Test Prep PDF

Grade 4
Test Preparation
and Practice
A
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Contents
Overview of the FCAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
FCAT Reading
Section 1: Words and Phrases in Context (L.A.A. 1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, and Chronological Order
(L.A.A. 2.2.1) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A. 2.2.2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Section 3: Plot Development (L.A.E. 1.2.2) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A. 2.2.2) . . . . 65
Section 4: Cause and Effect (LA.E 2.2.1) / Author’s Purpose (L.A.A. 2.2.2) . . . 97
Section 5: Comparison and Contrast (L.A.A.2.2.7)
Similarities and Differences (L.A.E 1.2.3)
Author’s Purpose (L.A.A. 2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Section 6: Reference and Research Information (L.A.A. 2.2.8)
Author’s Purpose (L.A.A. 2.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
FCAT Writing+
Section 1: FCAT Writing+ Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
6-Point Writing Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Writing Checklist for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Writing Prompts: Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Writing Prompts: Narrative (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . 185
Writing Prompts: Expository (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . .189
Section 2: Writing Plan Format (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Writing Plan Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Section 3: Writing Sample Format (LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Writing Sample Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Cloze Selection Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Section 5: Stand-Alone Questions Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Stand-Alone Questions Format Explanation for Students . . . . . .225
Short-Response and Extended Response Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Anchor Papers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
FCAT 5FTU1SFQBSBUJPOBOE1SBDUJDFGPS3FBEJOHBOE8SJUJOHr(SBEF

Overview of the
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was developed by
the Florida Department of Education to assess students’ achievement of the
skills outlined in the Sunshine State Standard Benchmarks.
Format of the Reading Test

The FCAT Reading Test has three main types of questions: multiple-
choice items, short-response performance tasks, and extended-response
performance tasks. The short-response and extended-response questions
are called “Read, Think, and Explain” performance tasks. In Grades 3 and 5,
students are tested on multiple-choice items only.
Cognitive Complexity
The FCAT Reading Test includes questions of varying difficulty or
“cognitive complexity.” The FCAT divides these questions into the categories
of low, moderate, or high. The following chart shows the skills assessed in
each level:
Cognitive
Complexity Tested Skill Sample Test Question
Low Students demonstrate Recall information, facts,
a basic level of or details
comprehension
Moderate Students analyze Compare and contrast to
information reach a conclusion
High Students explain, Determine the author’s
generalize, or synthesize purpose or point of view
Format of the Writing+ Test

The FCAT Writing+ (Writing Plus) test contains multiple-choice questions

and an essay. It is administered to students in Grades 4, 8, and 10. On the
multiple-choice portion, students are tested on four aspects of writing
skills: focus, organization, support, and conventions. On the essay portion,
students must write in response to an assigned topic. Overall, the Writing+
Test assesses students’ knowledge of punctuation, spelling, usage, sentence
structure, grammar, and the conventions of good writing.

How to Use This Book
FCAT Test Preparation and Practice is Assessment questions include multiple
specifically modeled after items in the FCAT choice, short response, and extended response.
Reading Test and in the FCAT Writing+ Test. Each section provides 5–6 practices exercises
Multiple test passages are given to for each of the assessed benchmarks. Author’s
provide students with more practice for each Purpose is assessed in each of the six sections.
assessed benchmark. These passages can Short-response performance tasks and
be used for modeling guided practice, for extended-response questions are included
independent practice, or for targeted practice in both the Grade 3 and Grade 5 books, even
for students having difficulty. though these questions only appear on the
Grade 4 and Grade 8 tests. These questions
provide students in Grade 3 and Grade 5 with
Reading additional practice.
The FCAT Reading test preparation is
divided into six sections, each covering
different benchmarks:
Writing+
Section 1: Words and Phrases in Context Although the Writing+ FCAT test is
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.1.2.3 administered to students in Grades 4, 8,
Section 2: Main Idea/Essential Message, and 10, the Writing+ FCAT test preparation
Details, Chronological Order, section is included in the Grade 3 and 5
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.1 books in order to provide students with
Author’s Purpose additional practice.
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2 The FCAT Writing+ is divided into five
Section 3: Plot Development sections. The first section contain writing
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.1.2.2 prompts. The remaining sections contain a
Author’s Purpose variety of reading passages and activities
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2 followed by multiple-choice questions. These
Section 4: Cause and Effect sections measure the following benchmarks:
FCAT Benchmark LA.E.2.2.1 LA.B. 1.2.1 Organization
Author’s Purpose LA.A.2.2.2 LA.B. 1.2.2 Focus, Support
Section 5: Comparison and Contrast LA.B. 1.2.3 Conventions
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.7
Similarities/Differences Rubrics
FCAT Benchmark LA.E.1.2.3 Short- and extended-response rubrics

Author’s Purpose appear on page 231, and a six-point scoring
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2 rubric appears on page 182 and page 254.
Section 6: Reference and Research
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.8 Answer Key
Author’s Purpose
FCAT Benchmark LA.A.2.2.2 The answer key begins on page 232.

Section 1
Benchmark
Words and Phrases in Context
Benchmark LA.A.1.2.3
The student uses simple strategies to determine meaning and increase
vocabulary for reading, including the use of prefixes, suffixes, root words,
multiple meanings, antonyms, synonyms, and word relationships.
Contents
Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Passages Simon Hears the Sound of Time Fiction ..................8
Saving Our Seabirds Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Go-Cart Fever Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
These Crazy Words Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Sand is Grand Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
FCAT Test Preparation and Practice for Reading and Writing+ • Grade 4
Get Ready to Take On the
In this section, you will be answering questions based on
the skills below.
Context Clues
Tip
One way to find the meaning of an unfamiliar word is
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to look at the surrounding words in the same sentence RVFTUJPOTBOE
or a nearby sentence. For example, in the sentence BOTXFSDIPJDFT
below, the word eerie might be an unfamiliar word. DBSFGVMMZ
The eerie shadows made the room look frightening O 8IFOZPVDIPPTF
and strange. UIFBOTXFSUPB
RVFTUJPO NBLF
Since the “eerie shadows” are “frightening and TVSFUPGJMMJO
strange” you know that eerie probably means UIFCVCCMF
“frightening and strange.” DPNQMFUFMZ.
Synonyms and Antonyms

Sometimes the looking for words that are related is one way
to find the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Words that are
similar in meaning are called synonyms. The words tiny and
small are synonyms. Words that are opposite in meaning are
called antonyms. The words huge and small are antonyms.
Prefixes and Suffixes

Another way to discover the meaning of an unfamiliar word
is to look for letters that are added to the beginning or the

ending of a word. Letters that are added to the beginning of
a word are called prefixes. Letters added to the ending of a
word are called suffixes. For example, the suffix -ful means
“full of.” So the word joyful means “full of joy.”
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Simon Hears the Sound of Time

by Rosalyn Heathrow
When Simon and Grandfather spent time together, the hours
passed slowly. It seemed that Grandfather was always sitting
still as a statue, observing or listening to something.
Still, there they were, on the banks of the Suwannee River
on a humid Florida afternoon. Grandfather took his place where
he always did, under the Lone Oak. Simon knew he should sit
with his grandfather and talk to him, but what would they talk
about? Simon could not think of anything.
Simon decided to take a walk by the river. When he Tip
got close to the river bed he began digging for flat stones. *ONPTUTUPSJFT UIF
Soon, he was skipping them across the water. Each time a DIBSBDUFSTBSF
stone made it all the way across, he pumped his fist in the JOUSPEVDFEJO
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air and hollered “Yes!” As he moved downstream to get
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more stones, Simon forgot all about his Grandfather.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Simon was getting better with each toss. Skipping stones

kept Simon interested for a long time. By the end of an hour,
nearly every stone he threw was bouncing off the water and
landing on the other side of the river with a plop.
Simon dug around until he found a perfect stone for
skipping. He raised his arm to throw, but an unusual sound
stopped him. It was a sweet, high tone that reminded Simon of
a bird’s song. Simon didn’t think he’d seen any birds around.
The music continued, making Simon curious to find out
what was making it. He walked along the bank, following the
sound. To his surprise, it led him back to Grandfather.
Simon saw that Grandfather was no longer sitting by himself
under the thick leaves. He stood with a group of men, some
about his age, others much younger. They were all playing long,
thin flutes. Simon was enchanted by their beautiful music.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The group under the Lone Oak stopped

playing for a minute. He noticed that
something was strange. For a moment, he
could still hear music although it was much
softer than before, as though it came from
far away. Simon tried to see across the river.
Was another group playing there? He looked
and looked, but saw no one.
Simon’s eyelids felt heavy, he yawned
softly as Grandfather and the other men
began playing again. The music continued
and Simon soon drifted to sleep.
When Simon awoke, the band was gone. Once again,
Grandfather sat silently under the Lone Oak.
“Grandfather? I thought I saw people playing music . . . and
one of them was you. Was I dreaming?”
Grandfather shook his head. “You saw something that Tip
has happened for many years. When the wind is light and 8IFOZPVTFFB
the river runs smoothly, my friends and I come to the Lone GPPUOPUF MPPL
Oak to play.” EPXOBUUIFCPUUPN
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“The music was beautiful, Grandfather,” said Simon. NPSFJOGPSNBUJPO
“How did you learn to play like that?”
“When I was young, I learned from the elders who
learned from their elders. They played ancient music with flutes
carved from reeds1 or deer bones.”
1
reeds: a kind of tall grass
4UVEFOU/BNF
Grandfather looked like he was lost in a memory. “Now, I

am one of the elders who must teach the young.”
“There is one thing I don’t understand,” Simon said. “When
the music stopped it sounded like there was another group that
was playing, but I couldn’t see them anywhere.”
“There wasn’t really a second band,” he explained. “Have
you ever wondered how the Suwannee River got its name?”
“Not really,” Simon said slowly. “I never really thought
about it.”
“Well,” said Grandfather, “our ancestors named it suwani.
The word means echo.”
Simon understood. “So when you stopped playing, I was
still hearing the sound bouncing off something.”
Grandfather nodded. “Across the centuries, the echo of the
Suwannee River has united the young and the old as I hope it
always will.” He picked up the flute from his lap and played a
long, low note.
Simon watched how Grandfather held the flute. Suddenly,
Grandfather handed it to him. As Simon tried his first note,
he imagined himself as an old man under the Lone Oak,
teaching the people around him. “I think you’ll get your wish,
Grandfather,” he said with a smile.
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Saving Our Seabirds

by Soraya Blackwell
When people are seriously species, or types, of birds.
hurt or sick, they can go to These include bald eagles,
hospitals. What happens when a herons, pelicans, and many
bird gets sick? others. At least 35,000 birds
Believe it or not, there is have spent time at Suncoast.
a hospital just for birds! The Fortunately, there are
hospital, in the town of Indian volunteers1 to help the workers
Shores, Florida, is called the keep up. It has also become a
Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. place that people like to visit.
Indian Shores is located along In fact, more than 100,000
the coast of Florida. Lots of people visit every year. They
seabirds live near Suncoast. like to observe the birds in this
When a bird gets hurt unusual setting.
or sick, it is brought to the
hospital. Workers do whatever
they can to make it healthy
again. Most birds return
to the wild once they are
ready. However, birds that do
not recover can stay in the
sanctuary.
The workers at Suncoast

have helped over 100 different
1
volunteers: people who work without pay
4UVEFOU/BNF
The idea for Suncoast came Sometimes, birds arrive after

from zoologist2 Ralph Heath. getting hurt in a storm. Most
One day in 1971, Heath saw a of the time, birds need help
seabird with an injured wing. because of fishing lines and
He saved the bird, which hooks stuck in their bodies.
became known as “Maynard.” Fishing lines can tie their
Many people heard about it. beaks or throats closed so
They started leaving sick birds the birds cannot eat. Since
at his door. In 1972, Heath birds do not have hands,
opened the shelter, which he they can’t fix these problems
named the Suncoast Seabird themselves.
Sanctuary. Pollution is a big problem
In a few years, the sanctuary for the birds, too. Chemicals,
became home to more than 400 such as those used to kill
birds. Thirty-five years later, insects, can make the birds sick.
people still bring their feathered Fortunately, many of the birds
friends for help. can be saved.
Most days, twenty-five to
thirty birds arrive at Suncoast.
2
zoologist: scientist who studies animals.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When birds arrive at the After a bird is treated, it

