SAMPLER READER - Benchmark Education Companytxintervention.benchmarkeducation.com/files/BE1520_STAAR...homeward. In the still evening air, the fearsome wolf’s piping carried far

3grade

My STAAR

READER

SAMPLER

® B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

STA RBe a Reading

Also available in

SPANISH

NEW Summer School Intervention Program

in English and Spanish

grades

3–5

STA RBe a Reading

TEKS Standards Addressed Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Reporting Category 1

3.4(A)* 4.2(A)* 5.2(A)*

3.4(B)* 4.2(B)* 5.2(B)*

3.4(C) 4.2(E)* 5.2(E)*

4.7(A) 5.3(A)

Fig. 19(F)* Fig. 19(F)*


3.2(B) 4.3(A) 5.3(B)

3.5(A) 4.3(B) 5.3(C)

3.6 4.4(A) 5.4(A)

3.6(A) 4.5(A) 5.5

3.8(A)* 4.6(A)* 5.6(A)*

3.8(B)* 4.6(B)* 5.6(B)*

3.9 4.6(C) 5.6(C)

3.10(A) 4.8(A) 5.7(A)

3.16 4.14 5.8(A)*

Fig. 19(D)** Fig. 19(D)* 5.14(C)

Fig. 19(E)** Fig. 19(E)* 5.14(D)

5.14(E)

Fig. 19(D)*

Fig. 19(E)*


3.12 4.10 5.10(A)

3.13(A)* 4.11(A)* 5.11(A)*

3.13(B)* 4.11(B) 5.11(B)

3.13(C)* 4.11(C)* 5.11(C)*

3.13(D)* 4.11(D)* 5.11(D)*

3.15(B) 4.13(A) 5.11(E)*

3.16 4.13(B) 5.12(A)

Fig. 19(D)* 4.14 5.12(B)

Fig. 19(E)* Fig. 19(D)* 5.13(A)

Fig. 19(E)* 5.13(B)

5.14(C)

5.14(D)

Fig. 19(D)*

Fig. 19(E)* * indicates a Readiness Standard ** indicates a Readiness Standard when paired with fiction

3 4 5

Biography ✓ ✓ ✓

Fables ✓

Fairy Tales ✓

Folktales ✓ ✓

Informational Texts: Science

✓ ✓ ✓

Informational Texts: Social Studies

✓ ✓ ✓

Myths ✓ ✓

Persuasive Letters ✓

Plays ✓

Poetry ✓ ✓ ✓

Pourquoi Tales ✓ ✓

Procedural Text ✓

Realistic Fiction ✓ ✓ ✓

Genres Covered per Grade

• Explicit daily instruction of the STAAR Supporting and Readiness standards, including Figure 19, increases students’ chance of passing the next STAAR assessment.

• Whole- and small-group texts

are grouped with focus on a specific genre to prepare students for a better understanding of genre.

• Differentiated reading passages, with instruction providing scaffolding from one level to the next, provide an acceleration plan.

My STAAR Grade 3

READERTable of Contents

Fairy Tales ................................................................. 2

Fables ........................................................................ 20

Informational Texts: Science ..................................... 38

Folktales .................................................................... 58

Biography .................................................................. 76

Poetry ....................................................................... 94

Informational Texts: Social Studies ........................... 104

Realistic Fiction ......................................................... 124

Poetry ....................................................................... 140

Informational Texts: Social Studies ........................... 150

Biography .................................................................. 160

Pourquoi Tales ........................................................... 170

Informational Texts: Science ..................................... 180

Sample Unit

Sample Unit

20My STAAR Reader • Grade 3 • ©2015 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Focus on the Genre

FablesWhat is a fable?A fable is a very short story. All fables teach a lesson, or moral. In most fables, the characters are animals.

What is the purpose of fables?Fables teach people lessons. Fables point out foibles that people have. A foible is a character flaw. Being boastful is a flaw. Being dishonest is also a flaw. Fables show why the flaw is bad. Fables are also fun to read.

