Spinning Thunderstorms - Crissman Elementary School · Spinning Thunderstorms Spinning Thunderstorms This article is provided courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History

Spinning Thunderstorms


This article is provided courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.

Credit: FEMA Photo by Michael Raphael

The tornado destroyed much of the town. Many residents needed temporary housing.

How do tornadoes form?


Credit: NOAA Credit: The Field Museum

Credit: The Field Museum

More than 75% of all tornadoes in the world take place in “Tornado Alley.”

The 200 plus mph winds of a tornado canbend a stop sign.

A tornado is a swirling, funnel shaped column of wind. Itstretches from a thunderstorm cloud down to the ground. Atornado gets its start when strong winds at high altitudes set athunderstorm’s winds rotating.


How do scientists predict dangerous storms?

Credit: NOAA

Doppler radar map shows the tornado shortly before itleveled most of Greensburg, Kansas.

Questions: Spinning Thunderstorms

© 2014 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

1

Name: Date: 1. What happened to the town of Greensburg in 2007?

A It was destroyed by a fire. B It was destroyed by a tornado. C It was destroyed by a hurricane. D It was destroyed by an earthquake.

2. What does this article explain?

A how scientists use radar to track storms B how the town of Greensburg was rebuilt C how the system of tornado watches and warnings developed D how cool, dry air moves from the Arctic to the middle of the United States

3. Read this sentence from the article: “Kansans are used to tornadoes.” What evidence in the article supports this statement?

A The tornado that destroyed Greensburg was a mile wide and had winds that were moving faster than 200 miles an hour.

B A tornado came through Greensburg and destroyed the town 20 minutes after tornado sirens went off.

C Kansans live in an area of the United States where a lot of tornadoes happen. D “Tornado Alley” has cool, dry air from the Arctic that mixes with warm, wet air

from the Gulf of Mexico. 4. What might be a reason why scientists track tornadoes?

A to encourage more people to use radar technology B to warn people against living in “Tornado Alley” C to lower the number of tornadoes that happen every year D to gather information that is used to warn people that a tornado is approaching

5. What is the main idea of this article?

A Tornadoes are dangerous spinning storms, but storm tracking and a system of watches and warnings can lessen their danger.

B “Tornado Alley” is an area in the middle of the United States where cool, dry air mixes with warm, wet air.

C The tornado that struck Greensburg threw cars and trucks through the air, pulled homes out of the ground, and killed 10 people.

D Radio waves give scientists information about approaching storms by traveling from a radar unit toward a storm and then returning to the radar unit.



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6. Why might the author use headings such as “How do tornadoes form?” and “How do scientists predict dangerous storms?”

A to make readers think more deeply about the effects of tornadoes B to suggest that there is still a lot to be learned about tornadoes C to provide information about the pictures included with the article D to help organize the information in the article

7. Select the word that best completes the sentence. A tornado warning saved many lives in Greensburg ___________ the town itself was destroyed.

A after B although C because D for example

8. What is a tornado? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



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9. Explain how radar could be used to track a tornado. Support your answer with evidence from the article. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. Could using radar to track a tornado help save lives? Explain why or why not, using evidence from the article. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Building a Bridge

Building a Bridge By R. Howard

Summer vacation had just begun, and Alex and Maria were ready to spend all day outside. They decided to walk to the neighborhood park, where there was a river that they liked to swim in when it was particularly hot. Alex and Maria began to sweat as they walked, even though their house was only ten minutes away from the park’s entrance. When they got to the river, they saw that it was too shallow to swim in. The rocks that made up the bed of the river were even poking out of the water in some places, glistening in the sun. Alex and Maria were frustrated. On the other side of the river, about fifty yards away, and in a welcoming courtyard, there was a fountain spewing water in beautiful arcs. “We should go play in the fountain,” Maria said. “How will we get there?” asked Alex. They thought for a moment. They knew if they walked upriver, they would eventually come to a walkway that crossed the river, but it was so hot, and they were eager to get to the fountain. Maria looked around the grassy riverbank and noticed a few logs and branches lying close to the water. “We could build a bridge!” she said. She ran over to a thick tree branch that looked long enough to be placed across the river. Together, she and Alex hefted the branch onto their shoulders and walked it to the water. Here, they stopped. How would they get the branch across?


Building a Bridge

Maria suggested throwing it down into the water and seeing if it reached the other side. That seemed imprecise to Alex – what if the branch did not reach the other side of the river, and got stuck or swept away by the water? Then they would be unable to walk all the way across the river. Maria wondered if they could measure the distance from the riverbank they stood on to the other shore. They put the log carefully down and decided to test the distance with lighter, thinner branches. They found a few wispy branches by the spot where they had first found the log, and they tied the branches together using their hair bands. On their first attempt, they tied two branches together and went back to the river to test the length. The branches barely reached the center of the swirling water. After tying two more branches together to the initial branches, Alex and Maria were able to get the thin makeshift model bridge to touch the far bank. “Hooray!” Maria said. “Now we know how long the log needs to be.” They set the tied branches on the ground next to the log. The log was luckily the exact length of the tied branches. Now Alex and Maria had to figure out how to make sure the log was secure on both sides of the bank before they walked across it to reach the other side of the river. “I know!” Alex said. She began to gather thinner branches, like the ones they had tied together, which were pliable and easy to bend. She twisted them together into a tight bundle, then laid them horizontally across the edges of the log. Then she and Maria hauled some of the stones out of the river and placed them on the branches on either side of the log. In this way, they were able to stabilize the log—at least on one side—in order to run across. When Alex and Maria got to the other side of the river, they secured the other side of the log with more branches and rocks, and looked back at their handiwork. It had been a good day’s work, but now they were free to enjoy the cool water in the fountain.


