Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes
Hello, dear teachers!
I’m thrilled to share with you our skill-building activity sheets to accompany your special
preview issue of Storyworks Jr. This is just a sampling of the resources you’ll get with every
issue of the magazine. We’ve focused on the most-critical skills your students need to
become strong, confident readers and test-takers—the skills YOU have told us are most
important in your classrooms. And with Storyworks Jr., as the year progresses, so will the
level of the activities.
Here are the types of activities you’ll get:
•
Vocabulary. Our kid-friendly activities help your students learn academic and
domain-specific vocabulary in context.
•
Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions. These ready-to-print questions are
the same ones you’ll find in the Teacher’s Guide—with plenty of space for students to
write their answers.
•
Reading Kits. Our nonfiction and fiction reading kits are crafted to help you teach
key comprehension skills, no matter what your scope and sequence. These all-in-one
activities give students a chance to practice three different skills with one article or
story.
•
Writing Kits. Guided-writing activities with our debate and infographic help students
build opinion essays, supporting their ideas with text details.
•
Quizzes. Our multiple-choice and short-answer quizzes let you assess your students’
progress. Use them for formative assessment to find out what they’ve mastered and
where they need to grow!
We’ve had an incredible journey so far creating these resources—and we’ve just started!
Please let us know what you think.
Rebecca Leon
Education Editor
[email protected]
Domain-Specific Vocabulary
“Mountain of Fire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Mountain of Vocabulary
Directions: This issue’s nonfiction article includes several words
you could use when talking or writing about volcanoes. Complete
each section below to help you get to know these words.
A. Brainstorm some words that come to
mind when you think about volcanoes.
Write them here:
C. H
ere are three sentences from the
article. Fill in the missing word in each
with one of the vocabulary words at the
left. Use the definitions to help you.
1. “ The air became _______________ hot,
B. We’ve highlighted six volcano-related
words in “Mountain of Fire.” Here they
are with their meanings. Place a ✓ next
to the words that are new to you. As
you’re reading, look at these meanings.
like a huge dragon was breathing fire.”
2. “ When they do happen, though, they are
often ________________—they can cause
death and destruction.”
______ searing: very hot
______ erupt: to send out rocks, ash, and
lava in a sudden explosion
3. “ They walked for miles over fallen trees
and piles of _______________.”
______ disastrous: causing terrible
suffering or loss
______ unpredictable: impossible to know
what will happen
______ debris: the scattered pieces of
something that has been broken or
destroyed
______ landslide: a large pile of rocks and
dirt that suddenly and quickly moves
down the side of a mountain or hill
Extra Practice!
Imagine you have been watching TV
news reports that say a nearby volcano
might explode. Write three sentences
about what might happen. Use at least
one of the vocabulary words in each
sentence.
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“Mountain of F ire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It!
Close-Reading Questions: Read “Mountain of F ire.” Then go back and reread
sections of the article to answer the questions below.
1.Read the first two paragraphs on page 8. What was the Smiths’ trip like before
Mount St. Helens erupted?
2.In the section “The Terror Begins,” what did Eric see, hear, and feel when the
volcano erupted?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“Mountain of F ire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 2
3.Read the section “Silent Volcanoes.” What is an active volcano? Why did people
seem to forget that Mount St. Helens was active?
4.What happened about two months before the Smiths’ trip? How did people
respond?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“Mountain of F ire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 3
5.What did the Smiths do right after the eruption? Why was it difficult?
6.How did the eruption continue to affect the Smiths after they were rescued?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“Mountain of F ire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 4
Critical-Thinking Question (a big question about the whole article):
7.Why do you think the title of the article is “Mountain of F ire”?
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Comprehension Skills
“Mountain of Fire”
Spring 2016
x
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Nonfiction Reading Kit 
Use this kit to help you build important reading skills as you explore
the nonfiction feature “Mountain of Fire.”
I. Featured Skill: Cause and Effect
REMEMBER! A cause is why something happens.
An effect is what happens as a result.
Directions: In the chart below, you’ll find causes on the left and effects on the right.
Fill in the missing causes and effects, using details from the article. We’ve given you
some hints to help you.
Effect (what happened as a result)
Cause (why something happened)
(Hint: As a result, where were the Smiths on May 18, 1980?)
7
Mount St. Helens rumbled a bit a few
months before the Smiths’ camping
trip. But then it quieted down again.
