Reading
Transparencies
Grade 4
Copyright © by Harcourt, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any
information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Permission is hereby granted to individuals using the corresponding student’s textbook
or kit as the major vehicle for regular classroom instruction to photocopy entire pages
from this publication in classroom quantities for instructional use and not for resale.
Requests for information on other matters regarding duplication of this work should be
addressed to School Permissions and Copyrights, Harcourt, Inc., 6277 Sea Harbor
Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777. Fax: 407-345-2418.
STORYTOWN is a trademark of Harcourt, Inc. HARCOURT and the Harcourt Logo are
trademarks of Harcourt, Inc., registered in the United States of America and/or other
jurisdictions.
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 10 0-15-354619-0
ISBN 13 978-0-15-354619-8
If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge,
Harcourt School Publishers retains title to the materials and they may not be
resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited and is illegal.
Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this
publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.
354619TTRT4COV.indd 1
www.harcourtschool.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-15-354619-8
ISBN-10: 0-15-354619-0
>
ËxHSKBP3y546198zv*:+:!:+:!
4
2/14/07 4:09:53 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Be a Friend” by Edgar Guest
Be a friend. You don’t need money;
Just a disposition sunny;
Just the wish to help another
Get along some way or other;
Just a kindly hand extended
Out to one who’s unbefriended;
Just the will to give or lend,
© Harcourt
This will make you someone’s friend.
Grade 4, Lesson 1
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L01.indd R1
R1
Fluency
10/24/06 5:11:56 PM
Story Structure
What are the different parts of a story?
• The characters are the people in a story. The main character is
the person the story is mostly about.
• The setting is where and when a story takes place. The setting
may change as the story unfolds.
• Plot events are the things that happen in a story. Often the
plot involves a problem the main character must solve.
Story Map
Setting
Characters
Plot Events
•
•
Grade 4, Lesson 1
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L01.indd R2
© Harcourt
•
R2
Story Structure
10/24/06 5:12:01 PM
Use Story Structure
It was the morning of Bella’s first day at her new school. “I
don’t like meeting new people,” Bella grumbled at breakfast.
“It’s so hard to do! Everyone else will have friends already, and I
don’t know anyone.” She slumped over her bowl of cereal.
“Hurry up, Bella,” her mother called. “It’s time for you to
catch the bus!” With a sigh, Bella got up, grabbed her bag, and
headed out the door.
On the bus, Bella found a seat next to a window. As the bus
started moving, she heard someone shouting, “Wait for me!” A
girl with long red hair was running on the sidewalk. She waved
frantically at the bus. No one except Bella seemed to notice.
“Please stop! Someone needs to get on!” Bella called to the
driver. The bus screeched to a stop, and the girl climbed aboard.
She plopped into the seat next to Bella and grinned. “Thanks for
getting the bus to stop. You saved my day,” she said. “My name
is Magda. What’s yours?”
Story Map
Setting
Characters
Plot Events
•
© Harcourt
•
•
Grade 4, Lesson 1
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L01.indd R3
R3
Use Story Structure
10/24/06 5:12:06 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. pact A pact is an agreement between people or
countries in which they promise to do certain
things.
2. queasy If you feel queasy, you have a sick feeling
in your stomach.
3. foisted If something is foisted on you, it is given
to you whether you want it or not.
4. venture A new venture is a project that is exciting
and even risky.
5. annoyed To be annoyed means to be somewhat
angry about something.
6. depriving If someone is depriving you of
© Harcourt
something, the person is keeping you from
having it.
Grade 4, Lesson 1
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L01.indd R4
R4
Robust Vocabulary
10/24/06 5:12:11 PM
Synonyms and Antonyms
• A synonym is a word that means almost the same thing as
another word.
• An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
• You can sometimes use synonyms or antonyms to help you figure
out the meaning of a new word.
Synonyms for hot
Antonyms for hot
sweltering
sizzling
scorching
cold
freezing
frigid
We ordered a large pizza.
I didn’t think we could eat the colossal pie.
ANTONYM CLUE:
“This puzzle is boring,” Bolivia said.
“Let’s find something engaging to do instead.”
© Harcourt
SYNONYM CLUE:
Grade 4, Lesson 1
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L01.indd R5
R5
Synonyms and Antonyms
10/24/06 5:12:17 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Gertrude Ederle” by Kathleen Krull
Gertrude Ederle (ed´ r•le) grew up on liverwurst
and pickles from the delicatessen her German
immigrant parents owned next to their house. The
girl they called Trudy made her own clothes and
sewed for the younger sisters in her large family.
Summers were spent at a cottage in New Jersey,
where Ederle’s father taught her to swim at age
eight. A few years later she joined the Women’s
Swimming Association on Manhattan’s lower East
Side. When a fellow swimmer mocked the way Ederle
was attempting to learn a new stroke, she responded
by making up her mind to not only beat that girl, but
to become a champion.
© Harcourt
e
Grade 4, Lesson 2
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L02.indd R6
R6
Fluency
1/15/07 3:57:18 PM
Use Story Structure
Dottie Wiltse was born near Los Angeles, California, in 1923.
Her father was a semi-professional baseball player. He taught
her to play ball when she was little. By the age of 9, Dottie was
a powerhouse pitcher. In the 1930s in California, girls were
not allowed to play on school softball teams. So Dottie joined a
boys’ team in her neighborhood.
When Dottie was 12, she became the bat girl for a fast-pitch
men’s softball team in Beverly Hills. She dreamed of pitching for
them, but weeks went by and she did not get the chance. Then,
during the Southern California Championship, Dottie’s luck
changed. Her team’s regular pitcher got tired early in the game.
The team manager sent Dottie to the mound. That day Dottie
pitched in front of 10,000 fans at Wrigley Field. Her team won
the championship, and Dottie’s career as a professional baseball
player began.
Story Map
Characters
Setting
Plot Events
•
© Harcourt
•
•
Grade 4, Lesson 2
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L02.indd R7
R7
Use Story Structure
1/15/07 3:57:25 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. legendary Someone legendary is especially famous
for something he or she did a long time ago.
2. muttered If you muttered, you said something very
quietly because you did not want to be heard.
3. gaped If you gaped at something, you stared openmouthed in surprise.
4. flinched If a person flinched, he or she quickly
moved away from something dangerous or painful.
5. snickering Snickering at someone is like laughing
quietly at them because they did something silly.
6. glared If you glared at someone, you stared at
them in an angry way.
7. stunned When someone is stunned by something
amazing, he or she is shocked and sometimes even
speechless.
© Harcourt
8. fluke A fluke is something unusual that happens by
accident.
Grade 4, Lesson 2
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L02.indd R8
R8
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 3:57:29 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Living Night Lights” by Sandra Markle
© Harcourt
In Tokyo the beginning of the summer is celebrated
by the release of hundreds of fireflies that have
been raised especially for this occassion. Also called
lightning bugs, these insects are really beetles. Have
you ever caught fireflies? They’re easy to trap in
cupped hands. Don’t worry—they won’t bite. Put six
or more in a clear plastic or glass jar with a lid that
is punched full of tiny holes. Then settle down in the
dark to watch them. The fireflies produce a cool light
through a special chemical reaction in their bodies.
Grade 4, Lesson 3
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L03.indd R9
R9
Fluency
10/24/06 5:21:11 PM
Answer Questions
There are four kinds of question-answer relationships.
RIGHT THERE
THINK AND SEARCH
AUTHOR AND YOU
ON MY OWN
IN THE TEXT
The answer is easy to find in the text.
Combine information from two or more parts
of the text to answer the question.
IN YOUR HEAD
Draw conclusions by thinking about what you
already know and what the author tells you.
Use what you know and your own experiences
to answer the question.
I thought living in New York City would be awful. I imagined hot,
humid days and sidewalks jammed with people. Sure, some days
are hot and humid, but our apartment is near Central Park. The
park is like a huge, cool, green gateway. I go there every day.
1. Where does the author live? (RIGHT THERE)
2. How did the author’s opinion of New York City change? (THINK
AND SEARCH)
© Harcourt
3. How does the author feel about Central Park? (AUTHOR AND
YOU)
4. What do you think the author does in Central Park? (ON MY
OWN)
Grade 4, Lesson 3
RXENL08ATP4X_L03.indd R10
R10
Answer Questions
2/5/07 2:07:43 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. surrender When you surrender, you stop fighting
something or someone.
2. particular Something that is particular is one
specific thing of its kind.
3. sparkling Something that is sparkling is shining,
clear, and bright.
4. clusters Clusters are small groups of people or
things that are close together.
5. sizzles If something sizzles, it is very hot and
makes a hissing sound.
© Harcourt
6. stroll To stroll is to walk in a slow, relaxed way.
Grade 4, Lesson 3
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L03.indd R11
R11
Robust Vocabulary
10/24/06 5:27:29 PM
Make Judgments
June 10
© Harcourt
Well, summer is finally here. I don’t know why people make
such a big deal out of summer vacation. To me, it’s a big bore.
For one thing, everyone I know is gone. Josh and Jerome are at
scout camp. Mario is spending a month at his cousin’s house
in Florida. Even my little sister is away! I’m stuck here in the
smoggy city. There’s absolutely nothing to do around here.
André keeps calling me on the phone. He wants me to sign
up for swimming lessons with him. How boring is that? Jarell and
Matt joined a summer softball league. They say there is still
room for more members. Well, I have better things to do than run
around a dusty field all day.
Today Mitchell invited me to go to a free computer animation
class, but who wants to learn stuff on summer vacation? I told
him it would be just like school.
I sure hope things get more interesting around here!
Grade 4, Lesson 3
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L03.indd R12
R12
Make Judgments
10/24/06 5:21:29 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Mom’s First Friend” by Grace Lin
© Harcourt
When your Dad and I first came to the United
States, I was very lonely. Dad was in medical school
and I was going to college. But I had never lived away
from my family before. I was used to having my four
sisters and brother, my parents, my grandparents,
uncles, and aunties around everywhere. In Taiwan,
we used to all eat dinner together, laughing and
talking—everyone bubbling over like simmering
soup. When I came to the United States, everything
seemed quiet and cold. Usually, I ate dinner all by
myself, because Dad was too busy. I would shiver on
my way to school, the wind biting me the whole way.
People would talk and laugh and walk by me as if I
were an invisible ghost. I was scared to talk to them
because my English was so bad. I didn’t understand
the TV or my teachers or anyone. They all spoke so
fast, their words sounded like monkeys jabbering. I
didn’t know how to make friends with any of them. I
was sad and lonely and homesick. I felt like a thistle
in a rose garden.
Grade 4, Lesson 4
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L04.indd R13
R13
Fluency
1/15/07 3:58:54 PM
Answer Questions
My name is Li Keng. I grew up in a small village in China.