Questions: Building a Bridge


1

Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. What did Alex and Maria want to build?

A a pool B a car C a fountain D a bridge

2. What is the main challenge faced by the characters in this story?

A how to swim in a river so shallow that rocks are poking out of the water in some places

B how to get from one side of the river to the other without using the walkway C how to find the distance from one side of the river to the other without

measuring tools D how to make sure the log they use for their bridge is secure on both sides of

the river 3. Which of the following sentences from the story provides evidence that Maria was deliberate and thoughtful in her actions?

A “Maria looked around the grassy riverbank and noticed a few logs and branches lying close to the water.”

B “Maria wondered if they could measure the distance from the riverbank they stood on to the other shore.”

C “She ran over to a thick tree branch that looked long enough to be placed across the river.”

D “Alex and Maria were frustrated.” 4. Which sentence from the text supports the idea that Alex and Maria used teamwork to build the bridge?

A “Alex and Maria began to sweat as they walked, even though their house was only ten minutes away from the park’s entrance.”

B “Together, she and Alex hefted the branch onto their shoulders and walked it to the water.”

C “‘I know!’ Alex said. She began to gather thinner branches, like the ones they had tied together, which were pliable and easy to bend.”

D “‘Hooray!’ Maria said. ‘Now we know how long the log needs to be.’”



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5. What is this passage mostly about?

A the importance of girl power and teamwork B two girls solving a problem together C the benefits of urgency when working toward goals D the difference between two girls’ plans to get across a river

6. Read this sentence: “Now Alex and Maria had to figure out how to make sure the log was secure on both sides of the bank before they walked across it to reach the other side of the river.” What is the meaning of the word secure in this sentence?

A secure (adjective): self-confident B secure (adjective): fastened, stable C secure (verb): to make safe or lock up D secure (verb): to obtain or get ahold of

7. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. The friends placed rocks on either side of the log to hold down the lighter branches; _________, the log was stable enough to walk on.

A before B as a result C especially D meanwhile

8. It was important to measure the distance across the river before putting the log in the water. Use evidence from the story to prove or disprove this statement. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



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9. What are two ways Alex helps to solve the problem facing her and Maria? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. If Alex and Maria had not worked together to solve their problem, what might have happened? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

The Mermaid of Kona, Hawaii



While many people dream of mermaids—mythological aquatic creatures, with the body of ahuman and tail of a fish—few people actually try to become one. How can someone become amermaid if they don’t exist? Just ask Dana Richardson, who is a professional mermaid inHawaii!

“As a child, I always felt very connected to the ocean and played mermaids in the water,” saysDana. “My love of the ocean took me to different types of work as a lifeguard, swim instructor,boat crew member, underwater photographer, snorkel instructor and safety swimmer, boatcaptain, surfer, and marine mammal naturalist. I just decided to take it to the next level andgrow a tail!”

Dana doesn’t mean literally. In 2008 she began making mermaid tails from sequins, fringe, andshiny fabric that she wears while free diving in the waters around Kona, Hawaii. Free divingmeans diving without any protective equipment. It requires you to hold your breath whileswimming deep underwater. As she dives in, Dana not only looks like a mermaid; sheexperiences what it is like to swim like one, too.

“Free diving is all self discipline and mind over matter,” she says. “Breath is a big part of freediving, relaxing the body and lungs in order for the body to stay oxygenated longer. Thatultimately takes practice, discipline and patience.”

The waters around Dana’s home in Kona are filled with wildlife, including dolphins and whales.Kona is by a sheltered sea where the waters are calm for swimming. For ten years Dana hasbeen swimming with the creatures of Kona. Some of them have even learned to recognize her.



“When I’m swimming in the ocean I never touch or feed any of the sea life, and matchwhatever mood they are in out of respect. I let them come to me. I’ve had some amazingdolphin swims, and it’s very cool since I know a lot of them. Many times they have rubbedagainst me. One time in particular, a dolphin and I were swimming, and he stopped next to meand came so close, he put his dorsal fin under my arm and glided with me down about 40feet.”

Dana knows how to swim with sea life because she is a trained marine naturalist. Sheunderstands the behavior of sea life and knows how to safely interact with it. Every morningwhen she swims with sea life she gets to experience her other “home.”

“The ocean beneath the depths really is another world. The waves, plankton, coral, fish,turtles, rays, dolphins, whales and sharks are all co related and need each other to survive.Watching how the world works so gracefully in that circle of life underwater is a beautifulthing.”

Dana uses her platform as a mermaid to teach people to protect the ocean. Mermaids haveappeared in folklore (which means traditional stories) from all parts of the world. In folklorethey can be associated with goodwill and love, or with danger and shipwrecks. The mostfamous mermaid story may be Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid,” which wasadapted into a Disney cartoon in 1989. While mermaid sightings have been reported forcenturies, the United States National Ocean Service stated in 2012 that no evidence ofmermaids has ever been found. Some believe that the sightings have actually been ofmanatees, a marine mammal. Manatees are common in the Caribbean and are likely thecreature Christopher Columbus reported as a mermaid.

For Dana Richardson being a mermaid just makes sense. “I’ve always felt more comfortableunderwater than on land,” she says. “As a child I felt a strong draw to the ocean, and dreamedof communicating with whales and dolphins. As a mermaid, I now get to share the underseamagic!”

