The v ib ra tio n s alert scorpions
th a t an animal is nearby. Some scorpions can sense
vib ra tio n s in th e air caused by a fly in g insect. They
NPS Photo by Stacy Manson

can reach o u t and grab a lo w -fly in g m oth!

335
 ‘-mm

The desert iguana's

skin turns pale in the
afternoon to help it
stay cool.

Morning Warmth
Desert animals have m any d iffe re n t ways to avoid
overheating. Som etim es, however, th e y need to g et
warm ! A t night, the desert air is q u ite cool. By dawn,
some animals need to w arm up. Lizards and snakes
crawl to a sunny place. They tu rn th e ir bodies to w a rd
the Sun to raise th e ir b o d y tem perature.
Desert iguanas have an am azing a b ility fo r w a rm in g
and also fo r cooling. They change color! In the m orning,
th eir skin is dark. This helps th e m abso rb heat fro m
the Sun. Then the day gets h o tte r and
hotter. By early a fte rn o o n the iguanas’ The desert
iguana's skin
skin has tu rn e d w hite, reflecting is dark in the
sunlight. Then, as th e air becom es
cooler in the evening, th e ir skin
darkens again.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions Why

do desert iguanas change color?
Reread the page to find the answer.
 Like iguanas, som e birds
need to w arm th e ir bodies a fte r
a chilly night. R oadrunners tu rn
th e ir backs to w a rd th e Sun
and raise th e ir b o d y feathers.
Their skin is black. It absorbs
Sun energy. W he n w arm
enough, roadrunners join in the
co m p etitio n fo r food. They
dash to hunt fo r lizards and
small snakes.
Roadrunners live very well in deserts. Like all
the o th e r Mojave animals, th e y are w o n d e rfu lly
ada p te d to th rive in a dry, h ot e nviron m e n t. So are
scorpions, jackra bb its, chuckwallas, and tortoises.
They all make th e Mojave a lively, fa scinating place.
About the Author
Growing up, Laurence
Pringle loved to explore
the o u td o o rs—tram ping
through the woods, splashing
through ponds and streams,
and fishing in the ocean. His
other strong interest was
reading, so w ritin g about
nature made perfect sense. A m ong
his other books are Snakes! Strange
and W onderful, Come to the O cean’s
Edge, and A Dragon in the Sky: The
S tory o f a Green D arner D ra g on fly
When he’s not w riting, he still enjoys
hiking and fishing.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author calls
the animals of the Mojave "amazing
Respond to Reading
Summarize
How have different animals in the
Mojave adapted to the challenges
in their habitat? Information from
your Venn Diagram may help you
summarize.

Text Evidence
1. Tell how you know that Amazing Wildlife o f the
Mojave is expository nonfiction. Identify the text
features, g e n r e

2 . How are scorpions and black-tailed jackrabbits the

same? How are they different? c o m p a r e a n d c o n t r a s t

3. Find the word environment on page 328. What clues

in the sentence help you figure out the meaning of
this word? s e n t e n c e c l u e s

4 . Write about why the author included information

on desert iguanas and roadrunners. Explain what trait
these animals share, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
Describe how one of the animals in the
selection has adapted to its environment.
ESSENTIAL QU ESTIO N

How do animals in cities or towns adapt

to their habitat? t e x t t o w o r l d
 Genre* Folktale

Compare Texts
Read about Little Half Chick. Find
out how he adapts to life in the city

Little Half Chick

Once in Mexico, an unusual chick hatched. He had only
one eye, one wing, and one leg. He was named Little Half
Chick. He quickly learned to hop faster on one leg than
most chickens could walk on two. He was a curious and
adventurous chick and soon grew tired of his barnyard
environment. One day he decided to hop to Mexico City
to meet the mayor.
Along the way, he hopped by a stream blocked with
Illustration: Christiane Beauregard

weeds. “Could you clear these weeds away so my water can

run freely?” the stream gurgled. Little Half Chick helped
the stream. Then he hopped on.

340
 It started to rain. A small fire on the side of the road
crackled, “Please give me shelter from this rain, or I will
go out!” Little Half Chick stretched out his wing to protect
the fire until the rain stopped.
Further down the road Little Half Chick met a wind
that was tangled in a prickly bush. “Please untangle me,” it
whispered. Little Half Chick untangled the wind. Then he
hopped on to Mexico City.
Little Half Chick did not meet the mayor. He met the
mayor’s cook. She grabbed him, plunged him into a pot
of water, and lit a fire. However, the fire and the water
remembered Little Half Chicks kindness. The fire
refused to burn, and the water refused to boil. Then,
the grateful wind picked him up and carried him
safely to the top of the highest tower in Mexico City.
Little Half Chick became a weather vane. His flat
body told everyone below the direction the wind blew.
And he learned this lesson: Always help someone in need
because you don’t know when you’ll need help.

Make Connections
Explain how Little Half Chick adapted
to his new habitat, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Compare Little Half Chick to other

animals you have read about, t e x t to text
Reprinted from Hot Air Balloons by Dana Meachen Rau with permission of Marshall C avendish. Genre • Expository Text

Essential Question
How are people able to fly?
Read to find out what it's like
to fly in a hot air balloon.
 Ready £or Take 0££
It is early morning. People unload a huge
colorful bag in an open field. They turn on a strong
fan. They aim it into the opening of the bag. The
bag starts to grow. It's a balloon! But it isn’t the kind
of balloon you get at a birthday party. This balloon
is taller than sixteen men!
Suddenly, fire roars into the balloon. It starts to
rise. People climb into the basket under the balloon
while others hold it steady. Then the balloon takes
off, carrying its passengers into the sky. They
float higher than the houses, higher than the trees,
up to where the birds fly.
Can you imagine what it would be like to float so
high? Cars would look like tiny dots. You'd be able
to see for miles. The wind would be your guide.
What would it feel like to ride with the wind?

H o t a i r i s lig h te r th a n cool
air. A b u r n e r h e a ts th e a ir in
a balloon so it will r i s e fro m
th e ground.
(I) A3609 Daniel Karmann/dpa/Corbis (r) Carl & Ann Purcell/Corbis

T h e £abric o£ a
balloon slowly
in f l a t e s u n til it
i s £ull.
J e a n -P ie rre B lan ch ard
c ro s se d th e E n g l i s h
C h a n n e l fr o m E n g l a n d
to P r a n c e in a balloon.
Ballooning H istory
Throughout history, people have
wondered what it would be like to fly. The
Chinese watched their kites move with the
wind. The Greeks told stories of men who
made wings to help them fly. People drew
pictures of flying machines. But flying
seemed im possible.
In the late 1700s in France, the
Montgolfier [mont-GOL-fee-ay] brothers
noticed something about paper and fire. If
paper got too close to the flames, it burned. h
E a rly inventors J
But they saw that if the paper was above drew pictures o£ '
the fire, the hot smoke seemed to make unbelievable £lying

it float and rise. So in 1783 they made a m achines.

balloon out of paper and silk. They lit a

fire under it. People were amazed when
the Montgolfier brothers sent a sheep, a
duck, and a rooster as passengers in this
first hot air balloon. The animals had a
successful flight. Soon after, two m en rode
in a Montgolfier balloon. They traveled
more than 5 miles for 25 minutes.

(t) Mary Evans Picture Library/The Image Works (b) Blue Lantern S tudio/C orbis

G reek stories tell

o£ Daedalus and
h is son Icarus, who
made th eir own
£lying wings.

347
 Other French people made balloons
filled with a gas called hydrogen.
Hydrogen can rise like hot air does.
In 1785 Jean-Pierre Blanchard flew a
gas balloon over the English Channel,
a waterway between England and
France. He also flew the first balloon in
America. George Washington watched
Blanchard’s balloon lau n ch in 1793 from
Pennsylvania on its way to New Jersey.
Ballooning became very popular.
Pilots tried flying balloons higher and
farther than ever before. People found
uses for balloons during war. Balloons
could carry messages. They could spy S old iers used balloons to
from the sky. scout out the battlefield.

The s tiff fram ework of

an a irsh ip helped the
balloon keep its shape.
(t) Corbis (b) The Print Collector/HIP/The Image Works
 The W right b roth ers’
£irst airplane gave
people another way to
travel the shy.

By the early 1900s, airships flew in the

sky. An airship had a gas-filled balloon
with a frame to give it a sausage shape.
The basket in which people rode, called
the gondola, was enclosed and often
very large. It also had an engine and
propellers. Pilots could steer these new
types of balloons in the direction they
wished to go. Some airships were used in
war. Others were used for travel and the
gondolas looked like fancy hotels inside.
In the early 1900s, the Wright brothers
also flew the first airplane. After that,
people rode airplanes for travel instead.
But people didn't forget about balloons.
They built gas balloons that could study
the weather and even travel around the
world. In 1960, modern hot air balloons
were developed by Ed Yost, and were later STOP AND CH ECK

used for sport. Today, people join hot air Reread Why were
balloon clubs. Teams hold balloon races. airships better than hot
Passengers take rides in the sky to see the air balloons? Reread page
beautiful land below. 349 to find the answer.
 The burner heats the
a ir inside the envelope
to inflate the balloon.
few sp a p ers/M .
A t a balloon festival
many balloons take off
at the same time and
fill the sky with color.

How Hot A ir Balloons Work

The science called physics helps us
understand how hot air balloons rise in
the sky. Physics is the science of how
things move.
The parachute valve Air is all around you. You can’t see it.
in the top of a balloon But you can feel it when the wind blows.
lets out hot air. Air also has weight. Hot air is light. Cold air
is heavy. That means that hot air rises up in
the sky. Cold air sits closer to the ground.
A hot air balloon works because the hot
air trapped inside the balloon is lighter than
the cold air outside the balloon. So the
balloon rises up into the sky!
(t) Kevin Fleming/Corbis (b) Jason Todd/Photonica/Getty Im ages

STO P AND CH ECK

Reread What causes a balloon

to rise in the air? Reread page
351 to find the answer.

f 351
 The big balloon is called an envelope. Most
envelopes are larger on the top and narrower on the
bottom. They come in all colors. The envelope is
made out of strong, light cloth called nylon.
Just like a paper envelope holds a letter, the
balloon envelope holds the hot air. Pilots heat the air
in the balloon with a burner. The burner sends out
a huge flame into the envelope. When the balloon is
full of hot air, it starts lifting off the ground.
A basket hangs below the burner. This basket
carries the pilot and the passengers. The basket is
light, but strong enough to carry several people.
Sean Cayton/The Image W orks

Some baskets can carry up to twenty passengers at

a time if the balloon is big enough to lift them.
352
 When the pilot wants the balloon to
go up, he fires up the burner. This can
be very loud. The flame grows bigger.
It heats the air in the envelope so the
balloon will rise.
When the pilot wants the balloon to
go down, he pulls a cord that lets out
some of the hot air. The cord opens the A basket hangs below
Laurence Monneret/Photographer's Choice/Getty Im ages

parachute valve. The parachute valve the balloon to hold

is a cut-out circle of nylon in the top of passengers.

the balloon. The balloon stops rising. As

more hot air escapes, the balloon sinks
toward the ground.

353
 Up to the W ind
You turn your handlebars to steer your bike.
But a pilot can’t steer a balloon. He can make it
fly higher or lower, but he can’t make it go from
side to side. He needs some help from the wind.
Wind moves in different directions. Wind
might be moving one way high in the sky. It
might be moving another way lower in the sky.
These paths of wind are called currents. A pilot
uses these currents to move the balloon from
place to place. He moves the balloon up and
down with the burner and parachute valve.
When he finds a current going in the d irection
he wants to go, he lets the balloon ride the wind
right or left.
/Corbis
 Pilots can't control how fast or how slow the
balloon moves. That's con trolled by the wind.
But too much wind can be dangerous. It can tear
the balloon or send it in the wrong direction.
So pilots always check the weather. A day
with clear skies and not too much wind is best
for ballooning. They often launch right after the
sun comes up when the wind is calm and the air
is cool. They can also launch in the evening, but
must land before the sun sets.
Balloons don't usually land in the same place
they started. A pilot talks to his crew on the
ground with a radio. They look for a safe place
to set the balloon down. The crew meets the
balloon when it lands. They will let the air out
of the balloon and pack it up again.
Riding a hot air balloon is an adventure.
Where will the wind take you?
 About the Author
As a child, Dana M eachen Rau drew
pictures everywhere. She illustrated the
family’s mailbox and the walls of their
garage! Then her father brought her big
stacks of paper so she could write and
draw on them. That was the beginning
of Dana’s love for writing. Today, she
has written more than 200 books for
children and young adults. Besides fiction
stories, Dana has written nonfiction books
on many topics such as nature, cooking, and
science. She continues to write every day.

A u th o rs Purpose
The author uses many photographs
and captions in Hot Air Balloons.
How do these text features help you
understand what you read?
Image W orks
©Sean Cayton/The
Respond to Reading
Sum m arize
Tell the important ideas and
details that you learned about
hot air balloons. The details from
your Cause and Effect Chart may
help you summarize.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Hot Air
Balloons is expository nonfiction?
What text features do you see? g e n r e

2 . What happens when a pilot heats the air in

a balloon with a burner? Why does the balloon
lift off the ground? c a u s e a n d e f f e c t

3 . The word current can mean "happening now." It can

also mean "a path of wind." Find the word on page 354.
What clues in the sentence help you figure out the
word's meaning here? m u l t i p l e - m e a n i n g w o r d s

4 . How does the author organize the text on pages 347

to 349? W R IT E A B O U T R E A D IN G

Make Connections
Why do you think people like to ride f
in hot air balloons? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

In what ways are hot air balloons a

good way to fly? In what ways are they
not so good? t e x t t o w o r l d

357
 -v

Bellerophon $
and Pegasus
A Greek M yth

Bellerophon (buh-LAIR-uh-fawn) lived

long ago in Greece. He wanted to marry
King Iobates's (ee-oh-BAH-tees-ez)
daughter. But the king wanted to test
Bellerophon first. He commanded him
to defeat the Chimera (kigh-MIR-uh), a
terrible monster. It had a lion's head, a
goat's head, and a giant snake for a tail.
It was attacking helpless people across
the kingdom.
Bellerophon worried about his
task. How could one man stop the
Chimera? He asked the goddess
Athena for help. In a dream, she
showed him where to find the
flying horse Pegasus.
Illustration: Anna Vojtech
 Bellerophon woke up from the dream holding a
golden bridle. It shone as brightly as the sun!
Bellerophon caught Pegasus with the golden bridle
and leaped onto the creature's back. Pegasus snorted
and stamped his hooves. He stretched his mighty
wings with a strong m otion . Then he carried his new
master up, up, up, into the sky. They were in flight!
Bellerophon and Pegasus soared and circled above
the countryside as they hunted the Chimera. At last
they found the dreadful beast.
The m onster’s heads roared and hissed so loudly
that the ground shook. Fire shot from the m onster’s
mouths. Pegasus flew swiftly around the Chimera,
swooping down and away. Again and again the
monster lunged at the flying horse and his rider. Each
time it missed them. Bellerophon swung his sword
with all his might, three times. The monster fell.
Bellerophon and Pegasus flew back to King Iobates.
To prove his victory, Bellerophon brought King Iobates
a strand of lion’s mane, a snake's scale, and a goat's
horn from the Chimera.
At last King Iobates agreed to let Bellerophon marry
his daughter. Everyone in the kingdom was invited to
the wedding feast. And Pegasus got a golden bucket ■
filled with the finest oats in the land.

Make Connections
Why was Bellerophon able to fly?
E S S E N T IA L Q U E S T IO N

Compare flying in this myth with other

stories you have read, t e x t t o t e x t
;’ m m w wgmmmm
| Genre'Poetry

The
Winntngest Woman
ofthe
tditatod Dog Sled Rate
Susan Butcher (1956-2006) Four-Time Winner

Essential Question
How can others inspire us?
Read about people who are
courageous.
I rode the whole Iditarod
From A nchorage to Nome!
The husky sleigh, eleven day
Iditarod to Nome.

T w o moose can cause a traffic jam.

(There is no word in M oose for " S c ra m !”)
A nd over trails of ice and snow,
No musher know s w hich w a y to go.
The w eather? Forty-two below
Could freeze the w hiskers in a beard!
The huskies up front disappeared
A nd though it sounds a little w eird—
Okay, you’re right, extrem ely odd—
I did I d id Iditarod—
A bitter cold Iditarod—
My sled slid the Iditarod
From Anchorage to Nome.
We hear the bell clanging
w e come in a hurry
w e come w ith our ladders and hoses
our hoses
w e come in a hurry
to fight the fire
the furious fire
to smother the smoke
the smoke
w e don’t have much time
w e climb, w e spray
w e are the brave ones who save
who save
w e are the brave ones who save
Summarize
Use key details from "The Winningest Detail
Woman of the Iditarod Dog Sled
Race" to summarize the poem. Dota :
Use yourTheme Chart to help you.
D e ta il

Text Evidence ;
1. How can you tell that "The Theme
Winningest Woman of the Iditarod
Dog Sled Race" is a narrative
free verse poem? g e n r e

2 . What words does the poet repeat at the

end of "The Brave Ones?" l i t e r a r y e l e m e n t s

3 . Look at line 5 of "The Winningest Woman of

the Iditarod Dog Sled Race."What does the poet
compare two moose to? f i g u r a t i v e l a n g u a g e

4 . Reread "The Brave Ones." What details does

the poet use to show what firefighters do?
W R IT E A B O U T R EA D IN G

Make Connections
What words did the poets use to show
that Susan Butcher and the firefighters
are inspiring? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why do people like to read poems about

courage and bravery? t e x t t o w o r l d
Some are playing ball.
But small Narcissa is not playing
Anything at all.
Small Narcissa sits upon
A brick in her back yard
And looks at tiger-lilies,
And shakes her pigtails hard.
First she is an ancient queen
In pomp and purple veil.
Soon she is a singing wind.
And, next, a nightingale.
How fine to be Narcissa,
A-changing like all that!
While sitting still, as still, as still
As anyone ever sat!

Copyright © 1956 by Gwendolyn Brooks Blakely. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

-Gwendolyn Brooks

Make Connections
Why do you think Narcissa inspires
the poet? E S S E N T IA L Q U E S T IO N

Compare Narcissa to Susan Butcher in

"The Winningest Woman of the Iditarod
Dog Sled Race." How are they alike?
How are they different? t e x t t o t e x t
Text copyright © 2010 by Candace Fleming. Illustrations copyright © 2010 by G. Brian Karas. Published by arrangem ent with Random House Children's Books, a division
of Random House, Inc., New York, New York. All rights reserved.

