Common Goals/Theme 2 Grade 5 Theme Tests

Common Goals/Theme 2

Grade 5

Theme Tests

Part No. 9997-87111-1

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Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio: “Emme Loves Bees” by Jane Resides from Highlights for Children Magazine, June 2006. Text copyright © 2006 by Highlights for Children, Inc.

Ride the Edge — Theme 2Name Date

Performance Summary

Student ScoreREADING

Reading Comprehension Multiple-Choice Items /18 Short-Response Open-Ended Item /2 Extended-Response Open-Ended Item /4

Robust Vocabulary /10

Total Student Reading Score /34

LANGUAGE ARTS Grammar /10 Spelling /10

WRITING /6

ORAL READING FLUENCY Passage 1 Words Correct Per Minute Passage 2 Words Correct Per Minute

(Bubble in the appropriate performance level.)Reading

Below Basic1–14

Basic (On-Level)15–23

Proficient (On-Level)24–30

Advanced31–34

Language Arts

Below Basic1–8


Proficient (On-Level)13–16

Advanced17–20

Writing

Below Basic1–2


Proficient (On-Level)5

Advanced6

Oral Reading Fluency

25th Percentile85 WCPM




Name

Reading Comprehension

Read the story “The Farmer and the Chestnut Tree” before

answering Numbers 1 through 7.

The Farmer and the Chestnut Tree

Once there stood a full, fine chestnut tree that had been growing in the

corner of a farmer’s yard for years and years, maybe even a hundred years.

Over that time, it had become home to many forest creatures. Excitable

red squirrels, a family of chipper robins, and a royal falcon all lived in the

chestnut tree. An old owl hunted and hooted around its canopy at night.

At its roots, earthworms twisted and twirled in the rich loam. Meanwhile,

other beasts feasted on the nuts and fallen leaves beneath the tree.

All was going well until one dark day when the robin spied the farmer

sharpening his axe. The robin darted off to inform the royal falcon, the

wise old owl, and all the other animals.

“He is going to chop down our tree,” the owl concluded darkly. “I

suppose nothing good can last forever.” There was a flurry of activity all

around as word circulated among the woodland creatures.

Soon a council of animals was convened.

Theme Test

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© Harcourt • Grade 5

Reading Comprehension 1

Name

“But he would refrain, surely refrain from doing so, if he

knew, if he only knew!” a squirrel chittered. “We have to find

some way to tell him, say to him, we would be lost, lost, lost without our

tree!” another squirrel chattered.

“How can we converse with the farmer when we don’t speak his

language?” the earthworms inquired, having been included in the council

for their service to the tree’s roots.

There was much more anxious discussion—including a few wild ideas

about how to steal the farmer’s axe. But, in the end, no practical solution

arose . . . until the owl got a brainstorm. He summoned them to attention.

“All!” he cried. “Alas, the farmer is ignorant of the number of creatures who

depend upon this tree for their livelihoods, and in turn, how he depends

on the creatures. Were we all to act together, we could demonstrate how

critical, how necessary, this marvelous tree is.” The owl blinked several

times. “We may not speak the human’s language, but we care about the

same things.”

“The farmer is not an ignorant man. He knows that I scare off the

mice that dine upon his wheat, and that the birds gobble the aphids that

threaten to destroy his corn,” the falcon said, gravely.

“And we serenade him while he works!” the robins trilled.

“We keep the dirt rich and soft for his planting!” the worms joined the

chorus.

“We provide him with golden honey and tend his apple blossoms!” said

the bees.

So it was determined. All the tree’s creatures planned furiously

throughout the night. They knew it would not be long before the farmer

got around to chopping, because his axe lay on

his work bench reflecting moonlight, sharpened

and ready.

The next day when the farmer roused

himself early and went to grasp his axe, the

animals quietly assumed their places. As he

strode across the yard, the axe slung casually

over his shoulder, the chestnut tree waited. But

at the very moment the farmer stepped into the

tree’s shadow, the animals suddenly appeared.

