CONTENTS
Legend
“On Turtle Backs: A Native
American Legend” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
illustrated by Amanda Hall
Build Fluency
• Read with appropriate phrasing.
• Read with expression.
Build Vocabulary
• Read, write, and learn the meanings of new words.
Review Vocabulary
• Read theme vocabulary words in a different context.
Science
Textbook
“What Lives in the Ocean?”
from Harcourt Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
398
Monitor Comprehension: Adjust Reading Rate
• Review how to monitor comprehension by adjusting
your reading rate.
Answer Questions
• Review strategies for answering questions you
have about a text.
386
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r
The a t e
’
s
r
e
Re a d
EN D
LEG
Co m p r e h e n s i o n S t r a t e g i e s
SCI ENCE TEXTBOOK
387
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communal
dissatisfied
demands
apparent
indebted
bliss
stationary
arduous
prudent
entwined
Reading for Fluency
When reading a script aloud,
• Focus on expression by making
your voice reflect the feelings
of the characters.
• Pay attention to phrasing.
Group words together,
pausing between groups.
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A Native American Legend
illustrated by Amanda Hall
CHARACTERS
Narrator
Village Storyteller
The People (several students)
Dolphin
Eldest Turtle
Eagle
Turtle Brothers (two students)
Turtle Sisters (three students)
Narrator: One evening, long ago, along the coast of Southern
California, a group of Native Americans gathered at the center of
their village. As families settled around the communal fire pit, an
elderly man emerged from his hut. On his head, he wore a special
headdress used only for storytelling. When the man reached the
edge of the fire, all eyes turned his way. In a soft but clear voice, he
declared that once again it was time to tell the tale of how the land
of California came to be.
Storyteller: Long ago, the world was a huge ball of water. There was
no land. There were no mountains, no valleys, no rivers, no lakes,
no plants, and no trees. The endless ocean stretched as far as the eye
could see, and even farther.
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Flue ncy Tip
Pay close attention to
punctuation marks, such
as commas. They can be
clues that tell you where
to break the text into
phrases when reading
aloud.
Narrator: The storyteller paused to let
the image sink into the minds of the
youngest members of the community.
Many of them had not heard this
tale before. Then, with the firelight
gleaming in his eyes, he continued.
Storyteller: High above the endless
water, the People lived in a world
among the clouds. It was a fine place
to live. At first, the People were quite
happy to float along from day to day.
But after a while, they began to grow
restless.
The People: We’re getting tired of these
clouds. Everything’s the same, day after
day after day.
Narrator: The storyteller paused again
and slowly scanned the audience. The
youngest children had settled into
their parents’ laps. But not one eye had
turned from the storyteller’s face.
Storyteller: The People became
dissatisfied in their gray and white
world.
The People: The clouds are empty.
There’s no color—just whites and grays.
Why is there no land? Why are there no
plants or animals?
Storyteller: The People began to search
for something better. But below them
was only water and above them only
sky. The bravest among the People
explored parts of the cloud world they
had never before visited. Although they
had always walked gingerly among the
clouds so as not to slip through any
thin spots, they now began to stomp
about in anger.
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The People: We feel stranded on these
clouds. We want to get off . . . NOW!
Storyteller: As if answering their
demands, the clouds grew thin and
weak. And the People, at first one
by one and then in large numbers,
dropped from the clouds straight into
the waters below.
The People: Help! Help! How will we
ever return to the clouds? What should
we do? Help!
Storyteller: The creatures of the sea
heard the People’s cries. The first
to arrive on the scene was the wise
Dolphin.
Dolphin: Dear People, do not worry.
You will find a way to return to the
clouds. Until then, my sisters and
brothers and I will keep you afloat
when you grow weary of swimming.
Storyteller: Sure enough, Dolphin’s kin
arrived to help the People. Together,
they swam about, searching for a way
back to the clouds, but none was
apparent. Just then, a large mound rose
up from the depths and slowly began
to move toward the People. They were
frightened, and they scattered in all
directions.
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Flue ncy Tip
To read Eldest Turtle’s
words with appropriate
expression, use a slow,
booming voice, which
the storyteller says the
turtle had.
