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It was summer and Alex and his family had moved to a new town. Everything there was new for Alex. He had a new apartment, new neighbors, and soon there would be a new school. In his apartment building there were a lot of little children, but they were too young for Alex to play with. Most days, Alex’s mom allowed him to play in front of the building, but he didn’t stay outside for long.
“It’s no fun playing alone,” Alex complained.“I know,” said his mom.“I wish school started tomorrow,” said Alex. “How many
more days until I can meet someone my age?”“Just five more days until school,” his mom replied.
Turtle was swimming along among the lily pads. It was right in the middle of the pond, where the sun was warm and everything was peaceful. Suddenly, something bumped into him and water splashed up into his face. “Who is that?” he called out in his little voice.
“It’s just me. I’m Ellie,” came the reply. “If you’d look behind you, you’d see that I’m an elephant.”
Turtle wasn’t used to finding other creatures in the pond. The truth was, it was quite a lonely pond for him. He just hadn’t really thought about how lonely he was until he’d heard the elephant speak to him.
“Yes,” he finally said, “I can see that you are an elephant. And I’m a turtle. I swim a lot, but sometimes I sit on the rocks to warm up.”
“Well,” said Ellie, “maybe we could be friends. I visit this pond sometimes to keep cool. It’s awfully lonely here, don’t you think?”
Soon, Turtle and Ellie were the best of friends, swimming and playing together whenever they could. Which just goes to show that, sometimes, new friends can make quite a splash.
Yesterday, I went on a picnic in my own backyard. I packed a basket filled with food. I had a sandwich, a banana, and even a muffin. I also brought a paper plate, a plastic cup, and a napkin. I sat under a tree and started to eat. What was missing? I forgot to bring anything to drink! What a silly thing to happen!
Jean made a wonderful volcano for her science project. It showed all the different parts inside the volcano. She thought she could win a prize at the Science Fair. Still she was nervous. She adjusted the volcano again and again. She practiced explaining it and answering questions. But other projects were great, too. Her friend Luis had built a small cave with rocks that glowed.
When the day of the fair came, Jean carefully carried her project up the path into school. She was so excited, the heavy volcano didn’t seem to weigh anything at all—until she tripped. The volcano crashed to the ground. Pieces were all over the place. What would she do?
Just then, Luis came by. “Oh, no!” he said. Then, without another word, he started gathering up pieces and putting them back in place. In no time, Jean and Luis had the volcano back together.
“It doesn’t look quite as good as before, but it will do,” said Jean.
“Yes,” said Luis, “but now it looks as if it really did erupt!”
Leon’s sister Keisha woke him by shaking his shoulder. Leon rolled over. “Come on,” he heard her say. “It’s six o’clock. Remember our plan?”
They tiptoed down the steps in their bare feet. Their parents were still asleep. Keisha, who was twelve, led the way into the kitchen. The sun had just started to stream through the window. “All right,” Keisha said, “let’s make them breakfast.”
Leon sat on the floor. He rubbed his eyes. “How are we going to make breakfast?” he said. “Mom makes it every day. What do we know about making breakfast?
“Just watch me and do what I say,” Keisha said. She got glasses and bowls from the cabinets. Then, she found a tray. “Get the bread and the butter and the orange juice, too,” she said.
Leon followed her instructions. Soon, they had a beautiful breakfast for their parents, with juice, toast, cereal, and a piece of fruit.
“Wow,” Leon said, “you should be a cook.”Keisha said, “Together, we’re already cooks.”
I was out hiking in the woods when I saw a rabbit sitting on the path. I think I scared it! When the rabbit saw me, it started running. It darted into a shaded hole that formed a good hiding place. I stood watching the hole for a few minutes. I hoped the rabbit would come hopping back out. But it never did!
I remember my first day of school. My big sister Judy walked me to the door of the kindergarten classroom. I had never been so nervous in my life. I had butterflies in my stomach. My knees felt wobbly.
“What if no one likes me?” I said. “What if I don’t know where to sit? What if I can’t remember my teacher’s name?”
Judy smiled. I guess she was remembering what it was like when she started kindergarten. She was probably remembering how she had been scared, too.
Opening the Door
Judy looked at me and said, “Henry, you’ll be fine. I promise. Just be yourself. You’ll do everything just right. And you’ll make lots of friends, too.” Then she gave me a hug and said, “You’re a big kid now, Henry. You can do it!”
Judy opened the tall wooden door and pointed the way in. As I stood in the doorway, I felt her hand on my back. “Judy has already done this,” I thought to myself. “And she loves school.”
I stepped into the classroom. A room full of new faces turned to me. No one looked mean. I felt much better. I was ready for school.
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When Tyrone got off the school bus at his home one day, he saw a yellow bulldozer down the street. He wanted to take a look, but he had homework to do. The next day, there was a backhoe next to the bulldozer. Both machines roared. Tyrone thought it looked busy down there. Not long after that, he saw a cement truck. The back was spinning as it unloaded the wet, gray cement. Each day, something new appeared. Steel beams stretched into the sky. Bricks climbed the walls. It was starting to look like a real building.
When he saw a group of men wearing white hardhats, Tyrone asked his mom if he could take a closer look. The building looked even bigger as he walked toward it.
“What are you building?” Tyrone asked one of the men.“We are building a new school,” the man said. “In fact,
you’ll probably be going to this school next year. You are pretty lucky!”
