Niagara Falls City School District

English Language Arts Packet 1:

Grade 3

Standard1:Studentswillread,write,listen,andspeakforinformationandunderstanding.

• BackgroundKnowledgeandVocabularyDevelopment

This pdf file contains items aligned to the CCLS that can be used for both test prep and to assess student proficiency in the major clusters/standards that are going to appear on the New York State assessments. The use of these items is totally up to the discretion of individual teachers, and therefore is optional. Tasks are bundled by standard and the level of rigor is indicated on each. The intent is not to create a “mock assessment” but rather to provide resources from the item banks so that teachers will have easily accessible items to use for instructional purposes.

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Move a Feather Using Sound Did you know that sound has power? Sound can move objects and it can travel through almost anything. Sound waves can bend and bounce. If you have ever heard an echo, then you have experienced how sound waves can bounce. An echo is sound waves bouncing off walls or other objects. Many years ago, an inventor named Thomas Edison proved that sound waves from a human voice have force. He invented a machine that had a sharp needle and tinfoil inside. By talking into his machine, he was able to move the needle with the sound waves from his voice. The motion of the needle inside the machine made marks on the tinfoil. Many scientists use Thomas Edison’s ideas to help with their own work. Here are a few easy steps you can follow to show your friends that sound has power. Gather these supplies before you begin: • a feather • a long cardboard roll (you can use a cardboard roll that is found inside a roll of paper towels) • a piece of paper • a pair of round-tipped scissors • a rubber balloon • tape • a rubber band Follow these steps: 1. Make a cone shape with the piece of paper. Cut off the tip of the cone.

2. Fasten the larger end of the cone tightly to one end of the cardboard roll using tape.

3. Cut a piece of the balloon. Using a rubber band, cover the other end of the cardboard roll with the piece of the balloon.

4. Ask a friend to hold the feather. The opening of the cone on the roll should face the feather. 5. Tap on the end of the roll that is covered with the piece of balloon. The sound waves from the tapping will travel through the cone and make the feather move.

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1. Read the dictionary entry.

fasten \fá-sen\ v. 1.shut tightly 2.join two things together 3.hold something firmly 4.focus steadily Read the sentence from the passage. Fasten the larger end of the cone tightly to one end of the cardboard roll using tape. Which definition of fasten is used in the sentence? A) Definition 1 B) Definition 2 C) Definition 3 D) Definition 4

2. Read the dictionary entry.

power /poú er/ n. 1.to have control 2.might or strength 3.energy that can be used for doing work v. 4.to supply with electricity Read the sentence from the passage. Did you know that sound has power? Which meaning of the word power is used in this sentence? A) to have control B) might or strength C) energy that can be used for doing work D) to supply with electricity

3. Which list of words from the passage is in alphabetical order?

A) bounce, waves, cardboard, motion B) motion, cardboard, bounce, waves C) bounce, cardboard, motion, waves D) cardboard, bounce, waves, motion

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4. Read the sentence. I enjoy the music of the gentle breeze stirring the leaves. Which underlined word in the sentence is an adjective?A) I B) music C) gentle D) stirring

5. Which sentence uses the adverb incorrectly?

A) The athletes were trained by their coach carefully.B) You can almost see the trees in the park. C) Jacob ran quickly down the stairs. D) Gina is constantly asking her friend for help.

Frog Tunnels and Squirrel Bridges 1 You have heard the joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Of course, it was to get to the other side! Animals

often have to cross a road. They have to get across to find food. Sometimes they cross to get to a pond or water. It is not always safe, however, for animals to cross the road.

Trouble on the Road

2 New houses and stores are always being built. Sometimes they are built near places where animals live. Roads run

through forests and fields. Traffic zips up and down the roads. Animals have to cross the busy roads. Small animals, such as frogs and toads, do not move very fast. It is difficult for them to get out of the way of traffic.

3 Many people want to try to help animals cross roads safely. Sometimes workers catch small animals on the side of

the road. Then they safely carry them across. In some places, “Animal Crossing” signs are posted. This helps drivers know to be careful.

Road Closures

4 As the seasons change, so does the weather. These changes in weather cause animals to move from one place to

another. Groups of small animals will move to other areas. These areas are sometimes near busy roads. To keep these animals safe, roads have been closed. This means that drivers can no longer travel through these roads. When it appears that all of the small animals have crossed, the roads are reopened.

5 In the month of October, Red Crabs leave their homes. They travel to get to the water of a nearby coast. Sometimes

they have to cross roads to get there. Roads are closed to help them safely reach the coast. The Red Crabs migrate* in very large groups. The traveling can last up to eighteen days. Roads might be closed for a very long time to allow them to safely cross. The crabs are not bothered by traffic.