How do you read a fable?The title will tell you who the main characters are. Each character stands for ways that humans behave. Note what happens to the main characters. Think about how the events teach the moral.

Who invented fables?People have told fables for thousands of years. Ancient peoples around the world told fables. Later, in the Middle Ages, people continued this way of storytelling. Today, some authors still use this genre.


Features of a Fable

The story is short.

The main characters are

usually animals.

At least one character has a flaw or problem.

One character learns something

from another character.

The story has a moral stated

at the end.


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Remember to annotate the text as you read!

1 There was once a little kid whose growing horns made him think he was a grown-up billy goat and able to take care of himself. So one evening when the flock started home from the pasture and his mother called, the kid paid no heed. He kept right on nibbling the grass. A little later when he lifted his head, the flock was gone.

The Wolf and the Kid

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2 The kid was all alone. The sun was sinking. Long shadows came creeping over the ground. A chilly wind came too, making scary noises in the grass. The kid shivered as he thought of the terrible wolf. He started wildly across the field, bleating for his mother. But halfway home, near a clump of trees, there was the frightful wolf!

3 The kid knew there was little hope for him.

4 “Please, Mr. Wolf,” he said, “I know you are going to eat me. But first please play me a tune, for I want to dance and be merry as long as I can.”

5 The dreadful wolf liked the idea of a little music before eating, so he struck up a merry tune. The kid leaped and frisked gaily.

6 Meanwhile, the flock was moving slowly homeward. In the still evening air, the fearsome wolf’s piping carried far. The shepherd dogs pricked up their ears. They knew the song the wolf sings before a feast, and in a moment they were racing back to the pasture. The wolf ended his song suddenly and fled in fear. With the dogs at his heels, he called himself a fool for turning piper to please a kid.

7 Do not let anything turn you from your purpose.

Whole-Group • Reading Passage


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Events Summary

Find Text Evidence toIdentify Sequence of Events/Summarize the Text

The kid stays

behind in the field.

The kid is alone

with wolf and is

afraid.

The kid tricks the

wolf.

When a kid doesn’t listen to his

mother, he is left alone in a field

where he meets the scary wolf.

The kid is very afraid, but has a

plan to trick the wolf and in the

end he gets away safely.

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Graphic Organizers


The Wolf and the Kid’s Relationship

Text Evidence

Beginning

End

Find Text Evidence to Analyze Characters

Kid is afraid of the wolf.

The wolf is frustrated by

the kid

Paragraph 3: “The kid

knew there was little hope

for him.”

Paragraph 4: “I know you

are going to eat me.”

Paragraph 6: “. . . he

called himself a fool for

turning piper to please a

kid”

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Graphic Organizers


Text Evidence Questions

1 What kind of animal is “the kid”?

Text Evidence:

2 What does the phrase “paid no heed” mean in paragraph 1?

Text Evidence:

3 Tell in your own words what the sentence in paragraph 3 means.

Text Evidence:

4 Who was the wolf upset with at the end of the story?

Text Evidence:

A young billy goat.

“There was once a little kid whose growing horns

made him think he was a grown-up billy goat.”

did not listen, or paid no attention

“. . . his mother called, the kid paid no heed. He kept right

on nibbling the grass.”

The kid was all alone and he saw the wolf so he knew that the wolf

would probably eat him.

“The kid was all alone.”

“But halfway home, near a clump of trees, there was the frightful wolf!”

Himself

“. . . he called himself a fool for turning piper to please a kid.”

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Practice QuestionsSTAAR pRep

✓

1 In paragraph 2, what does the word frightful mean?

A Having no fear

B The act of fear

C Causing fear

D A person who has fear

2 The dogs raced back to the pasture because they knew that -

F the wolf was close enough for them to catch him

G the kid was lost

H the wolf was going to eat the kid

J the kid had trapped the wolf

3 What is the main theme of the story?

A If you work hard you will always get what you want.

