Common Core Alignment
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.2 Determine two or more main ideas of
a text and explain how they are supported by key details;
summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.10 By the end of the year, read and
comprehend informational texts, including history/social
studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the
grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and
explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.10 By the end of year, read and
comprehend informational texts, including history/social
studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4–5 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
This resource is meant to be a weekly review of the Common
Core reading informational standards of main idea and
summarizing. This can be used for homework, morning work, or
classwork and would be perfect to use during an Informational
Unit or after the unit for reinforcement.
This resource contains 4 informational passages written on a
4th/5th grade reading level. One passage is meant to be used for
an entire week with a different assignment a day with the same
passage. The students will have to revisit the passage each day
to complete the daily assignment. This will support a deeper
understanding of the text and provide the student with practice
with close reading of a text.
I have included three options for the daily assignments (on
pages 5-7) for you to choose from to use based on your
students' needs. I have also included a blank directions page if
you want to write in your own directions for the daily
assignments (page 8).
Print the directions you want to use and the passage and
questions for the week. Give the students the handout (page 10)
to record their homework on or a blank piece of notebook
paper. A journal or notebook could also be used.
For each option, Monday through Wednesday are general open
ended responses to the text and Thursday is a set of
comprehension questions specific to each story. The open
ended response deal with main idea and summarizing and so do
the comprehension questions. The comprehension questions
are multiple choice except for the summarizing question. The
summarizing question provides a scaffold of key words to use.
An answer key with suggested answers and specific common
core alignment is provided for each passage.
Monday: Read the passage. Put a star beside
important details, underline new vocabulary
words, and put question marks beside
anything that confuses you.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Draw a
graphic organizer like the one below. Write
the main idea of the entire passage in the
top box and the main idea of each
paragraph underneath.
Wednesday: Reread the passage. Use your
graphic organizer from Tuesday to
summarize the entire passage in 3-5
sentences.
Thursday: Answer the questions about the
text. Use evidence from the text to support
your thinking.
Monday: Read the passage. Circle or
underline the key words from each
paragraph. In the margins, explain why
you think each word that you chose is
important.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Determine
the main idea for each paragraph. Use
your key words to help you.
Wednesday: Use your main idea
statements to summarize the text.
Reread the passage to ensure you have
not left off any key details.
Thursday: Answer the questions about
the text. Use evidence from the text to
support your thinking.
Monday: Read the passage. Write down
at least two of each of the following:
Interesting facts, questions you have,
details you find confusing or you want to
know more about.
Tuesday: Reread the passage. Create a
heading for each paragraph that
reflects the main idea of the paragraph.
Wednesday: Reread the passage. Create
a graphic organizer of your choosing to
help you summarize the main ideas and
details.
Thursday: Answer the questions about
the text. Use evidence from the text to
support your thinking.
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Record your written responses under the correct day.
Monday:
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Tuesday:
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Wednesday:
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Can you name the country that is home to Shakespeare, the Beatles,
and the 2012 Olympics? If England is your answer, then you are correct. England,
along with the countries of Wales and Scotland are part of the island of Great
Britain. This northeastern European country is no bigger than the U.S. state of
Alabama. Although small in size, England has had an enormous impact on world
history. Many of the world’s laws and governments were based on British ideas.
English traders, settlers and explorers carried their influence all over the globe. In
fact, the first permanent settlers to America came from England.
The history of England began with the Pict settlers about 10,000 years
ago. The Celts came from Europe and drove the Picts north into Scotland. The Celts
were followed by the mighty Roman Empire in A.D. 43. Tribes of German people
known as Angles, Saxons and Jutes began moving in during the sixth century. From
the 900s to the 1400s, the Norse invaded the island. After an English civil war in the
fifteenth century, the Tudor family took the throne. One of England’s most notable
rulers, Queen Elizabeth I, lived from 1485 – 1603. She was the daughter of the infamous
King Henry VIII and the last of the Tudor dynasty. Next, King James I from Scotland
was crowned king and is known for the 1611 translation of the first authorized copy
of the Holy Bible. Some historians say King James I never took a bath during his
lifetime!
The size of England is 50,302 square miles. The landscape includes
mountain ranges, deep valleys, and rolling, green hills. Several major rivers include
the Tyne, Severn, and the Thames (pronounced Tims). England’s climate is mild and
varied. One part of the day may be warm and sunny, while the afternoon may turn
cold and rainy. England is densely populated with more than 51 million people. Most of
the nation’s people live around major cities such as the capital city of London.
The pounds sterling is the currency used. It is similar to the U.S. dollar and
is denoted with the pound sign: £. England offers tourists many historical and
architectural interests that include ancient Stonehenge, Big Ben and the Roman bath
houses. Two cultural claims to fame for England are literature and sports. Rugby,
cricket, soccer, boxing and golf were all invented on this island. Many of history’s
greatest writers come from England, including Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, and J.K.
Rowling, the writer of the Harry Potter books.