Most of the people in my village were poor farmers. We worked
hard to plant and harvest rice. There were no other jobs in the
village. My father went to America in search of work. He sent us
money every month, and this helped my family survive. Every
two years, Papa came back to visit us.
Papa did well in America, but for us life became harder
and harder. One year the crop was very bad. Many people in
our village went hungry. When Papa came to visit us, he was
saddened by what he saw. That was the year Papa decided we
would all go to America with him.
We traveled on a big ship across the Pacific Ocean. The trip
took 21 days. When we got to San Francisco Bay, a small ferry
took us to Angel Island. I will always remember standing on the
deck of the tender. I thought, “One journey is over, and another
journey has begun.”
1. How often did Papa come back to China to visit his family?
(hint: RIGHT THERE)
2. Why did Papa decide to move the family to America?
(hint: THINK AND SEARCH)
© Harcourt
3. Why does the author say, “One journey is over, and another
journey has begun”? (hint: AUTHOR AND YOU)
Grade 4, Lesson 4
RXENL08ATP4X_L04.indd R14
R14
Answer Questions
2/5/07 2:08:56 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. averted If you averted your eyes, you looked away
from something instead of directly at it.
2. fury Fury is extremely strong anger.
3. interrogation An interrogation is a long period
of intense questioning to get information from
someone.
4. stern Someone who is stern is very serious and
strict.
5. accusing When you look at someone in an accusing
way, you are showing that you think he or she has
done something wrong.
6. solemnly When you say something solemnly, you
say it in a very serious way.
7. cringed If you cringed, you moved or flinched
slightly because of discomfort or fear.
© Harcourt
8. craned If you craned your neck, you stretched it to
let you see or hear something better.
Grade 4, Lesson 4
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L04.indd R15
R15
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:37:06 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Making the Puppets” by Kathryn Lasky
© Harcourt
A violinist does not make his own violin, but a
puppeteer often does make his or her own puppets.
It is early fall now, and the leaves have started to
turn colors outside the window by Paul’s worktable.
In front of him is a glass jar filled with small balls of
modeling clay. He takes one and presses it onto a
larger ball of clay. He has been doing this for almost
twenty minutes. To his left is a piece of paper with a
rough sketch of a face.
Grade 4, Lesson 5
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L05.indd R16
R16
Fluency
1/15/07 4:37:42 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. culinary Culinary skills or tools are related to
cooking.
2. downcast Someone who is downcast is feeling sad
and has no hope.
3. consternation Someone who feels consternation
is upset or worried about what is happening.
4. vivid Something that is vivid has very bright colors.
5. extensive Something extensive includes a large
amount of things.
6. serenely If something is done serenely, it is done
in a calm and quiet way.
7. reminiscent If something is reminiscent of
something else, it brings back memories of that
other time or place.
8. pensive Someone who is pensive is thinking deeply
about something.
9. recruit When you recruit someone, you get him
or her to join a group for a special purpose.
© Harcourt
10. commenced Something that has commenced
has begun.
Grade 4, Lesson 5
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L05.indd R17
R17
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:37:47 PM
Vocabulary Passage
© Harcourt
Felipe was downcast. His friend Diego had just moved away. To
make things worse, Felipe’s mariachi band had a street festival coming
up. Diego had been the best trumpet player in the band.
Felipe was filled with consternation. He called his friend Carlos,
who played the guitarron, a large bass guitar. “We have enough guitar
players and violin players,” he said. “Who can we recruit to play
trumpet?”
“Don’t worry,” said Carlos serenely. “I have an extensive list of
friends we can try.”
It turned out that none of those friends could play the trumpet.
Felipe sat in his room looking pensive. Suddenly he heard the song
“Y Andele!” being played on the trumpet. The music was reminiscent of
his early childhood in Mexico.
He opened the door. His little brother Francisco was playing right
outside. “I know I’m only ten, but I practice a lot!” he said.
“You’ll have to learn fast if you want to be in our band!” said Felipe,
smiling.
On the day of the festival, the street was filled with dancers in
vivid outfits. There were booths full of culinary delights. Felipe and
Francisco raised their instruments happily, and the band commenced
to play.
Grade 4, Lesson 5
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L05.indd R18
R18
Vocabulary Passage
1/15/07 4:37:52 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Little School on the Prairie” from Ask magazine
© Harcourt
Students at Sunset Ridge Elementary School can
look out the windows of their classroom and see
a prairie. Rabbits scamper, bluebirds trill, and the
grass is tall enough for a kid to get lost in. But Sunset
Ridge, in Middleton, Wisconsin, is no one-room
schoolhouse from a Laura Ingalls Wilder book. The
students have pizza for lunch and do schoolwork on
computers. So what’s a tallgrass prairie doing here?
“We’re trying to restore it,” says Nick, a student
in Linda Hein’s fourth-grade class. All the students
at Sunset Ridge, from the littlest kindergartner on
up, are helping to return an acre of land in front of
their school to the way it looked 150 years ago, when
settlers in covered wagons saw the prairie for the
first time.
Grade 4, Lesson 6
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L06.indd R19
R19
Fluency
10/25/06 3:07:08 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
When you read something that confuses you or
does not make sense, use the reread strategy:
• Pause for a moment.
• Try to figure out exactly what confuses you and
form a question.
• Keep your question in mind and reread to look for
information you may have missed or forgotten.
Example
Sarah and her younger brother, William, had finished their
chores early. They went to explore the woods near their farm. As
they were jumping over a fallen tree, William slipped and fell.
“Ouch!” he cried. “My ankle! I think it’s broken!”
Sarah ran over to her brother and tried to feel the ankle,
but each touch made him cry out. Sarah did not know what to
do. Their parents had gone to town and might not be back until
dark. She couldn’t leave her brother here in the woods, but he
was too big to carry. Sarah knew she would have to get William
back to the house, but how? She looked around. She found two
small, sturdy sticks that were about five inches long. “Here, hold
these,” she told her brother.
Use the reread strategy to find the answers to these questions:
Why are Sarah and William in the woods?
Grade 4, Lesson 6
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L06.indd R20
R20
© Harcourt
How did William hurt his ankle?
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
10/25/06 3:07:15 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
“What are you doing?” William asked, his eyes full of pain
and worry.
“I’m making you a splint,” Sarah said. “It will protect your
ankle until we find out if it’s broken or not.” She placed the
sticks on either side of William’s ankle. “Hold these in place,”
she said. Then she took the scarf out of her hair and wrapped it
snugly around the two sticks to form a brace. “Okay, Willie, we’re
going to try to make it home,” she said, trying not to let the
worry show in her voice. “Lean on me.” She bent down so that
William could place his arm around her shoulder. Grabbing her
brother firmly around the waist, she said, “We’ll go slow, Willie.
Tell me when you need a rest.”
Slowly the pair made their way home, William hopping on
his one foot until he got tired, and then stopping to catch his
breath. All along the way, Sarah tried to keep her brother’s
spirits up. About an hour later, they reached the drive leading to
their house. The wagon was by the house. “Ma and Pa are back!”
Sarah cried.
Their father rushed outside and bent down to check William’s
ankle. “It’s not broken,” he said, “just a sprain. That’s a very fine
splint, Sarah. You did the right thing to wrap it up.”
© Harcourt
How did Sarah make a splint for William’s ankle?
Grade 4, Lesson 6
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L06.indd R21
R21
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
10/25/06 3:07:21 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. responsible If someone is responsible, that person
can be trusted to do a job on their own.
2. darted An animal that darted moved suddenly and
quickly in a particular direction.
3. jostling If the people in a crowd push or knock
against you, they are jostling you.
4. swerved If a car swerved, it turned suddenly to
avoid hitting something.
5. attentive If someone is attentive, that person is
carefully listening to or watching something.
6. pounced A person or animal that pounced on
something jumped on it eagerly in order to take it.
7. contradicting Contradicting someone is saying that
© Harcourt
what the person has said is wrong.
Grade 4, Lesson 6
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L06.indd R22
R22
Robust Vocabulary
10/25/06 3:07:25 PM
Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
• A root is the basic part of a word that gives
the word its meaning. Some roots need other
word parts to form a whole word.
• A root that can stand on its own is called a
root word.
• A prefix is a word part that is added to the
beginning of a root.
• A suffix is a word part that is added to the end
of a root.
Prefixes
repre(“before”)
(“back” or
“again”)
in-
dis-
(“not”)
(“not”)
Suffixes
-ness
-less
-ful
(“without”)
(“full of”)
-ible, -able
(“the state or
quality of being”)
(“able to be”)
Roots (with Prefixes or Suffixes)
vis
aud
dict
port
(“to see”)
(“to hear”)
(“to say”)
(“to carry”)
audible
predict
portable
© Harcourt
visible
Grade 4, Lesson 6
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L06.indd R23
R23
Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
10/25/06 3:07:31 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Bill Pickett” by Ruth Pelz
© Harcourt
Bill Pickett was one of the most famous rodeo
riders of all time. He was not just a performer,
though. He was a real, working cowboy. Zack Miller,
owner of the 101 Ranch, once called him “the
greatest sweat-and-dirt cowboy that ever was.”
There was plenty of sweat and dirt in a cowboy’s
life, especially at roundup time. For months the cattle
roamed freely around the huge 101 Ranch. They
grazed on wild shrubs and grasses and grew fat. In
early spring, Bill and the other cowboys rode out to
find them.
Grade 4, Lesson 7
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L07.indd R24
R24
Fluency
1/15/07 4:38:23 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
The Paint Parade
Who are
Andy and
Laura?
© Harcourt
It was Sandy’s first week at the Double L.
All year she had looked forward to visiting
her aunt and cousins. Now that she was at
the ranch, though, she was having second
thoughts.
Her cousins, Andy and Laura, were
practically experts on horseback. Each day
she watched them canter easily around the
corral on their horses. Sandy was terrified to
trot, let alone gallop.
Next week the rodeo would take place
in town. Sandy’s cousins had invited her
to ride with them in the Paint Parade. How
could she tell them that she didn’t feel
confident enough to do that? The Double L
was famous for raising the beautiful brownand-white horses known as paints. Each
year, a trio of paints from the Double L led
the entire parade. Usually Aunt Clara rode
with Andy and Laura, but this year the honor
was Sandy’s . . . if she had the confidence to
accept it.
Grade 4, Lesson 7
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L07.indd R25
R25
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
1/15/07 4:38:28 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. reluctant If someone is reluctant to do something,
he or she does not want to do it.
2. rumpled Something is rumpled if it is wrinkled or
messy.
3. surge If you feel a surge of a particular feeling, you
feel it suddenly and very strongly.
4. inspecting Someone who is inspecting something
is looking at it very carefully.
5. taut Something that is taut has been stretched or
pulled very tightly.
6. untangled If you untangled something, you untied
knots in it or straightened it if it was twisted.
7. resounded If a place resounded, then it became
filled with sound.