B Don’t take your mind off your goal.

C You can’t tell what someone is like by the way he or she looks.

D It is easier to sing than to work for what you want.


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Remember to take notes!

1 Town Mouse and Country Mouse were cousins. Growing up, they spent summers together.

2 They were close, but they had different opinions. Each mouse believed where he lived was the best place on Earth.

3 “The country is better than the town,” said Country Mouse. “Come over and you will see.”

4 “Country Mouse,” said Town Mouse, “you work like a dog. Why do you work so hard?”

5 “I need to have good food for winter,” said Country Mouse. “Look how much I have stored up. This is why the country is better than the town. Don’t you agree?”

6 Town Mouse said, “Let me taste your food. Then I will answer.” He took a few bites and then twitched his nose.

Town Mouse and Country Mouse

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7 “Well?” said Country Mouse. “What do you think?”

8 “You do have lots of food in the country,” Town Mouse said. “But it is so plain. The town food is tastier. Visit me and I will show you.”

9 Country Mouse visited the town. Town Mouse was determined to show Country Mouse that the town was the better place. They went to a trash can.

10 “At night, people leave this food here,” said Town Mouse. “I don’t have to work for my food like you do. Look—there’s pizza. There’s cake! Yum!”

11 The two cousins jumped into the can. The food was tasty. Country Mouse ate everything. “You were right!” said Country Mouse. “That was delicious. That was the tastiest food I have ever eaten.”

12 Town Mouse said, “Say it, Cousin. The town is better than the country.”

13 Suddenly the mice heard a noise coming toward them. Country Mouse was scared. “What is that?” he asked.

14 “Why, you’re afraid of your own shadow!” said Town Mouse. “In the town, there are many scary noises. They sound bad. But do not worry.”

15 The sound grew closer. It grew louder. Country Mouse’s heart beat quickly.

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Bridge Text • Reading PassageBRIDGE


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16 “I may be from the country, but that’s not just a noise. That’s a cat!”

17 “Yes, it is,” said Town Mouse. “Every night the cat tries to catch me. Every night I run away. It’s fun!”

18 “Not to me!” cried Country Mouse. “I do not like that game.” He ran out from the trash can. He ran all the way home.

19 The town had a lot of good food that was easy to get. But in the country, he was safe from cats.

20 Moral: It is better to work hard and live in peace, than to barely work and live in fear.

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1 Town Mouse and Country Mouse were cousins. While they were growing up, they often spent summers together.

2 Although the two mice were close, they had different opinions about many things. For example, each mouse believed that where he lived was the best place on Earth.

3 “The country is infinitely better than the town,” said Country Mouse. “When you come for a visit, you’ll agree that’s true.”

4 However, Town Mouse was not convinced. “Country Cousin,” he said, “you work like a dog! Why is it that you work so hard all the time?”

5 “It’s important to have a good stash of food stored away for the winter,” explained Country Mouse. “Look at how much delicious food I have stored up already. This is why the country is better than the town. Don’t you agree?”

Town Mouse and Country Mouse

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ACCELERATE TEXT

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6 Town Mouse said, “Let me taste your food first, and then I’ll decide.” He took a few bites, and then twitched his nose.

7 “Well?” demanded Country Mouse. “What do you think?”

8 “It’s true that you do have a great deal of food in the country,”

9 Town Mouse agreed. “But you have to admit that your food is very plain. Our town food is so much tastier. If you visit me, I’m sure you’ll agree that our food is truly delicious.”

10 Country Mouse visited his cousin in the town. Determined to show Country Mouse that the town was the better place, Town Mouse took his cousin to his favorite dining spot, a trash can.

11 “At night, people leave food here,” Town Mouse explained. “Unlike you, I don’t have to work for my food. I just have to rummage through these trash cans. Look—there’s pizza. There’s cake! Yum!”