"v
CCSS Genre • Fairy Tale
 ne summer morning long ago,
a poor boy named Jack found an invitation
slipped beneath his cottage door. It read:

. Op

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C o r d i a lly

' * a c k i J t m , f l i t f i r t h ,

, V ,,
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Inniessj TodI $klU
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' 1 " % c /
 “A party!” exclaimed Jack. “For the princess!”
His mother sighed. “What a shame you can’t go.”
“Why not?” asked Jack.
“Because we’ve nothing fine enough to give her,” his
mother replied. “And no money to buy a gift.”
Jack had to admit his mother was right. His pockets
were empty except for the matchsticks he always carried.
As for their few belongings—a spinning wheel, a
threadbare quilt, a pitted ax—what princess wanted those?
The boy thought a moment. “Then I will make her
something,” he declared. “I will make her
a cake.” ,4.
“From what?” asked his mother.
“From the dust in the cupboard?
From the dirt on the floor?”
“I have a better idea,” said Jack.

368
 And that same morning, he traded
his ax for two bags of sugar, and his
quilt for a sack of flour.
He gave the hen an extra handful
of seed in exchange for two fresh eggs,
and he kissed the cow on the nose for
a pail of her sweetest milk.
He gathered walnuts.
He dipped candles.
And in the strawberry patch, he
searched ... and searched ... and
searched until he found the reddest,
juiciest, most succulent strawberry
in the land.
“Delicious!” said Jack
as he plucked it from its stem.

STOP AND CHECK

Summarize How did Jack get

what he needed to make a cake?
Tell the events in order.
 Then he set to work, churning, chopping,
blending, baking.

370
 That same night, Jack stood back to admire his
creation —two layers of golden-sweet cake covered
in buttery frosting and ringed with ten tiny candles.
Across the cake’s top, walnuts spelled out “Happy
Birthday, Princess.” And in the very center—in the
place of honor—sat the succulent strawberry.
“What a fine, fine gift,” said Jack’s mother.
Jack grinned.
Early the next morning, with combed hair and
clean shirt, Jack set off for the castle, holding the
cake proudly before him.
 Before long, he came to a bloom-speckled meadow.
Perhaps I should pick a bouquet for the princess, thought
Jack, just as four-and-twenty blackbirds rose into the air.
Like a sudden summer storm cloud, they swirled around
the cake, pecking, nipping, flapping, picking.
“Get back!” hollered Jack.
“I’m taking this cake to the princess.”
“Aw-caw-caw-caw-caw!” cackled the birds.
And as quickly as they had come, they were
gone, taking with them the walnuts that spelled
“Happy Birthday, Princess.”
Jack looked at his gift. “At least I still have
two layers of cake, ten candles, and the succulent
strawberry,” he said. Holding the cake proudly
before him, Jack continued on to the castle.
Before long, he came to a bridge.

372
 i on: a voice demanded.
Out stepped a wild-haired troll.
“No one crosses my bridge without paying.”
“But I haven’t any money,” said Jack.
The troll licked his lips. “But you do have a cake.”
“I’m taking this to the princess,” said Jack.
“And just how will you get it there?” growled the troll.
“You and your cake are on this side of the river. The princess
is on that side, and my bridge is the only way across.”
Jack considered the problem. “I will make you a deal.
If you let me cross, I will give you half this cake.”
“Agreed,” grunted the troll.
So Jack slid out one layer and, as the troll slobbered
and gobbled, crossed the bridge.

373
 On the other side, he looked down at his gift.
“At least I still have a layer of cake, ten candles, and
the succulent strawberry,” he said.
Holding the cake proudly before him, Jack continued
on to the castle.
Before long he came to the forest. No birds chirped
here. No squirrels chittered.
As if under a spell, the entire wood lay silent, sleeping
Only the wind seemed to whisper, “Beware! Beware!”
Pulling the cake closer, Jack pressed on.
The road grew narrower. 'The trees grew thicker.
The light grew dimmer. Soon it was so dark that Jack
couldn’t see the cake in front of his face.
“Turn back!” the wind whispered. “Turn back!”
“I can’t! ’’ criedJack. “I’m taking this cake
to the princess.”
 And he reached into his pocked for a matchstick,
struck it on his shoe, and lit one of the ten candles.
The tiny flame cast a magical circle of light. In its
warm glow, Jack carefully made his way forward.
But the little candle quickly burned down and—
P ffft!— snuffed out.
So Jack lit a second candle.
But he had not gone much father before—P ffft!—
it, too, snuffed out.
So Jack lit a third ... then a fourth ... then a
fifth ... until the tenth and final candle flickered,
fluttered, sputtered to its end.

And as it did, the road widened, the trees thinned,

and the bright sunlight shone once more.
Jack looked down at his gift. “At least I still have a
layer of cake and the succulent strawberry,” he said.
375
 Holding the cake proudly before him, Jack continued
on to the castle.
Before long he came to a clearing.
“Good morning, young sir!” called out an old gypsy
woman. “Have you come to see Samson dance?”
At the sound of his name, the bear beside her rose up
on his hind legs.
“I don’t have time,” replied Jack. “I’m taking this
 O o m p a -o o m p a ! wheezed
instrument.
S h u jfle - s h u ffle - k ic k , danced the bear.
■m
went Jack’s foot, as he set
T a p - t a p - ta p ,
down the cake to dance with his new friends.

G-U-U-U-L-P!
“Hey,” cried Jack, “that bear ate the
princess’s cake!”

PATOOIE!”
“But not the strawberry,” said the gypsy.
“Samson hates fruit.”
Jack looked down at his gift, and for
several seconds he was unable to speak.
Finally, he said, “At least I still have this—
the reddest, juiciest, most succulent
strawberry in the land.”

STOP AND CH ECK

Summarize What happened

to the cake? Tell the events
in order.

377
 And holding the strawberry
proudly before him, Jack continued
on to the castle.
Across the drawbridge . . .
Through the fortress walls . . .
. . . Straight into the courtyard.
What a sight! There, smack in the center of all the
merry festivities, sat the princess on her velvet throne,
a long line of guests stretched before her. One by one,
they presented her with their gifts, each more fabulous
than the last.
But even the most m agnificent treasures did not seem
to interest Her Highness. “More rubies?” she said with a
bored yawn. “How tiresome. Another tiara? How dull.”
Joining the line, Jack glanced down at his hum ble gift.
378

I
 “And just what have you brought the
princess?” a guard asked from behind him.
“A strawberry,” said Jack. “The reddest,
juiciest, most succulent one in the land.”
He held it out for the guard to see.
“That is a fine piece of fruit,” agreed
the guard. “But I cannot allow you to give
it to the princess.”
“W hy not?” asked Jack.
“Because she is allergic to strawberries,”
said the guard. “One taste and she swells up
like a balloon.”

“No!” gasped Jack.

“Yes,” said the guard. “I’m sorry, but
you’ll have to give it to me.”
Reluctantly, Jack handed over the
strawberry.
“M m m m m . ”

379
 Now Jack found himself at the
front of the line.
The princess turned her gaze to him.
“And what have yow brought me?” she asked.
Jack gulped. He blushed. He shuffled his feet.
“W ell?”
Jack took a deep breath and knelt down
before her.
“Your Highness,” he began, “let me explain
what happened.”
And he told the princess about trading for
the ingredients to bake a golden-sweet cake just
for her. He told her about the swirling storm of
blackbirds, the wild-haired troll, and the dark,
dark wood. He told her about the old gypsy
woman and her concertina, and the bear who
loved to dance but hated fruit.
“And in the end,” said Jack, “I still had the
succulent strawberry, b u t...” The boy sighed.
“You’re allergic to strawberries.”
He waited for her to yawn.
“So the guard ate it,” he concluded.

380
 The princess laughed and
clapped her hands in delight.

“A story!”
she exclaimed. “And an adventure
story at that! What a fine gift.”

STOP AND CHECK

Reread How did the princess feel

about Jack's gift? Reread to find out.

382
 Then the princess rose from her throne and
proclaimed, “Time for birthday cake. And my new
friend Jack shall have the honor of cutting it.”
 About the
Author and Illustrator
When Candace G. Brian Karas had
Fleming was a little his first art lessons
girl, she liked to tell when he was five. His
tall tales about her sister taught him to
three-legged cat and draw Pilgrims. He
a family trip to Paris. Candace has been passionate about books
continued to tell great stories when and drawing since then. Brian has
she was an adult. In fact, she is now illustrated more than fifty books
the author of more than twenty-five for children. He has also written
books for young people, including books, including a book about the
fiction, nonfiction, and biographies. Atlantic Ocean.
(I) Scott Fleming (r) Photo courtesy of G. Brian Karas

Author's Purpose
What is the theme, or lesson,
of this story? What details help
you figure it out?

384
 Respond to Reading
Summarize
What are the important events
in the story about Jack? The details
from your Point of View Chart may
help you summarize.

Text Evidence
1. How can you tell this story is a fairy tale? gen re

2 . What did the princess think of Jack's gift? Why? Do

you agree with her? p o i n t o f v i e w

3 . Find the word invitation on page 367. How

can you use the word invite to figure out its
meaning? r o o t w o r d s

4 . Write about Jack's point of view about the gift he

gives the Princess. Tell why you agree or disagree
with Jack, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g t

Make Connections
How does Jack get what he needs
to bake the Princess's cake?
E S S E N T IA L Q U E S T IO N

Why is it important to give

thoughtful gifts? t e x t t o w o r l d

385
 ccss Genre • Expository Text
Compare Texts
Read to find out how people barter and
trade goods for the things they need.

when Corn
Was Cash
Think of the last time you traded snacks, baseball cards
or video games with a friend. You traded something you
had for something you wanted. No money was exchanged.
This is called bartering.
W hy do people barter? It is a good way to get what
they need without money. People have bartered for
thousands of years!

Farmers used
to trade their
crops for the
things that
they needed.
Ocean/Corbis
The Barter System Native Americans
Long ago, there was no money. In the past, Native Americans
As a result, people bartered to get often used the barter system.
food, clothing, and shelter. A family People from different families and
that raised chickens traded eggs for villages got together to exchange
milk with neighbors who had a cow. items. They traded crops such as
Sometimes there were problems corn, beans, and tobacco. They
with bartering. What if a farmer exchanged dried fish and meat.
wanted to trade apples for shoes They traded stones for making
when the shoemaker didn’t want arrowheads and animal hides for
apples? Then there was no trade. making clothes.
People had to decide the value of Native Americans in the
the different things they traded. Northeast valued beads made from
They also had to agree on how quahog clamshells. The beads were
many apples to trade for shoes. called wampum. Wampum means
In spite of problems, people all “strings of white shell beads” in
over the world bartered. Bartering the Algonquian language. Native
was also an important part of Americans used wampum in
America’s history. ceremonies. They gave it as gifts.
Later, when Native Americans
began trading with colonists from
Europe, wampum even became a
form of money.

© MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Im ages

Native Americans used wam pum

to decorate clothes and other
items, such as this belt.
 Settlers and Traders
In the 1600s, people from Europe
started coming to America. Life was
hard for these immigrants. They had
very little money. Unlike today, there
were not many stores.
Colonists relied on bartering to
survive. They exchanged cloth from
Europe for crops that the Native
(t) Royalty-Free/Corbis (b) W. Langdon Kihn/National Geographic So ciety/C orbis

Americans grew. They also traded

Everyone Needs a Buck
A deer, or b u ck, w a s w o rth a beaver furs, baskets of coal, and cows.
lot to co lo n ists. T h e m eat g ave
Later, the colonies used corn
th e m food and th e skin and
fu r g a ve w a rm th . Even today, and rice and other goods as money.
w e call a d o lla r a "buck."
Some especially valuable items were
accepted as a form of paym ent
throughout the colonies.
Native Americans traded furs
for the things they needed at
places called trading posts.
 Anyone for a Trade?
Goods Used as Money
Life is easier today. We have
W h e re T h e y W ere
a system of money. We have stores Goods
U sed as M oney
that sell everything we need. But
people still like to barter. The next
Northern
time your school has a swap meet, colonies, such as
think about trading in some of your Massachusetts
and Rhode Island
old games and toys. Bartering is
fun, and it helps people clean out
their closets! Deer skins

Northern colonies,
such as Massachusetts
and Rhode Island

Make Connections
How do people get what they
9
w
need by bartering? e s s e n t i a l Tobacco
Q U E S T IO N
Southern colonies,
Think about what you've read such as Virginia

this week. What items are good

for bartering? t e x t t o t e x t

Southern colonies,
such as Georgia and
South Carolina

Livestock

Throughout
the colonies
 ill.

by Brian Meunier
illustrated by Perky Edgerton

Essential Question
How can we reuse what we already have?
Read about how howTavo finds a way to

F' ( A
1,7 1 ^
■c
Dribble wnxsgnm
Sank

a
I
^ , i( +, ^*2311
dribble-
T h e ball bounced off the hoop.
Tavo had missed again.
He bent down to fix the duct
tape flapping around his patched
sneakers. The tape held the soles to
what remained of the canvas tops.
But Tavo wasn’t easily discouraged.
He was excited, for he had the whole
summer to practice before the
regular basketball season started.
 Tavo had seen the NBA games on the new satellite TV
at the village store, and he wanted to play ball like one of
those big American players.
He imagined that one day he, too, would have a great
basketball name. A name like Air or Magic.
But for now, he was just Tavo. Gustavo the second ...
named after his father.
“If only I had new sneakers,” Tavo said to himself as
he tucked the ball under his arm and started up the path
toward home. “Then I’d play better.”
The ground crunched beneath his shoes, leaving
trails of dust. The mountainside stretched before him, a
patchwork of plowed fields separated by the remnants
of ancient irrigation ditches called zanjas. It reminded
him of the quilt on his bed, but in shades of brown. Tavo
looked down at his frayed sneakers and kicked at the
parched earth.
“If only I had new sneakers,” he muttered again.
 When he reached home, Tavo found his father
poking around the old zanja, the ancient irrigation ditch,
which ran along the edge of their field. Gustavo was
always tinkering with something. Today he was putting
up yet another scarecrow.
“Papa ... look. Look at my sneakers. They are turning
into sandals! I bet you can’t fix them anymore,” said Tavo.
“Tavo, I’ve told you this already,” Gustavo replied
wearily. “We can’t afford new sneakers right now. Not
until the rains come.”
Sure, Tavo thought in frustration. A n d then ... I ’ll
have to wait fo r the corn to grow. Then, to dry on the stalk.
Then, to be harvested. Then, to be brought to the molino
to be ground into flour. Then, to be sold in the market.
The basketball season will be over by then!
 Tavo looked up at the sky as some dark thunderclouds
rumbled with the promise of rain. One cloud slipped
through the peaks and drifted out over the valley.
The two Gustavos watched silently as the cloud broke
apart in the blazing sun, like a bursting pinata.
“Hopeless!” Gustavo said, throwing up his hands in
exasperation. “There is only one thing left to do. I have a
plan, and I’m going to present it at the meeting tonight.”
 The villagers had been called to an emergency meeting to
discuss the drought. As the two Gustavos neared the village
square, they could hear that the meeting had already begun.
To Tavo’s surprise, his father marched right up to the front
and faced the crowd.
“We cannot wait for the rains to begin,” he said. “Our
ancestors knew the solution. The solution is in the zanjas!
We must dig them up again, up into the mountains until we
reach the ancient source of the water!”
“Gustavo,” the mayor said, pausing for effect. “Go talk
to your scarecrows!” The crowd burst into laughter. “If the
zanjas worked so well in the past, why did our ancestors stop
using them?” The mayor puffed up his chest and poked his
finger in the air. “We must move forward, not backward!”
Gustavo abruptly turned and walked out. Tavo ran after
him, his back burning with embarrassment.
395
 Early the next morning, Tavo awoke with a start.
His father was shaking his shoulder.
“Tavo, wake up.”
Tavo rubbed his eyes and protested. “It is still
dark outside!”
“Get up, Tavo. We have a lot of work to do.”
“But Papa, I have practice today.”
Gustavo handed Tavo a shovel. “Son, basketball
comes later.”
 The two Gustavos started work at the edge of their
field. All day long they shoveled out the silt that had
filled in the ancient zanja. When night finally came,
Tavo slumped into bed, every bone in his body aching.
They began all over again the next morning.
Digging and digging and digging some more. Hours
turned into days. Days turned into weeks as father and
son slowly worked their way up the mountain.

Summarize What has happened so far in

the story? Tell the important events in order.
 There was one house high up in the mountain.
It belonged to an old widow. Tavo had heard strange
stories about her.
“Is it true what they say about her, that she is a bruja
a witch?” he asked his father nervously.
“Tavo,” his father laughed. “Don’t believe everything
you hear. Senora Rosa is just a widow. People are
always suspicious of anyone who is different.”
“Senora Rosa?” Gustavo called out.
There was no answer, but in the yard they saw a
patchwork quilt draped over a chair. A needle dangling
from a silver thread swayed in the air.
As they left, Gustavo carved a channel to connect
Senora Rosas small garden to the main zanja. He
turned toward Tavo with a mischievous smile.
“Even witches need water.”
 Higher and higher, they continued to dig.
Weeks passed this way, and Tavo’s muscles no
longer ached from the hard work. One day,
the two Gustavos worked their way up into a
shadowy ravine near the top of the mountain.
Under their feet the ground was soggy and green.
“We did it, Tavo! We found the spring!”
Gustavo cried.
With triumph they cleared away the debris,
and the water bubbled forth down the arid
mountainside! Jubilant, they danced in its wake.
Down . . . down . . . down . . . splashing along.
Down . . . down . . . down . . . until the water
reached their thirsty field.
As they whooped and hollered, Tavo felt the
cool mud squishing between his toes. In his
excitement, Tavo’s ragged sneakers had slipped
off his feet. And now they were lost somewhere
in the muddy waters.
 Without sneakers, Tavo could no longer practice
with the team. Instead, he practiced his shots using an
old barrel hoop that his father had nailed to a tree in
their yard.
Even so, Tavo continued to go down to the village to
watch his teammates practice. But he often found himself
up at the mountainside, at the one patch of green
in that blanket of brown—his father’s field.
If I can see it, they can, too. But why arent people
talking about this?Tavo puzzled. And then it dawned
on him. Maybe they were just too proud to admit that
Gustavo’s idea had been a good one.
All of a sudden, Tavo had his own good idea.
 The next morning Tavo got up early and walked
toward their field, a machete in hand. At the edge of the
field, he stopped and stared in amazement. There in front
of him were his missing sneakers!
The duct tape was gone, but so were the holes. His
sneakers had been beautifully patched! He recognized the
fabric and the silver thread.
 Tavo grabbed a cornstalk and cut it close to the
ground. Then he raced down the mountain path, straight
to the mayor’s house. With the magic sneakers on his feet,
he felt as if he could fly.
Though it was still early, Tavo eagerly knocked on
the door. The mayor opened it, blinking sleepily in the
morning light.
Tavo raised the stalk high. But he didn’t say anything.
Then the mayor let out a sigh, his face softening.
“Yes, Tavo . .. yes. I see it. I believe it’s time we all see
your father’s field.”