Many people, including the Smiths,
thought it was safe to live and work
near the volcano.
7
After the 1850s, Mount St. Helens didn’t
erupt for many years.
7
The Smiths heard a loud roar and the
air became searing hot. They were
terrified.
(Hint: How did this affect what the Smiths did next?)
7
Tons of ash blew through the air, and
the ground was covered with debris.
Streams were filled with mud and ash.
7
The Smiths’ house was destroyed.
(Hint: How did they feel as a result?)
7
The Smiths survived a terrible disaster.
Continued on next page >
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Comprehension Skills
“Mountain of Fire”
Spring 2016
x
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Nonfiction Reading Kit 
II. Text Features
REMEMBER! Text features are the headlines, pictures, captions, maps,
and other things on the page that help you understand an article.
Directions: Look at the photograph on pages 6 and 7 and read its caption. Then answer
the questions below.
1.Which two sections in the story have details that describe what you see in the photo?
a. _____________________________________
and
b. ________________________________________
2.Write one detail from each section you listed above that tells you what you’re seeing
in the photograph.
a.
b.
3.How does seeing the picture help you understand what you read?
Continued on next page >
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Comprehension Skills
“Mountain of Fire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Nonfiction Reading Kit 
III. Author’s Craft
REMEMBER! In this article, the author uses similes to help you imagine
the Smiths’ experience. A simile compares two things that aren’t usually
alike, using the words like or as. Similes can make a text more interesting
to read. Plus, they help you form a picture in your mind.
Directions: Complete the chart below, explaining the similes from the article in your
own words.
Simile:
“All around them, the woods were as quiet
as a whisper.” (p. 8)
My own words:
The woods were very quiet.
“The trees fell quickly, as though they were
skinny twigs.” (p. 8)
Find one more simile in the article! Copy it
here:
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Assessment
“Mountain of Fire”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
“Mountain of Fire” Quiz
Directions: Read the story “Mountain of Fire” in Storyworks Jr.
Then fill in the bubble next to the best answer for each question below.
1.Which line from the story shows that
Mount St. Helens looked beautiful
before it erupted?
A“It was May 18, 1980.”
B“The mountain towered over them.”
C“Its peak sparkled with snow.”
D“It was a quiet morning.”
2. The photo caption on page 8 helps
explain why . . .
Athe story is called “Mountain of
Fire.”
BMount St. Helens stayed quiet for
years.
CMount St. Helens is so tall.
Dvolcanoes erupt.
3.Which word means the same thing
as searing in the sentence “The air
became searing hot, like a huge
dragon was breathing fire”?
Cslightly
Aalmost
Bpleasantly
Dburning
4.On page 10, why does the author write
that a “blizzard of hot ash” followed
the eruption?
AThe ash was so hot that it felt cold.
BThe eruption took place during the
winter.
CThe ash fell thick and fast, the way
snow falls during a blizzard.
DEric was confused, and he thought it
was snowing.
5.Why did the Smiths build a new
house?
ATheir old house was too small.
BA landslide had carried away their
old house.
CThey wanted to live closer to Spirit
Lake.
DThey decided to leave Washington
State.
Short Answer
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the question below in a short,
well-written paragraph. Make sure to use details from the article.
Even though the volcano had shown signs of danger,
the Smiths believed it was safe to camp nearby. Why?
Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It!
Close-Reading Questions: Read “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge.” Then go back and
reread sections of the story to answer the questions below.
1.In the beginning of the story, why does Cassandra have trouble finding a partner
for the bridge-building project?
2.On page 14, what details tell you what Robert looks like? How does this affect
what Cassandra thinks of him?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 2
3.At the bottom of page 14, why does Cassandra think Robert is the “worst
Popsicle-stick partner in the world”?
4.In the middle of the story, what does Robert do at lunch? What does this tell you
about him?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 3
5.On page 16, how are Cassandra’s feelings about Robert starting to change?
Why?
6.On page 17, why does Cassandra decide that she not only has “the best
Popsicle-stick partner in the world, but the nicest one too”?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 4
Critical-Thinking Question (a big question about the whole story):
7.At the end, why does Cassandra ask to sit next to Robert, even though she could
sit at the girls’ table? How has she changed?
