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Grades 1–6 What’s Inside…
Reading 1–6 Grades

• 16 texts with activities
Comprehension
!"#$%&'()%*+,#-*'./01.
® • Science topics
• Social studies topics
• Close reading
Paired Text
discussions
• Graphic organizers and
writing prompts
d
Leveles!
• Lesson plans for paired
text units
Text SAMPLER
Reading
Comprehension
Paired Text
SAMPLER
Contents
Grade 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Grade 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Grade 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Grade 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Grade 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Grade 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Click
Sample Grade 1
Unit Overview
Earth’s Moon and Sun
Student Students will learn facts about the moon and the sun and will be able to
Objective: describe differences between them.
Big
Question: Would you like to visit the moon or the sun?
Topic Explain to students that the moon and sun are both part of our solar system.
Introduction: Tell them that we can see the sun every day and the moon every night.
Explain that scientists study the moon and the sun to help us learn more
about them. Tell students that they will read two books in which they will
learn facts about the moon and the sun.
Minibook: Minibook:
Paired Texts:
Are the Moon and the Sun the Same? Earth’s Moon
Nonfiction, Level E Nonfiction, Level E
Teacher Pages: Teacher Pages:

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Teacher’s Complex Text. . . . . . 39 Teacher’s Complex Text. . . . . . 49
Student Pages: Student Pages:
Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Minibook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Minibook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
I Read Closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 I Read Closely . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
I Use New Words . . . . . . . . . . . 46 I Use New Words . . . . . . . . . . . 56
I Write About It . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 I Write About It . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Assessment Teacher Page: (Paired Text Discussion)

Materials:
Tie It Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Student Pages: (Reproduce and distribute one copy to each student.)
I Read and Understand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
I Can! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 37

Minibook
Are the Moon and the Sun the Same ?
Lesson Plan
1. Prepare for the Lesson 4. Read the Minibook

Minibook: Reproduce the minibook pages. Lead students in a choral reading of
Cut them in half and staple them together the minibook. Then guide students in
in numerical order. Distribute one discussing what they have read. Help
minibook to each student. them identify the following:
Dictionary and Activity Pages: Reproduce • Main idea—Our moon and sun are
and distribute to each student one copy of both far away. The moon is made of
the Dictionary page and the following rock, and the sun is a star made of hot
activity pages: I Read Closely, I Use New gases.
Words, and I Write About It.
• Supporting details—The moon has a
solid surface and people have walked
2. Introduce the Minibook on it. The moon does not make its own
Tell students that they will read a book light and heat. The sun makes its own
about the moon and the sun. Explain that light and heat. We can see the moon
they will find out if the moon and the sun because the sun shines on it.
are the same.
5. Read the Teacher’s Complex Text
3. Learn New Vocabulary Read the Teacher’s Complex Text (p. 39)
Guide students through the Dictionary as students look at the pictures in their
page. Read each word aloud as you point minibooks. Before you begin reading, say:
to the picture. Have students echo you. Look at the pictures in your book as I read
Point out the following: aloud more information about “Are the Moon
• In this selection, the word surface means and the Sun the Same?” Look at the picture on
“the outside layer of the moon and page 1. Listen as I read.
sun.”
For the Words to Know at the bottom of the 6. Complete the Activity Pages
page, read each word aloud and have Guide students through completing the I
students echo you. Point out the following: Read Closely, I Use New Words, and I Write
About It activities. Have students use their
• Gases are a type of matter that is not
minibooks to help them answer questions
liquid or solid. Explain that gases float
and find information.
and that many gases burn easily.
• The letters ar in the words far and star
have this sound: /ar/.
• The letters igh in the word light have the
long i sound.
38 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

Are the Moon and the Sun the Same ?
Teacher’s Complex Text Big Question

Would you like to visit the moon or the sun?
Are the Moon and the Sun the Same?
Minibook Page 1 Name:
Earth has a moon and a sun. We can see them in the sky. They are very Minibook Title Page
far away. The moon is about 240,000 miles from Earth. The sun is
about 93,000,000 miles from Earth. moon
sun
Earth
Minibook Page 2 Earth has a moon and a sun.

The moon and sun are both in the sky.
They are both far, far away.
The moon and the sun are not the same. They are made of different 1
Minibook Page 1
things. The moon is made mostly of rock. The sun is a star made of hot
gases. The sun’s gases have a lot of energy to make light and heat.
moon
Minibook Page 3 sun
The moon and the sun are not the same.
The moon and the sun are not the same. The moon has a solid surface The moon is made mostly of rock.
The sun is a star made of hot gases.
2
with dry, dusty land and big ice patches. The sun does not have a solid Minibook Page 2
surface. The sun’s surface is very hot and has bubbly, fiery flares.
Minibook Page 4 moon sun
The moon and the sun are not the same. The moon does not make light The moon and the sun are not the same.
The moon has a solid surface.
and heat. The sun makes its own light and heat. It is always very, very The sun does not have a solid surface.
3
hot. On Earth, we can feel the heat from the sun. Minibook Page 3
Minibook Page 5 sun
The moon and the sun are not the same. The sun shines on the moon.
moon

It shines on the part of the moon that we see. The part that we see The moon does not make light and heat.
The sun makes light and heat.
4
changes on different nights. The moon looks like it changes shape. Minibook Page 4
Minibook Page 6
The moon and sun are not the same. Astronauts have walked on the
moon. People can’t go to the sun. It is so hot that no one can even get The moon and the sun are not the same.
The moon does not shine on the sun.
close to it.
The sun shines on the moon.
5
Minibook Page 5
Minibook Page 7
Now we know that the moon and sun are not the same in many ways!
The moon and sun are not the same.
Very Far Made Made of Makes People Have People have walked on the moon.
People can’t go near the sun.
Away of Rock Hot Gases Light Walked on It 6
Minibook Page 6
Comparing the Moon and the Sun

X X X Very Far
Away
Made
of Rock
Made of
Hot Gases
Makes
Light
People Have
Walked
on It
moon moon
X X X
X X X
sun
X X X Now I know that the moon and the

sun are not the same!
7
sun Minibook Page 7

Earth’s Moon and Sun:
Name:
Dictionary
Read each word aloud.
Earth moon rock
sky sun surface
Words to Know
far gases heat light

mostly near people same
shine solid star walked

Big Question
Name:
moon
sun
Earth
Earth has a moon and a sun.

The moon and sun are both in the sky.
They are both far, far away.
1
moon
sun

The moon is made mostly of rock.
The sun is a star made of hot gases.
2
moon sun

The moon has a solid surface.
The sun does not have a solid surface.
3

sun
moon

The moon does not make light and heat.
The sun makes light and heat.
4

The moon does not shine on the sun.
5
The moon and sun are not the same.
People have walked on the moon.
6
Comparing the Moon and the Sun

People Have
Very Far Made Made of Makes
Walked
Away of Rock Hot Gases Light
on It
X X X
moon
X X X
sun
Now I know that the moon and the

sun are not the same!
7

Name:
I Read Closely
Look at the picture. Read the sentences.
Mark the sentence that goes with the picture.
The moon is mostly rock.

The sun is mostly rock.

The moon shines on the sun.
3
The moon is a star made of
hot gases.
The sun is a star made of hot
gases.
4
People have walked on the
sun.

Name:
I Use New Words

Write the missing word to complete the sentence.
Then read the sentence.
1 rock star
The sun is a .
2 same gases
The moon and sun are not the .
3 sky heat
I see the moon in the .
4 rock sun
The shines.
5 light Earth
People can walk on .

Name:
I Write About It
1 Write a sentence that tells how the moon and the sun are not the same.
2 Would you like to walk on the moon or the sun? Write about it.
Draw a picture about what you wrote.

Minibook
Earth’s Moon
Lesson Plan
1. Prepare for the Lesson 4. Read the Minibook

Minibook: Reproduce the minibook pages. Lead students in a choral reading of
Cut them in half and staple them together the minibook. Then guide students in
in numerical order. Distribute one discussing what they have read. Help
minibook to each student. them identify the following:
Dictionary and Activity Pages: Reproduce • Main idea—The moon does not have
and distribute to each student one copy of people, plants, or animals. It moves
the Dictionary page and the following around Earth about once every 29 days.
activity pages: I Read Closely, I Use New
• Supporting details—The sun shines its
Words, and I Write About It.
light on the moon. The moon looks like
it changes shape. It looks different every
2. Introduce the Minibook night.
Tell students that they will read a book
about the moon. Tell them that they will 5. Read the Teacher’s Complex Text
learn about what the moon is like and why
Read the Teacher’s Complex Text (p. 49)
it looks like it changes shape.
as students look at the pictures in their
minibooks. Before you begin reading, say:
3. Learn New Vocabulary Look at the pictures in your book as I read
Guide students through the Dictionary aloud more information about “Earth’s Moon.”
page. Read each word aloud as you point Look at the picture on page 1. Listen as I read.
to the picture. Have students echo you.
Point out the following:
6. Complete the Activity Pages
• In this book, the word craters means
Guide students through completing the I
“large round holes in the ground made
Read Closely, I Use New Words, and I Write
by falling rocks.”
About It activities. Have students use their
• In this book, the word space means “the minibooks to help them answer questions
area beyond Earth where the stars and and find information.
planets are.”
For the Words to Know at the bottom of the
page, read each word aloud and have
students echo you. Point out the following:
• The word breathe means “to take air
into and out of your lungs.”
• The letters igh in the words light and
night have the long i sound.

Earth’s Moon
Teacher’s Complex Text

Big Question
Earth’s Moon
Minibook Page 1
Name:
Minibook Title Page

The moon is our nearest neighbor in space. It is easy to see it at night.
The moon is smaller than Earth. It is smaller than the sun, too.
Minibook Page 2
We can see the moon in space.
The moon has no air. No people, plants, or animals live there. The It is smaller than Earth.
1
moon has tall mountains and flat, dusty plains. Minibook Page 1
Minibook Page 3
Astronauts have walked on the moon. They had to wear spacesuits and
take air to breathe. The air came from a hose attached to the spacecraft The moon has no air.
No people, plants, or animals live there.
2
or from a special backpack. They also had to take food and drinking Minibook Page 2
water with them.
Minibook Page 4
Many space rocks hit the moon’s surface. The rocks make big holes, People have walked on the moon.
They wore special suits.
They took air to breathe.
called craters. There is no air to protect the moon from space rocks.
3
Minibook Page 3
There is no wind to wear away the craters. Scientists have discovered
that some of the craters have huge patches of ice.
Minibook Page 5 Many space rocks hit the moon.
The sun shines its light on the moon. The moon does not make light.
The rocks make big craters.
4
Minibook Page 4
We see the part of the moon that the sun shines on. If the sun weren’t
there, we wouldn’t be able to see the moon at all.
Minibook Page 6 The sun shines its light on the moon.

We see the part of the moon that the
The moon orbits, or moves around, Earth about every 29 days. The part sun shines on.
5
of the moon that we see changes. The part facing the sun is lit up. The Minibook Page 5
part facing away from the sun stays dark.
Minibook Page 7 moon’s orbit
The moon moves around Earth
The moon looks like it changes shape. We are really seeing the moon every 29 days. The part of the moon
that we can see changes.
6
lit up by the sun in different ways on different nights. We call these Minibook Page 6
changing views of the moon, the moon phases. The moon looks
different every night. moon phases
The moon looks like it changes shape.

It looks different every night.
7
Minibook Page 7

Name:
Earth’s Moon
Dictionary
air craters Earth
moon space sun
Words to Know
breathe changes different light

live night part shines
smaller special suits wore

Big Question
Earth’s Moon
Name:
We can see the moon in space.

It is smaller than Earth.
1
The moon has no air.
No people, plants, or animals live there.
2
People have walked on the moon.

They wore special suits.
They took air to breathe.
3

Many space rocks hit the moon.
The rocks make big craters.
4
The sun shines its light on the moon.

We see the part of the moon that the
sun shines on.
5
moon’s orbit
The moon moves around Earth

every 29 days. The part of the moon
that we can see changes.
6
moon phases
The moon looks like it changes shape.

It looks different every night.
7

Name:
Earth’s Moon
I Read Closely
Look at the picture. Read the sentences.
Mark the sentence that goes with the picture.
1
We cannot see the moon
in space.
We can see the moon in
space.
2
No people, plants, or animals
live on the moon.
People, plants, and animals
live on the moon.
3
Earth moves around the
moon every 29 days.
The moon moves around
Earth every 29 days.
4
The moon changes shape.
The moon looks like it
changes shape.