406
 For the next several weeks, Gustavo was much
in demand helping the other villagers connect their
own fields to the main zanja. And Tavo rejoined
his teammates on the basketball court for the first
game of the season.
From midcourt, Tavo could see his father, sitting
in a place of honor next to the mayor.
Then the game began.
 rmi

W yr - |1TF__________________________ -

iV- ^;.!> >>: ‘ * /*'

And what a game it was! One minute,
Tavo’s team was ahead, and the next minute,
behind. At the end, the game was tied. It
went into overtime. Then the ball was in
Tavo’s hands.
He planted himself, and crouched. He
felt the tingling sensation in his feet shoot
upward, through the muscles of his arms
made so strong from shoveling. The ball
soared toward the basket.

Sw-o-o-o-sh!
The villagers went wild.
“Tavo, Tavo! Bravo, Tavo!” They chanted
in unison.
And he liked the sound of it. Tavo was
a great basketball name!
 It was late by the time the two Gustavos started
up the mountain toward home.
Gustavo looked over the moonlit fields high
with corn. He stopped and put his hands on Tavo’s
shoulders.
“Son, it’s time for new sneakers. What do
you think?”
Tavo wiggled his toes. They still tingled with
magic energy.
“No, Papa, these will do.”

STOP AND CHECK

Reread Why doesn't Tavo want new

shoes at the end of the story? Reread
pages 408 and 409 to find the answer.
 About the
Author and Illustrator
Briatl Meunier and his wife, Perky
Edgerton, lived in a village in Oaxaca,
Mexico. Their time there inspired them to
write this story about Tavo and his shoes.
Brian is also an artist and sculptor and
teaches college students in Pennsylvania.

Perky Edgerton is a painter and a book

illustrator. She worked on this story with
her husband, Brian. The paintings she
made for this story have a lot of energy,
so they are a great fit for Brian’s story.

410
 Respond to Reading
if?

Summarize
Summarize the main events in
Bravo, Tavo!The details from your
Point of View chart may help you.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Bravo Tavo!
is realistic fiction? g e n r e

2. Why does Tavo think that he needs new sneakers?

How does his point of view change? Find two places
in the story to show evidence for your answer, p o in t
OF VIEW

3. Find the homograph ground on page 392.

How can you figure out what the word
ground means in this sentence?
HOMOGRAPH

4. Write about details the author uses to show

the point of view of Tavo's father. What does he
think about digging up the zanjas? Do you agree with
the father's point of view, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
How does Tavo reuse what he
already had? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Tell why it is important to reuse

old things. T E X T T O W ORLD

411
 Genre • Expository Text/Directions

Compare Texts
Read to find out how some artists reuse everyday materials.

One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.

That is what some artists think. They look in garbage
dumpsters or trash cans for old sheets of aluminum,
plastic bottles, and computer parts. Alexander Calder,
Miwa Koizumi (Ml-wah koh-ee-ZOO-m ee), and Marion
C. Martinez are artists who have transformed junk
into fantastic works of art!

412
 Artists can make
mobiles from many
different kinds of
recycled objects.

Alexander Calder’s MAKE YOUR OWN MOBILE

Be an artist. Recycle some old
Giant Mobiles materials to make a mobile.
Materials
In the 1950s, the sculptor and artist
wire hanger, string,
A lexander Calder had a big problem . scissors, old objects
He wanted to build gigantic m obiles Q Gather old objects that are
(M O H -beelz) from m etal. A mobile is light enough to hang from a string.
Try old CDs, small plastic toys,
a moving sculpture. It hangs from a
parts of old plastic bottles, or
ceiling. It sw ays and m oves when people paper cutouts.
touch it. Most m etals w ere much too Q Ask an adult to help you bend the
heavy to move the w ay Calder w anted. hanger into the shape you want.
Calder solved his problem by ^ Keep the shape of the hook for
recycling aluminum from the bodies hanging the mobile.
Andy Crawford/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Im ages

of old airplanes. The alum inum cam e G Cut different lengths of string.
in large sheets. It w as easy to cut into 0 Tie each object to one end of a
interesting shapes. And it w as light string. Tie the other end of string
to the hanger.
enough to move quickly. Calder reused
0 Hang the mobile up and give
the old metal to create his huge it a spin.
moving sculptures.
Miwa Koizumi’s Sea Creatures
W hen artist Miwa Koizum i cam e to New York City, she
saw em pty plastic bottles everyw here. Plastic bottles
overflowed from trash cans. They littered the streets.
She decided to use som e of these bottles in her art.
Today Koizum i cuts and m elts the plastic bottles into
shapes. Then she attaches the shapes to each other to
create form s that look like sea anim als. She hangs them
so that they seem to be sw im m ing. Koizum i changes
bits of old plastic into fantastic floating sea creatures.
To Koizum i, finding art m aterials in the trash w as
only natural. People have hunted for m aterials to reuse
since ancient tim es. Even anim als reuse bits of junk.
Birds build nests with old scrap s of fabric and discarded
m aterials. W hy shouldn’t artists search around outside
for art m aterials?
Marion C. Martinez’s
High-Tech Hrt
Alm ost tw enty-five years
ago, New Mexico artist
Marion C. Martinez opened
up her com puter to fix it.
She made a big discovery.
The circuit boards and
wires inside the m achine
were beautiful.
Martinez asked herself,
“ How can I use these am azing
designs in my a rt? ” Soon she
began collecting com puter circuit
boards and other electro nics from the
trash. Martinez recycled these electronic
parts. She made them into fabulous jew elry
Marion C. Martinez
and wall sculptures. Now, the artist Marion made this bear pin from
Martinez is also helping the Earth by recycling. old computer parts.

And she is turning com puter parts into art.

Now, th at’s real conservation!

♦
Every year, people throw
away billions of plastic
bottles. They toss out millions
of tons of old electronics. Make Connections
They get rid of old m achinery. How do people reuse what they
A lex Calder, Miwa Koizum i, already have? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n
and Marion C. Martinez have What other articles and stories
Courtesy of Marion C. M artinez

helped recycle these bits have you read about reusing old
of trash. items? TEX T TO TEXT

415
 Genre • Expository Text

by Seymour
Simon

Essential Question
How do teams work together?
Read about wildfires. Find out what
causes them and how emergency
Liz Roll/FEMA Photo News

teams respond when they happen.

Go Digital!
 W ildfires are scary. Flames leap from one tree
to another. Sometimes they move faster than a
person can run. Wildfires can be They
burn trees, destroy homes, and cost human lives.
But wildfires are not all SS2SQS1- They can help
as well as hurt. Burning old trees lets small, young
trees grow. Some trees, such as giant sequoias,
need fires to release their seeds. Wildfires are not
endings, but part of the cycle of the natural world.

417
How Fires Start
Heat causes fires. A flash of lightning can start a fire.
So can an accidental spark from a cam pfire. A leaf starts
burning. The heat sets fire to more leaves. The flaming
leaves set fire to a branch. Then the w hole tree is on fire.
The heat sets fire to a nearby tree w ithout even touching
it. A huge, raging w ildfire can be set ablaze by a flam e
from a careless m atch.
Fires also need fuel and oxygen to burn. Dry wood
or dry grasses are the fuel of w ildfires. O xygen is an
invisible gas in the air around us. W et wood rarely burns
because the w ater keeps oxygen from getting to the fire.
Th at’s w hy w ater is splashed on fires to put them out.
Wildfires Are Not All Bad!
It’s only partly true that “only you” can prevent
forest fires. Few w ildfires are started on purpose.
Lightning starts most w ildfires in the W estern United
States. Fires are natural in the w ilderness. Com plete
wildfire prevention is not possible or wanted.
W ildfires create openings in a forest for new trees
and shrubs. Parts of burned trees turn to ash. Rain
and snow carry the m inerals in the ash back into the
soil. Flow ering plants grow in full sunlight of the new
forest clearings.
Cones from som e pine trees release seeds only
when they are heated. Even seeds in cones that
fell fifty years earlier can grow after a fire. Som e
trees, such as the W estern larch, have thick barks
that guard them from heat. These trees often
survive m any w ildfires.
Anim als are not usually killed in w ildfires. Most
can run faster than the spreading flam es. Birds and
m am m als eat the seeds they find in the clearings
after a fire. Som e plants grow quickly. They are food
for anim als that might otherw ise starve.
 1

Many scientists say that w ildfires are natural. The

only question is when they will happen. Com m unities
must learn how to deal with them . In areas w ith houses,
team s of firefighters need to respond right away. They
must bring the fires under control as quickly as possible.
In w ilderness areas, firefighters w ant to stam p out
small fires quickly. Then leaves, dead branches and
tw igs pile up on the forest floor. This provides fuel that
feeds fires. One w ay to prevent huge w ildfires is to let
small fires burn out naturally.

Bob Peterson/U pperC ut Images/Getty Im ages

Ask and Answer Questions Why does the

author think that wildfires can be good?
Reread pages 420-421 to find the answer.
A
These firefighters are clearing
away bushes to make a fire break
in Northern California.
California’s Burning!
The spring and summer of 2008 burned. It was the largest bunch
were hot and dry in California. of wildfires in California history.
Almost no rain fell for three More than 20,000 firefighters
straight years. The spring was the battled the blazes. Some teams
driest on record for many places used fire trucks, fire engines, water
in the state. Trees and grasses tankers and bulldozers. Other
were bone-dry. On June 20 and teams used axes, picks and shovels.
21, thunderstorms and lightning Many teams carried water, foam,
rolled onshore along the coast. hoses and pumps with them. They
Lightning started more than 2,000 were fighting fires in places where
wildfires. The fires covered much there were no roads.
of Northern California with a thick Special tankers and helicopters
blanket of smoke. The sky turned dropped water onto the fires. Teams
yellow. The moon turned red. of smoke jumpers parachuted from
Strong winds and high helicopters to help on the fire lines.
temperatures helped spread the Fighting wildfires is very
flames. A heat wave began on dangerous. It is hard to escape if
July 7. Temperatures inland soared the wind changes and the fires race
above 120° F. The National Weather toward you. The 2008 California
Service gave fire danger warnings. wildfires caused the deaths of
By July 12, over 800,000 acres had twenty-three people.

STOP AND CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions

How did firefighters respond to
the wildfires in California? Reread
this page to find the answer.
Working Together
For many years, firefighters worked together to put
out natural w ildfires right away. But as fuel on the forest
floor builds up, w ildfires becom e w orse. So preventive
fires are now used. For exam ple, firefighters burn a
million acres of grassland each year in Florida. This
helps in the prevention of future out-of-control wildfires,
Som etim es small team s of firefighters start fires.
Using a piece of equipm ent called a drip torch,
firefighters in Kings Canyon, California set small blazes
on purpose. The controlled blazes help to prevent large
w ildfires from starting. They burn aw ay undergrowth
and dead wood on the forest floor.
 W hen w ildfires burn out, they leave green and black
patches in forests. The green areas are not burned.
The black burned areas quickly start to turn green. Fire
beetles lay their eggs in new ly charred logs. A nts and
centipedes are busy even w hile the ground is still w arm .
Plants soon appear from roots and seeds that w ere there
before the fire.
Hawks spiral in the air. They hunt for small m am m als
in the open spaces. W oodpeckers drill for insects
beneath the bark of blackened trees. The new grasses
and w ildflow ers attract grazing anim als. Sm all birds
com e from all over to catch insects in the fields.
A few years after the 2 0 0 8 w ildfires, burned areas
grew new plants. Young pine trees grew as tall as a
person. Before the fire, tow ering older trees blocked
sunlight. Only a few kinds of plants could grow in the
deep shade. The w ildfires allowed young plants to grow.
W ithout w ildfires, low-growing forest plants would die
off com pletely. By about fifty years after a fire, the forest
once again becom es m ostly tall trees, such as pines.
Sm aller plants will die off on the shady forest floor. The
cycle of burning and rebirth in nature continues.

After a fire in this national

park in Canada, trees and
plants begin to grow again
Forests Are Reborn
Ten years after a wildfire, a forest is still renewing
itself. Burned tree trunks lose their blackened bark
and turn a mossy, silvery grey. Flow ering m eadows
and small shrubs and trees grow in open fields in the
forest. Burned areas slow ly fade away.
The length of tim e betw een natural w ildfires
depends on location and weather. In much of the
W est, w ildfires may burn a forest every two or three
hundred years. However, in Flo rid a’s pine forests,
w ildfires occur every seven to ten years. In the cedar
and spruce forests of W ashington, a thousand years
can pass betw een w ildfires.
Questions Still Remain
We still have much to learn about m anaging
w ildfires. W hich fires should we fight im m ediately?
W hich fires should we allow to burn naturally? Are
there places in a forest w here it is too dangerous to
live? We have learned one thing. W ildfires are not all
bad or all good. Fires are just a part of the endless
cycle of nature.

Summarize What happens after a

wildfire? Summarize what you learned
in the section "Forests Are Reborn."
 About the Author
«*■ ' '- • ‘ ; ji* Seymour Simon loved nature from
the tim e he w as a kid growing up
in New York City. He explored city
parks and em pty lots and observed
insects, birds, and plants. During fam ily
vacations in the m ountains, he spent
even more tim e learning about nature.
Seym our grew up to be a science
teach er and an author. He has shared
his love of nature with generations of
students. Seym our has w ritten more
than 250 fiction and nonfiction science
books for children.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think Seymour
Simon wrote about wildfires?
(bkgd) Liz Roll/FEMA Photo News (inset) Charles H arbutt
Respond to Reading
Summarize
Summarize what you learned
about wildfires. The details from
your Point of View Chart may
help you summarize.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Wildfires
is expository text? What text features
do you see? g e n r e

2. What is the author's point of view about

wildfires? Do you agree with the author? Why or
why not? a u t h o r ' s p o in t o f v ie w

3. Find the word towering on page 425. How can

you use clues in the rest of the paragraph to
figure out what it means? c o n t e x t c l u e s

4. Write about how the author convinces readers

that wildfires can be good for a forest. What kind
of language does he use? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g
 Genre -Tall Tale

Compare Texts
Read how Windy Gale and her pet panther
Gusty worked together to stop a hurricane.

U/tadtj (aafe
a/id tf»«

<3T«at fforrfcaA€
Once, in Florida, a baby girl w as born. That night
w as so windy that all the mountains blew away.
Only the flat land w e call the Everglades w as left.
Well, some of that wind must have blown into that
baby girl. From the time she w as knee-high to a
tadpole, she could control the wind w ith her breath
alone. That’s w hy they called her Windy Gale.
One day w hen Windy w as nine years old, a
warning sounded on the radio. “A hurricane’s
a-comin’ ! We can’t stop it! Prevention is out of the
question, folks. You’ll just have to stay inside and
wait it ou t! ”
Windy called Gusty, her pet Florida panther.
Illustration: Mark Eberhardt
 Windy said, “I don’t believe for one windy minute
that w e should just w ait out this storm! It’ll hit
Miami soon, and I need you to run me there fast! ”
She jumped on G usty’s back.
Gusty gave a roar. Then he ran so fast that he
arrived a clear tw o minutes before he even left.
The hurricane w as zooming up the Gulf. Windy
knew just w hat to do to stop it. She took three BIG
breaths, 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . and sucked the wind right
out of that hurricane. When she w as done sucking,
all that w as left w as a shy little breeze.
To thank Windy and Gusty, the mayor of
Miami gave them both medals. He said, “This
could have been one of the biggest disasters
in the state of Florida. You are both heroes! ”
Windy breathed a sigh of thanks and blew
the hat right off the mayor’s head!

Make Connections
Tell how Windy and her panther
Gusty worked together to prevent
the hurricane, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How is this story like other stories

about teamwork you have read?
TEX T TO TEXT
Genre* Biography

Elizabeth
Leads the Way

Elizabeth
Cady Stanton
and the
Right to Vote
by
Ta nya L ee Stone

i l l u s t r a t e d by
R ebecca G ibbon
Essential Question
What do good citizens do?
Read about how good citizen
Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought
for women's right to vote.
\A/hat would you do
if someone told you
you can’t be what you want to be
because you are a girl?

What would you do

if someone told you
your vote doesn't count,
your voice doesn’t matter
because you are a girl?

Would you ask why?

Would you talk back?
Would you fig h t. . .
for your rights?
Elizabeth did.

A ll of these things used to be true

back when Elizabeth Cady was a girl.

And all of these things might still be true

illustrations by Rebecca Gibbon. Text copyright © 2008 by Tanya Lee Stone, Illustrations © 2008 by Rebecca Gibbon. Reprinted by
today if Elizabeth hadn’t led the way.

Text and art of the book, ELIZABETH LEADS THE WAY: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote. Text by Tanya Lee Stone,

permission of Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

433
She was only four years old the first time she heard
someone, a woman, say life was better for boys.

The woman had come to visit Elizabeth's new baby sister.

"What a pity it is she’s a girl!"

How could anyone look at a little baby and feel sad?

What could be wrong about being a girl?
She was thirteen years old
when her father, Judge Cady,
told a woman whose husband had died
that the farm she had spent her whole life working on
would be taken from her.
Without a husband, the law stated,
nothing belonged to her.

435
Elizabeth was horrified by this unfairness.
She said that the law should be cut out of every book!
Judge Cady told her that wouldn't
change anything.

The law was still the law.

And only men were allowed to change laws.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions

What law did Elizabeth feel
was unfair? Reread pages 435
and 436 to find out.
She decided
right then and there
that she could do anything
any boy could do.

She jumped over high hurdles on horseback.

She rafted across a raging river.

437
She won a prize for being the best in Greek studies.

Her father was proud.

But he worried about his strong-spirited,
rule-breaking daughter.

“Ah, you should have been a boy!”

He knew how much easier
her life would be.
But Elizabeth wasn't interested in easy.
At sixteen, since colleges would not let girls in,
Elizabeth begged her father to send her
to a girls' school to continue her learning.

So, while most young ladies were

getting married,
washing dishes,
doing laundry,
and having babies,

Elizabeth was studying religion, math,

science, French, and writing.
Several years later, Elizabeth Cady
met Henry Stanton.

He was an abolitionist,
speaking out against slavery.

He understood how unfair it was for people

not to have rights or power.

He did not laugh

when Elizabeth talked
about freedom.

He did not laugh

when Elizabeth said all people
should be able to live life
the way they chose.

And he did not laugh

when she told him
she would add his name to her own
but she would not give up hers
just to marry him.
So Elizabeth Cady
became Elizabeth Cady Stanton and
had babies, cooked meals, washed dishes,
mended clothes, and did laundry.

She loved her babies, but she did not love

cooking and dishes and mending and laundry.

441
 One day her friend Lucretia Mott invited her to a lunch.

Lucretia had always shared Elizabeth's ideas

about all the things women could do, and would do,
if only they had the right.
The other women at lunch shared them, too.

Elizabeth got fired up. She proposed they hold a meeting.

442
A meeting that would gather together
lots and lots of women
from all around to talk.

But what would they talk about?

There were so many things

that needed to be set straight.

Married women
couldn't own property
or even the money
they worked to earn!

Elizabeth had learned long ago

that only men could change the laws.

Because only men could vote.

443
That was it!
That was the one thing
that could change everything.

If women could vote,

they could help change
all kinds of laws!

This idea was so shocking,

so huge,
so daring—
Elizabeth’s friends gasped out loud!