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Birds twittered around the farmer’s head; worms and

centipedes danced at his feet; scampering squirrels ran rings

around him. The ancient owl hooted, and the falcon cawed!

Without thinking, the farmer began frolicking with the creatures of the

chestnut tree—dancing and laughing. He loved all these beasts! All of a

sudden, his mood and his mind changed.

“They all came from the chestnut tree,” the farmer said to himself, as he

caught his breath and marveled at the ancient tree as if for the first time.

As he gazed at the branches the animals filled with life, a realization struck

him.

“There really is no reason to cut this chestnut tree down. After all, I

derive as much pleasure from all these creatures as I would from a dozen

new chairs,” for that is what the farmer had intended to make with the wood.

“I will carve my new chairs from something else,” the farmer vowed

good-naturedly, as he sheathed his axe. “You can all go about your business,

now!” he said, waving toward the tree. “Your home will be spared.”

All through the night rejoicing could be heard in the chestnut tree. The

creatures had absorbed an important lesson—there is no limit to what can

be accomplished when you work together.



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Now answer Numbers 1 through 7. Base your answers on the

story “The Farmer and the Chestnut Tree.”

1. Why did the farmer want to cut down the chestnut tree?

He thought the tree was ill.

He thought the tree was too big.

He wanted to make some chairs.

He wanted to clear space for planting.

2. Which of the following events occurred last in the story?

The robin saw the farmer sharpening an axe.

The animals discussed a plan to save the tree.

The farmer danced with the animals.

The farmer decided to spare the tree.

3. What does the farmer learn as he spares the chestnut tree?

He realizes that all the creatures depend on the tree.

He finds he is too busy to spend time building chairs.

He understands that the tree wants to serve the animals.

He discovers that the tree’s roots carry water to his crops.

4. Which of the following is a theme of the story?

Birds are often underestimated.

Young people can help older people.

Good people choose to make sacrifices.

A team effort can make all the difference.

5. Which reference source would tell another word for frolick?

an atlas

a thesaurus

a dictionary

a newspaper

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6. What kind of mood does the author create at the end of the

story?

quiet

joyful

angry

mournful

7. Identify the main conflict in the story and describe how the conflict is

resolved. Use relevant and specific information from the story in your

answer. READTHINKEXPLAIN

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Emme Bryer doesn’t suffer the

heebie-jeebies when honey bees crawl up

her arm. Her spine doesn’t tingle when

honey bees land on her hand. Beekeeping

is 15-year-old Emme’s hobby, and she

has learned to love the buzz.

Emme is not the first in her family to

have this hobby. Emme’s grandfather was

a beekeeper long before she was born.

When Emme was nine, she and her

father decided to become beekeepers.

“Granddad had given up his bees, but

he got more when Dad and I got ours,”

says Emme. “Now we help each other

with our hives. It’s fun working together.

“I chose the gentlest colony,” Emme

says of her hive. Bees that are quiet and

stay calm when handled are not as likely

to sting.

Suiting Up

“When people find out I’m a

beekeeper, they ask me, ‘Do you wear

those space-like outfits?’ I tell them I

wear gloves, a long white suit, and a veil.

The veil is a hat with fine netting to keep

the bees from crawling on my bare neck.”

And Emme says there is a reason for

wearing light-colored clothing. “Bees are

more likely to sting dark colors because

Read the article “Emme Loves Bees” before answering

Numbers 8 through 14.

Emme Loves Bees by Jane Resides

illustrated by Leslie Newman

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most of their predators are dark, like

bears and skunks,” she says.

“My dad wore dark brown socks with

his white outfit one day, and he got more

than ten bee stings on his ankles!”

Emme rarely gets stung. She burns

dry pine needles in a smoker with

bellows, and pumps smoke around and

into the hive. The smoke calms the bees,

in part by causing them to load up on

honey. With full stomachs, they are more

relaxed and are less protective of their

new hive.

Starting a New Hive

“When we want to start a new hive,

we buy three pounds of bees and a new

queen,” Emme explains.

