newbery medal is an award given to the best children's ... · put things. by keeping a few...

NameMonday, October 23

Susan PatronBy Brandi Waters

Susan Patron was very shy when she was achild. It wasn't that she didn't like beingaround people. It was finding words to saythat caused her the most trouble. It was hardfor her to find the right words to describe howshe was feeling or what she was thinking. So,she just kept quiet.

Susan grew up as the middle child in afamily with three girls. The fourth gradechanged her life forever. Her teacher readCharlotte's Web aloud to the class. In thescene where Charlotte died, Susan felt likeshe was sharing a special moment with everyone involved. She feltconnected to her teacher, to the author of the book, and to all of thekids in her class. Susan was impressed by the power of the words inthe book. She wanted to be able to do that. That was the momentshe decided to become a writer. Later, the librarian brought anarmload of books to her class. Susan wasn't much of a reader at thetime. The librarian's visit changed that. The librarian came into herclassroom to talk about books. Susan was fascinated with her. Thelibrarian held the books tightly, almost like she was hugging them.She smoothed the jackets of the books. She stroked them and ranher fingers over their pages. Susan had never seen anyone treat abook in such a loving manner. She went to the library after schoolthat day and fell in love with reading almost instantly.

As she grew up, Susan started writing. Susan learned that it waseasy for her to say the things going through her mind when she waswriting. She had time to choose the right words. She could try themout and move them around until she was saying exactly what shewanted to say. As a teenager, she wrote poetry and essays aboutnature. She dreamed of running away to Paris to become a writer.

Susan grew up, went to college, and became a librarian. Sheworked with children and shared her love of books with them. Shedecided that she wanted to write her own books, too. She spent her

weekends and vacation time writing. It took her some time to learnhow to tell stories on paper, but she kept at it. She must have figuredit out because her books have gotten rave reviews. Her 2006 bookThe Higher Power of Lucky even won the Newbery Medal! TheNewbery Medal is an award given to the best children's book writteneach year. After the success of the book, Susan Patron retired fromher job as a librarian. Now she is a full-time writer. She has come along way from the shy young girl who had trouble finding the rightwords.

Susan Patron

Questions

1. Why was Susan Patron so shy as a child?

A. She didn't like being around people she didn't know.B. She was afraid people would find out that she didn't know

how to read.C. She had trouble finding the right words to express what

she wanted to say.D. all of the above

2. Susan Patron has an older sister and ______.

A. an older brotherB. two younger sistersC. a younger sisterD. three younger brothers

3. What happened to Susan Patron in the fourth grade?

A. She decided to become a writer.B. She heard Charlotte's Web read aloud to her for the first

time.C. She learned that words can be very powerful.D. all of the above


4. What was it about the librarian who visited her classroom thatSusan Patron found to be so interesting?

5. Susan Patron's book The Higher Power of Lucky won theNewbery Medal, an award given to ______.

A. the best new writer each yearB. the best children's book written each yearC. the best-loved main character in a bookD. the best selling children's book each year

Susan Patron dreamed of running away to Paris as a teenager. Shewanted to write books using a pseudonym, a fake name. With heridentity hidden, she could write anything she wanted and her parentswould never know! Imagine that you were running away from hometo live the life of your dreams. Where would you go? What would youdo?


Inferences

Today is a special day. Bailey andhis friends dress in costumes. Theywalk around the neighborhood andknock on doors. When people answerthe doors, the children shoutsomething in unison. Amazingly,those people do not get mad. Instead,they smile and give something toBailey and his friends.

Inferences

Questions

1. What day do you think it is today?

A. ChristmasB. HalloweenC. The Fourth of JulyD. Thanksgiving

2. What do Bailey and his friends shout when people open thedoors?

A. Happy New Year!B. Trick or treat!C. Happy Birthday!D. Merry Christmas!

3. What do you think people give to Bailey and his friends?

A. Cheese cakeB. CandyC. FruitD. Comic books

NameTuesday, October 24

What Is Composition?By Colleen Messina

Webster's Dictionary callscomposition "arrangement into aspecific proportion...in artistic form."That might sound like a lot of work, butbelieve it or not, you decide oncomposition when you draw a picture.

Composition is where things areplaced on a paper or a canvas. A goodcomposition can make a picture strongand interesting. A bad one can make itweak and confusing. Great art does notjust happen. Often, an artist has to thinka lot before he or she ever picks up a brush or a pencil.