If they were flabbergasted,

what would other
people think?
Elizabeth did not waver.
She knew voting was the only way
to make a difference.

Her battle cry for the right to vote rang out:

“Have it, we must. Use it, we will."

Even her Henry thought she had gone too far.

STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions How did

people feel about Elizabeth's ideas?
Reread pages 444 and 445 to find out.

445
 But on July 19, 1848,
when Elizabeth arrived at the meeting place,
she saw for herself that she hadn’t.

The small church in Seneca Falls, New York,

was filled with hundreds of people.

Elizabeth read aloud

what she and a few of the women
had written together.

446
Their Declaration of Rights and Sentiments
challenged the idea from the Declaration of
Independence
that “all men are created equal.”

When she was finished,

she looked into the faces of the crowd and waited.

The room was silent!

Then a rumbling began.
It grew louder and louder and louder
as people argued whether or not STOP A N D CHECK
women should be allowed to vote.
Summarize How did
Elizabeth try to win rights
for women? Summarize the
important events in order.
 A"

V’oTci'
WoMf»r
EA, t i

M
< i;
r

ffi J

\\
PL V O T B ffe r
waWCN^
m

Word o f the m eeting

spread like wildfire.

Newspapers across the

k A ^
country scolded
Elizabeth for her v *■*

boldness.

But other wom en join ed

her in battle.

The idea o f wom en having

the right to vote
began to buzz in the ears o f people
from M aine to California.

448
 yoTES
-f t r
WOMSM i
M m

N&w ° j
Y o rK I 'V

Elizabeth had tossed a stone in the water

and the ripples grew w ider and w ider and wider.

M any said Elizabeth must be stopped.

But she was unstoppable.
She changed A m erica forever.
 About the Author and Illustrator
Tanya Lee Stone Rebecca Gibbon
likes to write fiction loved picture books
and nonfiction for as a young girl.
children. Going to She dreamed of
school and helping illustrating books one
other people write children's day. Today she is the illustrator
stories helped her grow as of several picture books. She
a writer. Tanya has traveled illustrated Players in Pigtails, a
around the world from Russia true story of a baseball league
to Australia. She has written for girls. She also illustrated
more than ninety books for a book of poems and a book
young people. She especially about famous trees. She lives
likes to write stories about in London, England.
strong women and girls.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author
wrote a book about Elizabeth
Cady Stanton's life?
(I) Ambient Photography (r) Johnny M endelsson
 Respond to Reading
Summarize
Tell about the important events in
Elizabeth Cady Stanton's life. The
details from your Author's Point of
View Chart may help you summarize.

Text Evidence
1. Tell h o w y o u k n o w t h a t Elizabeth
Leads the Way is a b i o g r a p h y , g e n r e

2. What does the author think about Elizabeth

Cady Stanton's ideas? Do you agree?
AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW

3. Find the word unstoppable on page 449. How can

the prefix un- and the suffix -able help you figure out
what unstoppable means? p r e f i x e s a n d s u f f i x e s

4. Write about how the author showed her

point of view about Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
WRITE ABOUT READING

Make Connections
In what ways was Elizabeth Cady Stanton
a good citizen? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

How did Elizabeth Cady Stanton's fight

for women's rights change life in the
United States? t e x t t o w o r l d
 Genre* Biography

Compare Texts
Read about how one person's good citizenship
made a difference for women in the United States.

su *an Anthonv
★Takes Action! ★
Susan Brownell Anthony was born in Massachusetts
in 1820. Her family believed that all people are equal.
At the time Susan was born, however, this idea of
equality was very unusual. Men and women did not
have the same rights. Women could not do many of
the things men did. Women could not vote and they
could not own property. Life was different for Susan.
She learned to read and write at the age of three, even
though she was a girl.

452
Early Struggles
When Susan went to school, she saw that
boys and girls were not treated the same way.
One of her teachers refused to teach Susan
long division. She said that girls did not have
any reason to know math. As a result, Susan’s
family took her out of school and taught her
at home.
Susan’s family felt strongly about equality In 1978, the United
States mint released
and good citizenship. They spoke out against a dollar coin to honor
slavery. When Susan was twenty-six years old, Susan B. Anthony.

she became a school teacher and fought for

the rights of students. She wanted boys and
girls to be able to learn together.
She also wanted children of former
slaves to be able to learn in these
same classrooms.

A Friend in the Fight

When she was twenty-eight,
Susan heard about a meeting to
discuss how women might get the
right to vote. She was very excited
about this idea. She went with her
family to Seneca Falls, New York,
to hear Elizabeth Cady Stanton give (t) United States coin image from the United States Mint (b) Bettman/Corbis

a speech about the topic. Susan

and her sister and parents signed
papers to support the idea. Susan
felt so strongly about it that she
started working with Elizabeth
Cady Stanton. Together they started In 1848, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton spoke about women's
a weekly newspaper and gave right to vote at a meeting in
speeches around the country. Seneca Falls, New York.

45 3
 Women Can Vote! This time line shows im portant dates in the life o f Susan
B. Anthony and in the fight for women’s right to vote.

1 1820 1848 1852 868

Susan Brownell A ttended Started Started
A nthony born S en eca Falls w orking with a w eekly
in A dam s, co nference Elizab e th C ad y paper
M assachusetts Stanton

Women (Jet the Vote!

Susan gave as many as 100 speeches around the
country every year for forty-five years. She always
stayed excited and hopeful about her work.
Not everyone agreed with her ideas. Susan and
her friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton had to fight hard
for many years for the rights of all people. They
always did their work peacefully. It was not until
Susan B. Anthony and
fourteen years after Susan died that women in Elizabeth Cady Stanton
worked hard to support
the United States were allowed to vote. The long
the rights of women in
struggle would not have been successful without the United States.
the work of Susan B. Anthony.
Bettman/Corbis

454
 1869
Founded National
1872
A rrested
19 6 s
Died in
1920
W om en
W om an Suffrage for trying to R o chester, get the right
A sso ciation with cast a vote in New York to vote
Elizabeth C a d y Stanton an electio n

You Can Be a
Good Citizen, Too!
You can particip ate in your community,
just like Susan B. Anthony did.
•Volunteer your time.
•Get to know your neighbors.
•Talk to people. Listen to their ideas.
Tell them your ideas.
•W ork peacefully with others.
•Help others.
•Make your com m unity a great place
to live!

Good citizens help people

in their community.

Make Connections
In what ways was Susan B. Anthony a good citizen?
ESSEN TIA L QUESTION
Datacraft Co Ltd/Getty Im ages

Tell about some other leaders you have read about.

How did they show good citizenship? t e x t t o t e x t

45 5
 Genre • Expository Text ►TiA 4 E

\l’s A II in the

WIND

Essential Question
What are different kinds
of energy?
Read about how people are using
the wind as a source of energy.

' V l> »•*-

 People in the ancient world used boats
with sails that captured the wind's power.

Wind Is Energy
Why are people using W ind has power because it is air
wind power? that moves. W hen warm air rises,
cooler air m oves in to take its
place. These actions cause wind
Pee ople have been using wind as to form . A s the wind rises above
an energy source since ancient Earth, it blows faster. The faster
tim es. Sailors w ere the first to use the wind blows, the more energy
wind power. Strong w inds caused it creates. This is the energy that
ships with sails to glide quickly pow ers w indm ills.
across the water. Then people W hen a strong wind blows
decided to use the wind to do on the blades of a w indm ill, it
other hard jobs, such as grinding causes them to spin around. The
grain or pumping water. A s a blades are connected to a long
result, they invented windm ills. rod. W hen the blades spin, they
W indm ills are m achines that turn the rod. The turning rod
capture the w in d ’s power. produces energy that can be
used to do work.
STOP A N D CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions

In what ways have people
used the power of the wind?
m r
457
 How a Wind Turbine Power
Machine Works Today, wind turbines are the
most com m on w ay to turn wind
into energy. They look like giant
w indm ills. They are lined up
in rows on wind farm s. Som e
turbines are as tall as skyscrapers.
G e n e ra to r
c o n v e rts The turbines catch the
th e e n e rg y strongest w inds high above the
o f sp in n in g
b la d e s into
ground. The wind causes the
e le c tric ity . blades on the turbine to turn. As
This diagram
shows how a the blades spin, they produce
wind machine energy. Inside the turbine,
turns wind
power into
m achinery turns the energy
electricity. C a b le carrie s from the spinning blades into
e le c tric ity to
tra n sm issio n
electricity. Then the ele ctricity
lin e. flow s through w ires from the
turbine to homes and towns.

A New Energy Source

Now people are looking for new
sources of energy, such as the
(t) Illustration: National Energy Education Development Project (b) OJPHOTOS/Alamy

wind. They have a good reason.

Most of the energy we use today
com es from coal, natural gas,
and oil. These natural resources
are running out. They cannot be
replaced. W ind, however, is a
renewable resource. There will
alw ays be a supply. And wind
is free and clean, so it does not Windmills were early and less powerful
produce harmful pollution. versions of today's wind turbines.

458
Wind Gets Stronger
W ind m achines are the fastest-
growing energy source in the
United States. In 2 0 0 0 , seventeen
states used wind power to create
electricity. Ten years later, the
number of states using wind
grew to thirty-six.
One state that uses wind
power is Missouri. Rock Port,
Missouri, becam e the first
Am erican city to be powered
com pletely by energy from
the wind. The c ity ’s four wind
m achines supply enough
electricity for the 1,300 residents Rock Port, Missouri, gets its electricity
from four wind machines like this one.
of Rock Port.
Rock Port is not the only
place that is saving m oney
on electricity. Schools from Respond to Reading
Nebraska to Verm ont use wind 1. Tel I how you know that "It's All
m achines to save m oney and to in the Wind" is expository text.
create cleaner energy. GENRE
Every year, more com panies
2. What causes a windmill to
are placing wind m achines near
produce energy? Tell the steps
com m unities. R ecently 3 ,0 0 0
in the order in which they
wind m achines w ere put in place happen, c a u s e a n d e f f e c t
in one year. These new m achines
are five tim es larger than the 3. Find the homophone rows on
ones made thirty years ago, and page 458. What does rows mean
in this sentence? h o m o p h o n e s
they produce fifteen tim es more
energy. T h a t’s good news for the 4. Why are more people around
planet! Clean energy with wind the world using wind power?
power is here to stay. TE X T TO WORLD
 Genre • Expository Text T iM E
Compare Texts
Read to find out how people
around the world are getting
energy from the sun.

E v e ry day, students in m any In Tsum kwe (CH O O M -kw ee),

countries are in a race against the a small town in Namibia, A frica,
Sun. Many don’t have electricity. villagers w ere lucky. Until
For this reason, they must do recently, they got all their
their hom ework during daylight e le ctricity from a generator
hours or use dangerous oil lamps powered by oil. However,
or candlelight at night. there w ere problem s with the
generator. It cost a lot of money.
And it only produced ele ctricity
for three hours each day.

Namibia is a country
on the southwest
coast of Africa.
 TOP 5 ENERGY SAVERS
Alternative Power
Here are five easy w ays
Comes to the Rescue! that you can save energy
Then life in Tsum kwe changed. every day. Try them all!
A com pany from Germ any built
a solar power system in the
Turn off lights.
village. The new system supplies 1 •B-
OFF
electricity to 100 hom es. A s a
result, now the villagers can have
electricity 24 hours a day. Use energy-
m
The people in Tsum kwe are
not the only ones struggling to
get electricity. A lm ost two billion
f saving light
bulbs.

people around the world still do Shut off

computers,
not have electric power. That TV sets, and
video games.
means hospitals have a hard tim e
taking care of sick people. Most
people in these countries must Use sunlight
instead of
depend on energy from costly oil electric lights
^1^ when you can.
to light their way.
However, life is getting better
in countries w ithout good power - Open a window
sources. Energy com panies are if you need to
1 ^ ^ cool off.
starting to provide wind and solar
power to these com m unities.
W ind and solar power can
be cheaper than traditional fuel Make Connections
sources, such as coal and oil. They
Why is it important to use
are cleaner. And they are safer
different sources of energy?
to use. These alternative energy ESSEN TIA L QUESTION
sources are a very small part
of the power that is used in the How is solar power like other
world, but more people are using forms of energy you have
read about? t e x t t o t e x t
these sources every year.

461
Genre • Drama/Myth

Essential Question
How do you decide what is
important?
Read about how King Midas
discovers what he values most
 ATI D 4 y
AND THE

by Margaret H. Lippert
illustrated by Gail Armstrong

Storyteller
King M idas
Princess M arigold, King Midas’s daughter
Nikolas, King Midas’s servant
Rosie, a gardener’s daughter
Rex, King Midas’s horse
Mysterious Traveler
SCENE ONE
In the palace. Early morning.
Storyteller: The story of King Midas takes place long
ago and far away, in the country of Greece. King Midas
possessed more gold than anyone in the world. One
morning, he is counting his gold in his treasure chamber.
King Midas (tying the last hag of gold): So much gold.
So much wealth. I love it!
Marigold: (callingfrom o ff stage) Papa! Where are you?
King Midas: (calling) Here, Marigold.
(Marigold enters.)

464
Marigold: Counting your gold again? You spend
more time with your gold than with me.
K in g Midas: I’m locking it up because I’m leaving
on a journey.
Marigold: I’ll miss you, Papa.
K in g Midas: I’ll miss you too, Marigold.
Marigold: More than your gold?
K in g Midas: (laughing) Of course! I have a roomful
of gold, but only one Marigold! (He looks out the window)
I see your friend Rosie is playing in the garden. Run
along now. I’ll say goodbye before I leave.
(Marigold exits.)
K in g Midas: (calling) Nikolas!
(Nikolas enters)
Nikolas: Yes, your Majesty?
K in g Midas: Saddle my horse.
Nikolas: As you wish.
(Nikolas exits. King Midas puts the bags of gold into
the trunk and locks it. He exits.)

465
SCENE TW O
Storyteller: A few minutes later, in the palace rose
garden, Rosie is jumping rope.
Rosie: (chanting in rhythm to herjumping)
Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, And I AM TOO!
Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, And —
(Marigold runs in, twirling herjum p rope.)
M arigold and Rosie: I AM TOO!
(They stopjumping and Marigold stoops down)
Rosie: What are you doing?
Marigold: Hunting for a stone to give Papa.
Rosie: (picking up a stone) How about this one?
Marigold: I want to find one that looks like a heart.
(Marigold picks up several stones and tosses them down again,
then picks up a heart shaped stone and shows it to Rosie.)
Marigold: I found one!
(King Midas enters. Marigold runs to him and gives him the stone.)
Marigold: Here, Papa. A heart, to remind you that I love you.
(King Midas puts the stone in his pocket.)
K in g Midas: Thank you, my darling.
467
(Nikolas enters.)
Nikolas: Rex is saddled, Your Majesty.
K in g Midas: (to Marigold) I must go now.
Marigold: Is it really necessary?
K in g M id a s: Yes. (He picks a rose and gives it to Marigold)
But here is a gift for you. I will return in seven days, before
it wilts.
Marigold: (smelling the rose) Mmmmm. I love the smell,
almost as much as I love you.
K in g Midas: Farewell, my daughter.
Marigold: Farewell, Papa.
(King Midas and Nikolas exit)
Marigold: (to Rosie) I’ll put this rose in a vase by my bed.
Come with me.
(Marigold and Rosie exit)
SCENE THREE
Storyteller: One week later, early in the morning, King Midas
rides Rex through a forest. He is returning home from his journey.
(Traveler moans offstage.)
K in g Midas: Hark! Someone is hurt.
(Traveler moans again.)
K in g Midas: (stops and looks around.) Am I dreaming?
(Traveler moans louder.)
Rex: (Neighs)
K in g Midas: (patting Rex) Calm down, Rex. Don’t be alarmed.
(Traveler enters limping and falls to the ground.)
K in g Midas: W hat ails you, Traveler?
Traveler: My leg. I fell off my horse.
K in g Midas: You need help. My palace is just over the hill.
Traveler: My horse ran away.
K in g Midas: Then ride with me.
(King Midas and Traveler ride
Rex together.)
Rex: (Neighs.)
K in g Midas:Good boy,
Rex. We’re almost home.
(They exit.)

f
Wmk
 SCENE FOUR
Storyteller: Soon they arrive back at the rose garden.
(King Midas and Traveler dismount.)
K in g Midas: Here we are. I’ll call my servant.
Traveler: Wait. As a reward for your kindness to a poor
Traveler, I will grant you a wish.
K in g Midas : You grant wishes?
Traveler: Make a wish, and see if it comes true.
K in g Midas : Well, I love gold! So I wish that everything
I touch turns to gold!
Traveler: Your wish is granted.
K in g Midas: Really? I’ll try it on the stone Marigold gave me!
(He takes the heart stone out o f his pocket. It turns to gold.)

STOP AND CHECK

Make Predictions What do

you think will happen when
King Midas gets his wish?
King Midas: Incredible! This stone has turned to gold!
(He picks a rose. It turns to gold.) Fantastic! This is gold too!
What a perfect gift for Marigold!
M arigold: (offstage) Papa will be home today, Rosie.
We can watch for him over the garden wall.
(Marigold and Rosie enter. King Midas holds the rose out
to Marigold.)
King Midas: Look, my daughter. A gold rose for you!
(Marigold’s happy smile turns to shocked surprise.)
Marigold: Oh Papa, how terrible. (She smells it.)
K in g Midas: Terrible? No, it is WONDERFUL! I can turn
everything to gold! (He reaches out to take her hand. She freezes
in place as i f turned to gold.) Oh no! M y precious daughter has
turned to gold!
Traveler: As you wished. You said, “I wish EVERYTHING
I touch will turn to gold.”
K in g Midas: But—
Traveler: No buts. You wished, and your wish came true.
You were so obsessed with gold that all you wanted was more.
K in g Midas: (He gives an anguished cry.) But now all I want is
Marigold, alive again. I wish I could undo my foolish wish.
Traveler: I can see by your anguish that now you realize true
wealth is not gold, but life. So I will grant you one more wish.
K in g Midas: I wish that everything I have turned to gold
becomes real again.
Traveler: Your wish is granted. Fill that watering can with
water from the pond. Pour it on all you wish to be real again.
(King Midas fills the watering can and pours water over Marigold.
She comes hack to life.)