Tyrone smiled. He could not wait. When he went to that new school, he would not have to take the bus. He could play in the playground all the time, too. “Yes,” Tyrone said, “I am luckier than you know!”
A New School
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Mr. Rodriguez walked to the front of the class on the first day of school. “The first thing I ask students every year is what they did this summer,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “Who would like to volunteer?”
Josie had hoped this question was coming. She could not wait to tell everyone about her summer. Her older brother Hector was an artist. She had helped him paint a mural on the wall of the community center.
Josie’s hand shot up. She had worn her painting uniform so everyone could see how she had spent her summer. Josie explained that the yellow dots that covered her blue jeans came from painting the sun. Her friend Steven asked about the gray swipes on her jeans and purple T-shirt. “Those are the dolphins we painted. Or, at least, that’s the color we used,” Josie said. Then she took off her white cap and showed the beautiful green spots on it. “This is the sea,” she said.
“I am very impressed,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “Is your brother an artist?”
Josie nodded excitedly.“Maybe you will be an artist, too.”
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doctor (`doc t∂r) noun 1 a person who treats people when they are sick verb 2 to change something, to change how something looks
mound (maund) noun 1 a heap of something, such as dirt or potatoes 2 the raised area in the middle of a baseball diamond, from which the pitcher throws the ball
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Kiana stared out the window. The rain splashed into big puddles. It made the green leaves on the tree outside her window shake. All she could think of was jumping rope.
“Don’t worry, honey, summer will be here soon,” her mother said.
“I know, but I wish it were already here,” Kiana said. “I feel frustrated when I have to wait. There’s nowhere indoors to practice.”
Last summer, Kiana and her best friends Lilly and Kim practiced jumping double dutch every day. They took turns jumping and turning the two ropes. The jumper’s feet danced as the two ropes slapped the sidewalk. Tap, tap, tap went the rope. Lilly and Kim sang “Go Kiana, go Kiana” to the beat when Kiana jumped. This summer, they would enter the contest in the neighborhood. To win, they needed to practice twice as hard. This rain was not helping.
Kiana closed her eyes. The rain’s patter became the rope’s tap, tap, tap. She could see Lilly’s legs moving. Then she saw her own legs. The rope slipped under her shoes every time—perfect. Kiana knew if she could not practice, this was the next best thing.
R31 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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Nick thinks his grandpa is the nicest person in the world. When Grandpa’s birthday came this year, Nick wanted to do something very special for him. He decided to throw a party in his grandfather’s honor.
Nick got everyone in his family to help with the party. Because he thinks his parents are good artists, Nick put them in charge of decorations. Since he believes that no one bakes better cakes and cookies than his sister Jen, Nick asked her to make a fancy birthday cake. And because everyone thinks that Nick is the best organizer in the family, Nick put everything together, even the songs, games, and surprises.
As the guests arrived at the house, Jen put all the presents for Grandpa on a table. Nick helped everyone hide. When Grandpa walked in the door, they all yelled, “Surprise!” Nick thought Grandpa had never looked happier.
After the guests left, everyone in Nick’s family helped clean up—even Grandpa, who never stopped smiling! “This was the best birthday I ever had!” he told them all.
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Jess’s school needed a new playground, and parents had gotten together to help make it all happen. Money came in from bake sales and carnivals and from car washes and contributions. New swings and slides were bought, and thick rubber mats were found to give students safe landings under the equipment. Even paint was picked out to make everything look bright and shiny.
There was only one problem. The parents couldn’t find time to actually build the new park. “This isn’t a one-day project,” said one parent. “It will take us several weekends to get everything done.”
“We’ve all got other children,” said another. “Who will take care of the kids while we all work?”
It was then that Jess got her idea. She gathered her friends together. She explained that if the older kids took care of the younger children, the adults would be free to work on the playground.
The older kids collected toys and books and then told their parents what they had in mind. The parents got the school to set aside a room, and the Kids Help Out Nursery was all set up. Three weekends later, the playground was finished, too. When it was finished, everyone celebrated, including teachers, parents, big kids, and little kids.
R41 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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When Shawna turned eight, her aunt gave her a cat named Sugarcube. Shawna thought Sugarcube was the best cat in the world, but her parents did not agree. Sugarcube always jumped on the kitchen table, where she was not supposed to be. She also liked to sharpen her claws on the furniture. One day, Sugarcube scratched a huge gash in the family’s new couch. Shawna’s parents were angry. They told her that she needed to train Sugarcube.
Shawna got right to work. She took books out of the library and looked on the Internet for tips about how to train a cat. She read that scratching posts can help keep cats from scratching furniture, so she bought one for Sugarcube. Immediately, Sugarcube stopped scratching the couch and started sharpening her claws on the new post. Shawna’s research also told her that a spray bottle of water can help make a cat behave. Most cats dislike water, so squirting Sugarcube with the spray bottle kept her off the table. Shawna’s parents were pleased with the changes and now they love Sugarcube, too.
Grade 3, Lesson 7
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Ruff, pant, Wag, wag, wagSpot gets a treat from Officer Joe. He sits happilyWhile we pet his backBut the one he likes best is Officer Joe.Does Spot like our school?He’ll visit againAs long as he’s with Officer Joe.When I see a police dog on the streetI know who I’ll think of now. I’ll think of Spot,His sharp senses and good manners;And of course, I’ll think of Officer Joe.
Dogs that live with humans are called domestic dogs. Centuries ago these animals were bred, or raised, from wolves. Owners of domestic dogs found that the animals could be easily trained to hunt, to herd other animals, and to guard homes.