sanctuary, they are examined is moved to a recovery room,
for injuries. Then, workers where it can get better. Workers
make plans for how to treat and trained volunteers watch
each bird. The people who the birds carefully. They make
examine them figure out what sure they are getting the food
kind of help they need. They and medicine they need.
create a chart to keep track In time, birds move to
of the medical care each bird outdoor shelters to live with
receives. They also record what their own flocks. When they are
the birds eat. That way, they well enough, they are returned
can be sure that each bird is to their homes. If they do not
getting just the right amount get well enough to go back to
of food and medicine. There is the wild, Suncoast can become
a lot to keep track of because their home. They might also go
different types of birds need to to a zoo or another place where
be treated differently. birds are protected.
4UVEFOU/BNF
In addition to treating birds, needs about $700,000 each

employees of Suncoast have year to stay open. Some money
another important job. The comes from people who visit
workers make sure that the and then give donations. Some
birds will not become extinct. comes from far-away bird
For example, eastern brown lovers who send checks. People
pelicans were once in great can even adopt a bird, giving
danger. Workers helped breed money for its food and care.
the pelicans. They set up a safe When someone adopts a bird,
place for the eggs. They cared the bird stays at Suncoast to
for the baby pelicans until they receive care—but the adopter
were ready for the wild. can visit the bird any time.
The work that Suncoast did Many people work together
made a big difference. Now, to keep Suncoast running. That
hundreds of eastern brown leads to some very thankful
pelicans live along the Atlantic birds!
Coast. People all over the
world who work with birds
have learned from the people at
Suncoast.
All the work that gets
done at Suncoast can be quite
expensive. That’s why Suncoast
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Go-Cart Fever
by Micah Bloomfield
Dorie couldn’t believe that the day of the Greenville Go-
Cart Race had finally arrived. Her brother, Ron, had worked for
months on their car. They had even
spent all the money they earned
from doing chores on the best
tires. Dorie was sure it would be
the fastest car on the track.
Ron had talked about nothing
for the past week except winning
this race. It would be a hard
competition. Jerry Stipe had won the race three years in a row.
He was going to be tough to beat.
Where was Ron, anyway? Dorie knocked on his door. “Are
you awake, Ron? It’s race day!”
Ron groaned from behind the door. “I’m feeling awful. My
head feels like it’s full of wet blankets and my throat is sore. You
have to race, Dorie.”
Dorie felt uncertain about being
in the race. She had practiced
driving the car a few times, but
she had never been in a real race

before! Could she ever be as fast
as Ron?
4UVEFOU/BNF
Ron gave Dorie some last-minute advice and wished her

good luck. Then Dorie put on her helmet and took the go-cart to
the racetrack. She could hear her heart beating with every step.
Soon, it was time for the racers to take their starting positions.
Dorie was nervous as she stepped inside the cart and fastened
her seatbelt. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
Jerry Stipe was already at the starting line. As usual, he
bragged loudly so everyone could hear. He boasted about how
he would win again this year. Dorie knew it was best to ignore
him. Besides, she had enough to worry about.
The moments leading up to the race seemed to last for years.
Soon, it was time for the racers to take their positions. Was she
ready, or would she let Ron down? At long last, the red flag
went down and the race started!
The go-carts rolled and zipped along the track. Each driver
pushed hard, trying to take the lead. Dorie stayed focused,
remembering everything she had talked about with Ron. By
the end of the first straightaway, Dorie hit top speed. She drove
carefully around the curves. She tried to keep her quick pace.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t as hard as she’d expected.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The race seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye and before

she knew it, Dorie saw the finish line up ahead. There was
only one car next to her. When Dorie glanced over, it was Jerry
Stipe, looking smug. “He’s so sure of himself,” Dorie thought.
Dorie wasn’t about to back down now. “All right, Dorie.
You can do this!” she said to herself.
She pushed forward with one last burst of speed and
zoomed across the finish line. When she stopped, she saw that
she had won first place! She was greeted by a crowd of people.
It was time to celebrate! All around her, people cheered.
The biggest surprise came from Jerry Stipe. “Wow,” he said
in an astounded tone. “I didn’t know you could drive like that.
I’m really impressed.”
“You did a great job, too,” Dorie said sincerely.
There was still someone she had to see. Dorie rushed home
to tell Ron about everything that happened.
“I knew you could do it!” he said
as he let out a loud cough. Dorie
smiled and gave him a cup of juice.
Ron gave her a big hug and tried
not to sneeze on his sister. Dorie
couldn’t wait for next year’s race.
She was sure her brother would
be healthy for that one! © Macmillan/McGraw-Hill
4UVEFOU/BNF
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a CSPUIFS c GBTUFTU
b CFGPSF d GFWFS
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f UPPLPGGRVJDLMZ h TUPQQFENPWJOH
g UVSOFEBDPSOFS i HPUPVUPGUIFHPDBSU
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a CSBHHFE CPBTUFE c [PPNFE TUPQQFE

b LOPDLFE QVTIFE d DIFFSFE HSFFUFE
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f TVHHFTUJPOT h QSBJTF
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4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTFTFOUFODFTGSPNUIFTUPSZ
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8IBUXPSEIBTBMNPTUUIF4".&NFBOJOHBTTNVH
a GPSHFUGVM c TFMGTBUJTàFE
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f GPSHFUGVM h CPSFE
g UIBOLGVM i TVSQSJTFE
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a HPUTFUUPTUBSU c QVUPOUIFJSCSBLFT
b XFOUPOBCSFBL d àOJTIFEUIFSBDF
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8IJDIXPSENFBOTUIF01104*5&PGTJODFSFMZ
f TJNQMZ h BOYJPVTMZ
g EJTIPOFTUMZ i DBSFGVMMZ
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFQPFNi5IFTF$SB[Z8PSETuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
These Crazy Words

By Werther Martin
These crazy words! Oh, deer! (No! Dear!)
So much of what we here (or hear?)
confuses me. I never no (No! Know!)
which weigh (I mean way) to go.
My weary brain must always fight
to learn which word is right to write.
Which word goes there? (Or their? Or they’re?)
It isn’t fare . . . oh, wait! I meant fair!
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFQPFNi5IFTF$SB[Z8PSETu
8IJDIXPSETGSPNUIFQPFNTPVOE&9"$5-:UIFTBNF
CVUIBWFEJGGFSFOUNFBOJOHT
a PI OP c XIBU XIJDI

b SJHIU XSJUF d UIFTF UIFJS
3FBEUIFTFMJOFTGSPNUIFQPFN
4PNVDIPGXIBUXFIFSF PSIFBS

DPOGVTFTNF*OFWFSOP /P,OPX
8IBUEPFTUIFXPSEDPOGVTFTNFBO
f QV[[MFT h CFMJFWFT
g BOHFST i DPSSFDUT
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*UJTOUGBSFPI XBJU*NFBOUGBJS
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a XFBMUIZ c BDDPSEJOHUPUIFSVMFT
b UIFQSJDFPGBUJDLFU d BGSBJEPGTPNFUIJOH
3FBEUIFTFMJOFTGSPNUIFQPFN
.ZXFBSZCSBJONVTUBMXBZTàHIU
UPMFBSOXIJDIXPSEJTSJHIUUPXSJUF
8IJDIXPSENFBOTBMNPTUUIF4".&BTXFBSZ
f UIPVHIUGVM h UJSFE
g TVSQSJTFE i MJWFMZ
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEi4BOEJT(SBOEuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH/VNCFST
UISPVHI
Sand is Grand
by Alexis Rivera
You have seen sand or played in it, but have you ever
wondered what it is made of? Believe it or not, those soft, fine
grains come from rocks and minerals.
When wind or water breaks rocks and minerals to bits, they
become sand. To be called sand, the pieces have to be a certain
size. Sand is light enough to blow in the wind, but weighty
enough that it cannot float in the air.
Sand covers the bottoms of oceans, seas, and many lakes.
When sand washes up on the land, a beach is formed. Sometimes,
sand gathers where the land meets the ocean. It makes a narrow
landform that sticks out into the water. This is called a spit. When
sand piles up high on the beach, it forms dunes. If an area is
completely filled with sand, it can become a desert. Many deserts
are covered with sand from dried-out land or old, empty sea beds.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When you picture sand, you probably imagine something

beige. In fact, most sand is light brown or gray. However, some
sand is black, pink, or even pure white. Remember, sand comes
from rocks and minerals. If the rocks and minerals in an area are
an unusual color, the sand probably will be, too.
Islands with a lot of volcanoes, like Hawaii, have beaches with
black sand. The color comes from dried and cooled lava. Iron
and other minerals produce a dark pink shade of sand. There is a
giant dune of this color in Utah. Some beaches in the Bahamas
have light pink sand because of crushed coral from the sea. New
Mexico’s white sand comes from mountains that are being worn
away. On some islands, skeletons of tiny sea animals can form
white sands that look like snow.
Even on the ocean floor, sand can be many different colors.
Just like sand on the beaches, its color depends on where it comes
from and what happens around it.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The white beaches of Florida look like they have been

sprinkled with sugar. The sand on these beaches comes from
crushed crystals of rocks, such as quartz, that wash down from
the Appalachian Mountains. This sand is so clean that it squeaks
when you step on it.
In other places in the world, you can find sand that can sing,
boom, and roar. The sounds come from the grains of sand rubbing
and moving over each other. Some people think this sand sounds
like a whale song!
People use sand in many different ways—from planting
grasses in it to riding on it. Sandboarders ride on tall sand
dunes like surfers on waves. Hang gliders practice their sport by
jumping off enormous dunes. Of course, many people around the
world flock to beaches in the summer. Maybe you’ve tried to see
how deep a hole you could dig in the sand. You might have built a
sand castle and watched the waves wash it away. Soft sand can be
a great place to sit and unwind, or even bury your feet.
Sand helps makes Earth beautiful and interesting. The next time
you walk on a beach or read about a desert, remember that there’s
more to that wonderful stuff than you think.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFBSUJDMFi4BOEJT(SBOEu
8IJDIXPSETGSPNUIFBSUJDMFIBWFOFBSMZ01104*5&
NFBOJOHT
a VOVTVBM JOUFSFTUJOH c MJHIU XFJHIUZ
b EFFQ DMFBO d XPSO FNQUZ
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JOUPUIFXBUFS
8IJDIXPSENFBOTBMNPTUUIF4".&BTOBSSPX
f UIJO h UBMM
g CSPLFO i XJEF
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTFTFOUFODFTGSPNUIFBSUJDMF
8IFOZPVQJDUVSFTBOE ZPVQSPCBCMZJNBHJOF
TPNFUIJOHCFJHF*OGBDU NPTUTBOEJTMJHIUCSPXO
PSHSBZ
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f BTQFDJàDQMBDF h BCFBDI
g BCPEZPGXBUFS i BNPVOUBJO
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a TBOECPBSEFST TVSGFST c IBOH TBOE

b SJEF MJLF d EVOFT XBWFT
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f MBSHFHSPVQTPGQFPQMFHPUPUIFCFBDIFTBUPODF
g UIFSFBSFEJGGFSFOUCFBDIFTBSPVOEUIFXPSME
h QFPQMFBWPJECFBDIFTJOUIFTVNNFS
i QFPQMFUIJOLUIFCFBDIFTBSFUPPTNBMM
STOP
Section 2
Benchmarks
Main Idea/Essential Message, Details, and Chronological
Order
The student reads text and determines the main idea or essential
message, identifies relevant supporting details and facts, and arranges
events in chronological order.
Author’s Purpose
The student identifies the author’s purpose in a simple text.
Contents
Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Passages A Sailor’s Life Is Not For Me Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Cleary’s Clever Kids! Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Ocean Treasure Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Are We Having Fun Yet? Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Key Changes Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Seeking Sea Shells by the Seashore Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
In this section, you will be answering questions based
on the skills below.
Main Idea/Essential Message
The main idea or essential message of a Tip
paragraph or article explains what the paragraph O
"MXBZTSFBEUIF
or article is mostly about. You can usually RVFTUJPOTBOE
explain the main idea or essential message in BOTXFSDIPJDFT
DBSFGVMMZ
one or two sentences.
O 8IFOZPV
Details DIPPTFUIF
Details are facts, information, and events that BOTXFSUPB
support the main idea. RVFTUJPO NBLF
TVSFUPàMMJO
Chronological Order UIFCVCCMF
Authors usually present events in chronological DPNQMFUFMZ
order, or the order in which they happen.
Author’s Purpose
Knowing an author’s purpose can help you decide
what an author is trying to say. Authors write to
tell a story, to give information, and to tell how to
do something. Authors also write to persuade. To
persuade means to try to get somebody to believe an
idea or to act in a certain way.
4UVEFOU/BNF
FBEUIFTUPSZi"4BJMPST-JGF*T/PUGPS.FuCFGPSF
3
A Sailor’s Life Is Not for Me