Name:
Earth’s Moon
I Use New Words

Write the missing word to complete the sentence.
Then read the sentence.
1 light crater
A big rock makes a on the moon.
2 Earth space
We live on .
3 shines suits
The sun on the moon.
4 air animals
We need to breathe.
5 wore changes
The moon looks like it shape.

Name:
Earth’s Moon
I Write About It
Look at the picture. Answer the questions.
1 Does the moon really change shape?

Write a sentence to tell about it.
2 How does the moon get craters?

Write a sentence to tell about it.

Unit Assessment
Earth’s Moon and Sun
Topic: Earth’s Moon and Sun

Big Question: Would you like to visit the moon or the sun?
Tie It Together
Use the script below to guide students in discussing the Big Question and what they have learned
about the topic from the paired texts. Feel free to expand on these questions and responses.
Questions Sample Responses

Think about the books you read. What The moon is made of rock. The sun is made of hot
are some examples of how the moon gases. The moon does not make light and heat. The sun
and sun are different? makes light and heat. People have walked on the moon.
What are some ways that the moon They are both in space, and they are far, far away.
and the sun are the same?
How can we see the moon if it does not We see the part of the moon that the sun is shining on.
make light? Since the moon is moving around Earth, the sun shines
on different parts of the moon every night. That is why
the moon looks different every night.
Do animals, plants, or people live on The moon has no air. No animals, plants, or people live
the moon? on the moon.
What are some things that people had People who walked on the moon had to take air to
to take with them to walk on the breathe and special suits to wear.
moon?
Neither book said that people have The sun does not have a solid surface like the moon. It
walked on the sun. Explain why. is a star made of hot gases. People can’t go near the
sun because it is much too hot.
Our Big Question was “Would you like Answers will vary.
to visit the moon or the sun?” How did
the book “Are the Moon and the Sun
the Same?” answer this question?
How did the book “Earth’s Moon” Answers will vary.
answer it?

Name:
Unit Assessment
I Read and Understand

Read the sentence. Mark the best answer.
1 The moon is made mostly of .

rock
plants
gases
2 The makes light and heat.

Earth
sun
moon
3 The sun does not have a solid .

crater
air
surface
4 People have walked on the .

star
moon
sun

Name:
Unit Assessment
I Can!
I can share facts about the moon and the sun.
1 Write three facts about the moon and the sun.
moon sun
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
2 Would you like to visit the moon or the sun? Write about it.

Sample Grade 2
Unit Overview
Understanding Magnets
Student Students will understand that a magnet will attract anything

Objective: that contains iron.
Big
Question: Does a magnet stick to all shiny things?
Topic Explain that magnetism is a force that is all around us. Tell students
Introduction: they will read two selections that tell more about the force of magnets.
Paired Text Selection: Selection:

Selections: What Will a Magnet Attract? Magnificent Magnets
Nonfiction, Level L Fiction, Level K

Oral Close Reading Activity . . 55 Oral Close Reading Activity . . 63

Reading Selection . . . . . . . . . . 57 Reading Selection . . . . . . . . . . 65
Use New Words . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Use New Words . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Answer Questions . . . . . . . . . . 60 Answer Questions . . . . . . . . . . 68
Write About It . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Write About It . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Assessment Teacher Page: (Paired Text Discussion)

Materials:
Tie It Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Student Pages: (Reproduce and distribute one copy to each student.)

Plan Your Writing . . . . . . . . . . 71
Write a Paragraph . . . . . . . . . 72

Selection:
What Will a Magnet Attract ?
Lesson Plan
1. Introduce the Selection 4. Apply Vocabulary:
Have small magnets available for students Use New Words
to use throughout the unit. Ask students to Reproduce the Use New Words page and
think about their refrigerator at home. Does distribute it to each student. Have students
it have any magnets on it? If it does, that’s complete the activity independently, with
because the refrigerator is made of steel, a partner, or in small groups.
and magnets attract steel. Tell students that
they are going to read a nonfiction selection 5. Analyze the Selection:
about the types of things that magnets Oral Close Reading Activity
attract. Guide students in a discussion about the
selection using the script on the following
2. Learn New Vocabulary: page. Explain that close reading will
Dictionary help them notice important parts of the
Reproduce the Dictionary page and selection. Encourage students to refer to
distribute it to each student. Read aloud the selection as necessary to find
each pictured word as you point to it. Have information.
students echo you as they also point to
To support visual learners, you may wish
each word. For defined vocabulary, read the
to cover up the sample responses and
definitions aloud. Have volunteers use each
reproduce and distribute the discussion
word in a sentence. Focus on magnets,
questions for students to refer to.
magnetism, and magnetic, calling attention
to the underlined suffixes. Discuss the
6. Understand the Selection:
difference in meaning. Clap out the
Answer Questions
syllables in each word, clapping harder on
Reproduce the Answer Questions page
the stressed syllables: MAG-nets, MAG-net-
and distribute it to each student. Have
ism, mag-NET-ic. Help students notice how
students complete the activity. Encourage
the stressed syllable changes in magnetic.
them to refer to the selection as necessary
Have students write a sentence using two to help them answer questions and/or to
of the words. Then have students find each check their answers.
vocabulary word in the selection and read
You may wish to use this as a formative
the context sentence.
assessment to determine students’
understanding of the text.
3. Read the Selection
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to
7. Write About the Selection:
each student. Have students follow along
Write About It
silently as you read aloud. Direct students’
Reproduce the Write About It page and
attention to graphic elements or visual
distribute it to each student. Have students
aids. Then have students read the selection
brainstorm in small groups and complete
independently, with a partner, or in small
the writing assignment collaboratively or
groups.
independently.

Oral Close Reading Activity
Ask students the following text-dependent questions and have them refer to
the selection as necessary.
How are the papers held up on the with magnets

refrigerator?
Would a window be attracted to no

a magnet?
How do you know? I read that a magnetic object will not attract
things like glass or wood. A window is made
of glass.
Would a magnet stick to a penny no

or a dime?
Why do you think that? I read that a magnet will not stick to coins.
Pennies and dimes are coins.
Why would a magnet attract steel? Steel contains iron.

What is one thing made of steel? refrigerator
Why wouldn’t a refrigerator The book is not thin enough. The magnet is
magnet hold up a book? not strong enough.
Is this text fiction or nonfiction? nonfiction

How do you know? The text gives facts about what things will
stick to magnets or not.

Understanding Magnets:
Name:
Dictionary
Look at the picture or read the definition.
magnets refrigerator metals
Words Definitions
attract to pull together
force power
natural force between

magnetism
magnetic objects
able to attract some metals;

magnetic
able to act like a magnet
coins money made of flat metal
Write one sentence using two of the words.

Big Question Does a magnet stick to all shiny things?
What Will a Magnet Attract?

How do the papers on this
refrigerator stick to the door? They
aren’t glued on. Magnets hold the
papers there. Magnets also keep
refrigerator doors shut.
Magnets come in many shapes
and sizes. Here are just a few:
horseshoe bar ring
Magnets stick to objects made from some

kinds of metals. Magnets use a force called
magnetism to attract these metals. An object
that attracts metal is called magnetic. A
magnetic object will not attract things like
glass or wood.
A magnet will not stick to all things made
of metal. A magnet will not stick to coins. They
do not have iron in them. Magnets only attract
metals with iron in them. Steel is a metal with
iron in it.

What Will a Magnet Attract?, continued
A magnet will attract some things made of steel.

Many refrigerators are made of magnetic steel. So
are things like paper clips, pins, nails, and cars.
Most magnets will attract a metal object even

if something thin is between the object and the
magnet. Hang a picture on the refrigerator, and
a magnet will hold it in place. But a refrigerator
magnet won’t hold up a book. The magnet isn’t
strong enough.
A refrigerator is just one magnetic object. Look
around. Find something that a magnet might
attract. It shouldn’t be too hard to find. Magnetism
is all around!

Name:
Use New Words

Complete each sentence using a word from the word box.
Then read each sentence aloud.
Word Box
attract coins force

magnetic magnetism
1 The magnet sticks to the bookshelf.
2 We planted flowers to butterflies.
3 The added up to 45 cents.
4 I needed great to open the window.
5 is all around.

Name:
Answer Questions
Read and answer each question.
1 Magnets attract some objects made of .

A glass
B metal
C cloth
2 Which of these would be attracted to a magnet?

A pencil
B paper clip
C penny
3 A magnet attracts metal that contains .

A sand
B iron
C coins
4 Why won’t a magnet stick to a dime?

A A dime doesn’t have iron.
B A dime doesn’t have paper.
C A dime doesn’t have metal.
5 Why does the author say magnetism is all around?

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
What things will a magnet stick to?

Answer with words or drawings.
If you need help, look back at the text.
Writing Prompt
Finish the sentence.

A magnet will stick to

Selection:
Magnificent Magnets
Lesson Plan
1. Introduce the Selection 5. Analyze the Selection:

Help students identify different things Oral Close Reading Activity
made of metal, such as a stapler, a Guide students in a discussion about the
doorknob, and paper clips. Ask them to selection using the script on the following
predict which ones a magnet will stick to. page. Explain that close reading will
Then tell students that they are going to help them notice important parts of the
read a story about a girl who learns about selection. Encourage students to refer to
magnetic and nonmagnetic metals. the selection as necessary to find
information.
2. Learn New Vocabulary:
To support visual learners, you may wish
Dictionary
to cover up the sample responses and
Reproduce the Dictionary page and reproduce and distribute the discussion
distribute it to each student. Read aloud questions for students to refer to.
each pictured word as you point to it. Have
students echo you as they also point to 6. Understand the Selection:
each word. Clarify that many, but not all, Answer Questions
electric can openers have a magnet that
Reproduce the Answer Questions page
attracts the lid of the can. For defined
and distribute it to each student. Have
vocabulary, read the definitions aloud.
students complete the activity. Encourage
Have volunteers use each word in a
them to refer to the selection as necessary
sentence.
to help them answer questions and/or to
Have students write a sentence using two check their answers.
of the words. Then have students find each
vocabulary word in the selection and read
the context sentence.
3. Read the Selection 7. Write About the Selection:
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to Write About It
each student. Have students follow along
Reproduce the Write About It page and
silently as you read aloud. Direct students’
attention to graphic elements or visual
brainstorm in small groups and complete
aids. Then have students read the selection
the writing assignment collaboratively or
independently, with a partner, or in small
independently.
groups.
4. Apply Vocabulary:
Use New Words
Reproduce the Use New Words page and
complete the activity independently, with
a partner, or in small groups.

Ask students the following text-dependent questions and have them refer to
the selection as necessary.
What kind of refrigerator magnets word and letter magnets

do Lisa and Pete play with?
The can opener in the story has to hold the lid of the can
a magnet. What is the magnet
used for?
What are some magnets in Lisa’s refrigerator magnets, can opener magnet,
kitchen? cabinet magnet
Where is the magnet in Lisa’s in the shower curtain
bathroom?
What is it used for? to help the curtain stick to the tub
What is the main difference The magnets at home are small and the
between the magnets at home magnet at work is huge.
and the magnet at Dad’s work?
How does the author say this idea The author says that the magnet at work was
in several ways? very different from the magnets at home; the
author shows the picture of the huge magnet;
Lisa says, “The magnet you use at work is
huge!”
What does the magnetic crane do? It sorts metals into two piles: magnetic and
nonmagnetic.
What kind of metal does the crane iron
pick up?

Name:
Magnificent Magnets
Dictionary
Look at the picture or read the definition.
can opener magnetic crane aluminum
Words Definitions
magnificent very good; excellent
whirred made a buzzing sound
cabinet a place to store things
sorts puts into groups
something a magnet
nonmagnetic
will not attract
Write one sentence using two of the words.

