Super Teacher Grade 6

Name: __________________________________
Surprise Party
by Kelly Hashway
Emma hung the streamers, not really paying attention
to where she was placing them. She was too disappointed
to focus. After all, it was her birthday too and no one in
her class had even said happy birthday. They were
all busy planning the surprise party for Mr. Stinton,
the custodian.
Sure Mr. Stinton was great. He knew everyone’s birthday and made cards and
cookies for them. He high-fived you when you got an A on a test, and he offered
encouragement when you didn’t do as well as you’d wanted. Emma knew Mr. Stinton
deserved a surprise party, but she wished just one person would have remembered it
was her birthday too.
Emma glanced at the giant card the class had made. It was the length of the
blackboard. Mr. Stinton wouldn’t like it if they bought presents for him, so Emma had
suggested the class make a card and bake goodies just like he did for them. She’d
spent a lot of time planning the surprise party. She wanted Mr. Stinton to feel special.
Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

“I’m going to call Mr. Stinton now,” Mrs. Bowman said. “Emma will you turn off
the lights please?”
Mrs. Bowman called Mr. Stinton saying the lights in the classroom had gone out.
As soon as Mrs. Bowman hung up, Emma took one last look around the room and
turned the lights off with a sigh.
Emma heard Mr. Stinton’s boots thumping down the hallway. The doorknob
turned and Emma flicked on the light. Everyone yelled, “Surprise!”
Mr. Stinton was surprised, but so was Emma. Mr. Stinton was carrying a bunch of
balloons and a tray of cookies.
“A surprise party for me?” Mr. Stinton said. He walked over to the giant card.
“This is the most beautiful card I’ve ever seen.” He turned to Emma and handed her a
card. “It makes my birthday card for you look kind of small.” He gave Emma the
balloons and the tray of cookies. “Happy birthday, Emma. I was so excited when I
found out we have the same birthday.”
“Happy birthday, Emma,” her classmates said.
“I’m glad we share the same birthday, too,” Emma said, smiling at Mr. Stinton.

Name: __________________________________
Surprise Party
by Kelly Hashway
1. Why was Emma disappointed in the beginning

of the story?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
2.
Three Reasons Why Everyone

In the Class Liked Mr. Stinton
3. Approximately how large was Mr. Stinton's card?
a. about two feet long b. about fifteen feet long

c. about seventy feet long d. about twenty yards long
4. What is the author's purpose for writing this story?
a. to teach readers how to throw a surprise party

b. to persuade readers to throw surprise parties for school custodians
c. to entertain us with a story about two people that share a birthday

Name: __________________________________
Surprise Party
Vocabulary
Part 1: Reread “Surprise Party” by Kelly Hashway.

As you read highlight the following vocabulary words in the story.
streamers custodian encouragement
deserved glanced sigh flicked
Part 2: Match each vocabulary word on the left with its definition on the right.
_______ 1. streamers a. positive, supportive words
_______ 2. custodian b. turned a switch on or off
_______ 3. encouragement c. breathe deeply and heavily
_______ 4. deserved d. party decorations made from paper
_______ 5. glanced e. looked quickly
_______ 6. sigh f. person who takes care of a building
_______ 7. flicked g. was worthy of
Part 3: Use a vocabulary word from the list to complete each sentence.
8. Shannon _________________________ at her watch every few minutes.
9. The school _________________________ fixed the squeaky door.
10. Alex hung _________________________ in the house on his sister's birthday.

Name: __________________________________
The Clear Choice by Kelly Hashway
Rachel squinted at the board. Was that a five or an
eight? Her friends copied the math problems into their
notebooks, but Rachel couldn’t see the board from the back
of the room.
“Rachel, is something wrong?” Mrs. Grimes asked.
“No, Mrs. Grimes.”
Rachel slid over in her seat, trying to copy the problems from Jenny’s paper.
“Rachel, would you please come to my desk?” Mrs. Grimes said.
Rachel jumped. She walked up to Mrs. Grimes’s desk at the front of the room. “I
wasn’t trying to cheat.” Rachel lowered her head and whispered, “I just can’t see the
board.”
“Oh, that is a problem. It sounds like you’re nearsighted. Do you have glasses you
should be wearing?”
Rachel felt a lump in her throat. Her parents had taken her for glasses two weeks
ago, but she didn’t want to wear them in class where everyone would see.
Mrs. Grimes sighed. “I think I see the problem. You don’t want your friends to know
you need glasses. Is that right?”
Rachel nodded.

“Well, there is another solution. I could move your seat to the front of the room.”
“But then I wouldn’t be by Jenny and Amanda,” Rachel said.
“You’re going to have to make a decision, Rachel. Either you wear your glasses or
I move your seat. The choice is up to you.”
Rachel turned to look at Jenny and Amanda. Jenny had a worried expression on
her face. Amanda mouthed the words, “What’s wrong?”
They were good friends, and Rachel wanted to continue sitting by them.
“I think I’m going to keep my seat in the back,” Rachel said.
Mrs. Grimes nodded. “Okay, but if I don’t see you wearing your glasses when
you’re copying problems from the board, I’ll be forced to move your seat.”
“I understand.” Rachel walked back to her seat, wondering how she was going
to tell Jenny and Amanda that she needed to wear glasses.
“Are you in trouble?” Jenny asked.
“You look scared,” Amanda said.
“I’m not in trouble. I just have to wear my glasses if I’m going to sit back here with
you.”
“Then put them on,” Jenny said with a shrug.
Rachel smiled. “I will.”
Note from the Author
Kelly Hashway
"The Clear Choice" is based on a true story from when I got glasses in third grade. I was
so scared to let everyone see me wearing them, but sitting by my friends was more
important to me than letting the class see me in glasses. I hope you enjoyed the story!

Name: __________________________________
The Clear Choice by Kelly Hashway
1. Where was Rachel's seat in the classroom?
a. in the front b. in the middle

c. in the back d. near Mrs. Grimes' desk
2. Before Mrs. Grimes called Rachel to her desk, what two things
did Rachel try to do when she couldn't see the board?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Why didn't Rachel want to wear her glasses?
a. She doesn't like the way she looks in them.

b. She does not know where she put them.
c. Her friends tease her when she wears them.
d. She does not want her friends to know she has them.
4. What was Mrs. Grimes going to do if Rachel chose not to wear her glasses?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. How did Rachel react when her teachers called her up to talk with her?
a. She was cheerful. b. She did not speak.

b. She was respectful. d. She complained.
Now try this: On the back of this page, write two sentences that describe what Jenny and
Amanda might say when they see Rachel wear her glasses.