12 The two cousins jumped into the garbage. Indeed, the food was very tasty, and Country Mouse ate everything he could find. “You were right!” said Country Mouse. “Your food is scrumptious. In fact, that was probably the tastiest food I have ever eaten.”

13 Town Mouse said, “Admit it, Cousin. The town is a much better place than the country.”

14 Suddenly the mice heard a noise racing toward them. Terrified, Country Mouse asked, “What is that?”

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BRIDGEAccelerate Text • Reading Passage

ACCELERATE


Notes:

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15 “Why, you’re afraid of your own shadow!” exclaimed Town Mouse. “In the town, there are many noises. They might sound frightening, but they are nothing to worry about.”

16 Still the sound grew louder and closer, and Country Mouse’s heart beat quickly.

17 “I may be from the country, but that’s not just a noise. That’s a cat!”

18 “Indeed it is,” said Town Mouse. “Every night the cat tries to catch me. Every night I run away and escape from him. It’s a lot of fun!”

19 “Not for me!” cried Country Mouse. “I do not like that game one bit.”

20 He jumped out of the trash can, and the terrified mouse ran all the way home.

21 The town had a lot of good food that was easy to find. However, the Country Mouse knew that in the country, he would be safe from cats.

22 Moral: It is better to work hard and live in peace, than to barely work and live in fear.

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BRIDGEAccelerate Text • Reading Passage

ACCELERATE



1 How are the ways the two mice get their food different?

Text Evidence:

2 Why does the country mouse believe it is better to live in the country than in the town?

Text Evidence:

3 Why does the town mouse believe it is better to live in the town than in the country?

Text Evidence:

4 Do you think the town mouse agrees with the moral of this story? Why or why not?

Text Evidence:

The country mouse gets his food by searching for it and storing it.

The town mouse finds food already there and eats it.

“Why do you work so hard?” “I need to have good food for winter,”said

Country Mouse. “Look how much I have stored up.”

“At night, people leave this food here,” said Town Mouse. “I don’t have to

work for my food like you do. Look—there’s pizza. There’s cake! Yum!”

It is safer and more peaceful in the country than in the town.

“But in the country, he was safe from cats.”

It is more fun and the food is better.

“The town food is tastier.” “Every night the cat tries to catch me.

Every night I run away. It’s fun!”

No, because he doesn’t think it is better to work hard.

“I don’t have to work for my food like you do.”

“Town Mouse said,” Say it, Cousin. The town is better


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✓

1 Read this dictionary entry below.

can \’can\ 1. noun: a jail 2. noun: a metal container 3. verb: to be able to 4. verb: to have a special skill

Which meaning best fits the way can is used in paragraph 11?

A Meaning 1

B Meaning 2

C Meaning 3

D Meaning 4

2 What is the main theme of the story?

A Working hard with your friends is better than not working with your enemies.

B Eating plain food is better than eating fancy food.

C It is better to live in the country than in the city.

D It is better to work and be safe than not work and be in danger.

3 What is the most likely reason that the cat was included in the story?

A So that the country mouse would realize that he would rather live in the country.

B So that the town mouse would realize that he would rather live in town.

C So that the country mouse would realize that life in the country is boring.

D So that the town mouse would realize that food in the country is plain.


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The moral of “The Wolf and the Kid” is “Do not let anything turn you from your purpose.” Which character was turned from his purpose? Use examples from the fable when writing your response.Use the planning chart to organize your ideas, then write on the lines below.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

CharacterCharacter’s

Purpose or GoalCharacter’s

Actions

Writing

The Kid to escape from the

wolf

tricks the wolf into

playing a song

The wolf was turned from his purpose. He planned to eat the kid, but

instead he fell for the kid’s trick, and the kid got away.

The Wolf to eat the kid he plays a song and

lets himself be tricked

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CharacterWhat I liked or did not like and why

Text Evidence

Wolf

Kid

Digging Deeper into Analyzing Character

Part 1: Complete the sentences about analyzing characters.