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Comprehension Skills
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Fiction Reading Kit 
Use this kit to help you build important reading skills
as you dig into the fiction story “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge.”
I. Featured Skill: How a Character Changes
Directions: Answer the questions in the left-hand column to compare Cassandra
at the beginning of the story with Cassandra at the end.
At the beginning
At the end
1. Does Cassandra have a
good friend at school?
Why or why not?
2. How does Cassandra feel
about working with Robert?
Why?
3. What does Cassandra
think about sitting at the
boys’ table at lunch?
4. What does Cassandra
think she has in common
with Robert?
Sum It Up!
Write one or two
sentences to explain
how Cassandra changes
from the beginning of
the story to the end.
Continued on next page >
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x
Comprehension Skills
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Fiction Reading Kit 
II. Plot
REMEMBER! The plot of a story is made up of the events that happen from
the beginning to the end. In most stories, a problem comes up, it gets more
complicated, something exciting or important happens, and the problem is solved.
Directions: Answer the questions in each part of the roller coaster to identify the
different parts of the plot in “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge.”
2. Rising Action
What are three
things that
happen between
Cassandra and
Robert?
2.
3.
4.
4. Falling Action
What does
Cassandra think
and do after the
exciting part?
7
11
1
7
3. Climax
What is the most exciting part of the story?
7
7
1.
5. Conclusion
How has
Cassandra’s
problem been
solved?
5.
7
1. Introduction
In the beginning,
what problem
comes up for
Cassandra?
Continued on next page >
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Comprehension Skills
“The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
 Fiction Reading Kit 
III. Theme
REMEMBER! The theme of a story is the big idea or lesson that you learn from it.
Directions: In parts I and II of this Reading Kit, you explored what happens in the
plot of the story and how Cassandra changes. Think about what you wrote in order to
answer this question:
What big lesson does Cassandra learn in “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge”?
(Hint: This is not what she learns about Robert,
but what she learns overall about making friends.)
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
The Lion and the Mouse
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It!
Close-Reading Questions: Read The Lion and the Mouse. Then go back and
reread scenes from the play to answer the questions below.
1.In Scene 1, what does Tiny want her parents to know about her?
2.In Scene 2, Owl tries to catch Tiny. How does Tiny escape? How does she escape
from the crocodiles? From Cobra?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
The Lion and the Mouse
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 2
3.In Scene 3, Mama Crocodile whispers to her children, “No fighting, or you’ll scare
away your dinner.” What does she mean?
4.In Scene 4, why does Lion decide to let Tiny go rather than eat her?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
The Lion and the Mouse
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 3
5.In Scene 5, after she describes everything she’s been through, Tiny says, “Father,
maybe I’m not as capable as I thought.” What does she mean?
6.In Scene 7, why does Tiny help Lion escape from the hunters’ trap?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
The Lion and the Mouse
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 4
Critical-Thinking Question (a big question about the whole story):
7.In Scene 7, Tiny is able to rescue Lion and says, “Sometimes even the smallest
can help the strong.” What does this mean?
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Assessment
“The Lion and the Mouse”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
The Lion and the Mouse Quiz
Directions: Read the play The Lion and the Mouse in Storyworks Jr.
Then fill in the bubble next to the best answer for each question below.
1.In the first scene, Tiny tells her
parents that she can handle going
into the jungle to help find food.
What is one reason she gives?
AShe’s loud and can scare away other
animals.
BShe is fast and can escape danger.
CShe’s not as small as she looks.
DShe can turn herself into a huge
monster.
2. In the jungle, Tiny escapes from
several creatures. You can conclude
that being __________ helps her
escape.
Amean and nasty
Btricky and quick-talking
Csmall and light
Dgray and furry
3.In Scene 4, Lion captures Tiny but
then sets her free. Which line from the
play best explains why he lets her go?
A“If nothing else, you are entertaining.”
B“Do you not know I am a carnivore?”
C“You are no bigger than my front
tooth.”
D“I eat only meat.”
4.Which word means the same thing
as ferocious in the sentence “But no
one comes to the aid of the ferocious
beast”?
Afrightened
Cloud
Bhuge
Dfierce
5.In Scene 7, Tiny helps Lion escape
from the hunters’ trap. This tells you
that she . . .
Akeeps her promises.
Blikes to chew on rope.
Cis scared of Lion.
Ddislikes hunters.
