Program Consultants

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 UNIT 1 Good Citizens ........................ 9

Lesson
TOPIC: Education
1 Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Read and Comprehend:
4UPSZ
4USVDUVSF
t
4VNNBSJ[F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

A Fine, Fine School HUMOROUS FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CZ
4IBSPO
$SFFDI
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
)BSSZ
#MJTT

One-Room Dig Deeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Schoolhouses
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

One-Room Schoolhouses INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Grammar/Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Lesson
TOPIC: The Court System
2
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Read and Comprehend:
$PODMVTJPOT
t
*OGFS1SFEJDU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

The Trial of Cardigan Jones FANTASY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

XSJUUFO
BOE
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
5JN
&HBO

Dig Deeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

You Be the Jury INFORMATIONAL TEXT ....................... 74

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Grammar/Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Lesson
TOPIC: Volunteers
3
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Read and Comprehend:
6OEFSTUBOEJOH
$IBSBDUFST
t
"OBMZ[F&WBMVBUF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Destiny’s Gift REALISTIC FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

CZ
/BUBTIB
"OBTUBTJB
5BSQMFZ
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
"EKPB
+
#VSSPXFT

Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Kids Making a Difference INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . 114

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Grammar/Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

2
Lesson
TOPIC: Engineering
4 Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Read and Comprehend:
$PNQBSF
BOE
$POUSBTU
t
*OGFS1SFEJDU . . . . . . 124

Pop’s Bridge HISTORICAL FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

CZ
&WF
#VOUJOH
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
$
'
1BZOF

Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Bridges INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Grammar/Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Lesson
TOPIC: Sports
5 Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Read and Comprehend:
$BVTF
BOE
&GGFDU
t
7JTVBMJ[F . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Roberto Clemente: Pride of

the Pittsburgh Pirates BIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
CZ
+POBI
8JOUFS
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
3BÞM
$PMØO
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Baseball Poems POETRY .................................. 194

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Grammar/Narrative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Performance Task Write a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

3
 UNIT 2 Look a nd Listen ................... 205

Lesson
TOPIC: Mammals
6
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Read and Comprehend:
4FRVFODF
PG
&WFOUT
t
2VFTUJPO . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Bat Loves the Night NARRATIVE NONFICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

CZ
/JDPMB
%BWJFT
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
4BSBI
'PY%BWJFT

Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

A Bat Is Born POETRY ..................................... 230

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Grammar/Opinion Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

Lesson
TOPIC: Visual Arts
7
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Read and Comprehend:
5FYU
BOE
(SBQIJD
'FBUVSFT
t
Analyze/Evaluate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

What Do Illustrators Do? INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . 242

XSJUUFO
BOE
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
&JMFFO
$ISJTUFMPX

Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Jack Draws a Beanstalk TRADITIONAL TALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Grammar/Opinion Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

Lesson
TOPIC: Traditions
8
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
THE Read and Comprehend:
$PODMVTJPOT
t
*OGFS1SFEJDU
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
HARVEST
BIRDS
The Harvest Birds FOLKTALE ............................ 278
CZ
#MBODB
-ØQF[
EF
.BSJTDBM
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
-JOEB
$BOF

Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

The Treasure FOLKTALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Grammar/Opinion Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

4
Lesson
TOPIC: Performance Arts
9
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Read and Comprehend:
$BVTF
BOE
&GGFDU
t
.POJUPS$MBSJGZ . . . . . . . . 316

Kamishibai Man REALISTIC FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

written and illustrated by Allen Say
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344

The True Story of Kamishibai INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . 346

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Grammar/Opinion Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350

Lesson
TOPIC: Inventions
10
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Read and Comprehend:
.BJO
*EFBT
BOE
%FUBJMT
t
4VNNBSJ[F . . . . . . . 356

Young Thomas Edison BIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358

written and illustrated by Michael Dooling
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384

Moving Pictures INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Grammar/Opinion Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Performance Task Write an Opinion Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394

Amos and Boris

FANTASY
written and illustrated by William Steig

5
 UNIT 3 Lesson Lea rned ..................... 397

Lesson
TOPIC: Inventions
11
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Read and Comprehend:
4FRVFODF
PG
&WFOUT
t
2VFTUJPO . . . . . . . . . . . 400

Technology Wins the Game INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . 402

by Mark Andrews
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416

Science for Sports Fans INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Grammar/Informative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422

Lesson
TOPIC: Agriculture
12
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
Read and Comprehend:
5IFNF
t
7JTVBMJ[F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428

Tops and Bottoms TRICKSTER TALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430

adapted and illustrated by Janet Stevens
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

Goodness Grows in Gardens INFORMATIONAL TEXT. . . . . . . 458

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Grammar/Informative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462

Lesson
TOPIC: American Indian History
13
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Read and Comprehend:
$PNQBSF
BOE
$POUSBTU
t
"OBMZ[F&WBMVBUF . . 468

Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend

LEGEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
CZ
3PCFSU
)
#VTIZIFBE
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
,SJTUJOB
3PEBOBT
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490

The Trail of Tears INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Grammar/Informative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496

6
Lesson
TOPIC: People and Animals
14
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
Read and Comprehend:
"VUIPST
1VSQPTF
t
4VNNBSJ[F . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Aero and Officer Mike INFORMATIONAL TEXT 504 ......... ....

CZ
+PBO
1MVNNFS
3VTTFMM
t
QIPUPHSBQIT
CZ
,SJT
5VSOFS
4JOOFOCFSH
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524

Kids and Critters INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Grammar/Informative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530

Lesson
TOPIC: Cooking
15
Vocabulary in Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Read and Comprehend:
6OEFSTUBOEJOH
$IBSBDUFST
t
*OGFS1SFEJDU . . . 536

The Extra-good Sunday HUMOROUS FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538

CZ
#FWFSMZ
$MFBSZ
t
JMMVTUSBUFE
CZ
4BN
7BMFOUJOP
Dig Deeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560

Imagine a Recipe INFORMATIONAL TEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562

Compare Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565
Grammar/Informative Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566

Performance Task Write an Explanatory Essay. . . . . . . . . 570

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G1

7
 Be a
d i n g
Rea ve!
t e c t i
De
Welcome, Reader!

Your mission is to find clues in the texts you’ll

be reading. As a Reading Detective, you will
need to read carefully to find evidence. Then
you will draw inferences from the clues you
gathered. Be sure to ask lots of
questions as you read.

t
Who are the characters?

t
How is the text organized?

As you read, mark up the t
What is the central message or

text. Save your work to main idea?
myNotebook.
t
What is happening? Why is it
t
)JHIMJHIU
EFUBJMT happening?
t

"EE
OPUFT
BOE
RVFTUJPOT
t
What clues might be hidden in
t
"

EE
OFX
XPSET
UP
the text and graphic features?
myWordList.

R e a d y t o g iv e
it a t r y ?
Stepinto the Reading
Detective Agency
grab your toolkit, ,
and let’s get starte
d!
UNIT 1

Good
Citizens
We should all exercise our gift to build community.
— Jean Vanier

Performance Task
Preview

At the end of this unit,

you will think about two
of the texts you have
read. Then you will write
a story about making
a difference in your
community.

9
 Le sson
Vocabulary
in Context
1 principal 2 soared
A principal who Colorful kites
gets to know the soared high in the
students will be sky at the school’s
a better leader. cultural fair.

LANGUAGE DETECTIVE

Talk About the

Writer's Words
Work with a partner.
Use the blue Vocabulary
words in new sentences
that tell about the
photos. Write the
sentences.
3 4
strolled worried
Students and their This boy is worried.
families strolled for He is afraid rain will
miles to raise money ruin the class field
for charity. trip.

Add new words to

myWordList. Use them
in your speaking
and writing.

10 EL A L.3.1i, L.3.6
 Lesson 1
Study each Context Card.
Use two Vocabulary words to tell about
an experience you had.

5 proud 6 announced
These young actors Each day, a different
feel proud of their student announced
terrific performance school news over a
in a school play. loudspeaker.

7 8
fine certainly
The sun shines and We certainly should
the air is clear. It is turn off lights when
a fine day for the not using them. This
school yard sale. surely saves energy.

11
 Read and
Comprehend
TARGET SKILL
Story Structure As you read A Fine, Fine School,
look for the setting, or where the story takes
place. Look for the main characters, or the people
in the story. Note the problem that the characters
face and how they solve it. That is the plot of the
story. Use a story map like this one to keep track
of the setting, characters, and plot.

Setting Characters

Plot
Beginning
Middle
Ending

TARGET STRATEGY
Summarize As you read A Fine, Fine School,
summarize, or retell the important parts of the
story in your own words. This helps you to
keep track of the main events.

12 EL A RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.5, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d

PREVIEW THE TOPIC

Education

In the United States, children go to school five

days a week for most of the year. On Saturdays
and Sundays, children stay home to play, do
chores, and spend time with their families.
The weekends also can be a time for learning
outside of school.
In A Fine, Fine School, you’ll read about a
school that begins to do things differently.
You’ll find out how the students feel about it.
You may even wonder how you would feel if
you went to this fine, fine school.

Talk About It

Think about what makes your school a

fine school. Sketch your ideas. Then
share your ideas with your classmates.
Be sure to listen carefully and take
turns speaking.

13
 MEET THE AUTHOR
Sharon Creech
When Sharon Creech
is working on a book,
she sometimes gets stuck.
She doesn’t know what to write next.
When that happens, she goes for a
long walk, does some laundry, or cleans
the bathroom. Then she returns to her
computer and starts writing again.

MEET THE ILLUSTRATOR

Harry Bliss
Sharon Creech thinks
GENRE the illustrations Harry
Bliss drew for A Fine, Fine
Humorous fiction has School are very funny, especially
characters and events that
are funny. As you read, look the ones with Tillie’s dog in the background.
for: Bliss is a cartoonist whose comic strip appears
mostly realistic characters in daily newspapers. He and his family live
and events
in Vermont.
a setting that is familiar to
most readers
funny situations or events

14 EL A RL.3.3, RL.3.5, RL.3.7, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

 A FINE, FINE
SCHOOL
by Sharon Creech pictures by Harry Bliss

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How is learning at school

different from learning
at home?

15
16
 Mr. Keene was a principal who loved his school. Every
morning he strolled down the hallway and saw the children
in their classes. He saw them learning shapes and colors
and numbers and letters. He saw them reading and writing
and drawing and painting. He saw them making dinosaurs
and forts and pyramids.
“Oh!” he would say. “Aren’t these fine children? Aren’t
these fine teachers? Isn’t this a fine, fine school?”

17
 Near Mr. Keene’s school, Tillie lived with her parents
and her brother and her dog, Beans, in a small house next
to a big tree.
On Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays and
Thursdays and Fridays, Tillie went off to school.
At school, Tillie learned her shapes and colors and
numbers and letters. Sometimes, when she saw Mr. Keene
standing in the hallway, he waved.
“Aren’t these fine children?” he said to himself. “Aren’t
these fine teachers? Isn’t this a fine, fine school?”

18
 On the weekends—Saturday and Sunday—
Tillie climbed her favorite tree, and she took
Beans on walks and threw him sticks,

and she pushed her brother on a swing

and tried to teach him how to skip.

But on Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays

and Thursdays and Fridays, Tillie went off to school.
Beans and her brother did not like to see her go.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry home!” her brother called.

19
 One day, Mr. Keene called all the students and teachers
together and said, “This is such a fine, fine school! I love
this school! Let ’s have more school! From now on, let ’s have
school on Saturdays, too!”
The teachers and the students did not want to go to
school on Saturdays, but no one knew how to tell Mr. Keene
that. He was so proud of the children and the teachers, of
all the learning they were doing every day.
And so, that Saturday, Tillie set off for school.
“But it ’s Saturday! What about the swings?” her
brother called.