1 To analyze characters in a story I look at what the characters _______

_______________________________________________________________________

2 Character relationships means _________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Part 2: You told what the two main characters were like in the beginning and the end of “The Wolf and the Kid.” Now think back about what you liked or did not like about each character and tell why. Use text evidence to show what you liked and did not like. Then tell why.

Share your answers with a partner.

feel, think, do, say

how characters get along with each other

“The kid paid no

heed. He kept right on

nibbling the grass.”

I liked that he sang

a song because I

thought it was funny

“The dreadful wolf

liked the idea of a little

music before eating.”

I didn’t like that he

didn’t listen to his

mother because that

was dangerous.

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Focus on the Genre

Informational Texts: Science

What is an informational text?An informational text is a nonfiction text that presents information in an accurate and organized way. It is often about a single subject such as animal behavior, weather, or a scientific discovery.

What is the purpose of informational texts?Informational texts have one main purpose: to inform. The best informational writing pulls readers in and makes them want to keep reading and to know more about the topic.

How do you read an informational text?Look for facts and the details that support them. Read critically to make sure conclusions make sense. Ask yourself: Did I learn something new from this text? Do I want to know more about it? Can I draw my own conclusions from what I have read?

Who writes informational texts?Writers who know their topic well write good informational text. They do this by becoming mini-experts on the subject they are writing about. They make sure that they support the information in their work with scientific data, graphics, and expert evidence. They use primary sources, like photographs.


The text has a strong beginning that hooks the

reader.

The information is accurate, and the facts have been checked.

The text has a strong ending

that keeps readers thinking.

The text uses primary sources when appropriate.

The information includes

graphics that support the

text.

The text has a logical

organization of major concepts.

Features of an

Informational Text: Science


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Remember to annotate the text as you read!

1 Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Jupiter is so large that all of the other planets in the solar system could fit inside it. More than 1,000 Earths would fit inside Jupiter.

2 Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun. From Earth, it is almost always the second brightest planet in the sky. Venus is brighter. The planet is named after Jupiter. He was the king of the Roman gods.

3 Jupiter is made of the same things that stars are made of. In fact, Jupiter would have become a star if it were about 80 times bigger.

Jupiter is known for its stripes and large red spot.

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JupiterWhole-Group Reading Passage

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What Is Jupiter Like?

4 Jupiter is a giant gas planet. The planet is covered in thick red, brown, yellow, and white clouds. Jupiter is a very windy planet with winds that blow more than 400 mph. That is faster than hurricanes and tornadoes!

5 Jupiter is famous for its Great Red Spot. The swirling red spot is a giant spinning storm. It looks like a hurricane. Almost three-and-a-half Earths would fit across the storm.

The Galileo spacecraft took this photo of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot in 1996.

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6 Jupiter has three thin rings. The rings were found in 1979 by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft. Jupiter’s rings are made up mostly of tiny bits of dust.

7 Jupiter rotates, or spins, faster than any other planet. A day on Jupiter is about 10 hours long. It is so far from the sun that it takes 12 Earth years for Jupiter to make one trip around the sun. That means one year on Jupiter is 12 years on Earth.

8 It is very cold on Jupiter. Gravity is different, too. There is more gravity on Jupiter than on Earth. Someone who weighs 100 pounds on Earth would weigh about 240 pounds on Jupiter.

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How Many Moons Does Jupiter Have?

9 Right now, sixty-two moons have been found around Jupiter. The last time a moon was found was in 2003. The planet’s four largest moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These four moons are known as the Galilean satellites because they were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610.

10 The largest of Jupiter’s moons is named Ganymede. It is the largest moon in the solar system. Ganymede is larger than Mercury and Pluto. Io has a lot of volcanoes; Europa is covered with water ice.

Jupiter’s four largest moons▲

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NASA’s Juno mission will study how Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, formed and became the dynamic world it is today.