Big Question Does a magnet stick to all shiny things?
Magnificent Magnets
Lisa’s kitchen was a busy place. Lisa and her
little brother Pete were at the refrigerator. They
were looking at it, not in it. That’s because the
refrigerator had fun magnets: magnetic words and
letters. Each morning, Lisa made a silly sentence
with the magnetic words.
my rabbit is big and green
Pete played with the alphabet magnets. He was

happy to find the letters of his name.
Nearby, Dad was making lunch. The can of

tuna whirred round and round and then...pop! The
lid stuck to the can opener. It had a magnet that
held the lid off the can. How useful! Lisa had come
across several magnets so far.
“Hey, Dad,” said Lisa. “We have magnets all
over the kitchen, don’t we?”
“Yes, magnets are magnificent,” said Dad. He
reached for some crackers inside a cabinet. “There’s

Magnificent Magnets, continued
a small magnet in this cabinet door that helps it

stay shut. There are magnets all over the house,
not just in the kitchen.”
Where else had Lisa seen magnets? The shower
curtain in the bathroom had little magnets. That’s
how it stuck to the tub. Lisa also remembered seeing
a magnet at her dad’s job, but it was very different
from the magnets at home.
“The magnet you use at work is huge!” said Lisa.
“Yes, it is!” said Dad. “It’s called a magnetic
crane. It sorts metal into two piles: magnetic and
nonmagnetic. A magnet attracts metals that contain
iron. Metals that contain iron are magnetic. The
crane leaves behind the nonmagnetic metals.
Copper and aluminum are in that pile.”
“Cool,” said Lisa.
“I’ll try that. I’ll go
around the house and
sort things into two
piles. I’ll find magnetic
and nonmagnetic
objects, like you do.”
A magnetic crane sorting metals

Name:
Magnificent Magnets
Use New Words

Then read each sentence aloud.
Word Box
aluminum cabinet magnificent

nonmagnetic sorts whirred
1 The fan slowly in the hot room.
2 The painting in the museum looked .
3 The coins were not attracted to the

magnet.
4 We keep classroom supplies in the .
5 My dad the clean socks by color.
6 We wrapped the food in foil.

Name:
Magnificent Magnets
Answer Questions
1 What is the magnet in the kitchen cabinet used for?

A to hang pictures
B to keep it shut
C to sort things
2 What is the biggest difference between Lisa’s refrigerator

magnets and Dad’s magnet at work?
A color
B size
C age
3 Which of these would the magnetic crane pick up?

A refrigerator
B aluminum can
C copper pot
4 What two groups do Dad and Lisa sort things into?

A magnetic and nonmagnetic
B big and small
C steel and iron
5 How are the magnets in Lisa’s home useful?

Name:
Magnificent Magnets
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Get a magnet. See if it attracts the objects below.

Write what happens. Then add one more object.
Magnetic or nonmagnetic?
Writing Prompt
Are all metals magnetic? Explain your answer.

Unit Assessment
Topic: Understanding Magnets

Big Question: Does a magnet stick to all shiny things?
Tie It Together
Use the script below to guide students in discussing the Big Question and what they have learned
about the topic from the paired selections.
According to the selections, magnets Small magnets: refrigerator magnets, magnet on the
can be big or small. What are some can opener, magnets in the shower curtain. Big magnet:
examples of big and small magnets? magnetic crane.
What kinds of things are magnetic? refrigerator, paper clip, pin, nail, car
In both selections, magnets are used to In “What Will a Magnet Attract?” a magnet holds
keep doors shut. Tell about these doors. a refrigerator door shut. In “Magnificent Magnets,”
a magnet holds a kitchen cabinet shut.
What are some magnetic things here Answers should reflect examples given in the selections.
in the classroom? And at home?
In “What Will a Magnet Attract?” A magnet will attract metal that has iron in it.
what kind of metal does a magnet A magnet will not attract coins.
attract? What metal does it not
attract?
In “Magnificent Magnets,” what is the It sorts metals into magnetic and nonmagnetic piles.
purpose of the magnetic crane at Dad’s
work?
Our Big Question was “Does a magnet “What Will a Magnet Attract?” shows that a magnet
stick to all shiny things?” How did will not stick to all shiny things. Coins and glass are
“What Will a Magnet Attract?” shiny, but a magnet will not stick to them.
answer this question?
How did “Magnificent Magnets” In “Magnificent Magnets,” the crane sorts shiny metals
answer it? into magnetic and nonmagnetic piles. That means
some shiny metals, like aluminum, are not magnetic.

Unit Assessment:
Name:
Plan Your Writing
Graphic Organizer
Draw or write your answers.
How do magnets
help you at home?
How do magnets
help you at school?

Unit Assessment:
Name:
Write a Paragraph
Writing Prompt
You read about different uses for magnets.

Explain how magnets help us. Use words from the word box.
Word Box
fun helps huge lift

power silly stick strong

Sample Grade 3
Unit Overview
Picturing the World
Student Students will understand that maps are drawings of places on Earth and that
Objective: it took a lot of time and effort to figure out where all the lands and oceans are.
Essential
Question: How did we figure out what our world looks like?
Topic Share the unit title and essential question with students. Then explain that
Introduction: ships and boats were once the only way to get around. Few people traveled
and knew about other places. Tell students that they will read two selections
about how curiosity led to a better understanding of the world.
Paired Text Selection 1: Putting the Pieces Together Selection 2: The Edge of the World
Selections: Nonfiction, Level P Play, Level O

Apply Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . 79 Apply Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . 87
Assessment Teacher Page:

Materials:
Tying It Together . . . . . . . . . . 90
(Paired Text Discussion)
Student Pages:
Write an Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Selection 1
Putting the Pieces Together
Lesson Plan
1. Introduce the Selection 4. Students Read the Selection
Tell students they will read about the first Have students read the selection
maps that people made. Display a world map independently, with a partner, or in
in the classroom. Explain to students that small groups.
maps show our surroundings, near and far.
5. Analyze the Selection:
2. Read Aloud the Selection Oral Close Reading Activity
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to Have students number each paragraph in
each student. Students will use this for all the selection before they begin the close
activities within the unit. Point out that some reading discussion.
of the words in the text are defined at the
Use the script on the following page to guide
bottom of the pages.
students in discussing the selection. Explain
Have students follow along silently as you that close reading will help them notice
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to important parts of the selection. Encourage
graphic elements or visual aids. students to refer to the selection as necessary
to find the information they need.
3. Introduce Vocabulary
To support visual learners, you may wish to
Reproduce the Dictionary and the Apply
cover up the sample responses and reproduce
Vocabulary activities and distribute them
and distribute the discussion questions for
to each student.
students to refer to.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary
words and definitions. Point out that trade is 6. Understand the Selection
a multiple-meaning word, or a homonym. Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
Discuss definitions and usage as needed. distribute it to each student. Have students
Have students find each vocabulary word in complete the activity independently.
the selection and read the context sentence. Encourage students to refer to the selection as
Then have students complete one of the necessary to help them answer the questions
leveled activities below: and/or to check their answers.
• Basic level: Write the context sentence on You may wish to use this as a formative
the lines below its definition. assessment to determine students’
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence
using the vocabulary word and share 7. Write About the Selection
the sentence with a partner, a small group, Reproduce the Write About It activity and
or the whole class. distribute it to each student.
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
the activity independently, with a partner, or the graphic organizer in small groups.
in small groups.
Writing Prompt: Have students complete
the writing assignment independently on
a separate sheet of paper.

Ask students the following text-dependent questions and have them refer to the selection as needed.

What does the author compare a map
a puzzle picture to?
What do the pieces of the puzzle lands that explorers find
represent in exploration?
What three areas did Claudius Europe, Asia, Africa

Ptolemy’s book describe?
Why did he include only these areas? He didn’t know there were any other areas.
From where did he get information from earlier geographers, news records, and merchants’
about these areas? travel diaries
In the third paragraph, what does lands that did not appear in his book, places Europeans
the phrase “places beyond those in had never seen
Ptolemy’s book” refer to?
What did Columbus set out to do? to find a new trade route to India
What did he find instead? islands near North America/the New World
Columbus called the people he met He thought he was in India.

in the New World “Indians.” Why did
he most likely use that word?
What words do we use today instead indigenous people, Native Americans, First Nations people
of “Indians” for people who were in
North America before Columbus
came?
Where did the two mapmakers get from Ptolemy’s book and the notes and drawings from
information for the map they Christopher Columbus’s and Amerigo Vespucci’s travels
published in 1507?
What is special about their map? It was the first map that named America.
How do the two maps in the selection The 1507 map shows North America much smaller than
look different? the modern map does.
How do you explain that? The 1507 map shows that people had not explored all of
the American continents yet. They knew only part of what
was there.

Essential Question How did we figure out what our world looks like?

Have you ever assembled the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle? It
can be a challenge to make the picture on the puzzle box. Now
imagine completing the puzzle without having a picture! That
is what early explorers did before there were maps, or pictures
of the world. As they traveled to new places, they added pieces
to the growing picture.
Claudius Ptolemy [TALL-uh-me] was a mathematician and
geographer. He wrote the first geography book around the year
150. He used information from earlier geographers, news
records, and the travel diaries of merchants. Ptolemy’s book
gave information about Europe, Asia, and Africa. Other people
used the information from this book to draw the first map of
the world.
In the 1400s, explorers from Europe set out across the
Atlantic Ocean to places beyond those in Ptolemy’s book.
The ships’ recorders made careful descriptions and drawings
of the lands they found.
Explorer Christopher
Columbus was familiar
with Ptolemy’s ancient book.
Columbus set sail from Europe
North
Spain in 1492 to find a America
new trade route to India.
But he believed the world Africa
was smaller. This mistake b
led him to islands near

South
what is now North America. America
geographer: someone who studies where land and water are

ancient: very old

Putting the Pieces Together, continued
He called the people on these islands “Indians.”

A short time later, Amerigo Vespucci crossed the
Atlantic. But he aimed farther south. He sailed
the entire north and east coasts of a huge
North
new land. Then he realized he had found America
a New World that was not on any map.
It was later named South America.
Columbus and Vespucci took careful
notes of what they saw and made
drawings of the coast.
In 1507, two mapmakers created South
America
a map using information from Ptolemy,
Columbus, and Vespucci. The mapmakers
named the New World “America” in from the 1507 world map
honor of explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
However, they still didn’t know how
wide North and South America were.
It took more explorers and many North
America
more years to fill out the map.
Today, we consult maps that show
all the lands on Earth. Some show
boundaries between states or countries.
South
Some show land features, such as America
mountains and lakes. Some show the
weather in different areas. We no longer
have to find land to make maps. Now we from a modern world map
use maps to find our way on land!

Picturing the World:
Name:
Dictionary
Write a sentence using each vocabulary word.
assemble: to put together
merchant: someone who sells things
trade: buying and selling goods
consult: to look at; to get information from
boundary: a line that marks the edge of an area
feature: a part or detail that stands out

Name:
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
assemble boundaries consult

features merchants trade
1. A fence and a driveway mark the of their yard.
2. The farmer’s market is a busy center in our town.
3. Local donated some products for our school

fundraiser.
4. Marco wants to a plumber about the leaky faucet.
5. Mrs. Brown will the winning poems into a

class book.
6. The campground has modern such as showers

and electricity.
Write two new sentences. Use a word from the word box in each.
1.
2.

Name:
Answer Questions
1. How did explorers in the 1400s help 3. Why did Columbus end up finding
people picture the world? islands near the New World?
A They found lands that were A He made drawings of what
unknown. he saw.
B They collected jigsaw puzzles. B He could not find the Atlantic
C They improved shipbuilding. Ocean.
D They traded with people in C His ships could not go all the
Europe. way to India.
D The world was bigger than
2. Who was Claudius Ptolemy? he thought.
A an explorer
4. How do we use maps today?
B a merchant
C a geographer
A to explore unknown places
D a ship’s recorder
B to find new trade routes
C to get information
D to put puzzles together
5. Why was America named in honor of Amerigo Vespucci?
6. Compare the two maps in the selection. Did the shape of the land change, or just
the maps? Give evidence from the selection.

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about how the world map has changed from ancient times to today.
You will be asked to compare the differences. Use the chart below to
organize your writing.
Ancient map Modern map
Differences
in land
Differences
in oceans
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write a two-paragraph letter to Amerigo

Vespucci to compare the modern world map with the map from ancient
times. Use details from the selection in your letter.