The first thing an artist has to have is an idea for the project.What ideas does he or she want to express? What should the subjectbe? What emotion does he or she want to show? Often, artists makeseveral preliminary sketches to decide on the composition of thepicture. Leonardo da Vinci did amazing sketches. He drew faces andlandscapes that are works of art all by themselves.

An artist also has to decide on the picture area. The picture area issimilar to what a photographer sees when he looks through a cameralens. The artist has to decide on the edges of his artwork. Then, theartist decides on the size of the objects. More important items arebigger. The artist also uses the rules of perspective to make thepicture look three-dimensional.

Let's think about a hamburger. Food is fun to paint. The juicyburger on its sesame seed bun would be in the front of the picturesince it is the subject. Bottles of ketchup, mustard, and relish mightbe in the background. Condiments are not as crucial as the savoryburger in a picture, even though in real life condiments are important!A clear, bubbly soda on the side might add sparkle to the painting,but it is not that pivotal.

Another important part of composition is value. The value is howlight or dark an object appears. Objects close to each other shouldhave different values. In a painting of a hamburger, the burger mightbe a darker color, while the bun would be pale and light andsprinkled with cream-colored sesame seeds. You can "have it yourway" and decide how dark and light objects in your picture should be.

Artists also pick colors based on the mood they might inspire. Ifyou think that eating a burger is fun, you might paint bright redketchup and lime green relish. If you don't like burgers but had todraw one for art class, you might paint dark, maroon ketchup anddrab, olive relish. Globs of greasy fat on the meat would reinforceyour message. No one would think you like hamburgers if yourslooks so off-color. Light, bright colors feel joyful. Drab, dark colorsfeel sad.

Geometry helps create a good composition in a painting.Leonardo da Vinci was an artist who used science in his art. In hisfamous painting, The Last Supper, he painted the last meal the Christshared with his disciples. Leonardo used a triangular composition.Christ is the top point of the triangle. His two arms make the sides ofa triangle. The disciples at the table are in triangular groups of three.This makes the painting look balanced. Leonardo knew just where toput things.

By keeping a few things in mind, you can improve your art. Youcan think about composition for your next painting. You may not beLeonardo da Vinci, but you can create a lively picture of yourfavorite snack. And hamburgers can be beautiful, too. Ray Kroc, thefounder of McDonalds, said, "It requires a certain kind of mind tosee beauty in a hamburger bun."

What Is Composition?

Questions

1. What do some artists do before they do their main project?

A. watch T.V.B. light a candleC. call their friendsD. make a sketch


2. Which famous artist is mentioned in the article?

A. TitianB. Leonardo da VinciC. RaphaelD. Andy Warhol

3. What kind of composition is used in The Last Supper?

A. ovoidB. circularC. squareD. triangular

4. What size would you make important objects in your painting?

A. mediumB. smallC. minisculeD. large

5. Which phrase best describes what the picture area is like?

A. looking through a camera lensB. where photographs are storedC. where film is soldD. having your school picture taken

6. Which color might inspire a sad mood in a picture?

A. fire-engine redB. jet blackC. bright yellowD. robin-egg blue

7. What color is maroon closest to?

A. redB. orangeC. greenD. blue

8. What is the antonym of the word "pivotal" in paragraph 5?

A. criticalB. irrelevantC. keyD. essential

Can you think of a subject that could be arranged nicely using atriangular composition? If so, describe your idea for a painting.

Name DateTuesday, October 24

Up, Up, and AwayWritten by Patti Hutchison

"My uncle Jack owns a hot air balloon," Alex told his friend Megan. "It's inflated in his back yard."

"Let's go see it!" Megan said excitedly. "I love hot air balloons. I've always wanted to ride in one. Do you think your uncle willgive us a ride?"

"Maybe, if he's not too busy," Alex said hopefully.

The two rode their bikes a mile to Alex's uncle's house. As they got closer, Megan could see the huge rainbow striped balloon inthe back yard. They began to pedal faster.

Finally they arrived and knocked on the door of the house. No one answered. One of the front windows was open. "Is anybodyhome? Hey, Uncle Jack, it's me, Alex," Alex shouted into the window. There was no answer. "I'll bet he's out at the barn," Alexsaid.

"Oh, I hope so," Megan said. "I'd love to ride in that beautiful balloon."

"Me, too. Let's go find my uncle," Alex said, running down the steps of the front porch. The two went around to the back of thehouse. They stopped to look at the balloon.