Would you like to follow your dream, even if it seems outlandish? Dana reminds everyone,“One person can truly make a difference. By following your heart and offering the world yourunique gifts, you will inspire others to do so. The world needs you!”


1

Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. Who is the mermaid of Kona, Hawaii?

A Hans Christian Anderson B Dana Richardson C a member of the United States National Ocean Service D Christopher Columbus

2. Dana Richardson’s love of the ocean is a cause. What is one of its effects?

A Manatees are common in the Caribbean. B The most famous mermaid story may be “The Little Mermaid.” C Dana Richardson swims like a mermaid. D Whales and sharks need each other to survive.

3. Real mermaids do not exist. What information from the passage supports this statement?

A Mermaid sightings have been reported for centuries. B “The Little Mermaid,” a famous story by Hans Christian Anderson, was adapted

into a Disney cartoon in 1989. C Dana Richardson began making mermaid tails from sequins, fringe, and shiny

fabric in 2008. D The United States National Ocean Service stated in 2012 that no evidence of

mermaids has ever been found.

4. What is one reason that Dana Richardson loves the ocean?

A She thinks that watching how the world works in the circle of life underwater is a beautiful thing.

B Mermaids have appeared in folklore from all parts of the world. C Following your dream may seem outlandish. D Many people dream of mythological aquatic creatures with the body of a human

and tail of a fish. 5. What is this story mainly about?

A the reasons some people believe that mermaid sightings have actually been manatee sightings

B the United States National Ocean Service C the geography of Kona, Hawaii D a woman who loves the ocean so much that she swims in it like a mermaid


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6. Read the following sentences: “Dana knows how to swim with sea life because she is a trained marine naturalist. She understands the behavior of sea life and knows how to safely interact with it. What does the word “marine” mean?

A having to do with the wind B having to do with the sea C not having much experience at something D not caring what other people think

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Now Dana Richardson is a professional mermaid; ______, she worked as a lifeguard and underwater photographer.

A previously B currently C in closing D as an illustration

8. What is Dana Richardson’s advice about following your heart? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________


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9. Has Dana Richardson followed her heart? Explain why or why not, using evidence from the passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. Based on her own experience, why might Dana Richardson believe it is important to follow your heart? Support your answer with evidence from the passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

The Ecosystem of the Forest



Even if it doesn’t look like it, all living things constantly interact with their environment. Forinstance, every time you take a breath, you get oxygen from the air, and every time youbreathe back out, you release carbon dioxide into the world around you. Both oxygen andcarbon dioxide are vital gases that different organisms can use. You, a human, need theoxygen for energy and need to get rid of the carbon dioxide, because it’s a waste matter.

Just like us, all other organisms take something from their environment while putting waste backinto it. When several kinds of organisms interact with each other in one particular area, it’s calledan ecosystem. In the forest, living beings (plants, animals, insects, fungi and bacteria) all interactwith each other and with the soil and water to form the forest’s specific kind of ecosystem.

So, how does it work? Every organism in the forest can be put in one of three categories.Depending on which category they’re in, they’ll interact with each other and the forest’sresources in a different way. The categories are producer, decomposer and consumer. Let’slook at each one.

Producers are living things that can make their own energy out of non living resources allaround them like, oxygen and water. They’re also known as autotrophs. Autotrophs do notneed to kill anything in order to eat. Plants and algae, for example, are producers. In theforest’s ecosystem, the trees, shrubs and moss are all producers. They turn water and sunlightinto the energy they need to live and grow, through a process called photosynthesis. Andremember that carbon dioxide you expelled as waste matter? Well, for plants, carbon dioxideis a vital gas. It is used to help aid with the process of photosynthesis.



Like producers, decomposers don’t need to kill another living being to obtain food. However,they differ from producers because they still need to get their nutrients from other organismsor from waste matter expelled by other organisms. Usually they eat dead animals and plants.Bacteria and certain kinds of fungi are examples of decomposers. They’re very importantbecause by helping break down dead organisms, they actually provide energy to living ones.

Consumers are the living beings that need to eat other organisms to survive. You may haveheard about this group as being “at the top of the food chain.” They’re also known asheterotrophs. Humans are heterotrophs who eat both plants and animals to live. In the forest,a deer eating plants, a wolf hunting deer, a hawk eating rodents, and rodents eating both bugsand plants, are all examples of the ecosystem’s consumers. As you can see, carnivores,omnivores and herbivores are all different kinds of heterotrophs. It doesn’t matter which kindof organism they eat; as long as they eat other organisms to survive, they’reconsumers/heterotrophs.

So, now that you know each type of player, how does the ecosystem’s cycle work? Well, whenan organism dies and its body decomposes, bacteria go to work. Let’s imagine the deadorganism is a deer. Bacteria obtain energy from the deer’s body, while helping it decomposeefficiently. When the deer’s body breaks down, because of the work done by the bacteria, itreturns to the soil. This is important for the earth, because the carcass actually gives vital energyback to the environment. It makes the soil rich in nutrients for plants to grow there. Grasses,flowers and trees then grow in that soil and get the energy they need, along with energy fromthe sun and water. The water also filters through the soil, which is necessary for the forest’sflowers and trees to be able to take it up through their roots. Heterotrophs, like deer, eat thoseplants to get their energy, and other heterotrophs, like wolves, eat the deer for their energy.