The bees are mailed from southern

states, such as Georgia and Alabama.

They are shipped in a wooden box with

open mesh sides. “Some mail carriers are

afraid to handle them,” says Emme.

The queen and her four or five

attendant bees are shipped together in a

small “cage,” separate from the other bees

inside the box. The queen and attendant

worker bees were raised together, and the

attendants are loyal to her.

The queen has a spot of color painted

on her back by bee suppliers. Each

year a different color is chosen so that

beekeepers can know the age of their

queen.

The queen’s cage has an exit plugged

by sugar candy. When the bees arrive,

Emme punches a tiny hole in the outside

of the plug and places this cage and the

three pounds of

bees in a hive. Bees

then nibble at the candy plug from the

outside, making the hole larger.

In a day or two, the queen is free.

By this time, the queen and the workers

have gotten to know one another, and

the workers have accepted her. She starts

laying eggs to build the colony.

Even when Emme and her father

are not starting a new hive, they still buy

a new queen for each hive every year.

Younger queens lay more eggs and ensure

a productive colony that makes more

honey. Beekeepers must remove and

dispose of the old queen, but all other

bees can stay.

Harvesting Honey

Emme says they harvest the honey

in July by taking the frames out of the

hives. Then they slice the wax cap off the

hexagonal (six-sided) cells and remove

the honey in a rapidly spinning machine

called an extractor.

Once the honey has been separated,

it’s put into containers such as plastic

squeeze bottles or glass jars. “The

beeswax is melted and used to make

candles and other products,” Emme

says.

Prize-Winning Honey

Emme and her father take honey

and beeswax to the county fair in the

fall. They have won ribbons for both.

Emme has also won blue ribbons from

the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers

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Association for her baked goods and

other honey products.

Each year, Emme gives a presentation

about honey bees and beekeeping to

about one hundred third-graders. Emme

says she always encourages them to try

her unusual hobby.

Emme believes that beekeeping is an

entertaining and fascinating hobby that

other families—who don’t suffer honey-

bee heebie-jeebies—could also enjoy.

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Now answer Numbers 8 through 14. Base your answers on the

article “Emme Loves Bees.”

8. Why are bees MORE LIKELY to sting people who are wearing dark

colors?

Bees cannot see light colors very well.

Most of their enemies are dark-colored.

They mistake the colors for certain flowers.

The bees are trying to protect other workers.

9. Which of the following is a theme of the section titled “Suiting Up”?

Even experienced beekeepers make mistakes.

The right outfit can turn anyone into a beekeeper.

A hive without smoke is hive of very angry bees.

Stings can be kept to a minimum but not eliminated.

10. Why do bee suppliers paint spots of color on the queen bees?

the colors indicate the age of the queen

to see if she ever returns to the wild

the paint encourages egg production

to make her glow during night observation

11. Which of the following BEST describes the author’s relationship to her

subject?

The author admires Emme’s skill.

The author finds beekeeping scary.

The author is an expert on beekeeping.

The author is curious about Emme’s motives.

12. Which of the following is a theme of the article?

Most people are not afraid of bees.

If you don’t succeed at first, try again.

Having a hobby can make life interesting.

Beekeeping is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

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13. Which of the following reference sources would be

MOST LIKELY to tell more about beekeeping?

an almanac

a thesaurus

a magazine

an encyclopedia

14. Describe the process of beekeeping from starting a new hive through

the harvesting and selling of honey. Summarize all the steps involved in

chronological order using details from the article. READTHINKEXPLAIN

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Read the article “How to Build an Igloo” before answering

Numbers 15 through 20.

How to Build an Igloo

The word igloo comes from the Inuit word “igdlu,” meaning house. The

Inuit are the native peoples of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Since

both of these places are very cold and snowy, it is probably not surprising

news that an igloo is a type of small house made from packed snow.

For a long time, the Inuit lived in igloos as their winter homes. Today,

most people in the Arctic regions live in houses made of wood and metal.