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How Has NASA Explored Jupiter?

11 Scientists use telescopes on Earth to study Jupiter. The Hubble Space Telescope has taken pictures of Jupiter. NASA has sent eight spacecraft to Jupiter. The missions studied Jupiter’s atmosphere, surface, moons, and rings. The missions took close-up pictures of some of the unusual things found on Jupiter.

How Is NASA Exploring Jupiter Today?

12 A new spacecraft is going to Jupiter. NASA’s Juno spacecraft launched in August 2011. It will get to Jupiter in 2016. Juno will orbit closer to Jupiter than any other spacecraft. Juno will take the first pictures around Jupiter’s north and south poles.

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Question Text Feature Answer

What is Jupiter Like?

How many moons does Jupiter have?

How has NASA explored Jupiter?

Text Evidence

Captions

Heading

Photographs

Captions

Heading

Captions

Photograph

It is red and has rings

and a large spot

62

Telescopes

Spacecraft

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Text Evidence/Main Idea

Main Idea

Supporting Details

It has rings It has 62 moons

There are many interesting things

about Jupiter.

It is a gas planet

It is very cold on Jupiter

It spins quickly

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1 Why didn’t Jupiter become a star?

Text Evidence:

2 Which is closer to the Sun: Jupiter or Earth? How can you tell?

Text Evidence:

3 Is Ganymede larger than the Earth’s moon? How can you tell?

Text Evidence:

4 About how long does it take a spacecraft to go from Earth to Jupiter?

Text Evidence:

Yes. Since it is the largest moon in the solar system and Earth’s

moon is in the solar system it must be larger than Earth’s moon.

“The largest of Jupiter’s moons is named Ganymede.

It is the largest moon in the solar system.”

It was not big enough.

“Jupiter would have become a star if it were about 80 times big.”

Earth. It takes Earth 1 year to go around the sun, but it takes 12 years

for Jupiter to go around the sun.

about 5 years

“NASA’s Juno spacecraft launched in August 2011.

It will get to Jupiter in 2016.”

“It is so far from the sun that it takes 12 Earth years for Jupiter to

make one trip around the sun.”


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1 In paragraph 11, what does the word unusual mean?

A Not usual

B Able to be usual

C One who is usual

D Usual again

2 In which section would you find the most up-to-date information about the future of the exploration of Jupiter?

F What Is Jupiter Like?

G How Many Moons Does Jupiter Have?

H How Has NASA Explored Jupiter?

J How Is NASA Exploring Jupiter today?

3 Which of these is the best summary of the selection?

A Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. Jupiter is named after the king of the Roman gods. If Jupiter were bigger it would be a star. NASA sends spacecraft to take pictures of Jupiter.

B There are many important facts about Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. This giant gas planet is cold and has three thin rings and a giant red spot. So far 62 moons have been found around Jupiter. NASA has sent missions to take close-up pictures of this planet that is different from Earth in so many ways.

C The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter. Jupiter is a giant gas planet. Jupiter is famous for its Great Red Spot. Jupiter spins faster than any other planet. A day on Jupiter is about 10 hours long. Someone who weighs 100 pounds on Earth would weigh about 140 pounds on Jupiter. Jupiter is very different from Earth.

D Because Jupiter is so different from Earth, NASA is studying it very closely. NASA has sent eight spacecraft to Jupiter. They sent these missions to study the atmosphere, surface, moons, and rings of Jupiter. They all took close-up pictures of the things on Jupiter. NASA launched a new spacecraft to the planet in August 2011. It will get to Jupiter in 2016.

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Highlight important information!

1 Some people talk to plants. They play music for them. They say music makes plants happy. It makes them healthy. This might sound crazy. But it could be true.

2 Plants make no noises we can hear. Still scientists say plants “talk.” They don’t say words. They send messages. They warn other plants of danger.