As you can see, in a forest ecosystem or any kind of ecosystem, every being interacts withother beings. What’s important to remember is that each part of the ecosystem is asimportant as another. Without soil, there’d be no plants. With no plants, there’d be no deer,rodents or certain kinds of insects. And without tiny microbes (remember, the decomposers),animals and plants would die without their bodies being returned to the earth. Becauseforests cover about a quarter of the total land surface of the world, keeping their ecologybalanced is important for the entire earth.

Questions: The Ecosystem of the Forest


1

Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. What is an ecosystem?

A a living being, such as a human, that eats other living beings in order to survive B the process by which the body of a living thing is broken down by decomposers C one particular area where several kinds of organisms interact with each other D an organism that breathes in oxygen and then breathes out carbon dioxide

2. What does this passage explain?

A This passage explains what the difference between plants and fungi is. B This passage explains what an ecosystem is and how it works. C This passage explains how oxygen is used by the human body after it is

breathed in. D This passage explains what happens when a decomposer dies in the forest.

3. In an ecosystem, different organisms interact with each other. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called photosynthesis. B Forest ecosystems cover about a quarter, or one-fourth, of the total land

surface in the world. C Producers are living things that can make their own energy out of non-living

resources. D A deer decomposing in the soil provides food for bacteria and nutrients for

plants to grow.

4. Based on the information in the passage, what do all ecosystems have in common?

A All ecosystems are home to living beings that interact with each other. B All ecosystems are home to trees, deer, humans, rodents, wolves, hawks, and

bacteria. C All ecosystems have an equal number of consumers, decomposers, and

producers. D All ecosystems have a few consumers that do not interact with decomposers

and producers. 5. What is this passage mainly about?

A the differences between oxygen and carbon dioxide B different kinds of consumers and the reasons they are “at the top of the food chain” C different organisms in a forest ecosystem and how they interact D what happens when the ecology of a forest is thrown off-balance



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6. Read the following sentence: “Consumers are the living beings who need to eat other organisms to survive.” What does the word “organisms” mean?

A environments B waste matter C categories D living things

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Every organism in the forest can be put in one of three categories, _______ producer, decomposer, or consumer.

A namely B although C as a result D earlier

8. What is a decomposer? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



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9. How do decomposers interact with their ecosystem? Be sure to name one example of them taking from the ecosystem and one example of them giving to the ecosystem. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. The author writes that each part of the ecosystem is as important as another. Based on the information in the passage, do you agree or disagree? Explain your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing using evidence from the passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Cicadas: No Ordinary Bugs


Cicadas: No Ordinary Bugs By ReadWorks

Cicadas are not ordinary bugs. They live in groups known as broods, which are like families. Everybrood has a different cycle and stays in the same area for life.

Cicada broods are found all over the world. Each one is assigned a roman numeral. Dependingon their broods, cicadas have different life cycles. In the United States, there are 15 differentbroods. Most of them are on a 17 year cycle. However, three have a 13 year cycle.

Most of their lives are spent deep underground. Once they are almost fully grown, cicadas crawlup to the earth's surface and emerge above ground to mate. After hurriedly mating and layingeggs for the next generation, they die soon thereafter.

With their large, red, fiery eyes, cicadas might look scary. Yet they are harmless. They can't stingor bite. Like all insects, they have three body parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen. They haveshort, bristly antennae. Their bodies are generally dark colored. Sometimes their clear wingshave orange veins. Adult cicadas grow to about one to two inches long and have six jointed legs.They are some of the noisiest creatures on earth.

Cicadas: No Ordinary Bugs


The reason that cicadas are so noisy is the male bugs call out to the females to attract a mate.

It's a competition where each male tries to call louder than other males. When a whole brood

sings at the same time, the large chorus can sound like a roar.

Female cicadas stay busy laying their eggs in trees. A single Brood II female can produce as many

as 600 eggs. Once the eggs drop to the ground, young cicadas, known as nymphs, are born. Soon

after, the baby nymphs travel within the earth for nourishment. They dig as far as two feet deep

and stay underground until they are almost mature enough to mate.

Brood II and Brood X cicadas keep growing beneath the earth until the spring of their 17th year.

Then they start to crawl back to the surface. To prepare for their return above ground, the nymphs

build small cones, like tunnels, that stick above the soil. Soon after they reach the surface, the

nymphs shed their skins to grow larger. This process is called molting, and it transforms the

nymphs into adults, ready to mate. But shortly after reproducing, they die. Their young dig into

the earth, only to emerge in another 17 years. So the cycle repeats again and again.

In 1970, cicadas from Brood X invaded Princeton, New Jersey. When the famous songwriter Bob

Dylan was awarded a special degree at Princeton University, the bugs were so noisy themusician

wrote a song about them. Since he thought he was hearing locusts, he called the song “Day of

the Locusts.” Here are some of the words to the song:

As I stepped to the stage to pick up my degreeAnd the locusts sang off in the distanceYeah the locusts sang such a sweet melody

One of the last appearances of Brood X was during 1987 in Princeton. Then they emerged again

in 2004. Brood X is found in American states, including Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Georgia.

Cicadas have "a tendency to be homebodies and do not travel far beyond the region in which

they come out,” said Princeton ecology professor Henry Horn.

Most cicadas on the east coast of the United States belong to Brood II. They live in an area that

stretches from Connecticut in the North down to North Carolina in the South. Brood II last

appeared in 2013. In northern states such as New Jersey, this happens around early June when

the temperature warms up to about 64 degrees. Once the nymphs crawl out above ground, they

find a leaf on which to perch. Then they transform and turn into winged adults capable of flying

around and reproducing.