These days, dogs are most often companions. People have dogs as pets because they are affectionate and loyal. Pet dogs still guard homes, but now they bark at the mail person, not a dangerous animal.
Dogs are very intelligent. Because they can recognize their owners and even communicate with them, dogs and their owners become very close friends. Most dog owners think their dogs are the best animals in the world.
Like other animals, penguins communicate with one another in many different ways. This is especially important for penguins because they live in large groups and are very social creatures. In fact, penguins “chitchat” with each other more than any other kind of bird chitchats with its own kind. Penguins are actually black-and-white feathered birds. Sometimes they communicate with high-pitched whistles or loud screams. Other times they make a noise that sounds just like a donkey! Penguins also “chitchat” with body movements. They shake their heads, flap their wings, and make complicated bows to each other. These actions can mean that one bird is angry with another, or they may be part of a mating dance between a male and a female. So, the next time you visit the zoo and see a group of penguins, pay attention. You may be able to figure out what they are chitchatting to one another about!
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Joey was a black-and-white puppy. Everything smelled good to him. One day, Joey smelled something new. He saw a black-and-white animal. It looked a little like Joey himself. He barked at it to say hello. The animal stamped its feet. Joey thought this was great. He ran over to the animal to play. Then the animal stood on its front paws. It put its back paws in the air. Joey had never seen a dog do that! He barked and ran in circles. Suddenly—splash! Something wet hit Joey in the face. It burned his eyes. It smelled just awful. Joey’s family came running. “Oh, no!” the mother cried. “You silly dog! That was a skunk!”
R57 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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Soup has always been very important to the Chinese culture. It first became popular because it did not cost much to make, but it could be a great tasting meal. Even royalty, who often liked to eat expensive food, loved to eat soup. Emperors, empresses, and other members of the royal family would eat soup at the beginning of their meals. Then they would move on to more expensive solid foods. For many years, people in China believed that it was unhealthy to drink cold drinks with dinner. Instead, they had soup rather than water, milk, or some other drink with their meals.
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At first glance, Rockton seemed just like any other village. There were stores on the main street and houses where people lived and raised families. One thing, however, made Rockton different. Right in the middle of the main street was a giant rock. It was so big that nothing could pass by. People on the east side of the village lived, worked, and shopped on their side. People on the west side did the same. It was a lonely life, and the people were not at all happy.
Then one day a young girl stopped in front of the rock and stared at it. “I can’t stand this rock,” she thought. “It makes our village lonely and unhappy.”
The girl knew she couldn’t move the stone, but she was so upset that she pushed against it with all her strength. Watching her, a passerby began to push on the rock, too. More people gathered. Soon dozens of men, women, and children from the east side of the rock had joined them. Then people from the west side of the village crawled over the stone and began to push. To everyone’s surprise, the stone began to move. The more people who came, the easier it was to move the rock. By the end of the day, the townspeople had rolled the stone down the street and over a nearby cliff. “Now,” said the young girl, “we can live together.” And so they did.
R65 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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If you visit the beach, you can see lots of wild life. I also like looking for lob sters and crabs. Sometimes you can see hun dreds of tiny fish swimming near the shore. When you look out in the water, you can see bigger fish too. If you ever spot a sea mon ster in the ocean, tell me so I can go in the other direction!
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Vonya woke up with her stomach doing flip flops. It felt like something was fluttering around inside her! “Mom!” she called. “I don’t feel good.”
Vonya’s mother came to the bed, leaned down, and asked what was the matter.
“I don’t know,” said the girl. “I woke up thinking about the talent show. It’s today, and I’m going to have to sing in front of a hundred people. All of a sudden my stomach feels AWFUL!”
With a smile, her mother patted Vonya’s hand. “You’re just nervous. Those are only butterflies in your stomach. It’s a feeling some people have when they are nervous. Don’t worry. Just practice your song while you get dressed. Keep practicing whenever you have a chance, even if it’s only in your head. You’ll be fine.”
“Really?” Vonya asked. Before her feet were on the floor, the words of the song formed in her mind. Then, singing, she walked out of her room. She would be fine. The noise from her singing was sure to make those little butterflies go away!
We built a ship upon the stairsAll made of the back-bedroom chairs,And filled it full of sofa pillowsTo go a-sailing on the billows.
We took a saw and several nails,And water in the nursery pails;And Tom said, “Let us also takeAn apple and a slice of cake;”—Which was enough for Tom and meTo go a-sailing on, till tea.
We sailed along for days and days,And had the very best of plays;But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,So there was no one left but me.
Warm-Up: Days 2–3
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Willie watched as his mother moved about the kitchen in a hurry. He could tell she was upset. She was so nervous she could not sit still or smile. When Willie asked what was wrong, she said, “I have to give a speech at work today. I haven’t felt this nervous since my third grade play! I’m not sure I can go through with it.”
Poor Mom, thought Willie. “Is your speech important?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “That’s why I’m so nervous. I’m supposed to be showing people how to use our new computer system. There will be real problems if people can’t use it.”
Willie thought about her words. “I remember when I had to recite a poem last year,” he said. “I was sure I was going to fall right off the stage. I was so scared I would forget the words that I could hardly walk. But you told me that all I had to do was to just think of one word at a time. I did fine. You will, too, Mom. Just take it one word at a time.”
Willie watched his mother’s face as a big smile grew. “You’re absolutely right.”