"I've never been this close to one," Megan said in awe. "Look how big it is! Have you ever ridden in one, Alex?"

"Yep, my uncle has taken me up a couple of times. It's awesome!" Alex told her. The two headed for the barn to try to find Alex'suncle. Alex rolled the heavy red door to the side. "Anybody in here?" he shouted. There was no answer. "Uncle Jack must be outin one of the fields."

"Let's go back and look at the balloon," Megan said.

"Okay. Hey, I bet Uncle Jack won't mind if we just stand in the wicker basket," Alex suggested.

"Oh, can we? That would be fun. We can pretend we are floating high above the ground. We'll go somewhere exotic!" Megansaid breathlessly. The two climbed inside the basket. "Are you sure this is safe?" Megan asked.

Name DateTuesday, October 24 Up, Up, and Away

"Of course, it's tethered to the ground," Alex assured her. "See, there's the burner. The flame heats the air at the top of theballoon. Since hot air rises, the balloon goes up in the air." Expertly, Alex turned the handle on the burner. Whoosh! The flameshot higher.

"Alex, I think we're moving! I thought you said we were tied down!" Megan shouted.

"The ropes must have come loose!" Alex exclaimed.

"Do you know how to steer this thing?" Megan asked as they rose above the ground.

"Um, you can't really steer it," Alex said. "You just have to float along wherever the wind takes you."

"Do you know how to get us down?" Megan asked shakily as they rose higher. She looked down and noticed that things on theground were beginning to look tiny.

"Um, you have to open the parachute valve to let the air out. But I'm not sure which valve it is. I guess I didn't pay attention whenUncle Jack and I were landing," Alex admitted.

"What are we going to do?" Megan asked desperately.

Answer the following questions before you finish the story.1. Name three things Alex and Megan might see on their hot air balloon adventure.

2. Name two dangerous things they might come across as they float in the air.


3. How do you think they will get down?

4. What will happen when they land?


Using the ideas you wrote for the thinking questions, write an ending to the story. Include dialog in your ending. Be sure to write incomplete sentences and use correct punctuation. Be creative and use these two blank pages.


CeratopsiansBy Cindy Grigg

One group of plant eatingdinosaurs are the ceratopsians(SER-uh-TOP-see-uns). Thisname means "horned faces."They had heavy bodies andwalked on all four feet. Thisgroup is known for their hugehorned heads.

These dinosaurs had a widerange of bony horns and neckfrills. Their bodies were like thatof the rhinoceros of today. Thehorns might be long or short. They might be straight or curved. Thefrill might be solid, or it might have holes in it. It could be spiky,scalloped, or knobbed.

Triceratops (try-SAIR-ah-tops) is one of the best known of thisgroup. It was also the largest. The biggest ceratopsian was thirty feetlong and weighed more than two elephants! Its skull was over sixfeet long - longer than most men are tall. It had three horns on itsface. That's what the prefix "tri" in its name means.

If a predator like Tyrannosaurus tried to attack a herd ofTriceratops, they might bunch up into a group. The adults couldstand in a circle around the younger ones. Their sharp horns facingthe predator protected the little ones inside the circle.

Monoclonius (MON-oh-KLO-nee-us) had only one horn on itssnout. Pentaceratops (PEN-ta-SAIR-a-tops) had five! One hornwas on its snout, one above each eye, one on each cheek. He reallydid have a "horned face"! Ceratopsians went extinct at the end of theCretaceous, about 65.5 million years ago.

Ceratopsians

Questions

1. What does "ceratopsian" mean?

2. Which animal of today has a body most like the ceratopsians?

A. elephantB. rhinocerosC. tyrannosaurusD. horse

3. What is the prefix in the word "triceratops"?

A. topB. triC. There is no prefix.D. cer

4. Triceratops : three :: Monoclonius : ______

A. oneB. twoC. fiveD. four

5. A group of Triceratops is called a ______.


6. Draw a picture of a ceratopsian.

Are you glad or sorry there are no more dinosaurs? Tell why.

NameWednesday, October 25

A Visit to the HospitalBy Phyllis Naegeli

Janine's footsteps echoed onthe tile floor as she and hermom walked slowly down thehall of the hospital checkingthe room numbers.

They arrived at a room withthe door closed. "This is herroom, number 354. Oh, my!"exclaimed Mom as she read asign taped to the door. "It sayswe need to go to the nurses'station first."