by Leann Sharkey
I’ve lived on a ship for years now, and
my shipmates and I sail the seas carrying
exotic cargoes from all over the world.
I’ve been to Africa, the Canary Islands,
China, and many interesting places in
between. Yet, this life really does not suit
me. I just don’t like being a sailor.
I thought being a sailor would bring
exciting adventures every day, but after a
while it gets boring. How many times can
you sail into an exotic port before it gets dull? To me, it’s
no more interesting than cleaning your bedroom. Tip
My other tasks are pretty dull, too. Sometimes, the 5IFPQFOJOH
captain orders me to climb up to the crow’s nest1 for QBSBHSBQIPGUIJT
TUPSZUFMMTVTBCPVU
lookout duty or he’ll ask me to drop the anchor. The first
UIFTFUUJOH8IBUJT
time we loaded our ship with exotic oils and spices, I VOVTVBMBCPVU
could barely hold in my excitement. I have to admit, even XIFSFUIJTTUPSZ
cleaning the ship then was an adventure. Now, I’ve done UBLFTQMBDF
all these things a million times.
1
crow’s nest: small platform near the top of the mast
4UVEFOU/BNF
Being a sailor is dangerous in ways you might not even

realize. I’ve seen my shipmates get some nasty injuries from
working on board. Sometimes they’ll get rope burns from
pulling the ropes on the sails. Or the ship will hit a big wave
and throw everyone to one side. Some people even get thrown
overboard and we have to fish them out of the water. Did I
mention that I get seasick very easily? I’d prefer a safer job
sitting behind a desk in a nice warm room.
Another problem is the food. It’s terrible! It’s not that I

expect a feast every day, but it would be nice to be able to look
forward to eating. The cook tosses a few shriveled beans into a
pot of water and calls it stew. It has no taste, and, day after day,
it’s all we get to eat.
I had no idea how lucky I was before I came on board this
ship. Just once, couldn’t we have some fresh fruit? I wish I

had a vegetable garden where I could grow tomatoes and green
beans. This, of course, isn’t possible on a ship!
4UVEFOU/BNF
I’d be lying if I said that a sailor’s life was all bad. I’ll admit
that I like the jingle of coins in my pockets after we get paid
at the end of a voyage. Though, I would gladly give up all my
riches for a better life. I want to lie next to a roaring fire. On
this ship, it’s always so cold and gloomy.
Reading is one of the only things that make me happy here.
If a book is good enough, I can forget how cold I am. It does
take a very good book to make me forget about bean stew.
My fellow sailors always make fun of me. None of them
care about reading. In fact, most of them can’t read at all.
I’m lucky I was able to learn. A few years ago, a writer was
a passenger onboard and he taught me how to read and write.
Needless to say, I didn’t tell anybody what I was doing.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Right now, I’m even trying to write a book. I have plenty

of good ideas for my story. After all, even if I’m bored with
seafaring life, other people are interested in reading about it.
Even though the ideas are coming fast, I haven’t written
much down. Paper and ink are expensive and not very easy
to come by. The rocking of the ship doesn’t help my writing,
either. Either I get too seasick to write, or my writing is so
messy that even I can’t read it.
I’ve decided to quit being a sailor. Next time we see land and
pull into port, I’ll grab my things and then head to the nearest city.
Perhaps I can find work selling books and then I can have coins
in my pockets without having to spend three months on a ship.
Really, all I want is a book in one hand, an apple in the other, and
a fire to keep my toes from turning blue.
Whatever I do, I definitely need a new job. I wish I had
known this before—a sailor’s life is certainly not for me.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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4UVEFOU/BNF
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&91-"*/
BOTXFS
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi$MFBSZT$MFWFS,JETuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Cleary’s Clever Kids

by Jasper Lester
Do you know any kids who do everything absolutely

perfectly? You probably don’t know any. How many Tip
kids do you know who annoy their brothers and sisters
3FBEUISPVHIUIF
sometimes? Do you know any who get confused? How BSUJDMFUPHFUUIF
about kids who have embarrassing moments? NBJOJEFB:PVDBO
When author Beverly Cleary learned to read, she BMXBZTHPCBDLUP
wanted to read stories about kids like herself. All she could GJOETQFDJGJDEFUBJMT
BOEJOGPSNBUJPO
find were stories about perfect kids. That’s why, for all of
first and second grade, she thought reading was boring.
Beverly grew up in a time where there was no television. There
were no computers either. Good books would have made her
days a lot more fun.
4UVEFOU/BNF
It took something really boring—a rainy day—to change

her mind when she was in third grade. She started looking at
the pictures in a book called The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch
Perkins. Then, she began to read the story and she found herself
wanting to know what happened next.
Beverly soon decided to become an author and write books
of her own. The books she would write would be the kind she
wanted to read when she was younger. Her mother had said that
children like simple, funny writing. The first book of Beverly’s
to be published was Henry Huggins. It is about a boy, his dog,
their friends and all their misadventures.
Beverly also remembered the ups and downs of what it was
like to be a kid. That’s why a lot of the events that happen to her
characters might sound familiar to her readers.
Have you ever misunderstood instructions? Then you might
understand how Beverly’s character Ramona feels in Ramona
the Pest. Ramona’s teacher, Miss Binney, instructs her to “sit
here for the present.” Ramona is certain that means she will
get a gift if she stays in her seat. So, she refuses to get up. She
doesn’t realize Miss Binney just means, “sit here for now.”
4UVEFOU/BNF
Ramona is the star of many of books. She gets into some

situations that are unusual. In one story, she falls halfway
through the ceiling in her friend’s house. In another story, she
cracks a raw egg on her head by mistake! Even while they’re
laughing, readers might know how Ramona feels because they
have had similar experiences. For example, Ramona’s mother
has a baby, her father loses his job, and her older sister becomes
a teenager.
Beverly writes about animals as well as kids. She wrote The
Mouse and the Motorcycle and several other books about Ralph
S. Mouse. Ralph finds that a toy motorcycle is just the right size
for him to ride. He finds his way into all kinds of adventures.
In the end, all he really wants are some crumbs from a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich. Socks is about a cat that is jealous
when his owners bring home a new baby.
Some of Beverly’s books have won prestigious awards. Two

of the Ramona books, Ramona and Her Father and Ramona
Quimby, Age 8, were Newbery Honor Books. The Newbery is

an important award for children’s books.
4UVEFOU/BNF
One of Beverly’s books even won the Newbery Medal—the

first prize from the same people who choose the Newbery
Honor Books. Dear Mr. Henshaw uses letters
to tell the story of a sixth-grade boy named
Leigh. For a letter-writing project in school,
Leigh writes to Mr. Henshaw, his favorite
author. Mr. Henshaw writes back and the two
send more letters back and forth. Mr. Henshaw
gives Leigh lots of helpful advice about
becoming a writer.
Beverly Cleary has written about plenty of other characters,
too. There’s Otis Spofford, one of her funniest characters,
who gets into trouble pretty easily. He often teases another
character, Ellen Tebbits.
Emily’s Runaway Imagination is about a girl living on a
farm in the small town of Pitchfork, Oregon, in the 1920’s.
Emily has a very creative imagination which can sometimes get
her into trouble. Her small town cannot afford a library but that
does not stop Emily from trying to think of a way to bring a
library to Pitchfork.
The book Mitch and Amy is about a set
of twins who were born on the same day,
but do not look alike. They sometimes fight
or tease each other, but when they have a
problem they work together to solve it.
Do you like to laugh and read about kids
who might resemble you? Beverly Cleary’s

books are a good place to start.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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g #FWFSMZ$MFBSZXSPUFNBOZCPPLTBCPVULJET BSUJDMFJTNPTUMZ
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b SFBEJOH
c EBODJOH
d UFBDIFST
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/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Ocean Treasure
by Andrew Elliot
Back bent, eyes scanning the pale sand,
the boy works his way down the beach
certain that soon he will find a silver coin
or a Spanish doubloon.1
He’s heard the stories often enough,

of treasure ships splintered apart by rocks,
gold and silver coins spilling from chests,
glinting like fish scales among
the coral-encrusted bones of shipwrecks.
A sudden, violent storm can lift treasure

from the ocean floor and hurl riches into the waves
and onto the beaches. The boy pauses to pick up
a sand dollar, emerald sea glass, and a shark’s tooth.
Tomorrow, he will be back early.
Tomorrow—he is certain—
he will find a gold coin.
1
doubloon: an old gold coin of Spain
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&91-"*/
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4UVEFOU/BNF
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Are We Having Fun Yet?

by Stan Rhodes
Shelley was spending summer vacation in Florida with her
best friend, Naveem Shenoy. Shelley quickly found out that
Naveem’s family vacations were unlike her family’s vacations.
All Shelley knew was that a surprise was in store, and that
Naveem’s parents seemed very quiet. Mrs. Shenoy’s hands were
folded in her lap. All Shelley could think was, “It’s so quiet. Why
is it so quiet? Should I say something?” The silence gave Shelley
doubts about what lay ahead.
The car pulled to a stop. “We’re here,” said Mr. Shenoy with
a smile. Shelley looked up and was amazed by what she saw.
An enormous space museum stood in front of her. Shelley and
Naveem looked at each other, excited.
“Are you ready to have some fun?” Mrs. Shenoy asked with
a glimmer in her eye. Any doubts Shelley had flew from her
mind. She was ready for any surprises that lay ahead.
4UVEFOU/BNF
By lunchtime, Shelley and Naveem had taken part in all

sorts of amazing activities. They used real joystick controls
to land a space shuttle in a video game. They even got to
experience a ride in a flight simulator.
After lunch, they watched a great movie about space flight.
Then a real astronaut came to give a lecture about going into
space on a mission. He talked about doing simple tasks in space,
like eating, sitting, and working. He explained how he would be
unaware that his body had moved without him knowing it. He
would suddenly look up from what he was doing and see that
the floor had become the ceiling.
When the astronaut finished talking, Naveem peppered him

with questions. Shelley smiled. She knew that Naveem dreamed
of going to space when he grew up.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The Shenoys and Shelley left the space center in the

afternoon. Naveem’s parents told them that a space shuttle
launch was taking place that day. At the scheduled time,
everyone looked high into the air. Shelley heard a loud boom
followed by a low rumbling as a streak of light zoomed high
above. Bright colors lit up the sky until the white streak got
smaller and then disappeared.
There was another surprise in store. “We know you had fun
today, kids,” said Mrs. Shenoy. “So we decided we’re going
to stay for another day or two. There’s a campsite nearby, and
we’re going to set up camp there.”
Shelley and Naveem laughed and gave each other high fives.
Shelley had never been camping before, but if the Shenoys liked
camping, then it must be fun.
Sure enough, Shelley had a great time. Everyone collected

wood for a campfire. While Mr. and Mrs. Shenoy cooked a tasty
dinner of fish and potatoes, Shelley and Naveem made a sand
castle by the lake. Naveem taught her how to keep mosquitoes
away. Shelley taught him how to make sturdy sand castle walls.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When night fell, everyone stretched out on blankets and

looked at the stars. Mr. Shenoy tried to get everyone to choose
a patch of sky and start counting. Mrs. Shenoy pointed out that
there were stars that people’s eyes could not see. Shelley and
Naveem tried to find some of the planets and stars they had
learned about at the museum. They looked for the North Star and
constellations1 such as the Big Dipper.
Then Mr. and Mrs. Shenoy told scary stories by the

campfire. They weren’t that scary, but it was fun to watch them
try to use spooky voices. They would hold their flashlights
under their chins and make strange shadows on their faces.
Mrs. Shenoy would start giggling as she told her stories, and
everyone would laugh.
After a lovely evening of stargazing and storytelling,
everyone sat quietly by the campfire. It was just like that
morning in the car, only Shelley didn’t feel odd or think that
people should be talking. She enjoyed the silence and used

the time to reflect on what she had learned that day. She also
realized something. She was having a great vacation and she
was excited about any other surprises the Shenoys might have
up their sleeves.
1
constellations: groups of stars that form patterns in the sky
4UVEFOU/BNF
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Key Changes
by Simon Taylor
Henry Morrison Flagler Flagler used his riches to
became a very wealthy man gain even more wealth. He
due to his motivation and hard also used them to enjoy life by
work. At age 14, he stopped spending winters in Florida.
going to school and took a job He first visited the state in
in a grain store. Soon he was 1877, when his wife became
part of a sales team and was ill. Doctors at the time often
earning more money than he told patients to relax in a warm,
had ever dreamed possible. By sunny part of the country to
the time he was in his thirties, regain their strength. Florida
he owned part of a large grain was the perfect choice for
company. Flagler and his wife.
Flagler made his first fortune The Flaglers chose to live in
in the grain business. Soon after, Jacksonville. In fact it was the
he became a salt manufacturer, only city in the state that people
then a real estate promoter, and could reach easily at that time.
a railroad developer. His most
Jacksonville
famous partner in business
was John D. Rockefeller, who
was a leader in the oil industry.
Rockefeller, Flagler, and a
man named Andrews had great

success together when they
founded an oil company.
Florida Keys
4UVEFOU/BNF
The state of Florida needed First, Flagler bought

roads, railways, and electricity. railways that ran through
It also needed schools and northern Florida. Then, the
hospitals. Flagler wanted to tracks were extended to
help fix these problems. His St. Augustine. From there, the
primary reason for living in railway went all the way down
Florida was to take care of his to Palm Beach. It also made
wife. Sadly, the warm weather its way to Daytona Beach and
was not the cure. Flagler’s wife Fort Pierce. In Palm Beach, he
passed away in 1881. Flagler built another huge hotel. Even
soon left the state. today, Palm Beach is a popular
Two years later, Flagler place for visitors from all over
returned to Florida. This time the country because of Henry
he went to St. Augustine. He Flagler.
brought a new bride with him—
Ida Alice Shourds. On this
trip, Ida helped her husband to
think like a businessman and
suggested that he spend his
oil money on developments in
Florida.
Flagler’s dream was to build
fancy hotels to attract tourists.
Rich people would come to
relax. These visitors had to be
able to get to these hotels. Travel
had to be fast and convenient.