Ben spent his first day at his new school feeling lonely and afraid. He did not know anyone. At his old school, the third-graders had been the oldest students. Nobody talked to him.
The next day, Ben went to gym class. His classmates all talked to one another and left him out. Mr. Smith quieted the class and said, “Today we have a special treat. Ms. Ramos is going to show us about archery. Who has tried archery?”
Ben’s grandfather was a keen archer and he had been teaching Ben about archery since Ben could remember. Ben quickly raised his hand. Mr. Smith called on Ben to assist Ms. Ramos.
Ben helped set up the target and checked that the arrows and bow were in place. Then Ms. Ramos sent twelve arrows into the target. Next, she let Ben try. Ben hit the target, too. Other students also tried, but none of them could hit the target.
After class, all the students wanted to know how Ben had learned archery. Some of them said they wanted to learn. One boy, Chan, rode the same bus as Ben, so they sat together and talked about archery all the way home. He invited Ben to his house so he could learn more.
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Brenda sat in the living room. Colored streamers, balloons, glitter, and photographs surrounded her. It was the morning after her grandmother’s eightieth birthday party. All she could think of was telling her friend Ernesto about it. She wished she could call him, but he had just moved out of town. So, Brenda decided to write him a letter.
Dear Ernesto,
Grandma’s birthday party was awesome! Sheloved the Big Band music. She said she felt youngagain. She and grandpa can stil boogie-woogie.They even sang for us. They still know all the words!We had a wonderful time. You would have enjoyedit, too. I hope your new place is great!
Your friend, Brenda
Brenda smiled. She placed her letter in an envelope. It was ready to be mailed. She knew Ernesto would write back quickly. She couldn’t wait. Now, if only her mom or dad, or even her older sister, would just wake up.
R83 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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Have you ever seen a sunflower seed? Actually, you might not know that you saw one because sunflower seeds are very small. Sunflower seeds are no larger than one of your fingernails. When a sunflower is fully grown, though, the plant can be more than six feet tall, and the flower may be larger than a dinner plate!
Once sunflower seeds are planted, it takes about a week for them to sprout. Then the flowers begin to grow. To reach their full size, sunflowers need a lot of sunshine. In fact, they need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Perhaps this is why sunflowers are so tall. They might be trying to reach the sun that they need so much!
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When they got to the meadow, Jerome and Felicity put down their tote bag. Jerome pulled out a small shovel. Felicity pulled out a small plant in a pot.
“Where shall we plant the little peach tree?” she asked Jerome.
“Let’s put it over here in the sun,” he answered.They dug a hole and carefully removed the little tree from
its pot. They set the seedling carefully in the hole and filled the hole with dirt. Then, they watered it from a water bottle they had brought along.
“In a few years, we’ll be able to sit in its shade,” Felicity said.“And maybe make our own peach jam!” Jerome replied.For now, they were happy to take a break sitting next to their
new tree.
R91 Warm-Up: Days 4–5
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You might think that an old, dead tree standing in a forest is just an eyesore. Think again. Standing dead trees are called “snags,” and snags are important to many kinds of wildlife. Wood ducks, woodpeckers, eagles, and owls build nests in snags. Hawks often use snags as perches. Many small animals such as raccoons, mice, and squirrels also call these hollowed out trees their home.
To us, some of the creatures living in snags are pests. Plenty of ants, beetles, spiders, and earthworms are found in wildlife trees. However, these tiny tenants are important sources of food for many other species.
Snags may look ready to fall over any minute, but some large trees can stand for more than 150 years after they have died! So, when you see a dead tree, think of the life inside. What may look like an eyesore is actually home-sweet-home to many of our forest friends.
Everyone needs a hobby, and birdwatching is by far the best hobby anyone could have. It offers a chance to be outdoors and breathe fresh air. It also is relaxing.
As you can imagine, it is exciting to walk in the woods and search for birds in their forest homes. It is thrilling to find a kind of bird that you might have only seen before in books. Another reason why birdwatching is great is that there is always something new to see. There are different kinds of birds to see at different times of the year. The forest changes, too, as the year goes on, and so do the other animals that live there.
If you have never been birdwatching, you should give it a try. You might even want to join a birdwatching club. In fact, that is the best way to take up the hobby. Look for one in the phone book or in the local newspaper. Join now. You’ll be glad you did.
We have a cabin by the river. Our family has a habit of going there each Friday. We begin our trip at seven o’clock at night. It is great to get to that cozy house. Even if we never went outside, it would be a fun trip. But no day inside can equal a day on the open water. I will recall every detail of our weekends together for many years into the future.
Long ago, in a far-off part of China there lived two brothers. Life for them was hard until one day something wonderful happened. The two brothers found a purple pot that was always full of rice. No matter how much the brothers ate or how much rice they gave to their friends and neighbors, the pot filled itself up again in just a few hours.
One day, however, a wicked crow came by. He quickly formed a plan to steal the mysterious pot. “Your pot looks just like one that was stolen from me,” lied the crow. “It was purple, too, and it was full of rice all the time, just like this one. Can you prove that this is your pot?”
The two brothers looked at the crow suspiciously. Then the older brother said, “We will look for your pot in the forest.”
The younger brother frowned. “No. We will look in the city.” “In the forest!” said the older brother. “In the city,” growled the younger. Hour after hour the
brothers pretended to argue until the crow grew tired and fell asleep.
When he woke up, he found himself locked in a cage. “Ha, ha,” said the brothers. “This time the trick is on you. Now
stay there until you learn not to steal any more!” And with that they went on to share the rice from their mysterious pot with their friends and neighbors.