20
 The following month, Mr. Keene announced, “This is
such a fine, fine school! I love this school! Let ’s have more
school! From now on, let ’s have school on Sundays, too!”
The teachers and the students did not want to go to
school on Sundays, but no one knew how to tell Mr. Keene
that. He was so proud of the children and the teachers, of
all the learning they were doing every day.
And so, that Sunday, Tillie set off for school.
“But it ’s Sunday! What about the skipping?” her
brother called.

21
 The following month, Mr. Keene called everyone
together again and said, “This is such a fine, fine school!
I love this school! Let ’s have more school! From now on,
let ’s have school in the summer, too, all summer long, every
single day!”
“How much we will learn!” he said. “We can learn
everything! We will learn all about numbers and letters,
colors and shapes, the Romans and the Egyptians and the
Greeks. We will learn about dinosaurs and castles
and—and—everything! We will learn everything!”

22
 The teachers and the students did not want to go to
school on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays and all
summer long, every single day. But no one knew how to
tell Mr. Keene that. He was so proud of the children and
the teachers, of all the learning they were doing every day.
And so, on the first day of summer, Tillie set off for
school. “But it ’s summer! What about summer?” her
brother called.

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Story Structure What is the
main problem in this story?
Which story character is
responsible for this problem?

23
 And that day, Tillie went to see Mr. Keene. She stood
in his office, in front of his desk.
“What a fine, fine school this is!” Mr. Keene said.
“What amazing things everyone is learning!”
“Yes,” Tillie said, “we certainly are learning some
amazing things.”
“A fine, fine school!” Mr. Keene said.
“But,” Tillie said, “not everyone is learning.”
“What?” Mr. Keene said. He looked very worried.
“Who? Who isn’t learning? Tell me, and I will see
that they learn!”

24
 “My dog, Beans, hasn’t learned how to sit,”
Tillie said. “And he hasn’t learned how to jump
over the creek.”
“Oh!” Mr. Keene said.
“And my little brother hasn’t
learned how to swing or skip.”
“Oh!” Mr. Keene said.

“And I—” she said.

“But you go to school!” Mr. Keene said.
“To our fine, fine school!”
“True,” Tillie said. “But I haven’t learned how to climb
very high in my tree. And I haven’t learned how to sit in my
tree for a whole hour.”
“Oh!” Mr. Keene said.

25
 That day, Mr. Keene walked up and down the halls,
looking at the children and the teachers. Up and down he
walked. Up and down, up and down.

26
 ANALYZE THE TEXT
Analyze Illustrations What do
the illustrations tell you about
how the characters feel?

27
 The next morning, Mr. Keene called everyone together.
The children and the teachers were very worried.
Mr. Keene said, “This is a fine, fine school, with fine,
fine children and fine, fine teachers. But not everyone
is learning.”
The children and the teachers were very, very worried.
Mr. Keene said, “There are dogs who need to learn
how to sit and how to jump creeks.”

28
 What did he mean? Was he going to make their
dogs come to school?
“There are little brothers and sisters who need to
learn how to swing and how to skip.”
What did he mean? Was he going to make their
younger brothers and sisters come to school, too?
The children and the teachers were very, very,
very worried.
“And you, all of you—children and teachers—you
need to learn how to climb a tree and sit in it for an
hour!” Mr. Keene said.

29
 The children and the teachers were very worried.
“And so from now on we will . . . not have school on
Saturdays or Sundays or in the summer!”

30
 A huge, enormous, roaring cheer soared up to the
ceiling and floated out the windows so that everyone in the
town heard the fine, fine children and the fine, fine teachers
shout, “Fine! Fine! Fine!”

31
32
 And the fine, fine children and
the fine, fine teachers lifted Mr. Keene
up, and they carried him down the
hallway and out the doors and through
the town, up and down, in and out.
And everywhere they went, the people
said, “What a fine, fine school with
such fine, fine teachers and fine, fine
children and a fine, fine principal!”

33
 BE A READING DETECTIVE

Dig Deeper
Use Clues to Analyze the Text
Use these pages to learn about Story Structure and
Analyzing Illustrations. Then read A Fine, Fine School
again to apply what you learned.

Story Structure
In A Fine, Fine School, you read about Tillie and her
school. You also read about the school’s principal, Mr.
Keene, and his plans. Where the story takes place is called
the setting. The people in the story are the characters.
Last of all, everything that happens in a story is called the
plot. The events that make up the plot often happen
because of how the characters act and what they say.
Look back at page 20 in A Fine, Fine School. In this
section of text, you find out what the problem will be. As
you keep reading, watch how the problem grows and how
it is solved by the characters.

Setting Characters

Plot
Beginning,
Middle,
Ending

34 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.5, RL.3.7, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Analyze Illustrations
Illustrations are drawings or artwork that show the
events of a story. Illustrations can also tell you more about
the story. For example, they can help you figure out the
mood, or feeling, of the story.
Turn back to the illustration on pages 16–17. Look at
the children’s happy faces. Notice that the students are
all doing something interesting. The illustration shows
a happy mood. No one is gloomy or sad.

35
 Your Turn
RETURN TO THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Turn Review the story

and with a partner to Classroom
Talk prepare to discuss
Conversation
this question: How is Continue your discussion of
learning at school different A Fine, Fine School by explaining
from learning at home? your answers to these questions:
As you talk, take turns
1 Why does Mr. Keene start
reviewing and explaining
changing the days that school
the important ideas in your
is held?
discussion. Use clues from
A Fine, Fine School, or text 2 What finally makes Tillie talk
evidence, to support your to Mr. Keene about going to
ideas. school all the time?
3 Do you think the author
agrees more with Tillie or with
Mr. Keene about learning?
Use text evidence to explain
your answer.

36 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.5, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.1d, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d
Performance Task

WRITE ABOUT READING

Response Tillie helps Mr. Keene see that some

important things are learned outside of school.
What are some important things you learn outside
of school? Why are they important? List three or
more things and write your opinion about why
each is important.

Writing Tip
State the things you learn outside of
school at the beginning of your
response. Then give a reason why
each one is important. End your
response with a statement that sums
up your ideas.

37
 One-Room
Schoolhouses

One
One-Room
-Room
Schoolhouses
One-room schoolhouses were
once common in America. In the
GENRE early 1900s, there were more than
Informational text gives 250,000. Some children today still
factual information about attend one-room schoolhouses.
a topic. This is an online Students of all ages were proud
encyclopedia article. to learn in these small schools.
There was usually one teacher and
no principal.
TEXT FOCUS
Photographs show true
pictures of important text
details.

Captions explain a photo

or picture. Look at the photos
and captions before you read
to see what the text will be
about.

38 EL A RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Daily Life 1 2
A ringing bell often announced the
start of each day. Students did chores, Mary McLeod Bethune
such as bringing in wood for cooking and
heating or raising a flag that soared in the
sky above the schoolyard.
The teacher worked with one or two
students at a time. They studied subjects
like reading, math, history, spelling, and
handwriting. Students wrote on small
slates, or blackboards, because paper was
too expensive.

Famous Students
Some famous Americans learned in
one-room schoolhouses. Mary McLeod
Bethune went to one in South Carolina Lyndon Johnson
in the late 1800s. She became one of
America’s great teachers. She fought
for civil rights.
Former United States President
Lyndon Johnson attended a one-room
schoolhouse in Texas. Johnson was born
near Stonewall, Texas, in 1908. He was
President from 1963 until 1969.

39
 1 2
Schoolhouses Today
Some students still study in a one-room
schoolhouse. In winter, fewer than
one hundred people live on Monhegan
Island, in Maine. It is too far to go to the
mainland for classes, so students attend
the island’s little schoolhouse.
In most places, bigger schools opened
when one-room schoolhouses became
too small. People became worried about
losing the fine old buildings. Some
became museums. You can tour a school
in South Dakota just like one that writer
Laura Ingalls Wilder attended.
Other schoolhouses became stores, Laura Ingalls Wilder, writer
of Little House on the Prairie,
restaurants, and homes. These little
strolled several miles to a
buildings are certainly important pieces school like the one shown in
of American history. the photo below.

40
 One-Room

Compare Texts
Schoolhouses

TEXT TO TEXT

Compare and Contrast Schools Think about the

schools in A Fine, Fine School and One-Room y
ts to da
Stu d e n r.
n pap e
Schoolhouses. Talk with a partner about how Tillie’s w ri te o

school is similar to a one-room schoolhouse. Then

talk about how the two schools are different. Find
text evidence. List at least two ways the schools are
the same and two ways they are different.

TEXT TO SELF

Talk About It How would you feel about going to

school on Saturdays? Discuss with a partner what
might be good and what might not be so good
about having school on Saturdays.

TEXT TO WORLD

Connect to Social Studies In some countries, students go to school

in summer and on weekends. Work with a group to research more
ways in which schools in another country are different from yours.
Take notes. Share the information you gathered with the class.

EL A RL.3.1, RI.3.1, RI.3.9, W.3.7, W.3.8, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1d, SL.3.4

41
 Digital Resources
Multimedia
Grammar Glossary
GrammarSnap

Grammar
Video

Simple Sentences A simple sentence is a group of

words that tells a complete thought. It has a subject and a
predicate. The subject is the naming part of the
sentence. It tells who or what. The predicate is the
action part of the sentence. It tells what the subject does
or did.

Subject Predicate

Our school closes on Our school closes on

Saturday. Saturday.

Marc played soccer that day. Marc played soccer that day.

Copy each sentence. Then circle the

Try This! subject. Underline the predicate.
1 My family planned a picnic for Saturday.
2 The rain changed our plans.
3 Jan teaches her dog tricks on Sunday.
4 The dog rolled over three times.

42 EL A W.3.5, L.3.1i
 A group of words that does not tell a complete thought
is a fragment. A fragment is an incomplete sentence.
It may be missing a subject or a predicate.

Fragment Missing a Subject Fragment Missing a Predicate

Rides to school. My friend Sara.

Complete Simple Sentence

My friend Sara rides to school.

Connect Grammar to Writing

As you revise your descriptive paragraph, make sure
that each sentence has a subject and a predicate. Each
sentence must tell a complete thought. Correct any
sentence fragments that you find.
43
 Interactive Lessons
Writing Narratives:
Dialogue and

Narrative Writing
Description

ElaborationThe author of A Fine, Fine School uses exact

words. She doesn’t just say that children made “things.”
She says they made “dinosaurs and forts and pyramids.”
When you write a descriptive paragraph, use exact words
to describe your surroudings as well as your thoughts and
feelings. They will give your reader a better picture of the
experiences or events you are describing.
Sarah wrote a descriptive paragraph about an art room.
Later, she replaced unclear words with more exact words.

Revised Draft

Writing Checklist There’s one place I always love to go.

Elaboration It’s the school art room! Even before you

Did I use exact paint and clay
words?
get there, you can smell the art stuff. It’s
Purpose
Is each detail about a wonderful smell! Inside the art room,
my topic?
pictures, masks, and puppets
Organization
Is my description
the walls are covered with things that
organized in a logical
way? kids made. Tables and easels are scattered
Development red, blue, and yellow
Did I use details for at
least two of the five
all around. Jars of paint are stacked up.
senses?
Conventions
Did I edit for
spelling, grammar,
and punctuation?

44 EL A W.3.3b, W.3.10, L.3.3a

 Final Copy

The Best Place at School

by Sarah Walker
There’s one place I always love to go. It’s the school
art room! Even before you get there, you can smell the
paint and clay. It’s a wonderful smell! Inside the art
room, the walls are covered with pictures, masks, and
puppets that kids made. Tables and easels are scattered
all around. Jars of red, blue, and yellow paint are
stacked up. While we work, Ms. Varga plays music to
go with our project. For instance, once she played soft,
tinkly music when we made snowflakes. When I’m in
the art room, I never want to leave.

Reading as a Writer I added some exact words to describe

Why did Sarah change “art the art room clearly.
stuff” to “paint and clay”?
Where can you add exact
words in your descriptive
paragraph?