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Frog Tunnels

6 Road closures keep animals safe while crossing, but they can be bothersome to drivers. Travelers cannot easily drive

through certain areas. People have thought of different ways to help other small animals safely cross roads while drivers can still use the roads to travel through.

7 Some people have had surprising ideas. They have come up with clever ways to help. In some places, tunnels are

made under the roads. They are made of long pipes that are two feet wide. Smaller animals use these pipe tunnels to cross underneath the roads. They no longer have to go across them. By using these tunnels, frogs and toads can hop to safety! Fences are built along the edge of the roads to help guide the animals into the tunnels. The tunnels work great! Now many little animals get safely to the other side of the road.

A Nutty Bridge

8 In 1963, in the state of Washington, a man named Amos Peters had another idea to help animals cross a street safely.

Mr. Peters worked near a park. Workers liked to leave nuts out for squirrels to eat. Every now and then he would see a squirrel trying to hurry across the park streets to get the nuts. This worried him. He did not want the squirrels to get hurt. He wanted to help squirrels cross the street. He knew the squirrels wouldn’t like a tunnel. Squirrels usually like to climb in trees. With the help of designers, Mr. Peters built a squirrel bridge!

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9 Mr. Peters and the designers made a 60-feet-long bridge. This bridge was made using aluminum** tubes and pieces

of fire hose. It was built between some trees in a park. The bridge stretched across a busy road. This bridge was named Nutty Narrows Bridge. Squirrels didn’t have much trouble getting their nutty treats after this bridge was built. They safely crossed the road by using the bridge.

10 Many people loved the squirrel bridge. Mr. Peters received letters from people who thanked him for building it.

People were thankful for the help he brought to the park squirrels.

11 In 1983, twenty years later, people still enjoyed watching the squirrels cross Nutty Narrows Bridge. By then, the

bridge had been worn and was in need of repairs. Mr. Peters made repairs to the squirrel bridge. There was a celebration to rededicate*** the bridge. There were as many as 300 people at the celebration. A year later a huge, wooden squirrel statue was placed near the squirrel bridge to prove Mr. Peter’s kindness will not be forgotten.

New Ideas

12 These ideas are good for many reasons. They do not cost a lot of money. They do not take a lot of work to make.

They also do not need people to watch over them.

13 Now when you hear the old joke asking about why the chicken crossed the road, you might think about how

different animals cross roads instead. There are many ways for animals to get across roads safely.

*migrate: to travel to a new place **aluminum: a kind of metal ***rededicate: to celebrate an event again

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6. Read the sentence. Mr. Peters was help_____ to the squirrels. Which suffix can best be added to the word help to complete the sentence?A) -ing B) -er C) -ful D) -less

7. Read the sentence.

Traffic zips up and down the roads. Which dictionary entry gives the best meaning of the word traffic as it is used in this sentence?A) cars or people moving B) trade C) the number of passengers D) talking

8. The suffix -ly can be added to the word safe to mean

A) a road that is safe. B) a safe place to cross. C) people who are safe. D) in a safe way.

9. Which prefix can be added in front of the word safe to mean “not safe”?

A) re- B) un- C) mis- D) in-

10. Which list of words from this passage is in alphabetical order?

A) frog, squirrel, tunnel, bridge B) bridge, frog, squirrel, tunnel C) tunnel, squirrel, frog, bridge D) squirrel, bridge, tunnel, frog

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11. Which word is a synonym for improve? A) draw B) remove C) help D) perform

12. Read the dictionary entry.

simpleadj 1.common 2.easy to understand 3.plain 4.without extra Read the sentence. Using a few simple art supplies, you can add variety to your watercolor paintings. Which dictionary entry best fits the meaning of the word simple as it is used in this sentence?A) Definition 1 B) Definition 2 C) Definition 3 D) Definition 4