Confirm Predictions What

happened when King Midas got his
wish? Was your prediction correct?
 King Midas : Oh how wonderful! You’re alive again!
(King Midas takes her hands andjoyfully swings her around.)
Marigold: What happened, Papa? Did I fall in the pond?
King Midas: (laughing) Oh no, my treasure. Come inside
and dry off, and I will tell you the story.
Marigold: What story, Papa?
King Midas: The story of how I learned that my obsession
with gold almost cost me what is truly precious. (He takes
the heart stone out o f his pocket and pours water over it.) I never
noticed before how beautiful a real stone is. (He pours water
over the gold rose and smells it.) I never appreciated how
sweet a rose smells.
474
(Nikolas enters.)
Nikolas: Breakfast is ready, Your Majesty.
King Midas: (to Traveler) Come, join us at breakfast.
Traveler: Thank you, but I must be on my way. My leg
is better and I have other wishes to grant. Farewell.
(He exits.)
King Midas: (calling after him) Farewell, and thank you!
Marigold: "Thank you?" For what, Papa?
King Midas: For showing me what is more valuable
than gold. At breakfast I will tell you the story of my
foolish wish, and how you got wet w ithout falling into
the pond!
(King Midas takes Marigold's hand, and Marigold takes
Rosie's hand.)
Marigold: Rosie, come with me to hear Papa's story.
Storyteller: So ends the story of King Midas and the
Golden Touch.
(All exit.)
STOP AND CHECK

Summarize What happened

at the end of the story? Tell the
important events in order.

475
 ABOUT THE
AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
M argaret H. Lippert is a teacher, Gail Armstrong has been
a storyteller, and an award-winning a paper sculptor for more
author of children’s books. She has than twenty years. She uses
traveled around the world sharing the traditional craft of paper
stories. Margaret has written many folding, or origami, to create
books in which she retells folktales people, animals, flowers,
and stories from different cultures. and castles, then turns
She was excited to write a play these paper sculptures into
about King Midas because his story illustrations for books on a
is one of her favorite myths. She computer. Gail says, “I find
had fun naming the characters in it fascinating how something
the play. She says, “I thought a as ordinary as a piece of
king who loved gold might name paper can be transformed
his daughter Marigold.” with a simple cut or fold.”

A U T H O R S PU RPO SE
What message was the author
trying to tell in this play?
.fir
RESPOND TO READING
S U M M A R IZ E
What are the most important events
in this story? information from your
Theme Chart may help you summarize.

T E X T E V ID E N C E
1. How do you know that King Midas and the
Golden Touch is a play and a myth? g e n r e

2 . What lesson does King Midas learn at the

end of the story? t h e m e

3 . Find the word obsession on page 474.

What is the root word of obsession?
What do you think obsession means?
R O OT W O R D S

4 . Write about how the author

communicates the theme, or
message, in the play.
W RI TE A B O U T R E A D I N G

Make Connections
What did King Midas value at the
beginning of the play? How did his feelings
change by the end? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Why is it important to value family and

friends? t e x t t o w o r l d
 cess G enre • Realistic Fiction

Compare Texts
Read about a boy who learns
to value something different.

Carlos’s Gift
Carlos wanted a puppy in the worst way.
He dreamed about puppies—big ones, little
ones, spotted ones, frisky ones. Now it was
his birthday, and Carlos had one thing on
his mind. A puppy! When Mama handed
him a flat, square box, Carlos almost
started to cry.
It was a book about caring for dogs.
Papa smiled, “You need to learn how
to care for a puppy before you get one.”
Carlos read the book that night. He found
a photograph of the exact kind of bulldog
puppy that he craved. He eagerly showed
Mama the next morning.
“That kind of dog is too
expensive,” said Mama.
Noticing his crestfallen
expression, she added,
“Try earning some money.
Ask our neighbors if they
have jobs you can do.”
Illustration: Frank Morrison
 Mama’s suggestion made Carlos more
optimistic. He could save up for the puppy
of his dreams!
After two weeks, Carlos had saved
twenty-six dollars. It seemed like a treasure,
but it was not enough to buy a puppy. Then
Papa pointed out a poster at the store: City
Animal Shelter Needs Your Help!
“The shelter takes care of abandoned
pets,” Papa said. “Carlos, you can learn a lot
by working there. Let’s visit.”
At the shelter, Miss Jones, the manager
said,“We only take volunteers who work
for free. All our money is devoted to
helping animals.”
“You’ll learn a lot about dogs,” Papa
urged Carlos.
Carlos’s shoulders drooped. How was he
ever going to accumulate enough money for
a puppy? Finally, he agreed to give it a try.
 Carlos started working at the shelter on Saturday. His
assignment was sweeping. Afterwards, the dogs scampered
out to play. One dog named Pepper had a funny curly tail
that never stopped wagging. She was fully grown but as
playful as a puppy. When Pepper leaped in the pile of sticks
and leaves that Carlos had just swept up, he laughed.
Carlos went to the shelter every weekend. He began to
treasure his time with the dogs, especially Pepper. One day
Carlos asked why Pepper was still at the shelter.
Miss Jones sighed, “W e’ve had trouble finding a home
for Pepper. Most people don’t want such an energetic dog.”
Carlos suddenly realized he didn’t want a bulldog puppy.
He wanted Pepper. “I wish I could buy her,” he replied.
480
 Miss Jones smiled, “You can’t buy her, but you can
adopt her. There’s a fifteen-dollar fee, and your parents
must complete a form proving that you can give Pepper
a good home.”
Both Mama and Papa agreed that Carlos had learned
enough about dogs to adopt Pepper. Carlos was so thrilled
that he ran all the way to the shelter to get Pepper.
Carlos used part of his hard-earned w ealth to pay the
fee. And he decided to donate the rest of his puppy fund
to aid more shelter dogs. “I thought I wanted a bulldog
puppy, but I got Pepper instead.” Pepper barked with joy.

Make Connections
What does Carlos value at the
story's beginning? How have his
feelings changed at the end of
the story? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

What other stories have you read

about how people changed their
values? T E X T TO T E X T
cess Genre • Historical Fiction

N o r a ’s A r k
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

Essential Question
How can weather affect us?
Read about a farm family that
survives a storm and terrible flood

Go Digital!
 W h e n I was born, Grandma
said I was so small I looked like a
little bird. That’s why I was named
Wren. Grandma may look small,
too, but she’s made of granite, and
she says I’m tough, just like she is.
Good thing, or we never would have

Text Copyright © 2005 by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

survived the 1927 Flood.
Grandma and Grandpa lived on
a little farm by a river in Vermont.
They didn’t have much money, but
there was always plenty to eat—milk
from Grandpa’s cows, vegetables
from Grandma’s garden, apples and
plums from the orchard, fish from the
river, and maple syrup that Grandpa
and Grandma made each spring.

483
 Grandpa was building Grandma a new house. It sat on a
hill and, when finished, it would have electricity, a wringer
washing machine, and best of all, an indoor bathroom.
“I don’t need a new house, Horace,” Grandma said.
“W e’ve lived here forty years, raised eight children, and
been as happy as a family could be. That new house is
just gravy.”
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
Grandma thought how she could explain it to me.
“You like potatoes, don’t you, W ren?”
484
 “Yes, ma’am,” I told her. Grandma made the best
mashed potatoes in the world, with lots of milk, butter,
and pepper in them. You could make a meal out of just
her potatoes.
“You like gravy on them?”
“I reckon.” Grandma did make good gravy. “But your
potatoes taste good without gravy, too,” I told her.
“Exactly,” Grandma said. “Gravy tastes good, but
you don’t need it, and I don’t need that new house. I like
living here.”
But Grandpa kept right on building.
When it began to rain on November 2, 1927, no one
along the river had any idea nine inches of rain would fall
in two days. Life in Vermont was about to change forever.
The rain came down in torrents. It drummed so loudly
on the roof we couldn’t talk. Grandma spent the morning
baking bread. By noon, she’d made twenty-seven loaves.
“Grandma, why’d you make so much bread?” I shouted.
Grandma watched the water stream down the windows.
“We might need it,” she
said, but I couldn’t imagine how
we’d eat twenty-seven loaves
of bread.
When Grandpa came in for
lunch, he poured a quart of
water out of each boot.
“I’ve never seen the river rise
so fast,” he said. “I think we’d
best get up to the new house.”

485
 For once, Grandma didn’t argue. By the time she’d
packed quilts, candles, her photo albums, and a sack of
potatoes, the water was up to the porch.
Grandpa let all the cows and horses out of the barn.
“What will happen to them?” I asked.
“They’ll get to higher ground and be all right,” he said.
“Don’t worry, W ren.” But I could tell he was the one who
was worried.
I loaded all those loaves of bread into my old baby
carriage, covered it with an oilcloth, and pushed it
through the mud and rain to the new house.
“Guess I built this place just in time,” Grandpa said.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you caused this flood
just so I’d have to move into the new house,” Grandma
said, but she seemed glad to be on higher ground, too.
 W e’d scarcely set foot inside when we heard pounding
on the door.
The three Guthrie boys stood on the porch, burlap
bags in each hand. The bags squirmed and squawked.
“Our barn’s flooded. Can we keep the chickens here?”
They emptied the chickens onto the kitchen floor.
“Some of our heifers are stranded in the fields,” one
of the boys said. “W e’re gonna see if we can push them
to higher ground.”
“I’ll go with you,” Grandpa said.
“May I go, too?” I asked.
“No!” Grandpa and Grandma both said at once.
“Be careful,” Grandma told him, and he and the boys
disappeared through the rain.
Even with all those chickens, the house seemed empty
with Grandpa gone.
487
 Grandma saw me shiver and wrapped a quilt
around me.
“It’s getting colder,” she said. “I wish I had my
cookstove here.” She held me close as we stood
watching the rain.
“I wish Grandpa would come back,” I said.
“Me, too,” said Grandma.
We both shrieked when a huge head appeared in the
window. It was Major, one of the Fergusons’ horses.
I was even more astonished when Grandma
opened the door and led him in.
“You’re bringing Major into the house?”
“We don’t have a stove,” Grandma said. “He’s big.
He’ll add heat to the place.”

488
 Major took up half the kitchen. The other half was
taken up by loaves of bread and chickens.
We had chickens in the cupboards, chickens on the
shelves and in the baby carriage, even chickens roosting
on Major’s back.
Our next visitors were Mrs. Lafleur and her daughter,
Madeleine. Mrs. Lafleur didn’t speak much English.
“Our house wash away,” Mrs. Lafleur said. “We row
boat here.”
Madeleine looked around the kitchen, and her eyes
opened wide.
“Des poulets dans le chariot de bebe?” she said. I
guess she’d never seen chickens in a baby carriage before.
489
 By nightfall, the house was full to bursting. Besides
Mrs. Lafleur and Madeleine, Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie, the
Fergusons, and the Craig family had moved in, twenty-
three people in all. There were also three horses, a cow,
five pigs, a duck, four cats, and one hundred chickens.

490
 The river rose until the house became an
island, and we watched our neighbors’ houses
wash down the river.
 Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie had brought a side of salt pork
with them, though we had no way to cook it. The Fergusons
had saved their radio, a skillet, a bag of dried apples, and a
three-legged cat. They were delighted to find Major alive
and well and in our kitchen.
The Craigs had lost everything but the clothes on
their backs.
“W e’re just glad we all got out alive,” Mrs. Craig said,
which only reminded Grandma and me that Grandpa had
still not returned.
We had bread and dried apples for supper, and rainwater
Madeleine and I scooped out of the Lafleurs’ rowboat. The
water had a few fish scales in it, but no one complained.
 With no stove or beds, we all huddled together for
warmth, sharing Grandma’s quilts as best we could. We
sang Scottish songs and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
V

in a round, and Mrs. Lafleur taught us “A la Claire

Fontaine,” a tune that brought tears to our eyes even
though we couldn’t understand the words. Mrs. Guthrie
told how her grandfather had fought at Gettysburg, and
Mr. Craig kept us laughing with stories of his boyhood
days in a logging camp in Maine. If it hadn’t been for
the thought of Grandpa out there somewhere, it would
have almost seemed like a party.
STOP AND CHECK

Make Predictions What do you

t h i r d / " \a / ■
11 h a n n o n t n f^ranHna?
 I knew Grandma was worried about
Grandpa. I was worried, too. He should have
been home by now.
I wanted to ask Peter Ferguson if he would
come with me to look for Grandpa, but I knew
if Grandma overheard she’d forbid me to go,
so when the sky was getting light, I sneaked
out and sprinted for the rowboat.
Grandma was just getting into it.
“What are you doing here?” she wanted
to know.
“Same as you, I reckon. Going to look
for Grandpa.”
 “It’s too dangerous,” Grandma said. “Go back to
the house,” but I shook my head.
Grandma looked at me hard.
“All right,” she said. “W e’ll look for him together.”
I pushed us off into water that was full of furniture
and trees and dead animals. Grandma had to be careful
where she rowed. It was raining so hard I had to keep
bailing water out of the boat.
Nothing looked the same. Fields had become lakes.
Just the roofs of houses stuck up above the water.
On one of those roofs we saw a dog.
“Why, I believe that’s Sam Burroughs’ collie,”
Grandma said, and she rowed toward the house. The
collie barked when she saw us coming.
I held on to the roof to steady the boat.
“Come on, girl,” I said, and the dog jumped into
the boat beside me. She whined and licked my face.
 The strangest sight was yet to come. W e rounded a
bend in the river and I squinted, sure that my eyes were
fooling me. Then I heard Grandma’s voice behind me.
“Wren, are these old eyes failing me, or is that a cow
in a tree?” Grandma asked.
It was indeed. A red and white Ayrshire was wedged
into the crook formed by two branches, and she was
bawling piteously. Higher up in the branches was a man.
He was hollering almost as loudly as the cow.
“I believe we’ve found your grandpa,” Grandma said,
relief flooding her face.
“I was on my way home when I got swept away by the
water,” Grandpa said. “I thought I was a goner, too, but
when this cow floated by, I grabbed her tail and stayed
afloat until she got hung up in this tree.”
We pushed and pulled on that cow, but she was stuck
fast and we finally had to leave her. Grandpa promised
he’d come back and try to cut her free, but he was crying
as we rowed away.
STOP AND CH ECK
 “Goodness,” Grandma said. “All that fuss over a
cow.” But Grandpa wasn’t crying over just one cow.
“All our cows drowned, Nora,” he said. “The house,
the barn, the horses, they’re all gone.”
Grandma wiped the tears from his cheeks.
“You’re safe, and that’s all that matters,” she said.
“W e’ll have to start over,” Grandpa said, and
Grandma smiled.
“We can do that,” she said.
Grandpa smiled back at her, and I knew then that,
no matter what, everything would be all right.

498
 The Craigs, Fergusons, Guthries, and Lafleurs
were glad to see us. Madeleine even hugged me.
“She was afraid you’d drowned,” Peter said. He
blushed. “I was, too,” he added.
When Grandpa saw all the animals in the kitchen,
he burst out laughing.
“Nora, I thought I was building you a house, but
I see it was really an ark.”

499
 It took three days for the water to go down enough so
our neighbors could go see what was left of their farms.
Grandpa put his arm around Grandma.
“I’ll finish this house the way you want it, Nora,”
he said. But he shook his head when the Fergusons led
Major out.
“I don’t know as I’ll ever be able to get those
hoofprints out of this floor,” he said.

500
 I’ve now lived in my grandparents’ house for more
than forty years, and those hoofprints are still in the
floor. I never sanded them out because they remind me
of what’s important: family and friends and neighbors
helping neighbors.
Like Grandma said, everything else is just gravy.

STOP AND CH ECK

Summarize What happened

after Wren and Grandma rescued
Grandpa? Tell the events in order.

501
 A b o u t t h e

A u t h o r a n d Il l u s t r a t o r

N a t a l ie K in s e y - E m il y A rnold

W a r n o c k ’s M c C u l l y ’s

family has lived in family inspired

Vermont for nearly her to become an
two hundred years. artist. She started
Family stories like “Norah’s Ark” drawing as a child. Her mother
inspire her writing. She says, encouraged her to practice, so she
“Every family has stories that are drew everything she saw. She never
too good to be forgotten. These stopped creating art. Emily has
(I) Emily Kinsey Dearborn (r) Photo compliments of Emily Arnold McCully

stories need to be passed on to illustrated more than a hundred

the next generation.” Natalie has books for children. Emily hopes
written more than twenty books to inspire people’s imaginations
for young people. Most are about through her books.
life in Vermont.

A u t h o r ’s P u r p o s e
Why do you think the author wrote
a story about a Vermont flood that
happened long ago?
 R e s p o n d t o R e a d in g

Su m m a r iz e

How did the weather affect Wren

and her grandparents? Use details
from your Theme Chart to help you
summarize the events in the story.

T e x t Ev id ence

1. Tell how you know that Nora's Ark

is historical fiction, g e n r e

2 . What is the author's message, or theme,

in this story? t h e m e

3 . On page 484, Grandma calls the new house "just gravy."

What does she mean? f i g u r a t i v e l a n g u a g e : i d i o m s

4 . Write about how the author communicated the

story's theme. What details did she use to make
it clear? w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
What did people in the community do
to survive bad weather and a flood?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Explain why people are always watching

the weather report, t e x t t o w o r l d
 Genre • Fable

Compare Texts
Read about a contest
between the Wind and the
Sun to see who is stronger.

TheWind
and the Sun
from th e fa b le b y A e so p

T he W ind and th e Sun b oth lived in

th e sky. Like m ost neighbors, th e y g o t along
m uch of th e tim e. H ow ever, so m etim es th e y argu ed
about w h o w a s stron gest.
“I am stron ger th an you! ” b o a ste d th e W ind one
day. “I can topple tre e s and fla tten hom es. On a
su n ny day, I can spoil th e w e a th e r conditions b y
b lo w in g in clouds and rain. ”
The Sun sm iled, “No! I am stronger. I provide
d ayligh t and th e h e a t th a t k e e p s p eop le w arm . ”
“L e t’s h ave a co n test to determ ine w h o is
stronger," b lu stered th e Wind. “ See th a t farm er
d ow n th ere in his field? W e ’ll each try to m ake
him take off his coat. W hoever su cce e d s is
th e w inner. ”
 “ Okay, you go firs t,” th e Sun agreed .
The W ind took a b ig b reath and b le w and
blew . He tried to b la st a w a y th e farm er’s coat
w ith all his stren gth , b u t th e farm er only
pulled his coat tighter.
“Brrr! T h a t’s p ecu liar,” said th e farmer.
“T he w e a th e r fo recast on th e radio d id n ’t
predict a freezin g w in d for today. ”
Soon th e W ind g r e w tired and sto p p ed
h ow ling. “Your turn, S u n ,” he p anted.
Sun n odded and sm iled. He se n t out his
w a rm e st rays.
T he farm er b e g a n to s w e a t as he labored in th e
field. “Ah, it certain ly has b eco m e a w arm , su n n y
day, ” he sig h ed w ith relief as he rem oved his coat
A n d w ith that, th e Sun w o n th e con test.
G entle persuasion works b etter than force.

f;W ,':•' -••«... ••,«.■:*.v-t-*. • ■

I*--'/.- -“S

.IlMl
Make Connections
Why is the Sun stronger than the
Wind? E S S E N T I A L Q U E S T I O N

Compare this story to other stories

about the weather, t e x t t o t e x t

*
 The Ellen Ochoa Story
by Liane B. Onish

Essential Question
Why are goals important?
Read about Ellen Ochoa. Find out
how she reached her goals.
NASA/JPL-

Go Digitall
 U (JI I I UK Ul I U IU IU

reach for the stars. I

believe a good education
can take you anywhere
on Earth and beyond/'

-Ellen Ochoa

How many people can say that their

jobs are “out of this world”? Ellen Ochoa
(uh-CHOH-ah) can. She is the first female
Hispanic American astronaut. Her job has
taken her out of this world four times.
NASA
 Reaching for the Stars
Ellen Ochoa was born in California in 1958,
the same year the space program began. Back then,
only men became astronauts. This was a problem
for women who wanted to go into space. Women
were not allowed to even apply for the job. Luckily,
the space program began accepting women in 1978.
Sally Ride, the first female astronaut, went into space
in 1983. In fact, it was Sally Ride’s mission that gave
Ellen Ochoa the idea of becoming an astronaut.
When Ellen Ochoa began college, she thought
she would be a professional musician. Then she
changed her mind. When she went to Stanford
Ellen Ochoa trained
University, she heard about the skills an astronaut
hard to become an required. She decided to try to join the astronaut
astronaut. program. Unfortunately, Ochoa was not chosen.
She did not have the right skills. Most astronauts
were men. She wasn’t a military pilot like many
astronauts. She wasn’t athletic and strong. But
Ellen wanted to go into space. She knew this was
a problem she could solve.
“I can’t imagine not wanting to go into space,”
Ochoa says. She did not give up her dream.
(clockwise from top) NASA-JSC (2) A; Nota (ESA/STScI) et al.-ESA-NASA

Young Ellen was

(3) NASA-MSFC (4) Dr. Ellen Ochoa (5) NASA-JSC (6) NASA-JSC

a good math and

science student.