The government of England is both a Constitutional Monarchy and a
Parliamentary Democracy. The Constitutional Monarchy means a king or queen rules
over the country yet does not govern. For example, Queen Elizabeth II is the current
head of state but she does not run the country. Similar to the U.S. Congress, the
Parliamentary Democracy is a government which represents the people at regular
elections. Like our U.S. President, England’s Prime Minister is appointed when the
people of the England and the United Kingdom hold an election.
1. Which of the following sentences best states the main idea of
paragraph 2?
a. The history of England is varied, including many different
inhabitants and rulers.
b. Queen Elizabeth was an important ruler of England.
c. The Picts settlers settled in England years ago.
d. Rulers and settlers are important to the history of a country.
2. Which of the following would be the best heading for paragraph 3?
a. Where do people live in England?
b. England’s Major Cities
c. Geography and Climate
d. Landscape
3. Which sentence from paragraph 5 best states the main idea of that
paragraph?
a. The Constitutional Monarchy means a king or queen rules over the
country yet does not govern.
b. The government of England is both a Constitutional Monarchy and a
Parliamentary Democracy.
c. Similar to the U.S. Congress, the Parliamentary Democracy is a
government which represents the people at regular elections.
d. Like our U.S. President, England’s Prime Minister is appointed when
the people of the England and the United Kingdom hold an election.
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary using these key words: England,
history, size, landscape, climate, currency, culture, government
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Suggested Answers
Common Core
Standard
1. A
RL.4.2, RL.5.2
2. C
RL.4.2, RL.5.2
3. B
RL.4.2, RL.5.2
4. Answers will vary. Check to
ensure the student used all the
words and their summary
matched the key ideas of the
passage.
RL.4.2, RL.5.2
What comes to mind when you think of the strangest animal in
the United States? If your answer was the armadillo, then your opinion
would be shared with many others. The armadillo looks odd because of its
outer shell of armored plates. The name armadillo means “little armored
one” in Spanish. In fact, the mammal got its name from Spanish explorers to
North America. If you look at drawings of the old Spanish suits of armor,
they actually resemble the armadillo!
Armadillos were originally native to South America. They
migrated into Texas and range as far north as Oklahoma, Kansas,
Louisiana, and Tennessee. Armadillos live in grasslands, scrubs, brush and
woods. They are not found where the soil is too hard to dig. Armadillos
prefer habitats of sand and shade. They dig burrows with their strong
claws. They also dig for food and slurp it up with sticky tongues just like
their cousins, the anteaters. Since they are omnivorous mammals,
armadillos eat plants and animals. This includes varieties of insects, bird
eggs, berries, fruit, and even dead animals.
Armadillos are also unique in their reproduction of young. Even
though breeding occurs in July, the embryo remains dormant until
November. In March, four young armadillos are born. All four babies are
identical quadruplets that have shared a single placenta while in the
mother’s womb. They are either all male or all female. Armadillos are born
with soft skin and their eyes open. In only a few hours, the babies can
begin to move around. Their armor begins to harden after a few days.
The armadillo typically grows to the size of the average house cat. Their
life span while in the wild is 4-7 years. In captivity, armadillos can survive up
to 10 years.
The armadillo is the state small mammal of Texas. Armadillos
have poor vision. If you were to be still and quiet, an armadillo could bump
right into you. Even though they have short legs, Armadillos can jump 3-4
feet vertically into the air when startled. Thanks to armadillos, a vaccine
was developed for leprosy, a skin disease.
1. Which paragraph could you add information about the mating
season of armadillos without distracting from the main idea of
the paragraph?
a. Paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 3
d. Paragraph 4
2. Which statement best describes the main idea of paragraph 2?
a. Armadillos live in areas where they are able to dig for food
with their claws.
b. Armadillos eat plants and animals.
c. Armadillos have lived in many different places over the
years.
d. Armadillos use their claws to dig for food just like anteaters.
3. Which of the following could be a heading for paragraph 4?
a. Eyesight of Armadillos
b. Interesting Facts about Armadillos
c. An Armadillo's Habits
d. Armadillos Saving Lives
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary using these key words:
armadillo, name, shell, habitat, diet, reproduction, young,
interesting
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Suggested Answers
Common Core
Standard
1. C
RL.5.2
2. A
RL.5.2
3. B
RL.5.2
4. Answers will vary. Check to
ensure the student used all the
words and their summary
matched the key ideas of the
passage.
RL.5.2
This animal’s diet consists mostly of meat. In the wild, it eats baby
birds, frogs, rodents, or small reptiles. People sometimes feed them meat from
picnics, but they are advised not to. This animal chooses to live near the water,
where it can find prey easily. It is not considered an aquatic animal, however it
never drinks water because it gets all its water from the prey it eats. Sometimes, it
will claim territory near a farm and eat the baby chicks raised on the farm. This
behavior upsets local farmers.
