Edhelper May 2013

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NameFriday, May 10

Sharing - Should You Share Everything?By Mary Perrin

There are timeswhen you shouldshare things. Youshow your friends youcare about them whenyou share your toys.This does not meanyou give your thingsaway. It simply

means that you allowthem to play with your things when you are together.Your friends like it when you share. It makes them feelgood about your friendship. Your friends can feel sadwhen you do not share with them. You might be able torecall a time when someone did not share with you. Yourfeelings may have been hurt. To have hurt feelings meansthat you are saddened by what someone has done or saidto you. There are also times when you should notsharethings. Sharing your toothbrush is not a good idea. Your

teacher may also suggest that you do not share your lunchwith other students. Your lunch is supposed to energizeyour body. Giving your food away will stop you fromeating a well-balanced meal. Sometimes we share andsometimes we do not. Sharing can bring your heart greatjoy. Not sharing can help keep your body safe andhealthy. As you grow, you will learn when you aresupposed to share and when you are not supposed to share.

Sharing - Should You Share Everything?

Questions

1. Not sharing things like your toothbrush and lunchhelps keep you ______.

2. The opposite of sharing is to be ______.

A. StingyB. Giving

C. GenerousD. Caring

3. You show your friends you care about their healthwhen you don't share things like your hairbrush,toothbrush, and facial tissues.

A. FalseB. True

4. What is the author's purpose?

A. The author is teaching you the differencebetween healthy sharing and unhealthy sharing.

B. The author is trying to persuade you to use yourimagination.

C. The author is encouraging you to give yourthings away to others.

D. All of the above

5. You should alwaysshare with others.

A. TrueB. False


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NameSaturday, May 11

She's Not Old!By Beth Beutler

Eli snickered. "Look at that oldwoman," he laughed. "She can hardlywalk!"

Maria looked at him in shock. "Eli,that's mean!"

"No, she'smean. Do you ever seeher watching us out of her window? She

gives me the creeps."

"Eli!" Maria retorted. "Sometimes I don't know why Ihang around with you."

"Maybe because you are my sister!" Eli stuck out histongue and ran past the elderly woman's house. He feltlike sticking his tongue out at her.He wished shewouldn't watch him all the time. When he rode his bike,she watched. When he roller-skated, she watched. When

he walked the dog, she watched.

"Eli. Maria." The kids heard their grandmother calling."Time to come in for supper!"

Eli and Maria's parents both worked the afternoon shiftat the machine shop. Grandmother Helen would comeover in the evenings and heat up dinner for the children.She would stay until their parents came home around 8:00p.m., just before the children had to go to bed.

"Hi Grandma!" the kids called.

Grandma put a wrinkled hand on each of theirshoulders. She smelled like cinnamon. "Have you beenbaking again, Grandma?" Maria asked.

"Just some snicker doodle cookies," Grandma said witha twinkle in her eye. "They are someone's favorite, right?"

"You bet!" said Eli as he grabbed one off the plate.

"Only one before dinner!" Grandma called after him ashe ran up the stairs.

Maria stayed in the kitchen. "Grandma," she asked,"How old is old?"

Grandma chuckled. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Eli says that woman up the street is old andmean. But, she doesn't look much older than you, and youdon't seem old to me!"

Grandma smiled. "That lady has been our neighbor fora long time. Her name is Miss Heidi. She's lived hereever since I can remember. She's actually nice, but she'squiet. She enjoys watching you kids play. It reminds herof her grandchildren, who all live far away in anothercountry. I should have a word with Eli about what hesaid."

"No, Grandma. Let me handle it. I have an idea.Could you wrap a plate of those cookies for me?"

"Sure."

The next day was Saturday. At breakfast, Maria askedEli if he wanted to ride bikes.

"Sure!" he said.


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They went out to the garage and got their bikes out.The sunshine soon warmed the cool metal. Maria

carefully placed a container of cookies into the basket onher bike.

They began to ride down the street. Maria pulled outquickly from her brother.

"Hey, wait up!" Eli called. "I didn't know this was arace!"

"Catch me if you can!" Maria yelled back.

She buzzed past several houses and then turned intoMiss Heidi's driveway. She was off her bike before Elieven saw her. He stopped at the fence and in a hushedvoice said,

"What are you doing!"

Maria ignored him and skipped up onto the porch. Sherang the doorbell.

"Are you crazy?" Eli hissed behind her.

Miss Heidi answered the door.

"Hi, Miss Heidi. My Grandmother knows you andmade these cookies for you."

"Why, thank you dear. How sweet! Would you sharesome with me? I'll get some milk. Just sit on the porch."

Eli watched from the bushes as Miss Heidi poured milk

into two glasses for Maria and her. They started to chatand laugh. Eli was puzzled. Miss Heidi sure didn't seemmean any more.

Suddenly he heard Maria call out. "Come on scaredycat. She won't bite!"

Eli peered out from the bushes and noticed MissHeidi's warm smile. He slowly made his way to the porch.

"Hi," Miss Heidi said.

"How do you do?" Eli answered politely.

"Would you like some milk, too?"

"Sure."

"I'll be right back."

And thus began an afternoon whereby Eli learned that"old" people could be very interesting and fun!

She's Not Old!

Questions

1. Early in the story, we discover that Eli and Maria are______.


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2. Which word could best describe how Maria felt aboutEli at the beginning of the story?