Flagler decided to invest not
only on the hotels, but also on
railroads.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Trouble came for Flagler The next day, Flagler rode the
when he decided to stretch his first train into Key West. People
railway down to the Florida on the island threw him a big
Keys. Along the way, it would party and gave him an award.
have to connect twenty-nine Everyone was eager to see how
islands and cross over seven Flagler’s railroad would help
miles of open ocean water. the Keys.
Most people said it would be Unfortunately, the railroad
impossible to build over the was not used very often. Few
ocean and they said Flagler was companies wanted to use
a fool. Some people even called Flagler’s trains to sell goods
his project “Flagler’s Folly.” in the Keys and rich tourists
Flagler did not give up, but were not interested in
building the railroad was no traveling so far from the
easy task. Nearly 4,000 workers mainland.
were needed and they had to Flagler died in St. Augustine
face bad weather and rough in 1913. The railroad line was
working conditions. Swarms never a success in his lifetime.
of sand flies and mosquitoes After his death, things got even
bit workers and spread disease. worse.
Working in damp and dirty In the 1930s, the Great
areas did not help matters. Later, Depression hit the United
heavy rainstorms almost forced States. Millions of people could
all work to stop. Due to these not find jobs as businesses all
problems, building the railroad over the country closed down.
took nearly seven years. Many people lost their savings.
Finally, on January 21, Few people could afford to use

1912, the railroad was finished. Flagler’s railroad.
4UVEFOU/BNF
More trouble was yet to Keys together. It tied them all

come—one weekend in 1935, to mainland Florida. At last,
a powerful hurricane blasted people had an easy way to set
across the Keys. A twenty- up homes, build businesses,
foot wall of water swept away and enjoy vacations all over the
one of Flagler’s trains and Sunshine State.
destroyed miles of track. The
railroad could not bounce back
from this final blow.
While the story of “Flagler’s
Folly” does not have a happy
ending, Flagler’s dream lived
on. By 1938, Florida’s state
road workers built the 128-
mile Overseas Highway. This
important system had 43
bridges that linked each of the
4UVEFOU/BNF
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Seeking Sea Shells by the Seashore

by Mandy Larton
People have collected shells in Florida for hundreds of years.
Early Native Americans in the southwest of Florida ate many
oysters. They put the shells in large mounds, many of which still
stand today. The Calusa Indians, also called “the Shell Indians,”
used shells to make spoons and other tools. They also used them
to decorate their holy places.
People today gather shells because they enjoy the shapes and
colors. Some people keep shells as souvenirs from a trip they took.
Other people like to buy large shells with sharp points and spirals
to put on display. People also use shells in arts and crafts. They use
different kinds of shells to decorate jewelry boxes, picture frames,
vases, and other items.
The beaches of Sanibel Island, Florida, are covered with many

shells. Conch, whelk, cockle, scallop, murex, tulip, olive, and
coquina are the kinds of shells found there.
4UVEFOU/BNF
This island is one of the top shell sources on Earth! Smaller

shells often wash up near the eastern end of the island. Larger
shells can be found farther north. The whole island is full of
shells. Homeowners can even find shells just by digging in their
backyards!
Why are shells so easy to find here? The reason has to do
with the island’s shape. Sanibel Island is curved. It is a piece of
land that juts far out into the water. Its shape allows ocean water
to move straight into its coasts. Shells that slide right past other
islands accumulate on Sanibel’s shores. Also, when hurricanes
and strong winds pound Sanibel’s coastline, large amounts of
sand get moved. This action unearths many buried shells.
Mainland
Sanibel Island
Ocean tides
The day after a storm, shell-seekers rush to the beach. They

want to be first to find the best shells left by the storm. Another
good time to go “shelling” is during low tide. The water’s edge

moves away from the shore, leaving more areas to search on
foot. Tides are lowest in the spring, during full moons. The
summer months are not as good for shelling, because the weather
is calmer. The ocean does not bring in as many new shells in
summer as it does in winter and spring.
4UVEFOU/BNF
People collect shells in different ways. Some dig for only the
biggest shells while others rake sand to find tiny ones. Many carry
buckets or bags to hold their treasures. Many collectors are bent
over in “the Sanibel stoop.” It is a way of walking with one’s back
arched to study the sand. Serious seekers wear water shoes to kick
up half-buried shells. Shuffling in the shallow water also scares
away stingrays resting below the surface.
Sanibel is truly a great place for seeking sea shells on the
seashore! The beach offers piles of shells in all shapes, colors,
and sizes. The island has an interesting history that goes back
hundreds of years. It has beautiful beaches and warm waters to
swim in when you need a break from the hunt. Around here, those
breaks don’t last long. The chance of finding treasure is just too
good to pass up.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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STOP
Section 3
Benchmarks
Plot Development
Benchmark LA.E.1.2.2
The student understands the development of plot and how conflicts are
resolved in a story.
Author’s Purpose
Contents
Passages The Appalachees’ Spring Season Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Rotten Fish in St. Augustine Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Silent Night Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Edison’s Ideas Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
David’s Weekend Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
In this section, you will be answering questions based on
the skills below.
Plot Development Tip

A plot is the series of events that happen in a story. O"MXBZTSFBEUIF
An important part of the plot is the conflict. The RVFTUJPOTBOE
conflict is the problem that characters must face in BOTXFSDIPJDFT
the story. Usually, the characters solve the conflict by DBSFGVMMZ
the end of the story. The event that solves the conflict O 8IFOZPVDIPPTF
is called the resolution.
UIFBOTXFSUPB
RVFTUJPO NBLF
Author’s Purpose
TVSFUPGJMMJO
Knowing an author’s purpose can help you UIFCVCCMF
decide what an author is trying to say. An author DPNQMFUFMZ
writes to tell a story, to give information, to tell how
to do something, or to convince the reader about
something.
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi5IF"QBMBDIFFT4QSJOH4FBTPOuCFGPSF
The Apalachees’ Spring Season

by Luna Ramsey
Timu’s long day was finally over. Since before dawn, he had
been carrying baskets of clay and sand up the temple mound.
Every spring, certain Apalachee1 villagers were chosen to build
the mound. Timu was honored to be one of the workers. Only the
strongest and toughest members of the tribe were chosen.
As the sun slipped lower, the other workers walked down
the back side of the mound. Timu stayed behind and took
in the view from the mound. He checked the ball-playing
Tip
grounds. He could see a handful of men preparing the field 1BZBUUFOUJPOUPIPX
UIFBVUIPSEFTDSJCFT
for tomorrow’s game. One man shook the goal post to UIFDIBSBDUFSTBOE
make sure it still stood strong. TFUUJOHPGUIJTTUPSZ
Timu valued their work. He would be on that field
tomorrow with many other Apalachee men. They would
compete in the annual spring ball game. A team of players from a
nearby village was coming at dawn. They would share a meal of
celebration, and then the competition would begin.
1
Apalachee: a Native American tribe of Florida
4UVEFOU/BNF
Timu was excited to take part in the game because this

would be his first time as a player. It would be great to win, but it
was more important to play with honor and respect.
Timu wondered if the other team had begun its journey. He
scanned across to the forest, but saw no movement from within
the trees. When his stomach rumbled, Timu turned for home. He
was eager for the extra deer meat his mother would serve him for
strength in tomorrow’s game.
The next day, just before dawn, Timu stood with the Apalachee
men. They waited in a straight line along one side of the playing
field. Symbols of strength, bravery, and skill were painted on each
man’s skin.
One by one, the challengers came out of the woods. They
took their places on the other side of the field. The rivals were
a tough-looking group, but Timu knew his friends were the
strongest in all the land.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When the sun rose, everyone

looked to the temple mound. Timu’s chief
stood on top of it. He raised his arms and
clenched his fists, then he called to the
men. He said they must play with honor.
The winners would bring a good growing
season to their village.
Then, six young girls carrying
baskets offered seeds to the two lines of
men. Each man took one seed. At the
chief’s signal, the men ate. Now the ball
game could begin.
The strongest man in Timu’s tribe
climbed up the goal post in the middle
of the field. He held a stuffed eagle high
above his head which he placed on top
of the goal post. At this signal, both
teams let out a loud, powerful roar. The
noise was incredible!
The man slid down the goal post.
As soon as his feet touched the ground,
the yelling stopped. Now the chief
appeared at the field’s edge, holding the
small game ball in his fist. The clay ball
was covered with deer skin. With a shout,
the chief tossed the ball onto the field.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Timu was the first to reach it. He scooped the ball up with
his foot, bounced it off his knee, and raced toward the goal post.
An older man from the other team blocked his way, so Timu
flipped the ball to a teammate. Just then, a small man leapt up and
knocked the ball with his heel toward the other side. Timu was
angry and ashamed to have lost the ball for his team. He rushed
forward to help get it back.
The ball soared through the air, only to be snatched away.
Timu raced to keep up with the players and to regain the ball.
Suddenly, a player from the other side stumbled and lost control
of the ball. Timu sped across the field, reaching it just in time.
He passed it low and fast to one of his friends. His friend spun to
keep control of the ball. Timu shouted for him to keep going. His
friend broke through two defenders while Timu blocked a third
man. Finally, Timu’s friend shot the ball toward the goal.
Silence fell as the ball flew higher. All motion stopped, and all
eyes followed the ball. At last, the ball dropped into the eagle’s
nest! Spring season in Timu’s village was off to a very good start.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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b UPUFMMBCPVUEJGGFSFOULJOETPG"QBMBDIFFHBNFT
c UPFOUFSUBJOSFBEFSTXJUIBTUPSZBCPVUUIF"QBMBDIFFT
d UPFYQMBJOUIFIJTUPSZPG"NFSJDBOGPPUCBMM
5JNVQMBZFEXFMMJOUIFHBNF6TFEFUBJMTBOEJOGPSNBUJPO
GSPNUIFTUPSZUPFYQMBJOIPXIFIFMQFEIJTUFBN
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi3PUUFO'JTIJO4U"VHVTUJOFuCFGPSF
Rotten Fish in St. Augustine

by Mark Vasquez
My name is Miguel. I live in St. Augustine, Florida. For 200
years, this busy and exciting town was under Spanish rule. Now,
in 1764, all of Florida, along with St. Augustine, is ruled by
England.
After fighting a war for almost 10 years, England and Spain

made peace. England gave Cuba to Spain, and Spain gave Florida
to England. The governments were happy, but the families who
have lived there for generations were not.
After the British took over, almost every Spanish citizen had
to leave St. Augustine. Most of them went to Cuba, and some
went to Mexico. My boss, Señor Herrera, chose to stay. He owns
a furniture business and plans to sell furniture to the new British
settlers. Since I am his chief carpenter, I stayed, too.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Jesse Fish also stayed in Florida. I have known Jesse since

he was a boy. His father sent him to live with the Herrera
Tip
1BZDMPTFBUUFOUJPOUP
family to learn Spanish and how to run a business. Jesse was XIBU.JHVFMTBZT
a fine student most of the time, but he had his flaws. BCPVU+FTTF'JTI
I saw Jesse take food from Señor Herrera’s youngest UISPVHIPVUUIFTUPSZ
child and I saw him take money from Señor Herrera’s )PXEPFT.JHVFMGFFM
BCPVUIJN
shop. I did not say anything, but I could tell that Jesse
cared only about himself. Eventually, Jesse left to set up
his own business.