© Harcourt
8. lurked If something lurked somewhere, it
waited there quietly hidden, usually before doing
something bad.
Grade 4, Lesson 7
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L07.indd R26
R26
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:38:35 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Inside a Computer” by Bobbi Searle
© Harcourt
A computer is a machine that stores and then
processes information. It is a bit like the human
brain: It takes facts or data (the “input”), works on it
very quickly using “hardware” and “software,” and
produces information (the “output”) for us to use.
Computers as we now know them started life
as much simpler machines many years ago. The
development of computers began in 1832, when
a British mathematician, Charles Babbage (1791–
1871), designed the mechanical Analytical Engine.
It was one of the first machines to use a “program”
to work out calculations. In later years Babbage’s
engine was the inspiration for modern electronic
computers.
Grade 4, Lesson 8
RXENL08ATP4X_L08.indd R27
R27
Fluency
1/29/07 1:03:33 PM
Summarize
• To summarize while reading, you should pause from time to
time to recall what you have read.
• Sum up the important points silently.
• Do not summarize information or details that are not
important to understanding the text.
• Do not pause too long. You don’t want to lose track of what
you are reading.
© Harcourt
Summarizing while you read can help you understand and
remember what you read.
Grade 4, Lesson 8
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L08.indd R28
R28
Summarize
1/15/07 4:39:26 PM
Summarize
Little Red Riding Hood, or Little Red for short, had plans to
go on a picnic with her grandmother. She looked forward to the
outing all week long. On Friday night, Little Red got an e-mail
from her grandmother. Granny had a cold and would not be able
to make the picnic.
Little Red said, “Oh, no!” Then she had an idea. She would
buy two fat chickens, three white onions, and a giant carrot.
Then she would take them to Granny’s house and make her a big
pot of chicken soup!
Little Red’s mother approved the plan, so on Saturday
morning she took Little Red to buy the groceries. Then she
dropped her daughter at the bus stop. “Don’t talk to any
strangers,” she said.
Paragraph 1
Little Red Riding Hood was planning to go on a
picnic with her grandmother.
Granny e-mailed to say that she had a cold and
could not go.
Paragraph 2
© Harcourt
Paragraph 3
Grade 4, Lesson 8
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L08.indd R29
R29
Summarize
1/15/07 4:39:32 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. slick If something is slick, it is presented in an
attractive way.
2. nimble If someone is nimble, he or she moves
quickly, lightly, and easily.
3. impressed To be impressed with someone means
to admire that person.
4. cease If you cease to do something, you stop
doing it.
5. exist When something exists, it is a real thing that
is present in the world.
© Harcourt
6. fierce A fierce person or animal is angry, violent,
or ready to attack.
Grade 4, Lesson 8
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L08.indd R30
R30
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:39:38 PM
Locate Information
Some Electronic Sources
• library database — an organized collection of records about
all of the books and other resources in a library
• CD-ROM encyclopedia — the text of an encyclopedia that has
been stored on a compact disc called a CD-ROM
• Online magazines and newspapers — magazines and
newspapers that have been specially designed to be read
on a computer that has an Internet connection
Using a Library Database
Welcome to the Greenville Public Library!
Type a keyword here.
Library Catalog
View Entire Collection
This menu gives you the choice
of looking through the entire
collection, or one part of it, such
as books for children.
Keyword
Search Catalog
Press this button after
you type a keyword.
Author
Subject
Grade 4, Lesson 8
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L08.indd R31
Title
Call Number
R31
Press one of
these links to
search by author,
subject, title, or
call number.
© Harcourt
Or search by:
Locate Information
1/15/07 4:39:43 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Native Ways” edited by Malcom Margolin
and Yolanda Montijo
© Harcourt
California native peoples have always been
ingenious in their ability to make everything they
needed from the materials around them.
Consider, for example, rocks and stones. To most
people today, a rock or a stone is not very interesting
or useful, but native people knew better. From hard
stones like obsidian and flint they made knives and
arrowheads. From soft stones like soapstone they
carved bowls. From stones such as granite they made
mortars and pestles with which to pound acorns, or
weights that they could attach to fishing nets.
Grade 4, Lesson 9
RXENL08ATP4X_L09.indd 32
R32
Fluency
1/29/07 1:07:11 PM
Summarize
© Harcourt
Maria Martinez was a famous Native American pottery maker.
She was born in San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico in about
1887. Maria learned pottery making from her aunt, and she
became very skilled. In 1908, some archaeologists visited Maria.
They were exploring the remains of an ancient pueblo near San
Ildefonso. The archaeologists wanted Maria to recreate some
pots that were dug up at the site. Maria agreed. She and her
husband Julian began to use some of the prehistoric pottery
designs in their own work.
Maria and Julian devoted their lives to making pottery. They
used some of the ancient Pueblo designs as well as some new
designs. They became world famous for a beautiful black glaze
they made from volcanic ash. They also taught their children and
grandchildren how to make pottery.
Maria Martinez became one of the most respected potters
in the world. She and her husband are credited with making the
ancient tradition of pottery a part of modern-day Pueblo culture.
Grade 4, Lesson 9
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L09.indd 33
R33
Summarize
1/15/07 4:40:15 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. unique Something is unique if it is the only one of
its kind.
2. infest If insects or animals infest a place, they are
there in large numbers and usually cause damage.
3. intervals Something that happens at regular
intervals is repeated over and over with a certain
amount of time in between.
4. delicate If something is done in a delicate way, it
is done with great care so that nothing is broken or
hurt.
5. flexible Something is flexible if it can bend or be
bent easily.
6. bond A bond is a feeling or interest that unites two
or more people or groups.
7. inspires If something inspires you, it makes you
excited about doing something good.
© Harcourt
8. preserve To preserve something is to keep it from
being harmed or changed.
Grade 4, Lesson 9
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L09.indd 34
R34
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:40:19 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Mira Sees the Light” by Leneh Trowbridge
© Harcourt
One warm September night, on the Outer Banks
of North Carolina, soft sea breezes filled the air. The
moon was full. Mira could feel the energy in the air.
She felt something exciting was going to happen.
She loved everything about the ocean, and this
evening she had come down to the beach to enjoy
the salty night air and hear the waves lapping gently
against the sand.
Mira closed her eyes and listened to the waves.
The gentle rolling sound was calming. Suddenly,
Mira could hear another sound, too. She listened
carefully. The sound was so faint she could barely
hear it. She held her breath. The sound was still
there.
Grade 4, Lesson 10
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L10.indd R35
R35
Fluency
11/14/06 10:16:58 AM
Robust Vocabulary
1. comprehend If you comprehend something, you
understand it.
2. pliable Something that is pliable is easy to move
or bend without breaking.
3. solitary To live in a solitary way is to be alone most
of the time.
4. scan To scan a place is to look carefully over the
entire area for something specific.
5. vulnerable A person or animal that is vulnerable is
weak and unprotected and at risk of being harmed.
6. exuberant If someone is exuberant, he or she is
full of excitement, energy, and happiness.
7. mature A mature person or animal is fully grown
and behaves like an adult.
8. lumbers When a person or an animal lumbers, it
moves in a slow and clumsy way.
9. encircle To encircle a place means surround it.
10. nurture If you nurture a living thing, you care for it
© Harcourt
while it is growing and developing.
Grade 4, Lesson 10
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L10.indd R36
R36
Robust Vocabulary
11/14/06 10:17:05 AM
Vocabulary Passage
My school is now home to one of Georgia’s most interesting
and endangered plants. The pitcher plant is carnivorous, which
means that when it grows into a mature plant, it eats bugs. An
insect crawls or lumbers into one of the plant’s slippery, tubeshaped leaves. It is encircled by downward-pointing hairs on
the leaf and cannot get out. Then the pitcher plant digests the
unlucky insect.
It was hard for me to comprehend how such a hearty plant
could be endangered. The problem is that the pitcher plants’
habitats are being destroyed. This makes them vulnerable to
extinction.
Students in my class wanted to help. We decided to build our
own pitcher plant bog! We were exuberant when we found out
we would have the chance to nurture these interesting plants.
Our teacher helped us scan the school grounds to find a good
place for the bog. We dug a wide, shallow hole. We used pliable
heavy plastic to line the bottom of it. Then we filled the hole with
dirt and added water.
© Harcourt
We sprouted the seeds indoors. At first we were worried that
the seeds wouldn’t open. Then a solitary seedling sprouted.
More followed. We transplanted the seedlings into our bog. I
hope our pitcher plants grow up tall, strong, and hungry!
Grade 4, Lesson 10
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L10.indd R37
R37
Vocabulary Passage
11/14/06 10:17:12 AM
Model Oral Fluency
from “The Blue Jackal Who Showed His True Colors,”
retold by Heather Forest
© Harcourt
One day a scrawny jackal, driven by hunger,
left his pack and crept toward a village in search of
food. A fierce pack of dogs began to chase him as
he approached the house of a cloth dyer. He dashed
into the dyer’s house, stumbled over pots and piles
of cloth, and tumbled into a huge vat of indigo dye.
Heart pounding, the jackal waited until the dogs were
gone. Then he crawled out of the vat and crept back
to the jungle.
Throngs of animals gaped at his extraordinary
color. Dyed by the juice of indigo, his fur was a deep
blue-purple. “What is this exotic creature who has
fallen out of the sky?” cried all the animals. “He is
beautiful and strange!” They cowered in fear and awe.
Grade 4, Lesson 11
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L11.indd R38
R38
Fluency
1/15/07 4:40:51 PM
Use Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers
Sequence chart, Timeline
Text Structure
Sequence/Chronological Order
First
Next
Then
Last
Cause-and-Effect diagram
Cause
Cause and Effect
Effect
Venn Diagram
Compare and Contrast
Different Both Different
Description
© Harcourt
Web
Grade 4, Lesson 11
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L11.indd R39
R39
Use Graphic Organizers
1/15/07 4:41:02 PM
Use Graphic Organizers
Late at night a jackrabbit munches on grass.
It is alert as it eats because predators, hungry for
a meal, might be nearby. Suddenly, the jackrabbit
hears a low growl. It leaps away, followed closely
by a wolf. After a few long jumps, the jackrabbit is
far away and safe.
A jackrabbit does not always run away from
danger. To protect its young, a jackrabbit will fight
bravely. It can jump over an enemy, such as a
snake. Then the jackrabbit kicks with its back legs.
As a result, the snake leaves and looks somewhere
else for dinner.
First paragraph
Clue word: because
Cause
Effect
Predators might be
around.
The jackrabbit is alert
as it eats.
Second paragraph
Clue words: As a result
Cause
Effect
Grade 4, Lesson 11
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L11.indd R40
The snake looks
somewhere else for dinner.
R40
© Harcourt
The jackrabbit kicks
the snake.
Use Graphic Organizers
1/15/07 4:41:07 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. predators Predators are animals that kill and eat
other animals.