Grade 3, Lesson 16
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Rat watched while Squirrel buried acorns under a big oak tree. When Squirrel went to sleep, Rat crept over to the tree and took the acorns.
When Squirrel woke, Rabbit told her what had happened. “Oh, no!” cried Squirrel. “Don’t worry,” said Rabbit. “I have a plan.”Squirrel and Rabbit went to Rat’s house. Just outside the
front door, they set down a huge basket. “This pie is delicious,” said Rabbit, as loudly as she could.
“Try this sandwich,” said Squirrel, just as loudly. For almost an hour Rabbit and Squirrel pretended to eat all kinds of tasty food.
Rat heard them. “That picnic sounds more delicious than acorns,” he thought. He walked over to Squirrel and Rabbit, and they invited him to eat.
“We are finished eating,” said Rabbit.“But there is more food in the basket,” said Squirrel.Rat opened the basket and looked in. “I don’t see it,” he
said, sounding terribly upset.“Oh,” said Rabbit, “there’s plenty. It’s at the very bottom.
Just reach in further.”Rat could just taste the food already. He leaned in as far
as he could. Soon only his long skinny tail was sticking out of the basket. And at that moment, Squirrel rushed over and pushed Rat inside the basket. With a loud Snap! Rabbit locked it shut.
“That will teach you to be greedy,” said Squirrel. “Now you can stay in there and listen while we enjoy an acorn feast!” And then she and Rabbit did just that.
Grade 3, Lesson 16
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Lulu leaned over the red fence. She was waiting, the same way she did every Saturday. Just then Mr. Riley, her teacher, drove up. “Good morning, Lulu,” he said. “Are you going to the library?”
“Yes, Mr. Riley. I’m just waiting for my friends,” she replied.
“Well, say hello to Ms. Maggie for me,” he said. “I remember when I spent every Saturday listening to Ms. Maggie’s stories.”
As Mr. Riley drove away, Lulu saw her friends. Soon, they all were walking to the library.
“I wonder what story she’ll tell today,” said Lulu.“I hope she tells us about the cowhands again,” said
Rosario. “It’s my favorite.”“Or maybe about when Momma’s Restaurant first
opened. I love hearing about why we have the best food in the whole county,” said Toni.
Lulu nodded her head. “It’s amazing. Ms. Maggie knows about everyone and everything in town. And she turns it all into these wonderful stories. She’s like our personal library!”
The girls decided to run the rest of the way. They couldn’t wait to hear a story. As they ran, Lulu hoped that children in other towns had a “Ms. Maggie” of their own.
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Every evening the Johnson family did something that they all enjoyed. After dinner, they gathered in the living room and shared stories. This special time was Omar’s favorite part of the day.
Since it was his mom’s turn to share a story, Omar begged her to tell the washing machine story. It was his favorite story, and it always gave the family a good laugh.
Omar’s mom agreed and started telling about the day the washing machine broke down. “It was Saturday morning, and I started doing laundry. It was nothing special. I put the clothes in to wash and went to the kitchen.”
“Don’t forget about the loud rocking,” Omar reminded her. “I’ll get to it, Omar. Be patient,” she replied.“As I was doing the dishes, I could hear the usual rocking
from the machine. But then, the rocking started getting louder and louder. Pretty soon, it was all I could hear.”
“There were bubbles everywhere. The room looked like a big bathtub filled with soapy bubbles.” said Omar.
“That’s right. When I opened the door to the laundry room, there were bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles. I couldn’t fight it. The room become one large bathtub,” continued Ms. Johnson. “And, in two minutes more, it was a whole ocean of bubbles!”
“Yes, and that’s when I had my brainstorm,” said Omar.“You certainly did,” said Ms. Johnson. “You told us to just shut
the door and go to the beach. By the time we came back all those bubbles would have died down. And that’s just what we did.”
“And that’s just what THEY did,” said Omar. “Hello, beach, and good-bye, bubbles!”
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Mara and her older sister Ronda walked to their new school. “I don’t like our new neighborhood,” said Mara. “It’s so crowded.”
“I love the city,” said Ronda. “It’s so interesting. Look at that!”
Ronda pointed at a woman gluing some colored things onto the base of a streetlamp.
“What is it?” asked Mara.The woman heard her and smiled. “It’s a mosaic. I’m
an artist who works for the city to make public places more beautiful.” She held up something that looked like a piece of a plate. It was red with blue dots on it. “I recycle broken pieces of pottery,” said the woman. “I glue them onto the streetlamp to make a design.”
The woman showed the girls the side she had finished. It looked just like a big, colorful flower. It made Mara feel like her new neighborhood could be full of surprises.
“You know,” Mara said, “Maybe this neighborhood isn’t so bad after all. I wonder if there are any other interesting things going on here.”
“Your sister needs a knee operation,” said Mom. “She will be fine, but she is nervous about staying in the hospital. And, she’ll probably be pretty lonely there, too. Visitors are only allowed at certain times. So, maybe you can cheer her up.”
“How?” asked Jay. Callie was a lot older than he was. She had her own friends. She never wanted to hang around with Jay.
“You could make her something,” suggested Mom. Suddenly, Jay felt excited. He realized that he could
make Callie a mobile with photographs of all her friends and family on it, and she could hang it in her hospital room. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so nervous and lonely while she was there.