Selection 2
The Edge of the World
Lesson Plan
1. Introduce the Selection 5. Analyze the Selection:
Tell students they will read a play about how Oral Close Reading Activity
being curious led some children to make Have students number each paragraph of
close observations. dialogue in the play before they begin the
close reading discussion.
2. Read Aloud the Selection
each student. Students will use this for all
that close reading will help them notice
activities within the unit. Point out that some
important parts of the selection. Encourage
students to refer to the selection as necessary
Have students follow along silently as you
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to
graphic elements or visual aids.
3. Introduce Vocabulary students to refer to.
Reproduce the Dictionary and the Apply 6. Understand the Selection
Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
to each student.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary complete the activity independently.
words and definitions. Discuss definitions Encourage students to refer to the selection as
and usage as needed. necessary to help them answer the questions
Have students find each vocabulary word in and/or to check their answers.
the selection and read the context sentence. You may wish to use this as a formative
Then have students complete one of the assessment to determine students’
leveled activities below: understanding of the text.
• Basic level: Write the context sentence on
7. Write About the Selection
the lines below its definition.
Reproduce the Write About It activity and
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence distribute it to each student.
using the vocabulary word and share
the sentence with a partner, a small group, Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
or the whole class. the graphic organizer in small groups.
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete Writing Prompt: Have students complete
the activity independently, with a partner, or the writing assignment independently on
in small groups. a separate sheet of paper.
4. Students Read the Selection

Have students read the selection
independently, with a partner, or in
small groups.


What is the setting of the play? Greece, by the sea, a long time ago
How can you tell? In the illustration, the characters are dressed in clothes
from long ago, and it shows the sea. Kara mentions
Greece.
Which child seems to be the oldest? Alexander

How can you tell? He seems to know the most; he explains things to
the others.
Give an example from the selection that “I think you’re mistaken about the world being flat
shows that Alexander is probably the with edges.” “There is one bright light they can use
oldest. that won’t fall—the North Star.” “Your eyes are fooling
you into thinking that the world is flat. Watch Father’s
ship and tell me what you see.”
What are the children wondering about what its shape is, whether it has an edge or an end
the world?
Why does Alexander point out that there to show that the world is probably not flat
are hills and mountains around them?
What similes does Kara use? “like a flat pan of water,” “as soft as cotton,” “as black
as a thundercloud”
What do these phrases help you The sea looks like it is flat and has edges; the sky looks
understand? soft to Kara, and she likes the clouds; the sea is
extremely dark.
What helps the sailors see where they are the North Star
going at night?
Why is this better than candles? The candles won’t make very much light; they could
fall over.
Who comes over the hill singing? Mother

How can you tell who it is? Mother enters the dialogue after someone comes over
the hill; Kara talks about her appearing and calls her
“Mother.”
The children see less of Father’s ship as it The world might be round or curved like a hill.
sails away and more of their mother as
she comes over the hill. What does that
show the children about the world?
Essential Question How did we figure out what our world looks like?

Hector, Kara, and Alexander wave to their father, who is a
merchant. He is sailing to another city to sell his goods.
Kara: I think the sea looks like a flat pan of water.

What if a storm makes it spill over?
Where will Father’s ship go?
Alexander: I don’t know how big the

world is, but I’ve never heard a sailor
claim to run out of sea.
Hector: Well, what if Father’s ship

falls over the edge of the water?
The men will turn back before
they get too close, won’t they?
Alexander: I think you’re mistaken

about the world being flat with edges,
Hector. Look at the hill behind us and
the mountains just south of us.
Kara: I want Father to take me with him on his next

journey. When we get to the horizon, I will stretch my
fingers and tickle the sky. I expect it to feel as soft as cotton.
Alexander (laughing): I’ve seen men climb to the tops of

mountains, but none has boasted about touching the sky.
Kara: Father said he would be gone from Greece for several

days. How will the crew navigate the ship at night?
Hector: They should use giant candles to see in the dark.
Kara: The sea at night is as black as a thundercloud,

so candles will not do much good.

The Edge of the World, continued
Hector: I suppose the candles could fall and start a fire if

the ship isn’t steady. Then what would the men do?
Alexander: There is one bright light they can use that

won’t fall—the North Star. The captain uses it to know
where north is and the other directions, too.
Hector: If I were the captain, I would stay close to the

shore so I wouldn’t go off the end.
Alexander: Your eyes are fooling you into thinking the

world is flat. Watch Father’s ship and tell me what you see.
Alexander points to Father’s ship as it nears the horizon.
Hector: Part of the ship’s hull seems to be under water!
Kara: And now I see only the sails of the ship.
Hector: Hey! Now I see only the tops of the sails! What’s
happening?
There is a voice singing behind the hill. The children turn to see
a woman coming into view. First they see just her head scarf,
then her shawl. When she reaches the hilltop, they see all of her.
Mother: Has your father’s ship sailed?
Kara: Something about the way you appeared, Mother,

reminds me of how Father’s ship gradually disappeared.
Alexander: So the world might be rounded, like a hill.
Hector: And Father’s ship won’t fall off!
hull: the main part of a boat, including the bottom and sides
shawl: a long piece of cloth worn over the shoulders

Name:
Dictionary
claim: to say you did or can do something hard or unusual
mistaken: wrong; not correct
horizon: the line where the earth and the sky seem to meet
boast: to brag; to talk with too much pride
navigate: to plan where to go and stay on course
gradually: slowly; little by little

Name:
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
boast claim gradually

horizon mistaken navigate
1. Dad was about what time the bike ride started,

and he arrived too early.
2. Laura saw distant storm clouds on the .
3. I learned the song after I heard it many times.
4. The new student used a map to around

the school.
5. Jerry likes to about his science fair award.
6. Our cousins to be able to run faster than a horse.
1.
2.

Name:
Answer Questions
1. If Kara drew the world, it would 3. Hector is afraid that .

probably look like a . A the sea will run out of water
A can B Father’s ship will sail off the edge
B hill C Father will be away too long
C tray D the ship is staying close to shore
D bowl
4. How does Alexander help the
2. Which sentence describes the way younger children think about the
the ship nears the horizon? world’s shape?
A The entire ship looks like it is A He answers all of the children’s
falling off the edge. questions.
B The ship seems to be sinking in B He talks about men who climbed
the water. mountains.
C The sky seems to swallow the C He explains why the North Star is
ship from top to bottom. important.
D The ship looks like it is touching D He calls their attention to things to
the sky. observe.
5. Explain how the captain of Father’s ship navigates at night and why.
6. How does Mother’s arrival help the children think about the shape of the world?

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Imagine that Kara gets to travel with her father on his next journey and
that she keeps a travel diary of her observations. You will be asked to write
several diary entries based on the observations made in the play. Use the
chart below to organize your writing.
As she sails farther from shore:
While at sea:
At night:
When she sees land:
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write four diary entries that Kara could write
to inform others about her journey with her father. Kara’s observations
should be based on details from the play.
Sample Grade 4
Unit Overview
Forests, Farms, and Finance
Student Students will understand that the natural world contains different kinds of
Objective: resources, including living resources. Making careful use of these resources
is necessary to meet human needs and to keep the economy healthy.
Essential How can growing resources on land help the

Question:
economy grow?
Topic Share the unit title and essential question with students. Explain to students
Introduction: that people and businesses use and change the natural environment to meet
human needs and desires and that this affects the things that live in it. Tell
students they will read two selections about the relationship of the economy
to the environment.
Paired Text Selection 1: Selection 2:

Selections: Healthy Forest, Healthy Economy Friendly Harvest
Nonfiction, Level R Fiction, Level Q


Materials:
Student Pages:
Write an Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Selection 1
Healthy Forest, Healthy Economy
Lesson Plan
Tell students that farms aren’t the only places Have students read the selection
that produce plants that we eat. Some forests independently, with a partner, or in
are owned by companies. They sell raw small groups.
materials used to manufacture food and
other goods. 5. Analyze the Selection:
2. Read Aloud the Selection Have students number each paragraph in
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to the selection before they begin the close
each student. Students will use this for all reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you important parts of the selection. Encourage
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to students to refer to the selection as necessary
graphic elements or visual aids. to find the information they need.
3. Introduce Vocabulary To support visual learners, you may wish to

to each student.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary 6. Understand the Selection
words and definitions. Point out that demand Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
is a multiple-meaning word, or a homonym. distribute it to each student. Have students
Discuss definitions and usage as needed. complete the activity independently.
Have students find each vocabulary word in Encourage students to refer to the selection as
the selection and read the context sentence. necessary to help them answer the questions
Then have students complete one of the and/or to check their answers.
leveled activities below: You may wish to use this as a formative
• Basic level: Write the context sentence on assessment to determine students’
the lines below its definition. understanding of the text.
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence 7. Write About the Selection

using the vocabulary word and share Reproduce the Write About It activity and
the sentence with a partner, a small group, distribute it to each student.
or the whole class.
Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete the graphic organizer in small groups.
the activity independently, with a partner, or
in small groups. Writing Prompt: Have students complete


What two types of jobs depend on jobs that involve collecting the raw materials; jobs that
rainforest products? involve processing the raw materials into products to sell
What kinds of things are listed in different things that grow in the forest and the products that
the chart? are made from them
What things made from forest bananas, gum, kitchen table, wood floor, clothing
products could you find in
someone’s home?
In the fourth paragraph, what does people who do hard work

the word “laborers” probably
mean?
How did you figure it out? The suffix “-er” means “someone who,” and “labor” means
“to do hard work.”
What are some of the foods made chocolate bars, cocoa powder, chocolate cakes, fudge,
from cocoa beans? chocolate-chip cookies, chocolate ice cream
In the last paragraph, what does It can be kept up for a long time/forever.
the word “sustainable” mean?
How did you figure it out? The text says that sustainable methods “can keep a forest
producing forever.” Sustainable agriculture helps people
“continue making money from the resources” and “keep
enjoying” their consumer products.
What are some examples of replanting trees often; making forest plantations more like
sustainable methods? wild forests and less like farms
“Balance” is mentioned in the last the need to harvest the rainforest and the need to keep it for
paragraph. What kinds of things future use; a balance of living things
need to be balanced in forest
agriculture?

Essential Question How can growing resources on land help the economy grow?

Picture a person in the middle of a hot, steamy rainforest, harvesting
the pods from a cacao tree. The chocolate used to make the chocolate
milk in your cafeteria came from these pods. Every day, many workers
labor in forests collecting raw materials such as cacao pods. Other
workers process, or make, forest-grown materials into finished products
that companies sell to people around the world.
Forests can give us a constant supply of raw materials. New trees
can replace trees that are cut down. But for forests to stay healthy and
productive, they have to be managed carefully. This means making sure
trees are not cut down faster than they can be replanted. Some
companies cut them all down because they can sell more and make a
larger profit. If companies put forest health ahead of fast profit, forests will
continue to provide workers with jobs, companies with profits, and
consumers with goods.
All around the world, there is a strong demand for goods that
originate in forests. Look around your classroom. Chances are the books,
desks, doors, and maps you see all started out as trees.
Forest Resources and Their Uses

Forest resources Used for
cocoa beans, vanilla beans,
food or drink
coffee beans, tapioca, bananas
timber trees construction, floors, furniture, paper
kapok tree fibers furniture fabric, pillows, life preservers
vines clothing fibers

latex gloves, tires, balloons,
rubber tree
rubber mats
orchids and other flowers flower arrangements
chicle chewing gum
consumer: someone who buys and uses products

Healthy Forest, Healthy Economy, continued
Forest agriculture provides many people with jobs. Let’s take cocoa
beans, for example. Forest laborers are paid to harvest the raw materials,
cacao pods, which contain cocoa beans. Then a chocolate factory buys
the beans, and workers put them through a process to manufacture
chocolate bars and cocoa
powder. Bakeries buy these
materials along with flour,
eggs, and butter to produce
chocolate cakes, chocolate-
chip cookies, and fudge.
Dairies buy them to mix with
their milk to produce
chocolate ice cream. Bakeries
and dairies sell their goods to Open cacao pod
grocery stores. The stores sell

them to your family. The workers at all of these companies make money,
which they can now spend on things they need.
We must balance the need to harvest the rainforest with the need to
keep it for future use. To make sure that forest resources never run out,
many agriculture companies use sustainable methods. These methods
can keep a forest producing forever. One method is to replant trees and
plants often. Another method is to treat these forests more like natural,
wild forests and less like controlled farms. Forests need to maintain a
balance of living things. Harvesting too much of one thing too quickly can
start a chain reaction that limits other resources. It can also hurt the
environment. Sustainable agriculture allows people to continue making
money from the resources. And it allows consumers to keep enjoying
their chocolate!
agriculture: farming; growing crops and raising animals

Forests, Farms, and Finance:
Name:
Dictionary
economy: a system of trading money, goods, and services
labor: to work, especially to do hard physical work
productive: able to produce a lot
manage: to take care of; to control the use of
profit: amount earned after costs have been paid
demand: the desire of customers to buy something
originate: to come from; to start out
manufacture: to make products for sale

Name:
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
demand economy labored manage

manufactures originate productive profit
1. Our garden is so that we got more than 60 tomatoes this year.
2. As for electric cars grows, more companies will produce them.
3. Ariele made a of more than $25 in just one day from her
lemonade stand.
4. My aunt and uncle their farm carefully and responsibly.
5. Gina on her book report for two nights.
6. Throughout history, every society has had an that involved

some type of trade.
7. The pretzel did not in Germany, even though the word “pretzel”
is German.
8. We have a factory in our town that spare parts for lawn mowers.
1.
2.