STOP AND CHECK

Reread What inspired Ellen

Ochoa to become an astronaut?
Reread to find out.

3 #
 At Stanford, Ochoa studied subjects
related to space. She did research for several
inventions that helped solve problems in
space. One of her inventions helped guide
robotic arms for work in space. Robotic Ochoa controlled ^
arms look like human arms. They have th e space sh u ttle s
parts that move like a shoulder, an elbow, robotic arm.
and a wrist. They do jobs that are too
hard or dangerous for people.
Many tasks in outer space require
astronauts to use robotic arms.
Ochoas experience with
robotic arms helped her get
into the astronaut program
in 1991.

One of Ochoa s
inventions helps
guide robotic arms.
NASA
 Training in Space
Before she could join the space
program and be an astronaut, Ochoa
had one more problem to solve. She had
to get herself ready. It was not an easy task.
She began training in 1990. Her strong background
in math and science helped her do well in these
new classes. She also had to pass a physical exam Astronauts are trained
to get into the program. She learned to work on the to get used to feeling
weightless.
real machines astronauts use during space flights.
“In training, things keep breaking, and problems
have to be solved,” Ochoa says. “I was in training
for three years before my first mission.”
During training, astronauts work on machines
that get them used to working in
space. One machine creates
“weightlessness” conditions that
astronauts feel in space.
(t) ESA - NASA and P. Anders (Gottingen University Galaxy Evolution Group - Germany) (tr) NASA-JSC (b) NASA-JSC

“Weightlessness is the fun

part of the mission,” Ochoa says.
“I guess the closest thing would
be swimming or scuba diving.
What is odd is that weightlessness
seems more natural.”

STOP AND CHECK

Reread How did Ellen Ochoa train to

be an astronaut? Reread to find out.
 A N I N T E R V I E W WITH

Student reporters interviewed Ellen Ochoa.

Here are some of their questions and her answers.

What is NASA training like?

In training, we prepare for anything tha t
Astronauts are able
could happen on a space mission— anything to sleep even in
that could go w ron g Nothing has ever weightless conditions.
gone wrong on any o f my missions, and our
training helps us make sure tha t nothing
w ill For my last mission, we trained for
nine months before the actual flight.

How do you sleep on

the space shuttle?
On my last mission . . . we slept in
w hat can best be described as a sleeping
bag w ith hooks. You w ould find a place
to hook on to, and float in.

What do you look for in a potential

astronaut and what is their
average age?
Most o f the people w ho are selected are between
the ages o f 30 to 40. We look for a college education in
science or technology We look for people w ho can
do many things well, because people w ith m ultiple skills
can usually learn things quickly.This is a very im po rta nt
skill for an astronaut.
 “An astronaut must be both a team player and a leader
as well,” Ochoa says. She tells students, “You should get
involved in activities where you work closely with other
people. Working closely with others is an essential part
of being an astronaut and solving problems in space.”
First, there is the ground crew. They inspect and repair
the shuttle before each mission. Next, Mission Control
workers guide the astronauts through each moment of
a mission and debrief them on procedures. They are
responsible for knowing how equipment is working and
how the astronauts are feeling.

The crew on a space

shuttle must work
together to get their
(t) NASA (bl) NASA (br) NASA

jobs done.
 . ; *■
.
Each person in Mission Control B K Ml
works together to make the
mission a success.

During a space flight, the teamwork continues. Ochoa

and the other astronauts work together to meet the goals
of their mission. A space flight crew is like a sports team.
The commander of the shuttle is the team captain. He or
she makes the crucial decisions that have serious effects
on a mission.
On her first mission in 1993, Ellen Ochoa was a mission
specialist. Mission specialists are scientists who do
experiments. Ochoa used a robotic arm to send and get
back a satellite that collected information about the Sun.
Then in 1994, Ochoa was the payload commander
on her second mission. The payload might be supplies
or equipment, such as the robotic arm. She did satellite
studies of the Suns effect on Earth’s climate, or weather.
<

513
 Space Jobs
In 1999, Ochoa was a mission specialist again on a
space flight. During this flight, she and the crew delivered
supplies to the International Space Station. She also
“walked” in space for the first time during this mission.
Finally, in 2002, Ochoa took her last space flight.
Again, she worked on the International Space Station.
She used the robotic arm to deliver supplies and help
build new parts of the space station.
Between missions, Ochoa continued working. She
worked with astronauts and ground crew to prepare for
other space missions.
(t) NASA-MSFC (b) NASA Human Spaceflight Collection/NASA

514
Ellen Ochoa’s Life Today
Today, Ochoa likes to travel to
tell students and teachers about her
experiences as an astronaut. She finds it
exciting to communicate with students.
She tells them how she solved the problem
of becoming an astronaut. She likes to
describe life aboard the space shuttle.
“I’m not trying to make every kid
an astronaut, but I want kids to think
about a career and the preparation they’ll
need,” Ochoa says. “I tell students that the
opportunities I had were a result of having
a good educational background. Education
is what allows you to stand out.”
Ellen Ochoa has realized her dream. She Some facts about
became an astronaut and she has traveled Ellen’s trips
...........
into space four times. Altogether, Ochoa STS-56 ATLAS-2 Discovery
has spent nearly 980 hours in space! Her Date: A pril 4-17, 1993
space missions have taken her more than Time in Space: 9 days

16 million miles around Earth. That is Miles Traveled: 3.9 m illion

more than 640 trips around Earth at the STS-66 Atlantis

Date: November 3-14, 1994
equator. Ellen Ochoas job has truly taken Time in Space: II days
her “out of this world!” Miles Traveled: 4.5 m illion

STS-96 Discovery
Date: May 27-June 6, 1999
Time in Space: 10 days
STOP AND CHECK Miles Traveled: 3.8 m illion
ifc..
Summarize What do STS-IIO Atlantis
astronauts do? Tell the Date: A pril 8-19, 2002
Time in Space: 10 days
details you learned in In i 1
NASA-MSFC

Miles Traveled: 4.5 million

this story.
Liane B. Onish is a writer and
teacher with a goal. She wants to help
kids learn in fun and exciting ways.
She has taught students in preschool
through fifth grade. She has worked
as a writer and editor for childrens
television programs and educational
publishing companies. She now writes
children’s books, magazines, games,
and classroom materials.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think that the
author included the interview
with Ellen Ochoa?
 Summarize
Summarize the important events
in Ellen Ochoa's story. The details
from your Problem and Solution
Chart may help you.

Text Evidence
1. How do you know that Out o f This
World! is a biography? What text
features do you see? b i o g r a p h y

2 . Reread the section "Reaching for the Stars" on ¥

pages 508 and 509. Why was it difficult for Ellen
Ochoa to become an astronaut? How did she
solve the problem? p r o b l e m a n d s o l u t i o n

3 . Find the word astronaut on page 507. How can

you use Greek roots to figure out its meaning?
G R E E K A ND LATIN R OO T S

4 . Write about the author's use of details to show

how astronauts solve problems in space.
W RI T E A B O U T R E A D I NG

i
Make Connections
Tell how goals helped Ellen Ochoa to
become an astronaut, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Tell why it is important for people to set

goals. T E X T T O W O R L D
 fl Flight bo Lunar* City
“ Get ready for landing,” Now they were almost there!
announced Com m ander Buckley. Robbie w riggled and squirmed.
“ Fantastic!” whispered Maria, “ Settle dow n!” Maria scolded.
clinging tig h tly to her robot Sometimes Robbie was awfully
pooch. She could see the grey wild, like a real puppy. Maria
dusty surface of the Moon out was thinking about adjusting his
the lunar lander’s window. Personality Profile Program to
Going to the Moon had been make him a little calmer.
Maria’s goal since she was five. Suddenly there was a large
The dream had m otivated Maria bang. The lunar lander jerked
to enter a science project in the forw ard and turned upside
National Space Contest. She had down. Then it rolled sideways.
invented Robbie, the robot dog, The lights on the ship dimmed.
as her science project. He was The emergency lights came on.
the perfect Moon pet. Maria and
Robbie had won first prize—a
trip to Lunar City, the first
settlem ent on the Moon.
Illustration: Colin Mier
 “ The power is o ff!” gasped Just then Robbie jum ped
Commander Buckley. “ W e’re out o f Maria’s arms and leaped
stuck.” across the landing ship. He
“ Oh, no!” cried Maria. jum ped onto the stick w ith all
“ W oof!” yapped Robbie, as four paws and grow led fiercely.
he squirmed and w iggled in He tugged and chewed on it.
Maria’s arms. “ Stop!” cried Maria.
“ Hold on!” said Com m ander All at once, the control stick
Buckley. She pushed buttons shifted into position. The lights
and touched the control screen. came back on. The landing ship
She tried to contact the landing whooshed forward.
station. Nothing worked. “This “ Robbie, you did it!” laughed
control stick is broken!” said Com m ander Buckley. “ Good
Com m ander Buckley in a d o g !” She handed Robbie back
panic. “ We can’t move ahead.” to Maria. “ Now we can land on
She tried to push the control the Moon.”
stick into the right position for Maria smiled proudly. Robbie
landing, but it w ould not budge. was the best ro b o t dog ever!

Make Connections
What was Maria's goal? What did she
do to reach it? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

What other people with goals have you

read about? How are they like Maria?
How are they different? t e x t t o t e x t
 H o n r a • F m n c it n r x / T o v t

A m & t ° P®

Essential Question
How can learning about animals
help you respect them?
Read a b o u t tw o a m a zin g re ptiles.
Find o u t w h y w e s h o u ld re sp e ct th e m .

Go Digital!
521
 vvV'r
’*«■

Som ething glides slowly through the water, barely

making a ripple. It is w ell hidden and looks like a bumpy
drifting log. Two eyes and a snout appear above the
water. It is an alligator or a crocodile.
 All reptiles are cold-blooded animals.
In order to survive, they must keep
their body temperature from getting
too hot or too cold. They do this by
moving to a cooler or warmer place.

Alligators and crocodiles are members of a group

of reptiles called crocodilians (krok-uh-DILL-ee-ans).
They are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs
and the world’s largest reptiles.

524
 PALEONTOLOGISTS are
scientists who learn about ancient
life by studying fossils, the remains
of a plant or animal that lived at
to n tn m ic n n r l »i q o *-£> n n n

According to paleontologists (pay-lee-on-TOL-o-jists),

alligators, crocodiles, and dinosaurs lived on Earth
about 230 million years ago. About 65 million years ago
dinosaurs becam e extinct, but alligators and crocodiles
continued to live.

525
WHERE ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES LIVE

ALLIGATORS CROCODILES

NORTH EUROPE
AMERICA

ATLANTIC
OCEAN v

AFRICA

EQUATOR ( SOUTH ^ c r:. f

INDIAN
W AMERICA
QQEAN
AUSTRALIA
PACIFIC
OCEAN

The word “crocodile" comes from the word

krokodeilos, (kro-KO-day-los), which means “lizard”
in Greek. The word “alligator” comes from el lag arto
(L la-GAR-toe), which means “the lizard” in Spanish.
There are tw o different kinds of alligators and
fourteen different kinds of crocodiles. The only area
inhabited by both alligators and crocodiles is the
southern tip of Florida and the Florida Keys.

526
 WHERE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS AND
CROCODILES LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES
ALLIGATORS &
ALLIGATORS
CROCODILES

NORTH
CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA i ARKANSAS SOUTH

CAROLIN,

ALABAMA ATLANTIC
o cean V

TEXAS

LOUISIANA

GULF QF MEXICO

HIBERNATE m ean s to rest

and sle e p during the winter. / FLORIDA
v a KEYS

Alligators and crocodiles usually live in climates

where the w ater and air temperatures are warm
all year long. Some alligators live in cooler climates
w here they must hibernate if it gets too cold.

STOP AND CHECK

Reread Where do crocodiles and

alligators live together? Reread page
526 to find the answer.
 R Si THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN
■ U AMERICAN ALLIGATOR . . .
WIDE, ROUNDED SNOUT
The HEAD, BACK, and TAIL
are DARK GRAY or BLACK. NOSTRILS
WIDE HEAD
SENSORY PITS
on head only
EAR SLITS

BACK
THICK, SKIN-COVERED
BONY PLATES

LONG, STRONG TAIL MOUTH

NECK
TONGUE
FOUR WEBBED TOES STOMACH
on each BACK FOOT

FIVE WEBBED TOES

on each FRONT FOOT

AN AMERICAN ALLIGATOR’S
MOUTH AND TEETH

TEETH
STRONG Only TOP TEETH
JAWS can be seen when STRONG
TAIL
jaws are closed.

528
 AND AN AMERICAN CROCODILE

AN AMERICAN CROCODILE’S
MOUTH AND TEETH

TEETH
UPPER AND
LOWER TEETH
STRONG can be seen when
JAWS jaws are closed.

NARROW
HEAD
The HEAD, BACK, and TAIL
are TAN or GREENISH GRAY. NARROW,
SENSORY PITS LONG SNOUT
THICK, SKIN-COVERED all over body
BONY PLATES
NOSTRILS

TONGUE

LEG

FOUR WEBBED TOES FIVE WEBBED TOES

on each BACK FOOT on each FRONT FOOT M O UTH

529
CARNIVORES are Alligators and crocodiles each have
animals that eat meat. about sixty pointed teeth. When they
lose a tooth, a new tooth takes its
place. They can grow about three
thousand new teeth during their lives.

Alligators and crocodiles are carnivores. To catch

their prey, they may stay perfectly still. When an
animal comes near . . . SNAP! The animal is grabbed in
a split second. Alligators and crocodiles may also swim
slowly and quietly to their u n a w a re prey and attack.

530
 Cold-blooded animals do not eat
as often as warm-blooded animals.

Young alligators and crocodiles usually feed on

small prey such as fish, frogs, and birds, using their
powerful jaw s and sharp teeth. Larger, older alligators
and crocodiles may eat big animals such as raccoons
and deer. Often they grab their prey and hold its nose
underwater until the animal drowns. Also, they may
leap to catch their prey. They eat by ripping the animal
apart and swallowing the pieces whole.

STOP AND CHECK

Reread What do alligators and crocodiles

eat? Reread to find the answer.

r 531
 ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES
LIVE IN THE WATER . . .

They can swim up to 6 miles

(9.6 kilometers) an hour.

They can stay underwater

for as long as two hours.

Alligators and crocodiles are good swimmers

and spend most of their time in the water. They use
their powerful, swishing tails to move forward.
They are able to steer using their tails and back
legs. By tucking in all four legs they are able to
swim faster.

532
 CRAWL

WALK

RUN

w sm
HIGH WALK

They can crawl, walk, and run.

Sometimes they walk w ith their bodies high
off the ground. This is called the “high w alk.”
 NOCTURNAL means
being active at night.

The SHALLOW NERVES

are under the skin on top of
their heads.

Each EAR is hidden

behind a slit in the skin.

0C 3D ^>/ u tlft

Alligators and crocodiles are nocturnal. They see

w ell in the dark. They also see far aw ay very well.
They cannot see w ell underwater.
Crocodiles and alligators have excellent senses
of smell. They also have excellent senses of hearing.
They are able to pick up vibrations in the air or water,
using their ears as w ell as the shallow nerves on top
of their heads.
Sensory pits on their bodies also help detect
vibrations in the water. Vibrations alert them to any
nearby prey. The thick, bony plates of American
alligators and American crocodiles help protect them.

534
 Alligators and crocodiles can make roaring,
grumbling, and hissing sounds w hen they are
protecting their territory. They will puff out their
necks to show that they are ready to fight.
During mating season, males and females
communicate by making grunts, barks, and low,
rumbling sounds. Often they rub snouts, blow
bubbles on the w a ter’s surface, and swim together
in circles. Sometimes they will make sounds by
slapping the surface of the w ater to attract a mate.

535
 AN AMERICAN AN AMERICAN
ALLIGATOR’S NEST CROCODILE’S NEST
The female lays about forty-five The female digs a hole in the
eggs on a bed of leaves and grasses. ground and lays about fifty eggs.
She then completely covers them She covers each layer and the
with a mound made of leaves, top with sand.
grasses, and mud. The mound is
about 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide.

A few w eeks later the females lay their eggs in nests,

where the eggs will be kept warm and protected. Mother
alligators and crocodiles are alw ays on the alert, guarding
their nests to protect their young from any egg-eating
animals, such as skunks and raccoons.

536
The warmth of the inside of the The mother can hear her young
nest helps determine whether the making squeaking sounds from inside
newborns will be males or females. the eggs. They are ready to hatch.
When the temperature of the
nest is above 88° Fahrenheit
(310Celsius), most
of the hatchlings
will be males.
When the AMERICAN
temperature ALLIGATOR
is lower,
most will be
females.

AMERICAN ALLIGATOR
HATCHLING

A baby may use

its EGG TOOTH to
crack open the hard Sometimes the mother uses her tongue to roll
shell and break free. an egg against the roof of her mouth. Soon the
shell cracks open and the hatchling crawls out.

Usually it takes about sixty-five days before the

alligator and crocodile eggs begin to hatch. Newborns
are called hatchlings.
Most hatchlings are about 10 inches (25.4 centimeters)
long. Within minutes of hatching, their mother takes
them to the water.

537
An American crocodile can grow The hatchlings have
to be about 20 feet (6 meters) long. needle-sharp teeth
and can hunt and
feed on small fish and
insects right away.

An American
alligator can grow
to be about 12 feet American alligator hatchlings have
(3.6 meters) long. yellow stripes on their bodies, which
fade away as they grow older.