And though not many people use igloos today as their regular homes, it

is still good to know how to build an igloo if you are spending time in a

cold, snowy area. Igloos are strong shelters that effectively keep out the

cold and can withstand forceful wind. Knowing how to build an igloo can

save a person’s life! It is also a fun activity requiring several people to work

together.

The first step in building an igloo is finding a place with hard snow.

You need slabs of hard-packed snow to make the igloo’s blocks, which

will form its walls. In the Arctic regions, strong winds blowing over fields

of powdery, dry snow create natural snow slabs which are best for igloo

blocks. In addition to hard snow, you will also need a hand saw to cut the

hard packed snow and a snow shovel to dig and pack the snow as you build.

After finding a good location to build, you need to make a base for

the igloo. The base is created by stamping on the snow to pack it down as

much as possible. The size of the igloo will depend on how many people

you have sleeping in it. To make a shelter for two or three people, you

should stamp out a circle that is about 10 feet in diameter.

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While one or two people stamp on the snow to create the

base, the others should begin cutting blocks of snow to build

the walls. You will need to use the saw to cut blocks from the slabs

of hard-packed snow. The igloo will be built from the bottom up to create

a dome, which is a structure with a round base that closes at the top. For

the first row, the blocks should be fairly large—about two feet by two feet

by one foot.

The blocks must be solid enough to be carried without breaking.

While people continue to cut the blocks, others can carry the blocks to

the base and begin placing them around the perimeter of the igloo base.

Although the blocks may seem unsteady at first, the weight of each block

supports the other blocks as they are placed right next to each other.

While the blocks are being placed, another person should be helping

to build the igloo from the inside by nudging the blocks to get them close

together. Using the snow shovel, they should also be sealing the cracks

between the blocks by stuffing them with loose snow and clearing away

snow that builds up on the inside of the igloo. It is easier to clear the snow

from inside as the igloo is being built.

As the blocks are placed, someone should make sure that the blocks’

edges are tipped slightly, so that each row of blocks is smaller than the one

below it. Each row of blocks should slant toward the middle of the igloo.

The igloo needs to become smaller as it gets taller, so that it will form a

closed dome. At the top of the igloo, the person working on the inside will

fill a hole with one final block of snow. The igloo should be about as tall as

the shoulders of an adult.

After the last block is placed, the person on the inside should dig down

to make the inner chamber bigger and to make a tunnel under the igloo

wall for people to go in and out. The entrance should be just big enough to

let people through, so that limited snow blows in and no large animals try

to come inside. One or two cracks between the blocks should be left open

for ventilation, so that the people inside can breathe easily.

With several people working together, it only takes a few hours to

build an igloo, and once it is built it makes a strong shelter. Once inside

the finished igloo, you can also light a fire or burn a lamp, which will melt

the inside walls a little and create ice, which makes the igloo even stronger.

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Now answer Numbers 15 through 20. Base your answers on

the article “How to Build an Igloo.”

15. What BEST describes the tone of the article?

hopeful

excited

playful

informative

16. Which of the following events occurs first in the building of an igloo?

cutting blocks of snow

tipping each block of snow inward

stamping on snow to pack it down

applying loose snow between blocks

17. Which of the following occurs last?

digging a tunnel entrance under the igloo wall

clearing away snow from the igloo’s interior

angling the edges of the blocks toward the center

filling the hole at the top of the igloo with one block

18. What would MOST LIKELY happen if a lamp were burned inside a

finished igloo?

The igloo will begin to fall apart.

The walls will melt a little and form ice.

Cracks will form between some of the blocks.

The igloo will become smaller at the top than at the bottom.

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19. What is a theme of the article?

No one should travel alone in the Arctic.

Inuit explorers deserve more recognition.

Building an igloo is a satisfying group activity.

It’s important to prepare for winter before it arrives.

20. More information about the origin of the word “igloo” could BEST be

found in which of the following?

a polar atlas

a dictionary

a thesaurus

an instruction manual

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Robust Vocabulary

Choose the best word to complete each sentence for Numbers

21 through 30.