45
 Le sson
Vocabulary
in Context
1 trial 2 jury
In a trial, people in Members of a jury
a courtroom review hear the facts of the
what happened to case and make a
figure out the truth. decision together.

LANGUAGE DETECTIVE

Talk About the

Writer's Words
Work with a partner.
Take turns asking and
answering questions
about the photos. Use
the blue Vocabulary
words in your questions
and answers. 3 4
convinced guilty
The lawyer made Jurors tell the judge
the jury members whether they think
believe her. They the accused person
were convinced. is guilty or innocent.

EL A SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, L.3.1i, L.3.4a,

46 L.3.6
 Lesson 2
Study each Context Card.
Make up a new context sentence that uses
two Vocabulary words.

5 pointed 6 honest
A witness pointed People in court are
to a map to show asked to be honest
where the crime and tell the truth.
took place.

7 8
murmur stand
The judge asks for When people take
silence when he the stand in court,
hears a murmur in they sit down and
the courtroom. answer questions.

47
 Read and
Comprehend
TARGET SKILL
Conclusions As you read The Trial of Cardigan
Jones, find ways to tie story details together to
figure out what really happened. This is called
drawing conclusions. Use a chart like this one to
record your conclusion from text evidence and
from your own experience.

Detail Detail Detail

Conclusion

TARGET STRATEGY
Infer/Predict As you read, use the conclusions you
draw to infer, or figure out, what the characters
are like. Predict what you think may happen and
check whether you were right or not.

48 EL A RL.3.1, W.3.8, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

PREVIEW THE TOPIC

The Court System

Courts play an important part in our cities

and towns. Courtroom trials can have a lot of
drama. Imagine that a defendant has been
accused of breaking a law. The judge sits at
the head of the court. Witnesses tell what they
know about the crime. The jury, with as many
as twelve people, listens to all the evidence.
Then the jury draws a conclusion. Is the
defendant guilty or not guilty?
In The Trial of Cardigan Jones, you’ll read
about a trial involving a missing pie, a clumsy
moose, and a wise judge. Read to find out
whether Cardigan Jones is guilty or not guilty.

Talk About It

What do you know about courtroom

trials? What would you like to
know? Share your ideas with your
classmates. What did you learn
from others? Listen carefully, ask
questions, and take turns speaking.

49
 MEET THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Tim Egan
Back when Tim Egan was
in elementary school, his
favorite subject was art.
He says he was much
better at art than he was
at math. Now Egan makes his living
as an author and an artist, creating
humorous books with serious-looking
animal characters, such as Burnt
GENRE
Toast on Davenport Street and
A fantasy is an imaginative Serious Farm.
story with characters or Egan lives in California with his
events that are not real. As wife, two sons, and many pets.
you read, look for:
story events or settings
that could not happen in
real life
characters that act in an
unrealistic way

50 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, L.3.3a

written and
illustrated by
Tim Egan

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Why are courts an

important part of our
government?

51
 Cardigan walked by Mrs. Brown’s house
just as she was putting a fresh-baked apple pie in her
window. Cardigan loved pies.

52
 He walked over and smelled the pie. A neighbor
next door saw him, and a milkman, driving by, saw him
too. Cardigan was new in town, and they weren’t sure
what he was up to.

53
 A moment later, Mrs. Brown came back to the
window and the pie was gone. She was so upset, she
called the police.
She told them that she’d seen a moose just a few
minutes before, so they drove around the block and
stopped Cardigan.
ANALYZE THE TEXT
Conclusions Why did Mrs. Brown call
the police and mention seeing a moose?

54
 Noticing that he had pie crust on his shirt, they
arrested him, even though he insisted he hadn’t
stolen the pie.
A judge and a jury were chosen to decide if he
stole the pie or not. The neighbor and the milkman
were called as witnesses.

55
 Cardigan’s trial started the next day. Mrs. Brown took
the stand first. “Is there anyone in this courtroom that you
saw the day the pie disappeared?” the judge asked her.

56
 “Yes,” she said, “that moose over there.” She pointed
to Cardigan.
There was a murmur from the crowd. “He did it.
He’s guilty,” someone said.

57
 “We don’t know that yet,” said the judge. The rabbit
then took the stand. “Did you see anyone near the pie?”
the judge asked the rabbit.
“Sure did,” said the rabbit. “That moose right there.
He stole it.”

58
 “No, I didn’t!” shouted Cardigan. “I didn’t steal it!
I promise!”
“Order!” shouted the judge. Cardigan turned and his
antlers bumped a statue and sent it crashing to the floor.

59
 It made a really loud noise, and the jury gave Cardigan
dirty looks. “Next witness!” shouted the judge.
The milkman then took the stand. “Who did you see
at the time the pie was taken?” the judge asked.

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Author’s Word Choice What do the
words dirty looks tell you about the
way the jury felt towards Cardigan?

60
 “The moose,” he said, “no question about it. He
walked right up to the window. His face was practically
touching the pie.”
By now, some folks were convinced that Cardigan took
the pie, even though the judge kept saying, “We still don’t
have any proof.”

61
 Finally, Cardigan was called to the stand. As he crossed
the courtroom, his antlers got all wrapped up in the flag.
It took him over a minute to get untangled.

62
 “He’s a troublemaker,” declared a gopher.
Others nodded in agreement as the judge asked, “Well,
moose. Did you walk up to the pie?”
“Well, uh, yes, but just to smell it . . .” said Cardigan
softly.
“I knew it!” shouted a goat. “Lock him up!”
“Order!” commanded the judge. “Order in the court!”

63
 “But I didn’t take it!” insisted Cardigan. “Honest!”
He stood up, and his antlers knocked the judge’s gavel
to the f loor.
“Sit down!” shouted the judge. But as Cardigan went
to sit, he bumped the judge with his antlers.
The judge fell to the ground.

64
 “He hit the judge!” shouted one of the security guards.
They grabbed Cardigan and started taking him away. The
jury members had made up their minds.
But the judge stood up and said, “Now just hold on a
minute!”
“I’m curious about something,” he said. “Follow me.”

65
 He walked out of the courtroom, and everyone followed
him through the town.
They reached Mrs. Brown’s house, and the judge walked
around the outside to the window where the pie had been.
Sure enough, there, smushed all over the bushes, was
the apple pie. It didn’t smell very good anymore.

66
 “You knocked it off the window with those giant antlers
of yours, you silly moose,” said the judge, laughing. “It was
an accident.”
Everyone immediately felt terrible for being so rotten to
Cardigan, and the jury proclaimed him “not guilty” right then
and there.

67
68
 To make it up to him, they had a
party in his honor, and Mrs. Brown
baked a pie especially for him, even
after he broke her favorite vase.

69
 BE A READING DETECTIVE

Dig Deeper
Use Clues to Analyze the Text
Use these pages to learn about Conclusions and
Author’s Word Choice. Then read The Trial of Cardigan
Jones again to apply what you learned.

Conclusions
Readers can draw conclusions as they read. A
conclusion is a smart guess about something the author
does not say directly. To draw a conclusion, look for text
evidence to figure out what really happened. Also use
what you already know.
Look back at pages 60 and 61 in The Trial of Cardigan
Jones. You read that the milkman saw Cardigan at Mrs.
Brown’s window, smelling the pie. You might use that
information to conclude that Cardigan stole the pie.
Would you be correct? Why or why not?

Detail Detail Detail

Conclusion

70 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, L.3.3a

Author’s Word Choice
An author uses words to create a picture in a reader’s
mind. By carefully choosing precise words, an author can
help readers see and hear the events and characters of
a story.
Look back at page 63 in The Trial of Cardigan Jones.
The author could have written this:

“Order!” said the judge.

Instead, the author chose the word commanded. Using

this word helps readers know that the judge has a loud,
stern voice.

71
 Your Turn
RETURN TO THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Turn Review the story

and with a partner to Classroom
Talk prepare to discuss
Conversation
this question: Why are Continue your discussion of
courts an important part of The Trial of Cardigan Jones by
our government? As you explaining your answers to these
discuss, listen carefully to questions:
the text evidence your
1 Why are the other characters
partner gives. Explain your
so ready to believe that
own ideas based on the
Cardigan is guilty?
story.
2 What qualities does the judge
have that make him a good
judge? What text evidence
helps you know?
3 How did the author make the
ending believable?

72 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.6, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d
Performance Task

WRITE ABOUT READING

Response Until the end of the story, most of the

characters are sure that Cardigan is guilty of taking
the pie. Did you agree with them? What lesson
can you learn from this story? Write a paragraph
that states the message of the story.

Writing Tip
State the message of the story at the
beginning of your response. Then
explain it with evidence from the
story. Include an example from your
own experience if you can.

73
 by Ruth Masters

Citizens of the United States live in a

country where they can take part in their
GENRE government. Good citizens work
Informational text gives together in many ways to serve
factual information about a their government.
topic.

lawyer
TEXT FOCUS
Headings tell the reader
what the sections of text
are about.

74 EL A RI.3.5, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Being Called to Duty
One way that citizens can help their state
government is by serving on a jury. A jury is a
group of people that decides whether someone
is guilty of breaking a law or not guilty.
Members of the jury are called jurors. When
people are accused of breaking laws, they have
the right to have their case heard by juries.
In return, citizens also have a duty to serve
as a juror , if asked.
Citizens take turns serving jury duty. A letter
tells a person that it is his or her turn. It tells
when to go to court.

jury

75
 Sitting at Trial
At court, a juror sits in a room with other jury
members. Other people in the courtroom are the judge,
the defendant, and lawyers. The defendant is the person
who is accused of breaking a law. A lawyer knows the
laws. He or she speaks for the defendant. The lawyers
tell the facts about what happened. They may put
witnesses on the stand. Lawyers on each side try to
convince the jury to vote in their favor.

Making a Decision
At the end, it is time for the jury to decide whether
a law was broken. Jury members must think about the
facts. They must listen to one another. Then they must
make a choice.
The jury’s decision is called the verdict. The verdict
of guilty or not guilty is read out loud. The jury might
say, “We find the defendant guilty.” After that, the trial is
over. The jurors did their duty.

The judge listens carefully

during a trial.

judge

lawyer

witness

76
 Compare Texts

TEXT TO TEXT

Compare and Contrast Jury Members Think about the

jury members in The Trial of Cardigan Jones and You Be
the Jury. How are they the same and different? Discuss
your ideas with a partner. Support your ideas with text
evidence.

TEXT TO SELF

On Trial How would you feel if you were

Cardigan? With a small group, act out the story,
taking turns as Cardigan. Afterward, discuss how
it might feel to be an innocent person on trial.

TEXT TO WORLD

On the Jury Imagine that you are on the jury at

the Cardigan Jones trial. Write several journal
entries, expressing your opinion about the trial.
Tell how your opinion about Cardigan’s guilt or
innocence changes as the trial goes on. Then
read them aloud to a partner.

EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RI.3.1, RI.3.9, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1d

77
 Digital Resources
Multimedia
Grammar Glossary
GrammarSnap

Grammar
Video

Kinds of Sentences There are four kinds of sentences.

Every sentence begins with a capital letter and ends
with an end mark. A statement tells something. A
question asks something. A command tells someone
to do something. An exclamation shows strong feeling,
such as excitement, surprise, or fear.

Kind of Sentence Example

statement The trial starts today.

question Who is the judge?

command Please sit down.

exclamation Here comes the judge!

Work with a partner. Say each sentence

Try This! aloud. Identify each sentence as a
statement, a question, a command, or an
exclamation.

The jury listened to the trial.

They talked about the case.

They cannot decide what to do!

What will happen now?

Tell the jurors to try again.

78 EL A W.3.5, L.3.1i, L.3.3a

 You know that sentences can be statements, questions,
commands, or exclamations. Make your writing lively by
using all four types of sentences.

Paragraph with One Type of Sentence

t t t
We all have accidents.
t
We can share those stories
with each other. All of us
will learn something new.
We will be much smarter in
the end.