Honey to the Bee

Bees are flying insects that feed on nectar and pollen. They are usually yellow and black and covered in fuzzy hair that makes collecting pollen easier. A bee’s body is similar to that of other insects—for instance, an ant—with three major sections: the head, the middle section called the thorax, and the last section called the abdomen. The head of a bee has five eyes for seeing and two antennae for touching and smelling. Two sets of wings and three sets of legs can be found on a bee’s thorax. Depending on the type of bee, the last set of legs might have little sacs that store the pollen that the bee has collected from flowers. Many types of bees have stingers. The bee stinger is the most feared part of a bee, and for good reason. Filled with poison, the stinger is a bee’s protection from danger. The stingers are around 12 millimeters long. There are over 20,000 known bee species in the world. The best known is probably the honeybee.

Honeybees live in beehives, which have a distinct order that helps things run smoothly. At the bottom of the totem pole are the workers. Workers are young female bees. Some of their main duties include going out to find food (nectar and pollen), building the hive, and keeping it clean. Honeybees will travel up to eight miles if necessary to find nectar and pollen to bring back to the hive. Worker bees are actually the only bees that ever do any stinging. When this does happen, it is usually because they are trying to protect their hive from harm. A bee rarely stings when it is away from the hive, but it might sting if it senses danger. The lifespan of a worker bee is anywhere from 4 to 9 months.

The queen honeybee is the biggest bee in the hive. There is usually only one per hive, and her job is to grow the family by laying eggs that will become the next generation of honeybees. She lays over a thousand eggs per day and can live anywhere from 3 to 5 years. When the time


comes for a new queen to take over, some larvae are placed in special chambers to grow queen bees. After they hatch, they are fattened up with royal jelly, a nutritious substance that worker bees secrete. It usually takes about two weeks for a newly hatched female bee to grow into a queen bee. The first female bee to become a queen bee kills the other potential queen bees.

Male honeybees are called drones. They don’t have stingers, and they don’t collect nectar or pollen. Their only purpose is to mate with the queen. Several hundred drones can live in a hive at one time. As the winter months approach, the males are kicked out of the hive in order to make it easier for the queen and her workers to survive. Food needs to be saved as there are fewer flowers to collect pollen and nectar from. Less food means the drones are the first ones to go!

Questions: Honey to the Bee


1

Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. What is a bee?

A an insect that lives near water and eats fish B a red-and-black insect that lives under the ground C a flying insect that collects nectar and pollen D a crawling insect with two sets of legs and no wings

2. What does this passage describe?

A wings, legs, mouths, and trees B totem poles and winter weather C different honeybees in a beehive D poison and measurement

3. Different bees in a hive have different duties. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A Worker bees gather food; the queen bee lays eggs. B Bee stingers are about 12 millimeters long. C Bees have two sets of wings and three sets of legs. D The honeybee is probably the best known bee species.

4. Which bees are probably the least important bees in a beehive?

A worker bees B the queen bee C female bees D drones

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A the lives of bees B the bodies of bees C different types of insects D antennae and wings



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6. Read the following sentences: “There are over 20,000 known bee species in the world. The best known is probably the honeybee.” What does the word “species” most nearly mean in the sentences above?

A colors or shades B orders or levels C kinds or types D duties or jobs

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. There is less food available for the honeybees in the hive during the winter; _______, the drones are kicked out.

A never B even though C including D consequently

8. What does a bee look like, according to the text? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



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9. What are the main duties of worker bees? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. Drones are the first bees to be kicked out of a beehive as the winter months approach. Why might this be? Make sure to consider the role of the drone in the beehive. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Bring in the Beavers!



It was the fifth straight day of heavy rain in the town of Leith. If it kept on pouring for muchlonger, the river would swell with rainwater and flood the town. All the citizens of Leith wouldhave to flee their homes and find safety on higher ground. Anna and her parents stayed gluedto the television set, nervously listening to the weather reports.

For now, the weatherman said, the situation was still safe, but helicopters were ready to liftpeople away at any moment if the rain did not stop soon. Anna felt her palms grow sweaty asshe saw the frightened expressions on her parents’ faces. Her parents never looked scared.They were used to the rain, since Leith was located in the rainy country of Scotland, but it hadnever, ever poured like this before. The town had cancelled school in case of a suddenemergency, so all Anna could do was try to read her favorite detective stories and hope for therain to stop. Luckily, it did. When she awoke the next morning the skies were sunny and clear.It was a miracle. They had been spared from a terrible natural disaster.

Everybody in Leith breathed a great sigh of relief, but they knew they had to take action. Nobodywanted to face this flooding danger again. The day after the downpour stopped, the Mayor ofLeith called a town meeting. Anna went along with her parents to find out more. She really didnot want all her books and toys, and her pet dog Noodles, to get washed away in a flood.

At the meeting, the Mayor presented three experts who had different ideas about solving theproblem. One man suggested they build a concrete dam upstream to block the river’s path.With such a big dam, the river would never overflow into Leith, even in heavy rain. Anotherlady suggested building a different structure, a high stone wall all around Leith to stopfloodwater from getting in. The last speaker, a small, slender man with a heavy Scottishaccent, had what seemed to be the craziest idea of all.



