The Blobfish and the Leafy Seadragon
The blobfish is a strange fish that lives in the deep waters off of Australia.
Because it lives so far down, people almost never see it. In only the past few years
have people been exploring the deepest depths of the ocean.
Blobfish live where the water pressure is very high. Other fish can’t swim
there because their bladders, which help them float, are filled with air and do
not work well under pressure. The blobfish’s body is like a jelly. It weighs a little
less then water. This lets the fish float above the sea floor without swimming. The
blobfish doesn’t have much muscle. It doesn’t need it because it just waits for its
food to float by in front of its face. Its face has an odd look of sadness.
Another strange fish found in the cold waters off the coast of Australia is
the leafy seadragon. The body of this fish looks like a piece of seaweed floating in
the water. It is green, orange, and yellow and is covered with leaf like fins. Unlike
many other animals, it is the male that carries the eggs and hatch the young.
These fish have no teeth or stomachs. They eat only tiny shrimp.
The deepest oceans are full of mysterious creatures. Most likely, more
amazing creatures will be discovered.
U2.W2.OL
Thursday
1.) Why have people rarely seen the blobfish?
A.) The blobfish lives deep near the bottom of the sea
B.) The blobfish has an ugly face that scares everyone away
C.) The blobfish is hard to see because it looks so odd
D.) The blobfish hides under the sand at the bottom of the sea.
2.) The blodfish can live all right without much muscle because
A.) It looks sad
B.) It must swim
C.) It eats jelly
D.) It floats
3.) According to the selection, other fish cannot live where the blobfish lives because
A.) There is no food for the other fish to eat down there
B.) The blobfish fights the other fish it meets
C.) There is too much pressure for the other fish to swim
D.) The other fish have to breathe air to live.
4.) What is the likely reason that the leafy seadragon eats only tine shrimp?
A.) Shrimp are found in the green seaweed where it lives
B.) It lacks any teeth to catch or chew up larger animals
C.) Shrimp are the only food it can get in the cold water
D.) It has leaf like fins to attract the animals it hunts.
5.) Tell a statement of opinion from the selection. Explain how you know it is a statement
of opinion.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Monday:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Tuesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Wednesday
Main idea
Weekly Reading Homework
Monday: Read the passage. Write down answers
to the following: a question you have, and
something you want to learn more about.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Write down five
interesting facts, in your own words, that you
learned from the text.
Wednesday: Reread the passage, choose one of
the paragraphs and complete the main idea
and detail organizer.
Thursday: Answer the questions about the text.
Provide text evidence when necessary.
The Great Eastern
In the early 1800s, steam ships first crossed the Atlantic Ocean, from England
to America. Yet, to make this long journey, a ship could not depend on steam
power alone. It had to use its sails too. The steam ships burned coal to make steam,
and had to carry its coal on board. If the coal started to run out, the ship had to
stop at a port so the captain could buy more coal. Sometimes, there was no coal to
buy, or no place to stop, so the ship had to use its sails to continue its voyage. Also,
with a lot of coal stored on the ship, was hardly any room for cargo or passengers.
In 1854, an engineer named Brunel started to build a bigger ship that could
carry huge amounts of coal and thousands of passengers. Although Brunel’s Great
Eastern was the largest ship built at the time, the ship seemed to have bad luck.
Brunel could never attract enough passengers to ride on it. Instead, the owners used
the ship to lay telegraph cables and even as a floating advertisement board. Sadly,
the Great Eastern was sold for scrap in 1888. Still, the great ship’s design changed the
way ships were built from then on, and people still admire the grand old hulk.
The Great Eastern
When built
Material
Design
Weight
Power
Time to take
apart
U2.W2.OL
1854-1859
Iron
Two bottoms so the ship could not sink
18,915 tons
Two paddle wheels, one propeller and 6,500
yards of sail
200 men for 2 years
Thursday
1.) Readers can conclude from the selection that the Great Eastern
A.) Made a trip from England to Australia
B.) Used much less coal than any other ship
C.) Was the third ship that Brunel designed
D.) Was never a success as a passenger ship
2.) The chart is mostly about the
A.) Features of the ship
B.) Voyage of the ship
C.) Builders of the ship
D.) Accidents of the ship
3.) The owners of the Great Eastern most likely sold for scrap because
A.) The ship was never able to float on water
B.) They could not make enough money from the ship
C.) Ships started to use steam instead of sails as power
D.) They wanted to build new ships that were even larger
4.) Which conclusion can best be drawn from the selection?