Narrator: Here, the storyteller looked
up at the night sky. All the children in
the audience stared at him, wide-eyed
with worry.
Storyteller: The mound was the shell
of Eldest Turtle, the oldest creature in
those parts. As he got closer, he raised
his wrinkled head and spoke in a slow,
booming voice that made the water
shake and the People tremble.
Eldest Turtle: What’s going on here?
Dolphin: Oh Eldest Turtle, the People
have fallen from the clouds. They need
our help to return to the sky.
Eldest Turtle: Those who are tired may
rest on my back.
The People: Thank you! Thank you!
Storyteller: Many of the weary People
crawled up onto Eldest Turtle’s shell
and rested.
Dolphin: That gives me an idea.
Storyteller: Dolphin had thought of a
plan to save the People. She swam over
and whispered into Eldest Turtle’s ear.
Dolphin knew that the turtle had two
younger brothers and three younger
sisters. What if he could get them
together to make a place for the People
to stay? Eldest Turtle wasn’t sure he
could persuade his brothers and sisters
to join him, but he was willing to give
it a try.
Narrator: By now, as the moon rose
high in the night sky, a few of the very
youngest children at the fire had drifted
to sleep. The storyteller sat down on a
log near the edge of the fire. He reached
down to the ground and grabbed a
fistful of dirt, which he held before him
in the firelight.
Storyteller: It took several days for
Eldest Turtle to gather his brothers and
sisters. Some did not come willingly
at first, but eventually they all arrived.
Dolphin explained her plan to them.
Dolphin: First, you must all link head
to tail to form a long chain. Then you
must rise up so that your shells stand
above the ocean surface. When you do,
the water will recede from your backs.
Once you have done this, you must
remain motionless. Your shells will form
a surface on which we can create a place
for the People to live.
Storyteller: The turtles grumbled a
bit about the plan, but after some
encouragement from their elder
brother, they did as Dolphin told them.
Then other sea animals dove to the
ocean floor and brought up dirt to put
on the turtles’ shells. Dolphin directed
the work.
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Dolphin: Make some mounds over
there. We can fill some of those crevices
with water to make lakes. Now, form
some channels there, there, and there.
We can use those for rivers.
Storyteller: The shells proved to be
an ideal surface on which to build.
After much work, the turtles formed
a landscape that stretched from north
to south. All the sea creatures worked
together to create a beautiful land with
mountains, valleys, lakes, and rivers.
Narrator: The storyteller let the dirt
pour from his hand to form a mound
on the ground. Then, with a few swift
movements, he patted and shaped it
to create a small mountain. He leaned
back to admire his work.
Storyteller: Soon birds came to visit
the land. With them, they carried seeds
from faraway gardens. Not long after
that, plants took root in the rich soil.
Trees began to grow. The abundant
plant life attracted animals. Soon the
land was full of life. For the first time,
the People were optimistic. Perhaps
Dolphin’s plan would be a success!
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Flue ncy Tip
The People: Now we have a beautiful
place to live. Thank you, Turtles. Thank
you, Dolphin. Thank you, creatures of
the sea. Thank you, birds and plants
and land animals. We are indebted to
you for all you have done for us.
Storyteller: Just then, a huge shadow
passed over the land, darkening the
sky. It was Eagle, swooping in from the
clouds. After a few rapid turns, he flew
down and perched on a nearby tree.
Eagle: Oh People of the clouds, my
brothers and I have just heard about
your fall from the sky. We can take you
back to the clouds, to your home.
Pause between phrases
as you read. Then read
the lines again without
pausing. Do you notice
how the first reading
sounds more natural?
Storyteller: So the People remained on
the earth. The plants, the animals, and
the People were happy and thrived. But
their bliss did not last. The turtles were
getting tired of being stationary. They
began to argue. Eldest Turtle had to
work hard to keep the peace.
Storyteller: The People looked at each
other. Then they looked around at the
new world they had yet to explore.
The People: No, Eagle, we want to
stay here.
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Turtle Brothers: We’re tired of sitting
around with nothing to do. We need
some exercise.