The female alligator and crocodile stay close to

their young for about a year. They protect them from
harm before the young ones go off on their own.
Young alligators and crocodiles grow about 1 foot
(.3 meter) a year for their first six years. A s they
get older, they grow slower. They continue to grow
throughout their lives.
Alligators and crocodiles use their strong legs,
feet, and tails to dig holes in muddy marshlands. The
holes fill w ith water. Other wildlife living nearby will
also make use of these w ater holes.

538
BgS&tPf;

American alligators and American crocodiles w ere

hunted for hundreds of years for their meat and skins
Today it is illegal to hunt them, but humans are still
their main enemy.
People have developed areas w here these large
reptiles once lived. There are few er and few er places
where alligators and crocodiles can live in their
natural environment.

539
 WaOllFE PK£S£fW£
STOP AND CHECK

Ask and Answer Questions Why are

alligators and crocodiles endangered?
Reread page 539 to find the answer.

540
 Wildlife preserves have been created to
protect them.
Alligators and crocodiles have been around
for millions of years. Now they are en dangered.
The lives of these f a s c i n a t in g creatures should
be respected.
 About the
Author and Illustrator
Gail Gibbons created her first picture book
w hen she w as four. She used yarn to hold the
pages together. She studied art and w ent on to
become an award-winning author and illustrator.
Gail has written more than 170 nonfiction books
about topics, such as dogs, dinosaurs, penguins,
apples, knights, kites, and giant pandas. She
lives mostly in Vermont, where she makes maple
syrup in the spring. When she is not at home,
you might find her in a tropical rain forest or at
the top of a skyscraper! Gail travels around the
world doing research for her books.

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author wrote
about alligators and crocodiles?
Kent Ancliffe

542
 Respond to Reading
Sum m arize
Tell what you learned about
alligators and crocodiles. The
details from your Venn diagram
may help you summarize.

Text Evidence
1. Tell why Alligators and Crocodiles is expository
nonfiction. Identify the text features, g e n r e

2 . How are the habitats of alligators and crocodiles alike?

How are they different? c o m p a r e a n d c o n t r a s t

3 . Find the word inhabited on page 526. Use clues

in the paragraph to help you figure out its
meaning, p a r a g r a p h c l u e s

4 . Write about how crocodiles and alligators are

alike and different. Use the details on pages 528
and 529 in your answer, w r i t e a b o u t r e a d i n g

Make Connections
^ Why did learning about alligators
and crocodiles teach you to respect
them? E S S E N T IA L Q U E S T IO N

In what ways are people helping

alligators and other endangered
animals? t e x t t o w o r l d

nw M jili i ¥C'lw'in
 Compare Texts
Read this folk tale about how
Old Croc learns to respect Monkey.

y The Monkey
and the Crocodile ”
an A frican folktale
Old Croc was the greatest hunter on the Congo
River. All the wildlife that lived there feared him.
The only animal he couldn’t catch was Monkey.
Each day he watched Monkey scamper fast, fast,
across the rocks in the river to play with his friends
on the other side.
One day, Old Croc came up with a plan. He would
catch Monkey and have him for lunch. Old Croc hid
in the river so his back stuck out of the water like a
rock, and he waited for Monkey to
cross. When Monkey stepped 4
on his back, Old Croc grabbed
his tail. "You're caught, ?
Monkey! Now I will eat |
you," he growled.
HA
 Monkey, who was clever as well as nimble,
said, “Oh, then it is too bad you can’t climb the
tamarind tree. It is a requirement that you must
have a monkey with tamarind fruit. Otherwise,
I am poisonous to eat.”
Old Croc frowned. He was very hungry but he
didn’t want to eat a poisonous monkey. Then he
had an idea.
“Oh, but you can climb, M onkey,” said Old Croc
with a toothy grin. “Go pick a fruit and bring it
back to m e.”
“No problem!” said Monkey, and with a hop , hop
he jum ped to the shore and climbed to the top of
the tamarind tree. Then he laughed, “Old Croc,
you have been tricked! You should know that a
monkey is always too clever and fast to get caught
by a crocodile.”
With a grumble, Old Croc swam away and never
tried to catch a m onkey again.

Make Connections
Explain why Old Croc learns to respect
monkeys, e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

Discuss how this folktale is like other

folktales. How is it different? t e x t t o t e x t
Genre • Poetry

Essential Question
What makes you laugh?
Read this humorous poem
about a lively classroom pet
Ollie escaped in the classroom,
and that w as an awful mistake.
It would have been folly
to try and catch Ollie,
since Ollie’s a seven-foot snake.
He w iggled his w ay toward the teacher,
who jumped on her desk w ith a scream.
Faster and faster,
he squiggled right past her.
Old Ollie w as picking up steam!
The rest of us ran for the closet i|
as Ollie slid right out the door. \
We heard a loud squall
as he entered the hall.
He’s a difficult snake to ignore.
He slithered his w ay to the office
as teachers jumped out of his way.
But Principal Poole
is the boss of the school.
We wondered just w hat he would say.
 It didn’t take long for an answer. < 1^
In fact, he decided to scoot.
He burst through the door w ith a terrified roar
and a seven-foot snake in pursuit!
Ollie the snake w as excited,
and w e, of course, thought it w as fun
to see teachers hiding
while Ollie w as sliding
and Principal Poole on the run.
They ordered us out of the building,
and somebody called the police.
There w ere doctors and vets
and men w ith big nets
to make sure the problem would cease.
But Ollie, at last, w as exhausted.
He snaked his w ay back to his den.
When they searched all around,
he w as finally found—
curled up, asleep, in his pen.
— Dave Craw ley

548
S u m m a r iz e Details

Use important details from

"Ollie's Escape"to summarize the
poem. Information in your Point
of View Chart may help you. i ____
Point of View

T e x t: E v i d e n c e
1. How can you tell that "Ollie's
Escape" is a narrative poem? genre

2 . Which words rhyme in the second stanza of the poem?

Which words make a fast rhythm? l i t e r a r y e l e m e n t s

3 . Look at the last line of the second stanza. What do you

think the idiom "picking up steam" really means? i d i o m

4 . Reread the poem. Write about what the characters

in the poem think about Ollie's escape. Do you agree
with their point of view? Why or why not? w r i t e a b o u t
R E A D IN G

Make Connections
What did the poet do to make

g you laugh? e s s e n t i a l q u e s t i o n

What other kinds of things make

people laugh? t e x t t o w o r l d
Compare Texts
Read this humorous poem
about hungry bookworms.

The
'Gentleman
Bookworm
There once was a Gentleman Bookworm
Ate his words with a fork and a spoon.
When friends crawled down
From Book End Town,
He offered them Goodnight, Moon.

He fed them The Wind in the Willows

And a page out of Charlotte’s Web.
They were eating bizarre
Where the Wild Things Are,
When one of the guestworms said, y
“How sinfully rich and delicious!
Why should anyone bother to cook?
You’ve done it, dear boy!
Now sit down and enjoy *1
A bite of this poetry book!”
*• •%*•*!
Having dined on the Table of Contents,
A worm, wiggling up to the host,
Said, “When do we eat?”
“Ah, bon appetit!”
- . I1
Cried the Gentleman Bookworm. “A toast!
• .t.-V
“Here’s a bowl of my favorite verses
* •

And a dish of ridiculous rhyme!

But might I su g g e st. . . ? ”
Said the host to the guest,
“Chew them slowly. One line at a time!"

So the worm waved her postage-stamp napkin.

Curled up in a little round ball,
♦
She proceeded to swallow
The poems that follow
Until she had swallowed them all.

—J. Patrick Lewis

Make Connections
Why is a poem like "The Gentleman
Bookworm" good entertainment?
E S S E N T IA L Q U E S T IO N

What other narrative poems have you

read? How are the poems similar?
How are they different? t e x t t o t e x t
 Glossary
This glossary can help you find the meanings of words
in this book that you may not know. The words in the
glossary are listed in alphabetical order.

Guide Words
Guide words at the top of each page tell you
the first and last words on the page.

^ anticipation/barbeque

First word on the page Last word on the page

Sample Entry
Each word is divided into syllables. The way
to pronounce the word is given next. You can
understand the pronunciation respelling by
using the pronunciation key.

Pronunciation w . A i
Part of speech

Main Entry &

Syllable division am»bu*lance (am'bya Is ns) noun.
A special vehicle tha t is used to carry Definition
sick or injured people to a hospital.
My neighbor once called an am bulance
to take him to the hospital.
Example sentence

552
 Pronunciation Key
You can understand the pronunciation respelling by
using this pronunciation key. A shorter key appears at
the bottom of every other page. When a word has more
than one syllable, a dark accent mark (') shows which
syllable is stressed. In some words, a light accent mark (')
shows which syllable has a less heavy stress.

Phonetic Phonetic
Spelling Examples Spelling Examples

a at, bad, plaid, laugh d dear, soda, bad

a ape, pain, day, break f five, defend, leaf, off, cough,

a father, calm elephant

ar care, pair, bear, their, where g game, ago, fog, egg

e end, pet, said, heaven, friend h hat, ahead

e equal, me, feet, team, piece, key hw white, whether, which

i it, big, give, hymn j joke, enjoy, gem, page, edge

I ice, fine, lie, my k kite, bakery, seek, tack, cat

ir ear, deer, here, pierce 1 lid, sailor, feel, ball, allow

o odd, hot, watch m man, family, dream

0 old, oat, toe, low n not, final, pan, knife, gnaw

0 coffee, all, taught, law, fought ng long, singer

or order, fork, horse, story, pour P pail, repair, soap, happy

oi oil, toy r ride, parent, wear, more, marry

ou out, now, bough s sit, aside, pets, cent, pass

u up, mud, love, double sh shoe, washer, fish, mission, nation

u use, mule, cue, feud, few t tag, pretend, fat, dressed

u rule, true, food, fruit th thin, panther, both

ii put, wood, should, look th these, mother, smooth

ur burn, hurry, term, bird, word, V very, favor, wave

courage w wet, weather, reward

a about, taken, pencil, lemon, circus y yes, onion

b bat, above, job z zoo, lazy, jazz, rose, dogs, houses

ch chin, such, match zh vision, treasure, seizure

553
“ * * * accid e n ta l/a sto n ish e d

a *m o u n t (am ount') noun. Quantity; how

A a ____________________________ much. What is the am ount o f money you
spent this week?
a o c i*d e n *ta l (ak'si den'tal) adjective. Not
expected or planned. Be sure to blow out an*guish (ang'gwish) noun. Serious
the candle to prevent an accidental fire. suffering o f m ind or body. The boy felt
anguish when his dog died.
ached (akt) verb. Had a dull and steady
pain. My tooth ached, so I went to the a n n o u n c e d (anounsd') verb. Made
dentist. som ething known officially. The
broadcaster announced the winner
a*chieve*m ent (achev'm ant) noun.
at the end o f the game.
Something tha t is accomplished.
Climbing a mountain is an achievem ent. a*pol«o*gized (apol' ajizd') verb.
Said one is sorry; made an apology.
ad*m ires (ad mlrz') verb. Thinks well of.
Emma apologized for yelling.
The student adm ires his teacher.
ap*pre*ci*ate (apre'she at') verb.
a d *m it (a d m it') verb. To confess. I had
To understand the value of. Henry
to adm it that I lost my ticket.
appreciates a good game o f chess.
ad *ven*tur*ous (ad ven'char as)
ar*gue (ar'gu) verb. To disagree and
adjective. W illing to experience
show a difference o f opinion. It is
som ething scary or unusual. The
disrespectful to argue with your parents.
adventurous family went skydiving.
a r r iv e d (arlvd') verb. Came to a place.
a*gree*a*ble (agre'abal) adjective.
The family a rrived at their vacation
Nice; pleasant. The flowers in the room
home safely.
had an agreeable smell.
a*ro*m a (aro'ma) noun. A pleasant smell
a*larm ed (alarmd') verb. Made fearful
or fragrance. The arom a o f homemade
or afraid. The big dog alarm ed the child.
bread filled our home.
a»lert (alurt') verb. Warn about a danger.
as*ton*ished (aston'ishd) adjective.
The principal will a lert the police if the
Greatly surprised. I was astonished to
problem continues.
learn that I had won the contest.
a*m aze*m ent (emaz'mant) noun. Great
surprise or wonder. The people watching
the whales swim by were filled with
amazement.

554
 astronomy/celebrate

as»tron«o*my (a stron'a me) noun. bounce (bouns) verb. To spring back up

The study o f the Sun, Moon, Stars, and after h ittin g som ething. I can bounce
planets. I want to study astronomy to the rubber ball off the wall.
learn about the Sun and stars.
brav»er«y (bra'va re) noun. Being able
at*tempt (a te m p t') noun. A try. to face danger w ith o u t being afraid;
We made an attempt to climb the hill. courage. The soldiers showed their
bravery by going to battle.
at*ten*tion (a ta n 's h a n ) noun. The act
o f watching, listening or concentrating.
The clown held the children's attention
through her skit. Cc_____________
au'di*ence (o 'dea ns) noun. A group can*di*date (kan'di dat') noun. A person
of people gathered to hear or see w ho seeks a position. Our mayor wants
something. The audience applauded to be a candidate for president.
loudly after the show.
care*less (kar'lis) adjective. Not paying
awk*ward (ok'wa rd) adjective. Not close attention. The careless child
graceful; clumsy. The baby's first steps tripped over her scooter.
were awkward.
care*tak*ers (kar'ta'ka rz) plural noun.
People who take care o f others. The nurses

Bb_____________ are the main caretakers at the hospital.

carved (karvd) verb. Cut som ething

bar*ter (bar'tar) verb. To trade things for into shape. She carved the furniture out
other things w ith o u t the use o f money. o f wood.
The early settlers had to barter to get
cel*e*brate (sel'a brat') verb.To honor a
supplies.
special day or event. People in the United
boomed (biim d) verb. Increased quickly. States celebrate Thanksgiving every
The population in many Western towns November.
boomed after the new railroad was built.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Tee; pierce; hot; old; The symbol e stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

555
 citizenship/cooperation

cit»i*zen*ship (sit'a zen ship') noun. c o n t id e n c e (ko n 'fid a n s) noun. Belief

The ways a member of a country should in oneself. When you have confidence
behave. Helping your neighbors is part of in yourself, you have a good chance to
good citizenship. achieve your goals.

class*mate (klas'mat') noun. A member con»ser»vation (kon'sa r va'sha n) noun.

o f the same class in school. I invited my The protection o f natural resources.
classmate to the party. Our town helped in the conservation
o f our park.
clues (kluz) plural noun. Hints tha t help
you solve a problem. The detective used c o n s id e r e d (ka n sid'a rd) verb.
clues to solve the case. Thought about carefully before making
a decision. After Kim considered her
com«mu*ni*cate (ka m u'ni kat') verb. To
choices, she decided to take the job at
share feelings, thoughts or inform ation
the bank.
w ith people. To communicate his ideas,
Doug wrote in his blog. c o n t in u e (ka n tin'u d) verb. To go on
w ith o u t stopping. Continue reading
com*mu*ni*ty (ka m u'ni te) noun.
until you finish the story.
A group of people w ho live together in
the same place. Our community voted c o n t r ib u t e ( k a n trib 'u t) verb.To
to build a new library. give som ething to others. Volunteers
contribute their time to help the animal
com*pe*ti*tion (kom'pi tish' a n)
shelter.
noun. The act o f trying to win or gain
something. The class had a competition co n tro lle d (ka n tro ld') verb. Used
for best school spirit. power to make som ething happen.
The driver controlled the car as she
com*plained (k a m p la n d ') verb. Talked
drove through the ice storm.
about som ething tha t was w rong or
annoying. Ken complained that no one con*vince (k a n v in s 'j verb. To cause
was listening to his speech. a person to believe or do something.
I tried to convince my sister to let me
c o n c e n tra te (kon' sen trat') verb.
borrow her sweater.
To pay close attention. It is hard to
concentrate in a noisy place. co*op*er*ation (ko op'a ra'sha n)
noun. The act o f w orking together.
c o n d it io n s (ka n dish'a nz) plural noun.
People in the community showed great
Ways a person or thing are. The weather
cooperation when they worked together
conditions were perfect for flying our kites.
to clean up the park.
 courage/discouraged

courtage (kur'ij) noun. The strength to de*sign (di zin') verb. To make a
face danger; bravery. The firefighters plan, drawing, or outline of, or make
show great courage every day. a pattern for. They will design the
costumes for our play.
cou*ra*geous (ka ra'ja s) adjective.
Showing bravery in the face of fear or di*rec*tion (d irek'sha n) noun. The way
danger. The courageous police officer or route towards a specific point, We
arrested the robber. walked in the direction o f the park.

cre*at*ed (kre at' id) verb. Caused dis*ap*pear (dis'a pTr') verb.To go out of
som ething to exist or happen. The artist sight. We watched the plane disappear
created a sculpture for the museum. behind a cloud.

cre»a«tion (krea'shan) noun. Something dis*ap*point>ment (dis'a po int'm a nt)

that has been made. The artist's noun. A feeling o f sadness. The children
creation was shown in the gallery. showed their disappointment when the
party was cancelled.

di*sas*ters (d iz a s 'ta rz ) plural noun.

Dd Events th a t cause much harm or
suffering. Hurricanes, earthquakes,
dar«ing (dar'ing) adjective. Being
blizzards, and tornadoes are examples
courageous or bold. The daring explorer
o f natural disasters.
went looking for new lands.
dis*be*lief (d is 'b ile f') noun. Not
de*ci«sion (d isizh 'a n ) noun. The result
believing. The audience stared in
o f making up one's mind. She did well
disbelief as the bear rode the bicycle
because o f her decision to study hard
around the ring.
for the test.
dis*cour«aged (dis kur' ijd) adjective.
de*sceri"dants (di sen'da nts) plural
Not having hope or confidence to do
noun. People w ho are relatives of
som ething. The team felt discouraged
someone w ho lived in the past. They are
after losing the game.
descendants o f the town's early settlers.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Ice; pierce; hot; old; The symbol e stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

557
dis»cov«er«y (dis kuv'a re) noun. Seeing en*cour*aged (en kur'ijd ) verb. Gave
or finding ou t som ething for the first help or hope. The teacher encouraged
time. The discovery o f electricity led to her students to study.
many inventions.
en*dan*gered (e n d a n 'ja rd ) adjective.
dis*m ay (dis ma') noun. A feeling o f fear Close to no longer existing or being
or being discouraged in the face of extinct. Many plants and animals are
danger. 1felt dismay when 1missed the becoming endangered when their
school bus. habitats are destroyed.

do*nat*ed (d o 'n a 'tid ) verb. Gave; en«er«gy (e n 'a rje ) noun. The ability to
contributed. The children donated their do work. A runner must have a lot o f
money to the pet shelter. energy to take part in a marathon.

e n *v i*ro n *m e n t (en vl'ra n ma nt) noun.