2. traits Traits are particular qualities or
characteristics of a person or thing.
3. lure If something lures you, it makes you want to go
to it, even though it is dangerous or could get you in
trouble.
4. avoid If you avoid a person or thing, you keep away
from them.
5. mimic If you mimic a person or thing, you try to act
or look exactly like that person or thing.
6. obvious If something is obvious, it is so easily seen
or understood that no one has to explain it.
7. resembles If one person or thing resembles
another, the two look similar to each other.
8. deceptive A deceptive person or thing tries to make
© Harcourt
you believe something that is not true.
Grade 4, Lesson 11
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L11.indd R41
R41
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:41:12 PM
Reference Sources
Why It Is Used
Find specific facts/verify current
facts
Atlas: book of maps
Find a specific place
Dictionary: book of words and
definitions; can also be online
or on CD-ROM
Find word meanings and
spellings
Encyclopedia: books of articles
on a variety of topics arranged
alphabetically; can also be
online or on CD-ROM
Research a topic
Internet, Nonfiction Books,
Magazines: information on
specific topics
Research a topic
Thesaurus: book of synonyms
and antonyms
Find synonyms and antonyms to
make writing better
© Harcourt
What It Is
Almanac: book of facts that is
updated every year
Grade 4, Lesson 11
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L11.indd R42
R42
Reference Sources
1/15/07 4:41:17 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “‘Growing Up in the Mountains” by Daniel Byers
© Harcourt
All my life, I have lived in the mountains. When I
was too young to walk, I climbed them in my parents’
backpack. When I grew old enough, I climbed them
on my own. There is a feeling of home you develop
about mountains, a sense of being away from the
confusion of the world. Quiet and beautiful, they
carry a sense of peace seldom found anywhere else.
Grade 4, Lesson 12
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L12.indd R43
R43
Fluency
1/15/07 4:42:39 PM
Use Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers
Sequence Chart, Timeline
Text Structure
Sequence/Chronological Order
First
Next
Then
Last
Cause-and-Effect Diagram
Cause
Cause and Effect
Effect
Cause-Effect Chain
Cause
Effect
Effect
Venn Diagram
Compare and Contrast
Different Both Different
Description
© Harcourt
Web
Grade 4, Lesson 12
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L12.indd R44
R44
Use Graphic Organizers
1/15/07 4:42:45 PM
Use Graphic Organizers
Why do many high mountains have snowy
peaks? Air cools as it rises, so the tops of
mountains are much colder than the bases.
Mountaintops are likely to be covered in snow
and ice.
Snow and ice present challenges for mountain
climbers. Therefore, climbers often wear spiked
footwear. They also anchor themselves with ropes
to the mountain slopes.
First paragraph
Clue word: so
Cause
Air cools as it
rises.
Effect
Effect
The tops of
mountains are
much colder
than the bases.
The tops of
high mountains
are likely to
be covered in
snow and ice.
Effect
Effect
Second paragraph
Clue word:
© Harcourt
Cause
Grade 4, Lesson 12
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L12.indd R45
R45
Use Graphic Organizers
1/15/07 4:42:49 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. eruption An eruption happens when something
bursts through a surface.
2. depths The depths of something are its
deepest parts.
3. gradually Something that happens gradually
happens very slowly over time.
4. revealed When something is revealed, it was
hidden but can now be seen.
5. contract To contract means to get smaller
by shrinking.
6. constant If something is constant, it happens
without stopping.
7. immediate An immediate event is one that happens
© Harcourt
right away.
Grade 4, Lesson 12
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L12.indd R46
R46
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:42:54 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “‘Big Ed’ Pulaski: Wildland Firefighting Legend”
by Deanna Couch
© Harcourt
Then I saw him—Forest Service Ranger Edward
“Big Ed” Pulaski. He charged in on his horse, pushing
through the burning, crackling timber, gathering men
together as he rode. I could barely hear his shouts;
the noise from the fire, wind, and crashing trees was
thunderous.
“Follow me!” he ordered. “There’s an abandoned
mineshaft nearby. Our one hope is to make it to that
tunnel!”
Grade 4, Lesson 13
RXENL08ATP4X_L13.indd R47
R47
Fluency
1/22/07 2:02:35 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Read Ahead
How to Use the Read Ahead Strategy
• Pause when you come to a word, phrase, or sentence you do
not understand.
• Try to identify exactly what is confusing you.
• Form a question about what you do not understand.
• Read ahead to try to find the answer.
© Harcourt
As she reached the top of the ridge, Lisa
stopped her horse. She looked out over the forest
for signs of a conflagration. Lisa gave a sigh of
relief. She saw only one small plume of smoke
rising up from the forest. The fire was still small.
Lisa quickly located her satchel. She needed to
get the information about the fire’s location back
to the ranger station. She opened the shoulder
bag and found her phone. She quickly switched
it on and called the station. The supervisor’s aide
answered. Lisa spoke slowly and clearly: “Lisa
here. The fire is burning in Elk Canyon, about
10 miles to the northwest.”
Grade 4, Lesson 13
RXENL08ATP4X_L13.indd R48
R48
Monitor Comprehension: Read Ahead
1/22/07 2:02:52 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. treacherous Something treacherous is dangerous
and unpredictable.
2. drudgery Drudgery is hard, unpleasant,
boring work.
3. plunge If you plunge into something, you rush into
it suddenly.
4. smoldering Something smoldering is burning
slowly from the inside, without flames.
5. altered When something has been altered, it has
been changed.
6. scoffed If you scoffed at something, you spoke
about it in a mocking or critical way.
7. skeptically If you talk skeptically about something,
you express doubt about whether it is true.
8. discouraged If something discouraged you, it made
© Harcourt
you believe that things weren’t going to turn out as
you hoped.
Grade 4, Lesson 13
RXENL08ATP4X_L13.indd R49
R49
Robust Vocabulary
1/22/07 2:03:00 PM
Predict Outcomes
© Harcourt
It was Ramona’s first time in a kayak. She was doing fine
until she let herself get ahead of the group. Suddenly she saw
some wild rapids ahead. As she tried to paddle through them,
a powerful surge of water turned her kayak around and made
it bounce against the rushing water. Ramona shouted as her
paddle flew out of her hands.
“Now what do I do? I don’t want to be in a boat I can’t steer!”
she wailed as she prepared herself for another big bounce. Then
her boat hit some calm waters. Ramona looked around and saw
that she wasn’t too far from the shore.
Grade 4, Lesson 13
RXENL08ATP4X_L13.indd R50
R50
Predict Outcomes
1/22/07 2:03:09 PM
Model Oral Fluency
“Something Told the Wild Geese” by Rachel Field
© Harcourt
Something told the wild geese
It was time to go.
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, —“Snow.”
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, —“Frost.”
All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly, —
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.
Grade 4, Lesson 14
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L14.indd R51
R51
Fluency
1/15/07 4:43:23 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Read Ahead
© Harcourt
Leigh sat alone on a rock by the lake. As she read her book,
she heard a strange, low humming sound. The humming was
coming from the lake! Then something appeared over the lake,
slowly gaining size and changing. Leigh had never seen anything
like the strange cloud that swirled just above the water.
Leigh dropped her book and started to back away from the
water’s edge, her eyes fixed on the swirling cloud. Suddenly, as
she stared at the “cloud,” Leigh smiled. She ran back toward
the lake.
The “cloud” was made of many small forms, flipping and
splashing just above the water’s surface. “What a lucky thing for
me,” Leigh thought. It wasn’t often that schools of hummerfish
came to the surface of a lake.
Grade 4, Lesson 14
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L14.indd R52
R52
Read Ahead
1/15/07 4:43:28 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. hermit A hermit is a person who lives alone, often
far from a community.
2. fascinated When you are fascinated by something,
you are very interested in it and pay close attention
to it.
3. occasionally If something happens occasionally, it
happens once in a while.
4. timid A timid person is shy and unsure of himself
or herself.
5. peculiar Something peculiar is something that
is very strange and unusual, usually not in a
good way.
6. drab Something drab looks dull and lacks color.
7. trembling If something is trembling, it is
shaking slightly.
8. dashed If someone dashed away, they quickly and
© Harcourt
suddenly ran away.
Grade 4, Lesson 14
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L14.indd R53
R53
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:43:32 PM
Model Oral Fluency
“Sea Slant,” by Carl Sandburg
On up the sea slant,
On up the horizon,
This ship limps.
The bone of her nose fog-gray,
The heart of her sea-strong,
She came a long way,
She goes a long way.
On up the horizon,
On up the sea-slant,
She limps sea-strong, fog-gray.
© Harcourt
She is a green-lit night gray.
She comes and goes in the sea fog.
Up the horizon slant she limps.
Grade 4, Lesson 15
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L15.indd R54
R54
Fluency
1/16/07 8:34:04 AM
Robust Vocabulary
1. intrepid A person who is intrepid acts brave
because he or she has no fear.
2. seasoned A person who is seasoned at something
has a lot of experience with that thing.
3. guidance Someone who gives guidance provides
help and advice.
4. undoubtedly If something will undoubtedly
happen, it will definitely happen.
5. cherish If you cherish something, it means a lot to
you and you care for it lovingly.
6. hoist To hoist something is to raise it, often with
mechanical help.
7. delectable A food described as delectable tastes
very good.
8. pristine If a place is pristine, it is clean and
untouched.
9. fragile If a thing is fragile, it is easily broken or
damaged.
© Harcourt
10. privilege A privilege is a special advantage or right
that only certain people can have.
Grade 4, Lesson 15
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L15.indd R55
R55
Robust Vocabulary
1/16/07 8:34:09 AM
Vocabulary Passage
© Harcourt
Lin, Roxy, and Bev saw a tall woman in the boathouse.
“You must be the new counselor,” said Lin. “Can we help you
hoist the boats up off the racks?”
“I am, and you can,” said the tall woman. “Today we’ll row
to a pristine area across the lake. I hope you’re all intrepid
adventurers, because we undoubtedly will see wildlife—maybe
a bear or two. They’ll be eating the delectable blackberries that
grow there.”
“We’re not only fearless, we’re experienced,” said Bev.
“We’ve rowed and hiked together for years. We’re a seasoned
crew. We won’t need much guidance.”
“Sounds good,” the woman replied. “I’m Counselor Amy.”
The girls introduced themselves.
“It’s a privilege to meet you,” replied Counselor Amy. Then
she turned to Roxy. “You probably cherish that bracelet you’re
wearing. It appears to be fragile. I’m sure you don’t want to lose
or break it, so you probably should take it off before we start.”
“We’ll leave our bracelets behind, too,” said Bev.
“Yes,” said Lin. “We need to be ready for anything!”