“You see,” he said, “if we just bring some beavers back into our landscape, we might be able tokiss our problem goodbye. About 400 years ago, there were thousands of beavers roamingaround the Scottish countryside. Our ancestors killed most of them off because they enjoyedhunting them for their warm fur. What our ancestors didn’t realize was that we need to keepbeavers alive for our own safety. The beaver builds dams in the rivers out of sticks, mud, andleaves. These dams are strong enough to stop a river from flooding in heavy rain. If we bringthe beavers back, we can solve our problem by working with nature.”

After the three experts spoke, the Mayor asked the citizens of the town to think for a weekand then vote for the best plan. Anna’s father said, “That last guy is crazy. He thinks he cansolve the flooding problem with beavers? Really, how silly.”

Anna’s mother looked very thoughtful. “You know, Fred,” she said. “It’s worth a try. What harmcan it do? If workmen build just one concrete dam or a stone wall, it won’t be as useful asseveral dams built by the beavers. And besides, beavers are very cute, and they build beautifuldams out of things they find in the forest. Concrete dams are not nearly as beautiful.”

There was much whispering and discussing all over town until the final vote was cast. Annasecretly hoped that the beaver plan would win. She had always wanted to see a beaver in reallife. Since Leith was in the countryside, and everyone in town loved nature and animals, Annasuspected that the rest of the town might be on her side. When the vote finally came in, Annawas proven right. They would bring in the beavers!

Over the next two years, scientists brought beavers in from other parts of Scotland, and setthem free upstream and in the countryside around Leith. Everyone noticed a difference. Itrained and rained, but the river did not even come close to overflowing because of three damsthe busy beavers had already made. For her fourth grade field trip, Anna’s teacher brought herclass into the countryside to see the beavers at work. They watched in awe as the furrycreatures hurried back and forth from the dam carrying twigs and bark in their claws.

Beavers almost seemed like furry, cute little people. Before they left, Anna and her classmatesshouted out a loud “thank you” to their animal friends for saving their town.

Questions: Bring in the Beavers!


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Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. What danger are the people of Leith worried about?

A a fire B a flood C a tornado D an earthquake

2. The river is a problem for the people of Leith because it could overflow and flood their town. How do they solve this problem?

A They solve this problem by cancelling school and having helicopters lift people away. B They solve this problem by building a concrete dam upstream. C They solve this problem by building a high stone wall around their town. D They solve this problem by bringing in beavers to build dams in the river.

3. Anna and her parents are worried about the river flooding their town because of the rain. What sentence from the passage supports this statement?

A “Anna and her parents stayed glued to the television set, nervously listening to the weather reports.”

B “Anna’s father said, ‘That last guy is crazy.’” C “Anna’s mother looked very thoughtful.” D “Since Leith was in the countryside, and everyone in town loved nature and

animals, Anna suspected that the rest of the town might be on her side.” 4. How can the plan to use beavers to prevent flooding in Leith be described?

A foolish B dangerous C impossible D successful

5. What is this story mainly about?

A a girl who watches weather reports on television and reads detective stories during the rain

B two parents who are worried about their daughter not being able to attend school because of the weather

C the danger that a town’s citizens face from a river and what they do about that danger

D the reason that there are no longer thousands of beavers roaming the Scottish countryside



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6. Read the following sentences: “The beaver builds dams in the rivers out of sticks, mud, and leaves. These dams are strong enough to stop a river from flooding in heavy rain.” What does the word “dams” mean?

A high stone walls that go all the way around a town B structures that hold back the flow of water C pools used by beavers to play in and trap fish D high levels of water that sometimes cause flooding

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Bringing in beavers turns out to prevent the river from flooding _______ the idea seems crazy to some of the citizens of the town at first.

A although B because C before D especially

8. What is the first idea for preventing the river from flooding that is shared at the Mayor’s meeting? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________



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9. What are two reasons that Anna’s mother gives in support of beaver dams over a concrete dam? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. Think about the danger of flooding that the people of Leith faced. Would building a concrete dam have been a better or worse solution to that problem than bringing in beavers to build dams? Support your answer with evidence from the passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________


It’s Opening Day By W.M. Akers

The weather was growing crisper. It was getting dark later, and Matthew had stopped

wearing a coat to school. Spring was coming, but that didn’t matter to him. What was really

important was it was April. April meant baseball. April meant the end of the long, cold off

season. April meant opening day.

The local team was called the Crickets. It wasn’t a very tough name for a baseball team,

but that was okay. The Crickets weren’t a Major League team, with a 50,000 seat stadium,

expensive tickets, and big name players. They were a minor league team, and that suited

Matthew just fine. The stadium was small, the tickets were cheap, and the players weren’t

famous—at least not right now. Some were young players, only seven or eight years older


than Matthew, with dreams of playing in the big leagues, and the talent to make it happen.

Other players were older, their time in the big leagues finished, but they stuck around the

Crickets because they weren’t ready yet to let go of the game that had defined them ever

since childhood.

And then there were players like Willie Carney, the shortstop. He had manned the space

between second and third base for as long as Matthew could remember. Each year he was one

of the two best players on the team, but he never did quite well enough to get called up to the

majors. Each opening day, Matthew was shocked to see that Willie was still playing for the

Crickets.

“Jeez, Dad!” he would say. “I can’t believe Willie didn’t get called up to the big leagues this

year.”

“You think he played pretty well last season?” his father would ask.

“Are you kidding?!” Matthew’s face turned purple whenever anybody questioned Willie

Carney. “He hit twenty seven home runs! He had ninety eight RBIs! He walked more than

anybody else on the team!”