21. I wrote my coach a thank you note to say how I felt.

grateful

dismayed

wistful

disgruntled

22. The project came to a halt when the builders a problem.

proclaimed

encountered

maneuvered

assured

23. When their hive was disturbed, the bees .

resisted

appealed

swarmed

proclaimed

24. For Portia, who loves excitement, the chance to go skydiving could

not be .

resisted

nudged

dismayed

appealed

Name

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Robust Vocabulary

25. To get Haruko’s attention, I finally his shoulder.

assured

resisted

swarmed

nudged

26. You can help others by donating to the of your choice.

gesture

crisis

charity

concoction

27. Sophie waved to a friend, but her went unnoticed.

concoction

gesture

ruckus

proportion

28. The audience roared with laughter at the clown’s behavior.

wistful

outlandish

modest

raspy

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29. When she saw the huge mess in Dino’s bedroom, his

mother was .

modest

inadequate

aghast

assured

30. What started as a small problem grew into a major .

reveler

scholar

charity

crisis

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Robust Vocabulary

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Grammar

Read and answer Numbers 31 through 40.

31. Read these two sentences.

Mrs. Klein plans to attend the annual town meeting.

The Montoyas and the Atwood’s also plan to attend.

Which sentence below correctly combines the two sentences?

Mrs. Klein the Montoyas and the Atwoods plan to attend the

annual town meeting.

Mrs. Klein, the Montoyas, and the Atwoods plan to attend the


Mrs. Klein, the Montoyas, and the Atwoods plans to attend the


Mrs. Klein, the Montoyas, the Atwoods plan to attend the annual

town meeting.

32. Which of the following is a complex sentence?

The building stands at the crest of the hill and is four stories high.

Donna, Leo, and the twins were curious about what was going on.

We could hear cars passing outside and the whine of an

approaching siren.

After we climbed to the roof, the view from there was remarkable.

33. Which is a list of prepositions?

you, she, we, they

and, so, because, unless

behind, upon, under, by

every, all, some, each

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18Grammar

34. Read these two sentences.

Alfre and Martine often meet at the park on Saturdays.

They play jump rope or join in on a game of volleyball.

Which sentence below correctly combines the two sentences?

On Saturdays, Alfre and Martine often meet at the park and play

jump rope or join in on a game of volleyball.

Alfre and Martine meet at the park on Saturdays and they often

play jump rope or join in on a game of volleyball.

Alfre and Martine meet at the park on Saturdays and play jump

rope or often join in on a game of volleyball.

On Saturdays, Alfre and Martine often meet at the park, they play

jump rope or join in on a game of volleyball.

35. Read this sentence.

When Helena went to the library to study for her math

test, she found that it was closed due to a small fire the

day before.

Which word in the sentence marks the beginning of a dependent

clause?

she

when

that

due

36. Which sentence has a compound predicate?

In spring, my mother and I would plant new bushes in our

flowerbed.

Fall is my favorite time of year because we can pick pumpkins.

Winter is the coldest time of year, but we get to go skiing.

During the summer, Dad and Grandpa taught us to sail and fly a

kite.

Name Name

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Grammar

37. In which sentence are the underlined words a prepositional

phrase?

Is there any possibility of astronauts going to the moon again?

I once heard a man claim to have seen cities on the moon.

A light-year is the distance light can travel in one year.

You don’t have to be a trained scientist to enjoy astronomy.

38. Which is an example of a run-on sentence?

Tova wanted to learn to swim; she knew she could do it, and, in

the end, she succeeded.

Always willing to help, Melvin, Carl, and Danielle grabbed rakes

and set to work.

Estrella arrived early at the theater, she wanted to make sure she

got a seat.

Takeshi scurried to the corner because he feared missing the bus,

which he could see coming up the street.

39. Read these three sentences.

Mauricio hunted everywhere in his messy closet. He hunted

for his gray slacks. He wanted to wear them to the party that

night.