Grade 4, Lesson 15
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L15.indd R56
R56
Vocabulary Passage
1/16/07 8:34:13 AM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Up in Smoke” by Catherine Thimmesh
© Harcourt
To everything there is a season (especially for
allergy and asthma sufferers): the ragweed season
(ah-choo!); the pollen season (wheeze, gasp); and
in the Pacific Northwest, there’s also the bluegrass
burning season (ah-choo! scratch scratch, wheeze,
cough . . .gasp . . .gasp).
Grade 4, Lesson 16
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L16.indd R57
R57
Fluency
10/24/06 5:14:56 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Adjust Reading Rate
Your reading rate is how quickly or slowly you read a text. When
you adjust your reading rate, you change the speed at which you
are reading.
Read these more slowly.
• fiction stories
• letters from friends
• other text that is easy to read
© Harcourt
• science and social
studies textbooks
• scientific articles
• how-to manuals
• directions
Read these at a regular rate.
Grade 4, Lesson 16
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L16.indd R58
R58
Monitor Comprehension:
Adjust Reading Rate
10/24/06 5:15:01 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Adjust Reading Rate
Eyeglasses
© Harcourt
Since ancient times, nearsighted and farsighted
people have tried to correct their vision. Around
1000 AD, polished stones and glass domes were
used to magnify the letters of reading materials.
Then, some time around the thirteenth century AD,
people began holding glass lenses in front of their
eyes to correct their vision.
No one is sure who first invented eyeglasses.
Some say it was an Italian monk named Alessandro
di Spina. Others think that eyeglasses were first
developed in China. We do know that by the 1300s
and 1400s, European artists were painting pictures
of people wearing eyeglasses. By the 1600s, many
people wore eyeglasses with earpieces to hold
them on.
Today, millions of people wear glasses. Without
them, many people would not be able to do the
same activities, have the same jobs, or enjoy the
same sights. Eyeglasses have improved everyday
life in many important ways.
Grade 4, Lesson 16
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L16.indd R59
R59
Monitor Comprehension:
Adjust Reading Rate
10/24/06 5:15:07 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. tinker When you tinker with something, you try to
fix or adjust it.
2. hoaxer Someone who tries to trick people is a
hoaxer.
3. trampled If you trampled something, you stepped
on it very hard and damaged it.
4. forged If you forged something together, you did it
with great effort and you hope it lasts a long time.
5. perfect To perfect something is to improve it so that
it is the best it can be.
6. quest A quest is a journey with a specific purpose.
© Harcourt
7. barriers Barriers are objects or people that keep
you from moving ahead.
Grade 4, Lesson 16
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L16.indd R60
R60
Robust Vocabulary
10/24/06 5:32:19 PM
Follow Written Directions
How to Make a Paper Cube
Materials
•
•
•
•
paper
pencil
scissors
glue
Steps to Follow
1. Trace the diagram below onto a sheet of paper.
2. Cut out your diagram along the outside edges.
3. Fold the diagram along the inside lines.
4. Fold the sides together to form a cube shape.
© Harcourt
5. Glue the flaps into place.
Grade 4, Lesson 16
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L16.indd R61
R61
Follow Written Directions
10/24/06 5:15:22 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Dreaming with the Surrealists” by Jennifer Leonard
© Harcourt
Have you ever had a strange dream that you
remembered perfectly yet didn’t understand at
all? Believe it or not, you might be on your way to
becoming a famous artist.
Shortly after World War I, a group of artists
called “surrealists” used the unusual visions of their
dreams and memories to create strange pictures,
poems, and sculptures filled with fantastic images.
Grade 4, Lesson 17
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L17.indd 62
R62
Fluency
1/15/07 4:44:27 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Adjust Reading Rate
When I was little, I drew pictures with colored chalk on the
sidewalk in front of our apartment. Painting pictures of people
is still one of my favorite things to do.
My family is from a small village in central Japan. Many ideas
for my art come from Japanese art forms. Kabuki is a type of
traditional Japanese theater. Kabuki actors wear bold red and
white face paint and make big, dramatic gestures. You can see
these influences in the pictures of people I paint today.
© Harcourt
Art helps us share our stories and feelings with other people.
When you look at my art, I hope that it will inspire you to share
your own story.
Grade 4, Lesson 17
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L17.indd 63
R63
Monitor Comprehension:
Adjust Reading Rate
1/15/07 4:44:32 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. ancestors The people who came before you in your
family are your ancestors.
2. brilliant Things that are brilliant are very bright,
and often shiny.
3. exotic Something exotic is unusual and interesting
because it came from a faraway place.
4. graceful If a person is graceful, he or she moves
in a smooth way that is nice to look at.
5. mischievous Someone who is mischievous likes
to play tricks on other people.
6. participate If you participate in a game, you are
© Harcourt
involved in it.
Grade 4, Lesson 17
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L17.indd 64
R64
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:44:37 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Janet Evans: Dangerous When Wet” by Neal Shusterman
© Harcourt
When Janet Evans was given her first swimming
lesson at age one, everyone could see how quickly
she took to the water—but no one could have
guessed that just sixteen years later she would be
one of the most celebrateed athletes of the 1988
Summer Olympics!
Janet’s introduction to the water was more out
of convenience than out of design. Her mom had
brought her older brothers to a swimming lesson,
and Janet, being a very active baby, simply couldn’t
sit still with her mother in the stands. Finally her
mom asked if the instructors could take Janet and
give her lessons as well. They agreed, and the rest is
history!
Grade 4, Lesson 18
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L18.indd R65
R65
Fluency
1/16/07 8:35:12 AM
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
To monitor your comprehension means to take
control of your reading.
1. Be aware of what you understand and what
you do not understand.
2. If you don’t understand something, try to
identify what is confusing you.
3. Self-correct to clear up your confusion.
There are different reasons for misreading a word.
Here are two reasons, and ways that you can self-correct.
Homographs
• If you used the wrong pronunciation for a homograph, the
sentence would not make sense.
EXAMPLE: The sleeping puppy looked very content.
Content, pronounced KON•tent, means “all that a thing contains,”
like the contents of a drawer. Content, pronounced con•TENT,
means “happy enough not to complain; satisfied.” Which way
should the word be pronounced for this sentence to make sense?
Unfamiliar Words
Look for context clues that might help explain what the unfamiliar
word means. How can reading the next sentence help you figure
out the meaning of blustery?
Grade 4, Lesson 18
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L18.indd R66
R66
© Harcourt
• If you come across an unfamiliar word, you may not understand
the sentence.
EXAMPLE: It was a blustery day. The wind whistled through the
trees and leaves blew all about.
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
1/16/07 8:35:19 AM
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
What does
nimbly
mean?
© Harcourt
Tom Thumb is a folktale character.
Stories about him were first told in
England. When Tom was born, he was no
bigger than his father’s thumb. Although
he never grew any bigger, he proved
himself to be both clever and fearless.
Many stories have been told about Tom
Thumb.
Once his father needed someone
to take a cart into Nottingham Forest to
collect wood. Tom Thumb volunteered.
“You are too small to lead the horse,” his
father said.
“That is of no matter,” Tom Thumb
replied. “I will sit inside the horse’s
ear and tell it where to go.” Tom nimbly
climbed up the horse’s tail, hurried across
its back, and leaped inside one of its
tall, soft ears. “Gee! Haw!” he shouted.
The horse obediently followed his every
command. The townfolk looked on in
astonishment as the horse cart made its
way into the forest.
Grade 4, Lesson 18
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L18.indd R67
R67
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
1/16/07 8:35:23 AM
Robust Vocabulary
1. bountiful If you had a bountiful amount of
something, you would have a lot of it.
2. vast Something that is vast is so wide it would be
hard to get across it.
3. stature A person’s stature is his or her height.
4. relentless Someone who is relentless in trying to
do something keeps at it and refuses to give up.
5. roused If you roused someone, you woke up or
alerted that person.
6. resourceful A resourceful person is good at finding
ways to solve problems.
7. intentions Intentions are ideas about what a
person means to do.
8. inadvertently If you do something inadvertently,
© Harcourt
you do it without meaning to.
Grade 4, Lesson 18
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L18.indd R68
R68
Robust Vocabulary
1/16/07 8:35:28 AM
Narrative Forms
fable
folktale
fairy tale
Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
myth
•
•
•
tall tale
•
•
•
pourquoi tale •
Grade 4, Lesson 18
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L18.indd R69
Have an element of fantasy
Were first told orally
Exist in many forms
May include animals as characters
Reflect the values and beliefs of a culture
very short
states a simple moral at the end
teaches a lesson about how to behave
contains simple characters who stand for basic
human qualities, such as honesty or greed
often includes events that happen in “threes”
similar to folktales
often includes kings, queens, princes,
princesses, and imaginary creatures such as
ogres
may include characters who change their
identity (ugly frog ➝ handsome prince)
has a happy ending
comes from an ancient culture, such as ancient
Rome or Greece
tells about the gods and goddesses ancient
peoples believed in
tells the adventures of a larger-than-life hero
includes exaggeration and humor
comes from a particular region
explains how something in nature came to be
R69
© Harcourt
Literary
Forms
All Forms
Narrative Forms
1/16/07 8:35:32 AM
Model Oral Fluency
from “The Emperor and the Peasant Boy”
edited by William J. Bennett
© Harcourt
Long ago, during the days of the Aztec empire
in what we now call Mexico, there ruled an emperor
who sometimes liked to disguise himself and walk
the city streets and country footpaths alone. He
knew his subjects would speak far more openly and
fearlessly to a common stranger than to their own
emperor, and he was able to learn much about his
people he would not have known had he always
stayed on his throne.
Grade 4, Lesson 19
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L19.indd R70
R70
Fluency
1/15/07 4:45:11 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
© Harcourt
Long ago, the Wind was a terrible braggart. “ I am
the most powerful weather force!” the Wind would
roar. Tired of the Wind’s bragging, the Sun proposed
a contest.
“See that man walking on the road?” the Sun
asked. “I bet you can’t make him take off his
mackinaw.”
“Nothing could be easier,” said the Wind, and
he blew forth a mighty gale. The man pulled his coat
around him. “Hmph,” said the Wind. He blew with
all his might, but the man just pulled his coat more
tightly around him.
“Give up?” asked the Sun. Out of breath the Wind
could only nod.
“Watch this,” the Sun said. Rising in the sky, she
glowed warmly. The man unbuttoned his coat. With
each passing minute, the Sun glowed warmer. Soon
the man took off his coat.
“You see?” said the Sun. “What you could
not accomplish by force, I accomplished through
persuasion.” The Wind stopped bragging after that.
Grade 4, Lesson 19
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L19.indd R71
R71
Monitor Comprehension: Self-Correct
1/15/07 4:45:16 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. magnificent Something magnificent is very
beautiful and impressive.
2. insisted If you insisted on something, you said it
very firmly and you refused to change your mind.
3. declared Something that has been declared has
been announced in a clear way.