A look of concern crossed Janine's face. "I thought Grandma wasbetter."

"That's what the doctor said. I guess we need go to the nurses' stationand ask what this is about."

"Okay," said Janine.

Janine and her mom walked down the hall until they came to thenurses' station. A dark-haired woman looked up as they approachedthe counter.

"Can I help you?" the nurse asked.

"I'd like to see my mother," said Mom. "She's in room 354."

"Oh, yes," said the nurse. "You will need to wear a mask and cleanyour hands with an antibacterial solution before you go in."

Janine looked at her mom with a puzzled expression. "Why do wehave to do that?"

The nurse looked at Janine and smiled sweetly. "Your grandmother

has been very sick. Although her health has improved over the pastfew days, we want to be sure to do whatever we can to keep her fromcatching something else. Even a cold could make her very sick again.Wearing a mask and cleaning your hands are infection controlmethods we use all the time to protect patients here in the hospital."

"Oh! I don't want to make Grandma sick again," said Janineanxiously. "Where's the hand cleaner and mask?"

The nurse placed a pump bottle of antibacterial solution on thecounter. Then she pulled two blue face masks from a large square boxand placed them next to the bottle.

"Here they are," said the nurse. "Just squirt some of this solution ontoyour hands and rub them together. It works like a lotion so you don'tneed to rinse."

Janine and her mom squirted some of the solution on their hands andrubbed it quickly. Soon it had done its job and evaporated from theirskin.

"This smells good," said Janine. "I thought it would smell awful."

Janine picked up the face mask and placed it over her mouth. Thenshe took the elastics that were attached and put them behind her ears.After Mom had done the same, Janine giggled. "You look funny!"

"So do you," said Mom. "Come on, let's go see Grandma."

They thanked the nurse and walked back down the hall to room 354.When they arrived, they pushed open the door and stepped into thetiny hospital room. There on the bed was Grandma. A tear came toJanine's eyes as she gazed at the pale, sleeping face.

"She's asleep," whispered Janine. "Maybe we should go."

"No, we'll sit and wait a few minutes," said Mom. "She's been herefor a week, and this is the first day she can have visitors. I don't wantto leave too soon."

After a few minutes, Grandma opened her eyes. She lifted her headslightly and looked at her daughter and granddaughter. A soft giggleescaped her lips. "You're a sight for sore eyes," she said. "I like themasks. Are they to keep you from getting sick or me?"

"I guess you are feeling better," said Mom, smiling. "You've got your


sense of humor back."

"At least some of it," said Grandma, laying her head back on thepillow.

"Hi, Grandma," said Janine. "I'm glad you're better."

"So am I," said the older woman.

"Why were you so sick?" said Janine.

Just then, the dark-haired nurse came into the room.

"Hello, Sarah," said Grandma. "Have you met my daughter andgranddaughter?"

Sarah turned and winked at Janine. "Yes, I have."

"She gave us the masks and antibacterial solution to clean our hands,"said Janine.

"We need to keep from spreading infections any way we can," saidSarah. "Don't mind me; I just need to check a few things. Pleasecontinue with your visit."

Grandma answered Janine's question. "The doctors say I hadinfluenza - the flu. Then I got pneumonia. At my age, that's not thebest thing to get," she said with a grimace. "I should have had a fluvaccination. But, I'm a proud woman and didn't think I needed one."

"Has being sick changed your mind?" asked Janine.

"Yes, it has," said Grandma. "Next year I'll be sure to get one."

Sarah picked up a blood pressure cuff and placed it on Grandma'sarm. "You know, your grandmother is right about vaccinations. Quitea few diseases can be prevented by vaccinations. They are importantmethods of infection control. Infants are vaccinated against measles,mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, and even thechicken pox."

"Did I have all those vaccinations?" asked Janine.

"Yes, you did," said Mom.

"It's a good idea to check with your doctor to see if you need anyboosters or new vaccinations. Sometimes teenagers and adults don'tget the boosters they need. In addition, vaccination rules can change,and new vaccinations are developed. And, each year, there are newstrains of influenza. You can receive vaccinations to help prevent theflu. Like your grandmother, many people believe they are healthyenough to keep from getting sick and avoid getting vaccinated. Yourgrandmother learned the hard way that vaccinations can be helpful."

"I sure did," said Grandma with an emphatic nod.