Paragraph with Four Types of Sentences

Don’t we all have

accidents? Let’s share those
stories with each other. All
of us will learn something
new. How much smarter
we will be in the end!

Connect Grammar to Writing

As you revise your story and the dialogue in it, try to
use different kinds of sentences to make your writing
more lively.

79
 Interactive Lessons
Writing Narratives:
Dialogue and

Narrative Writing
Description
Writing as a
Process:
Introduction

Conventions
In The Trial of Cardigan Jones, the author
included dialogue to help the story come to life. Dialogue
is the exact words that one character says to another. It
helps readers imagine the events and the characters.
Travis wrote a first draft of a narrative, or story. In his
revised draft, he added more dialogue and details to bring
his characters to life. He also made sure to use a variety of
sentence types to make his story lively and interesting.

Revised Draft

Writing Checklist
“I mean where is my baseball cap!”
Conventions
Nate exclaimed. “I left it right here.
Did I include a
variety of sentence
types? Someone stole it!”
Purpose
Does my story “No,” Jarod said. “It 's right there on
entertain my
audience?
Organization
your head. Don’t you remember putting it
Did I introduce the The kids laughed.
situation and the on before we got in line?”
characters?
Development “No one stole your baseball cap,”
Did I use dialogue
to help readers Jarod said. The other kids at the
imagine and hear the
characters?
table smiled.
Elaboration
Did I use exact words “Then I’ve lost it!” Nate shouted.
in my dialogue?

80 EL A W.3.3a, W.3.3b, W.3.3d, W.3.4, W.3.10, L.3.1i, L.3.3a

 Final Copy

The Mysterious Disappearing Cap

by Travis Payton
Nate and Jarod stood in line in the noisy school
cafeteria. Nate chose a cheese sandwich for his lunch.
Jarod went for hot soup and a cold green salad. Then the
two returned to their table with their trays in hand.
“Where’s my brand-new baseball cap?” Nate asked.
“What do you mean?” Jarod replied.
“I mean where is my baseball cap!” Nate exclaimed. “I
left it right here. Someone stole it!”
“No one stole your baseball cap,” Jarod said. The other
kids at the table smiled.
“Then I’ve lost it!” Nate shouted.
“No,” Jarod said. “It’s right there on your head. Don’t
you remember putting it on before we got in line?” The
kids laughed.
Nate ate his sandwich quickly. He couldn’t wait for
lunch to be over.

Reading as a Writer In my final story, I added dialogue to

Travis added dialogue to his bring my characters to
story so that his characters life. I also used a variety
of sentence types to
can speak for themselves.
make my story lively.
What dialogue can you add
to your narrative?

81
 Le sson
Vocabulary
in Context
1 afford 2 customers
Kids collect toys for Some store owners
families who can’t ask customers to
afford to buy them. donate a dollar to
charity.

LANGUAGE DETECTIVE

Talk About the

Writer's Words
Work with a partner.
Choose two Vocabulary
words. Use them in the
same sentence. Share
your sentences with the
class.
3 4
contacted raise
This girl contacted Many groups have
neighbors by phone bake sales to raise
and asked for help needed money.
with projects.

82 EL A L.3.1i, L.3.6
 Lesson 3
Study each Context Card.
Ask a question that uses one of the
Vocabulary words.

5 earn 6 figure
These students Many schools figure
are trying to earn out ways to reuse
enough to help buy paper instead of
new library books. throwing it away.

7 8
block spreading
Neighbors keep this With floodwaters
city block pleasant spreading, people
by having a cleanup had to pitch in and
day each month. stack sandbags.

83
 Read and
Comprehend
TARGET SKILL
Understanding Characters In Destiny’s Gift, the
main characters are Destiny and Mrs. Wade. What
they say and do are clues to their feelings, traits,
and motivations. Traits are qualities that people
have, such as kindness. Motivations are the
reasons for their actions. Use a chart like this one
to list text evidence about the feelings, traits, and
motivations for each character. Then use those
ideas to describe each character.

Feelings Traits Motivations

Character

TARGET STRATEGY
Analyze/Evaluate As you read, analyze, or think
about, what Destiny and Mrs. Wade say and do.
This text evidence will help you evaluate them or
decide what they are like and what their motives
are.

84 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

PREVIEW THE TOPIC

Volunteers

A city neighborhood is a busy place. Many

people live and work there. They also volunteer
their time and money to help one another.
Some volunteers organize events such as block
parties or street fairs. These events raise money
and gather donations for people who can’t
afford the things they need.
In Destiny’s Gift, you’ll read about a young girl
who tries to help her neighborhood bookstore
owner keep the store open. Her family
organizes other volunteers to help as well.
What do you think they do?

Think Pair Share

Think about a time when

you helped someone. Where
were you? Whom did you
help? How did you help?
Share your story with a partner.
Then discuss with your partner
how your stories are alike and
different. Be sure to listen
carefully, ask questions, and
take turns speaking.

85
 MEET THE AUTHOR

Natasha
Anastasia
Tarpley
Natasha Tarpley
remembers being very
shy as a young girl. “Reading for me
was a way to escape into whole other
worlds,” she says. Some of her favorite
authors were Judy Blume, Beverly
Cleary, and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

GENRE
MEET THE ILLUSTRATOR
Realistic fiction has
characters and events that are
like those in real life. As you
Adjoa J.
read, look for: Burrowes
a setting that could be real
To make her
characters that have feelings
that real people have illustrations look
problems that could be real three-dimensional,
Adjoa J. Burrowes cuts
out each part of a scene separately.
Then she pastes the individual pieces
of heavy paper on top of each other. “It
makes it almost look like it’s jumping
out from the page,” she says.

86 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

by
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
illustrated by
Adjoa J. Burrowes

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Why is volunteering
good for a community
and its people?

87
 My favorite place in the world was Mrs. Wade’s
bookstore, across the street from my house. Mrs. Wade knew
everything there was to know about words, and I loved words!
I went over to Mrs. Wade’s every Tuesday and Saturday. As
soon as I walked into the store, the wind chimes above the door
tinkled a special hello.
“Hey there, Destiny!” Mrs. Wade would call out, and stop
whatever she was doing to give me a big hug. She smelled like
flowers and peppermint and had long, silver dreadlocks that fell
to her waist.
“What’s the word?” Mrs. Wade would ask.

88
 “Let’s go find out,” I would say.
We’ d rush over to the big, thick dictionary Mrs. Wade
kept on a pedestal in the store. I’d close my eyes, open the
dictionary, and point.
Whatever word my finger landed on was our word for
the day. Mrs. Wade always helped me with words I didn’t
understand. We sounded out each word and picked it
apart like a puzzle, until I knew all there was to know
about the word.
I wrote down everything in my notebook, which I carried
everywhere I went.

89
 When I wasn’t writing words, I was reading them—
gobbling them up from the pages of books as if they were
candy. Mrs. Wade always gave me new books to read. She even
introduced me to real authors who came to read their books at
her store. I liked to talk to them because they loved words just
like I did.
That ’s how I decided I wanted to become a writer when
I grew up.

90
 On Saturdays Mama and Daddy let me stay at Mrs. Wade’s
until closing. I helped Mrs. Wade around the store. I watered
the plants and fluffed the big, comfy pillows where people could
curl up and read on the floor.
Then Mrs. Wade and I would put the new books on the
shelves. Sometimes I’d open a book, stick my nose in between
the pages, and take a big whiff. It smelled like ink and grass
and the old clothes in my granny ’s closet. The crisp paper felt
like autumn leaves between my fingers.

91
 The part I liked best about these Saturdays
was the end of the day, after all the customers
had gone. Mrs. Wade would set up a tray with
peppermint tea and butter cookies, the kind
with a hole in the middle. We would drink
our tea and pretend the butter cookies were
diamond rings around our fingers.
Then I would read to Mrs. Wade from
my notebook. She’d listen to my stories and
poems with her eyes closed. I’d imagine I was a
famous author, reading to a room full of people.
Sometimes, after I finished reading, Mrs. Wade
would open her eyes and say, “Words are a very
powerful gift.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant, but I felt very
important indeed!

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Understanding Characters
Why is the bookstore so special
to Destiny? Use details from the
story to explain your answer.

92
93
 Then one Saturday everything was different when I got
to Mrs. Wade’s store. Instead of talking to her customers or
unpacking new books as usual, Mrs. Wade was reading a letter
and looking very sad. She put away the letter and smiled when
she saw me, but I could tell she wasn’t her usual cheerful self.
Later, while we had our tea, Mrs. Wade told me what was
wrong. She took my hands in hers, and we sat with our
knees touching.

94
 “Have you ever had a really tough assignment in school,
but no matter how hard you try you just can’t seem to figure
it out? ” she asked.
I nodded. Math problems were always like that for me.

95
 “Well, I’ve been trying for a long time to figure out a way
to keep the bookstore open, but I haven’t had much luck,”
Mrs. Wade said, sighing. “My landlord is raising my rent, and
I can’t afford to pay the new amount. I may have to close the
store.” Mrs. Wade sighed again, and I thought I saw a small
tear in the corner of her eye.
My heart froze midbeat. Close? No! I couldn’t believe it.
“Why? Why do you have to close the store? ” I asked, my
voice shaking.
“I need to earn more money in order to pay the higher rent,
and there just aren’t enough customers for that,” Mrs. Wade said.
“We can get more!” I shouted.
“We’ll see.” Mrs. Wade smiled a sad smile. “We’ll see.”

96
 When I got home, I told Mama and Daddy about
Mrs. Wade’s store. I cried so hard, I didn’t think I’d ever stop.
Mama and Daddy wrapped me in their arms.
“I know how much the store means to you,” Mama said,
stroking my hair.
“Maybe there ’s something we can do to help,” said Daddy.
Mama and Daddy got on the telephone and called all
our neighbors. The next day everybody on our block came
to our house to talk about what we could do to save
Mrs. Wade’s store.

97
 The following Saturday, all the kids in
the neighborhood passed out fliers to get
folks to come to Mrs. Wade’s bookstore.
The grown-ups contacted the local TV
news stations and newspapers and called
Mrs. Wade’s landlord to ask him to lower
her rent so the store could stay open.
On Sunday we made signs that said
“Save Our Store” and then marched around
the neighborhood. It felt like being in
a parade.

98
99
 The next Saturday we had a huge block party to raise
money. There was singing and dancing and tables full of
good food. I helped Mrs. Wade at her table, and we sold boxes
and boxes of books.
ANALYZE THE TEXT

Story Message What message

is the author giving to readers?

100
I had so much fun, I almost forgot to feel sad. Almost.

101
 Even with all the signs and the f liers and the block party,
I still wanted to do something special for Mrs. Wade. I wanted
to give her a gift that would be just from me.
I thought and thought, but couldn’t come up with any ideas.
“What ’re you thinking so hard about?” Mama asked.

102
 “I want to make a special gift for Mrs. Wade, but I can’t
think of anything,” I said.
“Well, why don’t you close your eyes and take a deep
breath,” Mama said. “Then remember all the good times you
had with Mrs. Wade at the bookstore. I’m sure you’ll come up
with something.”

103
 I closed my eyes and followed Mama’s suggestion.
Suddenly I had an idea! I jumped up, got out a new notebook,
and started to write.
I wrote down everything I loved about Mrs. Wade’s store,
from the sound of the wind chimes hanging on the door to the
smell of the brand-new books and Mrs. Wade’s peppermint tea.
I wrote all afternoon and all evening long. Mama and
Daddy even let me write during dinner.

104
 The next morning I finished writing and ran over to
Mrs. Wade’s store at its usual opening time. But when I got
there, the store was closed!
My heart pounded with fear as I peeked through the front
window. Could Mrs. Wade have closed the store without
telling me?