Short Answer
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer the question below in a short,
well-written paragraph. Make sure to use details from the play.
In the play, Tiny keeps saying, “You’d be surprised at what I can do.”
How is Lion surprised? What does he learn?
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Vocabulary
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Word Practice
Before Reading: Below are five words from “The History of Yum,” along with the
sentences they’re in and their meanings. You’ll find them in bold in the article.
Preview their meanings here. Put a star (✱) next to the words that are new to you.
______ 1. exposition: “The fair was called the Columbian Exposition.” (p. 18)
Meaning: a public show of products, like inventions or artworks
______ 2
. exhibition: “From the moment Hershey entered the exhibition hall,
he noticed a great smell that filled the air.” (p. 18)
Meaning: a public display of art, historical objects, or other items
______ 3
. source: “Finally, he found the source of the wonderful smell.” (p. 19)
Meaning: where something comes from
______ 4
. determined: “On that day in Chicago, in 1893, Milton Hershey was
determined to become the first American chocolate maker.” (p. 20)
Meaning: sure to do something; unwilling to give up
. satisfied: “But Hershey wasn’t satisfied.” (p. 20)
______ 5
Meaning: pleased that enough has been done
Word Dive!
Which two words above mean almost the same thing?
a. __________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________
Besides their meaning, how else are these words alike?
Continued on next page >
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Vocabulary
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Word Practice, p. 2
After Reading: Complete each sentence below, checking to be sure it makes sense.
1. Mira practices piano for two hours every day because she is determined to
2. At the end of the year, the fifth-grade art class gets to put on an exhibition where they
3. My aunt took me to see an amazing exposition of
4. After Jordan won a gold medal in the 100-meter dash, he was finally satisfied that
5. Amelia discovered that the source of her stomachache was
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It!
Close-Reading Questions: Read “The History of Yum” and “When Chocolate
Tasted Yucky.” Then go back and reread sections of the articles to answer the
questions below.
1.Reread the first section of “The History of Yum.” What time and place are
described?
2.Reread the section “A New Kind of Treat.” What was new about chocolate when
Milton Hershey first smelled it?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 2
3.In the section “Secret Recipe,” why did Hershey want to learn how to make
chocolate?
4.At first, Hershey wasn’t happy with the way his chocolate tasted. What did he and
his team do to improve it?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 3
5.Reread the first section of “When Chocolate Tasted Yucky.” What did a popular
chocolate treat taste like long ago?
6.In “A Healthy Treat?,” why did people drink bad-tasting chocolate? Can you think
of a bad-tasting item people eat or drink today for the same reasons?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“The History of Yum”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 4
Critical-Thinking Question (a big question about both articles):
7.How was the ancient chocolate drink different from the chocolate Hershey made
popular?
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“April Rain Song”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It!
Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions: Read “April Rain Song.”
Then go back and reread lines of the poem to answer the questions below.
1.What are some examples of the rain doing things people do?
2.Which lines describe the way rain feels as it touches you? Which lines describe
the way rain sounds?
Continued on next page >
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Close Reading & Critical Thinking
“April Rain Song”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Think About It! p. 2
3.What mood, or feeling, does the poem create? Which words add to this mood?
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Opinion Writing
“Should a Tiger Be Your Pet?”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Write an Opinion Essay
Directions: Read the article “Should a Tiger Be Your Pet?” on page 28 of the Spring
2016 issue of Storyworks Jr. Fill in the chart on page 29. Then follow the steps below
to write an opinion essay.
Step 1: Choose Your Side
An opinion essay is all about expressing a view and backing it up with supporting evidence, or
details. So the first step is to decide what you think. Should we own exotic pets? Check (✔) the
box next to the point of view you will support in your essay.
❑ Yes! They don’t scare me. ❑ No! They’re too dangerous.
Step 2: Write an Introduction
The introduction is where you tell your readers what your essay is going to be about. In an
opinion essay, it’s where you grab the readers’ attention and state your opinion. Start with a
catchy sentence about the topic. (Example: Did you know that about 17 million Americans
own exotic pets?) Then state your opinion on whether we should own exotic pets. You may
use the sentence you wrote at the bottom of page 29.