A. Disgusted

B. HumoredC. AggravatedD. Saddened

3. In this story, Eli made an assumption about theelderly neighbor. What was it?

4. The elderly woman "gave Eli the creeps" because sheseemed to be always ______ him.

5. Maria decided to bring cookies to the elderly woman.Why?

6. Choose the correct answer and give a reason foryour choice. Eli and Maria's grandmother appears tobe (older, younger) than Miss Heidi.

7. What type of cookies did Maria's grandmother bake?

8. At the end, Eli discovered that Miss Heidi was not

A. OpenB. MeanC. HungryD. Friendly


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Keisha Suffers from Animal CrueltyBy Colleen Messina

Animals can be our best friends.Friendly Keisha was cute. Hermother was a white Eskimo dog. Herfather was an orange Pomeranian(pom-uh-RAY-nee-uhn). Keishalooked like a white-and-orange fluffball! Her owners loved her. She wastheir best friend.

Keisha was pretty. But her life wassad. Keisha was born at a puppymill. Puppy mills do not treat puppies well. The puppies didnot get good care. The breeders did not let her drink hermother's milk. They did not clean her pen. Keisha's newowners did not know that the breeders treated their puppiesso badly.

What happened to poor Keisha? When she was two,Keisha began having problems. She got allergies! Her skin

itched. Her feet itched. She bit them. Her new owners triedto help. They took her to the vet. They used creams. Theygave her pills. Nothing helped. Keisha had these problemsbecause of being treated poorly at the puppy mill. Keishawas suffering. They had to put Keisha to sleep. This iscalled euthanasia (yoo-thuh-NAY-zhuh). They felt verybad. She suffered because of the cruel practices at thepuppy mill. The family lost their best friend.

Animal cruelty happens in many ways. Some people are

mean to animals on purpose. One example of this is ifsomeone throws rocks at a dog. Neglecting an animal's

needs is also cruel. An owner who does not give an animalenough food, water, or medical attention is being cruel.This is the type of neglect at puppy mills.

Other people do not know that they are being cruel to ananimal. For example, if a person leaves a dog in a car on avery hot day, that is cruel, too. A dog can get too hot in acar. A dog can even die from being too hot. The ownermight not realize how that this is harmful. If it is only 78degrees outside, the inside of a car parked in the sun canreach 160 degrees in minutes.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals (ASPCA) is one group that wants to stop thesethings. They teach people about how to treat animals well.There are also laws to stop animal cruelty. These laws varyfrom state to state.

What can you do if you notice someone being cruel? TheASPCA has some ideas. You can tell an adult about it. Youcan take good care of your own pets. This sets a goodexample for your friends. You can help at an animalshelter. You can help animals who have suffered. Maybeyou will even find some new four-footed, furry bestfriends!

Keisha Suffers from Animal Cruelty

Questions

1. Keisha's new owners knew they were buying from apuppy mill.

A. TrueB. False


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2. What color was Keisha's Pomeranian father?

A. redB. white

C. orangeD. brown

3. What is the name of the place that Keisha came from?

A. an animal shelterB. a puppy palaceC. a puppy millD. a puppy haven

4. When did Keisha's allergies start?A. when she was one year oldB. when she was five years oldC. when she was two years oldD. when she was born

5. What does the C stand for in ASPCA?

A. crueltyB. courageC. cantaloupeD. none of the above

6. Laws about animal cruelty vary from state to state.

A. TrueB. False

7. What is another way of describing euthanasia?

A. adopting an animalB. giving an animal medicineC. buying an animalD. putting an animal to sleep

8. How hot can the inside of a car parked in the sun get

on a 78-degree day?A. 100 degreesB. 60 degreesC. 90 degreesD. 160 degrees


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NameSunday, May 12

Keith and the Tiger TragedyBy KATHLEEN W. REDMAN

"Shh! Everyone bevery quiet now. We aregoing to talk to amother tiger today. Shehas two cubs. Tigersusually roam alone, butmothers do stay withtheir cubs. Hello, Mrs.Tiger. What beautiful

cubs you have. Will they get any bigger?""Oh, yes. My cubs are both males. They will get much

bigger. Tigers are the largest of the cat family. Since we areSiberian tigers, we are the largest tigers of all."

"I didn't know Siberian tigers were the largest. And howdo you tell your cubs apart?"

"No two tigers have the same stripe pattern. They are like

human fingerprints. The stripe patterns are different oneach side of a tiger's body, too."

"How fascinating. I know you are a hunter. You hunt atnight. What kinds of animals do you hunt?"

"Most of the time we hunt deer, wild pigs, and buffalo. Iffood gets scarce, we will also eat fish, monkeys, and evenbaby elephants."

"Wow! Baby elephants! I didn't know that. How do youget close enough to kill another animal?"

"We hide in tall grass or dense brush. We sneak up untilwe are close to the animal. Then we rush out, pounce, andkill it."

"I have heard you are a good swimmer. Is that true? My catdoesn't even like water."

"Your cat is not wild. Most cats, even the big ones, don'tlike water. Tigers like water and are very strongswimmers."

"I am afraid to ask you this next question, Mrs. Tiger. Dotigers kill people?"

"Yes, but not very often. Usually, it's the old or hurt tigersthat kill people. They can't catch their usual food, so theygo after humans."

"Where do tigers live?"

"We only live in a small area in southeastern Russia now.There may be a few of us in China and North Korea."

"Are there a lot of you?"

"No, and that's the tragedy. There are very few of us now.Siberian tigers are critically endangered. Humans kill usillegally for our fur and other body parts. Humans alsodestroy the places we live."