During the war, when British ships blocked our ports, it was
hard to get food and supplies. Jesse figured out how to sneak his
ships past the British guards. Most of St. Augustine called him
a hero for bringing in supplies. I think he only did it because it
made him rich.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When the war ended a few months ago, it was a confusing

time. Many Spanish landowners wanted to leave and had no
time to sell their property. Jesse Fish agreed sell their land to the
British settlers when they arrived. He promised to send the money
to the old landowners.
Last month, Jesse Fish came to our shop and tried to convince
Señor Herrera to move to Cuba. He told us he would watch the
store for us after we left. He would then sell it and send us the
money.
When Señor Herrera said he had no plans to leave St.

Augustine. When he heard this, Jesse became angry and left the
shop in a hurry.
4UVEFOU/BNF
We were right to turn Jesse down. A few nights ago, Señor

Herrera came to my door. His voice shaking, he told me that Jesse
Fish had sailed for Spain a week ago.
I wondered how Jesse had sold the land in such a short time.
Señor Herrera told me that Jesse Fish had taken over the deeds
for all 204 properties. He had stolen the property and broken his
promise to the Spanish landowners.
I fear the worst. I fear Jesse Fish will keep the profits from all
that he has taken from each of the Spanish citizens.
Señor Herrera and I are very glad we refused to give our shop
to Jesse. Otherwise, we would have nothing. My future is still in
St. Augustine, and I, Miguel, will make it my place to speak up.
To begin, if that rotten Jesse Fish tries to sell land to the British
settlers, I will most certainly tell them to stay away from him.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFTUPSZi3PUUFO'JTIJO4U"VHVTUJOFu
8IBUXBTUIF'*345QSPCMFNUIBUNBLFT.JHVFMT
MJGFEJGàDVMU Tip
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a +FTTF'JTIXFOUUP4QBJO
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b .S)FSSFSBHBWFIJTTIPQUP+FTTF'JTI QSPCMFNT8IBUJT
UIFGJSTUDIBOHFUIBU
c 4QBJOHBWF'MPSJEBUP&OHMBOE .JHVFMGBDFTJOUIJT
d &OHMBOEHBWF'MPSJEBUP4QBJO TUPSZ
)PXEJE+FTTF'JTIHFUGPPEBOETVQQMJFTXIFO
#SJUJTITIJQTCMPDLFEUIFQPSUT
f )FTPMEMBOEGPSUIF4QBOJTIMBOEPXOFST
g )FXBTBIFSPUIBUIFMQFEQFPQMF
h )FQBJEUIF#SJUJTIUPVTFUIFJSTIJQT
i )FXBTBCMFUPTOFBLIJTTIJQTQBTUUIFHVBSET
)PXEPFTUIFOBSSBUPSQMBOUPTPMWFUIFQSPCMFNT
DBVTFECZ+FTTF'JTI Tip
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a )FXJMMNPWFUP4QBJOUPàOE+FTTF'JTI
DIPJDFTDBSFGVMMZ
b )FXJMMXBSOUIF#SJUJTITFUUMFSTBCPVUIJN 8IBUEPFT.JHVFM
TBZIFXJMMEP
c )FXJMMLFFQJOHXPSLJOHJOUIFGVSOJUVSFTIPQ
d )FXJMMHFUCBDLBMMUIFNPOFZUIBUXBTTUPMFO
4UVEFOU/BNF
8IBUQSPCMFNTEJE.JHVFMGBDFJOUIFTUPSZ %JE
IFTPMWFUIFN 6TFJOGPSNBUJPOBOEEFUBJMTGSPN Tip
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
UIFTUPSZUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS .JHVFMIBTNBOZ
QSPCMFNTJOUIJT
TUPSZ#FTVSFUP
EFTDSJCFFBDI
QSPCMFNBOEXIBU
IBQQFOTUP.JHVFM

4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi4JMFOU/JHIUuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH/VNCFST
UISPVHI
Silent Night
by Dominic Hughes
It was late in the evening on March 5, 1865. The soldiers had

stopped just south of Tallahassee, Florida to make camp. Mack
spread out his bedroll on a flat stretch of grass. Another dinner of
cold beans barely filled his stomach.
Even though it was cold and dark, there would be no talking,
and no campfires because the enemy was camped nearby. It was
impossible for a whole campground of soldiers to be completely
silent. Horses stomped. Leather boots creaked. Yet nobody talked,
because they knew it could mean trouble. Nobody talked, that is,
except Old Harvey who had served in the army for a long time.
Mack could hear Old Harvey whispering to anyone who would
listen. “We’re lucky to be camped by Wakulla Springs,” he said.
“That rushing water will drown out almost any sound. They won’t
hear a peep from this camp.”
4UVEFOU/BNF
“And those springs!” Old Harvey said. “They’ll stop the most
powerful thirst. If you drink your fill of that water, well, you can
do just about anything.”
Mack was glad for the water, but he did not feel very lucky
being half-starved and hiding from the enemy. Mack knew Old
Harvey was just chattering to distract everybody from their
hunger and raw nerves. Still, Mack did not want to hear it. So
when Old Harvey put his bedroll on the ground next to Mack, the
boy just glared at him.
Old Harvey took a lot of time to settle under his thin blanket.
He kept turning, searching for a comfortable spot. Mack guessed
that sharp rocks under the blanket were digging into Old Harvey’s
back. Mack didn’t offer to help.
An uneasy silence drifted over everyone. Now and again, it
was broken by loud growls from Mack’s empty stomach.

After a while, Old Harvey spoke in a low voice. “You sound
hungry, boy,” he said to Mack. “You know, the folks around
Wakulla Springs get hungry pretty much all the time. That’s
because of all those jumping fish.”
4UVEFOU/BNF
Mack wondered what Old Harvey was talking about.

“That’s right, jumping fish!” Old Harvey continued. “Fishing
here is a waste of time. Why, Wakulla fish, they laugh at baited
hooks. Those fish just jump clear over any pole that sticks out
over the water. That’s why most folks around here go to sleep on
an empty stomach.”
Mack had seen a fish or two in the spring before sunset and
they did not look like they could jump over a pole. Old Harvey
was speaking nonsense again. Mack glanced over at Old Harvey.
The aging soldier caught him looking, so Mack snapped shut
his eyes. Mack did not need a bedtime story. He may have been
young, but he was a West Florida cadet!
Mack started to drift off to sleep. Then, suddenly, the night

was split apart by a loud wail.
“Now, why is that limpkin bird1 wailing?” said Old Harvey.

“She can’t be hungry, there are apple snails all over.”
1
limpkin bird:large dark brown marsh bird with white stripes
4UVEFOU/BNF
Old Harvey shook his head. “Maybe she is worried about

tomorrow’s battle,” he said. “That bird is worried we’re going to
tromp right over all the apple snails in Tallahassee. I don’t worry
because you can never control what’s going to happen. We just
need to get a good night’s sleep then we’ll see what happens in
the morning.”
An hour passed. Mack figured even Old Harvey would stay
quiet now. But the old soldier saw that Mack was still wide
awake. Old Harvey knew he had some important thoughts to
share with the young man.
“It sure is peaceful to stare up through the tree branches,” Old
Harvey said. “Look how the white dogwood and camellia blooms
glow in the moonlight. It gives us hope for better times. Look at
those stars shining up above us. It reminds us that some things
can last almost forever.” Mack was surprised that he was glad to
hear Old Harvey’s words.
Mack curled up in a tight ball and faced Old Harvey. A tear

slid down the boy’s cheek. Mack relaxed a bit as Old Harvey kept
watch over him. Finally, he fell asleep. Old Harvey dozed next
to him. Tomorrow would be rough. At least for now, they could
share this peaceful, silent night.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFTUPSZi4JMFOU/JHIUu
8IBUXBTUIF."*/QSPCMFNDBVTFECZ0ME)BSWFZ
a )FIBECFFOJOUIFBSNZBMPOHUJNF
b )FDPVMEOPUGBMMBTMFFQ
c )FEJEOPUMJLF.BDL
d )FXPVMEOUTUPQUBMLJOH
8IBUJTUIF-"45FWFOUUIBUUFMMTUIFSFBEFSUIBU.BDL
XBTOPMPOHFSBOYJPVT
f )FCFMJFWFE0ME)BSWFZTTUPSZBCPVUUIFàTI
g )FTQSFBEPVUIJTCFESPMM
h )FàOBMMZGFMMBTMFFQ
i )FBUFBEJOOFSPGDPMECFBOT
8IZEJEUIFBVUIPSXSJUFi4JMFOU/JHIUu
a UPFYQMBJOIPX"NFSJDBOTPMEJFSTUSBJOFEGPSXBS
b UPUFMMGBDUTBCPVUTPMEJFSTJO'MPSJEB
c UPUFMMBTUPSZBCPVUTPMEJFSTEVSJOHXBSUJNF
d UPUFMMBCPVU8BLVMMBàTI
4UVEFOU/BNF
.BDLIBTUSPVCMFTMFFQJOH8IZ 6TFEFUBJMTBOE
JOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFTUPSZUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
)PXEJE0ME)BSWFZIFMQ.BDLSFMBY 6TFEFUBJMTBOE
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi&EJTPOT*EFBTuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Edison’s Ideas
by Frances Sietsiema
Hana’s favorite inventor was Thomas Edison. The man had
invented more than a thousand things! Hana was thrilled to be
visiting Edison’s winter home in Fort Myers, Florida. She knew
that Edison had designed many of his inventions in this place.
Still, Hana felt a bit disappointed. The dusty wooden tables in
Edison’s lab were no longer being used. Even the couch where
Edison took his naps looked boring. After all, he had not used it
to dream up an idea for a long time.
Hana told her big brother, Masato, that she would meet him
back in the lab after she bought a
postcard. In the gift shop, Hana
chose a card with Edison’s portrait.
Carefully, she slipped the card into
her pocket.
Not ready to go to the lab, Hana
walked outside toward the giant
banyan tree in the yard. Its branches
reached up to the sky and its roots
stretched out around the trunk.
Hana really wanted to climb the
tree. The fence guarding it, and the

“Keep Off” signs made it clear that
going near the tree was not allowed.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Hana liked how the sunlight fell through the banyan’s

branches. Looking up, she was shocked to see a familiar looking
man sitting in a high branch.
She rubbed her eyes, but the man was still there. He looked
exactly like the man on her postcard! He had the same white
hair, old suit, and funny bow tie. Yet it couldn’t be him. Thomas
Edison had died many decades ago.
The man waved, and Hana shyly waved back. She warned
him about the “Keep Off” signs but he did not seem to hear.
Hana knew that Edison was almost deaf for most of his life. She
pointed at the signs but when she looked up, he was gone.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Hana was startled to see the man standing nearby her now.
How did he get down so fast?
“Are you part of the Edison family?” she asked. He just raised
an eyebrow and cupped his ear with one hand. Hana understood
that he could not hear well. She began talking very loudly about
how much she liked the banyan tree.
“It is nice,” the man agreed. “I got this tree as a gift from my
friend in 1925. I used to climb this banyan to see if my neighbor,
Henry Ford, was out tinkering with his cars. You know, maybe I
will visit Henry later.”
Hana knew that Henry Ford was a car inventor. She also
knew he had died many years ago. So why did the man think he
could visit Ford today? Was this man really Thomas Edison? She
decided to test him.
“If you’re who you appear to be,” Hana said, “then you should
be able to answer some questions.”
“I would be happy to,” said the man.
“Okay. Who bought the Edison telegraph that sent four
messages on one wire?”
The man raised one eyebrow, then answered: “Jay Gould.”
“Which of Edison’s inventions is still used in microphones and
speakers today?”
“The carbon transmitter.”
“What does Thomas Edison like to read?”
“Poetry,” the man said and smiled. “Did I pass the test?”
“Maybe you’re just an admirer, like me,” she said. The man
shrugged, turned, and followed a new tour group into the lab.
Since her brother was inside, Hana went in after him.
As the young tour guide spoke the man listened and every so
often, he raised one eyebrow. When the group moved on, the man
signaled to Hana to stay.
4UVEFOU/BNF
She watched him walk to the napping couch. Quickly, he

pushed it aside and pulled up a floor board. He reached in, then
walked back to Hana and put something in her hand.
She smoothed it out. It was an old piece of paper covered with
drawings and notes in Edison’s handwriting. Hana was holding
a page from Edison’s lab book! Hana knew only Thomas Edison
could find this.
She looked at the paper and saw that Thomas Edison had
invented a time machine! These were his plans!
Before Hana could speak, her brother walked over. She turned
to introduce Edison to him, but the man was gone.

