Bella’s Birthday Surprise

Bella jumped out of bed as soon as the sun came up. “Today is my birthday!” she shouted.

Bella flew down the stairs. But where is everyone? She thought when she got downstairs. She looked and looked. “Where are my friends? Where are my presents? Where is my cake? Oh dear! Everyone forgot my birthday!”

“SURPRISE!” Bella heard. She jumped and turned around. 

“There are my friends! There are my presents! There is my cake!” she said. 

“We didn’t forget your birthday,” said Neil!

“Thank you, thank you,” cried Bella. And they all ate cake.

Who is telling the story?

Valentine’s Day

February is one of my favorite months because we get to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I make each of my students their own very special Valentine’s Day card. Everyone wears red and pink instead of their usual blue uniforms. In class we play games to celebrate. My students make cards for their families with construction paper, paint, and glitter. Then everyone passes out Valentines to the rest of the class and they even give me Valentines. At the end of the day every class gets to go to the school’s Valentine’s Day dance. They play music and there is plenty of food and snacks for the kids to enjoy. I even dance a little too.

Who is telling the story?

First Day Jitters

I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.

I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.

“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled. 

I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.

After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.

I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!

“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”

Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”

Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.

Who is telling the story?

First Day Jitters

I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.

I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.

“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled. 

I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.

After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.

I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!

“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”

Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”

Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.

Who said “Good morning! I am so glad you are here!”?

First Day Jitters

I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.

I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.

“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled. 

I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.

After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.

I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!

“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”

Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”

Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.

Who says hi to the narrator at the end of the story?

First Day Jitters

I woke up feeling sick. I had knots in my stomach. When my mom came into my room to hurry me up I told her I was sick but she said I just had first day jitters. I threw the covers back over my head.

I finally decided to get up. I brushed my teeth, put on my new dress and walked downstairs. I told my mom over and over again at breakfast that I was sick, but she told me it was just first day jitters. “You will have a great day!” she said.

“Grab your backpack and hurry to the bus stop before you miss your bus,” mom yelled. 

I sulked out the door and made it on the bus just before the doors closed. I would have been okay if I had missed my bus.

After 20 minutes we pulled up and I followed the other kids into the building. I was definitely sick, I could feel my stomach in my throat.

I read the banner above the door: WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!

“Good morning! My name is Mrs. Sweeterman! I am so glad you are here!” said the woman at the door. “Go find your cubby with your name and meet your new classmates.”

Mrs. Sweeterman seemed nice. My stomach was starting to feel a little better. I walked in and looked for the cubby with my name: ADLEY. There was another girl unpacking in the cubby next to mine. I looked at the name on her cubby: ALISON. Then I saw that Alison had the same backpack that I had. She looked up and smiled. “Hi!” she said. “My name is Alison but you can call me Ali. What’s your name?”

Maybe my mom was right. Maybe I wasn’t sick. My stomach felt much better. Maybe it was just jitters. Maybe I would like Kindergarten after all.

Who says “you will have a great day!” to the narrator? 

Fox and Friends

Today, I woke up feeling sad. In a forest full of other animals, I do not have a friend. No one wants to be friends with me because I am a fox. When animals see me coming they run away.

As I walk to the pond, I hear laughing and a lot of splashing. I see a deer and a rabbit playing in the water. The deer is laughing and smiling. He looks very happy.

I decide to hide behind a bush and ask them if I can play. This way they can hear me but not see me. “Can I come play with you?” I yell.

The deer and rabbit look for me, but they cannot see me. The deer says, “Yes, but you have to stop hiding!”

When I come out the rabbit seems scared, but the deer comes straight to me and gives me a big hug. As I play in the pond with my two friends, I feel so happy.

Select the answer that best describes the deer and the fox. 

Passage 1: Wolves

A wolf is a wild dog. They do not live in houses like a dog does, but they look alike. 

Body

Like a dog, a wolf walks on four legs and has a lot of fur. The fur keeps the wolves warm. Some wolves live in cold weather and need a lot of fur. The Arctic is a very cold place and many wolves live there.

Food

A wolf does not eat the same food as a dog. A wolf eats other animals. One animal that a wolf eats is called a deer. A wolf can run very fast, so it is able to catch a deer.

Family

A wolf does not live alone. Wolves live in groups called packs. A pack is like a family.  There can be as many as 20 wolves in a pack. 

Passage 2: Gray Wolves

Gray Wolves used to live all over America. Now, they only live in some parts of America. They form groups, or packs, of 7 to 8 wolves. They live and look for food together.  

There are two leaders in every pack. One leader is a girl wolf and one leader is a boy wolf. The leaders pick where the pack lives and what they eat.

Do not let the name trick you. Gray Wolves are not just gray. Their fur can be black, white, or gray.

What do we learn about wolves in both passages? 

Passage 1: Wolves

A wolf is a wild dog. They do not live in houses like a dog does, but they look alike. 

Body

Like a dog, a wolf walks on four legs and has a lot of fur. The fur keeps the wolves warm. Some wolves live in cold weather and need a lot of fur. The Arctic is a very cold place and many wolves live there.

Food

A wolf does not eat the same food as a dog. A wolf eats other animals. One animal that a wolf eats is called a deer. A wolf can run very fast, so it is able to catch a deer.

Family

A wolf does not live alone. Wolves live in groups called packs. A pack is like a family.  There can be as many as 20 wolves in a pack. 

Passage 2: Gray Wolves

Gray Wolves used to live all over America. Now, they only live in some parts of America. They form groups, or packs, of 7 to 8 wolves. They live and look for food together.  

There are two leaders in every pack. One leader is a girl wolf and one leader is a boy wolf. The leaders pick where the pack lives and what they eat.

Do not let the name trick you. Gray Wolves are not just gray. Their fur can be black, white, or gray.

What is the main difference between the two passages? 

Arctic Animals

The Arctic is one of the coldest places on Earth. It is covered in ice and snow and the temperature can drop below freezing. Living in the Arctic is very difficult but many animals call the Arctic home.

Arctic hares live in the Arctic. In the summer, the Arctic hare has brown fur. In the winter, when temperatures drop, the hare’s fur grows thicker and warmer. Their fur also turns white in the winter.

Snowy owls live in the Arctic. They have small ears to keep in heat. Unlike most owls, the snowy owl hunts during the day. Snowy owls have 2 layers of warm feathers. The snowy owl’s entire body is covered in warm feathers- even its legs and toes.

Arctic foxes live in the Arctic. When winter comes the Arctic fox changes its brown summer fur for a thicker coat of white fur. The Arctic fox’s warm, snowy coat keeps it warm in cold temperatures and protects it from predators.

Wolves live in the Arctic. They have thick white and gray fur. Groups of Arctic wolves hunt together in packs.

Harp seals live in the Arctic. Adult harp seals have a thick layer of fat, called blubber. Blubber keeps seals warm in the cold, icy Arctic water. Baby seals have thick white fur. The baby pup quickly builds its blubber and loses its fluffy coat.

Penguins live in the Arctic. Penguins have webbed feet to help them walk on the ice. Penguins are very good swimmers. They use their wings to help them swim. When penguins are born they have a thick, fluffy coat of gray and white down feathers. Adult penguins have a waterproof coat of feathers to help then stay dry and warm in the icy, Arctic water.

Polar bears live in the Arctic. Polar bears have thick, white fur to stay warm. They even have fur on the bottoms of their feet. Polar bears also have thick blubber.

The Arctic is a difficult place to live but many animals have found ways to stay warm and survive here.

What is different about the Arctic hare in the summer and the Arctic hare in the winter?