"That is a tragedy, Mrs. Tiger. If I may say so, you arevery beautiful. It would be awful if there were no moretigers. Thank you for talking to us today. Peace be with youand your cubs."

"Thank you, Keith."

"Well, children, did you learn anything about tigers today?


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Let's look in on another meat-eater tomorrow. How wouldyou like to visit a wolf?"

Keith and the Tiger Tragedy

Questions

1. How do tigers usually live?

A. in groups of ten or moreB. in families including at least one male and one

female

C. in groups of one sexD. alone

2. How can tigers be recognized?

A. by their eye colorB. by their fingerprintsC. by their stripe patternsD. by their neck color

3. On what continent do tigers live in the wild?

A. South AmericaB. AsiaC. AntarcticaD. Africa

4. What is special about the Siberian tiger?

A. It is all white with black stripes.B. It lives longer than other tigers.C. It is the largest tiger.

D. It has more cubs than other tigers.

5. How are tigers different from most other cats?

A. They are good swimmers.B. They do not hunt.C. They run faster.D. They eat plants only.

6. What kind of tigers is most likely to attack people?

A. maleB. femaleC. oldD. young

7. Tigers hunt mainly ______.

A. when it is coldB. during the dayC. only when they get enough sleepD. at night

8. Tigers are ______.

A. endangeredB. frightened of snakesC. gentle around peopleD. extinct


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NameSunday, May 12

Barn MysteryBy Mary Lynn Bushong

Jacob opened the small sidedoor of the barn. He steppedinto the building. He looked upinto the big open space. Thiswas where the tractor would beparked.

Dad had given him a tour theday before. It seemed bigger

now that he was alone.Jacob jumped when he heard the pigeons fly up to the topof the barn. Their beating wings made a clapping soundthat echoed as they flew.

He turned slowly as he stared up. He never thought thatbarns were so big on the inside.

Light filtered in through the siding boards. It beamed onto

the floor in narrow strips.The dust in the air looked like gold in the light. He waved

his hand at it, and the dust motes swirled.

Jacob smiled. He was glad his family was moving to thecountry. Playing in the barn would be fun.

He spied the ladder to the haymow. It was the secondfloor-or upper part-of the barn. It was where the hay was

stored.

Hay is dried grass. It was cut in the summer. When it wasdry, it was put into bales. The bales were used to feed someanimals in the winter.

The mow was empty now. Jacob hoped they could fill itagain in the summer. He stood still for a moment. He heardsome scratching noises.

Then he heard another sound. Was it someone calling him?

"Who are you?" called Jacob.

No one answered. The floor creaked in the shadows on theother side of the mow. Jacob's hair stood up on the back ofhis neck.

"Who's there?" called Jacob.

No one answered him. Jacob got a creepy feeling likesomeone was watching him. He climbed back down theladder. Was someone playing with him?

That night over supper he asked Dad about it.

"Dad, have you ever seen or heard a ghost?" he asked.

Dad thought about it for a moment. Then he shook hishead.

"No, son," he said, "I don't think I ever have. Why do youask?"

Jacob paused. He did not want his parents to think he wassilly.

"I was looking around in the barn today. I thought I heardsomeone call me. When I called back, no one answered. Iteven felt like someone was watching me," said Jacob. "Iwonder if it could have been a ghost."


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Jacob stared down at his plate. He waited for a laugh, but itdid not come.

"I think I know what you heard," said Dad. "We can go outto see if I am right when supper is done."

A little while later, they were standing in the barn. Thelarge mow was dark. Jacob stood close to his dad.Everything was quiet. Then came the soft voice from thedarkness.

"That's it," whispered Jacob.

"That is no ghost, Jacob," said Dad. He pointed up as aghostly gray form flew from one side of the barn to theother. "Look," he said, "it is a barn owl."

Jacob felt a little bit silly. He had been scared of a barnowl.

"You know what?" asked Dad as he leaned over to speakin Jacob's ear. "One of those birds scared me when I was

young, too."

Jacob squeezed his dad's hand. It was good to solve themystery. He was also glad he wasn't the only one who hadbeen fooled.

Barn Mystery

Questions

1. What building did Jacob go into?

A. Hen houseB. House

C. ShopD. Barn

2. What sound did the pigeons' wings make?

A. ClappingB. WhistlingC. HummingD. Hissing

3. The dust motes looked like diamonds in thesunbeams.

A. FalseB. True

4. The hay mow was empty.

A. TrueB. False

5. Hay is used to feed some animals in the winter.

A. FalseB. True

6. What did Jacob hear that scared him?

A. Someone talkingB. Footsteps in the darkC. Scratching soundsD. A wolf howling


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7. Jacob's hair stood up on the back of his neck.

A. TrueB. False

8. It turned out to be ______.

A. A ghostB. MiceC. A bank robberD. An owl

Why do you think things are often scarier in the dark?


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NameMonday, May 13

Vision - How Your Eyes Handle LightBy Mary Perrin

Light bounces off thethings you see andreflects back to youreyes. You have twopupils. You have onein each eye. Pupils arethe black circles in thecenter of your eyes.Your pupils control

how much light entersyour eyes. It is hard to see things when you are in the dark.The longer you are in the dark, the easier it will be to seethings. Has your teacher ever turned out the lights in yourclassroom? At first it may have been really hard to see yourclassmates. Then your eyes adjusted. It got easier to see.With the lights off, your pupils are big. When your pupilsare really big, they are dilated. Your pupils dilate, orexpand, when you are in the dark. They do this to help youreyes let in more light and see more of what is around you.