The following is a student’s report. It contains mistakes. Make a Difference Day (1)Fernway Schools “Let’s Make a Difference Day” was a great success! (2)Many classes picked intresting projects, such as planting flowers or writing letters to the president. (3)My class did something very different. (4)The old Moran Construction building across from Fernway School had been empty for years. (5)Its long, gray wall stretched as long as three school buses, and the wall was ugly. (6)Everyone who came to my school had to look at it. (7)Parents who dropped their kids by the crosswalk saw it. (8)Students who chained their bikes to the bike rack or rides by in the buses also saw it. (9)Even principal Swanson had to look at that wall. (10)All she had to do was glance outside her office window, and there it was! (11)Well, when Mr. Witry, my teacher, asked our class what we’d like to do, everyone thought about stuff. (12)So we took a vote and came up with a winner. (13)We dicided to paint that wall. (14)Shanika Townsend came up with a great idea for what we should draw. (15)She suggested that we paint students at our school making a difference. (16)That big, gray wall made the whole school look plain. (17)Some pictures would show boys and girls planting flowers. (18)Some pictures would show older students helping younger students on the playground. (19)We would even paint pictures of us. (20)About one week before the big day, we asked Ms. Cherry our custodian who keeps our school so clean if she had any extra paint. (21)She has worked at our school for twenty years. (22)She had red, yellow orange, blue and green paint. (23)She also had paintbrushes and buckets. (24)Two days before the big day, Mr. Witry sketched the pictures on the wall. (25)On the big day, we all took turns painting. (26)It took us five hours. (27)That afternoon, kids shouted, parents cheered, and the principal said “Great job!”

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13. Read the sentence from the report. (11) Well, when Mr. Witry, my teacher, asked our class what we’d like to do, everyone thought about stuff. The best word choice for the underlined part of the sentence is A) talked about it. B) had some ideas. C) wondered about things. D) shared two possible plans.

14. Read the sentence from the report.

(19) We would even paint pictures of us. What is the correct way to write the underlined part of the sentence?A) ourselves B) yourselves C) themselves D) Leave as is.

The following is a student’s journal entry. It contains mistakes. Our New Neighbors (1)The Fujiwaras moved into the house next door to us. (2)My mom, brother, and I helped them unload boxes from a huge moving van. (3)That’s when I got to meet Mei and Makku. (4)They are twins. (5)They are in the third grade. (6)I am in the third grade too. (7)After settling in, Mrs. Fujiwara comes over to our house with a cake. (8)She said to my mother, “It is a Japanese tradition to give a cake to say thank you. (9)So thank you for helping us. (10)By the way, we’d love to have you join us for dinner on Saturday. (11)Can you come?” (12)My mom told her that we would be delited to come to dinner. (13)She asked Mrs. Fujiwara if there was anything that we could bring. (14)I had a soccer game on Saturday, but it was in the morning. (15)Mrs. Fujiwara said that we should just bring ourselves. (16)That night, I told my mom how I had learned a lot about Japan in school. (17)I learned that many meals in Japan (for example), include soup and rice, but often people don’t use spoons for their soup. (18)Instead they use chopsticks to pick out and eat all the solid things like vegetables or meat. (19)Then they pick up the bowl and drink the liquid. (20)Kimonos are often made from fancy silk fabric. (21)I also learned that many Japanese people use seaweed in they cooking. (22)Besides learning about food, I discovered how some Japanese women wear kimonos for speshul events. (23)Kimonos are long, loose robes with wide sleeves shaped like bells. (24)I asked my mom if she thought Mrs. Fujiwara and Mei would be wearing kimonos. (25)She laughed and said that she didn’t think so. (26)When we arrived at the familys house Saturday evening, they were cooking hamburgers on the grill. (27)I ate the bestest cheeseburger I’ve ever had! (28)We also ate corn on the cob, potato salad, and watermelon. (29)After dinner, Mr. Fujiwara played his samisen for us. (30)It looked like a musical thing. (31)He played it for us. (32)I’m glad the Fujiwaras is our neighbors.

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15. Read the sentences. (5) They are in the third grade. (6) I am in the third grade too. What is the best way to combine these sentences into one sentence?A) They are in the third grade, just as I am. B) They are in the third grade, and I am too in the third grade. C) They are in the third grade, that is what I am too. D) They too are in the third grade, I am in the third grade.

16. Read the sentence.

(22) Besides learning about food, I discovered how some Japanese women wear kimonos for speshul events. How should the underlined word be spelled? A) special B) speshel C) speshal D) spechial

17. Read the sentence.

(26) When we arrived at the familys house Saturday evening, they were cooking hamburgers on the grill. How should the underlined word be written? A) familys’ B) family’s C) familyes D) Leave as is.

18. Read the sentence.

(21) I also learned that many Japanese people use seaweed in they cooking. How should the underlined word be written? A) his B) our C) their D) them

19. Read this sentence from the passage:

Kimonos are often made from fancy silk fabric. What kind of word is silk? A) noun B) adjective C) verb D) adverb

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20. Read the sentence. (27) I ate the bestest cheeseburger I’ve ever had! How should the underlined word be written?A) best B) good C) better D) great

21. Read the sentence.

(32) I’m glad the Fujiwaras is our neighbors. How should the underlined word be written?A) am B) are C) was D) being