Matthew didn’t need a baseball card to tell him Willie’s statistics. He knew them by heart,

from studying the sports page every morning at breakfast, to see how Willie and the other


Crickets had played the night before. Over the winter, he committed all of their numbers to

memory, and at night he would recite them to himself until he fell asleep.

“How was his fielding?” Matthew’s father would ask, teasing him. “I bet he made a lot of

errors.”

“Dad—are you crazy? He moves like a spider out there. Nobody turns a double play faster

than Willie. Nobody’s better at tagging runners out. Last season, he didn’t make an error for...”

Matthew thought for a moment, doing the math in his head. “Forty seven games!”

“That’s not bad.”

“Then how come he didn’t get called up to the majors?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s not fair. He’s better than most of the guys you see playing on TV.”

“It’s good news for us, right? Now we get to watch him play live for another season.”

“I’m telling you, Dad. He’s the best.”

Matthew and his father had gone to see the Crickets play every opening day since Matthew

was born. Their family celebrated a lot of holidays—Thanksgiving, Halloween, the Fourth of

July, not to mention Matthew’s and his sister’s birthdays—but as far as he was concerned,


opening day was the best one. It was usually on a weekday, and his dad always let him skip

school to go.

“There are some things you can only learn in school,” he told Matthew once, “and there

are some things you can only learn at the ballpark.”

Each year, Matthew and his dad wore Crickets jerseys and Crickets hats, and they always

got to the ballpark early enough to watch the hitters take batting practice. County Stadium

was an old ballpark, almost as old as Matthew’s dad himself, and it had started to get a little

shabby by the time Matthew started going to games. The scoreboard was rusty; the speakers

were screechy, and the chairs weren’t as comfortable as they could have been. But on a sunny

day, Matthew thought, it was the most beautiful stadium in the world. Last year was perfect.

The sun was bright, the sky was clear, and there was just enough of a breeze to remind him

that summer wasn’t quite here yet. The Crickets won 4 2, Matthew ate two hot dogs and a

plastic baseball helmet full of ice cream, and Willie Carney bowed to the fans when he ran out

onto the field. They went to a lot of games the rest of the summer, but opening day—as

always—was his favorite. On the coldest days of winter, when wind cut through Matthew’s

parka and his fingers turned as pink as Vienna sausages, Matthew remembered opening day,

and the outfield grass that was as green and perfect as the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz.


“I’ve got bad news,” said Matthew’s father, two days before the season started. “I can’t go to

opening day this year.”

“Dad,” said Matthew. “That is a dumb joke.”

“I’m not kidding. Your sister’s play is Sunday afternoon.”

“Her play is happening for three days. We’re watching it at school on Monday. Why don’t

you just come then?”

“I’ve got to work, kid. I’m really sorry.”

Matthew’s father looked sad, but Matthew did not. He did not cry; he did not scream; he

did not yell at his father about breaking promises. One of the things that he could only learn at

the ballpark is that there’s no crying in baseball, so Matthew didn’t cry. But he wanted to.

“Why don’t we go to the game Monday night?” his father asked.

Matthew wanted to explain that night games were no good, that he had been waiting all

winter for blue skies and green grass and sunshine. Night games were fine in the middle of the

summer, when it was too hot to sit out in the sun, but it was April. He didn’t want to go to

County Stadium in his parka, but he didn’t know how to put it into words.

“I want to go to opening day,” he said, finally.

“I’ve got an idea,” said his dad. “It’s kind of crazy but...do you want to go by yourself?”

“What?!”


“You’re old enough now. When I was your age I’d go to games alone all the time. I know

it’s not what we usually do, but it could be fun.”

“Go to the game...alone?” asked Matthew. He had to admit: it was better than not going

at all.

The sky was blue, the grass was green, and Matthew wore his Crickets jersey and Crickets hat.

His seat was right where he liked—along the first base line, behind the home dugout—and all

his favorite players were in the lineup, with Willie Carney batting first. He took out his

scorecard and carefully wrote their names down. During the game, he would make notes of

what happened—who got a double, who struck out, who had the big home run. It was an old

fashioned thing to do, but Matthew liked it, because it helped keep him focused on the game.

His father had taught him how to keep score.

It was a perfect day for baseball. So why did Matthew feel so gloomy?

During the second and fifth innings, Matthew bought hot dogs from the hot dog vendor.

His dad had given him $20 to spend, and Matthew was going to spend all of it. He wanted to

get a plastic baseball helmet full of ice cream, but he had to go to the concessions stand for

that, and if he stopped watching the game, he wouldn’t be able to write down what happened


on his scorecard. If it were later in the season, this wouldn’t worry him so much, but today was

opening day, and the scorecard—everything—had to be perfect.

He decided to skip the seventh inning stretch. This was a big sacrifice, because singing

“Take Me Out To The Ballgame” was one of the best parts of going to see the Crickets. The

mascot—a big green cricket in a foam costume—would run out onto the field and dance

around and throw t shirts. But Matthew already had plenty of Crickets t shirts. What he didn’t

have was ice cream.

He waited in line, and paid the last of his money for a plastic baseball helmet full of mint

chocolate chip. When he got back to his seat, the sun had gone away. Matthew balanced his

ice cream in the cup holder in front of him, and frowned at his scorecard. In the space for

“Weather” he had written “Sunny.” He changed it to “Sunny/Clouds.” He put his scorecard

aside and focused on his ice cream, which was beginning to melt. As he ate it, he shivered.

The game was over. The Crickets had won, 6 1. A blowout, but not a very exciting one.