Now your teacher turns the lights back on. You quicklyshut your eyes. You also throw your hands over your eyes.Your eyes are sensitive to changes in light. Your pupils gofrom being really big to very tiny when the lights go onquickly. It would be easier on your eyes to have one lightturned on at a time. Your eyes would adjust better. Yourpupils would keep out extra light and slowly get smaller.

Your pupils may just look like black circles in the middle

of your eyes, but the job they do is priceless! Protect youreyes from light and other harmful things. You can do this

by wearing sunglasses and a hat when you are in the sun.Wear goggles when you swim. Keep your hands away fromyour eyes to protect them from germs. You want to keepyour eyes as healthy as you can. Your vision is precious.Your eyes are your window to the rest of the world.

Vision - How Your Eyes Handle Light

Questions

1. What are the small black circles in the middle of youreyes called?

2. Your eyes are ______ to changes in light.

A. BigB. SensitiveC. TinyD. Unaware

3. Your eyes are affected by ______.A. SunlightB. GermsC. LightD. All of the above


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4. Your pupils control how much light enters your eyes.Your pupils are dilated when you are in ______.

A. The dark

B. The sunlightC. LightD. School

5. Light reflects off objects and returns to your eyes.This allows you to see.

A. TrueB. False

What other things can you do besides those mentioned in the passageto help protect your eyes from harm?


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NameMonday, May 13

Donald's Tale of the Coral ReefsBy Jennifer Kenny

Donald's father has aspecial job. He studiescoral reefs. Today hewas going to visit somenear Florida. Donaldknew coral reefs werebeautiful. What elsewas there to knowabout them?

"What is coral really?"Donald asked.

"It's an animal, a polyp that makes a shell around itself.Inside it lives with algae. These algae have a very longname. They're called zooxanthellae. The algae make foodand share it with the coral. When colonies of living coralgrow together for hundreds of years on top of older ones,reefs form," Dad said.

"The corals look so amazing. Even their names likeStarburst or Brain are so cool," Donald said.

"They are. They look cool. They have cool names. Aroundone out of every four fish species call coral reefs home,"Dad said. "Coral reefs also make barriers that can protectbeaches and homes. Many people use coral reefs as part oftheir work. Coral reefs have even been used as part ofmedicines to help people get better."

"Wow!" Donald exclaimed. "Is that why you say coral

reefs are like rain forests?"

"Yes," Dad said. "They are both beautiful. They also arehome to many different kinds of plants and animals. It's ashame we're losing both."

"Why are we losing coral reefs?" Donald asked in shock.

"We're trying to find out right now," Dad said. "If wedon't, we may lose most of them by 2050. We think peopleand nature are each part of the problem."

"What do you mean?" Donald asked.

"Humans fish, dive, and snorkel. They touch the coral.Humans use boats. They hit the coral reefs. People even usepoison to hunt for those tropical fish we find in the petstores. After the fish are caught, the corals are left with thepoison. Humans also pollute the oceans, the home of thecoral reefs. They dump fertilizer and sewage. This is also aproblem for coral reefs. If corals are hurt, they can diewhen bacteria gets into them. Corals only grow about a halfan inch per year. A coral head can be hundreds of years old.If so many die, it's really hard to ever catch up."

"What does Mother Nature do?" asked Donald.

"It's the climate," Dad answered. "When it gets muchwarmer for a long time, it affects the corals. Warmer watersstress the corals. It looks like the corals kick the algae outwhen the water is too warm. The corals become bleached.Then they die off. The weather of El Nino of 1997-1998caused floods, mudslides, and horrible damage to the coralreefs. By losing the coral reefs, people are also losing manyof the animals and plants that live in them."

"What can we do, Dad?" Donald asked.

"That's what we're trying to find out," Dad said. "We're


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using satellite pictures from NASA to find hot spots. I'mheading to the coral barrier reef six miles from the FloridaKeys. I may not be able to change people or nature, but I

can still try to find out how to help the coral. Some of thereefs near Hawaii have been named part of a national park.That's meant to protect the corals. Maybe that's what willbe needed everywhere. I just know we need to dosomething. In the last few years, the conditions have gottenso much worse."

"I hope you can save them," Donald said.

"Me too, son," Dad said as he packed his last bag.

Donald's Tale of the Coral Reefs

Questions

1. Donald's father was headed to ______.

A. HawaiiB. the Florida Keys

C. AustraliaD. New York

2. Coral lives in harmony with zooxanthellae, which is______.

A. a virusB. algaeC. bacteriaD. coral

3. Which statement is NOT true?

A. Coral reefs are home to one out of four of all fishspecies.

B. Coral reefs can be colorful.C. Coral is a mammal.D. Starburst is the name of a coral.

4. Coral reefs can be harmed by ______.A. rising ocean temperaturesB. diversC. boatsD. all of the above

5. Coral reefs have been used as part of certain healthtreatments.

A. FalseB. True

6. What was a result of El Nino 1997-1998?

A. floodsB. mudslidesC. damage to coral reefsD. all of the above

7. In the last few years, the general condition of coralreefs has ______.

A. gotten betterB. gotten worse


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NameTuesday, May 14

It's a ClassicBy Colleen Messina

If something is calleda classic, it can meandifferent things. It canbe a great soda pop or afavorite song. Classicalart was special. It wasthe art of ancientGreece and Rome.

The Greeks loved beauty. They did many paintings. Mostof their paintings have been destroyed, but painted potteryhas survived. The Greeks made large pots to hold grain andwine. They did not have plastic!