3 Some plants use chemicals to “talk.” For example, when a cabbage is cut, it gives off a gas. The gas warns the other cabbages. It says something like, “Watch out! A plant-eater is near!” The other cabbages feel the gas. They make a poison on their leaves. This poison says, “Stay away from me!”

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What’s unusual about the fennel plant?

Fennel plant

Can Plants Talk?

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4 We know that plants respond to light. They grow toward light or sun. Now scientists say plants make sounds. They can also hear sounds.

5 Scientists wanted to test this idea. They ran an experiment. They used fennel plants. Fennel gives off chemicals. The chemicals make nearby plants grow slower. The plants take less water and food from the soil. Then the fennel can get more.

6 The scientists planted fennel next to chili plants. The chili plants grew slower than normal. Then the scientists planted new plants. This time they put the fennel inside a plastic box. The box kept the fennel’s chemicals away from the chili. The results were amazing. The chili plants grew faster than ever!

Chili plant

▲ Hey, chili plant, you’re hot!

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7 Scientists say the chili plants “knew” fennel was near. How? They say the fennel made sounds. The chili heard the sounds. The chili plants grew faster. They wanted to protect themselves from the fennel’s chemicals.

8 Scientists have also studied corn. The roots of young corn plants make clicking sounds. Sound waves travel through soil. The scientists wondered if other corn plants hear these sounds. They wanted to test this idea. So they put the corn’s roots in water. Then the scientists made clicking sounds. The roots moved toward the sounds! Scientists think the corn’s sounds warn other corn plants. Maybe the young plants wanted to stay close to others.

9 So when you see a plant next, listen to it. It may not say hello. But it could be telling other plants about you!

Corn plant

▲ Want to know more about how corn communicates?

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1 Some people talk to their plants. Some like to play music. They think it keeps plants happy and healthy. These ideas might seem a little daffy. But they just might be right.

2 Plants do not make noises we can hear. But scientists think that they can “talk.” They don’t speak words. But they send messages to other plants. They warn other plants of danger.

3 Some plants talk to one another with chemicals. For example, when a cabbage is cut or nibbled on, it gives off a gas to warn other cabbages. The message says something like, “A plant-eater is in the garden!” When the other cabbages sense the gas, they form a toxic chemical on their leaves. This poison says, “Stay away from me!”

▲

What’s unusual about the fennel plant?

Fennel plant

Can Plants Talk?

Remember to take notes!

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Accelerate Text • Reading Passage

Remember to annotate!

4 We know that plants respond to light. They grow toward the light, or the sun. Now scientists have found that plants can make and hear sounds.

5 To test this idea, a team of scientists did an experiment with fennel plants. They know that fennel gives off chemicals that slow the growth of nearby plants. The plants will take less water and food from the soil so the fennel can get more.

6 The scientists planted fennel next to chili plants. The chili plants grew slower than normal. Then the scientists did the same thing again with new plants. But this time they put the fennel inside a plastic box. The box kept the fennel’s chemicals from reaching the chili plants. The results were amazing. The chili plants grew faster than ever!

Chili plant

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7 The scientists believe the chili plants “knew” that fennel was nearby. How? They think the chili plants heard sounds from the fennel. The chili plants grew faster to protect themselves from the fennel’s chemicals.

8 Another plant the scientists studied was corn. They know that the roots of young corn plants make clicking sounds. Sound waves travel easily through soil. The scientists wanted to know if other corn plants could hear these sounds. They wanted to test this idea. So they put the corn’s roots in water. Then the scientists made clicking sounds. The roots moved toward the sounds! Scientists think the corn’s clicking sounds warn other corn plants of danger. Maybe the young plants wanted to stay close to others.

9 So the next time you pass a plant, listen closely. It may not say hello. But it might be telling other plants about you!

Corn plant

▲ Want to know more about how corn communicates?