105
 I was about to go home to tell Mama and Daddy when
I heard Mrs. Wade’s voice.
“Destiny, here I am!” Mrs. Wade called from her stoop
next door.
“Why isn’t the store open?” I asked.
“I just needed some time to think,” Mrs. Wade said.
“Will you have to close the store forever?” I whispered.
“I hope not, but I’m just not sure, Destiny,” Mrs. Wade said
sadly. “It’s hard to know if customers will keep coming back.”

106
 I didn’t know what to say. Then I remembered my
notebook.
“I have a present for you,” I said and handed the notebook
to Mrs. Wade. Her eyes lit up with surprise when she opened
it and saw: “Mrs. Wade’s Bookstore, by Destiny Crawford.”
“Why don’t you read it to me?” Mrs. Wade asked, a big
smile spreading across her face.
I read every word as Mrs. Wade listened with her eyes
closed.

107
 When I finished, Mrs. Wade gave me a
big, long hug.
“Destiny, this is the best present anyone
has ever given me,” she said, beaming. “Words
are a powerful gift, indeed.”
That time I knew exactly what she meant.
Mrs. Wade and I don’t know if the store
will close, but until then we are going to keep
reading and writing and gobbling up all the
words we can!

108
109
 BE A READING DETECTIVE

Dig Deeper
Use Clues to Analyze the Text
Use these pages to learn about Understanding
Characters and Story Message. Then read Destiny's
Gift again to apply what you learned.

Understanding Characters
Realistic fiction like Destiny's Gift has characters that
are like real people. Like real people, the characters have
feelings. The characters also have traits, or qualities
that describe them. Characters also have reasons for the
way they act, just as real people do. These reasons are
called motivations.
By using text evidence, you can figure out characters’
feelings, traits, and motivations. Look back at pages 88
and 89 in Destiny's Gift. On these pages, you can learn
about Mrs. Wade’s feelings, traits, and motivations by
what she says and does.

Feelings Traits Motivations

Character

110 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Story Message
Authors write because they want to tell readers
something. They may have a message or lesson to
deliver, but they tell it through a story. Readers must
think, “What is the author saying about real life in this
story? What is the story’s message?”
For example, a story may be about a boy who finds a
lost and frightened dog. He cleans, feeds, and cares for
the dog. The dog becomes his best friend. The story
message is “Be kind and caring.”

111
 Your Turn
RETURN TO THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Turn Review the story

and with a partner to Classroom
Talk prepare to discuss
Conversation
this question: Why is Continue your discussion of
volunteering a good thing Destiny’s Gift by explaining your
for a community and its answers to these questions:
people? Take turns talking
1 Why do Mrs. Wade and
about your ideas using text
Destiny become such good
evidence to explain.
friends?
2 Do you think the people of
the neighborhood are being
helpful? Why or why not?
3 Why doesn’t the author tell
you what happens to the
bookstore? Are you satisfied
with the ending? Explain.

112 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.4, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.1d, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d, L.3.4a
Performance Task

WRITE ABOUT READING

Response In the story, Mrs. Wade says twice,

“Words are a powerful gift.” What do you think
this statement means? Why do you think the
author has Mrs. Wade say it twice? Write a
paragraph that answers these questions. Find text
evidence to support your opinion.

Writing Tip
State your opinion. Then give
reasons to support it. Include
examples to help explain your
opinion. Then end with a statement
that wraps up your ideas.

113
 by Jeremy Stone

GENRE
Informational text gives
factual information about a
topic.

TEXT FOCUS
A map is a drawing of an
area such as a neighborhood,
a town, or a state.
National and Global
Youth Services Day
began in 1988.
Celebration of this day
is spreading around the
world.

114 EL A RI.3.7, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

A Day to Help
Would you like the chance to figure out
fun ways to improve your school, block, or
town? Put your ideas into action in April
on National and Global Youth Services Day!
On this day, kids across the country
work to make their communities safer
and cleaner, or to help others. Some
collect food for people who can’t
afford it. Others raise money for local
charities. They earn this money by holding
fundraisers or getting customers at local
shops to make donations.

Texas Kids Help Out

On Youth Service Day in Arlington, Texas,
more than 800 kids help their community.
Some visit nursing homes. Others plant
flowers. In historic Arlington Cemetery,
youth baseball teams pick up trash. The
cemetery is next to the teams’ ball fields.
After a busy day, it’s party time in
Vandergriff Park! The hardworking kids
gather there to celebrate.

115
 Helping with Art
One group of artists in San Francisco is helping
children make their city beautiful all year round. Adult
artists from a group called Kids Serve go to schools
around the city. The artists help students plan special
murals. The murals are usually about topics the children
are studying in class.
Once the mural is planned, the children work together to
create the mural in a public area. When it is done, neighbors
are contacted and invited to celebrate and enjoy the mural.

This mural celebrates

California’s Civil Rights leaders.

116
 Compare Texts

TEXT TO TEXT

Compare Ways to Help Think about the ways people help

others in Destiny’s Gift and Kids Making a Difference. Do
children and adults help in different ways? What reasons
do people have for helping? Discuss your ideas with a
partner. Use important details and other text evidence
to explain your answers.

TEXT TO SELF

Talk About Making a Difference Kids help out in

Destiny’s Gift and Kids Making a Difference. Tell the
class about a time you helped your community. Listen
carefully and ask questions as other students talk about
what they have done.

TEXT TO WORLD

Apply Character Traits Do you think Destiny would

have liked Mr. Keene’s decision to have school on
Saturdays in the story A Fine, Fine School from
Lesson 1? Why or why not? Write your opinion in
your notebook. Use text evidence to support it.

EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RI.3.1, RI.3.9, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.10, SL.3.3, SL.3.4

117
 Digital Resources
Multimedia
Grammar Glossary
GrammarSnap

Grammar
Video

Compound Sentences A compound sentence is made

of two simple sentences joined by the word and, but, or,
or so. These joining words are called conjunctions.
A comma comes before the conjunction.

Simple Sentences Compound Sentence

I love books. I want to be I love books, and I want to

a writer. be a writer.

Dad bought a book. Dad bought a book, but he

He lost it. lost it.

We can read this. We can We can read this, or we can

read that. read that.

Ty reads a lot. He buys Ty reads a lot, so he buys

many books. many books.

Copy each sentence. Then write simple or

Try This! compound to tell which kind of sentence
it is.
1 This book is good, but that book is better.
2 We can go to the library this morning.

Write a compound sentence for each pair of simple

sentences. Use the conjunction in parentheses and
a comma.
3 I wanted a book. The bookstore was closed. (but)
4 The library has that book. I will go there today. (so)

118 EL A W.3.5, L.3.1h, L.3.1i

 Sometimes a writer puts two simple sentences together
with no comma and conjunction. This kind of mistake is
called a run-on. Run-ons are confusing because readers
don’t know where one idea stops and another begins.
One way to fix a run-on is to write a compound sentence.

Run-on Sentence

We lined up at the bookstore the author signed our books.

Compound Sentence

We lined up at the bookstore, and the author signed our books.

Connect Grammar to Writing

As you revise your personal narrative, make sure you
have no run-ons. To join simple sentences, use a comma
and a conjunction between them.

119
 Interactive Lessons
Writing Narratives:
Dialogue and

Narrative Writing
Description
Writing as a
Process: Plan and
Draft

DevelopmentIn Destiny’s Gift, when Mrs. Wade says

that words are powerful, Destiny tells us her personal
thoughts and feelings. She says, “I wasn’t sure what she
meant, but I felt very important indeed!” In your personal
narrative, you can develop your story by sharing your
personal thoughts and feelings just as Destiny did.
Callie wrote about the time she helped a neighbor.
Later, she developed her narrative by adding some of her
thoughts and feelings. She ended her story by telling how
she felt about the experience.

Revised Draft

Writing Checklist
One day I asked my neighbor Mr.
Development
Mazur where his cat was. He said, “I
Did I share my
personal thoughts
and feelings? had an operation. Chester has to stay
Purpose
Did I choose a topic at a shelter until I can take care of him
my audience will be
interested in?
again.” Then I had an idea. I asked
Organization
Did I time-order
words to show the Mom if I could take care of Chester so
order of events?
Elaboration Mr. Mazur could keep him at home.
Did I use clear, vivid
words to tell my I felt so sad for Mr. Mazur
story?
Conventions and for myself, too, because
Did I write complete
sentences? I love Chester!

120 EL A W.3.3a, W.3.3b, W.3.3c, W.3.3d, W.3.4, W.3.10, L.3.3a

 Final Copy

Mr. Mazur, Chester, and Me

by Callie Perakis
One day I asked my neighbor Mr. Mazur where his cat
was. He said, “I had an operation. Chester has to stay
at a shelter until I can take care of him again.” I felt so
sad for Mr. Mazur and for myself, too, because I love
Chester! Then I had an idea. I asked Mom if I could
take care of Chester so Mr. Mazur could keep him at
home. When she said yes, I yelled, “Yippee!”
So, all summer I went over to Mr. Mazur’s every day.
I gave Chester his food and water. Then I talked with
Mr. Mazur and played with Chester. When I went home,
I felt good inside because I knew Mr. Mazur would not
be lonely.

Reading as a Writer I developed my narrative

Which sentences tell you by adding my thoughts
how Callie felt? Where can and feelings. I also
made sure to write
you add your thoughts and
complete sentences.
feelings in your own paper?

121
 Le sson
Vocabulary
in Context
1 crew 2 tide
A crew, or group When the sea falls
of workers, has just at low tide, it’s a
started to build a good time to make
new bridge. repairs.

LANGUAGE DETECTIVE

Talk About the

Writer's Words
Work with a partner.
Choose one of the
sentences. Take out the
Vocabulary word. Put
in a word that means
the same or almost the
same thing. Tell how 3 4
the sentences are the
cling balancing
same and different. Painters cling to the Workers must be
bridge when the good at balancing
wind blows. They on high, thin beams
hold on tightly! without falling.

122 EL A L.3.3a, L.3.5c, L.3.6

 Lesson 4
Study each Context Card.
Discuss one picture. Use a different
Vocabulary word from the one on the card.

5 foggy 6 disappears
On foggy days, thick Half of the bridge
mist makes it hard disappears in this
to see. Drivers must photo. It seems to
go slowly. vanish in the fog.

7 8
stretch excitement
Bridges may stretch Marathon runners
over land or run feel excitement
across large bodies as they cross this
of water. bridge. It is a thrill!

123
 Read and
Comprehend
TARGET SKILL
Compare and Contrast In Pop’s Bridge, the main
characters are alike in some ways but different in
others. As you read, compare and contrast the
characters, or think of how they are alike and
different. Look at their words and actions as well
as their traits, motivations, and feelings. How do
these differences contribute to the sequence of
events in the story?

Alike
Different Different

TARGET STRATEGY
Infer/Predict As you read Pop’s Bridge, use text
evidence to infer, or figure out, more about what
it takes to build a bridge. Also use the evidence
to predict what will happen next in the story.
Check to see if your predictions are correct.

124 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

PREVIEW THE TOPIC

Engineering

Engineering is the branch of science that deals

with designing and building structures. Work
crews follow engineering plans to construct
bridges, machines, and buildings. For example,
on a suspension bridge, engineers design the
giant steel cables and high towers that hold up
the road.
In Pop’s Bridge, you’ll read about the brave
workers who built the Golden Gate Bridge in
San Francisco. You’ll also learn about the pride
and fear their families felt every day as those
workers did one of the most dangerous jobs in
the world.

Think Write Pair Share

Think about a bridge that you have

seen. Where is the bridge? What
does it look like? How is it used?
Write a paragraph that answers
these questions. Then share it with
a partner. Discuss with your partner
how your bridges are alike and
different. Be sure to listen carefully,
ask questions, and take turns
speaking.