The Greeks liked to paint their heroes. They also liked topaint scenes from daily life. The Greeks liked black andred. At first, they put black figures on a red background.Then, they put red figures on a black background.

The Greeks also made sculptures. They looked real. Theywere marble. Unfortunately, many Greek statues weredestroyed. We know what they looked like because theRomans made copies of the sculptures.

A Greek man named Phidias was a sculptor. He helpedbuild a temple. He was in charge. The temple was calledthe Parthenon. It had pillars. It had a shining statue. It wasPallas Athena. She was 40 feet tall. She was made fromgold and ivory. She was the goddess of wisdom.

The Romans also were good architects. They built the

Coliseum. It was a large round building. The Coliseum wasused for sporting events.

Classical art inspired many later artists. Even football fansare happy about classical art. They are happy that theRomans built the Coliseum so that we have stadiums today!

It's a Classic

Questions

1. Which of the following do we have today that theGreeks did not have?

A. plasticB. paintingsC. pottery

D. sculpture

2. Which colors were NOT used on Greek pottery?

A. purpleB. redC. yellowD. black

3. What job did Phidias have in ancient Greece?

A. He was unemployed.B. He was a senator.C. He was a painter.D. He was a sculptor.

4. What did the Greeks use to make their statues?

A. steelB. quartzC. marbleD. bronze


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5. What building project did Phidias supervise?

A. the White HouseB. the Eiffel Tower

C. the ParthenonD. the Coliseum

6. Who built the Coliseum?

A. the FrenchB. the RomansC. the GreeksD. the Spanish

7. How was the Coliseum used?

A. for concertsB. for sporting eventsC. as a zooD. as a bathtub

8. How tall was the statue of Pallas Athena in theParthenon?

A. 40 feetB. 4 feet

C. 44 feetD. 14 feet

Do you think it would be hard to live without plastic? Why?


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NameTuesday, May 14

Dancing Like a ChickenBy Mary L. Bushong

Raymond and Rachel liked danceclass. Well, most of the time theyliked it. Now they were not so sure.Mrs. Lasker had just shown them aprogram about Native Americandances. Many times Native Americanshad based their dances on howanimals moved. Now Mrs. Laskerwanted them to do the same thing.

"Since you do not get to see how wildanimals move, watch how your pets do things," she said."Make up a dance based on them."

When Mom came to pick them up after class, she askedhow it went.

"It was fun part of the time," said Raymond, "but Mrs.Lasker wants us to make up our own dance, too."

"We're supposed to make our dance be like an animal,"said Rachel, shaking her head.

"That sounds like fun," said Mom.

"I guess," said Raymond.

"But cats and dogs don't dance," said Rachel. "We don'thave any other pets."

"How about the chickens?" asked Mom. "They do some

pretty funny things. Why not watch some of the things theydo?"

Rachel and Raymond groaned. Watching chickens wassure to be boring. Still, it was better than trying to come upwith a dog dance or a cat dance. As soon as they got home,they changed their clothes and went outside. When thechickens saw them coming, they raced to the fence hoping

the children were bringing a treat for them.

After gobbling up the handfuls of bread the children tossedover the fence, the birds waited hopefully for more. Whennothing came, the chickens wandered off to mind their ownbusiness. Some began scratching the ground. Others pokedtheir heads through the wire fence to eat any grass seedsthey could reach.

Big Red, the rooster, began to dance around one of the

hens. He fanned out his wing closest to the hen and held itlow to the ground. Then he did a little dance around her.

"Look, Raymond," whispered Rachel. "That's the dance weneed to do."

The two children stood up and began to imitate the rooster.Tucking one arm up like a folded wing, they let the otherone hang down.

"Something is not quite right," said Rachel after trying itfor a few minutes. "I think it is missing something. I know!How about this?"

Rachel waved her hand on the arm that was down. Thenshe began to go in a circle around it.

"That is it!" said Raymond. He joined in, and soon the twoof them were doing the chicken dance all over the backyard. When their mother came out a few minutes later, shestood on the back steps and laughed.


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"I didn't know I had chickens that were loose!" she said."That dance is great. Your teacher will be very pleased."

The next week at dance class, everyone was showing offhis or her dance. After Raymond and Rachel showed offtheirs, everyone cheered.

"That was wonderful," said Mrs. Lasker. "I would likeeveryone else in the class to try to dance like a chicken,too!"

Dancing Like a Chicken

Questions

1. What class were Rachel and Raymond in?

A. musicB. cookingC. danceD. art

2. What kind of things did the Native Americans basetheir dances on?

A. fireB. animalsC. treesD. all of the above

3. Rachel said, "Dogs and cats don't dance."

A. trueB. false

4. Why did the chickens rush to the fence when thechildren arrived?

A. They were looking for treats.B. They wanted to be petted.C. They wanted to play.D. They wanted to scare the children off.

5. The children fed the chickens:A. breadB. vegetablesC. grassD. stones

6. The bird the children copied was:

A. the black roosterB. a black henC. a red henD. the red rooster

7. Rachel and Raymond's mother did not like thechicken dance.

A. trueB. false

8. Mrs. Lasker wanted all the class to try to dance:

A. like a sparrow

B. like a chickenC. like a duckD. like a fox


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NameWednesday, May 15

ChipmunksBy Vickie Chao

Have you ever seen achipmunk? Chipmunks aresmall squirrels. Their headsand backs are grayishbrown with stripes. Theirbellies are whitish yellow,and their tails are long andbushy. They like to live inplaces with a lot of trees.They are very good atrunning. They are verygood at climbing trees and rocks, too.