Name: __________________________________
The Clear Choice

Vocabulary
Fill in the missing letters to create a word from the story. Then, write the full word on the line.
1. ___ e c ___ ___ ___ ___ n 1. _________________________________
clue: choice
2. ___ e ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ t ___ d 2. _________________________________
clue: unable to clearly see things far away
3. ___ ___ ___ h 3. _________________________________
clue: subject dealing with numbers
4. ___ ___ i ___ ___ ___ r e ___ 4. _________________________________
clue: spoke very softly
5. ___ o ___ ___ ___ d 5. _________________________________
clue: moved head up and down
6. ___ x ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ o ___ 6. _________________________________
clue: the feelings shown on a person's face
7. ___ ___ ___ ___ n ___ ___ d 7. _________________________________
clue: closed the eyes halfway to see better

Name: ______________________________
A BIRTHDAY TREAT 1
by Kelly Hashway
Randy couldn’t wait to get to school. It was Mrs. Anderson’s
birthday, and she promised the class a special treat to help her
celebrate. Randy knew that Mrs. Anderson was a great baker. She
always made the most delicious cakes and cookies for the school
bake sales. Randy’s mouth watered as he walked into the room
and took his seat.
Mrs. Anderson had a long covered container on her desk,
and the room smelled incredible from whatever goody Mrs.
Anderson had made. Everyone sniffed the air and smiled in anticipation. Once the class was
settled, Mrs. Anderson said, “As promised I have a special treat for you today.”
Randy’s stomach growled.
“Wait, Mrs. Anderson,” Olivia said. “We have to sing happy birthday first.”
Randy sighed. He really wanted to see what Mrs. Anderson had made. But the class
always sang on someone’s birthday. So Randy sang along, imagining cakes and cookies the
whole time.
Finally it was time to eat. Randy sat forward in his seat to get a good view of the
container. Mrs. Anderson said, “I decided to do something a little different today. I wanted to
share something really special with you, so I made my grandmother’s famous blueberry
muffins.” With a big smile, she uncovered the container.
Randy slumped back in his seat. Blueberry? Randy didn’t like blueberries. Mrs. Anderson

walked around the room, giving out the muffins. When she got to Randy’s desk, he politely said,
“No, thank you. I don’t like blueberries.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to at least try one?” Mrs. Anderson asked. “You could pick
the blueberries out if you’d like.”
“No, thank you.” Randy lowered his head and rubbed his grumbling stomach. He’d
skipped breakfast, and now he was really hungry. He watched his classmates eat the muffins
and comment on how delicious they were.
Finally Randy couldn’t take it. He was so hungry he didn’t care if the muffins had
blueberries. Just as he was about to raise his hand, Mrs. Anderson put a muffin on his desk. “As
a birthday present to me, do you think you could at least try one?”
Randy nodded. He took a small bite, trying not to get a blueberry. But a little bit of the
purplish fruit got in there anyway. Randy tasted the tart yet sweet blueberry and smiled. “Hey,
these are good!” He took another big bite, getting several blueberries this time.
“I’m glad you like them, Randy,” Mrs. Anderson said. “And thank you for trying them for
me.”
Randy tried to say, “You’re welcome,” but it was tough to do with a mouth full of
blueberry muffin.
About the Author

Kelly Hashway's latest book, May the Best Dog Win, is now available!
Dash has the perfect life until the Super Sweeper 5000 shows up. Sweeper
runs all over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps, and he even
gets his own room! But Dash won't give up his place as the favorite dog
without a fight.
Hashway, Kelly. May the Best Dog Win. ISBN: 9780984589081

Name: ______________________________
A BIRTHDAY TREAT 1
by Kelly Hashway
1. Whose birthday is being celebrated in the story?
a. Olivia's b. Randy's
c. Marvin's d. Mrs. Anderson's
2. When Mrs. Anderson said, “I have a special treat for you today,” how did Randy feel?
(circle one word from the list)
disappointed angry worried excited
Explain why he felt this way.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why were the blueberry muffins special to Miss Anderson?
a. She grew the blueberries herself.

b. They were made from her grandmother's recipe.
c. Her class helped her make them.
d. Her daughter helped her make the muffins.
4. Randy was very hungry when it was time to eat the muffins. Why?
a. He skipped breakfast.
b. He skipped lunch.
c. He forgot to bring a snack to school.
d. He just ate cupcakes.
5. What lesson can be learned from this story?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
A BIRTHDAY TREAT 1
by Kelly Hashway
The scrambled words below are vocabulary words from the story.
Unscramble each word and write it on the line. Please be sure each
word is spelled correctly.
1. ____________________________ sluidoeci
hint: tasty; yummy
2. ____________________________ topinacianti
hint: to feel excitement beforehand
3. ____________________________ oydog
hint: treat; snack
4. ____________________________ eitpolly
hint: with good manners
5. ____________________________ senpret
hint: gift
6. ____________________________ tencmom
hint: to give an opinion

Name: ______________________________
A BIRTHDAY TREAT 1
by Kelly Hashway
In the story, “A Birthday Treat,” Randy is afraid to try Mrs. Anderson's

blueberry muffins because he doesn't think he likes blueberries. When
he tries them, he discovers that he likes them.
Think of a specific food that you enjoy that some people may not have
tried. Write a persuasive paragraph in which you convince readers to
try the food you have chosen.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Snow Dance
by Kelly Hashway
Arianna rushed into the living room where her
father was turning off the television.
“Well, what did they say?” Arianna asked.
Her father shook his head. “Sorry, Sweetie. Only
flurries in the forecast. No accumulation.”
Arianna sighed. Winter was her favorite season for one reason alone—snow. She loved
the fluffy white stuff. It made the trees and ground sparkle. It meant snowball fights, snowmen,
and best of all sledding. She’d even gotten a new sled for Christmas. But what good was a new
sled without snow?
She pulled her sled out from under the tree. It still had a big red bow on it. “All I really
wanted for Christmas was a new sled. But now that I have it, I can’t even use it. This is turning
out to be the worst winter ever.”
Her father patted her shoulder. “There’s still plenty of time for snow, sweetie. Winter’s only
just begun. Give it time and the snow will come.”
“Yeah, but winter break will be over soon, and I haven’t gotten to use my sled yet.”
“What about all your other Christmas gifts? Why don’t you play with them? I bet you’ll
have so much fun you won’t even miss the snow.”

Arianna sighed. Her father just didn’t understand. She grabbed her sled and moved it to
the middle of the living room floor.
“What are you doing?” her father asked.
“A snow dance,” Arianna said, marching around the sled. She raised her hands in the air
and chanted, “Snow, snow, snow.”
Her father laughed but Arianna kept dancing and chanting. She did her snow dance for
three straight days before she gave up. She went to bed that night without even checking the
weather report.
In the morning she woke up to something lying next to her in bed. She opened her eyes
and saw her sled.
“Thought you’d want to get an early start,” her father said, sipping on his morning coffee.
“It snowed?” Arianna asked, sitting up.
“The weather man reported the storm last
night. I tried to tell you, but you had already gone to
bed. I guess your snow dance worked.”
Arianna laughed. “Or I just had to wait until the
snow was ready like you said. But either way, I’m going
sledding before breakfast!”

Name: ______________________________
Snow Dance
by Kelly Hashway
1. What was the author's purpose for writing this story?
a. to teach readers how to make it snow outside

b. to give information about how people live in snowy climates
c. to entertain readers with a story about a girl who wants snow
d. to entertain readers with a story about sledding, snowmen, and snowball fights
2. Arianna's father says, “Sorry Sweetie. Only flurries in the forecast. No accumulation.”
What does the word accumulation mean?
a. snow that falls during the night

b. snow that sticks to the ground
c. snow that is more than six inches deep
d. snow that is slippery
3. During which month does this story take place? __________________________________
4. Describe Arianna's snow dance.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Read the following sentence from the story and write a definition for the underlined word.
Her father laughed but Arianna kept dancing and chanting.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Challenge: Write a short poem titled, “Snow Dance.” Read your poem aloud to a friend or family
member and perform your own snow dance.