Name: Healthy Forest, Healthy Economy
Answer Questions
1. According to the chart, which product is 3. Why must rainforests maintain a balance
made from the kapok tree? of living things?
A car tires A so companies don’t make more
B life preservers products than people can buy
C chewing gum B so laborers don’t earn more money
D clothing fibers than they can spend
C so consumers don’t get tired of goods
made from forest products
2. Which of these products is probably
D so forests don’t run out of trees and
made with materials grown in a
rainforest? plants to use
A copper pot
4. Forest agriculture is good for the
B rubber band
economy because it provides .
C wheat bread
A continual jobs and products
D gasoline
B sustainable growing methods
C easy work for fast profits
D room for trees to grow
5. Why don’t all rainforest-harvesting companies use sustainable methods?
6. How would forest laborers suffer if forest resources ran out? How would consumers suffer?

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about what it takes to get cocoa beans to become a chocolate cake. What
resources and people are involved? Where does money change hands? You will be
asked to explain how the process of producing a chocolate cake helps the economy.
Use the chart below to organize your writing.
Process Money changing hands

Harvesting:
Manufacturing:
Production:
Sales:
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write two paragraphs explaining how the process of
making a chocolate cake helps the economy. Include details from the selection in
your response.
Selection 2
Friendly Harvest
Lesson Plan
Tell students most of the foods we eat are Have students read the selection
grown or raised on large farms owned by big independently, with a partner, or in
companies, but some much smaller farms small groups.
are owned by families. These farms often sell
their products right in their communities to 5. Analyze the Selection:
local stores and at farmers’ markets. Oral Close Reading Activity
Have students number each paragraph in
2. Read Aloud the Selection the selection before they begin the close
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you students to refer to the selection as necessary
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to to find the information they need.
3. Introduce Vocabulary cover up the sample responses and reproduce
to each student. 6. Understand the Selection
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
words and definitions. Discuss definitions distribute it to each student. Have students
and usage as needed. complete the activity independently.
Have students find each vocabulary word in Encourage students to refer to the selection as
the selection and read the context sentence. necessary to help them answer the questions
Then have students complete one of the and/or to check their answers.
leveled activities below: You may wish to use this as a formative
• Basic level: Write the context sentence on assessment to determine students’
the lines below its definition. understanding of the text.
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence 7. Write About the Selection

using the vocabulary word and share Reproduce the Write About It activity and
the sentence with a partner, a small group, distribute it to each student.
or the whole class.
Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete the graphic organizer in small groups.
the activity independently, with a partner, or
in small groups. Writing Prompt: Have students complete


Where is Emmet probably coming school
from at the beginning of the story?
What clue in the story helped you He is riding a school bus.
figure that out?
The bus driver says, “Last stop, Emmet’s farm is probably far from his school. His farm is
Carlyle Road!” What can you tell located out in the countryside.
about where Emmet lives?
What are Emmet’s chores on feeding the chickens, collecting and washing their eggs,
the farm? cleaning out chicken pens, inspecting the chickens for bugs,
helping with harvesting crops, eliminating weeds and pests
Why is it harder for organic They have to do extra work to keep pests away, so their
farmers to make a profit? expenses are higher. They have to charge more money, and
some people don’t want to pay more for organic produce.
Why couldn’t Emmet commit to He had too much work to do on the farm.
playing on the basketball team
with his friends?
Why does his father let him play because his friends and their families help out on the farm so
at the end of the story? Emmet will have time to play
In the sixth paragraph, what does “stop working” or “take a break”

the phrase “let up” mean?
How did you figure it out? Emmet just said that he doesn’t have time, then he explains
how much time his chores take. It sounds like he can’t take
time out to play.
What did Jack mean when he said He is beginning to understand Emmet’s situation.
“I’m getting the picture”?
What did Jack think about He was skeptical that they took so much time; he didn’t
Emmet’s farm chores at first? understand or believe that there really could be that much
work to do on the farm.
How did Jack’s attitude change by He realized that Emmet really does have a lot of work to do
the end of their phone call? on the farm. He was disappointed but he understood.

Essential Question How can growing resources on land help the economy grow?
Friendly Harvest
“Last stop, Carlyle Road!” the school bus driver yelled. Emmet had
been thinking about his family’s move to Clovinger from Marcus City
six months ago. His mom had gotten sick, and the family had decided
to move here to start an organic farm. Emmet remembered being
reluctant at first.
“One little organic farm in some small town isn’t going to make
that big a difference,” Emmet had argued.
Mom had patiently explained, “Even a small difference will help.
I got sick from eating pesticides on
food. Farming without chemicals will
allow people who eat healthy foods to
stay healthy.”
Now Emmet walked inside the
farmhouse. “I’m going to change and
do my chores,” he called to his mom.
Emmet was in charge of the chickens,
which meant he had to feed them,
collect and wash their eggs, and keep
the chickens and their pens clean. His
dad fertilized the crops with compost
from the pile that Mom tended. Everyone helped harvest the crops as
they ripened, and all spare time was spent pulling weeds and
eliminating other pests. Without pesticides, the work was safe but slow.
Just then, Emmet’s phone rang. “My dad’s putting together a
basketball team, and we want you to play with us,” his friend Jack
announced.
“Oh, thanks, but I don’t have time to commit to a team,” Emmet
said. “Dad says we can’t let up for even a minute if this farm is ever
going to make a profit.”
pesticide: poison that kills bugs

compost: a mixture of rotting plants that improves soil

Friendly Harvest, continued
“Don’t the chickens do all the work, popping out all those eggs?”
Jack questioned, skeptical.
“I’m sure laying eggs takes effort, but so does feeding and
inspecting each chicken every day,” Emmet explained. “I have to catch
every chicken and examine it for harmful bugs.”
“Wow, that is a lot of work!” Jack exclaimed. “Are the fruits and
vegetables as difficult?”
Emmet groaned and said, “They get bugs, too, even though we put
special covers on
the plants to keep
most bugs out. We
sprinkle natural
ingredients that
bugs don’t like,
like pepper or ash,
around the plants,
or we bring in other
bugs that like the taste of the pests but not the plants. All this extra
work means our expenses are higher. We have to charge more money,
which some people don’t want to pay, so it’s harder to make a profit.”
“Okay, I’m getting the picture,” Jack admitted. “You don’t have
time to play, so I guess we’ll just be disappointed.”
“Believe me, I wish I could,” said Emmet as he hung up.
That Saturday, Emmet awoke to Jack’s voice outside his door.
“Emmet, wake up!” Jack yelled as Emmet stumbled to open his door.
“We’ve got work to do! We’re all here to help, our dads and moms, too.
I told my parents why you couldn’t play basketball. Mom said we had
to help you, and then we’re buying some of your strawberries.” Jack’s
eyes twinkled. “But only if you agree to play basketball!” They both
laughed.
Later on that day, when everyone else had left, Emmet’s dad
commented, “You have good friends, son. You’d better change your
clothes. I think those boys are expecting you at practice tonight.”
“Yes, sir!” replied Emmet, sprinting into the house to get his stuff.

Name: Friendly Harvest
Dictionary
reluctant: unwilling; not eager
fertilize: to add things to soil or plants to make them grow better
eliminate: to get rid of
commit: to promise to take part in something
skeptical: doubtful; not willing to believe something
inspect: to look at closely; to check
expense: the amount of money spent to buy something

Name:
Friendly Harvest
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
committed eliminate expenses fertilized

inspected reluctant skeptical
1. Molly was to try eating squid because she was afraid it

would be chewy.
2. The for the big party turned out to be a lot higher than
Michael thought.
3. Our cafeteria uses recycle bins to as much garbage as possible.
4. Lakesha the soles of her shoes to make sure she wasn’t

tracking any dirt in the house.
5. Sanjay to selling at least one hundred calendars for the

school fundraiser.
6. Kenji was that his little sister could finish reading the
long book in one day.
7. The roses grew much bigger after the gardener the soil.
1.
2.

Name:
Friendly Harvest
Answer Questions
1. Why was Emmet reluctant to move to 3. Which sentence from the selection
Clovinger to start an organic farm? explains why organic farming takes more
A He didn’t think it would make a work than farming with pesticides?
difference. A “I’m going to change and do my
B He didn’t like riding the bus from chores.”
school. B “I’m sure laying eggs takes effort.”
C He would miss playing basketball. C “We sprinkle natural ingredients that
D His mother wasn’t getting well. bugs don’t like, like pepper or ash,
around the plants.”
D “We have to charge more money,
2. How did Emmet’s mother get sick?
which some people don’t want to pay.”
A She didn’t eat healthy foods.
B She lived in a large city.
4. What did Emmet’s friends do to help his
C She was in a bus accident.
family?
D She ate food that had pesticides.
A They sold produce.
B They raised money.
C They worked on the farm.
D They took care of Emmet’s mother.
5. Why did Emmet’s family decide to start an organic farm?
6. Give two reasons Emmet’s friends helped his family.

Name:
Friendly Harvest
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about the organic farm that Emmet’s family started. What are the advantages
and the disadvantages of organic farming? You will be asked to explain the advantages
and the disadvantages from the farmer’s point of view. Use the chart below to organize
your writing.
Organic Farming Pros and Cons
Advantages: Reasons or examples:
Disadvantages: Reasons or examples:
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write two paragraphs explain the advantages and
disadvantages of organic farming for farmers. Include details from the selection in
your response.
Unit Assessment
Forests, Farms, and Finance
Topic: Forests, Farms, and Finance

Essential Question: How can growing resources on land help the economy grow?
Tying It Together
Use the script below to guide students in discussing the essential question and what they have
learned about the topic from the paired selections. Feel free to expand on these questions and
responses.
To support visual learners, you may wish to cover up the sample responses and reproduce and
distribute the discussion questions for students to refer to.

What kinds of resources are grown on cocoa, coffee, and vanilla beans; trees; vines; flowers;
farm and forest land? chicle; fruits; vegetables; chickens
Which do the authors of both Staying healthy is more important. The purpose of food is
selections believe is more important: to make people healthy. A healthy forest keeps producing
getting rich or staying healthy? Why? plants. You can’t stay rich if you use up all the plants.
How could forests and farms make Forests could cut down all the trees at once to sell. Farms
more profit? could use pesticides to control bugs.
Why do the selections warn against If you cut down all the trees at once, there are no more
these methods? jobs or products while the new trees grow, which takes a
long time. If you use pesticides, they can hurt the farmers
and the consumers.
How does growing things on land help Forests have plants that can be used to make other
the economy? products. Lots of people make money in the process.
Farms grow and sell food, which people buy. Earning
and spending money helps the economy.
How was the topic “forests, farms, and It explained that we use things that grow in forests as
finance” shown in “Healthy Forest, resources to make other things to sell. Selling things helps
Healthy Economy”? the economy.
How was the topic “forests, farms, and It showed how organic farms take a lot more work than
finance” shown in “Friendly Harvest”? regular farms to make any money.
Why do you think these selections They both talk about growing things on land and selling
were paired together? these things, but one talks about forests, and the other
talks about farms. They grow different things in each,
and they are used and sold in different ways.