When Jay finished the mobile, he handed it to his sister. “Wow,” she said. “This is beautiful!” Callie gave Jay a
hug. “When I look at this in the hospital, I will remember all my friends and family who want me to get better and come home.” She smiled. “And I will remember my great brother, too!”
Long ago, in the palace of the emperor of China, two goldfish were swimming in their pond. One of them looked at the beautiful room across from the pond and sighed. “How I long to explore that room,” she said.
“Why don’t you just do it? Just jump out and take a look around,” the second fish suggested.
So the first goldfish gathered all her strength and jumped. With a Whoosh! she soared out of the pond. With a Thump! she landed on the floor. She was in the beautiful room at last—but she could not breathe! She gasped and flopped about in a panic. She could see the other goldfish in the pond. The other fish motioned to her to jump back in. With her last strength, she flipped herself into the air. Splash! She landed back in the pond. She lay at the bottom, breathing hard. Then she swam to the other goldfish.
“It was a beautiful room,” she said. “But really, I like it better in here.” And that is why, to this day, goldfish very rarely jump out of their bowls and ponds.
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Long ago on the grassy plains of Africa, there lived an ostrich. Ostriches, as you may know, cannot fly. Their wings are too small, and their bodies are too big. Even so, this particular ostrich wanted to fly. Again and again he tried. He’d run, he’d flap his wings, and he’d even jump as high as he could. Not once did he even begin to fly.
The other animals laughed at him. It was silly, they told him, to even think about flying. Still, the ostrich was determined. Then he had an idea. Month after month he gathered feathers — feathers from small birds and big birds, from fierce birds and timid birds. When he had a huge pile of feathers, he used his beak and claws to stitch the feathers together. At last, he made a giant pair of wings. He put them on, ran as fast as he could, and jumped up, flapping his wings. Soon he was an inch, then two inches, then a foot in the air. The animals watched, amazed. The ostrich was flying! With a big smile on his beak, he dipped his head to all the animals and sailed over the plain.
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A blizzard is a severe winter storm—dangerous, harsh, and terrible. Winds howl at 35 miles per hour or more, and the temperature drops. To make it worse, wind whips the snow around so rapidly that it becomes almost impossible to see more than a few yards in any direction.
How does a blizzard get started? First, a mass of cold air moves south from the Arctic. Next, this cold air meets the warmer air around it and forces that warmer air to rise. Then, as the warmer air rises, it creates a cold front. Finally, when all this has happened, heavy snowfall begins.
The most violent form of a blizzard is a whiteout. It is called this because snow is blowing around so much that people cannot tell the difference between the ground and the sky. Everything is white with snow. It is this combination of wind, cold, and blinding snow that makes blizzards so dangerous. They can cause car accidents, trap people inside vehicles and buildings, and even crush homes under the weight of heavy snow. It is no wonder that people listen carefully when blizzard warnings are given.
Say the word Zamboni. “What is it?” you may ask. “Is it some kind of food? Or is it a game?” In fact, Zamboni is the name of both an inventor and his invention.
In the late 1940s, Frank J. Zamboni built a huge ice-skating rink in California. Up to 800 skaters went out on the ice at a time, and the ice surface quickly became mushy and difficult to use. Several times a day, skaters had to come off the ice so the surface could be reconditioned. This was not an easy job. First, a tractor had to drive out onto the ice rink, dragging a large scraper to shave off the old ice. Then workers scooped away the loose bits of ice. Next, workers sprayed water over the surface and cleaned it with a rubber squeegee. Finally, everyone waited for the water to freeze. The whole process took over an hour.
In 1949, Frank Zamboni’s invention changed all that. Now, in a matter of minutes, one Zamboni machine and its driver can scrape and clean the surface and put down a layer of perfect, new ice. The whole process is fast and efficient. Now, waiting skaters have something to do–watch the machine and wish they could drive a Zamboni, too!
R143 Warm-Up: Days 4–5Grade 3, Lesson 21
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Usually, bears eat fish, berries, fruits, or honey that they find in wild beehives. There are times, though, when they look for other things to eat. Sometimes bears go to the homes of people who live near big forests or national parks. These bears want a snack, but they do not want fish or honey. They want birdseed, and some of these bears do not let plastic birdfeeders stop them from getting to their snack.
First, they knock over the birdfeeders, spilling seeds onto the ground. Then, they can eat the seeds they like from the pile on the ground. Next, they might pull the birdfeeder poles out of the ground and bend them. Finally, when they have finished their meals, they walk back to their homes in the woods.
Alligator waited in the shallow pool of water. Quietly she watched the birds. They hopped on the ground, looking for bugs and seeds. Then slowly she moved closer. Suddenly, she dashed out of the water on her short legs. The birds flew up in the air. They flapped away as fast as they could. Alligator ran after them. She was not fast enough, though. She was too late. At last she gave up and slid back into the water.
On the other side of Berryville is a hill called Melon Mountain. That has not always been the name of the hill. A few years back, something unusual happened so the name of the hill was changed.
Farmer McMelon and his daughter, Marcy, tended a small watermelon patch on the side of the hill. Each summer, they grew just enough for every family in town to have one delicious, ripe melon. One summer day, however, the McMelon family cut into a melon and saw something unusual. The seeds inside the melon sparkled in bright, shiny colors. Marcy thought the seeds were very beautiful, so she planted them on the hill and waited to see what would happen.