A Visit to the Hospital

Questions

1. Why was Mom concerned when she and Janine arrived atGrandma's room?

A. There was a sign asking visitors to go to the nurses'station first.

B. Grandma wasn't in her room.C. There was a quarantine sign on the door.D. The door was locked.

2. In the last paragraph, what do you think "emphatic" means?

A. strong or definiteB. nonassertive

3. Wearing a mask and cleaning hands with an antibacterialsolution are ______ control methods used in hospitals.


4. How long had Grandma been in the hospital?

A. a monthB. one nightC. a weekD. five days

5. How did Mom know Grandma was feeling better?

A. She had color in her cheeks.B. She sat up in bed.C. She was sleeping.D. She had her sense of humor back.

6. Why did Grandma neglect getting a vaccination for influenza?

A. She didn't know where to get one.B. She didn't think she needed one.C. She didn't want to drive to get one.D. She forgot her appointment.

7. Vaccinations are only for infants.

A. trueB. false

8. Vaccinations are a method of infection control.

A. falseB. true

What is influenza? What are the symptoms? How can you protectyourself from influenza? Why do some people who have influenza getpneumonia?


RecyclingBy Brandi Waters

Caption: All theseitems can be recycled.

What happens to yourtrash when it leaves yourhouse? Many people donot know. They neverthink about their trashafter they have thrown itaway. Most trash is takento a landfill. At thelandfill, it is buried. Somekinds of trash break downin a landfill. It breaks down into smaller pieces. Water may dissolveit. Germs and bugs may eat it. In time, the trash is broken down andbecomes a part of the dirt. Banana peels and paper break downquickly. Metals and plastics break down very slowly. They can takehundreds of years to break down. Some kinds of trash, likeStyrofoam, will never break down! People are making trash fasterthan it can be broken down. What can we do? One way to help is torecycle. Recycling is taking something that has been used andturning it into something new. Many things can be recycled: paper,metal, glass, cardboard, batteries, and some kinds of plastic.Recycling saves space in landfills. It also saves resources.Recycling paper means that fewer trees need to be cut down to makenew paper. Recycling metals means that less mining has to be done.This saves money. Recycling is good for the Earth!

Recycling

Questions

1. Most trash ______ when it leaves your house.

A. disappearsB. is recycledC. is taken to a landfillD. is burned

2. What does NOT help buried trash to break down?

A. lightB. waterC. bugsD. germs

3. ______ will never break down in a landfill.

A. Banana peelsB. PaperC. ClothD. Styrofoam

4. ______ is taking something that has been used and turning itinto something new.

A. ManufacturingB. PollutionC. ConservationD. Recycling

5. What does recycling save?


6. Only some kinds of ______ can be recycled.

We are making more trash than our planet can handle. Recycling isone way to help this problem. What other things can we do to reducethe amount of trash that we have?

NameThursday, October 26

Animal GoodwillBy Beth Beutler

Gerald Giraffe struttedover to the fence. It wastime for his daily chat withElmer the Elephant. Geraldand Elmer had known eachother for more than eightyears. They lived at thesame zoo in amedium-sized city. Theyhad become close friends.They were always watchingwhat was happening at the zoo.

As the city got bigger, so did the zoo. More visitors came to itregularly. The zoo made more money that way. So the staff expandedthe zoo as money allowed. It seemed like they were always building anew exhibit. This time, it was right behind Gerald's and Elmer'sfenced-in living spaces.

Gerald lowered his head toward Elmer's ear. "I'm not sure I like theidea of having a neighbor this close to our pens," he whispered.

"Why not?" Elmer said.

"You and I have developed an understanding," Gerald said. "Werespect when each other is napping or eating. We get along."

"What makes you think we won't get along with another animal?"Elmer asked.

Gerald wasn't sure what to say. He did roll his eyes a bit. Elmeralways looked on the bright side of things. He never expectedanything negative to happen. Sometimes Elmer didn't appear to bevery intelligent. Instead, he seemed naïve.

Gerald, on the other hand, prided himself on being "in the know"about other people and animals. Because of his height, he always

watched the other animals and people. Sometimes he saw peoplebeing mean or animals stealing food from each other. Yes, he knewthe zoo atmosphere was not always kindly, respectful, and happy.

"Elmer," Gerald began with a superior tone to his voice, "you mustunderstand that not every animal is nice. You must beware. Theremay be some people or animals that don't have good intentions in howthey interact with others."