A.) Brunel was better at designing railroads then ships
B.) Brunel died before the Great Eastern was launched
C.) Brunel traveled on the first trip of the Great Eastern
D.) Brunel built a huge ship that few people wanted to travel on
5.) What did Brunel probably hope to achieve by building the Great Eastern? Explain your
answer with details from the selection.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Monday:
Vocabulary/ unknown
words
Tuesday
Headings
Wednesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Weekly Reading Homework
Monday: Read the passage. Put a star beside any
important information, underline any words you
don’t know, and put a ? next to anything that
confuses you.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Create a heading
for each paragraph that reflects the key ideas of
the paragraph.
Wednesday: Reread the passage. Draw a
conclusion about the topic of the passage? Use this
sentence starter: I infer that ____because___
Thursday: Answer the questions about the text.
Provide text evidence when necessary.
Fun at Winston Park
Bobbie helped her dad spread the beach blanket on the grass and set up
two beach chairs. Bobbie’s parents sat in the chairs. Bobbie sat on the blanket
next to her little brother, Sam.
Bobbie’s mom passed around paper plates, chicken, potato salad, and
cups of apple juice. While bobby enjoyed her dinner, she notices Winston Park
filled up with blankets, beach chairs, and half the town of Winston. Some ants
crossed Bobbie’s blanket. She swept them away with her hand.
Bobbie’s friend Mike passed by with his family. “You sure got a great
spot,” he said to Bobbie.
“We come here every year,” Bobbie told him. “We always come early to
have a good spot and have a big picnic.”
“Well, I’ll see you at camp tomorrow,” said Mike.
When the sun started to set, the announcer asked for quiet. Then the
band struck up “The Star- Spangled Banner.” Everybody stood and sang along
as loudly as they could. Some people could even hit the high notes. Then they
settled back down and talked quietly.
At last Bobbie heard the loud boom she’d been waiting for. The sky lit up
with giant sparkling flowers of red, white, and blue. Sam started to whimper
and Bobbie put her arm around him. Sam leaned against her and smiled as the
sky exploded into a million colors.
U2.W3.OL
Thursday
1.) At what time of year did the story take place?
A.) Winter
B.) Spring
C.) Summer
D.) Autumn
2.) What word best describes how Bobbie felt about Sam
A.) Proud
B.) Admiring
C.) Sad
D.) Protective
3.) What caused the sky to be lit up at the end of the story?
A.) The glow from the park lights
B.) The bright moonlight
C.) The beams of their flashlights
D.) The colorful fireworks
4.) How did Sam and Bobbie feel when they first heard the booms?
A.) Sam was afraid and Bobbie was happy
B.) Sam was sad and Bobbie was angry
C.) Sam was angry and Bobbie was pleased
D.) They were both happy
5.) How do you know Bobbie’s family was prepared for this event?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Monday:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Tuesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Wednesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Weekly Reading Homework
Monday: Read the passage. Write down answers to
the following: a connection you can make to the
text, a question you have, and an inference you can
make about the main character.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Describe the setting of
the story. Use text evidence to support your
response. Draw a picture to go along with your
description.
Wednesday: Reread the passage. How would you
describe the main character? Use text evidence to
support your answer.
Thursday: Answer the questions about the text.
Provide text evidence when necessary.
Best Job in the World
What is the best job in the world? Different people have different ideas.
Some workers want to make lots of money. Other people like a job that is easy.
However, many people look for a job they enjoy. Liking your work is the most
important thing.
Different jobs make people happy in different ways. Many people work in
“helping professions.” These are jobs that help other people. Doctors and nurses are
a part of this group. They work to keep people healthy. Nothing is better than
helping other people feel better.
In a way, people in show business help other people too. They get up to
laugh. They help us to forget our troubles. The ability to make others laugh or have
fun is a great talent. Maybe that’s why dozens of new movies are made every year.
Watching a movie is the best way to forget what is bothering you.