125
 Lesson 4

MEET THE AUTHOR

Eve Bunting
The first time Eve
Bunting ever saw the
Golden Gate Bridge
was in 1958. On that
day, she had moved to
California from Ireland,
where she had been born. “I thought
GENRE it the most beautiful bridge I had ever
seen,” she recalls.
Historical fiction is a
story that is set in the past.
As you read, look for: MEET THE ILLUSTRATOR
a setting that is a real time
and place in the past C. F. Payne
realistic characters and C. F. Payne, whose
events
initials stand for Chris
some made-up events and
details
Fox, is famous for drawing
people with very large
heads, noses, and ears.
Sometimes Payne uses
friends as models for his
drawings, as he did in
Pop’s Bridge.

126 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.5, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

by Eve Bunting r illustrated by C. F. Payne

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Why is everyone’s role

on a project important?

127
128
My pop is building the Golden Gate Bridge.
Almost every day after school, Charlie Shu and I
go to Fort Point and watch. The bridge will stretch
across the bay, from San Francisco to Marin. People
said this bridge couldn’t be built. Some call it the
impossible bridge. They say the bay is too deep, the
currents too strong, the winds blowing in from
the ocean too f ierce.

But I know my pop can do it. Whenever I say he’s

building the bridge, Mom laughs. “There’s a crew of
more than a thousand men working on that bridge,
Robert. Including Charlie’s dad,” she reminds me.
I know that, but I just shrug.
To me, it’s Pop’s bridge.

129
 Pop’ s a high-iron man, balancing on the
slatted catwalks, spinning and bending the
cables. He climbs so high that sometimes
clouds come down around his shoulders.
When the fog rolls in, he disappears
completely. That’s why the high-iron men
are called skywalkers.
Charlie’ s dad is a painter. The painters
start work long before the bridge is even
finished. My pop says if it weren’t for them,
the bridge would rust away, but I think he’s
just saying that to be nice. The skywalkers
have the most important job of all.

130
 At Fort Point I look for Pop through the binoculars
Mom lends me. The workers look alike in their overalls
and swabbie hats, but I can always f ind my pop because
of the red kerchief he ties at his throat. It ’s our own
scarlet signal.
I don’t worry much about him on days when the sun
sparkles on the water, when sailboats skim below. It ’s so
beautiful I can forget that it’ s dangerous, too. But when
the wind blows through the Golden Gate, the men cling
to the girders like caterpillars on a branch. On foggy days
my hands sweat on the binoculars. Where is he? When I
f ind him, I try not to look away, as though the force of my
eyes can keep him from falling.

131
 At my house Charlie and I work on a jigsaw
puzzle Mom bought us. When it’s done it will
show how an artist thinks the bridge will look.
Charlie and I work on the puzzle most every day.
Bending over it I feel like I’m building the real
thing, along with Pop. I’m a skywalker, too.
“We’re almost done,” Charlie says. “I
wonder which of us will put in the last piece?”
I shrug. But what he says makes me think.
My pop built that bridge. He should set the
last puzzle piece in place. That’ s only fair, even
though Charlie might think his dad should do
it. When Charlie isn’t looking, I slip one of the
pieces into my pocket. Later I hide it in my
room. I’m saving it for Pop.

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Compare and Contrast What
does Robert think about the last
piece of the puzzle? How would
Charlie’s ideas be different? How
would they be the same?

132
133
134
 The “impossible bridge” is nearly f inished.
One evening Mom and Pop and I walk down to
Fort Point. The bridge hangs between stars and sea.
“It’s like a giant harp,” my pop says. “A harp for
the angels to play.” I look up at him, and I can tell
this wasn’t just a job to my pop. He loves the bridge.

135
 In San Francisco there is great
excitement. Everyone is waiting for
opening day.
Charlie and I have watched nearly
every bit of the bridge go up. We saw
the two spans come together from
opposite directions. We saw them
meet. We saw the roadway go in.
And my pop did it. No one can be
as proud as I am. Not even Charlie.
After all, my dad is a skywalker.

136
137
 And then one day, something terrible happens. Charlie
and I are watching as the scaffolding pulls away from the
bridge. There’s a noise like a train wreck as the scaffolding
crashes down into the safety net. The net tears loose, and
men go with it into the swirling tide.
I can’t breathe. I can’t think.
But then I look hard through the binoculars and see
Pop still on the bridge, his red kerchief whipping. “Pop!”
I whisper in relief. Beside me Charlie is screaming,
“Where’s my dad? Where’s my dad?”
We had seen him working close to that scaffolding. I
can’t see him now.

138
 “We’ll find him,” I promise. “We have to.” I sweep the
binoculars up and down the bridge cables, looking at every
painter hanging high on his Jacob’ s ladder or swinging in a
bosun’ s chair, like a knot on a rope.
“Be there, Mr. Shu,” I plead, and then spot him. “Over
by that cross girder!” I yell. Charlie fumbles for the
binoculars. I help him. He looks where I point.
“He’s there! He’s safe!” Charlie gasps.
The next day we find out that only two of the twelve
men in the water were saved.

139
 I think and think about that day. At night, half
asleep, I see the bridge shake. I hear the crash. One
of those men in the water could have been Pop. Or
Charlie’ s dad.
I finally understand, and I feel ashamed. Equal
work, equal danger, for skywalkers and for painters.

140
 The work goes on. A new safety net is put in place.
Pop says there’s less talking and joking now among the men.
There’s a remembering.
But the bridge must be f inished. And at last it is.
We watch through Mom’s binoculars as the golden spike
is drilled in at the center of the main span. Now the
celebration can begin.

141
142
 On opening day no cars are allowed. Thousands of
people walk and dance and roller-skate across the bridge,
including us. I wear Pop’s kerchief around my neck.
There’s a man riding a unicycle. There’s another on stilts.
Navy biplanes f ly above the great steel towers. Battleships
and cruisers sail below the bridge and into San Francisco
Bay. Wind strums its music through the stretch of the
cables, and I think of my pop’s harp.

143
 That night our family has our own party with
Charlie and his dad. There’s stewed chicken and
a Chinese noodle dish Charlie’s dad made and a
snickerdoodle pie.
The jigsaw puzzle sits on the coffee table with
a gap in the middle. “I’ve searched and searched
for that missing piece,” my mother says.
“A good thing we didn’t leave our bridge with
a space like that,” Mr. Shu says.
Pop chuckles. “We’d be working still.”
It’ s time.
I slip upstairs to get the hidden puzzle piece,
then f ind the scissors and cut the piece carefully
in half. I go back down and put a half piece in Mr.
Shu’s hand and the other in my pop’s. “Finish it,”
I say. “It’s your bridge. It belongs to both of you.”

144
 ANALYZE THE TEXT
Story Structure Robert hides
a piece of the puzzle. How does
this action affect the sequence of
events?

145
146
 My mother raises her eyebrows and Charlie says,
“Hey, where . . . ?” But I just watch as the two pieces f it
in, so perfectly, so smoothly.
“Team effort,” my pop says.

147
148
 We raise our glasses of
sarsaparilla to celebrate the
laborers and riveters, the
carpenters and the painters
and the skywalkers. All the
men who worked together
to build the most beautiful
bridge in the world.

149
 BE A READING DETECTIVE

Dig Deeper
Use Clues to Analyze the Text
Use these pages to learn about Comparing and
Contrasting and Story Structure. Then read Pop’s
Bridge again to apply what you learned.

Compare and Contrast

The characters in Pop’s Bridge have things about them
that are the same and things about them that are
different. You can compare and contrast the characters
in a story to explain what they are like.
Robert and Charlie’s dads have similar and different
traits, motivations, and feelings. You can describe how the
two dads are alike and different by looking for text
evidence. Explain their actions and look for what Robert
and Charlie say about them.
Look at page 130 in Pop’s Bridge again. In this section,
you first read about the two dads. As you read on, keep
looking for ways to compare and contrast the two men.

Different Alike Different

150 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.5, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Story Structure
A story’s setting is where and when the story happens.
The characters are the people, and sometimes animals,
that appear in the story.
The plot is made up of the important events, or the
things that happen in a story. A character’s actions play
a part in what happens next. Think about what Robert
does. Ask yourself how his actions affect the sequence
of events. How do his actions lead to what happens at
the end of the story?

151
 Your Turn
RETURN TO THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Turn Review the story

and with a partner to Classroom
Talk prepare to discuss
Conversation
this question: Why is Continue your discussion of
everyone’s role on a project Pop’s Bridge by explaining your
important? As you discuss, answers to these questions:
ask questions to make sure
1 Why does Robert think that
you understand your
skywalkers have the most
partner’s ideas. Use text
important job?
evidence from the story.
2 If Robert’s dad were a
bridge painter, would Robert
have a different opinion?
Why or why not?
3 Do you think that Charlie
realized what Robert thought
about painters through most
of the story? Explain your
answer.

152 EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.3, RL.3.7, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.1d, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d
Performance Task

WRITE ABOUT READING

Response Think about the illustrations in Pop’s

Bridge. What do they tell you about the story?
Notice the story details that the illustrations show.
Then take note of what the illustrations show that
is not described in the story. Write a paragraph
that explains how certain illustrations help you
understand what happened in the story. State the
reasons for your opinions.

Writing Tip
Begin your paragraph by giving your
opinion. Then give reasons and
examples to support and explain your
opinion. End with a statement that
wraps up your ideas.

153
 by Matthew Danzeris

GENRE
Informational text gives
factual information about a
topic.

TEXT FOCUS
Bridges help people get
from place to place. They join
A diagram is a drawing communities. They stretch across
that shows how something
works. waterways and the swirling tide.
They take us over roadways and
landforms.
People have been building
bridges for thousands of years.
They think about how long the
bridge must be. They think about
what the bridge will cost. Then they
decide what kind of bridge to build.

The arch bridge shown here is the Bayonne Bridge,

which goes from New Jersey to New York. Workers
finished building it in 1931.

154 EL A RI.3.7, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b

Arch Bridge
An arch bridge uses sturdy curved
structures called arches. The arches rest on
strong supports called abutments.
Abutments are set firmly in the solid
ground below the water.

Beam Bridge
The beam bridge is the
simplest kind of bridge for a
crew to build. It costs the
least, too!
A beam bridge has a beam.
It lies across supports called
piers. The piers must be close
enough together to give the
beam strength. That way, the
roadway won’t bend or sag
too much when traffic crosses Florida’s Rickenbacker
it. Each span of a beam bridge is usually Causeway Bridge is a beam
bridge. It connects the city
less than 250 feet long.
of Miami to the island of
Key Biscayne.

155
 Suspension Bridge
A suspension bridge can stretch
as far as 7,000 feet. That’s more than
a mile! On a suspension bridge, the
roadway hangs from cables. The
cables rest on top of towers. At each
end of the bridge, an anchorage
holds the cables in place.

Suspension Bridge
tower
cable

anchorage roadway

Building Bridges
A large crew of workers builds most
bridges. The work is dangerous.
Workers wear harnesses to stay safe
when they are balancing up high.
Strong winds and foggy weather
St. John’s Bridge, in Portland,
make the work even more dangerous. Oregon, is a suspension bridge.
Builders cling to the bridge. When at When the fog is heavy, the bridge
last the work is done, excitement practically disappears!
grips everyone. A ceremony may be
held to celebrate.

156
 Compare Texts

TEXT TO TEXT

Compare Bridges Compare and contrast the suspension

bridge, like the one in Pop’s Bridge, with the beam bridge
that you read about in Bridges. List three differences
between the kinds of bridges. Then list three similarities.
Discuss your ideas with a partner. Use text evidence to
explain your ideas.

TEXT TO SELF

Write About Work In Pop’s Bridge, Robert writes

about being both proud of and worried about his
father’s job. Write a paragraph about a job that
you find interesting and how you feel about it.

TEXT TO WORLD

Connect to Math Use the Internet or another

source to find the lengths of the Golden Gate,
Verrazano-Narrows, and Akashi Kaikyo bridges.
Then make a bar graph to compare the lengths of
these suspension bridges.