Name: ______________________________
Snow Dance
Parts of a Story
Characters: List the main characters and briefly describe them.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Setting: Tell where and when the story takes place. Be specific.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Problem: Describe the main character's problem.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Solution: Tell how the problem was solved, and how the story ended.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Personal Opinion: Tell whether or not you liked the story, and justify your opinion.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Leaf Races
By Kelly Hashway
Kendall sighed as she dragged the rake across the fallen

leaves. “I’m never going to finish this.”
“Hey,” Eli called over the fence. “What are you doing?”
“Raking.”
“Cool. You want help?” Eli climbed the fence and hopped
over.
“Really?” Kendall couldn’t imagine anyone volunteering for something so boring.
“Yeah. Leaves are almost as much fun as snow.” Eli grabbed another rake from the
shed and started making a pile. “Check this out.” He ran and jumped right in the center of
the pile. “Try it.”
“But now we have to rake all those leaves again.” Kendall shook her head. They’d
never finish if he kept doing that.
“Just try it.” Eli raked the leaves into another pile, but bigger this time. He set the rakes
aside and took Kendall’s hand. “Ready? Go!”
Kendall allowed him to pull her along, and they jumped onto the pile. “Hey, that was
kind of fun.” She looked around. “Only, we’re creating more work for ourselves.”
Eli smiled. “Okay, then let’s try leaf races.”
“What’s a leaf race?”
Eli handed Kendall a rake and led her back to the fence. “First one to the other side of
the yard wins. You have to drag the rake along the ground to rake leaves while you run. If
you pick up your rake at any point, you have to start over. Got it?”
Kendall nodded and put her rake flush on the ground. “Ready.”

“On your mark. Get set. Go!”
They took off across the yard, their rakes trailing behind them. Eli reached the other side
first and hooted in delight. “Yeah! I won!”
“Okay, I want a rematch. It was my first time.”
Eli held open a big garbage bag, and they scooped their piles into it. Then they raced
back down to the fence for a rematch.
“This time I get to start the race,” Kendall said.
“Go ahead, but I’m still going to win.”
Kendall yelled a quick, “Ready, set, go!” and took off.
“Hey, no fair!” Eli called, running after her.
They raced back and forth until the yard was clear.
“We’re done already?” Kendall said, trying to catch her breath.
“Yup. See, I told you leaves were fun.”
“Want to dump some out of the bags and jump in them again?” Kendall asked.
“We’ll have to rake them afterward.”
Kendall shrugged. “I don’t mind.”
About the Author

Kelly Hashway's picture book, May the Best Dog Win, is now available!
Dash has the perfect life until the Super Sweeper 5000 shows up. Sweeper runs
all over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps,
and he even gets his own room! But Dash won't give up his place as
the favorite dog without a fight.

Name: ______________________________
Leaf Races
By Kelly Hashway
1. When does this story most likely take place?

a. in Kendall's backyard b. in Eli's backyard
c. before winter has begun d. after winter has ended
2. Why did Eli help Kendall rake leaves?

a. Kendall asked for help.
b. Eli didn't have any other friends to play with.
c. Kendall's mother asked Eli to help.
d. Eli thinks raking leaves is fun.
3. Explain how to play the leaf race game. What are the rules of the game?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. After they had raked and bagged all of the leaves, what did Kendall and Eli decide to do?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What lesson can be learned from this story?

a. If you help others with their work, they will help you someday.
b. Chores can be fun if you make them into a game.
c. When you do your chores quickly, you have more time for fun activities.
d. Hard jobs become easier if you use the right tools.

Name: ______________________________
Leaf Races
By Kelly Hashway
Match each vocabulary word on the left

with the definition on the right.
1. _____ rake a. a game played for the second time
2. _____ shed b. dragging along the ground
3. _____ fence c. feeling of enjoyment or pleasure
4. _____ rematch d. cheered
5. _____ scooped e. small building for storing outdoor yard tools
6. _____ trailing f. picked up and moved
7. _____ hooted g. tool for moving leaves or soil
8. _____ delight h. barrier made of wood, plastic, or metal for

marking the edge of a yard
 Now try this: Find each of the words above in the story and highlight them.

Name: ______________________________
Leaf Races
By Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Leaf Races,” Kendall does not enjoy raking leaves until Eli shows
her how to make a game of it.
Describe another chore that could be made into a game. Tell how you
would play the game and list the rules.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Shh! It's a Secret!

by Kelly Hashway
“Don’t tell anyone,” Jennifer said. “It’s a secret.”
Reagan sighed. Jennifer wanted everything to be a
secret. She thought it made her mysterious if people didn’t
know much about her. Maybe Jennifer was right. She had
quickly become the most popular girl in school. But Reagan
was getting tired of keeping secrets. Especially from her best
friend Lena.
“Hey, guys,” Lena said, walking over and sitting next to
Reagan and Jennifer at the cafeteria table. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing,” Jennifer said.
Reagan shifted in her seat and crumpled her napkin in her hand. “Well—”
“Reagan! You can’t tell her,” Jennifer said. “It’s a secret. You can’t tell other people’s
secrets.”
“But she should know this. It’s about—”
Jennifer narrowed her eyes at Reagan. “If you can’t keep a secret, I’ll have to find
another friend who can.”
“It’s just that this isn’t really a secret,” Reagan said.
“Anything can be a secret. It’s more fun that way.”

“How is keeping secrets fun?” Lena asked.
Jennifer smirked. “It’s fun when everyone wants to know what your secret is.”
“Well, it’s not fun for the people who don’t know the secret.” Lena got up and walked
away.
Reagan stood up. “I’ll keep your secret because I’m your friend,” she told Jennifer, “but I
don’t want to know any more secrets. Don’t tell me anything I can’t tell Lena. She’s one of my
best friends, and I don’t like making her feel left out.” Reagan
turned and walked off after Lena.
“Wait!” Jennifer said. “You can tell Lena that tryouts for the
play are being moved up to Thursday. She should know since she’s
going out for the lead, too.”
Reagan smiled. “Secrets are fine every once in a while. But
Lena’s your friend. You shouldn’t want to keep things from her.”
“You’re right,” Jennifer said. “Let’s go find her and tell her
about tryouts right now.”
About the the Author
Kelly Hashway
Kelly Hashway is a children's book author. You may enjoy reading her latest book, May the Best Dog
Win, which will be available in Spring 2011.

Name: ______________________________
Shh! It's a Secret!

by Kelly Hashway
1. What does Reagan do when she becomes frustrated with Jennifer's secrets?
a. She tells the secret to her best friend Lena.

b. She tells their teacher.
c. She tells Jennifer she is not good at keeping secrets.
d. She says she doesn't want to know any more secrets.
2. What was Jennifer's secret?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why did Reagan believe that Lena had a right to know the secret?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. How did Lena probably feel when she walked away from the table?
a. relieved b. lonely
c. aggravated d. indifferent
Challenge: On a sheet of white paper, draw a comic strip in which Jennifer and Reagan tell
Lena the secret. Be sure your pictures are detailed and the words are neatly
written.

Name: ______________________________
Shh! It's a Secret!

Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle
Use words from the story, “Shh! It's a Secret!” to complete the crossword.
Across Down
1. large room for eating
7. unknown, secretive
2. cloth for wiping hands and fingers when
8. smiled in a smug way eating
9. most important role in a play 3. liked by others
4. crushed and wrinkled
5. auditions
6. day before Friday

Name: __________________________________
Friday the 13th

by Kelly Hashway
Maxine walked to the bus stop, dreading the math
test she had today. She'd studied and studied, but she was
still worried.
“Whoa!” Adam said. “You stepped on a crack.”
Max looked down. “So what?”
“It’s Friday the 13th. That’s bad luck already and you
just added to it by stepping on that crack.”
Bad luck? Max didn’t need bad luck. She needed
good luck, and a whole lot of it, if she was going to get a good grade on her math test.
“Do you really believe in that stuff?” Max asked.
Adam shrugged. “There has to be a reason so many people are superstitious about
Friday the 13th, right?”
Max thought about that all morning and was careful not to step on any more cracks
before her math test.
“Hey, look out!” Adam yelled.
Max looked up from her math book, which she was glancing at one more time before
the test. She almost bumped right into the leg of a tall metal ladder.
“You walked under a ladder!” Adam said. “Are you trying to get all the bad luck you can
before this test?”
Oh no! Max lowered her head as she walked into the classroom and slumped into her
seat. This test was going to be a nightmare with all the bad luck she had.

Max’s hand shook as she wrote her name on the test paper. Mr. Saunders told everyone
to begin. She scanned the problems, and to her surprise, they didn’t look too hard. She took her
time and worked out each problem. When she finished, she brought her paper up to Mr.
Saunders’s desk.
Max gulped when Mr. Saunders started grading it right away. Max sat down and stared
out the window. She'd thought the problems weren’t bad at all, but what about her bad luck?
“Maxine, could you come here?” Mr. Saunders asked.
Max held her breath as she walked up to Mr. Saunders’s desk. She peeked at her paper,
expecting to see a lot of red marks on her incorrect answers. Instead she saw a big letter A.
“I got an A?”
“Yes,” Mr. Saunders said. “I’m very impressed with your improvement. I thought you
should see this right away.”
Max smiled for the rest of the day, and when a black cat walked in front of her on the
way home from the bus stop, she just smiled wider. Friday the 13th certainly wasn’t bad luck for
her.
About the Author

Kelly Hashway's picture book, Santa Bunny, is now available!
When the Easter Bunny feels children love Santa more than him, he decides to
take over the Christmas holiday. The Easter Bunny shows up on Christmas Eve to
deliver baskets to all the good children, only Santa is delivering gifts, too. But little
Tommy catches them and wants to know who will hide eggs on Easter? Can
Tommy convince the Easter Bunny he's loved before it's too late?
Hashway, Kelly. Santa Bunny. ISBN: 978-1470072353

Name: __________________________________
Friday the 13th

by Kelly Hashway
1. Throughout most of this story, Maxine believes...

a. that Friday the 13th brings good luck
b. that she needs good luck to pass her math test
c. that she will have good luck if she steps on cracks
d. that Adam is not being honest with her
2. Max probably got an A on her test because...

a. Friday the 13th is lucky for many people.
b. She stepped on a crack on her way to school.
c. She walked under a ladder.
d. She studied for the test.
3. Do you think Maxine usually does well on math tests? How can you tell?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Reread the sentence below from the story and choose the best definition for the
underlined word.
There has to be a reason so many people are superstitious about

Friday the 13th, right?
The underlined word means...

a. becoming worried about things
b. believing in working hard
c. believing in things that cause good and bad luck
d. feeling very sad on a certain day

Name: __________________________________
Friday the 13th

by Kelly Hashway
The incomplete words below are from the story. Add vowels to the
blank spaces and re-write each word on the line. Check back in
the story to make sure each word is spelled correctly.
1. d r _____ _____ d _____ n g ___________________________________

hint: fearing; being afraid of something
2. g r _____ d _____ ___________________________________

hint: score on a test
3. g l _____ n c _____ n g ___________________________________

hint: looking quickly
4. l _____ d d _____ r ___________________________________

hint: tall metal or wooden tool for climbing
5. p _____ _____ k _____ d ___________________________________

hint: looked
6. _____ n c _____ r r _____ c t ___________________________________

hint: wrong

Name: __________________________________
Friday the 13th

by Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Friday the 13th,” Maxine is superstitious. She believes

that stepping on cracks and walking under a ladder will bring her
bad luck, and cause her to fail her math test.
According to people who are superstitious, certain things can bring good luck or bad
luck. Are you a superstitious person? Explain why or why not.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Math Problems
by Kelly Hashway
Alex clutched his math quiz in his hand as he opened the
front door. He’d really tried this time, but he still barely passed.
And now Mrs. Gregory was making everyone take their quizzes
home to be signed.
Sounds from the kitchen and the smell of fresh chocolate
chip cookies greeted Alex at the door. His stomach grumbled. No
way would he be allowed to have cookies after he showed Mom
this quiz. Unless... He could wait until the morning and have her sign the quiz before school!
Alex shoved the paper in his backpack and ran to the kitchen.
“Hi, Mom. The cookies smell great.”
“Thanks.” Mom poured a glass of milk and put it on the table for Alex. “I figured you’d
need a pick-me-up after you got your math quiz back.”
Alex dropped his cookie on the floor. How did she know?
“Mrs. Gregory called,” Mom said, as Ralph, their golden retriever, snatched up the fallen
cookie.
Here it comes, Alex thought. I’m grounded.
“I told Mrs. Gregory how hard you studied for that quiz,” Mom said, handing Alex
another cookie.
Alex was shocked. Mom wasn’t mad?

“I think maybe we need to get you a tutor. Someone who can help you understand
math a little better. What do you think?”
“A tutor?” Alex asked, still waiting for Mom to start yelling.
“Yeah. Mrs. Gregory said she’d be happy to work with you after school, but if you’d
rather we could ask Michael down the street. He’s a math whiz.”
Alex nodded. “I guess Michael could help me.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say. I’ll call him tonight after dinner.” Mom put her hand
out, waiting for the paper to sign.
Alex pulled it out of his backpack, but he held it tight. “How come you aren’t mad?”
Mom smiled. “I know you tried your best. I can’t be mad about that. Now if you said you
didn’t want to be tutored, I might be a little upset.”
“I don’t want to fail math.”
“Tell you what. Let’s have some milk and cookies and then we’ll call Michael together.”
Alex handed the quiz to his mom and sat down at the table. Being tutored by Michael
wouldn’t be so bad. And hopefully he wouldn’t have to worry the next time he had to get his
math quiz signed.
About the Author

Dash has the perfect life until the Super Sweeper 5000 shows up. Sweeper
runs all over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps, and he even
gets his own room! But Dash won't give up his place as the favorite dog
without a fight.

Name: ______________________________
Math Problems
by Kelly Hashway
1. Why didn't Alex want to show the math test to his mother?
a. He failed the test.
b. He didn't study for the test.
c. He thought his mother would be upset.
d. He forgot to bring the test home.
2. Alex didn't want to show his mother the test that afternoon. He wanted to wait until the
next morning instead. Why?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why didn't Alex wait until morning to have his mom sign the test?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Match each character with their description.
______ Michael a. family pet
______ Ralph b. struggles with math
______ Mrs. Gregory c. math whiz
______ Alex d. teacher
5. Why wasn't Alex's mom upset with him?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Math Problems
by Kelly Hashway
Fill in the missing letters to create a vocabulary word from

the story. Then write the full word on the line. Be sure you
spell each word correctly.
1. ___ a ___ e ___ y ____________________________________

hint: by a very small amount
2. ___ i ___ n ___ d ____________________________________

hint: wrote a cursive name on a paper
3. ___ t o ___ ___ c ___ ____________________________________

hint: belly
4. ___ i g ___ ___ e d ____________________________________

hint: thought
5. ___ e ___ ___ i e ___ ___ r ____________________________________

hint: type of dog that likes to fetch items and bring them back
6. ____ n ___ t ___ h ___ d ____________________________________