Your Introduction:
Continued on next page >
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Opinion Writing
“Should a Tiger Be Your Pet?”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
Write an Opinion Essay, p. 2
Step 3: Find Your Supporting Evidence
You’ve already done most of this on page 29! Copy the reasons you listed for the side you’re
taking. Include any extra details you find in the article to support your reasons.
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
Step 4: Write a Conclusion
The last paragraph of your essay is your conclusion. Write one or two sentences that restate
your main idea.
Your Conclusion:
Now, on a separate sheet of paper, copy what you’ve written here to create your opinion essay.
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Main Idea and Supporting Details
“Avocado Bubble Gum?”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
The Great Avocado
Directions: Read the infographic on page 32 of the Spring 2016 issue of Storyworks
Jr. Then complete the activity below to help you write a letter explaining why avocado
bubble gum could be a great idea.
1.Read the headline and the text below it, and look at the central image of the
infographic. Then read the prompt in the Think and Write box. What will you
explain in your letter to your boss?
Use your answer to write an opening sentence for the letter, introducing your
main idea.
2.Look at the four orange word bubbles that surround the avocado. Read the
text and look at the images under each one. Use this information to write four
sentences supporting your main idea.
Sentence 1:
Sentence 2:
Sentence 3:
Sentence 4:
Continued on next page >
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Main Idea and Supporting Details
“Avocado Bubble Gum?”
Spring 2016
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________
The Great Avocado, p. 2
3.Look over the whole infographic again. Write a concluding sentence that
summarizes your ideas.
4.Now you’re ready to write your letter! Make sure to include your main idea, your
four supporting details, and your concluding sentence to explain to your boss
why the Yummy Gummy Bubble Gum company should make avocado bubble
gum.
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Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes Answer Key
Nonfiction: “Mountain of Fire,” p. 6
Vocabulary
“Mountain of Vocabulary”
A. Answers will vary.
B. Answers will vary.
C. 1. searing
2. disastrous
3. debris
7.The article describes the eruption of Mount St.
Helens. When the volcano erupted, the air became
burning hot and smoke poured out of the volcano.
It must have seemed like it was on fire. Also, the
caption on page 8 says that Native Americans called
it Louwala-Clough, which means “mountain of fire.”
(inference)
Close-Reading & Critical-Thinking
“Think About It!”
Comprehension Skills
“Nonfiction Reading Kit”
1.The Smiths were enjoying nature together. They
went hiking and snuggled in their tent under the
stars. All was quiet. (summarizing)
2.Eric saw a huge gray cloud. He also saw 500-yearold trees fall down. He heard a cracking noise and
a loud roar. He felt light, hot rocks fall on his head,
the ground shake, and the air become hot. (sensory
details)
3.An active volcano is one that can erupt. Mount St.
Helens had not erupted since the late 1850s, so
people didn’t pay attention to its possible danger.
(vocabulary/cause and effect)
4.Earthquakes rumbled below Mount St. Helens,
and pilots saw smoke coming from its peak. The
police told people to stay away from the mountain.
But when nothing else happened, people—like the
Smiths—thought it was safe to go back. (cause and
effect)
5.They started walking out of the forest. It was difficult
because there was so much ash and mud.The
ground burned their feet, and they didn’t have water
to drink. (sequence)
6.The eruption had destroyed the Smiths’ house. Eric
and Adam were afraid to play outside at first. But
later they were thankful to have survived. (cause
and effect)
I.Cause and Effect
Effect 2. The Smiths were camping near Mount St.
Helens. Their dad thought the danger had passed.
Cause 3. Mount St. Helens erupted with incredible
power.
Effect 4. The Smiths started a difficult, scary hike
away from the mountain. There was no clean water,
so they were very thirsty.
Cause 5. The eruption caused a landslide.
Effect 6. At first the boys missed their home
and were scared, but later they were happy they
survived.
II. Text Features
1. a. “The Terror Begins”
b. “Warning Signs”
2. a. “Then he saw a huge gray cloud above.”
b. “ The roar was from the ash, melted rock, and ice
being blasted into the sky.”
3.Answers will vary but should be similar to: The
picture shows how huge the gray cloud erupting
from the volcano was. The cloud also looks powerful.
Seeing it helps you understand how the eruption
killed everything nearby, and how scared the Smiths
must have been.
Continued on next page >
Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes Answer Key, p. 2
Nonfiction: “Mountain of Fire,” p. 6, cont’d.