4. confidently When you do something confidently,
you are sure about what you are doing.
5. distressed Someone who is distressed feels very
sad and helpless.
6. gloated If someone gloated, he or she bragged
about something in a mean way.
7. anxiously If you waited anxiously for something,
© Harcourt
you worried about how it would turn out.
Grade 4, Lesson 19
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L19.indd R72
R72
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:45:22 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Solving the Violin Mystery” by Denise Harbison
© Harcourt
The “Messiah Violin” was the most expensive
violin in the world. But it had been called a fake.
The famous tree detective, Dr. Henri Grissino-Mayer,
was on the case.
The violin was worth $20 million because the
master instrument-maker Antonio Stradivari
crafted the instrument more than 200 years ago.
Or did he?
A scientist who studied violins and another
scientist who studied tree rings claimed that
Stradivari did not make the violin. It was not
possible, they said, because the last ring in the
violin’s wood had grown in 1738. That was the
year after Stradivari had died. Could Dr. Henri
find the truth. . . also by using tree rings?
Grade 4, Lesson 20
RXENL08ATP4X_L20.indd R73
R73
Fluency
1/29/07 1:08:23 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. ominous Something ominous is a sign of trouble or
a warning that something bad is going to happen.
2. confound If you confound a person, you surprise or
confuse him.
3. miserable A person who feels miserable feels
uncomfortable or unhappy.
4. gracious Someone who is gracious is pleasant
and polite.
5. beams Someone who beams is grinning.
6. self-assurance People who have self-assurance
are confident and sure of themselves.
7. monitor When you monitor something, you
regularly check its progress.
8. exposed A thing that has been exposed has
been uncovered and has lost its protection from
its surroundings.
9. installed If you installed a piece of equipment,
you put it in to make it ready for use.
10. looming When an event is looming, it seems likely
© Harcourt
to happen soon.
Grade 4, Lesson 20
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L20.indd R74
R74
Robust Vocabulary
1/16/07 8:36:12 AM
Vocabulary Passage
© Harcourt
Sasha and I thought about how to solve our latest case.
Unlike most other cases, it had us confounded. The city’s art
museum was missing a valuable painting, and the curator
had hired us to find out what happened. We had monitored
the security videotapes and collected evidence, but we just
couldn’t put the pieces together. The museum curator had
been gracious enough to give us more time, but the deadline
was looming.
We both sat quietly, feeling miserable. Sasha was slumped
in his chair, lacking his usual air of self-assurance. Then he
had an idea. “Let’s create a program to solve the case!” he
exclaimed. “We’ll input the clues, and the computer will find
the answer. We’ll call it Solve-o-Matic!”
“A computer program?” I asked. “Do you know how to
create one?”
“Sure! The computer will be able to look at data in ways we
can’t,” Sasha said, beaming with enthusiasm. “Once we have
it installed, there won’t be any mystery we can’t crack!”
We quickly got to work. The curator would be so happy
if this worked to expose the thief! Finally, the program was
finished. After we typed in the clues, the computer rattled and
shook and let out an ominous puff of smoke. Then the printer
spat out a piece of paper.
Grade 4, Lesson 20
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L20.indd R75
R75
Vocabulary Passage
1/16/07 8:36:18 AM
Model Oral Fluency
from “A Dog’s Life” by Iain Zaczek
© Harcourt
In the 14th century, a French historian named
Froissart (frawah-SAHR) told the story of a prince
who had to find a husband for his younger sister.
The girl in question had three suitors, each of whom
was brave, noble, and chivalrous. Indeed, these
knights had so many fine qualities that the prince
found it impossible to choose between them. So
in the end, he decided to leave the final choice up
to fate. Remembering his sister’s fondness for her
pet greyhound, he had the dog brought before the
suitors, and declared that the princess would marry
whichever man the animal preferred.
Grade 4, Lesson 21
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L21.indd R76
R76
Fluency
10/25/06 3:16:28 PM
Use Story Structure
© Harcourt
Rory ran up the steps of the library and made a beeline for
the children’s book section. “Here’s book six back” he said to the
children’s librarian. “I’m ready for book seven!”
“Bad news,” Mr. Reed said. “Somebody’s checked it out.” Rory
followed his gaze to the reading table. There sat Rose Peters, a girl
in his class. She was reading book seven of the Black Knight Mystery
series!
Rory swallowed hard. Usually he tried to avoid talking to girls, but
he saw no other choice. As Rory neared the table, Rose turned a page
and looked up.
“Hi, Rose,” Rory said. “I was wondering....How long will it take you
to read that?”
“About a week,” Rose said. She saw Rory’s shoulders slump. “I’ve
got an idea,” she added quickly. “Why don’t we both read it? I’ve just
finished chapter one,” she said, sliding the book to Rory. “You read
chapter one tonight. Then give me the book tomorrow.”
Rory thought a minute. “What about the weekend?” he asked.
“We can meet at the library Sunday morning,” Rose said. “I’ll take
Saturday and you’ll have Sunday.”
Rory decided since Rose was doing him a favor he wouldn’t
mention the fact that she would get two nights in a row, Friday and
Saturday. “Deal,” he said, and then he surprised himself by shaking
Rose’s hand.
Grade 4, Lesson 21
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L21.indd R77
R77
Use Story Structure
10/25/06 3:16:33 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. consisted If something consisted of several things,
it was made up of those things.
2. prideful A person is prideful if he or she feels very
satisfied because of something he or she has done.
3. intends When someone intends to do something,
he or she plans to do it.
4. snatched If you snatched something, you grabbed
it or pulled it away quickly.
5. recalls When a person recalls something, he or she
remembers it.
6. select A select group is one that is special and
© Harcourt
among the best of its kind.
Grade 4, Lesson 21
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L21.indd R78
R78
Robust Vocabulary
10/25/06 3:16:41 PM
Make Inferences
• An author may not explain everything that is happening in a story.
• Sometimes readers need to make inferences.
• To make inferences, readers use clues from the story along with
what they already know.
“Shhh! Everybody! I think they’re coming.” After a quick round of
whispers and giggles, the room fell silent.
Outside a car door slammed, then another. Soon they heard the
jangle of keys and Monica’s voice, “...thanks for taking me to the
library, Mom. Too bad that Dad had work to do.”
Then the door swung open and Monica frowned in confusion.
Before she could figure out why all of her friends were gathered in
the living room, everybody shouted, “Surprise!” Just then her dad
came from the kitchen carrying a delicious-looking chocolate cake
with 10 candles on it.
What I Know =
My Inference
jangle of keys, door
swung open, living room,
her dad came from the
kitchen
The setting is the
People return
house where Monica
to their homes
after a visit to the lives.
library.
© Harcourt
Clues from the Story +
Grade 4, Lesson 21
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L21.indd R79
R79
Make Inferences
10/25/06 3:16:46 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Keeping a Journal” by Trudi Strain Trueit
© Harcourt
My first journal was a pocket-size, hot pink book
with “diary” written across the cover in cursive, gold
letters. It came with a key no bigger than a peanut
to open a tiny lock so wobbly you could easily pop it
with a bent paper clip, which is what I did after I lost
the miniature key. At first, I hesitated to write in the
journal. Every great book I’d ever read had adventure,
mystery, and suspense. My life was stale tuna
sandwiches, clarinet practice, and soccer games—not
exactly gripping drama.
Grade 4, Lesson 22
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L22.indd R80
R80
Fluency
11/1/06 3:22:11 PM
Use Story Structure
© Harcourt
Alicia stood at the bus stop, puzzled. The second bus had just
passed by. She was sure this was where her brother had told her to
wait. Why didn’t the bus stop? She didn’t understand the bus system
in this big California city at all.
As she waited, people slowly began to gather at the bus stop.
Luckily, a woman in the crowd saw the worried look on Alicia’s face and
asked if she could help. Relieved, Alicia showed her the slip of paper
with the name of her stop written on it.
The woman assured her that she was waiting in the right place
and told her what number to look for on the bus. Alicia smiled and
said, “Thank you.”
“Maybe living in this big, strange city won’t be so bad if people
are this nice,” she thought.
Grade 4, Lesson 22
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L22.indd R81
R81
Use Story Structure
11/1/06 3:22:17 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. burst When a person feels ready to burst if he
or she doesn’t say something, it means that the
person is very excited and cannot wait to say
that thing.
2. opportunities Opportunities are chances to do
something you want to do.
3. huddle When people huddle together, they
gather close to each other in a tight group.
4. comforted If a person comforted a friend, he
or she helped that friend feel better about
something.
5. recognizes If someone recognizes you, it means
they know who you are when they see you.
6. journey A journey is a trip from one place to
© Harcourt
another that usually takes a long time.
Grade 4, Lesson 22
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L22.indd R82
R82
Robust Vocabulary
11/1/06 3:22:22 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Musical Insects” by Elaine Pascoe
© Harcourt
A buzzing zeee-zeee-zeee rises from meadows
on warm summer days. As evening falls, chir-r-ip
chir-r-ip and treet-treet-treet ring from trees and
fields. Summer is filled with music performed by
an insect orchestra made up of grasshoppers and
crickets.
There are many different kinds of grasshoppers
and crickets found all over the world. A few of
them are serious pests—especially the migrating
grasshoppers known as locusts, which travel in huge
swarms and do great damage to crops. But most
crickets and grasshoppers do little or no harm and
are fascinating to watch and to hear. Crickets and
grasshoppers have no voices. They produce their
calls by rubbing body parts together as if they were
playing fiddles.
Grade 4, Lesson 23
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L23.indd 83
R83
Fluency
1/15/07 4:46:46 PM
Ask Questions
If something confuses you while reading, try to ask questions.
Then keep those questions in mind as you read. You may ask
questions about
• unfamiliar words.
• characters, setting, or plot.
• a character’s traits or motives.
“This looks like a good spot, Dad,” Miki said, peering out the
window at the passing greenery. “I think he’ll like it here.” Miki’s
father turned up a dirt road that gently branched off Highway 25. Once
they were well away from the highway, he pulled the car over to the
side of the road. “How’s he doing?” he asked.
Miki held up the jar. Inside the jar a cricket sat perched on a nest of
twigs. “I think the country air agrees with him,” Miki said.
Last week, Miki and her father had discovered the cricket on the fire
escape of their apartment building. They put him in a jar, making sure
to punch plenty of holes in the lid. Miki had tried to find things for the
cricket to eat, but there were few trees in the city. She and her father
decided it would be best to set the cricket free out in the country.
Miki and her father got out of the car and walked into a field. Miki
slowly took the lid off the jar. “Goodbye, cricket,” she said. “Nice
knowing you.” As if on cue, the cricket sprang out of the jar. It made a
graceful arc through the air and disappeared into the tall grass.
Grade 4, Lesson 23
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L23.indd 84
R84
© Harcourt
• a story’s theme or message.