"I understand that," Elmer said gently. "You may not believe it, but I,too, have seen some of the unfortunate behavior that goes on aroundhere."

"Then you understand my concern about bringing in new animals."

"Not really," Elmer admitted. "I'd rather not assume the worst unlessand until there is reason to do so. Let me tell you a short story."

Elmer shifted his position so he could be a bit closer to Gerald.

"One day many years ago, the zookeeper came to the space next tomy pen. He began to clear the area of weeds and small trees. I wantedto ask him what he was doing, but, of course, he wouldn't be able tocomprehend what I was trying to say with my noises. It didn't takelong for me to figure it out. I was pretty nervous about it, actually. Ihad been used to that spot being unoccupied. However, I decided tomake the best of it."

"So, what happened?"

"You moved in," Elmer said simply.

Gerald was surprised. He had not realized that Elmer had felt somenervousness about what it would be like to have him around. Elmerhad treated Gerald with nothing but kindness and goodwill. They hadbecome good friends pretty quickly, and he had been delighted aboutthat!

Gerald smiled. Maybe his elephant friend was smarter than hethought.

NameThursday, October 26

Animal Goodwill

Questions

1. Gerald and Elmer had known each other for ______.

A. one yearB. less than five yearsC. four yearsD. more than eight years

2. What was the size of the city where the zoo was located?

A. largeB. hugeC. mediumD. small

3. Describe Gerald's feelings about another animal moving innear his and Elmer's living spaces.

4. What did Gerald assume?

A. He and Elmer would not get along with the new neighbor.B. The new neighbor would be loud.C. The new neighbor would be no trouble.D. He and Elmer would love the new neighbor.

5. Gerald originally felt that Elmer was not very smartsometimes.

A. trueB. false

6. Why did Gerald tell Elmer to beware?

7. Which word best describes Elmer's attitude towardnewcomers?

A. nervousB. meanC. scaredD. accepting

8. What do you think will happen next in the story?

NameFriday, October 27

The Girl in the WheelchairBy Brenda B. Covert

Cast of CharactersAnnouncerNarratorKirby - a boyKirby's mom - a girlIvy - a girlIvy's dad - a boyMarteena - a girlANNOUNCER:

Welcome to the_______________ 's [name of your school]production of "The Girl inthe Wheelchair." Sit back and listen carefully. We hope you enjoythe program!

NARRATOR: It was a lovely day for a trip to the zoo.KIRBY: Mom, did you see that girl in the wheelchair?KIRBY'S MOM: Yes, I did, Kirby. But remember, it isn't

polite to point your finger at people. Look at the monkeys over here.KIRBY: But, Mom, why is she in a wheelchair?KIRBY'S MOM: I don't know why - the reason could be

many things. Maybe she's only hurt her leg or something that willget better soon. Maybe she won't need a wheelchair for the rest ofher life. It would be difficult to use a wheelchair all the time, don'tyou think?

IVY: Hey, Dad! Do you see that girl in a wheelchair?IVY'S DAD: Oh, yeah. I'll bet she can really zip along with

wheels like those!IVY: She has a camera. She must like to take pictures as much

as I do.IVY'S DAD: She should take a picture of these monkeys. The

little one keeps hanging upside down. See if you can get a shot ofthat!

NARRATOR: The girl in the wheelchair saw Kirby over bythe monkey house.

KIRBY: Mom, she's looking this way. Can I say hi?MOM: Yes, you can. But don't ask questions about her

wheelchair. You'll embarrass her.NARRATOR: The girl in the wheelchair and Kirby shyly said

hi to each other. Kirby was embarrassed. He didn't know what tosay to the girl. He and his mother hurried away. Then the girl in thewheelchair saw Ivy looking at her. Ivy smiled, and the girl gave alittle wave.

IVY: Dad, she waved at me. Can I go talk to her?IVY'S DAD: Go ahead, Ivy. I'll just sit on this bench and read

the paper.NARRATOR: Ivy skipped over to where the girl sat. Then she

smiled.IVY: Hi, I'm Ivy! Have you been taking pictures of the animals?MARTEENA: Hi, Ivy. My name is Marteena. I got some good

shots of the lions, and I think I got a picture of the giraffe stickingout his long black tongue. Do you like to take pictures, too?

NARRATOR: The two girls talked about the pictures they hadtaken. They showed each other their cameras. Ivy found out thatMarteena was really friendly. She felt that it would be okay to ask apersonal question.