EL A RL.3.1, RI.3.1, RI.3.3, RI.3.9, W.3.7, W.3.8, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1d

157
 Digital Resources
Multimedia
Grammar Glossary
GrammarSnap

Grammar
Video

Common and Proper Nouns A noun names a person,

a place, or a thing. A noun that names any person, place,
or thing is called a common noun. A noun that names a
particular person, place, or thing is called a proper noun.

Common Nouns Proper Nouns

The bridge is long. The Golden Gate Bridge is long.

My uncle likes to paint. Uncle Bob likes to paint.

In book and story titles, the first word is always

capitalized. Also capitalize most words even if they are
not proper nouns.
When writing about an adult, use his or her title. Titles,
such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., and Dr., are always capitalized.

Titles of Stories Titles of People

The Wolf and the Three Pigs Dr. Carla West
One Day on a Ship Mr. Martinez

Work with a partner. Read each item

Try This! aloud. Identify each as a common noun,
a proper noun, a story title, or a personal title.
Ash Road Mrs. Kim Robson

country teacher

Mexico On the Way to School

158 EL A W.3.5, L.3.1a, L.3.2a, L.3.3a

 Use exact nouns to make your writing clearer and more
interesting. Exact nouns help your readers picture what
you are writing about.

Noun Exact Noun

bridge Golden Gate Bridge

boy Charlie
city San Francisco
boat cruiser
meat chicken
doctor Dr. Tan

Less Exact Noun: The bridge is painted the color of rust, not
gold.

More Exact Noun: The Golden Gate Bridge is painted the color
of rust, not gold.

Connect Grammar to Writing

As you revise your personal narrative next week, think
of exact nouns you can use. Exact nouns will help make
your writing easy to understand.

159
 Interactive Lessons
Writing Narratives:
Reading-Writing Workshop: Prewrite Dialogue and

Narrative Writing
Description
Writing as a
Process: Plan and
Draft

DevelopmentBefore drafting a personal narrative,

writers develop their ideas. Use an events chart to list
the main events of your narrative in order. Then add
important, interesting details about each event.
Kelly decided to write about the time she learned
to swim. After she listed ideas about her topic, Kelly
wrote only the main events in an events chart. Then she
developed each event by adding interesting details.

Exploring a Topic

afraid to go in deep end

Writing Process -everyone swam without me

Checklist
-couldn’t play water games
Prewrite
brother Cal taught me to swim
Did I pick a topic
I’ll enjoy writing
about?
-treading water
Will my audience -floating on back
like my topic?
Did I write down all bandage fell off knee
the main events?
Did I put the events first time in deep end
in order?
-scared – stayed near side
Did I add details to
make the events
more interesting?
-wouldn’t let go of Cal
Draft
-started floating on my own
Revise
Edit
Publish and Share

160 EL A W.3.3b, W.3.5

 Events Chart

Event: I was afraid to go in the deep end of the

swimming pool.

Details: had to sit out when my friends played games

missed a lot of fun

Event: My brother Cal gave me lessons.

Details: helped me practice strokes

learned to float on back
tread water

Event: I finally swam in the deep end.

Details: scared at first

wouldn’t let go of Cal
floated on my own
love deep end now

Reading as a Writer I developed my personal narrative

Which of Kelly’s details did by adding important,
you find most interesting? interesting details about
each event.
Where can you add details to
your own events chart?

161
 Le sson
Vocabulary
in Context
1 stands 2 fans
Peanut vendors Happy fans cheer
walk up and down when players on
through the stands their favorite teams
at a baseball game. play well.

LANGUAGE DETECTIVE

Talk About the

Writer's Words
Nouns are words
that name people,
places, animals, or
things. Work with a
partner. Find the blue
Vocabulary words that
are nouns. What clues
did you use? Use the
3 score 4 league
nouns in new sentences. Soccer players must These volleyball
work together to players are in a
score a goal and league, or group of
earn one point. teams.

162 EL A SL.3.4, L.3.1a, L.3.1i, L.3.6

 Lesson 5
Study each Context Card.
Tell a story about two or more pictures,
using their Vocabulary words.

5 slammed 6 polish
This player slammed Before bowlers play
the puck so hard a game, they may
that it went straight polish the ball to
into the net. remove any dust.

7 8
style pronounced
This fan has her The announcer
own special style. pronounced, or said,
It’s a clever way to each player’s name
show team spirit. loudly and clearly.

163
 Read and
Comprehend
TARGET SKILL
Cause and Effect As you read Roberto Clemente,
look for examples of cause and effect. An effect
is what happened. A cause is why something
happened. Look for words such as so, if, then,
because, and since to help you identify causes and
effects. A graphic organizer like the one below
will help you to list what you find.

Cause Effect

TARGET STRATEGY
Visualize As you read Roberto Clemente, think
about how details in the biography help you
visualize, or see, events. Note the words that help
you create pictures in your mind.

164 EL A RI.3.3, RI.3.8, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d

PREVIEW THE TOPIC

Sports

Many people enjoy playing different sports

like basketball and football. Many more like to
watch sports and cheer for their favorite teams
and players. Baseball is one of those sports.
It’s a game that many Americans love to play,
watch, and talk about.
Some great players in the history of baseball
stand out as heroes. In Roberto Clemente, you’ll
learn about one of those players. You will read
about the things he did that made him a hero.

Talk About It

Think about a sport that you

enjoy watching or playing.
Write your answer. Explain
why you enjoy it. Then
share your ideas with your
classmates. Be sure to listen
carefully to your classmates as
you take turns sharing.

165
 MEET THE AUTHOR

JONAH WINTER
Although Jonah Winter was
raised in Texas, as a kid he
rooted for the Pittsburgh Pirates and
Roberto Clemente. “Growing up, he was
my hero,” Winter says. Today Winter lives
in Pittsburgh, where he plays the clarinet,
writes poetry, and watches baseball.

GENRE
MEET THE ILLUSTRATOR
In a biography, an author
tells about a person’s life. As
RAÚL COLÓN
you read, look for: Like Roberto Clemente,
information about why
Raúl Colón is from Puerto Rico.
the person is important
opinions and personal
While Colón is known mainly as a book
judgments based on facts illustrator, his artwork is also familiar to
events in time order people who ride the New York City subway.
An enormous mural he created called
Primavera (Springtime) fills a whole wall of a
subway station.

EL A RI.3.3, RI.3.8, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, L.3.4a,

166 L.3.5a
PRIDE OF THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES

by
JONAH WINTER
illustrated by
RAÚL COLÓN

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What are the traits

of a hero?

167
 O n an island called Puerto Rico,
where baseball players are as plentiful
as tropical flowers in a rain forest, there
was a boy who had very little but a fever
to play and win at baseball.

168
169
 He had no money for a baseball bat, so he
made one from a guava tree branch. His first
glove he also made, from the cloth of a coffee
bean sack. His first baseball field was muddy
and crowded with palm trees.
For batting practice he used empty soup
cans and hit them farther than anyone else.
Soup cans turned into softballs. Softballs turned
into baseballs. Little League turned into minor
league turned into winter league: professional
baseball in Puerto Rico.

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Literal and Nonliteral
Meanings What does the author
mean when he writes that soup
cans turned into softballs? Is that
a literal or a nonliteral meaning?

170
171
 He played so well he received an
invitation to play in . . . the major
leagues in America! What an honor!
But the young man was sent to
a steel-mill town called Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, where his new team, the
Pittsburgh Pirates, was in last place.
Now this was something very strange,
being on a losing team.
For the young Puerto Rican,
everything was strange. Instead
of palm trees, he saw smokestacks.
Instead of Spanish, he heard English.
Instead of being somebody, he
was nobody.

172
 His first time at bat, he heard the
announcer stumble through his Spanish
name: “ROB, uh, ROE . . . BURRT, um, let’s
see, TOE CLUH-MAINT?” It echoed in the
near-empty stands.
Roberto Clemente was his name, and this
is pronounced “Roe-BEAR-toe Cleh-MEN-tay.”
As if to introduce himself, Roberto smacked
the very first pitch.

173
 But it went right up the infield . . . and into
the second baseman’s glove. Still, Roberto ran
like lightning—and beat the throw to first base.
The Pittsburgh fans checked their scorecards.
Who was this guy, “Roberto Clemente”?

174
 To his new fans in Pittsburgh,
Roberto was like a jolt of electricity.
He could score from first base on
a single. He could hit line drives,
bunts, towering home runs, sacrifice
flies—whatever was needed. Once
he even scored an inside-the-park
GRAND SLAM!
Playing right field, he had no
equal. He was always leaping,
diving, crashing, rolling. Once,
trying to catch a pop fly, running
full speed, he SLAMMED into the
right-field wall—and fell to the
ground. At last, slowly, he lifted
his glove. The ball was inside.

175
 But it wasn’t just how he played. He had
style. He was cool.
He had this move he did with his neck
before each at bat, creaking it one way, then
the other. Soon kids who wanted to be just like
Roberto were doing it too, twisting their necks
this way and that.
Roberto did it to ease the pain he felt from
playing his heart out in every game. “If you
don’t try as hard as you can,” he said, “you are
wasting your life.”

176
 Roberto tried so hard, he helped the last-place Pirates
make it all the way to the World Series where they beat the
mighty NEW YORK YANKEES!
After the series, down in the streets of Pittsburgh,
Roberto walked alone among his fans, who were so busy
celebrating, they didn’t even notice him. That didn’t
bother Roberto. He was happy to feel lost in the crowd of
a party he had helped create.

ANALYZE THE TEXT

Cause and Effect What happens
as a result of Clemente’s hard work?

177
 But there was something that would have made
Roberto’s joy a little sweeter. As much as fans loved
him, the newspaper writers did not. When Roberto
was in such pain he couldn’t play, they called him
“lazy.” They mocked his Spanish accent, and when
Roberto got angry, the mainly white newsmen called
him a Latino “hothead.”
Roberto swore he would be so good, he would
have to get the respect he deserved. He would
become the greatest all-around baseball player there
ever was.
At home that Christmas, Roberto went back to
the same muddy field he’d played on as a boy. In his
pocket was a bag full of bottle caps that he emptied
into the hands of some kids. They threw him the
caps, and he hit each one again and again.

178
179
 When he returned to Pittsburgh come
spring, baseballs looked HUGE, and he
clobbered them as never before. That season,
he hit .351, the highest batting average in the
National League.
And he still did not get the credit he
deserved for being so great. “It’s because I’m
black, isn’t it?” he asked the sneering reporters.
“It’s because I am Puerto Rican. It’s because I
am proud.”
It was starting to seem as if Roberto might
never be respected in the big world outside
of Pittsburgh and Puerto Rico. And then
something happened.

180
181
 The year was 1971. The Pirates were
in the World Series again, playing against
the Baltimore Orioles, who were favored
to win.
All around America and Puerto Rico,
people sat watching on TV . . . as Roberto
put on a one-man show. Stealing bases,
hitting home runs, playing right field
with a fire most fans had never seen
before.
Finally, finally, it could not be denied:
Roberto was the greatest all-around
baseball player of his time, maybe of
all time.

182
183
 The very next year, he did something few have
ever done: During the last game of the season,
Roberto walked to the plate, creaked his neck, dug
in his stance, stuck his chin toward the pitcher, and
walloped a line drive off the center-field wall—his
three thousandth hit!
The crowd cheered, and they wouldn’t stop
cheering. For many minutes the players stopped
playing and Roberto stood on second base, amazed.
How far he had come.

184
185
 And yet, when the season was over, the hero
returned to the place where his story began, to the
land of muddy fields and soup cans and bottle caps, to
his homeland of Puerto Rico, where he was worshipped.
But did he sit around and polish his trophies? No.
That rainy New Year’s Eve, Roberto sat in the San Juan
airport and waited for mechanics to fix the tired old
airplane that would take him to Central America.
There had been a terrible earthquake, and he
wanted to help the victims. The plane would carry
food and supplies that Roberto paid for.
Right before midnight, he boarded. The rain was
really coming down. One of the propellers buzzed
loudly. As the plane took off, the engines failed and
the plane fell into the ocean.
Just like that, it was over. Roberto was gone.
How could his story end this way, so suddenly, and
with such sadness?
The story doesn’t end here. When someone like
Roberto dies, his spirit lives on in the hearts of all
he touched.