Name:
Unit Assessment
Plan Your Writing

Graphic Organizer
Think about the methods used in sustainable agriculture and organic farming. You
will be asked to describe and compare these methods. Use the chart below to organize
your writing.
Sustainable agriculture Organic farming
Methods
Where
to use
Main
purpose

Name: Unit Assessment
Write an Essay
Writing Prompt
Write an essay to describe and compare the methods used in sustainable agriculture
and organic farming. Give your essay a title. Include details from the selections. Use
transitions to connect your ideas.
Title:

Sample Grade 5
Unit Overview
Using Resources Wisely
Student Students will understand that people use natural resources to meet their needs
Objective: and that using these resources has an effect on the environment.
Essential How do we balance people’s needs with the

Question:
environment?
Introduction: people use resources from the environment to get or make things they need
or want. When resources are taken from the environment, it affects the
environment and may affect future resources. Tell students that they will
read two selections about using natural resources and the effects of this use.
Paired Text Selection 1: Hydroelectricity Selection 2: True Riches

Selections: Nonfiction, Level U Fiction, Level T


Materials:
Student Pages:
Write an Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Selection 1
Hydroelectricity
Lesson Plan
Discuss the meaning of the word resources. Have students read the selection
Ask students how they use electricity in their independently, with a partner, or in
daily lives. Explain that resources provide small groups.
electricity in ways that can affect the
environment. 5. Analyze the Selection:
2. Read Aloud the Selection Have students number each paragraph in
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to the selection before they begin the close
each student. Students will use this for all reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you important parts of the selection. Encourage
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to students to refer to the selection as necessary
graphic elements or visual aids. to find the information they need.
3. Introduce Vocabulary To support visual learners, you may wish to

to each student.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary 6. Understand the Selection
words and definitions. Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
Have students find each vocabulary word in distribute it to each student. Have students
the selection and read the context sentence. complete the activity independently.
Then have students complete one of the Encourage students to refer to the selection as
leveled activities below: necessary to help them answer the questions
and/or to check their answers.
the lines below its definition. You may wish to use this as a formative
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence understanding of the text.
the sentence with a partner, a small group, 7. Write About the Selection
or the whole class. Reproduce the Write About It activity and
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete distribute it to each student.
the activity independently, with a partner, or Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
in small groups. the graphic organizer in small groups.


How is the reservoir used? It stores water and lets out water as needed.
What is the purpose of the to make the water gain speed as it falls from a high place
penstock? to a low place
Why do some hydroelectric power to meet the changing needs for electricity
plants change the amount of
electricity they produce?
What does the power plant do It stores water and releases it later when needed.
differently to change the amount
of electricity produced?
What effect does storing water have It can cause the water temperature to rise, harming some
on aquatic life? plants and animals that aren’t used to that temperature.
It can also cause overcrowding and affect the food web.
What three things begin to spin the turbine, the shaft, and the magnets in the generator
when the falling water is let in?
What generates the electricity? the magnets spinning in the generator
What are some advantages of It is a renewable energy, because water cycles through the
hydroelectricity? environment. It is relatively inexpensive to produce. It does
not burn anything that causes pollution.
What problems can hydroelectric Hydroelectric dams can clog a river. They can block the
plants cause in the nearby routes of salmon and other migrating fish. Turbine blades
environment? can kill or injure fish. Sometimes reservoirs can flood
surrounding areas.
Is hydroelectric power generation yes

likely to increase in the near
future?
How do you know? The text says that new technologies that use water power are
currently being developed.

Essential Question How do we balance people’s needs with the environment?
Hydroelectricity
The rivers of North America provide people with an important
resource. Water from rivers can be used to produce electricity. This
type of energy is called hydroelectricity.
Hydroelectricity uses the power of falling water. In order to produce
electricity in this way, people usually construct a dam. The dam stores
water behind it in a reservoir. Here’s how the process works:
1. Water from the reservoir falls through

floodgates.
2. The water flows down through a tunnel
called a penstock. As it falls, it gathers
speed. 1
3. The water hits the blades of a machine
called a turbine. This causes the
turbine to spin quickly.
2
4. The turbine is attached to a shaft. As
the turbine spins, so does the shaft.
5 6
5. The turning shaft causes magnets in a
generator to spin around. This creates
electricity in coils of wire that surround 4
3
the magnets.
6. Transmission lines carry the electricity
to homes and other buildings.
7
7. The water flows out of the dam and
continues downstream.
Hydroelectricity has several advantages. It is considered

renewable energy, because water naturally cycles through the
environment. It falls from clouds, flows into bodies of water, and
evaporates back into the atmosphere. Also, once the hydroelectric
power plant is built, hydroelectricity is inexpensive to produce
compared to other forms of energy. Unlike electricity produced from
fossil fuels, hydroelectricity does not burn anything that causes pollution.
In addition, fishing, boating, and swimming are popular activities at
reservoirs.

Hydroelectricity, continued
Still, there are concerns about how the operation of a hydroelectric

dam impacts the environment. Dams cause a buildup of mud and silt that
can clog a river. They also block the routes of salmon and other migrating
fish. These fish would otherwise swim upstream to lay their eggs. Turbine
blades can also kill or injure fish, although fish ladders can help with this
problem. Fish ladders are passageways that guide fish around the turbine.
To meet changing needs, hydroelectric power plants adjust how much
electricity they produce at different times. Instead of letting water flow in
and out at a constant rate, these power plants sometimes store water and
release it later. While the water is being stored, the water levels
downstream are much lower than usual. Plants and animals, both in the
water and on land, are affected. Water temperatures in the summer can
rise, which is harmful to plants and animals that are adapted to cooler
temperatures. Small aquatic animals important to a river’s food web can
die from the higher temperatures or lower water levels. Also, fish and other
aquatic animals can become overcrowded.
Building a new hydroelectric power plant can cause additional
problems. A new reservoir may flood countryside that is home to land
animals and plants. People may need to abandon homes and farmland.
The reservoir may cover precious natural areas and archaeological sites.
A reservoir, especially a newly created one, can emit greenhouse gases
that contribute to global warming.
About 15 percent of the world’s electricity comes from hydroelectric
power. The United States has over 1,600 hydroelectric power plants. New
technologies are currently being developed to make even greater use of
the power of water.
fossil fuels: fuels from under the ground such as coal, petroleum, and
natural gas
silt: sand, clay, or soil carried by a river

Using Resources Wisely:
Name:
Hydroelectricity
Dictionary
resource: something used to meet a need
reservoir: an artificial lake used as a supply of water
renewable: not used up; can replace itself
impact: to affect
constant: steady; always the same
aquatic: living in the water
archaeological: having to do with the remains of ancient cultures
emit: to give off or send out from a source

Name:
Hydroelectricity
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
aquatic archaeological constant emits

impact renewable reservoir resource
1. Water is an important natural because all living things

depend on it.
2. Katie’s car alarm the loudest noise I’ve ever heard.
3. Lake Mead, the largest in the United States, is located

behind Hoover Dam on the border between Arizona and Nevada.
4. My favorite animals are sea otters, beavers, and whales.
5. When they open the new mall, the traffic will the Pine
Hills neighborhood.
6. Several forms of energy, such as solar power and wind

power, are becoming more common.
7. The scientist found broken pottery and stone tools at the

site in Egypt.
8. Avoid speeding up and slowing down; drive at a speed.
Write one new sentence. Use a word from the word box.
1.
Name:
Hydroelectricity
Answer Questions
1. How does the electricity get to houses 3. Why is hydroelectricity considered a

and businesses? clean energy?
A through the floodgates A It is not expensive to produce.
B in transmission lines B The water can be stored behind dams.
C down the penstock C It does not create pollution.
D out of the generator D People like to swim in the reservoir.
2. Which of these is an advantage of 4. Which of these is an effect of building

hydroelectric power? hydroelectric power plants?
A It raises the water temperature. A salmon swimming upstream
B It creates greenhouse gases. B flooding of farmland
C It runs on fossil fuels. C formation of fossil fuels
D It uses a renewable resource. D water evaporation
5. What is a turbine, and what is its role in the production of hydroelectricity?
6. What can happen if less water than usual flows downstream from a dam?

Name:
Hydroelectricity
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric power. Imagine that
your state wants to build a hydroelectric power plant near your community. You will
be asked to decide whether you are in favor of or against the power plant and to
explain your opinion. Use the chart below to organize your writing.
Hydroelectric Power
Advantages Disadvantages
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write a three-paragraph letter to a state official to

explain your opinion about a new hydroelectric power plant in your community.
Include details from the selection in your response.

Selection 2
True Riches
Lesson Plan
Tell students they will read about how a king Have students read the selection
uses natural resources and the surprising independently, with a partner, or in
effects his actions have. small groups.
2. Read Aloud the Selection 5. Analyze the Selection:

Reproduce the selection and distribute it to Oral Close Reading Activity
each student. Students will use this for all Have students number each paragraph in
activities within the unit. Point out that some the selection before they begin the close
of the words in the text are defined at the reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you students in discussing the selection. Explain
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to that close reading will help them notice
graphic elements or visual aids. important parts of the selection. Encourage
3. Introduce Vocabulary to find the information they need.
to each student.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary students to refer to.
words and definitions. Discuss definitions
and usage as needed. 6. Understand the Selection
Have students find each vocabulary word in Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
the selection and read the context sentence. distribute it to each student. Have students
Then have students complete one of the complete the activity independently.
leveled activities below: Encourage students to refer to the selection as
necessary to help them answer the questions
• Basic level: Write the context sentence on and/or to check their answers.
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence assessment to determine students’
using the vocabulary word and share understanding of the text.
the sentence with a partner, a small group,
or the whole class. 7. Write About the Selection
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete Reproduce the Write About It activity and
the activity independently, with a partner, or distribute it to each student.
in small groups. Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
the graphic organizer in small groups.


What did the king think of the He was not impressed.
musician’s daughter’s knitting
skills?
How can you tell? He shrugged and asked, “What else can she do?”
Did the musician’s daughter no

already know how to turn wood
into emeralds when she was
summoned to the king’s castle?
How do you know? She “shuddered” when faced with this challenge. The story
calls her a “poor girl.” She took out her phone because she
was looking for comfort. When she finds the app, she says,
“Aha! There is an app for that,” as if making a new discovery.
In the tenth paragraph, what does harvest, collect

the word “reap” probably mean?
How did you figure it out? They have to dump the growing wheat into a room, so they
must harvest it, which means collecting a crop.
Do you think King Claudio was no

still known as Contented Claudio
after this incident?
Why not? The story says that he “did not live happily ever after.” The
source of his contentment had been his nightly meal of pizza,
which he can no longer have.
How do the illustrations help you The modern clothing in the illustrations shows that the folk
understand the setting? tale is more modern than most.
What makes this story different The girl solves her problem with her cellphone, which is
from an old-fashioned fairy tale? modern, instead of using magic or getting help from a fairy
or other magical character.
What makes this story similar to The story involves a king who demands impossible tasks of
an old-fashioned fairy tale? a regular person. This person gets out of trouble by doing
something ordinarily impossible. Since cellphone apps can’t
do the tasks described in the story, it’s still a fantasy.

Essential Question How do we balance people’s needs with the environment?
True Riches
Once upon a time, there was a small kingdom named Thincrustia.
The country was ruled by King Claudio, who always wore a smile.
Because of this, he was known as Contented Claudio. All of his subjects,
from the peasants in the countryside to the fish in the stream, were
contented as well. No one knew that the source of the king’s
contentment was his evening meal. Every night, the king’s personal
chef baked a cheesy masterpiece, a creation he called pizza. King
Claudio savored the tangy tomatoes and the creamy cheese, but he
loved the thin, buttery crust best of all.
A local musician wanted to impress the king. Since he failed to do
so with his playing, he tried another approach. Thinking about his
daughter’s knitting skills, the musician remarked, “My daughter can
turn animals into clothing.”
“What else can she do?” asked the king with a shrug.
Without hesitation, the musician boasted, “She can change wood
into emeralds.”
At that moment, greed crept into the king’s heart and nudged aside
his contentment. “Now, that is music to my ears. Bring her to the castle
tomorrow, and I shall see this girl’s talents for myself!” Envisioning
piles of emeralds, King Claudio commanded his servants to cut down
every tree in the kingdom and bring the timber to the castle.
Early the next morning, the king
led the girl to a large room filled with
logs. She shuddered when he hissed,
“If by tomorrow morning you have not
changed these logs into emeralds, you
shall die.” With that threat, he locked
the girl in the room.
subjects: people ruled by a king or queen

tangy: spicy
emeralds: green jewels
nudged: pushed

True Riches, continued
The poor girl stuffed a hand in her pocket for the one thing that
always comforted her—her cellphone. She scrolled through hundreds
of apps and finally exclaimed, “Aha! There is an app for that. I can
do this task!”
At sunrise, the king tore into the room and gaped at the
emeralds. Greed devoured his heart. “This girl can do anything!”
he thought. He ordered all the water in his realm to be placed in a
container in another room of the castle. The king commanded the
girl to turn the water into silver, and then he yanked the door shut.
“I bet there’s an app for that too,” thought the girl as the door
slammed shut.
At daybreak, the king gazed upon the room full of silver. He
then immediately ordered his servants to reap all the wheat from the
countryside and dump it into the largest room in the castle. “If you
can change this wheat into gold,” he promised the girl, “I shall set
you free.”
Once again, the girl thumbed through her apps until she
stopped in triumph. “There’s an app for that,” she declared. Sure
enough, she fulfilled the task and the king set her free. She ran from
the castle as fast as she could.
King Claudio, feeling smug, could hardly wait for his pizza
dinner. Instead, the chef served a platter of raw tomatoes
sprinkled with a few flecks of cheese. “I’m sorry, Your
Highness,” he announced, avoiding the king’s eyes,
“but you used up all the trees that I needed for
the oven fire. You used up all the water and
wheat that I needed to make a crust. There
can be no more pizza!”
King Claudio, in spite of his gold, silver,
and emeralds, did not live happily ever after.