The next morning, the entire hill was covered in watermelons! Everyone came and picked as many as they wanted. The morning after that, the hill was covered again. This happened over and over. So the people began making watermelon ice cream, watermelon jelly, and watermelon punch. After that, they all quit their jobs and began selling wonderful watermelon products. And to this day, people come from miles around to get delicious things to eat from Melon Mountain.
When I asked if I could have a pet, my parents said pets are a big responsibility. They said I would need to prove that I was ready to take care of something. So I planted a garden. I thought a garden would show my parents that I was responsible enough to take care of a pet.
I marked out a garden in our backyard. I planted vegetable seeds. I watered my garden and pulled weeds every day. Soon my seeds began to grow. Soon I had plants.
One day, I noticed that some of the leaves had been eaten. What could have eaten them? Then, I saw a little rabbit chewing on the lettuce leaves. Slowly, I walked toward him. The rabbit sat very still. I gently pulled up a carrot and held it out. I stayed very still and soon the rabbit came over to me and began eating the carrot.
After that, I fed the rabbit every day. Soon I realized that being responsible for my garden had worked. Now I had a pet rabbit!
R159 Warm-Up: Days 4–5Grade 3, Lesson 23
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Sandy had asked her mother over and over again for a new soccer ball. Her mother finally said that Sandy could have the ball, if she could earn the money to buy it. Of course, Sandy didn’t want just any soccer ball. She wanted the one with her favorite player’s signature on it, and so it cost more than a regular ball.
Sandy really wanted that soccer ball, so she asked her friends to think of a way to earn enough money for it. Emma suggested that she should have a yard sale. Jess and Jenny said that it was not only a great idea, but that they would like to join in and earn some money of their own. Working together they would be able to have a larger sale and attract more customers. They would each sell some of their old toys and games, and Jess and Jenny could also sell some homemade muffins.
The four girls made posters to advertise the yard sale and Sandy’s mother helped them put the signs up around the neighborhood. Many neighbors came to shop and by the end of the afternoon almost everything had been sold. Sandy had enough money for her soccer ball!
Grade 3, Lesson 24
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Alex had been given the main part in the school play, and he was thrilled. It was going to be a big production, with props and elaborate costumes. Students could invite their whole families, not just their parents.
Then came the bad news. The school was going to need unexpected repairs, and there was not enough money to pay for a fancy production. The school play was going to be canceled.
Alex and the other student actors were disappointed. They had only just begun rehearsals, but they were already excited about the play. They just had to find a way for the play to go on! They asked Mr. Thomson, who was in charge of the play, if they could meet with him.
The students put together a plan and brought it to the meeting. They wouldn’t need a lot of money, and they could still have the play. Instead of elaborate costumes, the students would make their own. Instead of fancy props, the students would use boxes and chart paper to make simple backdrops.
Mr. Thomson thought it was a great idea. The students’ creativity won out, and the whole school set to work. The play would not be fancy, but it would go on!
R167 Warm-Up: Days 4–5Grade 3, Lesson 24
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Angela was finishing her farm chores when she heard a loud noise. It sounded like baaaaah. “What was that?” Angela asked the wise old cow.
“That sound came from inside the barn,” said the cow, who continued chewing her portion of grass. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“What do you think?” the girl asked Homer the horse, who was standing nearby.
“Well, I’m not sure,” replied Homer, who was a much more nervous creature than the cow. “Perhaps you should check on it. You never know. There just might be something wrong.”
Angela ran to the barn and opened the heavy, wooden door. She saw her father kneeling down in the sheep pen. He looked like he was concentrating. “What’s happening, Dad? Is there a problem with the sheep?”
“Well, come and see for yourself,” said Dad.Angela came closer. Her father was washing something.
Next to him, a mother sheep was resting on a pile of straw. “We have a new baby sheep!” cried Angela. “Yes, it’s a healthy baby lamb. I was a little worried
because it came so early. But everything turned out fine.” “I guess that cow was right,” said Angela. “There isn’t
anything to worry about.”“Bessie the cow knows what she’s talking about,” said
Dad. “This little lamb is something to be happy about!”
A pig is never blamed in caseHe forgets to wash his face.No dirty suds are on his soap,Because with soap he does not cope.He never has to clean the tubAfter he has had a scrub,For whatever mess he makes,A bath is what he never takes.But then, what is a pool to him?Poor pig, he never learns to swim.And all the goodies he can cramDown his gullet turn to ham.It’s mean:Keeping clean.You hardly want to, till you’re very big.But it’s worse to be a pig.
Julio was talking with his father. “It’s a nice summer day,” said his dad. “Do you want to walk down to the pond?”
“I don’t know,” said Julio. “It’s a little hot to walk that far.” Just then, a blue dragonfly zipped through the air. “I wish we could fly there like that dragonfly.”
“Well, we could try,” said Dad. He spread his arms and took a running jump.
“Nice try,” said Julio, laughing. “But maybe we should walk instead.”
When they reached the pond, Julio heard frogs croaking. “I think I can make that sound.” Julio puffed out his cheeks and let out the air. “Hmm . . . I don’t really sound like a frog.”
“Well, when frogs croak, they are really singing to each other,” said Dad.
“I can sing,” said Julio. “I love singing with my friends.”“That’s right, you do. And, remember, people can fly,
too. They just need airplanes.”“That is true,” said Julio, “but I still wish I could fly like a
dragonfly and sing like a frog.”His father sat down next to the pond. Julio joined him,
“If you wish to live and thrive, let a spider run alive.” There is a lot of truth to this old saying. One way that spiders help us thrive is by keeping down the number of insects. This is important because many insects spread diseases. Insects also can eat important food crops, making less food available for people and animals. Some people welcome spiders into their homes just so the spiders will eat unwanted insects, such as ants, flies, and cockroaches.