hint: grabbed
7. ____ r ___ u ___ d ___ d ____________________________________

hint: punishment in which privileges are lost
8. ___ ___ ___ o r ____________________________________

hint: a person hired to help someone learn
9. ___ a ___ l ____________________________________

hint: opposite of pass

Name: ______________________________
Math Problems
by Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Math Problems,” Alex is afraid to show his math test to his
mother. He is afraid that he will be grounded for getting a poor grade.
When his mother finds out, she is not angry because she knows he
studied and did his best.
Write a paragraph in which you list four different things Alex can do to
improve his math skills.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Carnival Fever
by Kelly Hashway
Sophie moaned as her mother read the
thermometer. She had a fever, which meant she wasn’t
going to Michelle’s birthday party. Michelle’s parents
had planned a carnival theme with games. Sophie
loved carnival games, but now she was going to miss
all the fun because she had a fever.
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” her mother said. “Maybe we could play a few games here after
you’ve rested a bit.”
Sophie sighed and cuddled further under her blankets. Board games weren’t the same
as carnival games. She closed her eyes and dreamed of booth after booth of ring toss, dart
throw, duck pond, and can knockdown. She won huge stuffed prizes for each game. Sophie
was enjoying her dream carnival until she heard her parents and older brother, Gavin, talking.
She opened her eyes to see funny looking displays all over her bedroom. Plastic water
bottles covered her desk. Empty soda cans were stacked in a pyramid on her chair. And a
piece of cardboard with balloons taped to it rested against her closet door.
“What is all this?” Sophie asked.
“Your very own carnival,” her father said.

“Here,” Gavin said, handing Sophie a newly sharpened pencil. “Try to pop a balloon.”
Sophie looked at the balloons taped to the cardboard. “You made a dart game.”
Her parents smiled. “Try it,” they said.
Sophie aimed the pencil and popped the blue balloon in the middle. “What do I win?”
“Another game,” Gavin said, walking over to the chair with the soda cans. He handed
her a pair of rolled up socks. “Let’s see your best pitch.”
Sophie laughed and tossed the socks at the cans. They all fell on the first try.
“Great!” her father said. “How about a game of ring toss.” He handed Sophie a rubber
band and pointed to the water bottles on her desk.
Before she could toss the rubber band, the phone rang. Sophie answered it.
“Hi, Sophie. It’s Michelle. I heard you're at home sick. I’m sorry you’re missing my party. I
know how much you love carnival games.”
“Yeah,” Sophie said, “but my family made me my own carnival right in my room. I’ll call
you later. Enjoy your party and happy birthday!”
Sophie hung up the phone and tossed the rubber band at the bottles. She loved having
her very own carnival.

Name: ______________________________
Carnival Fever
by Kelly Hashway
1. How did Sophie react when her mother told her she could not
go to Michelle's birthday party?
a. She told her mother she wanted to go to the party instead of stay in bed.
b. She told her mother she felt too tired to go anyway.
c. She said she would rather go to a carnival than the birthday party.
d. She acted disappointed, but she didn't complain.
2. Complete the graphic organizer.
3. Which two words best describe Sophie's family? (circle two)
indifferent thoughtful wealthy creative
Tell why you chose each of the words above. ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Carnival Fever
Vocabulary Activity
Fill in the missing letters to create a word from the story. Then, write the full word on the line. Be sure you
1. ___ ___ r ___ 1. _________________________________
clue: pointed object thrown at a target
2. ___ i ___ ___ ___ 2. _________________________________
clue: to throw or toss
3. ___ ___ ___ t ___ ___ r 3. _________________________________
clue: male sibling
4. ___ e ___ ___ ___ 4. _________________________________
clue: an above-normal body temperature
5. ___ a ___ ___ ___ ___ a ___ 5. _________________________________
clue: an outdoor event with games and food
6. ___ ___ ___ g 6. _________________________________
clue: past tense of ring
7. ___ ___ ___ ___ o ___ ___ s 7. _________________________________
clue: rubber bags filled with air

Name: ______________________________
Hunting for
Shark Teeth 1
by Kelly Hashway
Trina squished her toes in the wet sand. She’d
spent every morning that week searching the
beach for a shark tooth. Everyone said Myrtle
Beach was famous for shark teeth. But Trina hadn’t
found a single one.
Something pointy and T-shaped caught her
eye. She reached for it and held it up against the shark tooth necklace her parents had bought
her at one of the tourist shops. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it kind of looked like a shark
tooth.
“Did you find one?” her father asked.
Trina shrugged. “It looks like a shark tooth, but it might just be a seashell.”
“Let me see,” her father said, reaching for it. He brought it up to his face and turned it all
around. Then he held it up to the sun and examined it some more. “It could be a shark tooth.”
Trina didn’t want to be unsure. She wanted a shark tooth. And not one that her parents
bought at a store. She had to find one for herself.
Her father held it out to her. “Here.”
“If we can’t be sure it’s a shark tooth, then I don’t want it,” Trina said.
Her father patted her shoulder and put the possible shark tooth in his pocket. Trina

continued searching among the seashells. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father
walk a little way down the beach. Trina searched and searched. But all she found were shells
and a broken sand dollar.
“Trina, it’s time to go in,” her mother said, folding up the beach chair.
“Just a few more minutes,” Trina said.
“Sorry, honey. We have reservations for brunch, and you need to get all that sand off you
before we go.”
Trina stood up and brushed the sand from her shorts. She’d be leaving in the afternoon,
so this was her last chance to find a shark tooth. She stared at the beach and sighed.
“Trina!” her father said, running up to her. “I asked a few people on the beach if they
thought this was a shark tooth and they all said it could be. I think you should keep it.” He
handed the tooth to her.
Trina ran her finger over the sharp point at the top. Maybe it was a shark tooth. Maybe it
wasn’t. Either way it was pretty cool looking, and she had found it herself.
“Yeah, I think I will keep it.”
About the the Author

Kelly Hashway
Dash has the perfect life until the Super Sweeper 5000 shows up. Sweeper runs all
over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps, and he even gets his own
room! But Dash won't give up his place as the favorite dog without a fight.

Name: ______________________________
Hunting for
Shark Teeth 1
by Kelly Hashway
1. On what beach does this story take place?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which fact is true, according to the story?

a. Trina already has a shark tooth.
b. Trina has been searching for seashells.
c. Trina has collected many shark teeth.
d. At the end of the story, Trina knew she had found a real shark's tooth.
3. Is Trina on vacation, or does she live by the beach? Explain how you know.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Does this story take place in the morning or evening? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What type of story is this?

a. science fiction b. biography
c. fantasy d. realistic fiction

Name: ______________________________
Hunting for Shark Teeth 1
by Kelly Hashway
Fill in the missing letters to create a word from the story.