III. Author’s Craft
1.My own words: The trees fell quickly. They weren’t
strong compared with the volcano’s eruption.
2.One more simile: Answers may include: “They
felt light, like hot Ping-Pong balls”; “The air became
searing hot, like a huge dragon was breathing fire”;
“They looked like ghosts floating through a ruined
land.”
3. My own words: Answers will vary.
Assessment
“Mountain of Fire” Quiz
1. C (interpreting text; R.1)
2. A (text features; R.5)
3. D (vocabulary; R.4)
4. C (figurative language; R.4)
5. B (cause and effect; R.3)
6. By the time the Smiths went camping, the volcano
had stopped showing signs of danger. They thought
it was safe. Also, they had lived near Mount St.
Helens for years without an eruption, so they
probably didn’t think the beautiful mountain could
do them any harm. (cause and effect; R.3)
Fiction: “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge,” p. 12
Close-Reading & Critical-Thinking
“Think About It!”
1.Her best friend has moved away, and everyone else
pairs up quickly before she has a chance to find a
partner. (key details)
2.The story says that Robert had something purple
and crusty on his mouth, probably grape jelly. This
makes Cassandra think he’s yucky. She would rather
not work with him. (cause and effect)
3.She doesn’t like the bridge they have made. She sees
that her classmates’ bridges are taller or longer than
theirs, and she thinks those bridges are better. You
can also infer that she would rather have a popular
girl, like Marcy, as a partner. (inference)
4.He sees that Cassandra doesn’t have a place to sit
down, so he moves over to make room for her. This
tells you that he is thoughtful of others. (character)
5.Cassandra is starting to realize that Robert is a
nice kid. He helps her rescue worms and seems to
understand why she’s doing so. Cassandra feels less
lonely with Robert. (how character changes)
6.Robert actually designed the best bridge in the
class, but he still gives Cassandra credit. He says
Cassandra was “a really good gluer.” She sees that he
is a kind person and a good friend. (inference)
7.Cassandra realizes that Robert is a good friend, so
she wants to sit with him. Cassandra no longer sees
Robert just from the outside, with his messy face.
She sees his kind inside, and she has discovered that
they have a lot in common. (how character changes)
Comprehension Skills
“Fiction Reading Kit”
I.How a Character Changes
At the beginning: Cassandra doesn’t have a
1.
good friend at school because her best friend,
Mackenzie Martin, moved away.
At the end: Cassandra does have a good friend.
She has discovered that Robert is a kind person,
and they have a lot in common.
2.
At the beginning: Cassandra dreads working
with Robert. He seems strange and messy, and
she thinks his bridge design is bad.
At the end: Cassandra is very happy that she
worked with Robert because their bridge won
the class contest. Robert shows how nice he is by
sharing the credit with Cassandra.
3.
At the beginning: Cassandra can’t believe she’s
sitting next to Robert at the boys’ lunch table. She
wishes there was space to sit with the girls.
Continued on next page >
Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes Answer Key, p. 3
Fiction: “The Popsicle-Stick Bridge,” p. 12, cont’d.
At the end: Cassandra wants to sit at the boys’
table. She chooses to sit next to Robert rather
than sitting at the girls’ table.
4.
At the beginning: Cassandra doesn’t think she
has anything in common with Robert.
At the end: Cassandra realizes they both find
April Lee too loud, they like to do things such
as rescue worms, and they like each other’s
company.
Sum It Up! At the beginning of the story, Cassandra
doesn’t want to work with Robert and she thinks bad
things about him even though she doesn’t know him
well. By the end, she has learned not to judge him on
how he looks or seems at first.
II.Plot
1.Cassandra gets stuck with Robert as her partner
because all the girls pair up with other partners.
2.Robert leads them to build a bridge that
Cassandra thinks is terrible. They sit together
at lunch and agree that April is too loud. They
rescue worms together.
3.As Miss Juniper adds weights to their bridge, it
holds up and they break the class record.
4.Cassandra thinks she has a great Popsicle-stick
partner, and she asks to sit next to Robert at
lunch.
5.Cassandra has made a new friend.
III. Theme
Answers will vary but should be similar to:
Cassandra learns that sometimes people make
better friends than you expect. Once you get to know
someone, they might turn out to be a good friend;
you can’t tell by how they seem on the outside.