IVY: Marteena, would you be upset if I asked why you are in awheelchair?

MARTEENA: No, it's okay. I was in an accident two years ago.Another driver ran a red light and hit the side of the car where I wassitting.

NARRATOR: As people wandered past the girls, Marteenaexplained how she had ended up in the hospital. She couldn't feel ormove her legs after the accident. The wheelchair helped her getaround on her own. Ivy was sorry to hear about the accident.

MARTEENA: The worst part is the way some people treat me.I'm still me, but now some people avoid me. Or they talk to myparents about me as if I'm not sitting right in front of them! I didn'tlose the ability to hear or see or talk! I like to be treated like a normalperson. I hate it when people act like I'm different.

IVY: That's got to be hard. I wouldn't like that, either. Hey,would you mind if my dad took a picture of us together?

NARRATOR: Marteena liked that idea. She wanted a picture,too. Ivy called her father over and gave him both of the cameras.

IVY'S DAD: Okay, girls, put your faces close together. Nowsay cheese!

IVY and MARTEENA: Cheese!MARTEENA: Oh, wow! I think that monkey wants to be in a

picture, too!NARRATOR: The girls enjoyed spending the afternoon

together at the zoo. Marteena stopped being "the girl in thewheelchair." Instead, she became a friend.

ANNOUNCER: This program has been brought to you by


_____________ [the name of your class]. We hope you enjoyed thisproduction of "The Girl in the Wheelchair." Thank you for tuning in!

The Girl in the Wheelchair

Questions

1. What was the setting for this story?

2. What caused Marteena to need a wheelchair?

A. an illnessB. she hurt herself while climbing a treeC. a car accident

3. Which parent had something positive to say about Marteena'swheelchair?

A. Ivy's dadB. Kirby's momC. neither parentD. both parents

4. What did Kirby do that might be thought of as wrong?

A. He ignored the girl.B. He pointed at the girl.C. He looked at the girl.D. He asked a rude question.

5. How do you think Marteena felt when Kirby and his motherhurried away?

A. ashamedB. relievedC. afraidD. hurt

6. How do you think Marteena felt when Ivy talked to her?

A. afraidB. angryC. pleasedD. upset

7. Which one of these is the best way to treat people inwheelchairs?

A. treat them the way you would treat any other personB. ignore themC. talk about them instead of to themD. avoid looking at them


The SunBy Cindy Grigg

Our sun is a star. A star is a hugeball of hot gases that gives off heatand light. The sun is much biggerthan the Earth. The sun's radius isabout 100 times bigger than Earth'sradius. A million Earth-sized planetscould fit inside our sun! The sunlooks small to us because it is so faraway -- about 93 million miles awayfrom Earth. The sun is the center ofour solar system. The solar system isthe sun and the system of planets thatgo around it.

There are eight planets in our solar system. Earth is the third planetfrom the sun. The Earth travels around the sun. This trip takes oneyear. The Earth spins around, too. One complete spin takes one day.When we have day, the sun is shining its light on the part of the Earthwe are on. When we have night, the sun is still shining! It's because ofthe Earth's spin that we can't see it. The sun is shining its light on theother side of the Earth when we have night.

Why can we see the sun but not other stars during the day? Our sunmakes so much light that it hides the other stars in the daytime. Atnight, when the sun is not in our part of the sky, we can see the otherstars. The sun's light can hurt your eyes. You should never lookdirectly at the sun!

The sun gives off energy. A small part of the sun's energy travels toEarth. It gives us heat and light. Without the energy from the sun, theEarth would be lifeless. There would be no people. There would be noplants. There would be no animals.

Plants need the sunlight. It helps plants make food for us to eat andoxygen for us to breathe. Without plants, there is no food for animalsto eat. People eat plants, too. There would be no food for people.