Eldest Turtle: But we must remain
together to keep the People happy
and safe.
Turtle Sisters: Our brothers are so
cocky. They think they can hold up the
land all by themselves. We say, let them
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handle the arduous task themselves.
They don’t give us any credit.
Eldest Turtle: It would be prudent to
stay together—for the People’s sake!
Storyteller: For a time, Eldest Turtle
was able to keep the family together.
But the fighting continued, and one
day the brothers and sisters could stand
it no longer.
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Flue ncy Tip
To read the turtles’ lines
in this scene with proper
expression, use what
you know about how
people sound when they
are upset.
Turtle Brothers and Sisters: That’s it!
We’ve had enough! This is unbearable.
Turtle Brothers: We’re heading west.
Turtle Sisters: We’re heading east.
Storyteller: And the turtles did just
that. As they moved in opposite
directions, the ground began to rumble
and shake. And the People ran in fear
that their beautiful land would be
ripped apart beneath them.
The People: The earth is quaking.
What will we do?
Storyteller: As luck would have it, the
huge amount of dirt on the turtles’
backs did not pull apart so easily. The
weight of the land was immense. Roots
from tall trees had grown deep into the
soil and entwined the rocks. After a
while, the turtles tired of the effort and
stopped moving.
Turtle Brothers: We haven’t gotten
very far. We’re exhausted.
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Turtle Sisters: This dirt is too heavy.
Eldest Turtle: My sisters and brothers!
Can’t we try to keep the family
together? Please!
Storyteller: Eldest Turtle was a forceful
speaker. Besides, his brothers and sisters
were tired of fighting. So, for a long
time, the turtle family lived together in
peace. The People thrived once again as
they explored and settled on the land.
But every once in a long while, the
brothers and sisters still get annoyed
with each other. Or a muscle becomes
cramped from being in one position for
so long. It is then that the earth begins
to quake. At such times, we must hope
that Eldest Turtle can make peace
among his brothers and sisters and get
them back together again.
Narrator: The storyteller had finished
his tale. As he turned his gaze from the
last glow of the fire, he looked up at the
people still gathered around it. By now,
most of the youngsters were sleeping
in their parents’ arms. For those little
ones, the moon and sun will rise and
set without pause until the time has
come to tell the story once again. And
we hope that between now and then,
the turtles will remain at peace with
each other.
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Lesson 15
Reading a Science Textbook
Bridge to Content-Area Reading A textbook is an
example of expository nonfiction. Expository nonfiction
presents and explains facts and information about a topic.
The notes on page 399 point out textbook features. How
can these features help you find and remember important
information in a science textbook?
Review the Focus Strategies
You can also use the strategies you learned about in this
theme to help you read your science textbook.
Monitor Comprehension: Adjust Reading Rate
When you monitor your comprehension, you identify parts
of a text that you don’t understand and use strategies to
resolve the problem. One of these strategies is adjusting
your reading rate. Slow down or speed up to fit the difficulty
of the text. Then check your understanding.
Answer Questions
Answering questions can be easier if you know where to
find the answers. Some answers are stated right there in
the text. Sometimes you will need to combine information
from different parts of the text to answer a question. Some
answers are not in the text at all, but you can use your prior
knowledge and experiences to help you.
As you read the pages from a science textbook on pages
400–403, think about where and how you can use the
strategies.
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HEADINGS
Headings give the topic of each section
of text.
HIGHLIGHTED WORDS
Important vocabulary words are
highlighted.
GRAPHIC AIDS
Charts and graphs support ideas in the
text or provide additional information.
QUESTIONS
Questions help you check your
understanding of the text.
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Apply the Strategies Read these pages about ecosystems in
the ocean from a science textbook. As you read, use different
comprehension strategies, such as adjusting your reading rate, to
help you understand.
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d
Stop an Think
Look back through the text to see if the answer to the question
at the end of the page is right there. ANSWER QUESTIONS
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d
Stop an Think
Slow down and think about the meanings of difficult words to help you
understand what you are reading. MONITOR COMPREHENSION: ADJUST READING RATE
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