Then, write the full word on the line. Be sure you spell each word correctly.
1. ___ ___ a ___ p 1. ____________________________________

hint: antonym for dull
2. ___ a ___ d ___ ___ l l ___ r 2. ____________________________________

hint: a flat, round sea creature that lives in the sand
3. ___ ___ c k ___ ___ 3. ____________________________________

hint: small bag sewn into clothing for carrying things
4. ___ o u ___ i ___ t 4. ____________________________________

hint: person who is on vacation
5. ___ ___ c k ___ ___ c e 5. ____________________________________

hint: jewelry worn around the neck
6. ___ ___ u ___ ___ h 6. ____________________________________

hint: meal that is eaten in the late morning instead of breakfast and lunch
7. ___ ___ s e r ___ ___ ___ i o ___ s 7. ____________________________________

hint: special times for meals that are booked with a restaurant

Name: ______________________________
Hunting for Shark Teeth 1
by Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Hunting for Shark Teeth,” Trina is looking for a shark's tooth so
she can keep it as a souvenir of her trip to Myrtle Beach.
Write a paragraph to describe a souvenir that you brought home from a special
place. Tell what the souvenir is, where you got it, who you were with, what you were
doing there, and why it is a special object.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Friends Helping Friends

By Kelly Hashway
Jared put on his coat and backpack and walked

out of school to catch his bus home. His backpack
weighed him down with all the materials he needed to
finish his science fair project this weekend.
“Hey, Jared!” Carlos yelled, running up to him. “My

dad’s running the park clean-up this weekend. Can you
help out?”
“Um…” Jared knew he didn’t have time to help,

but he didn’t want to disappoint Carlos. “I guess I can.”
“Great. Thanks!” Carlos said, waving goodbye.
Jared stepped onto the bus and took his seat. He was going to have to stay up late
tonight to work on his project so he could help Carlos in the morning.
“Jared,” Chianne said, sitting down next to him. “I’ve been looking for you. I have to
walk Mrs. Vanderhoof’s dogs this weekend. Do you think you could help me?”
“Um…” Jared knew Mrs. Vanderhoof’s dogs had to be walked three times a day. How
would he manage to fit that in on top of everything else? “I guess I can.”
“Great!” Chianne waved goodbye as the bus pulled up to their stop.
Jared’s backpack felt even heavier as he walked into the house and flopped down on
the couch.
“Rough day?” his mother asked.
“More like rough weekend. I have to finish my science fair project, help Carlos with the
park clean-up, and help Chianne walk Mrs. Vanderhoof’s dogs.”

“Sounds like you agreed to too many things this weekend,” his mother said.
“I know, but Carlos and Chianne are my friends. I couldn't say 'no' to them. I didn’t
want to let them down.” Jared stared at his mom. “What should I do?”
“I’m glad you want to help your friends, but you need to have time for your own things,
too.”
Jared knew she was right. “Maybe I can tell Carlos I can only help for two hours in the
morning. And I can probably help Chianne walk Mrs. Vanderhoof’s dogs early in the morning,
but not at lunchtime or in the evening.” Jared’s stomach flopped. “Mom, do you think they’ll
get mad?”
“They’re your friends. Tell them you need time to finish your science fair project. They’ll
understand.”
Jared nodded and got the phone. He told Carlos and Chianne the truth. As soon as he
hung up, he turned to his mom. “They’re fine with it, and they both offered to help with my
project, too.”
“I knew it would work out,” Mom said.
Jared smiled. “Yeah, because friends help each other out.”
About the Author


Name: ______________________________

By Kelly Hashway
1. What did Jared want to do to help Carlos?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. What did Jared want to do to help Chianne?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How did Jared feel when he arrived home from school?

a. excited b. hurt
c. angry d. overwhelmed
4. Why was Jared nervous about calling his friends?

a. He was afraid they would be upset with him for not helping enough.
b. He was afraid they would ask him to do even more.
c. He was worried that they would not help him with his science project.
d. He was worried that his friends would not answer the phone.
5. Are Carlos and Chianne being good friends to Jared? Tell why or why not.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Making Fun
By Kelly Hashway

1. _____ disappoint a. complete
2. _____ probably b. sofa
3. _____ finish c. let down
4. _____ offered d. looked at with eyes wide open
5. _____ couch e. promised
6. _____ evening f. likely
7. _____ agreed g. time of day before bedtime
8. _____ stared h. showed a willingness to help someone

Name: ______________________________

By Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Friends Helping Friends,” Jared promises to help

his friends during the weekend, but he doesn't have the time.
Write about a time when you have been very busy. Tell what
things you have to do during this busy time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________
How to Pet a Dolphin

By Anita Nahta Amin
“Look at the dolphins!” Jordan raced to

the aquarium tank with his twin sister, Dani. He
propped his elbows on the rim of the tank and
leaned forward on his tip toes.
This was the closest he’d ever been to a

dolphin. Sometimes when he and his family had
gone ocean sailing, dolphins had chased their
boat, but the dolphins had always been too far
away and too fast to touch.
“I can’t wait to touch one,” Dani said, reaching out for a dolphin just as it swam
away. She frowned.
“Maybe this will help,” Mom said, stopping beside them with Dad.
Jordan’s parents held out small white paper trays of crayon-sized silver fish.
“This is food for the dolphins,” Dad explained.
Dani grabbed one of the trays and raced to the other side of the tank, where it was
less crowded.
Jordan made a face at the fish in his tray. Ew, he thought. They were smelly and
looked slimy and squishy. He studied the dolphins and wondered if they felt slimy too.
When he heard laughter, he craned his neck past several people to watch Dani, who was
waving one of her fish in the air.
A guide stopped beside Jordan. The guide said, “Hold your fish above the water and
drop it in the dolphin’s mouth. That’s the best time to pet a dolphin.”

Jordan held his breath as he pinched a fish between his thumb and index finger. He
dangled it over the water.
A dolphin swam up to him and opened its mouth. Jordan pulled his hand slightly
back and paused. What if the dolphin swallowed his hand, too?
“It’s okay,” the guide said. “It won’t bite you.”
Jordan glanced at the guide, and then at Dani, who was already petting a dolphin.
Jordan dropped the fish into the dolphin’s mouth and briefly touched its light gray back. It
felt slippery and smooth. “Oh, cool!” he cried.
A big splash soaked Jordan as the dolphin glided away. “Aah!” He laughed and
wrung his t-shirt. Jordan quickly held out another fish and smiled as he pet another dolphin.
Soon Jordan’s tray was empty. Dolphin after dolphin passed just barely out of reach.
They were all traveling to Dani, who had a waiting line of dolphins.
“Hey, over here!” Jordan shouted to the dolphins. He reached his hand out over the
salty water in the tank.
“Dolphins can’t hear you,” the guide said. “They hear on a higher pitch.”
Jordan whistled. A couple of dolphins swam by but didn’t stop. His shoulders
slumped. Then he shrugged and ran to his sister. “Dani, that was so cool!”
“I know!” Dani grinned. She threw a fish into a dolphin’s mouth and rubbed its back.
Dani picked up her last fish. “You want it?”
Jordan paused. “No, you do it.”
“Okay.” Dani tossed the fish to the next dolphin and pet it.
Then, Jordan wrapped his arm around Dani’s shoulder. They giggled and ran out of
the park.