Name:
True Riches
Dictionary
contentment: satisfaction; happiness
masterpiece: a work of any kind done with great skill
savor: to enjoy the taste or feeling of something
envision: to imagine something; to picture it happening
shudder: to shake or tremble, especially in fear
gape: to stare open-mouthed in amazement
devour: to eat up or destroy completely
fulfill: to complete as expected

Name:
True Riches
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
contentment devour envision fulfilled

gaped masterpiece savored shudder
1. I in fear whenever I see a snake.
2. The firefighters acted quickly so the wildfire would not

the entire state park.
3. When we finally got to camp and warmed ourselves by the fire, a sense of
filled us.
4. Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is a of art.
5. Looking at the empty backyard, Mary could

exactly where she would plant her summer garden.
6. The coach the moment as the championship trophy

was awarded to his team.
7. Micha in surprise when she saw her favorite actor

enter the restaurant.
8. Cody all the requirements to enter his chickens in the

county fair.

Name:
True Riches
Answer Questions
1. The musician started making claims 3. When King Claudio tells his servants to
about what his daughter could do cut down the trees and reap the wheat,
because the king was . he forgets to think about the .
A bored by the musician’s playing A increase of his riches
B looking for ways to get rich B talents of the young girl
C tired of eating pizza every night C results of his commands
D interested in the daughter’s D obedience of his servants
knitting skills
4. What moral does the king learn at
2. What does the king mean when he uses the end?
the phrase “music to my ears”? A Cleverness can truly get you out
A “You’re speaking too loudly.” of trouble.
B “I’ll hire you to play for me.” B Always tell the truth no matter what.
C “You’re telling me something I C Consider what will happen because
already know.” of your actions.
D “I’m pleased to hear what you’re D Gold is more valuable than emeralds.
saying.”
5. Compare how the musician and his daughter each interact with the king.
6. What are the “true riches” in the story? Why is this a good title for this selection?

Name:
True Riches
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about how King Claudio’s thoughts and feelings change during the story.
You will be asked to explain the king’s feelings and the reasons for his feelings.
Use the chart below to organize your writing.
King Claudio’s feelings and reasons
At the beginning of the story:
After he meets the musician:
At the end of the story:
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write three paragraphs to explain how King Claudio’s
feelings change during the story, and explain the reasons for these changes. Include
details from the selection in your response.

Unit Assessment
Using Resources Wisely
Topic: Using Resources Wisely

Essential Question: How do we balance people’s needs with the environment?
Tying It Together
responses.

How is water used in both selections? It is used to make other valuable resources (electricity and
silver).
Which of these uses was a wiser use of Electricity, because it makes power that everyone can use,
water? Why? and you can use the water over and over.
Why is it wise to use renewable If you use them a little at a time, like the hydroelectricity
resources only as you need them? plant does, you’ll always have some to use. If you use
them up all at once, like the king did, it will take a really
long time before you have any more.
How were people’s needs balanced People need energy, and hydroelectricity meets that need.
with the environment in It doesn’t hurt the environment as much as other energy
“Hydroelectricity”? sources, but it can bother some river animals. A new
energy plant can cause flooding and greenhouse gases.
How were people’s needs balanced The king ignored the needs of his people and the
with the environment in “True environment. He found a way to get rich, but it hurt the
Riches”? environment. He can’t even have things he needs now.
How was the topic “using resources It explained why hydroelectricity is a wise use of water
wisely” shown in “Hydroelectricity”? since it makes something everyone needs and doesn’t
pollute the environment as much as other energy sources.
How was the topic “using resources It told how a king got greedy and used up all his
wisely” shown in “True Riches”? resources to get wealthy, which was not wise because he
and his subjects couldn’t have the things they needed.
Why do you think these selections They both mention the value of resources, but one shows
were paired together? a wise use of water, and the other shows unwise use of
trees, water, and wheat.

Name:
Unit Assessment
Plan Your Writing

Graphic Organizer
Think about how producing hydroelectricity affects the environment. Then think
about how the king in “True Riches” handled the kingdom’s resources. You will be
asked to explain why it is important to conserve natural resources. Use the chart
below to organize your writing.
Hydroelectricity
Effects on the... Causes
animals:
atmosphere:
True Riches
What the king did to the... Effects on the kingdom
trees:
water:
wheat:

Name:
Unit Assessment
Write an Essay
Writing Prompt
Write a cause-and-effect essay to explain why it is important to conserve natural

resources. Give your essay a title. Include details from the selections. Use transitions
to connect your ideas.
Title:

Sample Grade 6
Unit Overview
A Future Without Fuel
Student Students will understand what renewable energy sources are and why we will
Objective: need them.
Essential
Question: Where will we find energy in the future?
Introduction: we must use energy sources to survive. Throughout history, we have used
fuel-based energy, such as wood, coal, oil, and gas. These fuels may not be
available in the future, so renewable energy technologies are needed. Tell
students that they will read two selections about renewable energy resources.
Paired Text Selection 1: The Three Smart Dogs Selection 2: The New-Energy Project
Selections: Fiction, Level V Fiction, Level W


Materials:
Student Pages:
Write an Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Selection 1
The Three Smart Dogs
Lesson Plan
Explain that the selection is based on a Have students read the selection
classic folk tale about three animals who use independently, with a partner, or in
different materials to build their homes. Tell small groups.
students that there are pros and cons to
alternative energy sources and that there are 5. Analyze the Selection:
many factors to think about when deciding Oral Close Reading Activity
which alternative energy source to use. Have students number each paragraph in
the selection before they begin the close
2. Read Aloud the Selection reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you to find the information they need.
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to
3. Introduce Vocabulary and distribute the discussion questions for
Vocabulary activities and distribute them 6. Understand the Selection
to each student.
Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary distribute it to each student. Have students
words and definitions. Point out that pose is complete the activity independently.
a multiple-meaning word, or a homonym. Encourage students to refer to the selection as
Discuss definitions and usage as needed. necessary to help them answer the questions
Have students find each vocabulary word in and/or to check their answers.
the selection and read the context sentence. You may wish to use this as a formative
Then have students complete one of the assessment to determine students’
leveled activities below: understanding of the text.
7. Write About the Selection
Reproduce the Write About It activity and
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence distribute it to each student.
the sentence with a partner, a small group, Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
or the whole class. the graphic organizer in small groups.
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete Writing Prompt: Have students complete
the activity independently, with a partner, or the writing assignment independently on
in small groups. a separate sheet of paper.


What words describe what the three “sturdy, secure, and comfortable”
dogs’ houses were like?
What did they want to change about the power or energy source
their houses?
Why? The cost of fossil fuels is high.
What kind of power did Samson solar

choose?
Why did he choose solar power? He lives where it’s sunny. The panels can collect lots of sun.
What problems do the other dogs the high cost of panels and what to do when it’s not
ask Samson about? sunny out
What solutions did Samson give? Lower taxes help with the cost, and you can store extra
energy in a battery or with the electric company.
Who chose wind energy and why? Mariah, because she lives in a windy canyon, so there is lots
of wind to power her windmill.
What is a possible problem with a It’s noisy.
windmill?
What type of energy does George geothermal

decide on?
How does it work? Buried pipes transfer heat between the earth and the house.
What environment does geothermal Any environment—it works almost anywhere.
technology need in order to work?
How did Mariah react when the Wolf She told him to go right ahead and try.
came to blow her house down?
Why? She knew the Wolf would make more wind and more energy.
What deal did she and the Wolf The Wolf could live with her and eat meals while providing
make? wind for the windmill in return.
Each dog states how long it takes for It’s when the money it saves in electricity equals the cost of
his or her chosen energy type to pay buying the system.
for itself. What does “pay for itself”
mean?

Essential Question Where will we find energy in the future?

Once upon a time, there were three smart dogs. Each of them had
their own house. You may have heard another story about three animals
who had their own houses, too. Well, different animals, same plot. You
guessed it — there’s a wolf in this story, too! Now these three dogs,
Samson, Mariah, and George each wanted to build their own homes.
And they had learned from the misfortunes of three other animals who
had built their own homes that they had to build houses that were sturdy,
secure, and comfortable. And while an earthquake or flood might cause
damage, a wolf certainly would not.
Every month, the three dogs dined together. During one meal,
Samson described the powerful electric air conditioner he had just put in.
Mariah, a professional chef, bragged about her new, large gas oven.
George, as usual, talked about the video games he played on his
computer and TV. “If only the cost of fossil fuels were lower,” they
lamented. So they decided to research alternative energy sources.
The dogs would determine the best energy sources for their houses
and discuss them at their next dinner.
The next month, Samson, who resided in a sunny location, reported
that he had chosen solar energy. “It’s quiet and doesn’t generate any
pollution,” he explained. “I will have solar panels installed on my roof,
where they can collect the sun’s heat. The panels produce free
renewable energy for 20 to 30 years. In only ten years, I will have
saved enough money in electricity to cover the cost of the panels!”
The other dogs posed several questions. “Aren’t solar panels
rather expensive?” asked Mariah.
“And what happens when there is no sun?” pondered George.
Samson had ready answers. “The government lowers your taxes,
which makes it more affordable, and you can use batteries, or even the
electric company, to store energy until you need it,” he explained with
a smile.
renewable: can be replaced by nature

taxes: money paid to the government

The Three Smart Dogs, continued
Mariah announced next, “I live in a windy canyon, so I’m installing

a windmill. It costs about the same as a solar energy system, and I can
connect it to the power company to stash energy for when the wind isn’t
blowing. My windmill should pay for itself within 15 years, but it will
continue to work for 20 to 30 years. Just like solar energy, wind energy
is clean and renewable.”
Samson queried, “Isn’t a windmill rather noisy?”
Mariah responded, “It is about as loud as your new air conditioner,
so I won’t hear it inside my house.”
George smugly announced, “I’m getting a geothermal heat pump to
heat and cool my house and give me hot water. I’ll use about 50 percent
less energy.”
“How does geothermal technology work?” inquired the others.
“It uses buried pipes to transfer heat between the earth and the
house. Geothermal technology functions almost anywhere, and it will pay
for itself in around ten years!” George
replied.
The dogs each installed their
alternative energy systems in their
homes. Of course, the old Wolf had
heard about the dogs’ houses, and he
came to visit. When the Wolf threatened
to blow Mariah’s house down, she
challenged, “Go for it!” knowing that the
Wolf’s breath would cause the windmill
to race round and round, producing
even more electricity. Mariah struck a deal with the Wolf — in exchange for
the extra wind, the Wolf could live in her spare room and have free meals
so he didn’t have to threaten anyone.
So our three smart dogs learned that they could use alternative
energy sources that matched their circumstances to reduce pollution and
help protect the planet. As for the Wolf? Well, he learned that it’s better to
eat the chef’s food than the chef.
functions: works

A Future Without Fuel:
Name:
Dictionary
misfortune: bad luck
lament: to express unhappiness, sadness, or regret
alternative: different; unusual; not traditional
reside: to live in a certain place
generate: to make or produce
pose: to ask or suggest
ponder: to think about or consider
circumstances: the conditions in which someone lives

Name:
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
alternative circumstances generated lamented

misfortune pondered posed resides
1. Lee the loss of his turtle until he found it under the refrigerator
two days later.
2. The game show host a difficult question to the first contestant.
3. When we saw the traffic jam, we started to look for an route.
4. They had the of arriving at their hotel right before the hurricane.
5. Ms. Abercrombie still in the same house she grew up in.
6. When I rubbed my hands together, I some warmth.
7. Grandpa’s changed as he got too old to live alone.
8. Ava what it would feel like to fly like a bird.
1.
2.