At first glance, chipmunks look just like any othersquirrels. So how do we know if we are looking at achipmunk? The trick is to look at the animal's face. If it hasstripes on its face, then it is a chipmunk. Otherwise, it is animposter!

Chipmunks eat all kinds of food. They especially like nuts,seeds, grains, and fruits. Sometimes, they eat eggs, insects,or other smaller animals, too. When out looking for foodduring the day, chipmunks have the habit of stuffing theirmouths full. They can do that because their cheeks are likeelastic pouches. As they put more things into their mouths,their cheeks expand. Sometimes, their cheeks can becomeas big as their heads!

Why do chipmunks like to carry so much food all at once?

They have a very good reason for it. They want to stock upenough food before the winter comes. Chipmunks do not

usually come out of their homes during the wintertime.They prefer to sleep through it. Every now and then,however, they wake up from their naps to get something toeat. That is when their food supply comes in handy.

Chipmunks like to store their food in different places.Some of those places are the different rooms in theirunderground homes. But others are outside. Thanks to their

keen sense of smell, finding the supply is never a problem!Chipmunks are picky about what they keep. They do notwant something that can go bad easily. They do not wantsomething that can mold easily. For the wintertime, theythink things like nuts or pine cones are their best choices.Sure, they may not taste as good as spiders or eggs. Butthey last longer. That is what counts!

There are about 20 different kinds of chipmunks in theworld. Most of them live right here in the United States.

They mate during the early spring and summer. After about31 days, a mother chipmunk will give birth to a litter of upto nine babies. The average size of a litter is about 4 or 5.Chipmunks usually live 2-3 years.

Chipmunks

Questions

1. Where can we find chipmunks?

A. in areas with a lot of treesB. in lakes or riversC. in desertsD. in caves

2. Chipmunks are very active during the wintertime.

A. trueB. false


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3. Why will chipmunks not store eggs for the winter?

A. because they do not like eggsB. because they are allergic to eggs

C. because eggs can go bad easilyD. because they do not eat eggs

4. How many types of chipmunks are there in the world?

A. about 50B. about 30C. about 20D. about 10

5. What does "litter" mean in the last paragraph?

A. a group of babies born at the same time to thesame mother

B. trash

6. Which of the following about chipmunks is NOTtrue?

A. Chipmunks have very good sense of smell.B. Chipmunks are mostly active during the day.C. Chipmunks have elastic pouches on their bellies.

D. Chipmunks eat a lot of nuts and pine conesduring the winter.

7. How long does a chipmunk live?

A. 6-7 yearsB. 4-5 yearsC. 7-8 yearsD. 2-3 years

Chipmunks are not the only animals that like to sleep through thewinter. Think of another animal that also has this habit. Describewhat the animal is, where it lives, and what it eats.


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Too Many DavidsBy Kathleen W. Redman

Mark's head hurt.

Tomorrow is the day ofthe Miller family picnic.

When Mark was just ababy, his family movedto Florida. All his aunts,uncles, cousins, andgrandparents lived inMontana.

Last week Mark and his family got on a plane. They flewto Butte. Grandpa David came to the airport. He took themhome. Grandma Polly met them at the door.

It was fun staying with his grandfather and grandmother.He got to sleep in the loft. He and his father went fishingwith Grandpa David. At night Grandpa David told storiesabout when Mark's father was a little boy.

"Andy was a good son. He and his siblings never got introuble at school. Oh, but when they were at home, Andygot into something almost every day!" Grandpa Davidlaughed.

Tonight had been different, though.

"Mark, I think it is time for you to see pictures of some of

your family," Grandpa David said. "You will meet all ofthem tomorrow."

Grandpa David held out a picture of a tall man, a woman,and three little boys. "That's your father's brother, his wife,and sons," he said.

"What are their names?" Mark asked.

"Let's see. Well, you can call the man Uncle David. You

can call the boys' mom Aunt Dora. The boys are DavidLee, David William, and David Robert."

Grandpa David held out another picture. "This is yourAunt Davina and Uncle Edward. The children are yourcousins, David Alan, David Edward, and Diane Elaine."

"Oh, Grandpa David," Mark, said. "There are too manyDavids. How do they know when someone is talking tothem?"

Grandpa David and Mark's father laughed and laughed.Grandpa slapped his knee. Then he laughed some more.

Mark didn't see what was so funny.

"Oh, Mark, we don't call all of them David," GrandpaDavid laughed. "They use their middle names."

He pointed to the first picture. "Here are Lee, Bill, and

Bobby." He picked up the second picture. "And here areAlan, Eddie, and Diane. She uses her first name."

Mark's father picked him up and put him on his knee. "Doyou know what my first name is?" he asked.

"It's Andrew," Mark said.

"No, it's David. My name is David Andrew Miller," hesaid. He and Grandpa David laughed again.


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Mark looked at his father and his grandfather. "I don't knowwhat is so funny," he said. "I think the picnic will be fun. Itwill be nice to get to know all my cousins. Right now,

though, I just have a headache!"