Ee The natural surroundings o f a person,

animal or plant. An animal depends on
its environment to survive.
ed*U’ cat*ed (ej'a ka'tid) adjective. Having
knowledge. The educated manager knew e *q u ip *m e n t (ik w ip 'm a n t) noun.
how to solve the problem. Supplies provided for a particular
use. Don't forget to pack the camping
e M e o tiv e (i fek' tiv) adjective. Works
equipment in the car!
in the correct way. The medicine was
effective in stopping my cough. es*sen*tial (i sen' sha 1) adjective.
Im portant or necessary. It is essential
ef»fort (e f a rt) noun. Hard work. It took
to eat a good breakfast every day.
much effort to finish all my homework.
es*ti>m ate (e s'ta mit) noun. An educated
e»lect (i lekt') verb. Choose by voting. We
guess. What is your estimate for how long
will elect a new class president this week.
the trip will take?
em *bar*ras*sed (e m b a r'a s d ) adjective.
ex*am *ine (eg zam ' in) verb. To look at
feeling shy or ashamed. 1felt
closely; check. The doctor will examine
embarrassed when 1tripped and fell.
me during my check-up.
e m *i*gra *tio n (em 'i gra'sha n) noun.
Moving away from your country or
home to settle in another place. The
new railroad speeded up the emigration
o f people to the West.

558
 example/gazing

ex*am«ple (egzam ' pal) noun. fla*vor*ful (fla 'v a rfa l) adjective. Full
Something tha t is used to show w hat o f pleasant taste. A tray o f flavorful
other similar things are like. The teacher brownies was eaten in minutes.
gave us an example o f the project we
flight (flit) noun. An object's m ovem ent
had to do.
through the air. The Wright brothers'
ex*cel*lent (ek' so la nt) adjective. first airplane flight was in Kitty Hawk,
Very good; outstanding. Julia won North Carolina.
a prize for her excellent essay.
for-bid (fa r bid') verb. Not allow
ex*pect (ekspekt') verb. To th in k that someone to do som ething. I forbid you
something w ill happen. We expect that to use my computer.
school will be closed tomorrow because
fore-cast (for'kast') noun. A prediction
o f the snowstorm.
about the weather. The weather
ex*treme*ly (ek strem ' le) adverb. Very. forecast predicted rain.
The baby developed an extremely high
frus-tra-tion (frus'tra 'sha n) noun.
fever overnight.
The feeling o f being annoyed or upset.
Our mother showed her frustration
when she yelled at us.
Ff_____________ fu-ri-ous-ly (fy u r'e a s le ) adverb.
fab*u*lous (fa b'ya las) adjective. Frantically; w ith anger. The dog barked
Unbelievable; amazing. The circus furiously at the stranger.
performers put on a fabulous show!

fas*ci*na*ting (fas'a nat'ing)

adjective. Very interesting. The speaker
G g ____________________________
held the audience's attention with a
gaz-ing (gaz' ing) verb. Looking at
fascinating speech.
som ething for a long time. Mina enjoyed
fe a tu re s (fe'chers) plural noun. A p a rt gazing up at the stars.
or quality o f som ething .All birds share
many features, such as feathers.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Ice; pTerce; hot; old; The symbol e stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

559
 globe/improved

globe (glob) noun. A round ball w ith a hum*ble (h u m 'b a l) adjective. Not big
map o f the w orld on it. Find the country or im portant. This neighborhood is made
where you live on the globe. up o f many humble homes and small
apartment buildings.
goal (gol) noun. Something tha t a
person aims for or tries to get. My goal
is to graduate from college.
l i ________________________________
gov*ern«ment (g u v 'a rn m a n t) noun.The
group of people in charge o f managing i«den*ti*cal (I den' ti ka I) adjective.
a country, state, or other place. The Exactly the same. The identical twins
government makes our laws. looked and even dressed alike.

g race fu l (gras'fa I) adjective. Beautiful or iMe*gal ( ile 'g a l) adjective. Against rules
pleasing in design, movement, or style. or laws. If you break the law, you are
The graceful dancer gave a wonderful doing something illegal.
performance.
i*ma*gine (i m aj' in) verb. To picture a
grand (grand) adjective. Large and person or thin g in the mind. Close your
splendid. The old castle looks like it eyes and imagine you are on vacation.
would be a grand place to live in.
im*i*tate (im 'ita t) verb. To behave just
as another person does. My little sister is

Hh____________ always trying to imitate everything I do.

im*mi*grate (im 'i grat') verb. To come

harnvful (harm 'fal) adjective. Causing to live in a country where one was not
injury or hurt. It could be very harmful to born. The family will immigrate to the
ride a bike without wearing a helmet. United States from Poland.

health*ful (h e lth 'fa l) adjective. im*pos«si*ble (im p o s 'a b a l) adjective.

Something good for a person's health. Unable to happen or be done. It was
Eating lots o f fruits and vegetables is a impossible to study in the noisy room.
healthful habit.
im*proved (im priivd') verb. Became
hor*ri*fied (hor'a fid') adjective, shocked better; made som ething better. My
and upset. They felt horrified when they tennis has improved very much since I
saw the damage the storm had caused. began practicing.

56 0
 independent/luscious

in*de*pen*dent (in'di pen'dant) in*volve (in v o lv ') verb. To take part

adjective. Free from control or rule of in an activity; to include or have as a
others. An independent country is free necessary part. The coach will involve
to make its own laws. all his players in the final game.

in*hab«it«ed (in hab'it id) verb. Lived in.

A brown bear and its cubs inhabited the
large den in the forest. J j _______________________________

in*spect*ed (in spek' tid) verb. Looked ju*bi*lant (ju'ba lant) adjective. Feeling

at closely and carefully. The mechanic or showing great jo y or happiness. The

inspected the car for safety problems. team was jubilant over their victory.

in sp ire d (in splrd') verb. Caused to take

action. My teacher's kind words inspired
me to keep studying.
LI______________
land*mark (land'm ark') noun. An
in»ter»fere (in 'ta rfir') verb.To disturb
im po rta nt building or place. The Statue
or interrupt. The girl did not want to
o f Liberty is a national landmark in New
interfere when her mother was speaking.
York City.
in*ter*rupt*ed (in 'ta ru p 'tid ) verb.
launch (lonch) verb. To start in m otion;
Stopped the speaking or acting o f a
to send off. What time will the rocket ship
person. I couldn't hear the rest o f the
launch into space?
story because you interrupted us.
Iead*er (le'dar) noun. Someone w ho
in«ven«tor (in v a n 'ta r) noun. A person
shows the way; a person w ho leads.
w ho invents som ething. Alexander
Eric is a group leader in the Boy Scouts.
Graham Bell was the inventor o f the
telephone. lus*cious (lush'as) adjective. Having a
rich, sweet taste. The luscious cake took
in*ves*ti*ga*tion (in ves'ti ga'shan) noun.
all day to bake.
The act o f looking into carefully in order
to find facts. The police completed the
investigation of the crime.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Ice; pierce; hot; old; The symbol e stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

561
 magnificent/offered

Mm___________ Nn____________
mag»nif»i»cent (m agnif'a sant) adjective. na*tion*al (nash'a nal) adjective.
Very grand and splendid. The queen Belonging to a nation. The president
looked magnificent in her fancy gown. runs the national government.

mas*sive (m as'iv) adjective. Of great nat*u*ral (n a c h 'a ra l) adjective.

size; very big. The massive ship dwarfed Found in nature; not made by people.
the tug boat in the port. The environmentalist used natural
resources in her experiment.
ma*te*ri*al (ma t ir 'e a l) noun. What
som ething is made of. The table was neoes*sar«y (nes'a ser'e) adjective.
made from a dark, heavy material. Required to be done. It is necessary
for athletes to practice every day.
mo*del (m o d 'a l) noun. A small-sized
copy o f something. My father and I made n e rv o u s (nur'vas) adjective. Not able
a model o f an airplane. to relax; fearful. The strange noises made
the teens nervous to be home alone.
mo»ment (m o'm a nt) noun. A short
period o f time. I will answer your
question in ju st one moment.
O o ___________________________
mon*u*ment (m on'ya m ant) noun. A
building or statue tha t is made to honor ob«serve (a b z u rv ') verb. See or notice
a person or event. The Lincoln Memorial som ething. Did you observe that robin
in Washington, D.C. is a monument to building a nest?
Abraham Lincoln.
o b s e r v e r (a b z u r'v a r) noun. A person
mo*tion (m o' sha n) noun. Movement. w ho watches or notices something.
The rolling motion o f the boat made me The volunteer acted as an observer at
sick to my stomach. the election site.

mo*ti*vate (m o 'ta vat) verb. To cause ob*sessed (absesd') adjective.Thinking

to happen. I hope the gym trainer will o f som ething constantly. My neighbor
motivate me to exercise. became obsessed with collecting
baseball cards.

of«fered (o'fa rd) verb. Showed a desire

to give som ething. I offered to help set
the table for dinner.

562
 opportunity/prevention

op»por»tu»ni»ty (o p 'a rtu 'n i te) noun. poMu*tion (pa lii'shen) noun. Harmful
A good chance to do something. materials th a t d irty or harm the
The student got the opportunity to go environm ent. Smog, or dirty air, is a
to college. cause o f air pollution.

pop*u*lar (pop'ya la r) adjective.

Being accepted and liked by people.

P p ____________________________
Emily is very popular and always has
a lot o f friends.
par*ti*ci*pate (p a rtis 'a pat') verb.Take
part or join w ith others. My cousins pop*u*la*tion (pop'ya la'sha n) noun.
wont to participate in the family reunion The num ber o f people w ho live in a
activities. place. The population o f the city has
grown over the years.
pas*sen«gers (p a s'a n ja rz) plural noun.
People w ho travel by different types of pos»sess (pa za s') verb. To own or have.
transportation. The passengers on the They possess several keys to the house.
train gave the conductor their tickets.
p ra o tio in g (p ra c tis in g ) verb.
p a y m e n t (pa'm ant) noun.The act of Doing an action over and over to gain
paying for som ething. You have to make skill. You will learn to play the piano
a payment to the store. better by practicing.

pho*to*graphs (fo'ta grafs') plural noun. p re v io u s (presh'as) adjective. Having

Pictures tha t are made by a camera. great value. My dog is very precious
The couple took many photographs at tome.
the wedding.
pre»fer (pri fur') verb. To like better.
pi*o*neers (pT'a nirz') plural noun. I prefer basketball to baseball.
People w ho were am ong the first to pre*ven»tion (pri ven'sha n) noun.
explore and settle in a region. The The act o f keeping som ething from
pioneers faced many hardships while happening. Putting out campfires helps
they traveled. in the prevention o f forest fires.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Ice; pierce; hot; old; The symbol e stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

563
 pride/remained

pride (prld) noun. A feeling tha t one has

w orth and importance. The student felt Rr_____________
pride at his good grades.
re*al*ized (re'a llzd') verb. Understood
pro'duce (pradus') verb. To make som ething. I realized the hike was going
something. Chickens produce the eggs to be very hard when I started.
we eat on the farm.
rec*og*nize (re k'a g n lz') verb. To know
pro*fes*sion*al (prafesh'a na I) adjective. and remember from before. Since I have
W orking for money doing a job. That not seen my old friend in years, I did not
baseball team has professional players. recognize her at first.

pro*posed (pra pozd') verb. Suggested re*cy»cle (re sT'kel) verb. To fix up to
som ething for consideration. We be used again. My community plans to
proposed taking the subway to the city recycle cans, bottles, and paper.
to save money.
re*fused (ri fuzd') verb. Said no; rejected.
pro-nounce (pra nouns') verb. To make My mother refused to celebrate her
a sound o f a letter or word. As the child birthday.
reads a new word, she has to pronounce
re*lat*ed (ri la'tid) adjective. W ithin the
every letter slowly.
same family. We are related on my
pro*tec*tion (pratek'sha n) nou/i.Theact father's side o f the family.
o f keeping safe. A turtle's shell offers it
r e la t iv e s (rel'ativz) plural noun.
protection from harm.
Animals or people w ho belong to
p u rp o se (pur'pa s) noun. A reason for the same family. Uncle John and Aunt
which som ething is done. The purpose Martha are my favorite relatives.
o f studying is to learn.
re*lief (ri lef') noun. The ending of
w orrying over som ething. We felt

Qq_______
relief when the test was finished.

re*luc*tant*ly (ri lu k'te n t le) adverb.

qual*i*ty (kw ol'i te) noun. How good or Not w illing. The child reluctantly gave
bad som ething is. That market sells fruits her toys to her sister.
and vegetables o f the highest quality.
re«mained (ri mand') verb. Stayed
behind. I remained at home while
my family went out.

564
 remind/simple [■

re*mind (ri m ind') verb. To cause re w a rd (ri w ord') noun. Something

someone to remember. Please remind given in return for som ething well
me to take my umbrella. done. The swimmer got a gold medal
as a reward for winning the race.
re*new*able (ri n ii'a ba I) adjective. Able
to be made new again. Trees are an
example o f a renewable resource.

re*place (ri plas') verb. To fill in the

Ss_____________
place of. When you use up all o f the milk sat*is*fied (sat'is fid) adjective. Pleased
in the carton, please replace it. or delighted. The student was satisfied
with his good grades.
re»quire»ments (ri kw ir'm a nts) noun.
Things tha t are needed or necessary. scared (skard) adjective. Afraid or
Our main requirements are food, frightened. The children were scared
clothing, and shelter. to enter the big, empty house.

re-search (ri'surch) noun. A study done se*ri*ous (sir'eas) adjective. Im portant;

to find inform ation. The student did not joking. Tim was serious when he
research about butterflies. said he was sick.

re so u rce s (re'sors'az) noun. Things tha t s h e lte r (s h e l'ta r) noun. Something

are used for help or support. Forests and tha t protects. During the winter, a bear's
oceans are natural resources. shelter is its cave.

re*spect*ed (ri spekt'id ) verb. To be sim-i-lar (sim 'a la r) adjective. Having

given honor or high importance. The many but not all qualities th a t are
mayor is respected in the city. the same; alike. My holiday dress was
similar to Julia's.
re'Spond (ri spond') verb. Said
som ething in reply; Reacted. My friend sim-ple (sim 'pal) adjective. Easy to
did not respond to my call. understand or do. Dan showed me his
simple recipe for salsa.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Ice ; pterce; hot; old; The symbol a stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

565
 solar system/traces

so*lar sys»tem (so'la r sis'ta m) noun. s u rv iv e (sa r vlv') verb. To stay alive.
The Sun and all the planets and objects We were lucky to survive the storm!
that revolve around it. Earth is part o f
synvbol (sim 'bal) noun. Something that
the solar system.
represents som ething else. The symbol
so*lu*tion (sa lu'shan) noun.The answer for addition is the plus sign.
to a problem. Have you found the
solution to the problem?

source (sors) noun. Where som ething

comes from or begins. A mountain lake
Tt___________
tahents (tal'ants) noun. Natural abilities.
is the source o f that river.
Kayla has many talents besides singing.
spe*cial*ist (spash'a list) noun. A person
tem*per*a*ture (te m 'p a ra char) noun.
who knows a lot about something.
The degree o f heat or cold. The
I had to see a specialist for the pain in
temperature fell below freezing.
my knee.
tem»po*rar»y (tem 'pa rer'e) adjective.
splen*did (splen'did) adjective. Very
Lasting or used for a short time.
beautiful or magnificent. The queen
Some people get temporary jobs during
wore a splendid dress to the ball.
the holiday season.
strand*ed (strand'id) verb. Left in a
th re a te n e d (th re t'a n d ) verb. Caused
difficu lt or helpless position. We were
danger or harm. The lack o f rain
stranded on the island.
threatened the farmer's crops.
sub*sti*tute (sub'sti tu t') noun. To put
tim*id (tim 'id ) adjective. Easily
in place o f another. We used honey as
frightened; lacking courage. The timid
a substitute for sugar in the cookies.
kitten was afraid o f mice.
suc*cess (sakses') noun. A result tha t
tin*ker*ing (tin g 'k a r ing) verb. Making
was hoped for. My mom was pleased
small changes to fix som ething. My
with the success o f my performance.
uncle was outside tinkering with his car
sup*port (sa po rt') verb. To provide for. when we arrived.
My mother will support us by working
traces (tra'sez) plural noun. Small bits or
at the post office.
signs left behind showing som ething
su rfa c e (sur'fis) noun. The outside of was there. We found traces o f the trail as
a thing. The astronauts explored the we hiked.
surface o f the Moon.

566
 tradition/warmth

tra*di*tion (tra d is h 'a n ) noun. A belief, u*nique (u nek') adjective. Being the only
custom or way o f doing things tha t is one o f its kind. Each family member has a
passed down. It is a tradition to have unique personality.
a parade on the Fourth o f July.

tra*di*tion*al (tra dish'a nal) adjective.

According to customs. Rice is a Vv_____________
traditional food in Japan.
val*u*a*ble (v a l'u a bal) adjective.
trans*por*ta*tion (trans'pa r ta'sha n) W orth a lot o f money. Ira collected
noun. A system for m oving people or valuable coins from all over.
goods from place to place. The bus is the
va»ri»e«ty (va rl'ite ) noun. A lot o f things
form o f transportation we use the most.
th a t are alike but different in some
treas*ure (tre zh 'a r) noun. Something ways. The restaurant offered a variety of
that has great value or importance. The choices on its menu.
king kept his treasure in a locked room.
ve*hi*cles (ve'a ka Is) plural noun. Means
tum*ble (tu m 'ba l) verb. To fall in a o f carrying or transporting people or
helpless or clumsy way. The little puppies goods. Cars, trains, airplanes and buses
might tumble down the stairs. are types o f vehicles that people use
every day.

Uu____________
un*a*ware (un'a war') adjective. Not
Ww____________
realizing or knowing. The child was warmth (worm th) noun. The state
unaware o f the danger o f lightning. or quality o f being warm; heat. The
warmth o f the thick blanket made me
un*fair*ness (u n fa r'n e s) noun. The act
feel cozy.
of being not fair or right. The teacher
showed unfairness when she picked her
favorite student as the winner.

at; ape; far; care; end; me; it; Tee; pTerce; hot; old; The symbol a stands for the unstressed vowel
song; fork; oil; out; up; use; rule; pull; turn; chin; sound in about, taken, pencil, lemon, and circus,
sing; shop; thin; this; hw in white; zh in treasure.

567
 w a tc h fu l/w ild life

w a tc h 'fu l (w och'fal) adjective. Being

alert or attentive. The watchful mother
kept an eye on her son.

w a-ve r (wa' va r ) verb. To be uncertain;

show doubt. I waver when I have too
many choices.

w e a lth (welth) noun. A great amount

of money or riches. The king and queen
have great wealth.

w e ird (wird) adjective. Odd or strange.

Weird sounds came from the empty; old
house.

w his-p e re d (w is'pard) verb. To speak

softly. Derek whispered the secret to me.

w ild -life (wild'Uf') noun. Wild animals

that live in a specific area. Lions,
cheetahs, and elephants are examples
of wildlife in Africa.
 jA H .V 5 0

asure Found!