186
187
 And Roberto’s spirit is still growing. It grows
in the bats and gloves and arms and legs of all the
Latino baseball players who have flooded into the
major leagues. His spirit grows in the charities he
started for poor people in Puerto Rico. And his spirit
is still growing in Pittsburgh, where people who saw
him play tell their children and grandchildren of how
he used to sparkle — running, diving, firing game-
saving throws from deep right field all the way to
home plate — SMACK— right into the catcher’s glove.

188
189
189
 BE A READING DETECTIVE

Dig Deeper
Use Clues to Analyze the Text
Use these pages to learn about Cause and Effect and
Literal and Nonliteral Meanings. Then read Roberto
Clemente again to apply what you learned.

Cause and Effect

In Roberto Clemente’s life, many events caused other
events to happen. A cause is why an event happened.
An effect is something that happened as a result of a
cause. Sometimes signal words will help you find a
cause and an effect. Some common signal words are so, if,
then, because, and since.
Look back at page 170 in Roberto Clemente. On this
page, the author tells one fact about Roberto Clemente’s
life and the effects that it has on his childhood. As you
read, notice how the author groups sentences into
paragraphs.

Cause Effect

190 EL A RI.3.3, RI.3.8, RI.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, L.3.4a, L.3.5a

Literal and Nonliteral Meanings
Every word has an exact or a literal meaning. For
example, the literal meaning of fever is “a high body
temperature.”
A word can also have a nonliteral meaning. As a boy,
Roberto Clemente had a fever to play and win at baseball.
The sentences around the word show that, in this sentence,
fever has a nonliteral meaning. In this context, fever
means “passion or great excitement.”

191
 Your Turn
RETURN TO THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Turn Review the

and biography with a Classroom
Talk Conversation
partner to prepare
to discuss this question: Continue your discussion of
What are the traits of a Roberto Clemente by explaining
hero? While you discuss the your answers to these questions.
question, use text evidence Give text evidence for your
from Roberto Clemente to responses:
support your ideas. Listen
1 What qualities made Roberto
carefully to your partner’s
Clemente a hero as a baseball
ideas and add your own
player?
thoughts.
2 What qualities made Roberto
Clemente a hero as a person?
3 Which do you think was more
important to Clemente—
being a great baseball player
or earning a lot of money?
Explain your answer.

192 EL A RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, W.3.1a, W.3.1b, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d, L.3.2a
Performance Task

WRITE ABOUT READING

Response If Roberto Clemente were here today,

what would he tell a young person who wants to
become a great athlete? Write a letter that
Clemente might write to give advice. Include
details that he might suggest for reaching such a
goal. Use facts from the selection to support those
details.

Writing Tip
In your letter, state Roberto
Clemente’s opinions and give reasons
for them. Include examples from his
life. Also, make sure that the first
letter of each proper noun is
capitalized.

193
 POEMS

What did most kids do for fun

GENRE before television, computers,
and video games were invented?
Poetry uses the sound and
rhythm of words to show They played baseball! For years,
images and express feelings. it was the most widely played
sport in the United States. That’s
how baseball came to be called
“America’s Pastime.”

TEXT FOCUS
Rhyme is often found in
poems. It happens when
words end with the same
sound. The ball game is over,
And here is the score —
They got ninety-seven,
We got ninety-four.
Baseball is fun,
But it gives me the blues
To score ninety-four
And still manage to lose.
by Jack Prelutsky

194 EL A RL.3.5, RL.3.10, RF.3.4a, RF.3.4b, W.3.10

 HOMER
Summer words, like raspberry ice,
beach, and barbecue, are all gone now.
But I find another warm word,
shaped like a bat. HOMER.
I wrap my fingers tightly round it
and swing.
by Nikki Grimes

195
Radio Days
When kids weren’t playing baseball, they Write a
were listening to it. Major League Baseball Baseball Poem
games were heard on the radio starting in Write a baseball
1921. Announcers described the action poem of your own.
in detail. They pronounced each word You might want to
clearly so that fans didn’t miss a thing. write about a game
Sounds gave clues about the action. you have watched
The crack of a bat meant someone had or about a favorite
slammed the ball out of the park. Boos player.
from the stands meant the umpire had
made a bad call. Cheering meant someone
had been able to score.
If you used your imagination, listening
to a game on the radio was almost as
good as being in the ballpark!

196
 Compare Texts

TEXT TO TEXT

Compare Baseball Illustrations Study the illustrations

and photos in Roberto Clemente and Baseball Poems.
How do the illustrations help you understand who
Clemente was? How do the photos create the mood
or feeling of the poems? Discuss your ideas with a
partner. Use details from the art and text to support
your answers to the questions.

TEXT TO SELF

Sports Senses Imagine being at a baseball game

or other sports game. What might you see, hear,
smell, touch, and taste? Write about how you
would experience the game through your senses.

TEXT TO WORLD

Connect to Social Studies Roberto Clemente was born and raised

in Puerto Rico. He moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to play
baseball. Find both places on a map. Find out how many miles
apart they are. Then draw your own map, showing both places.

EL A RL.3.1, RL.3.7, RI.3.1, RI.3.7, W.3.3a, W.3.3b, W.3.10, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1d

197
 Digital Resources
Multimedia
Grammar Glossary
GrammarSnap

Grammar
Video

Plural Nouns with -s and -es A noun that names only

one person, place, or thing is a singular noun. A noun
that names more than one person, place, or thing is a
plural noun. Add -s to form the plural of most singular
nouns. Add -es to form the plural of a singular noun that
ends with s, sh, ch, or x.

Singular Nouns Plural Nouns

Julie has a baseball bat. Julie has two baseball bats.

She is faster than her brother. She is faster than her brothers.

They play after class. They play between classes.

She is an inch taller than Joe. She is four inches taller than Joe.

Write the plural of each underlined noun.

Try This!
A boy walked to the park.

He met his friend.

They opened a box with a new baseball inside.

Their game lasted all afternoon.

They missed the bus home.

198 EL A W.3.5, L.3.1a, L.3.1b, L.3.2e, L.3.2f

 When you edit your writing, it is important to always
check your spelling. Using the correct spelling of plural
nouns will make your writing clearer and easier to
understand.

Singular Nouns Plural Nouns

the bench many benches

one baseball two baseballs
a wish several wishes

Singular: He swung the bat at the very first pitch.

Plural: He did not swing the bat at the first two

pitches.

Connect Grammar to Writing

As you edit your personal narrative, be sure to write the
correct form of each plural noun.

199
 Interactive Lessons
Writing Narratives:
Reading-Writing Workshop: Revise Organize Your

Narrative Writing
Ideas
Writing as a
Process: Revise
and Edit

In Roberto Clemente, the author

Organization
uses time-order words such as first and then. These
are time clues to tell when events happened. In your
personal narrative, organize the events in order and use
time-order words to connect the events.
When Kelly revised her personal narrative, she made
sure her events were in order. Then she added time-order
words to connect her ideas smoothly.

Revised Draft

I begged my older brother Cal for help.

Writing Process “I’m tired of being scared,” I whispered.

Checklist
Prewrite
“Can you give me some lessons?”
Draft
Revise
He took me to the pool when there
Is my beginning
interesting?
weren’t many other people around.
Did I include First, Then
important events We practiced a few strokes. He taught
and details?
Are the events in me how to tread water and float on my
order?
Did I include time- back.
order words?
Did I share my
thoughts and
feelings?
Edit
Publish and Share

200 EL A W.3.3a, W.3.3b, W.3.3c, W.3.3d, W.3.5, W.3.10, L.3.3a, L.3.6

 Final Copy

Summer Splash!
by Kelly Belson
I used to hide whenever anyone said, “We’re going to
the deep end!” That was before everything changed.
Last summer, I was at the city pool when my friends
played volleyball in the deep end. Of course, I sat out
for the millionth time. I could hear them laughing and
cheering. I was so jealous!
I begged my older brother Cal for help. “I’m tired of
being scared,” I whispered. “Can you give me some
lessons?” He took me to the pool when there weren’t
many other people around. First, we practiced a few
strokes. Then he taught me how to tread water and
float on my back.
By the end of the summer, I was swimming and
playing with my friends. It took a lot of hard work, but
it was worth it!

Reading as a Writer In my final paper, I organized the

What words did Kelly use events in the order in
to show when events which they happened.
I used time-order words
happened? Where could you
to connect events.
add time-order words in your
own personal narrative?

201
 Interactive Lessons
Performance Task Writing to Sources

Writing Narratives:
Introduction

Writing Narratives:
Dialogue and
Description

Write a Story Writing as a

Process: Plan and
Draft

TASK In Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh

Pirates, you read a biography about Roberto Clemente
and the things he did that made him a hero. In Kids
Making a Difference, you read an informational text
about how kids help serve their communities.
Look back at the texts. Find examples of how Roberto
Clemente and the kids helped serve a community. Then
choose one of those examples to write a story about
making a difference in your community.

Make sure your story

¥ establishes a situation and introduces the narrator.
¥ describes events in a sequence that unfolds naturally.
¥ includes details that tell your thoughts and feelings.
¥ provides a sense of closure.

PLAN
Use the annotation
tools in your eBook
Gather Information In what ways did Roberto to find evidence to
Clemente make a difference in his support your ideas.

community? How did the kids in Event:

Details:
Kids Making a Difference serve
their communities? Which example Event:
Details:
can you use in your story? Use the
events chart to plan your story. Event:
Details:

202 EL A RI.3.1, W.3.3a, W.3.3b, W.3.3c, W.3.3d, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.6, W.3.10, SL.3.4, L.3.1i, L.3.2c, L.3.3a, L.3.6
DRAFT
Write your rough draft
Write Your Story Now begin working on your story. in myWriteSmart.
Focus on getting your
Use the flow chart and what you already learned about ideas down rather
than perfecting your
writing a story to write your draft. word choices.

BEGINNING

Write a strong, interesting beginning that will

grab readers’ attention. Introduce yourself as
the narrator and any other characters you want
to include. Describe the setting using clear, vivid
words. Establish the situation by explaining how
and why you will make a difference.

MIDDLE

In the middle of your story, use descriptive

details to tell about the events that happen as
you help in your community. Include dialogue to
express what you and the other characters think
and how you feel. Time-order words can help
your readers follow the order of events.

ENDING

In the ending, provide a sense of closure. Think

about how you might encourage others to help
in their communities. Explain how you felt after
helping in your community, and tell the readers
how you know you made a difference.

203
 REVISE
Have your partner
Review Your Draft Remember that the revision and review your story in
myWriteSmart and
editing steps give you a chance to look carefully at your note where the events
and details are not
writing and make changes. Work with a partner to clear. Discuss how to
make improvements.
determine whether your story includes interesting details
that tell your thoughts and feelings and describes events
in a sequence that unfolds naturally. Use these questions
to help you evaluate and improve your story.

Purpose and Development and

Conventions
Organization Elaboration

Will the start of my story Have I used dialogue to Does my story include
grab readers’ attention? show how my characters feel a variety of complete
and think? sentences?
Does the beginning
introduce the narrator Did I use time-order words Did I use quotation
and establish the to show the order of events? marks to show when
situation? a character starts and
Have I included clear,
stops speaking?
Do my events unfold in concrete descriptions and
a logical order? details for each event? Is my spelling,
punctuation, and
Do I have a strong Have I used vivid descriptive
capitalization
ending that provides a words?
correct?
sense of closure?

PRESENT

Create a Finished Copy Write or type a final copy of

your story. Choose a way to share your story with your
classmates. Consider these options.
1. Read your story aloud to your classmates, being sure
to use appropriate expression.
2. Publish your story on a school website or social
networking page and ask for feedback from readers.

204