Ask Questions
1/15/07 4:46:52 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. forlornly If you do something forlornly, you do it
in a way that shows you feel sad and lonely.
2. fidget People might fidget, or move around
restlessly, when they are bored or nervous.
3. pathetic A person or thing that is pathetic is sad
or helpless. You usually feel sorry for pathetic
people or things.
4. resolved When you have resolved to do
something, you have made up your mind to do it.
5. scrounging If an animal is scrounging, it is
looking around trying to find food.
6. noble If you describe someone as noble, you
think that person is honest and unselfish.
7. stingy Someone who is stingy doesn’t like to
spend money or share what they have.
8. suspicion If you think someone is guilty of doing
© Harcourt
something wrong, you have a suspicion about
him or her.
Grade 4, Lesson 23
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L23.indd 85
R85
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:46:56 PM
Use Context Clues
1. Sometimes context clues provide a direct explanation of a word.
“So for all the long years of my youth, when I could have been
gamboling—which means playing—with the other mousies, I saved.”
The context clue which means playing explains the word
gamboling. The word means “leaping about playfully.”
2. Sometimes context clues only give a general sense of a word.
She picked up a magazine—very big and heavy—and heaved it
after Tucker. It hit him on the left hind leg just as he vanished into
the drain pipe.
The underlined context clues suggest that heaved means to throw
something heavy, such as a thick magazine.
3. When a word has more than one meaning, context clues can help
you choose the right meaning for the word.
Furiously can describe something done angrily or something
done strongly. In this example, the context clues tell readers that
Chester shook the bell really hard, but not angrily.
Grade 4, Lesson 23
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L23.indd 86
R86
© Harcourt
Chester shook the silver bell furiously; it rang like a fire alarm.
Use Context Clues
1/15/07 4:47:01 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Nature’s Island Song” by Dori and Kate Hodgkin
© Harcourt
“Can you hear it?” our mother asked us one
sun-filled, golden afternoon in summertime. “Hear
what?” we asked together—identical twins with
identical features, identical thoughts. . . and
identical confusion. “The song of nature,” our mother
answered, “when the sounds of nature are all that
can be heard. Listen. Can you hear any human
sounds?”
We strained, listening for the familiar jumble
of island sounds; the thump-thump of a freighter
heavily churning up the ocean strait, the sharp roar
of an airplane splitting the peaceful summer sky, or
the humming of a sleek motorboat zooming acorss
the glittering blue sea. But this afternoon, for a
moment, all was silent and still.
Grade 4, Lesson 24
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L24.indd R87
R87
Fluency
10/24/06 5:11:00 PM
Ask Questions
Good readers ask themselves questions as they read.
The questions help them to:
• Make sure they understand what they have been reading.
• Find out more about a topic in the next section of the selection.
Text Features
Sample Questions
Words
• What does this word mean?
• Are there any context clues to help me
figure out the meaning of the word?
Structure
• How is the selection organized?
• Is there a sequence of events, or are there
steps in a process?
Main Idea
• What is the most important idea in the
selection?
• Which details support the most important
idea?
Author’s Purpose
• What is the author trying to say about
the topic?
© Harcourt
• What else would I like to learn about
the topic?
Grade 4, Lesson 24
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L24.indd R88
R88
Ask Questions
10/24/06 5:11:08 PM
Ask Questions
© Harcourt
The mangrove snapper is a small fish. It grows only about 18 inches
long and weighs no more than ten pounds. Large groups of this fish
live in the mangrove habitats of the southern Florida coast. There, they
are relatively safe from predators such as larger fish, sharks, eels,
and barracudas. During the day, the fish swim in large schools. At
night, the mangrove snapper comes out to feed on the abundant food
sources in the habitat. Mangrove snappers may stay in one place for as
long as four years because of the large supply of smaller fish, shrimp,
crabs, and other sea creatures and the safety of the habitat.
The mangrove forest is most important, though, in serving as
a “nursery” for young mangrove snappers. Adult snappers release
their eggs around the full moon at several different times during the
year. The fertilized eggs hatch about 20 hours later and settle into
the interior of the mangrove habitat where they are safe from large
predators. Among the mangrove roots, they find a rich supply of tiny
fish called plankton. As they grow to adulthood, they feed on shellfish,
worms, and other small sea creatures. When the young snappers
become adult, they move into coastal reefs closer to the open sea.
Grade 4, Lesson 24
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L24.indd R89
R89
Ask Questions
10/24/06 5:11:15 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. remarkable A remarkable thing is something very
special in a way that makes other people notice it.
2. suitable Something is suitable if it is right for
whatever it is being used for.
3. advantage When someone takes advantage of
something, he or she makes good use of it.
4. extract When you extract something, you carefully
pull it out of something else.
5. withstand If you withstand a difficult time, you are
able to get through it all right.
6. stealthy A stealthy animal is one that stays quiet
© Harcourt
and hidden as it moves about, so that others do not
notice it.
Grade 4, Lesson 24
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L24.indd R90
R90
Robust Vocabulary
10/24/06 5:11:24 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Skunk Scout” by Laurence Yep
© Harcourt
We lived on Clay Street above Powell, so it was a
steep walk down to the fish store. Between the tall
buildings, I could see a blue square that was the
bay. Oakland was a smudge hidden in the haze on
the horizon. Somewhere in the distance, I heard the
clang of a cable car bell.
The coffee shops and bakeries had opened long
ago. The smell of tea and coffee mixed with the smell
of fresh bread and cakes.
Grade 4, Lesson 25
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L25.indd R91
R91
Fluency
1/15/07 4:47:32 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. destinations Destinations are the places people
are going to.
2. aspects The aspects of a place or thing are its
features and elements.
3. vigorously If you do something vigorously, you
do it with energy and enthusiasm.
4. reconstruct To reconstruct something that has
been damaged or destroyed means to rebuild it.
5. gorgeous A gorgeous person or thing is attractive
and stunning.
6. festive Something that is festive is colorful
and exciting.
7. ornate Something that is ornate is decorated with
a lot of complicated patterns.
8. symbolize If an animal or an object symbolizes
something, it represents that thing.
9. expectantly When you wait expectantly for
something, you eagerly look forward to it.
10. misfortune Misfortune is something unlucky or
© Harcourt
unpleasant that happens to someone.
Grade 4, Lesson 25
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L25.indd R92
R92
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:47:37 PM
Vocabulary Passage
© Harcourt
It was the day of the big parade to celebrate the Chinese New Year!
June, Pete, and Mei were on a student committee that planned several
aspects of the celebration. Their main project had been to reconstruct
a famous lion float from the past, using old photographs. The float
was nearly ready. The last step was to decorate it.
The three friends giggled with excitement as they ran to meet
their classmates. Pete was in charge of handing out the ornate
costumes, which were made out of red and gold fabric. June and Mei
led a group of students to decorate the float. At the center of the
float stood a golden lion, ready to ward off misfortune. Around the
sides, they added gorgeous fresh flowers and festive streamers.
They used mostly red flowers, because the color is meant to
symbolize good luck.
Mei called out, “We have twenty minutes until we line up for the
parade!” Everyone worked vigorously to finish the float.
The students made their way to a side street where the parade
marchers gathered. The streets were crowded with people moving
toward various destinations around Chinatown. Everyone was waiting
expectantly for the celebration to begin. “Happy New Year,” June
called to her friends, “and remember to smile!”
Grade 4, Lesson 25
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L25.indd R93
R93
Vocabulary Passage
1/15/07 4:47:42 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “A Dinosaur Lives, Virtually” by Amy S. Hansen
© Harcourt
A group of researchers stared at their specimen,
a skeleton of Triceratops—the three-horned
dinosaur from the Cretaceous period. Usually these
creatures were nearly 30 feet long, but to these
paleontologists, the dino wasn’t any bigger than
Fido. Grabbing a leg bone, a researcher pumped the
joints. “So,” she asked her colleagues, “did it move
this way or this way?”
Grade 4, Lesson 26
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L26.indd R94
R94
Fluency
1/15/07 4:48:17 PM
Summarize
Dragon Legends Around the World
© Harcourt
For centuries, people around the world have told
stories about legendary creatures known as dragons. In
Western countries, dragons are usually thought of as huge
fire-breathing lizards with leathery wings. In most myths
and legends, these dragons are dangerous creatures who
are up to no good. Many tales tell about a hero who
successfully hunted dragons. Heracles, for example,
overpowered a many-headed dragon.
In Eastern countries such as China and Japan, dragons
often represent good luck. The kind, wise dragons of Asia
look a little like long snakes. Although they are shown flying,
many do not have wings. Some historians think that the
Chinese dragon developed from images of fish or crocodiles.
Grade 4, Lesson 26
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L26.indd R95
R95
Summarize
1/15/07 4:48:23 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. contraption A contraption is a strange-looking
machine or device.
2. roamed If a creature roamed an area, it wandered
around there.
3. massive Something massive is very large and
heavy.
4. submerged If something is submerged, it is
beneath the surface of a body of water.
5. elegant Something elegant is graceful and
pleasing to look at.
6. obstacles Obstacles are things that get in your way
when you are going somewhere or trying to reach a
goal.
7. complicated Something that is complicated has
many parts that are connected in ways that make it
hard to understand.
© Harcourt
8. eerie Something that is eerie is strange and makes
people feel afraid.
Grade 4, Lesson 26
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L26.indd R96
R96
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:48:27 PM
Paraphrase
When you paraphrase, you retell what an author has said in your own
words, without changing the meaning.
• Replace some words with synonyms.
• Change the order of the words.
• Remember that there is more than one way to paraphrase a sentence.
Example 1:
ORIGINAL SENTENCE:
Long ago, people believed that the huge ancient bones they found
were the remains of mythical creatures.
WORDS REPLACED WITH SYNONYMS:
In the past, people thought that the gigantic old bones they
discovered were the remains of legendary beasts.
WORD ORDER CHANGED:
When people discovered gigantic old bones in the past, they
thought they had found the remains of legendary beasts.
Example 2:
ORIGINAL SENTENCE:
We know of more than 1,000 species of dinosaurs. More dinosaurs
are being discovered every year.
WORDS REPLACED WITH SYNONYMS:
© Harcourt
WORD ORDER CHANGED:
Grade 4, Lesson 26
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L26.indd R97
LA97
R97
97
Paraphrase
1/15/07 4:48:33 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Over the Edge” by Gloria Skurzynski
and Alane Ferguson
Introduction
Jack Landon is visiting the Grand Canyon for the first
time. His sister, Ashley, and their parents, Olivia
and Steven, have awoken early to watch the sun rise
across the canyon.
Over the Edge
© Harcourt
The sky was lightening in the east, sending out
delicate rays, burning the tips of the piñon pines
until they looked as if they were on fire. The air itself
seemed touched with gold. A walkway arced from
the parking lot toward a small building; next to it
were more pines, more slices of sky touching distant
mountaintops, and yet, with less than a hundred
yards to go, the view of the canyon itself eluded him.