Too Many Davids

Questions

1. Where did most of Mark's family live?

A. MassachusettsB. MozambiqueC. MontanaD. Maine

2. Where did Mark, his father, and mother live?

A. FloridaB. South DakotaC. GeorgiaD. Alabama

3. Who is Andrew?A. Mark's fatherB. Mark's grandfatherC. Mark's cousinD. Mark's uncle

4. How did Mark get to Montana?

A. by planeB. by boat

C. by carD. by bus

5. All but one of Mark's cousins had the same firstname. What was their first name?

A. DavidB. DanielC. MarkD. Andrew

6. Which one of Mark's aunts had a daughter?

A. Aunt DoraB. Aunt PollyC. Aunt DavisD. Aunt Davina

7. Who is Mark's only girl cousin?

A. DoraB. DianeC. Donna

D. Davis

8. What did Mark get from learning about all theDavids?

A. a headacheB. an upset stomachC. a big laughD. a sore foot


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NameThursday, May 16

Mrs. Badger's Honey CakeBy Joyce Furstenau

"It is a fine, fine dayfor baking," said Mrs.Badger to her fourchildren. "Today, Ishall bake a fresh,sweet honey cake. Let'ssee, I have plenty offlour. I have plenty ofbrown sugar. I havehoney. I have spices, butter, and nuts. Oh, my, I have noeggs! I will need three eggs for my honey cake," she saidlooking in her cupboards. "I cannot make a honey cakewithout eggs."

Mrs. Badger put on her bonnet and picked up her eggbasket. She looked all over her neat little undergroundcottage for something to put in her basket to trade. Shefound a small pile of sunflower seeds she had been saving.

"Perhaps I can find someone who will trade three eggs forthese seeds," she said aloud. She lined her basket with aclean, white napkin. Mrs. Badger filled it with sunflowerseeds. She covered the seeds under the folds of the napkin.She put on her pretty blue cape and set off into the woodswith her basket of seeds.

Mrs. Badger had not gone very far when she saw twofoxes sitting beside the road preparing to feast on abubbling pot of stew. Mrs. Badger sniffed the air. Thearoma of the stew smelled delicious. The foxes invited Mrs.Badger to join them. She said she was tempted, but she

could not stay for stew. She told them about her honey cakeand that she was hoping to find someone who would tradesome eggs for her seeds. The foxes told Mrs. Badger theywere sorry they had no eggs, but they thought the seedswould make a flavorful addition to their simmering stew.The foxes asked if she would consider trading hersunflower seeds for some carrots.

Mrs. Badger thought to herself, "Perhaps I could get someeggs for a basket of carrots down the road." She traded theseeds for the carrots, and off she went, still in search ofeggs for her honey cake.

At the edge of the forest, she noticed three fine horsesgrazing in a meadow. "Hey, ho!" said the horses. "What isthat I smell in your basket?" one horse whinnied, for thearoma of the fresh carrots had reached his nose.

"Nothing but a basket of carrots," answered Mrs. Badger.She went on to tell the horses about the sunflower seeds,the basket of carrots, and her search for three eggs for herhoney cake. The horses were nearly overcome with desirefor the carrots.

"Would you consider trading your carrots for a basket offine, sturdy horsehair?" asked the horses hungrily.

Mrs. Badger gave it some thought. She knew she could

braid the horsehair into a fine rope and perhaps trade it forsome eggs down the road. She traded the carrots for thehorsehair, and off she went in search of eggs for her honeycake.

After she walked down the road a piece, Mrs. Badgerstopped long enough to braid that horsehair into a fine rope.Not long after that, she came to the gate of WidowBrowning's goat farm. The widow was in the field with hergoats, and she was getting nowhere trying to round themup. Mrs. Badger offered her assistance.


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"I see you are carrying a fine horsehair rope. If I had yourrope, I could lead my stubborn Billy into the shed, and the

others would soon follow," said the widow. "Would youconsider trading a pitcher of delicious goat's milk for yourfine horsehair rope?" asked Widow Browning.

Mrs. Badger gave it some thought. She thought perhapsshe could trade the goat's milk for some eggs down theroad. So she made the trade for the goat's milk, and off shewent in search of eggs for her honey cake.

Not long after she left the widow's farm, she saw a poor,

thin beggar standing along the road at the edge of thevillage. He was dressed in ragged, dirty clothing andlooked as if he were badly in need of a good meal. Mrs.Badger took pity on the beggar. She handed him her pitcherof goat's milk saying, "Here, drink this goat's milk, for itlooks as if you could use some nourishment."

The beggar eagerly took the pitcher. He drank the sweetgoat's milk in giant gulps until every last drop was gone.When he was finished, he wiped his face on his sleeve and

thanked Mrs. Badger kindly for her generosity. He askedher if there was anything he could do to repay her kindness.

She told the beggar about needing some eggs for her honeycake. She told him about the sunflower seeds, the basket ofcarrots, the horsehair, and the goat's milk.

The beggar gave it some thought. He reached into his shirtand pulled out a tiny brass key. Handing it to Mrs. Badger,he said, "I found this beside the road as I was walking from

town this morning. I have no use for it. Perhaps you canfind someone who would trade you some eggs for a key,"

he said.

Mrs. Badger gave it some thought. She thought perhapsshe could find someone who needed a key down the road.So she took the key, and off she went in search of eggs forher honey cake.

Not long after that, Mrs. Badger met a farmer sitting upon

a cart. The cart was full of caged chickens on their way tomarket. The farmer had his head in his hands looking quiteforlorn.

"What seems to be the trouble? You look as if you havelost your best friend," asked Mrs. Badger

"It would be easier if I had," he said. "I was on my way tomarket to sell these chickens. My wife put them in thesesturdy cages so no harm would come to them. She placed a

lock on every cage and told me to be sure I didn't lose thekey. But somewhere along the way, I have lost it. I cannotgo home without selling these chickens, and I cannot sellthem if I cannot open their cages," said the farmer.