Masato asked to see the postcard. He looked at Edison’s face
and flipped the card over. Edison’s portrait stared out at Hana.
Hana smiled, she knew the inventor had come up with another
great idea.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFTUPSZi&EJTPOT*EFBTu
)PXEJE)BOBGFFMXIFOTIFàSTUTBX5IPNBT&EJTPOT
MBCBOEDPVDI
a 4IFGFMUUJSFEBOEDSBOLZ
b 4IFGFMUBCJUEJTBQQPJOUFE
c 4IFXBTWFSZFYDJUFE
d 4IFGFMUOFSWPVT
8IBUIBQQFOFEXIFO5IPNBT&EJTPOHBWF)BOBUIF
QBHFGSPNIJTMBCCPPL
f 4IFJOUSPEVDFEIJNUPIFSCSPUIFS
g 4IFUBMLFEWFSZMPVEMZUPIJNBCPVUUIFUSFF
h 4IFCPVHIUBQPTUDBSEPGIJNJOUIFHJGUTIPQ
i 4IFSFBMJ[FEUIBUIFSFBMMZXBT5IPNBT&EJTPO
8IZEJEUIFBVUIPSXSJUFi&EJTPOT*EFBTu
a UPUFMMUIFTUPSZPG5IPNBT&EJTPOTBNB[JOHMJGF
b UPFYQMBJOUIFIJTUPSZPG&EJTPOTIPNFJO'MPSJEB
c UPUFMMBGVOOZTUPSZBCPVUBHJSMXIPNFFUT&EJTPO
d UPUFBDIUIFSFBEFSBCPVU&EJTPOTGBNPVTJOWFOUJPOT
4UVEFOU/BNF
)PXEJEUIFNBO)BOBNFUQSPWFUIBUIFXBT5IPNBT
&EJTPO )PXEJENFFUJOH&EJTPODIBOHFIPX)BOBGFMUBCPVU
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
UIF&EJTPOIPVTF 6TFEFUBJMTBOEJOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFTUPSZ
UPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS

4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi%BWJET8FFLFOEuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
David’s Weekend
by Michael J. Black
David did not want to visit his Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pedro.
They lived in a retirement community called Silver Shells. The
idea of spending time there sounded boring but David had no
choice. His parents were going out of town for the weekend.
Saturday arrived and Mom and Dad dropped him off at Silver
Shells. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pedro kissed him hello. David had
no idea what to say or do.
Luckily, Uncle Pedro looked at his watch and announced that
it was time for shuffleboard1 practice.
Uncle Pedro led the way down a small hill. He pointed out the
members of his shuffleboard team. They were standing around

three green concrete courts holding long sticks.
1
shuffleboard: a game played by using a stick to push discs over a marked surface
4UVEFOU/BNF
Uncle Pedro introduced David to the men and handed him

one of the sticks. It had a scooped-out triangle on one end. Uncle
Pedro showed David how to use it. They practiced aiming pucks
at the triangle on the far end of their court.
David’s aim was terrible. He mostly sent his pucks off the side.
David felt a little silly, but nobody seemed to mind. Finally, David
pushed his puck straight enough and it stopped on a number. He
felt great!
The other men were a lot better than David. Their pucks went
exactly where they wanted. David tried to copy the men. He did
Mr. Green’s funny hopping step, and he held his stick just like
Mr. Ardanillo. Nothing worked, but David did not mind missing.
Everyone clapped for him anyway.
When Uncle Pedro said it was time for lunch, David did not
want to quit. Shuffleboard was probably going to be the most fun
he would have all weekend but he hung his stick on the wall and
followed everyone to the dining hall.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Aunt Lucy was waiting to take David to her table. She said she
hoped David liked hot dogs. He answered her by filling his plate
three times with hot dogs and toppings. He was headed for more
when Aunt Lucy pointed out the ice cream bar for dessert.
After lunch, Uncle Pedro went to take a nap. Aunt Lucy
invited David to meet her friends at the pool. David was a little
worried. When he went to pools, he liked to play games and
dive off the diving board. He did not think the Silver Shells pool
would be like that. He thought that the pool would probably not
even have a diving board. He figured they would only be allowed
to swim laps.
When David arrived at the pool area, the water was full of
smiling women in swim caps. Only a few were swimming laps.
Some of the ladies were floating on the water. Some of them were
even taking turns off the tall diving board! David was stunned.
For the next few hours, David dipped, dunked, and splashed
with his new pool buddies. He ended up staying in the water
longer than anybody else.
After swimming, it was time to go back to the apartment.
David was exhausted and ready for a nap. He crawled into bed
and slept for two hours.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Aunt Lucy woke David in time for an early dinner at the

local diner. Afterwards, David found there were more activities
planned. David had packed his favorite movie for Saturday night
to pass the time. Instead, he had a terrific time watching everyone
at the Silver Shells square dance.
He listened to the man at the microphone call the dance
steps. Just hearing him talk so fast made David’s head spin! The
women wore brightly colored skirts, and the men wore matching
shirts. Everyone kept moving and spinning with the music. David
couldn’t help but clap along and stomp his feet.
After the dance, Uncle Pedro told David that they would be
going to watch a baseball game the next day. David realized that
playing shuffleboard, swimming, and going to a square dance was
anything but boring. He was having fun and he knew tomorrow
would be great, too.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFTUPSZi%BWJET8FFLFOEu
8IBUQSPCMFNEJE%BWJEFYQFDUUPIBWF#&'03&HPJOH
UP4JMWFS4IFMMT
a )FUIPVHIUIFXPVMENJTTIJTQBSFOUT
b )FUIPVHIUIFXPVMECFCPSFE
c )FUIPVHIUIFXPVMEOPUHFUUPHPTXJNNJOH
d )FUIPVHIUIFXPVMEIBWFUPQMBZTIVGáFCPBSE
8IBUJTUIF'*345FWFOUJOUIFTUPSZUIBUUFMMTUIFSFBEFS
%BWJEXBTIBWJOHBHPPEUJNFBU4JMWFS4IFMMT
f )FTXBNJOUIFQPPM
g )FBUFUISFFQMBUFTPGIPUEPHT
h )FXBUDIFEFWFSZPOFEBODF
i )FFOKPZFEQMBZJOHTIVGáFCPBSE
8IBUQSPCMFNEJE%BWJEIBWFXIFOIFTUBSUFEQMBZJOH
TIVGáFCPBSE
a )FEJEOPUXBOUQFPQMFDMBQQJOHGPSIJN
b )FIBEUFSSJCMFBJNBOEUIFQVDLTXFOUUPUIFTJEF
c )FUSJFEUPJNJUBUFUIFPUIFSQMBZFST
d )FEJEOUVOEFSTUBOEUIFSVMFTPGUIFHBNF
4UVEFOU/BNF
%BWJEUIJOLTUIBUXIFOIFHPFTUPUIFTXJNNJOHQPPM
f IFXJMMCFUPPUJSFEUPTXJN
g IFXPOUXBOUUPUBMLUPBOZCPEZ
h IFXPOUCFBCMFUPEJWFBOEQMBZHBNFT
i IFXPOUCFBCMFUPTXJNMBQT
8IZEJEUIFBVUIPSXSJUFi%BWJET8FFLFOEu
a UPUFMMBTUPSZBCPVUBCPZHPJOHUPWJTJUIJTSFMBUJWFT
b UPFYQMBJOXIBUQFPQMFDBOEPJGUIFZBSFCPSFE
c UPUFBDIUIFSVMFTPGTIVGáFCPBSE
d UPDPOWJODFQFPQMFUPMFBSOUPEBODF
)PXEJE%BWJEGFFMBUUIFFOEPGIJTàSTUEBZBU4JMWFS
4IFMMT 8IZEJEIFGFFMUIBUXBZ 6TFEFUBJMTBOE
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
JOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFTUPSZUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFST

STOP
Section 4
Benchmarks
Cause and Effect
The student recognizes cause-and-effect relationships in literary texts.
Author’s Purpose
Contents
Passages Jody’s Terrible Day Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Sunshine Safety Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Rashad’s Wish Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
The Everglades Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
English Giants Move to Florida Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
*OUIJTTFDUJPO ZPVXJMMCFBOTXFSJOHRVFTUJPOTCBTFEPO
UIFTLJMMTCFMPX
$BVTFBOE&GGFDU Tip
&WFOUTJOBTUPSZPSBSUJDMFBSFDPOOFDUFE0OFXBZ O"MXBZTSFBEUIF
RVFTUJPOTBOE
FWFOUTBSFDPOOFDUFEJTUISPVHIDBVTFBOEFGGFDU
BOTXFSDIPJDFT
SFMBUJPOTIJQT5IFDBVTFJTBOFWFOUPSBDUJPOUIBU DBSFGVMMZ
DBVTFTTPNFUIJOHUPIBQQFO5IFFGGFDUJTXIBU O8IFOZPVDIPPTF
IBQQFOTCFDBVTFPGUIFFWFOUPSBDUJPO"TLi8IZ u UIFBOTXFSUPB
UPàOEBDBVTF"TLi8IBUIBQQFOFE uUPàOEUIF RVFTUJPO NBLFTVSF
FGGFDU UPGJMMJOUIFCVCCMF
DPNQMFUFMZ
"VUIPST1VSQPTF
,OPXJOHBOBVUIPSTQVSQPTFDBOIFMQZPVEFDJEF
XIBUBOBVUIPSJTUSZJOHUPTBZUPIJTPSIFSBVEJFODF"O
BVUIPSXSJUFTUPUFMMBTUPSZ UPHJWFJOGPSNBUJPO PSUPUFMM
IPXUPEPTPNFUIJOH"VUIPSTBMTPXSJUFUPQFSTVBEF5P
QFSTVBEFNFBOTUPUSZUPDPOWJODFTPNFCPEZUPCFMJFWF
BOJEFBPSBSHVNFOU
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi+PEZT5FSSJCMF%BZuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Jody’s Terrible Day