The Sun

Questions

1. What is a star?

A. a huge ball of burning gasesB. our sunC. both A and B

2. Our sun is big enough to hold ______ Earth-sized planetsinside it.

A. eight hundredB. a millionC. a hundred

3. The sun's radius is ______ times bigger than Earth's radius.

A. 1,000B. 100C. 10

4. How far away from Earth is the sun?

A. 100 milesB. 93 million milesC. 93 miles

5. What is the solar system?

A. starsB. the sun and eight planets that go around itC. a system of stars

6. How many planets are in our solar system?

A. eightB. sevenC. nine

7. How long does it take the Earth to travel around the sun?

A. one yearB. one dayC. one month


8. Plants need sunlight to make ______.

A. food and oxygenB. heat and lightC. food and water

9. What does the sun give us?

10. Write four sentences telling about the sun.


Malkovich the MagnificentBy Mary L. Bushong

Robert nibbled on his lowerlip while he mentally perusedthe checklist of things heneeded before closing up hisneat, black case. A few thingslooked out of order, buteverything appeared to bethere. He started to rub hissweaty palms on his pant legsbefore remembering that hewas wearing his good suit. Herummaged through his sockdrawer to find a bright redhandkerchief. He rubbed his hands with it and stuffed it into one ofhis pockets.

"You ready to go, Rob?" called Dad from downstairs.

"I think so," said Robert as he grabbed up the case. His feet tapped arhythmic beat down the stairs.

"You look nice," said Dad. "Where's your magic hat?"

"It's in the case."

"And your wand?"

Robert jerked open his coat to expose the inside pocket. "I have itright here," he said, his voice squeaking slightly.

The birthday party was already in full swing. Dad assisted Robert ashe carried his paraphernalia into the house. They set up all of Robert'sprops and tools in the living room while the children were playingoutside. He pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped thesweat from his brow. His dream of performing as a magician wasabout to come true - he only hoped he lived through it!

Mrs. Marchbanks introduced him when all the children came backinto the room.

"Our magician has arrived to demonstrate some of his feats of magic.Let's welcome Malkovich the Magnificent!" she said. As sheapplauded, the others joined in.

Robert stepped up to the desk. He was determined to make it the bestshow ever.

He had completed several card tricks when something went wrong. Inthe middle of his trick that involved flipping all the cards from onehand to the other, they flew all over the front of the room. Everyonelaughed. Robert was mortified. For just a moment, he contemplatedchanging his name to Robert the Ridiculous before dismissing it. Hewas going to make the show work!

While he picked up the cards he began telling a story about threequeens. As he gathered the cards together, he pulled out the queen asan illustration and moved right into the next trick.

Robert was feeling more confident as he began his other tricks. Hemade his wand float out of his pocket, and he even made a ring defygravity! When it was time to do the magic box trick, he opened it toshow that it was empty. Then he pushed in the drawer and waved hismagic wand over it.

"Now I tap the box three times, and the magician doll will appear."

He tapped the box and opened the drawer. Everyone laughed again. Itwasn't the magician doll; it was a Barbie in a swim suit!

Cara! he thought. She must have been playing with his things, and hehadn't realized it. Sometimes five year old sisters were a lot of trouble.He decided to act like it was part of the show.

"Looks like the magician is taking a break and left the assistant incharge," he laughed, and everyone else laughed with him. Robert wasstarting to enjoy himself and tossed a few jokes into his act to keepthe audience laughing.

When the show was over, the hostess of the party ushered thechildren into another room for ice cream and cake. She returned asRobert was putting all his things away.

"Thank you very much for coming today, Robert," said Mrs.


Marchbanks as she handed him a check. "You have a veryentertaining magic show. I was expecting it to be serious, but youmade us all laugh instead. I'll be sure to recommend you to ourfriends."

Robert smiled to himself as he looked at the check. Being Malkovichthe Magnificent was pretty good, but perhaps Robert the Ridiculouswasn't too bad either.

Malkovich the Magnificent

Questions

1. In the first paragraph, what did Robert's actions tell you?

A. He didn't like magic.B. He was sad.C. He was nervous.D. He was happy.

2. Why would Robert want to do a magic show at a child'sbirthday party?

3. For just a moment, he contemplated changing his name toRobert the Ridiculous before dismissing it. What do you think"contemplated" means?

A. felt contemptB. ignoredC. silverplatedD. thought seriously about

4. Robert's voice squeaked a bit as he was getting ready to go.What might that indicate?

5. Robert's last name was:

A. MarkovichB. MarchbanksC. MalkovichD. Magnificent

6. Who is Cara, and how old is she?

7. What happened with the first trick that went wrong?

A. The wrong doll was in the drawer.B. The cards fell on the desk.C. The cards flipped all over the room.D. The cards flipped over the front of the room.

8. Why did Robert think that perhaps the name "Robert theRidiculous" wasn't so bad after all?

newbery medal is an award given to the best children's ... · put things. by keeping a few...

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