Mrs. Badger reached in her basket and pulled out the keythe beggar had given her. "Would this key work?" sheasked.

Great relief flooded his face as he saw the very key he had

lost in her hand. "Goodness, ma'am, that is the very key Ilost this morning. How can I ever repay you?" asked thefarmer.

Mrs. Badger did not have to give it one bit of thought."Would you happen to have three eggs inside any of thosechicken cages?" she asked.

The farmer was only too happy to help. He found six nicebrown eggs and gave them to her. Mrs. Badger placed theeggs in her basket. She whistled all the way home. Not long


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after that, the aroma of fresh honey cake came drifting fromher neat little underground cottage. Everyone got what theywanted, including Mrs. Badger and her four children.

Mrs. Badger's Honey Cake

Questions

1. Why did Mrs. Badger need three eggs?

A. to give to the foxesB. to bake a honey cakeC. to make pancakesD. to make scrambled eggs

2. What did Mrs. Badger bring along to trade?

A. a basket of daisiesB. a basket of seedsC. a basket of twigsD. a basket of bread

3. What did the foxes trade for the seeds?

A. cakeB. carrotsC. potatoesD. corn

4. What did the horses trade for the carrots?

A. horsehairB. hayC. clover

D. oats

5. What did the goat herder trade for the horsehair rope?

A. a blanket made of goat's hairB. a pitcher of goat's milkC. an apple pieD. a bag of goat hair

6. What did the beggar give for the pitcher of milk?

A. a nodB. a jacketC. a handshakeD. a key

7. What did the chicken farmer need?

A. some seedsB. an eggC. a ropeD. a key

8. What did Mrs. Badger get for the key?

A. six eggsB. a chickenC. a bag of feathersD. a rooster


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Olympic FlowersBy Jody Williams

Flowers are given to winners atthe Olympics. In 2002, the flowerswere in a bobsled. Vonetta Flowerswas on the bobsled team. They wona gold medal at the 2002 Olympics.Vonetta Flowers was the first AfricanAmerican to win a medal at theWinter Olympics.

She was first in her family to go tocollege. Vonetta ran track. Trackwas her favorite sport. She dreamed of running in theSummer Olympics. She tried but did not make it. Herhusband wanted them both to try out for the bobsled team.He did not make it. She did. He was her coach.

Vonetta wrote a book. She wrote it after the 2002Olympics. The book is called Running on Ice.In 2006,Vonetta went to the Olympics again. That year her teamcame in sixth. Vonetta has won many awards in her sport.She has also won awards for the kind of person she is.She tries to be the best she can be. She also makes otherswant to be their best. About her win, she said that shehoped it would help other African American boys andgirls try winter sports.

Olympic Flowers

Questions

1. Vonetta Flowers was a part of what team?

A. the football teamB. the ski team

C. the hockey teamD. the bobsled team

2. Vonetta Flowers was the first ______ ______ to win amedal at the Winter Olympics.

3. What was Vonetta Flowers first in her family to do?

4. Vonetta Flowers' favorite sport is track.

A. falseB. true


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5. Vonetta dreamed of running in the SummerOlympics. What is your dream?

6. Vonetta and her husband both tried out for thebobsled team. Why do you think she made it?

7. Why do you think that Vonetta chose the title for herbook?

8. What has Vonetta Flowers won awards for? Theremay be more than one answer.

A. having twinsB. being a great athleteC. making others be the best they can beD. writing a book

If you could ask Vonetta Flowers a question, what would it be? Howdo you think she would answer it?


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Name DateThursday, May 16

D-Day: The Diary InvasionWritten by Colleen Messina

You are about to leave for school when you remember that you left your history book upstairs. When you go to retrieve your

book, you find your pesky younger sister in your room. You are furious! Then, things get worse: you see your open diary on thedresser. You never leave your diary open! You cringe when you think about your recent secret entry. You tell your sister in amenacing tone to get out of your room. She runs away crying. You want her to be punished for reading your diary because you aresure that is what she did. At least, you are fairly sure...

How would you react?

1. How would you feel about your sister if you ignored the situation and never asked her whether she read your diary?

2. If you decide to ask your sister about reading the diary, how would you approach her? What tone of voice would you use?

3. Are there any other logical reasons why your sister would be in your room without your permission?


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Name DateThursday, May 16 D-Day: The Diary Invasion

4. What would your parents do if they knew that your sister read your diary?

5. How would your relationship with your sister be affected if she had read your diary? Would you be able to forgive her easily?Would it be harder to forgive her if you had written about something very personal in the last entry?

6. If you found yourself alone in a room with someone's diary, would you read it? Justify your answer.

7. If a parent suspects that his or her child is in trouble, does the parent have the right to read the child's diary? Explain your reasonsfor your answer.


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8. How would you feel towards your sister if you found out later that she did not read your diary and that you had gotten mad at herfor nothing?


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You assume that your sister did read your diary. How do you feel about that? What should be the consequences for your sister if shedid read your diary? If you had written something very personal in the most recent diary entry, would that affect how you react to thissituation? If you had written about a serious situation, do you think your sister would have the right to tell your parents about it? Why,or why not?


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If you were wrong in your assumption that your sister read your diary, how would you feel if you had falsely accused her? Would youapologize, or would you feel justified in accusing her because she had no right to be in your room without your permission? Whatwould be the consequences your parents would give to your sister for being in your room without your permission?


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