Name:
Answer Questions
1. Why did the dogs decide to research 3. What do the three dogs’ solutions have in
alternative energy sources? common?
A They wanted to avoid earthquake and A They work best in a sunny area.
flood damage. B They pay for themselves in ten years.
B They did not like paying such a high C They store extra power in batteries.
price for power. D They are forms of renewable energy.
C They had just bought new items that
don’t run on fossil fuels.
4. Mariah made a deal with the Wolf
D They did not want their houses to be
because she .
blown down.
A saw that he could supply more wind
B thought that he would go away
2. Which technology is used underground?
C thought that he would eat her
A storage batteries
D felt that he needed a friend
B windmills
C geothermal pipes
D solar panels
5. Why didn’t each dog choose the same form of alternative energy?
6. Do the dogs care about the environment? Support your answer with evidence from
the selection.

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about how the alternative energy sources in this selection are alike and
different. Think about a desert climate: hot days, cold nights, lots of sun and wind.
You will be asked to compare energy sources and decide which would be best to use
in the desert. Use the chart below to organize your writing.
Solar Wind Geothermal
Resource
needed
How long it
lasts
How long to
pay for itself
How to
store extra
energy
Appropriate
environment
to use it in
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write three paragraphs to compare the different
alternative energy sources in this selection. Describe which would be best to use in
the desert. Support your opinion using details from the selection in your response.

Selection 2
The New-Energy Project
Lesson Plan
Tell students that new ideas can be inspired Have students read the selection
by everyday events. As they read, they should independently, with a partner, or in
try to predict what will inspire Deb to solve small groups.
her problem.
5. Analyze the Selection:
2. Read Aloud the Selection Oral Close Reading Activity
Reproduce the selection and distribute it to Have students number each paragraph in
each student. Students will use this for all the selection before they begin the close
activities within the unit. Point out that some reading discussion.
Have students follow along silently as you that close reading will help them notice
read aloud. Direct students’ attention to important parts of the selection. Encourage
graphic elements or visual aids. students to refer to the selection as necessary
3. Introduce Vocabulary
to each student.
Dictionary: Read aloud the vocabulary
words and definitions. Discuss definitions 6. Understand the Selection
and usage as needed. Reproduce the Answer Questions activity and
Have students find each vocabulary word in distribute it to each student. Have students
the selection and read the context sentence. complete the activity independently.
Then have students complete one of the Encourage students to refer to the selection as
leveled activities below: necessary to help them answer the questions
and/or to check their answers.
the lines below its definition. You may wish to use this as a formative
• Challenge level: Write a new sentence understanding of the text.
the sentence with a partner, a small group, 7. Write About the Selection
or the whole class. Reproduce the Write About It activity and
Apply Vocabulary: Have students complete distribute it to each student.
the activity independently, with a partner, or Graphic Organizer: Have students complete
in small groups. the graphic organizer in small groups.


Who is Deb? a student
Who is Ms. Shapiro? Deb’s science teacher
What is the setting at the Deb’s science classroom
beginning of the story?
What project has Ms. Shapiro create a concept for a new kind of energy
assigned?
How does Deb feel about the She isn’t excited about it.
assignment?
How can you tell? She gripes about having to give up planting time to do it.
In the second paragraph, Deb She is being sarcastic.

says “Great,” but she is actually
complaining. Why does she say
“Great”?
In the third paragraph, what does okay to use

the phrase “fair game” mean?
How did you figure it out? Ms. Shapiro lists some existing forces and says they are fine,
so it must mean the same as “fine.” Then she lists some
made-up forces that are not okay to use.
Give examples from the selection of “pelting of rain on the ground,” “rain will wash off the mud
water’s impact. that the earlier storm splashed,” “the rain had pounded out
a trench,” “it washed away all the leaves and dirt,” “warm
water beating her back and massaging her muscles,” “rinsed
the soap off,” “suds swirl through the drain”
How do these instances of water’s She realizes that falling water pushes on dirt, leaves, and
impact lead to Deb’s idea? soap enough to move them and on her body enough to relax
her muscles. She made a connection between getting a
massage from the electric massage chair and the shower.
What idea does Deb come up with? to capture the energy that rain gives off when it hits the
ground or another surface
What else is needed to make this a material to collect the energy
idea work?

Essential Question Where will we find energy in the future?

Deb stared at the constant pelting of rain on the ground outside
her classroom window. Finally her science teacher’s voice in the
background caught her attention. “Of course, perpetual motion isn’t
possible because of friction, but that doesn’t mean we can’t come
close. So your project for next week is to create a concept for a new
kind of energy,” Ms. Shapiro announced.
“Great,” Deb griped to herself, “I was hoping to spend the
weekend planting zinnias and petunias, if the rain would let up.
Now I have to solve the world’s energy crisis.”
“Any forces that currently exist are fair game,” Ms. Shapiro
continued. “Magnets, gravity, air pressure, or any natural resource
like the sun or wind is fine. But no making up new science—no
invisibility cloaks or alternate universes!”
Riding her bike home, Deb wondered how they had gotten onto
this topic. They’d been studying how fossil fuels come from plants
that died hundreds of millions of years ago and how they would
probably be used up in her lifetime. She was almost home when
another downpour hit. “At least the
rain will wash off the mud that the
earlier storm splashed onto my
bike,” she thought, pedaling faster.
As she rode up to her house,
soaked, she waved to her next-door
neighbor, who was madly shoveling
dirt in his front yard. Mr. Caine
never cleaned the leaves out of his
rain gutters after fall. During the
winter, his gutters were always
clogged with leaves, forcing the rain to spill over. Today, the rain
had pounded out a trench several feet long. Deb thought about
friction: when two materials rub together

zinnias and petunias: kinds of flowers

The New-Energy Project, continued
how her rain gutters emptied onto the driveway that sloped down
toward the street. When it rained, it washed away all the leaves
and dirt.
Taking a shower that evening, Deb tried to think more about
her science project. She tried to conjure up images of magnets,
windmills, paddlewheels, and falling marbles. But she was enjoying
the warm water beating her back and massaging her muscles too
much to think about her assignment. She was reminded of the time
she tried out an electric massage chair at the mall. As she rinsed the
soap off and watched the suds swirl through the drain, an idea
finally hit her: rain power!
She laughed to herself as she quickly toweled dry. The idea had
literally been hitting her all day long: splashing dirt, cleaning
surfaces, washing things away. Water falls with enough power to
move things. While traditional hydropower required a nearby river,
rain falls almost everywhere on Earth!
Deb couldn’t wait to discuss her idea with Ms. Shapiro the next
day. “If we could capture the energy each raindrop gives off when it
hits the ground, couldn’t it be useful?” Deb asked.
“Absolutely,” Ms. Shapiro replied. “And there should be some
material that can collect the energy of the rain’s impact, just like
solar panels collect the sun’s energy. Well, you may not have planted
any petunias yet, but you’ve definitely planted the seed of a worthy
new energy technology!”

Name:
Dictionary
pelt: to hit again and again
perpetual: continuing forever
gripe: to complain
crisis: a difficult and serious problem that needs attention
conjure: to imagine or create
massage: to press or rub muscles to relax them
literally: truly; actually
impact: the force of something hitting something else

Name:
Apply Vocabulary
Word Box
conjured crisis gripes impact

literally massaged pelted perpetual
1. The loose gravel our car as we drove down the

country road.
2. That customer always about the prices, yet he always

shops here.
3. Mandy blames her tardiness on having to walk the dog

in the morning.
4. Hank up a way to attract more birds to his backyard.
5. When I came around the corner too fast at the grocery store, I
bumped into my cousin.
6. The coach the injured player’s sore calf muscle.
7. We all felt the when the falling tree hit the roof of the house.
8. The hot, dry weather is causing a for lettuce farmers.
1.
2.

Name:
Answer Questions
1. Which of these was a result of the rain’s 3. What is the main message of the
impact on the ground? selection?
A clogging Mr. Caine’s gutters A Water is a very useful thing.
B making a trench B Science projects can be fun.
C soaking Deb’s clothing C Good ideas can come from all
D planting flowers around us.
D Rain can both make a mess and
2. What advantage would rain power have clean things.
over hydropower from a river?
A It could be used almost anywhere. 4. What genre is this selection?
B It could be used to clean things. A fairy tale
C It could make bad weather seem B folk tale
better. C science fiction
D It could move faster than river water. D realistic fiction
5. Explain how rain power would be similar to solar power.
6. How did Deb’s feeling about the assignment change in the story? Support your answer with
details from the selection.

Name:
Write About It
Graphic Organizer
Think about Deb’s experiences with rain and water throughout the day. You will be
asked to explain how the events in the selection led to Deb’s idea. Use the chart below
to organize your writing.
climax
falli
ng a
c
tion
tion
g ac
resolution
risin
Writing Prompt
On a separate sheet of paper, write three paragraphs to explain how the events in
the selection led to Deb’s idea. Include details from the selection in your response.

Unit Assessment
A Future Without Fuel
Topic: A Future Without Fuel

Essential Question: Where will we find energy in the future?
Tying It Together
responses.

What are the problems with types of They are expensive and they are not renewable. The
energy that use fossil fuels? planet will run out of fossil fuels in the near future.
How are these problems solved with It uses a renewable source, like the sun, wind, Earth’s
alternative energy? heat, or rain. Even though it might be expensive at first,
it pays for itself over time.
What are other benefits of alternative It is clean, it doesn’t make pollution, and it uses free
energy? natural resources.
How will we find energy in the future? We will use renewable sources such as solar, wind,
geothermal, and hydropower and new technologies not
yet invented that might use gravity, magnetism, or air
pressure.
How was the topic “a future without It told how each dog found an alternative energy source
fuel” shown in “The Three Smart that doesn’t use fuel and that uses the natural resources
Dogs”? where he or she lives.
How was the topic “a future without It told how a student came up with an idea for a form of
fuel” shown in “The New-Energy power that doesn’t use fuel.
Project”?
Why do you think these selections They both describe kinds of alternative energy, but one
were paired together? selection talks about current forms of energy, and the
other talks about how a new form can be inspired by the
world around us.

Name:
Unit Assessment
Plan Your Writing

Graphic Organizer
Think about how “The Three Smart Dogs” and “The New-Energy Project” each told its
story. You will be asked to compare the way the two stories were told. Use the chart
below to organize your writing.
The Three Smart Dogs The New-Energy Project
Genre
Setting
Characters
Conflict
Resolution

Name:
Unit Assessment
Write an Essay
Writing Prompt
Write an essay to compare the way “The Three Smart Dogs” and “The New-Energy
Project” were told. Give your essay a title. Include details from the selections. Use
transitions to connect your ideas.
Title:

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Helping Children Learn

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Grades 1–6 What’s Inside…

Reading 1–6 Grades

Teacher Pages: Teacher Pages:

Assessment Teacher Page: (Paired Text Discussion)

© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 37

1. Prepare for the Lesson 4. Read the Minibook

38 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

Teacher’s Complex Text Big Question

Are the Moon and the Sun the Same?

Minibook Page 1 Name:

Minibook Page 2 Earth has a moon and a sun.

Minibook Page 3 sun

The moon and the sun are not the same.

Minibook Page 4 moon sun

Minibook Page 5 sun

The moon and the sun are not the same.

The moon and sun are not the same.

Away of Rock Hot Gases Light Walked on It 6

Comparing the Moon and the Sun

X X X Now I know that the moon and the

sun Minibook Page 7

© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 39

Earth moon rock

sky sun surface

far gases heat light

40 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

Are the Moon and the Sun the Same?

Earth has a moon and a sun.

The moon and the sun are not the same.

The moon and the sun are not the same.

42 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

The moon and the sun are not the same.

The moon and the sun are not the same.

Comparing the Moon and the Sun

Now I know that the moon and the

44 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

The moon is mostly rock.

The sun shines on the moon.

© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 45

I Use New Words

The moon and sun are not the .

I see the moon in the .

People can walk on .

46 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

Draw a picture about what you wrote.

© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 47

1. Prepare for the Lesson 4. Read the Minibook

48 Reading Comprehension: Paired Text • EMC 3291 • © Evan-Moor Corporation

Teacher’s Complex Text

Minibook Title Page

Minibook Page 5 Many space rocks hit the moon.

Minibook Page 6 The sun shines its light on the moon.

part facing away from the sun stays dark.

Minibook Page 7 moon’s orbit

The moon moves around Earth

The moon looks like it changes shape.

© Evan-Moor Corporation • EMC 3291 • Reading Comprehension: Paired Text 49

air craters Earth