Which sentence BEST combines the three sentences?

Mauricio hunted everywhere in his messy closet, he hunted for his

gray slacks, to wear to the party that night.

Mauricio hunted everywhere in his messy closet for his gray slacks,

he wanted to wear to the party that night.

Mauricio hunted everywhere in his messy closet for his gray slacks,

which he wanted to wear to the party that night.

Mauricio hunted everywhere in his messy closet, for his gray

slacks, for he wanted to wear them to the party that night.

Name

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40. In which sentence are the underlined words a clause?

Even though they are much decayed, the ruins are an

imposing sight.

In front of the pyramid, to the east, stands a temple to the kings.

The storerooms were filled with huge jars of grain, oil, and wine.

A discovery like this, a new planet, rarely comes along.

Name

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Grammar

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Spelling

For Numbers 41 through 50, read each sentence. Choose the

sentence that has the underlined word misspelled. If none of

the underlined words are misspelled, choose the answer “No

mistake.”

41. The dancers shimmy and shuffle.

Throwing a rock in the pond made a ripple.

Your next step is to heat up the gridle.

No mistake

42. The truck brought a delivery of fuel for the furnace.

These used records are in great condetion.

To get orange, simply combine red and yellow.

No mistake

43. If you don’t like it, you can always complain.

Let’s get to work and see what we can contrebut.

The new sidewalks will be made of concrete.

No mistake

44. If you stack the books too high, they may topple.

Our baby can’t walk yet, but he sure can wiggle.

For a treat, I had a triple chocolate shake.

No mistake

45. Guards stood alert at the gates of the fortriss.

Everyone was asked to contribute a dish to the meal.

Do you speak both Spanish and English?

No mistake

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46. Would you please stand up and identify yourself?

The committee meeting was open to the public.

The room had been painted a rich golden yellow.

No mistake

47. Sandwiches are often served with chips and a pickle.

Could you sing the jingle for us?

The soldiers were awakened by the sound of a buggle.

No mistake

48. The bobsleds took off down the slippery track.

Edwin chased a pesky squirel from the birdfeeder.

The team swept down the field like a hurricane.

No mistake

49. We took a shortcut and made excellant time.

Do these new dress styles appeal to you?

The children inched over the slippery rocks to the water.

No mistake

50. Thank you for your expression of support.

Nadia visited her aunt in the hospital every day.

The breeze was a soft, gentle wisper.

No mistake

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Spelling

Writing to a Prompt

Read the story “Spaghetti” before responding to the prompt

following the story.

Spaghetti

by Cynthia Rylant

It was evening, and people sat outside, talking quietly among

themselves. On the stoop of a tall building of crumbling bricks and rotting

wood sat a boy. His name was Gabriel and he wished for some company.

Gabriel was thinking about things. He remembered being the only

boy in class with the right answer that day, and he remembered the butter

sandwich he had had for lunch. Gabriel was thinking that he would like

to live outside all the time. He imagined himself carrying a pack of food

and a few tools and a heavy cloth to erect a hasty tent. Gabriel saw himself

sleeping among coyotes. But next he saw himself sleeping beneath the

glittering lights of a movie theater, near the bus stop.

Gabriel was a boy who thought about things so seriously, so fully, that

on this evening he nearly missed hearing a cry from the street. The cry was

so weak and far away in his mind that, for him, it could have been the slow

lifting of a stubborn window. It could have been the creak of an old man’s

legs. It could have been the wind.

But it was not the wind, and it came to Gabriel slowly that he did,

indeed, hear something, and that it did, indeed, sound like a cry from the

street.

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Gabriel picked himself up from the stoop and began to walk

carefully along the edge of the street, peering into the gloom and

the dusk. The cry came again and Gabriel’s ears tingled and he walked

faster.

He stared into the street, up and down it, knowing something was

there. The street was so gray that he could not see. . . . But not only the

street was gray.