According to his scorecard, Willie Carney had a single and a walk, but no runs batted in—a

good day, but not a great one. As always, Willie had bowed to the people when he ran out

onto the field, and Matthew bowed back. When he hit his single, with a sound like a judge’s

gavel, Matthew cheered louder than he had all day. He fixed the image in his mind: Willie


Carney, hustling down the first base line, right in front of his eyes. He would tell his father

about it when he got home, and he would remember it come winter.

Matthew’s dad had told him to call when the game was over and he would come pick him

up, but now, standing outside the stadium, he didn’t want to leave. He sat on a bench outside

the stadium, making sure his scorecard was perfect. He erased wobbly lines and redrew them,

straight, bold and firm. Flawed letters—a wobbly K, a slouching B—he went over until they

looked like they had been put there by a computer. By the time he was finished, nobody could

have done a better job.

Matthew looked up, and saw the parking lot was empty. Behind him, the stadium was

closed—and with it, the only pay phone. How would his dad know to come pick him up? The

sun was long gone now, and Matthew began to wish he had brought his parka. It was windy in

the County Stadium parking lot.

He walked around the ballpark, hoping to find another phone, but all he found was

cracked concrete and overgrown grass. On the other side from the outfield wall, he saw a

battered old baseball—a forgotten home run from the season before. He picked this up and

put it in his pocket. A boy can never have too many baseballs. Holding it as he picked his way

across the gravel, he felt less afraid. As he completed the loop around the stadium, he heard a

door close behind him.


“Hey kid,” said a voice, and Matthew’s heart leapt. It was Willie Carney. Out of uniform, he

looked bigger than he did on the field, like he could crush a rock into dust with one hand. He

was smiling, just like he had when he bowed to the crowd that afternoon. “You here by

yourself?”

“Kinda,” said Matthew. “My dad’s supposed to pick me up, but I don’t have a way to call

him.”

Silently, Willie took his cellphone out of his pocket and handed it over. Matthew dialed his

father’s number, and told him to meet him by the main entrance. When he handed the phone

back to Willie, he said thanks, quietly.

“No problem,” said Willie. “You want some company while you wait?”

“Sure,” said Matthew, as they walked back to his bench.

“Enjoy the game today?”

“It was pretty good,” said Matthew. “That was a nice at bat you had in the sixth, when you

drew the walk.”

“Thanks. It must have been seven, eight pitches.”

“It was nine,” said Matthew. “I was counting.”

“Glad to know somebody’s paying attention. That a baseball in your pocket?”

“I found it on the other side of the center field fence.”


“They don’t clean back there as much as they should. Want me to sign it?”

Matthew handed Willie the ball, his heart in his chest. As Willie traced his wide, looping

signature across the grimy yellow leather, Matthew asked the question that had been

bothering him all day.

“Do you ever get sick of playing here?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re good enough to play in the majors. I know it. You know it. The whole crowd knows

it. You hit twenty seven home runs last year! You had ninety eight RBIs! You walked more

than anybody else on the team! Doesn’t it drive you crazy to be stuck down here, in this

crummy old ballpark, playing for nobody?”

For a moment, Willie looked hurt. Then a smile broke out across his face, and he started

laughing. “Are you nuts, kid?” he asked. “I get to play baseball for a living! It’s not much

money, but it’s enough. And if I can keep the people entertained here, who cares about the

big leagues?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s opening day. We’re at the ballpark. What have we got to complain about?”

The End

Questions: It’s Opening Day

Name: _____________ Date: _______________________ 1. What does Matthew like to do every April?

A go for a bike ride in the sunshine and blue skies B eat ice cream and watch a movie at home C see the Crickets play on opening day D see his sister perform in a school play

2. What is the climax of the action in this story?

A Matthew eats ice cream at the ballpark. B Matthew’s father says that he cannot go to opening day. C Matthew commits Willie Carney’s statistics to memory. D Matthew talks to Willie Carney.

3. Matthew is excited to meet Willie Carney. What evidence from the story supports this statement?

A “During the second and fifth innings, Matthew bought hot dogs from the hot dog vendor.”

B “Each opening day, Matthew was shocked to see that Willie was still playing for the Crickets.”

C “One of the things that he could only learn at the ballpark is that there’s no crying in baseball, so Matthew didn’t cry.”

D “‘Hey kid,’ said a voice, and Matthew’s heart leapt. It was Willie Carney.”

4. Based on what Willie says, how does he feel about playing baseball for the Crickets?

A Willie is happy about playing baseball for the Crickets. B Willie is tired of playing baseball for the Crickets. C Willie is worried about playing baseball for the Crickets. D Willie does not care much about playing baseball for the Crickets.

5. What is a theme of this story?

A the pleasures of winter B the pleasures of baseball C the damage that war can cause D the damage that nature can cause


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6. Read the following sentence: “Doesn’t it drive you crazy to be stuck down here, in this crummy old ballpark, playing for nobody?” What does the phrase playing for nobody mean in the sentence above?

A not caring about how well a baseball team plays B not playing in a baseball game on opening day C not playing for very many people or anyone important D playing in a ballpark that does not have any seats

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Willie looks hurt _______ Matthew asks him whether playing in a crummy old ballpark drives him crazy.

A after B before C for instance D however

8. For Matthew, what is the best holiday of the year? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________


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9. When Matthew asks Willie whether playing for nobody in a crummy old ballpark drives him crazy, what does Willie say? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 10. What do Matthew and Willie have in common? Support your answer with evidence from the passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________


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