Paired Texts: “The History of Yum,” p. 18
Vocabulary
“Word Practice”
Word Dive: exposition, exhibition
Both of these words start with the prefix ex- and end
with the suffix -tion.
After Reading: Answers will vary.
Close-Reading & Critical-Thinking
“Think About It!”
1.The story begins in 1893, at a huge fair in Chicago
called the Columbian Exposition. (setting)
2.Almost no one in the U.S. had tasted chocolate at the
time. It was mostly for rich people and made in other
countries, like Switzerland and France. (main idea)
3.No one was making chocolate in the U.S., and he
wanted to be the first. (key detail)
4.They worked hard to figure out how to make milk
chocolate. They couldn’t get the recipe from Swiss
chocolate makers, so they experimented until they
got it right themselves. (cause and effect)
5.It tasted terrible, like spicy dirt. (main idea)
6.They thought it would make them smarter and
stronger. Answers will vary; students might name
certain vegetables they think taste bad but are good
for you. (cause and effect)
7.The ancient chocolate drink tasted terrible, but
people drank it because they believed it was good
for them. Hershey’s chocolate tasted delicious, and
people ate it for pleasure. (compare and contrast)
Continued on next page >
Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes Answer Key, p. 4
Play: The Lion and the Mouse, p. 22
Close-Reading & Critical-Thinking
“Think About It!”
1.She wants her parents to know that she’s brave
and fast and isn’t afraid of a dangerous situation.
(character)
2.Tiny escapes from Owl by slipping into a small crack
in the earth. She dives into the water to escape from
the crocodiles. She leaps into the air and runs away
from Cobra. (plot)
3.Mama Crocodile is telling her children that if they
keep fighting, they’ll make so much noise that Tiny
will hear them and run away. Then they won’t be
able to eat her. (inference)
4.Lion sets Tiny free because she makes him laugh.
The idea that a tiny mouse could help a strong lion is
very funny to him. (character’s motivation)
5.Tiny wonders whether she really isn’t able to take
care of herself in the jungle, because she almost got
eaten so many times. (vocabulary)
6.In Scene 4, Tiny had promised Lion that she would
do him a big favor one day if he let her go. This is her
chance to return the favor. (character’s motivation)
7.No one expected a little mouse like Tiny to be able
to save a big, powerful creature like Lion. But even
those who are small can sometimes help those who
are bigger than they are. This is the moral, or lesson,
of the fable. (moral)
Assessment
The Lion and the Mouse Quiz
1. B (character; R.3)
2. C (inference; R.1)
3. A (text evidence; R.1)
4. D (vocabulary; R.4)
5. A (character; R.3)
Short Answer: Answers will vary but should be similar to:
Lion is surprised that Tiny was able to help free him
when he was trapped by the hunters. He learns that
just because Tiny is a small mouse, it doesn’t mean she
isn’t able to help a big, strong creature like Lion. (how
character changes; R.3)
Debate: “Should a Tiger Be Your Pet?,” p. 28
Opinion Writing
“Write an Opinion Essay”
Answers will vary. See page T15 in the Teacher’s Guide.
Poem: “April Rain Song” p. 30
Close-Reading & Critical-Thinking
“Think About It!”
1. Examples include kiss, sing a lullaby, and play a little
sleep song. (personification)
2. Lines 1-4 describe the way rain feels. Lines 5-6 and
11-13 describe the way rain sounds. (sensory details)
3. The poem creates a calm and joyful mood. Words
might include kiss you, sing you a lullaby, plays a
little sleep song, and I love the rain. (mood)
Continued on next page >
Spring 2016 Activities and Quizzes Answer Key, p. 5
Infographic: “Avocado Bubble Gum?,” p. 32
Main Idea and Supporting Details
“The Great Avocado”
Answers will vary but should be similar to:
1. I will explain why I think it would be a great idea to
make avocado bubble gum.
Opening sentence:
I think people would really like chewing avocadoflavored bubble gum.
2. Sentence 1:
Food flavored with avocado is becoming more
popular, like avocado-flavored Doritos in Japan.
Sentence 2:
Avocados are nutritious and have more protein than
fruits such as apples and bananas.
Sentence 3:
Avocados are green, and that color helps people feel
relaxed.
Sentence 4:
People already love fruit-flavored gum.
3. Because so many people like avocados, I think our
avocado bubble gum would be very popular.
4. Answers will vary.