This animal is well known for its characteristic call. Its call sounds like
loud human laughter. The name of this animal even comes from a word in another
language that stands for the sound it makes. This animal makes its laughing call in
the early morning and as the sun sets. It calls so routinely that it earned the
nickname “bushman’s clock.” There is even a children’s song that sings about this
animal. Because of the song, many children know about this animal, even though it
lives in a relatively small area of the world.
One species of this animal usually grows to be about a foot to a foot
and a half long. The beak can grow as long as four inches. It weighs almost a
pound when it is full-grown. This animal can live as long as twenty years when in
captivity. Males and females look similar, unlike other birds that feature fancy
plumage on the males.
Females make their nests in tree holes. They cannot make their own
holes like woodpeckers, so they must find existing holes in trees. This animal is
native to eucalyptus forests, and their nests can often be found there. Their
clutches typically contain one to five eggs. The eggs hatch about a month after
they are laid. It takes another month for the chicks’ feathers to grow in and for
the chicks to develop their sense of sight.
Older siblings and parents work together to raise the young after
they have hatched. As they grow, fledglings will stay with their parents to help
raise the next clutch. Eventually, they move out to find their own territory. When
they are ready to mate, they choose one mate to keep for life. Then, the pair
looks for a place to build their nest together.
This animal is not endangered. Even though its habitat is diminishing
due to human expansion, this animal has been able to adapt.
1. Which statement best describes the main idea of paragraph 2?
a. This animal has a song about it.
b. This animal is known for its call that sounds like laughter.
c. This animal has a nickname of a “bushman’s call.”
d. This animal lives in a small area of the world.
2. Which statement best describes the main idea of
paragraph 4?
a. The females of this animal have one to five eggs.
b. Females make their nests in existing trees because they
cannot make their own holes.
c. Females make their nests in trees where they lay their eggs.
d. The eggs of this animal hatch after about a month.
3. Which of the following could be a heading for paragraph 5?
a. Sticking Together
b. Endangered Animals
c. Moving Out
d. Hatching Babies
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary using these key words: animal,
diet, water, call, long, weighs, nests, trees, young, mate, adapt
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Suggested Answers
Common Core
Standard
1. B
RL.5.2
2. C
RL.5.2
3. A
RL.5.2
4. Answers will vary. Check to
ensure the student used all the
words and their summary
matched the key ideas of the
passage.
RL.5.2
The Great White Shark, known best as being a killer, is not
the largest of shark species. They can, however, grow to be 15 to 20
feet long. That's pretty large. They can weigh five thousand pounds,
or more. Their impressive weight is a result of feeding on other
creatures that live in the waters with them, like seals, large fish and
even other smaller sharks. They smell their prey with an acute
sense of smell. They have an amazing 300 serrated teeth in their
mouths to use to chow down their prey.
Although the Great White Shark is considered a killer, they
really just have a bad rap. I am sure the old scary film “Jaws” didn't
help them any. Out of all of the shark attacks that happen each
year, only one-third to one-half of them are caused by the great
white. And this shark’s attacks normally result in injury, but not
death. They prefer other water mammals over people any day!
The Great White Shark, like many other shark species, is
on the endangered species list. Sharks are slowly becoming extinct.
One reason for this is that shark fin soup is becoming a popular
entrée. However, that doesn't really sound that appealing, does it?
Although, not all sharks that are captured even make it into soup.
Some sharks die when they are accidentally caught in nets or other
fishing snares.
The majestic Great White Shark prefers to live in the cool
waters of coastal areas, off the Atlantic coast, off the Pacific Coast
and in the Eastern Pacific. They live in deep waters around Canada,
Florida, California and Alaska. They are usually found near the
homes of seals and sea lions (some of their favorite meals). Despite
how they movies might depict them, they don't really spend time
swimming into the gulf and harassing people.
1. Which statement best describes the main idea of paragraph 2?
a. Great white sharks are dangerous animals that should be
avoided.
b. Great white sharks are in a lot of scary movies.
c. Great white sharks are not as bad as their reputation.
d. Great white sharks prefer mammals over people.
2. Which paragraph could you add information about the number
of sharks dying each year without distracting from the main
idea of the paragraph?
a. Paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 3
d. Paragraph 4
3. Which of the following could be a heading for paragraph 4?
a. Habitat of the Great White Shark
b. Diet of the Great White Shark
c. Atlantic Coast
d. Swimming Near People
4. Write a 2-3 sentence summary using these key words: Great
White Shark, weight, diet, killer, reputation, endangered, habitat
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Suggested Answers
Common Core
Standard
1. C
RL.5.2
2. C
RL.5.2
3. A
RL.5.2
4. Answers will vary. Check to
ensure the student used all the
words and their summary
matched the key ideas of the
passage.
RL.5.2
If you like this resource, make sure you check out my
other Common Core Aligned Resources.
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Thanks!
Jennifer Findley
Credits:
Stories written by and used with permission from
Yvonne Stegall, Trish Howell, and Kay Engle
Borders from The Moffat Girls
Fonts from KG Fonts
Background from Emily Wean