Still other people enjoy making something beautiful or interesting. That is the
work of artists, singers and writers. They make paintings, songs and books. People
should spend more time looking at paintings. Nothing is nicer than listening to a
good song. Then again, reading a great book comes pretty close.
In short, you do not have to worry. There is a job out there for just about
every taste. That sure is lucky for us all.
Helping people
Doctors
Nurses
Teachers
U2.W4.OL
Making things
Artists
Writers
Jewelers
Builders
Fixing things
Plumbers
Road workers
Mechanics
Computer repair
Thursday
1.) Which sentence from the first paragraph is a statement of opinion?
A.) Some workers want to make lots of money.
B.) Other people like a job that is easy.
C.) However, many people look for a job they enjoy.
D.) Liking your work is the most important thing.
2.) Which sentence from paragraph 2 is a statement of opinion
A.) Many people work in the “helping profession.”
B.) Doctors and nurses are part of this group.
C.) They work to keep people healthy
D.) Nothing is better than helping other people feel better.
3.) Which of these is a statement of fact?
A.) The ability to make others laugh or have fun is a great talent.
B.) Watching a movie is the best way to forget what is bothering you.
C.) Artist, singers, and writers make paintings, songs and books.
D.) Nothing is nicer than listening to a good song
4.) Which job best fits in the blank spaces on the chart?
A.) Bread bakers
B.) Police officers
C.) Photographers
D.) Basketball players
5.) What job interests you? Write a fact about that job.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Monday:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Tuesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Wednesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Weekly Reading Homework
Monday: Read the passage. Write down answers to
the following: a connection you can make to the
text, a question you have, and a conclusion you can
draw about the information in the passage.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. What is the connection
to the title and the text itself? Write at least 5
sentences and use evidence from the text to support
your response.
Wednesday: Reread the passage. What do you think
the author’s purpose is and why do you think so? Use
evidence from the text to support your reasoning.
Thursday: Answer the questions about the text.
Provide text evidence when necessary.
U2.W4.OL
Work Dogs
Does your dog sleep the day away? Is its only job to look cute? Does it only
wake up to eat dinner or play ball? Believe it or not, some dogs are not just pets.
Some dogs work for their living.
Many blind people count on dogs with special training. These guide dogs go
wherever their owners go. They help their owners move safely from place to
place. They learn to stop at busy streets. They help their owners stay out of
danger.
Search dogs find people who get lost or trapped. Dogs have a much
stronger sense of smell than people. They use their noses to track down hikers lost
in the woods. They find people trapped in buildings after an earthquake. They
help save lives.
Many dogs protect people and property. Some dogs are trained to watch
farm animals. For example, they may keep sheep from getting lost. Other dogs
guard homes and shops. Still others work for the police, helping to find people
who have done crimes.
Dogs also have jobs in show business. You can see them on TV, in movies, in
plays, and in circuses. These dogs have to be smart and well trained. Circus dogs
learn to do amazing tricks. Dogs also show up in TV ads.
Whatever they do, though, whether as workers or pets, dogs are the
greatest!
U2.W5.OL
Thursday
1.) What is the topic of this selection?
A.) blind people
B.) working dogs
C.) guard dogs
D.) dog owners
2.) What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
A.) Guide dogs get special training.
B.) Guide dogs learn to stop at busy streets.
C.) Guide dogs are good for blind people.
D.) Guide dogs help keep blind people safe.
3.) What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
A.) Dogs have a stronger sense of smell than people do.
B.) Search dogs find people who get lost or trapped
C.) Dogs can track down lost hikers by following their noses.
D.) Dogs can sometimes save lives.
4.) What conclusion can you draw from the information in this selection?
A.) There are many different kinds of jobs for dogs.
B.) All dogs can learn how to be good work dogs.
C.) Guide dogs were the very first trained work dogs.
D.) Most dogs would much rather play then work.
5.)
What is the main idea of the selection?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Monday:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Tuesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Wednesday
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Weekly Reading Homework
Monday: Read the passage. Put a star beside any
important information, underline any words you
don’t know, and put a ? next to anything that
confuses you.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Create a heading for
each paragraph that reflects the key ideas of the
paragraph.
Wednesday: Write a summary of the passage.
Reread to make sure you did not miss any
important information.
Thursday: Answer the questions about the text.
Provide text evidence when necessary.