by Lin Azzara
Jody had run out of sugar cubes before she could finish
building her model. Her school project was due tomorrow. She
thought about asking her dad for help but he had been working all
day on a very important project. Jody was not supposed to bother
him for any reason. She decided to look for an extra box of sugar
cubes in the pantry.
Jody pushed aside bags of flour, corn meal, oat bran, and
granulated sugar. Then she sorted through packages of chocolate
chips, sprinkles, and cake mix. Finally, behind a stack of soup
cans, Jody spotted a box of sugar cubes. She shook it and was
excited to hear a few cubes rattling around inside.
Jody’s dog, Max, also heard the sound of the sugar cubes.
Thinking he was about to get a treat, Max scrambled into the
kitchen. Max accidentally knocked into Jody and the box flew
out of her hand. Max pounced on the sweet treats and the last few
sugar cubes were gone.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Jody sighed and went to talk to her dad. She felt bad about
pulling him away from his project but she desperately needed
some help.
Jody asked him for permission to bike to the store to buy
more sugar cubes. He agreed, but only if she brought back some
cranberry juice for him. Dad handed her a twenty-dollar bill and
went back to his project.
Backing out of the garage on her bike, Jody did not see the
nail on the floor behind her. She rolled right over it. In a flash, her
front tire went flat. Jody propped up her bike and hung her bike
helmet back on its peg. She grabbed Max’s leash and took the
mischievous dog for a walk to the store.
Jody walked to the end of Larch Lane where she stopped to let
her neighbor, Darcy, pet Max. Jody did not notice that Max had
spotted a squirrel.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The dog made a giant leap and caused Jody to drop the leash.
She suddenly lost her balance and fell hard on her right knee.
A huge grass stain was smeared across her favorite pair of pants.
What else could go wrong today? Jody gingerly rubbed her sore
knee and wiped herself off. She retrieved Max and continued
on her way.
Jody had a lot of stops to make. First, she tied Max to a park
bench and went to the bike store to buy a patch for her flat tire.
She found out that the shop was closed for the day. Jody was not
surprised. Nothing was going right today.
Jody decided to try her luck at the grocery store. She found
stain remover at the end of aisle six. At least that would take care
of her dirty pants! Jody found the sugar cubes in aisle eleven and
picked up three boxes. She even got a chew toy for Max. She
hoped that it would keep Max away from her sugar.
When she walked to the juice aisle she saw there was only one
bottle of her Dad’s favorite cranberry juice left. Relieved to get
the last bottle, Jody went to pay for her groceries.
Finally arriving home after a long day, Jody put the sugar
cubes next to her model. Then she poured her dad a glass of
cranberry juice. She wanted to surprise him.
Jody knew her father was hard at work, so she was very
quiet. She was so quiet that he did not hear her come in
the door. As Jody reached out to set the glass on the corner Tip
of his desk, he reached over without looking to get a pen. 1BZBUUFOUJPOUPXIBU
IBQQFOTJOUIFTUPSZ
His arm collided with Jody’s, and the glass hit the carpet,
BOEUIFPSEFSJO
spraying red juice everywhere. XIJDIUIFTFFWFOUT
PDDVS
4UVEFOU/BNF
It was too much for Jody and she started crying. She explained
to Dad the kind of day she had been having, and promised to
clean the carpet. Dad smiled and joked that the cranberry juice
matched the color of the carpet. They both laughed loudly.
Dad told her that “every cloud has a silver lining.” Jody asked
him what he meant. He explained that even when everything
seems to go wrong, there is still hope that things will get better.
Jody smiled, handed Max the chew toy, and went back to the
kitchen. When she finished her model, it looked perfect. Dad was
right. For once, something had worked out just like Jody planned.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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8IBUIBQQFOFE3*()5"'5&3+PEZSBUUMFEUIF
CPYPGTVHBSDVCFT
Tip
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a +PEZGPVOEPVUUIFCPYXBTFNQUZ BOFWFOU SFSFBEUIF
QBSUPGUIFTUPSZ
b +PEZXBTHMBEUIBUJUXBTGVMM XIFSFUIFFWFOU
c .BYDBNFSVOOJOHBOELOPDLFEJOUPIFS PDDVST5IFOSFBE
OFBSCZTFOUFODFTUP
d .BYSBOBXBZBGUFSBTRVJSSFM EFUFSNJOFXIZUIF
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f 4IFLOFXIFXBTCVTZXPSLJOHPOBQSPKFDU
g 4IFGFMUCBEBCPVUTQJMMJOHIJTKVJDF
h )FXBOUFEIFSUPTPMWFQSPCMFNTPOIFSPXO
i )FXBTBTMFFQJOUIFPUIFSSPPN
8IBUIBQQFOFEXIFO+PEZCBDLFEIFSCJLFPVUPG
UIFHBSBHF
a +PEZMFU.BYPVUPGUIFIPVTF
b +PEZTCJLFHPUBáBUUJSF
c +PEZGPSHPUIFSIFMNFU
d +PEZSPMMFEPWFS.BYTMFBTI
4UVEFOU/BNF
8IBUNBEF+PEZDSZBUUIFFOEPGUIFTUPSZ
Tip
f 4IFSBOPWFSBOBJMXJUIIFSCJLF 5PGJOEUIFDBVTFPG
BOFWFOU TLJNUIF
g 4IFGPSHPUUPCVZTVHBSDVCFT TUPSZUPGJOEXIFSF
h 4IFSVJOFEIFSNPEFM UIFFWFOUPDDVST
3FBEDBSFGVMMZ#F
i 4IFTQJMMFEBESJOLPOUIFDBSQFU TVSFUIBUZPVDIPPTF
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%BZu
a UPUFBDIIPXUPNBLFBNPEFMPVUPGTVHBSDVCFT
b UPFOUFSUBJOXJUIBTUPSZBCPVUBHJSMTCBEEBZ
c UPFYQMBJOXIZLJETTIPVMECFQPMJUFUPUIFJSQBSFOUT
d UPFYQMBJOIPXUPàOEJUFNTJOBHSPDFSZTUPSF
8IZEJE+PEZIBWFBiUFSSJCMFEBZu 6TFEFUBJMTBOE
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/

4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFBSUJDMFi4VOTIJOF4BGFUZuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Sunshine Safety
by Gloria Turner
Today, people protect their skin from the Sun in many
ways—wearing hats, staying in the shade, and using sunscreen
and suntan lotion. However, it was not until about seventy years
ago that people learned to protect themselves from the Sun while
getting a healthy tan.
For many hundreds of years, spending a great deal of time in

the Sun meant you worked hard outdoors. People in the upper
classes were proud not to be tan. This showed people that they did
not have to work outside. Many people wore robes with hoods or
wide hats, to prevent their skin from tanning. Some women used
strange methods, such as painting their skin with chalk to make
their skin lighter.
4UVEFOU/BNF
In 1923, a fashion designer named Coco Chanel started a new

trend. Chanel was well known for her fashions, and people loved
her work. Everyone around the world wanted to copy her style.
One day, Coco Chanel spent an afternoon on a boat. She was out
in the Sun for too long, and her skin became very tan. People
thought she had done this on purpose. Suddenly, everyone wanted
to be tan! Sunbathing became a popular past time.
For a while, doctors thought sunbathing was very healthy
because people absorb important vitamins from sunshine. Tip

Any amount of time in the Sun was supposed to be good. 'PMMPXUIFDIBJOPG
Then, doctors discovered that too much sunlight could FWFOUTDBSFGVMMZ

0OFFWFOUNBZ
make people sick. They found that years of tanning might DBVTFTPNFUIJOHUP
eventually cause skin cancer in some people. IBQQFO MFBEJOHUP
BOPUIFSFWFOU
4UVEFOU/BNF
Inventors tried to find ways to stop people from getting

sunburned. In 1936, Eugene Schueller invented the world’s first
lotion that could block the Sun’s rays. Swiss chemist Franz
Greiter also made a sunscreen two years later.
During World War II, soldiers in sunny areas got very badly
burned. A man named Benjamin Greene had an idea. He made a
thick jelly colored with red dye that would block the Sun’s rays.
This jelly protected the soldiers from the Sun, but it was very
sticky and messy.
After the war, Greene returned home to Miami, Florida. He
believed that everyone should use sun protection. He tested many
different lotions and creams on his own bald head. Finally, he
came up with one that blocked the Sun without being too messy.
People everywhere bought his suntan lotion. Greene started his
own company, just like Schueller and Greiter had.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Sunbathing continued to be popular into the 1950s. During

the winter months, some people would travel by plane to warmer
areas just to get a tan. At that time, scientists knew about two
kinds of rays from the Sun, called UVA and UVB. They thought
that only the UVB rays could harm people’s skin. Lotions were
made to block only UVB rays, not UVA rays. People spent hours
in the Sun, thinking they were safe but they were not. Doctors
soon discovered that UVA rays could be harmful. Just a few bad
sunburns could lead to skin cancer as a person got older.
By the 1980s, people were working to make stronger
sunscreens. These sunscreens had very high sun protection
factors, or SPFs. Lotion bottles were marked with SPF numbers
to let people know how strong they were. Sunscreens with the
highest numbers were the strongest.
Today, many adults and children use sunscreen when they go
outside. Some wear it on their faces every day because the Sun is
always in the sky—even in the winter.
Although no sunscreen can block out every single one of the
Sun’s rays, it does reduce the risk of illness related to sunburn.
So, the next time you go outside on a sunny day, remember the
sunscreen. Then you will be sure to have fun in the Sun.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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'PSIVOESFETPGZFBST QFPQMFJOUIFVQQFSDMBTTFTXFSF
QSPVEUPIBWFMJHIUTLJOCFDBVTF
a JUTIPXFEUIFZEJEOPUIBWFUPXPSLPVUTJEF
b JUXBTBUSFOETUBSUFECZBGBTIJPOEFTJHOFS
c JUNFBOUUIFZSBSFMZXFOUPOWBDBUJPO
d JUXBTUIPVHIUUPCFIFBMUIJFSUIBOBUBO
8IBUIBQQFOFE"'5&3EPDUPSTEJTDPWFSFEUIBU Tip
67"SBZTDPVMECFIBSNGVM
4LJNUIFBSUJDMFBOE
f 4USPOHFSTVOTDSFFOTXFSFEFWFMPQFE MPPLGPSUIFXPSET
67"SBZTUPGJOE
g 67#SBZTXFSFEJTDPWFSFEUPCFTBGF XIBUIBQQFOFE
h 1FPQMFSFGVTFEUPVTFTVOTDSFFO BGUFSEPDUPST
EJTDPWFSFEUIBU
i (SFFOFTUBSUFEIJTPXODPNQBOZ UIFZXFSFIBSNGVM
8JUIXIJDITUBUFNFOUXPVMEUIFBVUIPSPG
i4VOTIJOF4BGFUZu.045MJLFMZBHSFF Tip
5IJTBSUJDMFJTBCPVU
a )BWJOHBUBOXJMMNBLFZPVMPPLHSFBU QSPUFDUJPOGSPNUIF
b 4UBZJOHJOUIF4VOJTBHSFBUXBZUPHFU 4VOTSBZT5IF
BVUIPSXPVME
WJUBNJOT
QSPCBCMZBHSFFXJUI
c 1SPUFDUJOHZPVSTLJOGSPNUIF4VOJTJNQPSUBOU BTUBUFNFOUUIBU
TBZTTPNFUIJOH
d 5PPNVDITVOTDSFFODBOCFIBSNGVM TJNJMBS
4UVEFOU/BNF
1FPQMFVTFEUPUIJOLUIBUJUXBTIFBMUIZUPHFUBUBO&YQMBJO
XIZUIBUPQJOJPOIBTDIBOHFEPWFSUIFZFBST8IZEPQFPQMF
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
VTFTUSPOHTVOTDSFFOMPUJPOTOPX 6TFEFUBJMTBOEJOGPSNBUJPO
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFQPFNi3BTIBET8JTIuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
Rashad’s Wish
by Kelly Ross
Rashad knew as he stared at his cake

what his wish would be for.
“I wish every day was my birthday!”
Then he had a slice and asked for more.
Now every time you age a day,
Rashad ages one whole year.
It’s only been a week, and now,

eighteen is drawing near.
He hasn’t grown any taller.
he thinks it’s kind of weird.
He’ll get to ninety-eight before
he knows how to shave his beard.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFQPFNi3BTIBET8JTIu
8IBUXBTUIF."*/SFTVMUPG3BTIBETXJTI
a )FHFUTUBMMFSUIBOIJTGSJFOET
b )FBHFTBZFBSFWFSZEBZ
c )FUVSOTOJOFUZFJHIUJOBXFFL
d )FHSPXTBCFBSE
8IZEJEUIFBVUIPSXSJUFUIFQPFNi3BTIBET8JTIu
f UPQFSTVBEFQFPQMFUPOPUNBLFXJTIFT
g UPFYQMBJOIPXUPUISPXBCJSUIEBZQBSUZ
h UPFOUFSUBJOUIFSFBEFSXJUIBGVOOZQPFN
i UPEFTDSJCFUIFEJGGFSFODFTCFUXFFOZPVUIBOEPMEBHF
8IBUIBQQFOTXIFO3BTIBENBLFTBXJTI 6TFEFUBJMT
BOEJOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFQPFNUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi5IF&WFSHMBEFTuCFGPSFBOTXFSJOH
/VNCFSTUISPVHI
The Everglades
by Martin Barry
Not long ago, many creatures lived in the Everglades and

shared the land in peace. Years passed, and humans came to
the area. They needed more land, so they drained some of the
swamps in the Everglades. They dug miles of canals until the
fresh water there ran out into the sea.
Meanwhile, the creatures of the Everglades noticed that
it had become too dry. No rain had fallen in quite some time.
There was not enough fresh water coming into their swamps.
The shallow rivers of sea grass were choked with dirt and
mud. It became hard for the animals to run, float, or fly. A
young spoonbill bird complained that it could not find any

shrimp or fish to eat. Hundreds of other birds were hungry,
too. A red-bellied turtle worried that she would not find a
safe place for her eggs to hatch. She asked a river otter for
advice, but he had none. The creatures wondered why it had
become so hard to survive.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Years passed, and even more people came. A group of