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Accelerate Text • Reading PassageACCELERATE



1 What is the author’s opinion of people talking to plants?

Text Evidence:

2 Are the fennel’s chemicals good or bad for fennel plants? Why?

Text Evidence:

3 Do sound waves travel through water? How can you tell?

Text Evidence:

4 What is the main idea of this article?

Text Evidence:

Good. They make nearby plants take less water and food from the soil

so that the fennel plant can get more water and food.

“The chemicals make nearby plants grow slower. The plants take

less water and food from the soil. Then the fennel can get more.”

“Some people talk to plants.” “It makes them healthy.” “But it could be true.”

The author thinks they might help to make the plants healthy and happy.

Yes, because when the scientists put the corn’s roots in water and made

clicking sounds, the roots moved toward the sound, so the sound must have

traveled through the water the roots were in.

“So they put the corn’s roots in water. Then the scientists made

clicking sounds. The roots moved toward the sounds!”

Some scientists believe plants can talk to each other.

“Still scientists say plants “talk.” “Scientists say the chili plants ‘knew’

fennel was near. How? They say the fennel made sounds.” “Scientists

think the corn’s sounds warn other corn plants.”


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✓

1 Which word is a synonym of normal as it is used in paragraph 6?

A Usual

B Common

C Others

D Same

2 What is paragraph 8 mainly about?

F Scientists know corn plants make clicking sounds.

G It shows the best ways to grow corn plants.

H It shows that corn plants can hear sounds.

J Scientists know that sound waves travel through soil.

3 Look at the diagram below.

Which sentence best completes the diagram?

A The chili plants were planted next to the fennel.

B The chili plants grew slower than normal.

C The chili plants did not grow at all.

D The chili plants grew faster than ever.

CAUSE EFFECT

The fennel made sounds.

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Worksheets

Writing

What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

Jupiter is a planet. How big is Jupiter?

Is there a moon?

It is the largest

planet.

It has 62 moons.

One moon has

ice. Another has

volcanoes.

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Worksheets

Vocabulary

Base Word Add -er Add -est

largest

brightest

thinner

close

faster

thick

cold

Comparative adjectives end in -er. They compare two things.Superlative adjectives end in -est. They compare more than two things.

Example from “Jupiter”From Earth, it is almost always the second brightest planet in the sky. Venus is brighter.

Rules for adding -er or -est to adjectives:

1. Add -er or est to the base word: quick, quicker, quickest

2. If the base word ends in “e”, take off the “e”. Add -er or -est: late, later, latest

3. If the base word ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant double the last letter. Add -er or -est: fat, fatter, fattest.

Directions: Complete the chart for the following adjectives from “Jupiter”. Choose one word to write three sentences using each form on the lines below the chart.

(large) (larger)

(bright) (brighter)

(thin) (thinnest)

(closer) (closest)

(fast) (fastest)

(thicker) (thickest)

(colder) (coldest)

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STA RBe a Reading

Pre- and Post-Assessments for Grades 3, 4, and 5

Designed to provide a snapshot of students’ knowledge of STAAR-eligible Readiness and Supporting standards.

Each Assessment will include: • pre- and post-assessments

• passages and questions that mirror the STAAR reading test

Passage lengths reflect STAAR.

Poetry passages are included at every grade.

Questions require students to find and use text evidence.

® B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

STA RBe a Reading

Each grade-level set includes:

Full-Color Consumable “My STAAR Reader” Student Magazines (18 copies)

Explicit Teacher’s Guide for Whole Group and Small Group

4 STAAR Assessments (pre/post-assessments for STAAR Readiness and Supporting Standards)

Daily Whole-Group Mini-Lessons

Explicit daily instruction focuses on STAAR Readiness and Supporting standards including Figure 19!

Built-In “Step-Up”

Acceleration Plan in Small-Group

Instruction

TEKS at Point of Use

Full-Color Student

Book

Documents

SAMPLER READER - Benchmark Education Companytxintervention.benchmarkeducation.com/files/BE1520_STAAR...homeward. In the still evening air, the fearsome wolf’s piping carried far