Spiders are particularly important to birds. Some birds use the silk that spiders make as a part of their nests. Also, birds eat spiders, especially during the winter months when there are few insects around. In winter, spiders are an important part of the diet of many birds. Since birds also eat insects, keeping the bird population strong and healthy is one more way in which spiders help control insects.
Work, work, work in the hot day’s sun,Work while everyone else has fun.Make my web, so pretty and neat–Oh, look what’s stuck, a fly to eat!
The bees and flies go buzzing by,Thinking that they can always fly.But, no, that one forgot to duck.Now in my web that bee is stuck.
I’ve spun my web across this door,High up here, above the floor.What’s that? It’s big! I’d better stay hid.Oh, no, here comes a great big kid.
Stop now, young man, not one more step.You’ll smash my work and make a wreck!Oh, too late, he’s walked right through.But at least he’s covered in silky goo!
I sometimes fly, but sometimes I crawl. People usually take note of me as I pass, but I don’t have any scent or taste. I never stop, but people often say that they don’t know where I’ve gone. You can tell me, but you can’t see me. Do you know what I am?
Jayda and Ani were talking about the school musical when the bell rang. Try-outs were later in the afternoon, and everyone was excited.
“Why don’t you try out for the school musical?” asked Jayda. “I’m going to try out for the role of the hero.”
“You’re a better singer than I am, and the hero sings a lot,” said Ani. “Anyway, I can’t try out. I’m too shy.”
“But you are so funny,” said Jayda. “Kate is funnier than I am,” said Ani. “She’s going to try
out for the carnival announcer. The announcer is supposed to be really funny.”
Later that day, Ani watched from the back of the auditorium while her friends tried out for the musical. She wished she could sing like Jayda or be confident enough to tell jokes like Kate.
“Great job, everyone,” said Ms. Turner. “What we need now is someone to play the shy rabbit, but there’s no one left to audition.” She turned and saw Ani. “Excuse me. You, in the back of the auditorium,” she called. “How would you like to wear these rabbit ears?”
Ani smiled and walked to the stage.
Warm-Up: Day 1Grade 3, Lesson 28
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“Did you two choose your music for the piano recital?” asked Mom.
“I’ll do it later,” said Nan. She had two whole weeks until the recital.
Ned turned the pages of his music books. After much deliberation, he made a decision. “I’m going to start practicing right now,” he said.
Nan put off choosing her music. Instead, she spent her time thinking about what other people might play, how she should bow after her performance, and whether she should greet the audience with a big or small smile. Meanwhile, Ned worked hard practicing the piece he had chosen. “You’re just practicing so much because you’re Nervous Ned,” said Nan. “I never get nervous.”
The day before the recital, Nan chose her music. She began to practice, but the piece was too hard. She chose another piece, and that was hard, too. “Mom,” Nan cried, her stomach full of nervous bubbles, “I have to tell Ms. Prince that I can’t play at the recital. I don’t have time to learn my music!”
At the recital, Ned felt confident. When he performed, he had fun and played well. Nan, from her seat in the audience, was surprised. “Wow,” she said. “I guess practice got rid of Nervous Ned!”
Toby dreamed that one day he would take a trip into space. Most of the time that was the only thing he could think about. Every morning, he looked out his window and imagined that he was beyond the clouds. Every evening, he peered into the sky, counting the stars and trying to spot the planets.
Late one afternoon, Toby fell asleep, and he dreamed that he was in a spacecraft. He was floating. He liked the free feeling, but all the floating made him hungry.
In the spacecraft, Toby found a bin with foil packets. “Carrots and peas,” he read. Toby ripped open the packet. Before he knew what was happening, peas and pieces of carrots were floating everywhere!
“Wait! Stop!” he yelled, but of course the vegetables kept floating. Soon he was surrounded by green balls and orange cubes. He was trapped!
Then, Toby felt a hand gently shaking him. He opened his eyes, and instead of carrots and peas he saw his mom. He was back on Earth. “Phew!” he whispered. “Next time I’ll make sure I eat before I dream about traveling into space!”
Warm-Up: Day 1Grade 3, Lesson 29
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Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is not a solid spot of anything at all. It actually is a huge storm that has been raging for hundreds of years. Located in the planet’s atmosphere, it is like a massive hurricane that is more than twice the size of our entire Earth. Because the Great Red Spot never gets close to land, it never loses energy, which is why it has gone on for so long.
Now, however, there is a new red spot on Jupiter. It is called Oval BA, and its nickname is “Red Jr.” Formed from three storms that came together in 2000, Oval BA originally was white in color. Then, in 2005, it turned brown, and in 2006, it turned the reddish color it is now. Like its larger neighbor, this second red spot is a fierce storm, but it is only about half the size of the Great Red Spot. Still, like the larger storm, it is easily seen in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Some scientists think that both storms rise above the main cloud area on Jupiter. While scientists are not positive why either spot has its reddish color, the most widely accepted theory is that the storms are so violent that they bring material up from deep inside Jupiter’s atmosphere. When this material is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays it appears to be red. Scientists are continuing to study Red Jr., and they hope to discover more about it and about the Great Red Spot, as well.
R201 Warm-Up: Days 4–5Grade 3, Lesson 29
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