Grade 4, Lesson 27
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L27.indd R98
R98
Fluency
1/15/07 4:48:59 PM
Summarize
World Wonders
© Harcourt
Did you know that the ancient Greeks had tourist
guidebooks? The most famous guidebook was a list of
things to see in ancient Greece and the surrounding
Mediterranean area. You may have heard of it, since it
became very famous over the ages. It was called the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
still exists today. It is the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
All the others were destroyed over time. That doesn’t
mean that there are no wonders left, though. Many
other amazing natural and human-built wonders have
been discovered or created since that time. Many new
“Seven Wonders” lists have been created as well. One
example is “The Seven Wonders of the “Natural World,”
which includes the Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, and
Mount Everest.
Grade 4, Lesson 27
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L27.indd R99
R99
Summarize
1/15/07 4:49:05 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. ancient Something ancient is very, very old.
2. distant Something distant is very far away.
3. sentries Sentries are people who stand as guards
around a camp, building, or other area.
4. glistens Something that glistens looks wet and
shiny.
5. embedded If an object is embedded in something,
it is stuck firmly in it.
6. cascading Cascading water falls or rushes
downward very fast.
7. weary If you are weary, you are very tired from
working hard at something and you want to stop.
© Harcourt
8. eroding Something that is eroding is being slowly
scraped away a little at a time, often by the force of
moving water or strong wind.
Grade 4, Lesson 27
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L27.indd R100
R100
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:49:10 PM
Use Graphic Aids
TYPES OF GRAPHIC AIDS
Graphic Aid
Purpose
map
to show where places are
diagram
to show parts of things
graph
to compare information
chart
to display different kinds of information
Rainfall in the Grand Canyon
Very little rainfall reaches the bottom of the Grand Canyon. From the
end of summer through the beginning of fall, the rainfall declines
steadily. In fact, the August rainfall is about three and one-half times
more than November rainfall.
Inches of Rainfall in the Grand Canyon
Inches of rainfall
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
Aug.
Grade 4, Lesson 27
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L27.indd R101
Sept.
Oct.
R101
© Harcourt
0.2
Nov.
Use Graphic Aids
1/15/07 4:49:15 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “The Six Mississippis” by Dell J. McCormick
© Harcourt
The first winter Paul spent in Wisconsin he cut
so many logs that the northern sawmills couldn’t
handle the output, so Paul decided to drive them
down the Mississippi to New Orleans. However, at
that time there were six Mississippis, not just one
main river as we know it now. They all flowed south,
and you couldn’t tell one from another. It led to many
mistakes, but nothing was really ever done about it
until Paul came along.
When spring came he decided to send Big Joe,
the river boss in charge of the first batch of logs.
The men worked night and day getting the logs in
the river, and Paul waved goodbye to Joe and his
men as they went out of sight around the first bend.
Everything went along nicely for the first few days.
The river was wide and swift and everybody thought
they would soon be in New Orleans, but it turned
out later they were on the wrong Mississippi, for
it suddenly turned west and wandered all over the
state of Texas. Joe and his river crew finally ended up
at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had to sell the logs
to the Indians for whatever they could get.
Grade 4, Lesson 28
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L28.indd 102
R102
Fluency
1/15/07 4:50:49 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
© Harcourt
People tell a tale like this in west Africa.
Once long, long ago, a farmer planted a single pumpkin seed. This
seed sprouted into a vine that soon encircled his entire village. In
time it produced a pumpkin that grew to be as large and as heavy as a
hippopotamus.
When fall came, the pumpkin’s skin turned reddish orange. “Now
I can make soup for the whole village,” the farmer said. He hacked
through the pumpkin’s stem and began poking his knife through its
vermilion cloak.
“Ouch!” screamed the angry pumpkin. “Stop hurting me!”
Though he was quite surprised to hear the pumpkin talk, the farmer
did not stop his cutting. “You are ripe, and ripe vegetables must be
eaten before they spoil. I must dice you without further delay,” he told
the pumpkin.
Seething with fury, the pumpkin started rolling toward the farmer.
The farmer raced away downhill, but the pumpkin pursued him. Just as
he was about to be flattened, the desperate farmer leaped sideways
like a gazelle. Unable to stop, the pumpkin continued tumbling
downhill, fell on a sharp-edged boulder, and split in two.
Its top half became the sky. Its bottom half became the earth.
Its seeds became the stars. Its skin wrapped around the sun, which
turned orange. And the farmer became the first person to grow
vegetables in this bright new world.
Grade 4, Lesson 28
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L28.indd 103
R103
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
1/15/07 4:50:54 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. behemoth Something called a behemoth is
extremely large.
2. cordially To say something cordially is to say it
in a warm, friendly way.
3. hearty If a meal is hearty, it is satisfying and
includes plenty of good food.
4. fanciful Something that is fanciful is not real but
comes from the imagination.
5. scenic A scenic place has lovely natural features,
such as trees, cliffs, or bodies of water.
6. colossal Something that is colossal is huge.
7. illusion An illusion is something that is not
© Harcourt
really what it appears to be.
Grade 4, Lesson 28
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L28.indd 104
R104
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:50:58 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “Matthew Henson: The Man ‘On Top of the World’” by Dennis
Denenberg and Lorraine Roscoe
© Harcourt
By 1900 humans had been almost everywhere
on this planet’s land surface—everywhere, that is,
except the North and South Poles.
Adventure: It was in his blood. Risk taking: It
was part of his way of life. To escape from a difficult
childhood, Matthew Henson set out to sea when
only twelve years old. Through “on-the-job” training
he learned math, reading, and navigation skills.
By the age of twenty-one, he was an experienced
world traveler. Then fate stepped in. Hensen was
working in a fur and supplies store when an explorer
named Robert Peary came in to buy some items. He
mentioned that he needed a servant to accompany
him on an expedition to Nicaragua. Guess whom
he chose?
Grade 4, Lesson 29
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L29.indd R105
R105
Fluency
11/1/06 3:44:40 PM
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
© Harcourt
In John Muir’s time, the second half of the nineteenth
century, adventurers were still exploring distant parts
of America unknown to its citizens. But even then, the
wilderness areas of the nation were rapidly growing
smaller. At Muir’s urging, the first national parks were
created and wilderness protection organizations such as
the Sierra Club were born. A generation later, people such
as Ansel Adams would begin to support conservation with
a new level of dedication.
One of the greatest landscape photographers in
the history of the art, Ansel Adams felt a passionate
connection with the landscapes he photographed.
Carrying on John Muir’s legacy, he spent long periods
of time in the wilderness and worked tirelessly to raise
awareness about conservation efforts. More than anything
else, though, he used his photography to display the
amazing and fragile beauty of the natural world.
Grade 4, Lesson 29
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L29.indd R106
R106
Monitor Comprehension: Reread
11/1/06 3:44:45 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. dedicated If you are dedicated to achieving a
goal, you are devoting yourself to that purpose.
2. determined A determined person will do everything
possible to try to accomplish a task.
3. dainty Something that is dainty is small and
delicate.
4. coddled Someone who has been coddled has
been treated too kindly or protected too much.
5. pitiful If something is pitiful, it is so sad and
weak that people feel sorry for it.
6. endured Someone who has endured hardships
has used personal strength to survive them.
7. memorable If something is memorable, it is worth
© Harcourt
remembering.
Grade 4, Lesson 29
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L29.indd R107
R107
Robust Vocabulary
11/1/06 3:44:50 PM
Model Oral Fluency
from “‘Detective’ Work” by Rosalie F. Baker
© Harcourt
Analyzing shipwrecks is similar to detective
work. Divers must always remember: The crews of
ships in trouble often tossed overboard unnecessary
cargo, including cannons, to lighten their load. Some
ships in distress went for a kilometer before actually
sinking. An entire ship did not always sink and settle
in one spot. Thus, as much may be learned from the
“scatter” or “spill” of a sinking vessel as from the
ship itself.
Grade 4, Lesson 30
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L30.indd 108
R108
Fluency
1/15/07 4:51:24 PM
Robust Vocabulary
1. distinguished A distinguished person stands out
from others in a job or field of work.
2. verify If you verify something, you check to make
sure that it is true by using very careful research.
3. discern If you discern things, you are aware of them
and are able to tell differences between them.
4. dubious A person who feels dubious is doubtful or
unsure about something.
5. descend When you descend, you move downward.
6. frantically To behave frantically is to behave in a
wild, energetic way.
7. estimate When you estimate an amount of
something, you make a careful guess about how
many things there are in it.
8. vicinity If something is in the vicinity, it is nearby.
9. abruptly If you do something abruptly, you do it
very suddenly.
10. scrutinize When you scrutinize something, you
© Harcourt
examine it carefully to find out some information
about it.
Grade 4, Lesson 30
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L30.indd 109
R109
Robust Vocabulary
1/15/07 4:51:29 PM
Vocabulary Passage
© Harcourt
Leon and Shondra stood on some rocks overlooking a
beach. “I bet there’s treasure buried in this vicinity!” Leon
said.
Shondra looked dubious. “What makes you say that?” she
asked.
“I heard there was a shipwreck here,” Leon answered.
“They never found it, though. I estimate there are two tons of
gold buried nearby!”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Shondra.
“You bet,” Leon said. “One ton for you, and one ton for
me. Let’s search!”
The two friends started to descend the path to the beach.
Then Shondra stopped abruptly and pointed to some jagged
rocks below them. “Let’s look there. Maybe the ship crashed
on those rocks.”
They ran to the rocks and dug frantically beside them,
hoping to find a clue. Leon hit something that looked rusty
and old. At first they couldn’t discern what it was. They took a
few moments to scrutinize the object and realized that it was
a necklace.
“It looks like something a distinguished lady would
wear,” Shondra said. “We need someone to verify that it’s old
and valuable!”
Leon and Shondra carefully wrapped the necklace and
headed for home.
Grade 4, Lesson 30
3374_Trans_Read_Gr4_L30.indd 110
R110
Vocabulary Passage
1/15/07 4:51:34 PM
Characters
Setting
© Harcourt
Plot Events
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 1
GO1
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:05 PM
© Harcourt
Both
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 2
GO2
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 3:06:20 PM
Characters
Setting
Conflict
Plot Events
© Harcourt
Resolution
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 3
GO3
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 3:06:26 PM
© Harcourt
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 4
GO4
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:24 PM
Cause
© Harcourt
Effect
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 5
GO5
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:29 PM
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
© Harcourt
Event 4
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 6
GO6
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:34 PM
© Harcourt
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 7
GO7
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:39 PM
© Harcourt
Grade 4
RXENL08ATP4X_GO.indd 8
GO8
Graphic Organizer
2/8/07 2:24:44 PM