Name: __________________________________

By Anita Amin
1. Choose the best pair of words that describes how

Jordan feels before he pets a dolphin at the aquarium.
a. enthusiastic and fearless b. excited and uncertain

c. bored and uninterested d. curious and tearful
2. According to the reading passage, why does Dani move to the other side of the
dolphin tank? (Use a complete sentence.)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is Jordan afraid will happen when he feeds a dolphin?
a. The dolphin will swim away too quickly for him to pet it.
b. The dolphin will not be interested in taking his fish.
c. The dolphin will bite his hand.
d. The dolphin will splash him and get his clothes wet.
4. Jordan uses his senses to observe the fish he is given to feed the dolphins.
Circle each of the senses Jordan uses to observe the fish.
taste smell sound touch sight
5. When Jordan calls out to the dolphins, the guide informs him that the dolphins cannot
hear him. In your own words, explain why the dolphins cannot hear human voices,
using complete sentences.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________

By Anita Amin
Match each vocabulary word from the story, “How to Pet a

Dolphin,” with the correct definition.
_______ 1. squishy a. stretched one's neck in order to see

something better
_______ 2. briefly b. raised one's shoulders up and down
_______ 3. wrung c. having a soft and wet texture
_______ 4. aquarium d. held out in front of someone or something;

swung loosely
_______ 5. swallowed e. lasting for only a moment
_______ 6. dangled f. how high or low a tone is
_______ 7. slippery g. ate or gulped something down
_______ 8. craned h. twisted in order to squeeze water out of

something
_______ 9. pitch i. having a texture that is smooth or slick
_______ 10. shrugged j. a glass enclosure for aquatic animals

Name: __________________________________

By Anita Amin
In the story, “How to Pet a Dolphin,” Jordan and his sister, Dani,
experience what it's like to touch a dolphin for the first time.
Using the lines below, describe an encounter you had with an

animal at the aquarium, zoo, or even a nearby farm. What was it like to see that animal up
close? Were you allowed to touch the animal? Describe your experience using
complete sentences.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________
The Haunted Tree

by Kelly Hashway
Mark turned the corner and
stared at the empty bus stop. He
swallowed hard and his hands started to
shake. Being the first one there wouldn’t
be a problem if the old oak tree that
marked the bus stop wasn’t haunted.
“Where is everyone?” Mark
whispered.
The sun wasn’t quite up yet, and the darkness was making the oak tree look
scarier than usual. The tree was the gathering place for the bus stop. All the kids stood by
it and talked while they waited for Mr. Meyers to drive up and take them to school. When
other kids were around, the bus stop wasn’t so scary. But Mark was alone, and it was
dark.
The oak tree’s branches swayed in the breeze, and Mark heard the strange
“Ooooh” that sometimes came from the center of the tree.
Mark hurried to the other side of the street, trying to stay as far away from the tree
as possible. He didn’t take his eyes off the tree. The bare branches looked like they were
reaching out to grab him. He heard the “Ooooh, ooooh” again.
“I’m not afraid of you,” Mark called in a shaky voice.

“Who are you talking to?” Will asked, walking up behind Mark.
Mark jumped. He turned to face Will and relaxed a little now that he wasn’t alone
with the tree. Will stared at him, waiting for an answer.
“I thought I heard something.” Mark shrugged and crossed the street, heading for
the bus stop. Will followed.
“Maybe you heard the ghost in the tree,” Will said.
“Oooh, oooh.”
Mark and Will jumped.
Something moved across the hollowed out spot in the tree.
“There’s something in the tree,” Mark said. He stood on tiptoes and peeked inside.
“It’s an owl!”
“An owl? That’s what’s making that strange noise?”
Will asked.
“Maybe it’s hurt,” Mark said. “Let’s tell Mrs. Abrams
about it when we get to school. She knows a lot about
nocturnal animals.”
“I guess there’s nothing to be scared of now,” Will
said.
“I’m still pretty scared of the math test we have
today,” Mark said.

Name: __________________________________
The Haunted Tree

by Kelly Hashway
1. Describe the setting of the story.

(Tell where and when the story takes place.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What did Will think of the oak tree?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Who was Mr. Meyers?
a. their teacher b. the bus driver

c. Mark's mother d. the name of the ghost in the tree
4. List the correct order of these events. Write 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th on the lines.
__________ Mark stood on his tiptoes and peeked inside the tree.
__________ Mark was the first one to arrive at the bus stop.
__________ Mark saw an owl in the tree.
__________ Mark walked to the other side of the street because he was afraid.
__________ Will arrived and both boys heard a ghost sound in the tree.
5. At the end of the story, what was Mark afraid of?
_____________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________
The Haunted Tree

Vocabulary
Read each sentence. Look up the definition of each

underlined word in the dictionary. Write each definition.
1. The oak tree's branches swayed in the breeze. (sway )
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Mrs. Abrams knows a lot about nocturnal animals. (nocturnal)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Something moved across the hollowed out spot in the tree. (hollow)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. Mark shrugged and crossed the street. (shrug)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Brotherly Love
By Kelly Hashway
Michael raked the last of the leaves into a small pile.

There weren’t even enough to jump in. “Mom and Dad
are never going to pay me for raking this little bit of
leaves.”
“What are you talking about?” Greg asked, walking

up behind him.
“I’m trying to do extra chores so I can make enough

money to buy the new Space Invaders video game, but
there’s nothing to do around here.” Michael sighed and looked around.
“You could offer to wash Mom and Dad’s cars,” Greg said.
Michael’s face lit up. “That’s a great idea.”
“I bet some of the neighbors would pay you to wash theirs, too. It’s getting colder and
no one is going to want to wash the cars themselves.”
Michael nodded. The air was cold. He shivered at the thought of washing cars and
getting wet in this cold weather. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”
Greg placed his hand on Michael’s shoulder. “I have some golf gloves that are
designed for wet, cold weather. I’ll loan you a pair, and I’ll even help you wash the cars.”
“Really? You’d help me and let me keep the money?”
“Sure. Golf season is over. I won’t need the extra cash for a while.” Greg disappeared
inside the house.
Michael asked his parents if he could wash their cars for a small fee. When they
agreed, he asked some neighbors, too. Three more agreed. Michael got a bucket, some
sponges, towels, and soap. Greg came back outside with the gloves.
“Here you go. They might be a little big for you, but they’ll keep your hands warm and

dry.”
“Thanks.” Michael still couldn’t believe his brother was helping him earn the money like
this. He was going to have to think of a way to repay him.
After spending the day washing cars, Michael looked at the stack of money he’d
made. He counted the bills carefully.
“Well?” Greg asked. “Do you have enough for that video game?”
“Yeah.” Michael smiled.
“Then let’s go buy it.” Greg drove Michael to the mall.
Michael found the game immediately, but as he took it off the shelf he saw a golf
video game next to it. Michael looked at Greg and thought of how he’d helped him earn the
money. Greg loved golf and wouldn’t get to golf again until spring. Unless…
“What are you doing?” Greg asked as Michael put his game back and brought the
golf game to the register.
“I thought this golf video game would be more fun. We can play it together.”
About the Author


Name: ______________________________
Brotherly Love
By Kelly Hashway
1. Explain why Michael was raking leaves in the beginning of the story.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Circle the three words that best describe Greg.
selfish selfless kind funny quiet helpful greedy
3. What might have been the temperature outside on the day when Michael and
Greg washed cars?
a. 77º F (25º C) b. 83º F (28º C)

c. 53º F (12º C) d. 23º F (-5º C)
4. Michael believes in...
a. persuading others to do work for him

b. asking for help when he needs it
c. giving money away to people in need
d. working hard to earn money for the things he wants
5. What kind thing did Michael do for Greg at the end of the story?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Brotherly Love
By Kelly Hashway

1. _____ chores a. pile
2. _____ golf b. to become unseen
3. _____ fee c. to let someone borrow something
4. _____ repay d. cost; price
5. _____ stack e. pail
6. _____ disappeared f. household jobs
7. _____ bucket g. to pay back
8. _____ loan h. game in which a hard ball is struck with a club

Name: ______________________________
Brotherly Love
By Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Brotherly Love,” Greg helps his brother Michael wash cars to
earn extra money for a video game. In return for the favor, Michael buys a
video game that his brother will enjoy.
Write about a time when you did something kind for a sibling or a friend.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________
Backyard Visitor
by Kelly Hashway
“Mom!” Sarah yelled, running into the house.
“What is it?” her mother asked, looking up

from her book.
“There’s a baby deer in the backyard. Can

we feed it?” Sarah ran for the bowl of fruit on the
counter and grabbed an apple.
Her mom met her in the kitchen. “Sarah,

that’s not really a good idea. That deer lives in the
wild. If it gets used to people feeding it, it won’t
know how to survive on its own.”
Sarah sighed and put the apple back. “Can I at least pet it?”
Her mother shook her head. “I’m sorry, Sarah, but you shouldn’t do that either.”
“But it’s so little. It’s not like it’s going to hurt me.”
“Maybe not, but it might hurt the deer.”