There, sitting on skinny stick-legs, wobbling to and fro, was a tiny gray

kitten. No cars had passed to frighten it, and so it just sat in the street and

cried its windy, creaky cry and waited.

Gabriel was amazed. He had never imagined he would be lucky

enough one day to find a kitten. He walked into the street and lifted the

kitten into his hands.

Gabriel sat on the sidewalk with the kitten next to his cheek and

thought. The kitten smelled of pasta noodles, and he wondered if it

belonged to a friendly Italian man somewhere in the city. Gabriel called

the kitten Spaghetti.

Gabriel and Spaghetti returned to the stoop. It occurred to Gabriel

to walk the neighborhood and look for the Italian man, but the purring

was so loud, so near his ear, that he could not think as seriously, as fully,

as before.

Gabriel no longer wanted to live outside. He knew he had a room

and a bed of his own in the tall building. So he stood up, with Spaghetti

under his chin, and went inside to show his kitten where they would live

together.

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Writing to a Prompt

In “Spaghetti,” Gabriel’s feelings change after he finds Spaghetti.

Think about why Gabriel’s feelings change after he finds Spaghetti.

Now write to explain why Gabriel’s feelings change after he finds Spaghetti.

Planning Page

Use this space to make your notes before you begin writing. The writing on this

page will NOT be scored.

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Begin writing here. The writing on this page and the next

WILL be scored.

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Writing to a Prompt

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Holding a yard sale is an entertaining and active way to earn extra

cash. The more people who work together to make it happen, the more

successful it will be.

First, work with an adult to choose a date that is convenient for

everyone. Usually, Saturdays are the most popular days for yard sales.

People who regularly go to yard sales prefer to shop early. Begin the sale

no later than ten o’clock.

Next, gather the items you’d like to sell: clothes, toys, furniture,

dishes, sports equipment, and books. Pick things that you no longer

want or use. As you gather the items, clean them and stick a piece of

masking tape or little stickers on each one. Then, go through them, and

write a fair price on each one. This is the hardest part of holding a yard

sale! Keep the prices low—after all, people are looking for a bargain.

Two weeks before the sale, ask an adult to help you put an ad in the

newspaper, and make colorful posters to hang in your neighborhood.

Also, decide who will work throughout the day, and schedule volunteers

in shifts. On the day before your sale, prepare a cash box that contains

$50 in one- and five-dollar bills and coins.

On the day of the sale, display your items in a pleasing way. Show

smaller items on tables and set up larger items so that people can see

them clearly. Be ready to discuss prices, and be willing to lower them if

someone really wants a “treasure.” Remember, successful yard sales have

only cash at the end of the day!

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Eighteen fifth graders at Oak Avenue School were fortunate indeed,

because they had a visiting teacher for the whole year. Mr. Estrada came

from Mexico, and so, of course, he spoke Spanish. By December, every

student in his class was speaking a little bit of Spanish, too.

In late April, the class decided to end their year with Mr. Estrada with

an extravagant festival. They had learned that festivals are significant

in Mexico. They voted to call their festival “Festival of the Sun.” Three

students constructed posters which told about the festival with art of

their impressions of the sun, and they created ads to be read over the

school’s audio system. Four students recorded music by popular Mexican

singers and musicians. Five others formed a food committee. They

circulated a sheet of paper so families could sign up to bring in cheese,

beans, rice, tomatoes, peppers, spices, and tortillas. Four more students

formed an art committee. They designed and made covers for the tables,

banners for decorations, and a mask activity for everyone to enjoy.

The class was right about the name for the event. The sun was bright

and hot the day of the Festival of the Sun. Over 100 people made masks

and more than 150 ate a hot Mexican lunch cooked by Mr. Estrada and

the food committee. Music filled the playground. Entire families danced,

and dozens played futbol, or soccer, a popular sport in Mexico. The

Festival of the Sun was a huge success, and the day will remind us of our

visiting teacher, Mr. Estrada from Mexico.

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Common Goals/Theme 2 Grade 5 Theme Tests

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