Sarah wrinkled her forehead. “I’ll be gentle, just like I am with the baby next door.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Her mother brought Sarah to the back door and looked out at the
fawn lying in the grass. “If you pet the fawn, she might like it. She might hang around here looking for
you.”
“That doesn’t sound bad at all. She could be like my pet.”

“But deer aren’t meant to be pets. And what happens if she wanders off into someone else’s
yard or into the woods where there’s a hunter. She won’t know not to fear people. Do you understand
what I’m saying?”
Sarah looked out at the deer. “She might think all humans are nice. She wouldn’t know to stay
away from hunters or even cars if she sees people in them.”
“Exactly.” Her mother put her hand on Sarah’s shoulder.
“What if her mother doesn’t come get her? How will she learn to find food and how to stay out
of danger?”

“Animals are born with natural instincts. That’s why we shouldn’t do things that go against those
instincts, like feed them.”
“I wish she could stay here.”

“I know you do,” her mother said. “Why don’t you get my camera? You can take pictures of the
fawn. Then you’ll always have them to remember her.”
“Okay.” Sarah ran to her mom’s room and got the camera from the dresser drawer. When she
came back, she opened the back door very quietly and turned off the camera’s flash. “It’s light
enough to not use the flash and I don’t want to scare the fawn.”
As Sarah took pictures, another deer stepped into view.
“It’s the mother deer!” Sarah whispered excitedly.
“Yes, it is.”
Sarah took pictures of both deer as they ate leaves and finally walked away. “Think they’ll come
back and visit again?”
“Maybe. But now you at least have pictures to remember them. Let’s go print them.”
Sarah nodded. “I can’t wait to see how they came out.”
About the Author

all over the house sucking up the leftover food scraps, and he even gets his
own room! But Dash won't give up his place as the favorite dog without a fight.

Name: ______________________________
Backyard Visitor
by Kelly Hashway
1. How did Sarah feel when she saw a fawn in her backyard?
a. confused b. indifferent
c. disappointed d. excited
2. Sarah's mother is afraid that...

a. Sarah will scare the deer.
b. the deer could hurt Sarah.
c. the deer will learn to like people.
d. the mother deer will come back.
3. When Sarah brings the camera, she turns off the flash. When would someone normally use a
camera's flash?
a. when they take pictures outside in the daylight
b. when they do not want to scare away animals
c. when they take pictures inside a room that's not very bright
d. when they take pictures of things that move
4. What were the mother deer and her fawn doing when Sarah was taking pictures?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Put the events from the story in sequential order. Write 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th on each line.
_______ Sarah grabbed an apple to feed the deer.
_______ Sarah saw a baby deer in the backyard.
_______ Sarah's mother looked outside and saw the baby deer.
_______ Sarah saw the baby deer's mother.
_______ Sarah's mother told her not to feed or pet the deer.

Name: ______________________________
Backyard Visitor
by Kelly Hashway
Fill in the missing letters to create a vocabulary word from

the story. Then write the full word on the line. Be sure you
1. ___ a ___ n ____________________________________

hint: baby deer
2. ___ e ___ t l ___ ____________________________________

hint: opposite of rough
3. ___ u n ___ e r ____________________________________

hint: person who kills animals for food
4. ___ u m ___ ___ s ____________________________________

hint: people
5. ___ h i s ___ ___ r e d ____________________________________

hint: spoke very softly
6. ___ n s t ___ n ___ ___ s ____________________________________

hint: things that animals are born knowing how to do
7. ___ r ___ n t ____________________________________

hint: put on paper

Name: ______________________________
Backyard Visitor
by Kelly Hashway
In the story, “Backyard Visitor,” Sarah and her mother watch a baby
deer that has wandered into their backyard.
Think of an animal that you've seen in the wild. Write a paragraph

to describe the event. Tell what the animal was, where you saw it, and what the animal was doing.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Super Teacher Grade 6

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Super Teacher Grade 6

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Name: __________________________________

Emma hung the streamers, not really paying attention

to where she was placing them. She was too disappointed

to focus. After all, it was her birthday too and no one in

her class had even said happy birthday. They were

all busy planning the surprise party for Mr. Stinton,

was her birthday too.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

the lights please?”

turned the lights off with a sigh.

turned and Emma flicked on the light. Everyone yelled, “Surprise!”

balloons and a tray of cookies.

found out we have the same birthday.”

“Happy birthday, Emma,” her classmates said.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

1. Why was Emma disappointed in the beginning

Three Reasons Why Everyone

3. Approximately how large was Mr. Stinton's card?

a. about two feet long b. about fifteen feet long

4. What is the author's purpose for writing this story?

a. to teach readers how to throw a surprise party

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

Part 1: Reread “Surprise Party” by Kelly Hashway.

streamers custodian encouragement

deserved glanced sigh flicked

_______ 1. streamers a. positive, supportive words

_______ 2. custodian b. turned a switch on or off

_______ 3. encouragement c. breathe deeply and heavily

_______ 4. deserved d. party decorations made from paper

_______ 5. glanced e. looked quickly

_______ 6. sigh f. person who takes care of a building

_______ 7. flicked g. was worthy of

8. Shannon _________________________ at her watch every few minutes.

9. The school _________________________ fixed the squeaky door.

10. Alex hung _________________________ in the house on his sister's birthday.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

The Clear Choice by Kelly Hashway

Rachel squinted at the board. Was that a five or an

eight? Her friends copied the math problems into their

“Rachel, is something wrong?” Mrs. Grimes asked.

“No, Mrs. Grimes.”

“Rachel, would you please come to my desk?” Mrs. Grimes said.

you need glasses. Is that right?”

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

“But then I wouldn’t be by Jenny and Amanda,” Rachel said.

I move your seat. The choice is up to you.”

her face. Amanda mouthed the words, “What’s wrong?”

“I think I’m going to keep my seat in the back,” Rachel said.

to tell Jenny and Amanda that she needed to wear glasses.

“Are you in trouble?” Jenny asked.

“You look scared,” Amanda said.

“Then put them on,” Jenny said with a shrug.

Rachel smiled. “I will.”

Note from the Author

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

The Clear Choice by Kelly Hashway

1. Where was Rachel's seat in the classroom?

a. in the front b. in the middle

3. Why didn't Rachel want to wear her glasses?

a. She doesn't like the way she looks in them.

a. She was cheerful. b. She did not speak.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

The Clear Choice

1. _ e c _ _ _ _ n 1. _______________________________

2. _ e _ _ _ _ _ _ t _ d 2. _________________________________

3. _ _ _ h 3. _______________________________

4. _ _ i _ _ _ r e _ 4. _________________________________

5. _ o _ _ _ d 5. _________________________________

6. _ x _ _ _ _ _ _ o _ 6. _________________________________

7. _ _ _ _ n _ _ d 7. _________________________________