businessmen asked the government to build more canals.
This would help control the storm flooding from hurricanes.
People continued draining the wild, wet Everglades.
Meanwhile, the willow trees whispered that the water was
too salty and low. The mangroves said their giant roots were
starting to feel weak. An old oak asked if anyone had seen
any swallowtail butterflies. None of the trees were sure if the
butterflies had survived.
Finally, in 1928, a human did something that was

helpful for the Everglades. A young man named Ernest Coe

wrote a letter to the National Park Service asking that parts
of the great wetlands be preserved and left alone. President
Franklin Roosevelt signed laws, and a park was created.
4UVEFOU/BNF
By 1948, the flooding made life very hard for the people
living there. The president sent engineers to change and
control the great river so the people could survive.
Meanwhile, the palm trees tried to gather the rare plants
under their branches. The tired manatees could not rest. All
their time was spent searching for the green plants that used
to grow on the river bottom. The panthers hid from people,
hunting for safety in the darkest corners of the swamp. Many
creatures feared they could not survive.
Still more people came. This time scientists discovered
the variety of plant and animal life in the Everglades. They
learned how much damage had been done by draining the
swamp waters. The engineers made more changes. Now the
Everglades could be flooded if it seemed too dry. They hoped
this would help the plants and animals to survive.
Deep in the saw grass, the alligators were confused.
Flood waters rose without warning. If the floods came early
enough, then the alligators had time to build their nests
high. If the floods came later, then their nests were too low,
and their eggs were all washed away. It was the same for the
wood storks.
People continued to arrive every season. They each used
gallons of fresh water from the Everglades every day. A man
ran the water in his bathroom sink until it flowed very hot.
He left it running while he shaved his beard. A young girl
played in the sprinkler on the lawn—the cool, clean water
spraying the grass for hours. A proud young man washed his
very first car. Then he washed it again.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Once again, the Everglades drained away. The alligators

reminded each other to dig deep holes to store water.
Opossums, skunks, and other creatures were driven to
the holes by terrible thirst. They were grateful when the
alligators let them take small sips of life-giving water.
Eventually, people learned to be more careful with the
treasures of the Everglades. They made laws to protect
the plants and animals from harm. They taught visitors to
respect the Everglades. They planted what had been taken
away and gave space back to the creatures that needed it.
They worked to let the fresh water flow naturally without
trying to control it Everyone did what was needed. In this
way, people and animals could survive together.
4UVEFOU/BNF
POUIFTUPSZi5IF&WFSHMBEFTu
8IBUXBTUIF."*/FGGFDUPGCVJMEJOHDBOBMTJOUIF
&WFSHMBEFT
a .BOZBSFBTJOUIF&WFSHMBEFTCFHBOUPESZVQ
b -BSHFTIJQQJOHCPBUTDPVMEQBTTUISPVHI
c 5IFXBUFSJOUIF&WFSHMBEFTCFDBNFDMFBOFS
d .BOZBOJNBMTOFTUTXFSFáPPEFE
8IZEJEUIFBMMJHBUPSTEJHEFFQIPMFTJOUIFHSPVOE
f UPUSBQTNBMMBOJNBMT
g UPIJEFGSPNUIFTVO
h UPCVJMEUIFJSOFTUT
i UPTUPSFXBUFS
8JUIXIJDITUBUFNFOUXPVMEUIFBVUIPSPGi5IF
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a 1MBOUTJOUIF&WFSHMBEFTCFOFàUFEGSPNUIFDBOBMT
b 'MPPEJOHUIF&WFSHMBEFTXBTBHPPEJEFB
c 5IFMJWJOHUIJOHTJOUIF&WFSHMBEFTNVTUCFQSPUFDUFE
d "MMJHBUPSTBSFCFDPNJOHBQSPCMFNJOUIF&WFSHMBEFT
4UVEFOU/BNF
8IBUFGGFDUEJEUIFBSSJWBMPGQFPQMFIBWFPOMJGFJOUIF
&WFSHMBEFT 6TFEFUBJMTBOEJOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFTUPSZUP
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
TVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFBSUJDMFi&OHMJTI(JBOUT.PWFUP'MPSJEBuCFGPSF
English Giants Move to Florida

by Michelle Barnes
English Shires are the For nearly 1,000 years,
largest breed of horse that ever Shires lived only in England.
lived in England. A grown male Today, the world’s largest Shire
Shire can weigh 2,500 pounds farm is in central Florida near
and can stand as tall as five feet Ocala. How did this breed of
at the shoulder. Shires have horse move from misty, cool
always been larger and stronger England to sunny, hot Florida?
than most other horses. It is a story of a long journey.
People have used the Shires’
great power for more than
1,000 years. One of the first jobs
for this mighty horse was to
carry knights. Fully dressed in
armor, knights could weigh up to
400 pounds! Only the strongest
horses could carry them. Shires
are also known for being very
steady and brave. That is why
history experts believe knights
rode Shires into battle.
4UVEFOU/BNF
When the time of knights The noisy, busy city life did
and jousting was over, the Shires not seem to bother them. The
were still very much in demand. wealthy liked to have teams
Farmers needed their strength of flashy, neat-looking Shires
to pull plows and haul heavy because it showed that they
loads. Many kinds of horses are were rich and important people.
skittish and hard to work with, The owners of these teams of
but Shires are very steady and Shires were admired for their
calm. horses. The Shires had shiny
Over time, more and more brown, black, or gray coats
roads were built because people and feathery hair around their
needed to move things from hooves. By 1909, there were
place to place. This meant over 6,000 Shires in the United
people needed to get more States.
horses to drive their carts
and carriages. Shires were
a popular choice for many
drivers.
As England grew stronger,
it set up colonies all over the
world including in America.
Shires were sent to work in
these new colonies, where
they were just as useful.
By the 1880s, Shires
could be found in most
big cities where they were

used to pull large carriages.
4UVEFOU/BNF
By 1920, things began feed and took up less space

to change. Horses were not than Shires. By 1950, there
needed as much. People could were very few Shires in
travel by automobile and cities America and in England.
built streetcars and subways Horse lovers took notice.
for public use. Many farmers Some decided to take action so
bought tractors because they that the Shires would not die
were easier to care for than out. Horse experts paid careful
horses. Those who still kept attention to the foals, or baby

horses now wanted small horses, to make sure they grew
breeds. They were cheaper to up healthy.
4UVEFOU/BNF
In 1984, a group of horse Today, there are about 4,000

breeders discovered that English Shires in the world.
central Florida’s weather The dozens of Shires living
was perfect for the Shires. In in Ocala train to take part in
addition, Florida’s soil and races and contests. They learn
water contained limestone1. to hitch up with as many as
This is very important to the five other horses so they can
Shires. Some experts found that practice for pulling contests.
a young Shire’s bones grow They spend most of the summer
faster in Florida than anywhere in parades or in races all over
else. This is due to the calcium the country. When the summer
in the limestone. heat ends, they return to Ocala.
The landscape of Florida From the fields of battle
is also ideal for the horses. to the streets of the city, these
Central Florida has wide open majestic horses have come a
spaces, which are better for the long way.
horse’s legs than the rocky hills
of other areas.
1
limestone: a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium
4UVEFOU/BNF
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8IZEJEGBSNFSTTUPQVTJOH4IJSFTJOUIFT
a 4IJSFTIBECFDPNFEJGàDVMUUPàOE
b 4IJSFTXFSFSFQMBDFECZUSBDUPST
c 4IJSFTXFSFOFFEFEGPSCBUUMFT
d 4IJSFTXFSFPOMZVTFEGPSSBDFT
8IBUJTUIFFGGFDUPGMJNFTUPOFPO4IJSFT
f *UNBLFTUIFNMPTFXFJHIU
g *UIFMQTUIFNSVOGBTUFS
h *UNBLFTUIFNIBWFTNBMMFSGPBMT
i *UNBLFTUIFJSCPOFTHSPXGBTUFS
8IZEJEUIFBVUIPSXSJUFUIFBSUJDMFi&OHMJTI(JBOUT.PWF
UP'MPSJEBu
a UPFYQMBJOIPXUPUBLFDBSFPG4IJSFT
b UPFOUFSUBJOXJUIBTUPSZBCPVU4IJSFTBOEKPVTUJOH
c UPUFMMUIFIJTUPSZPG&OHMJTI4IJSFT
d UPBTLUIFSFBEFSGPSTVQQPSUJOQSPUFDUJOH4IJSFT
4UVEFOU/BNF
8IZXFSF4IJSFTCSPVHIUUP"NFSJDB 6TFEFUBJMTBOE
JOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFBSUJDMFUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
8IZXBT'MPSJEBBHPPEQMBDFUPSBJTF4IJSFT 6TFEFUBJMT
BOEJOGPSNBUJPOGSPNUIFBSUJDMFUPTVQQPSUZPVSBOTXFS
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
STOP
Section 5
Benchmarks
Comparison and Contrast
The student recognizes the use of comparison and contrast in a text.
Similarities and Differences

The student knows the similarities and differences among the characters,
settings, and events presented in various texts.
Author’s Purpose
Contents
Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Passages The Fountain of Youth Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Art Discoveries Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
I Used to Hate Carrots Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Mother Nature’s Courtroom Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Florida’s Crocs and Gators Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
UIFTLJMMTCFMPX
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XBOUUPTJOHJOBQMBZ"UUIFFOEPGUIFTUPSZ UIFHJSMTJOHT
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UIFFOEPGUIFTUPSZ )PXJTTIFTUJMMUIFTBNF
"VUIPST1VSQPTF
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BOBVUIPSJTUSZJOHUPTBZUPIJTPSIFSBVEJFODF"OBVUIPS
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TPNFUIJOH PSUPDPOWJODFUIFSFBEFSBCPVUTPNFUIJOH
4UVEFOU/BNF
3FBEUIFTUPSZi5IF'PVOUBJOPG:PVUIuCFGPSF
The Fountain of Youth

by Vincent Cragg
For five days, Eduardo had trudged through the huge forests
of Florida. He was part of a group led by the explorer Juan Ponce
de León. They were looking for the Fountain of Youth. It was
believed that anyone who drank from its waters would be healed
of illness and would never grow old.
Ponce de León desperately wanted to find the fountain.
Eduardo wondered if all this hard work was worth it. He was not
sure he believed in the legend. Right now, Eduardo just wanted to
make his bug bites stop itching.
When the sun rose, the men started walking along the coast.
They were trying to find a way into the jungle and soon found a
stream to follow from the beach. The men made a path through
the mud by stomping on thick plants and cutting vines off tall
trees. They heard birds making noise over their heads. Snakes
and other creatures moved along the ground—and, of course,
mosquitoes attacked.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Eduardo was ready to stop searching, but Ponce de León

was not. Even as it got darker, Ponce de León pushed his men
forward. He was sure the fountain was close. Even the ferocious
growl of a panther did not slow him down.
Finally, Ponce de León agreed to stop. Everyone was ordered
to set up camp and sleep where they were. They would start their
search again first thing in the morning.
Eduardo ate a few dried biscuits from his bag. Then he used
his bag for a pillow and tried to sleep. Noisy monkeys, alligators,
and insects kept Eduardo tossing and turning. His bed of pine
needles did not help. At long last, he fell into a deep sleep and
slipped into a dream.
In his dream, Eduardo walked on a white beach in the hot sun.

It was a cool, windy day. Eduardo’s clothes and hair were clean.
His skin was smooth because there were no insects to bite him.
Eduardo was not cutting down plants in a jungle or searching
for anything. He was just enjoying the day. It was absolutely
wonderful. He never felt so at peace and at ease.
4UVEFOU/BNF
In the dream, hours seemed to pass and soon Eduardo

grew hungry. He turned and saw a line of trees near the
Tip
beach. Eduardo also saw a flock of seagulls taking fruit #FTVSFUPQBZ
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dove to the beach and landed next to him. It flapped its wings
until Eduardo stood up. The giant bird rose as high as Eduardo’s
shoulder. It flew along the beach, and Eduardo followed after it.
After several yards, the eagle turned straight into the trees.
When Eduardo followed, he saw a small stream. Its clear, cool
water flowed from deep inside the woods. Eduardo drank his fill,
then the water somehow disappeared.
The eagle moved deeper into the woods. The ground was
covered with thick vines and plants. The plants seemed to move
out of the way with every step Eduardo took. A smooth, soft path
filled the space. Eduardo followed it for quite some time. The
bright flowers almost glowed in the shade of the forest.
Then the eagle gave a loud call and raced out of view. A
surprised Eduardo noticed a clear space in front of him. It was
filled with light. Yellow and blue butterflies floated out of it. They
seemed to tell Eduardo to enter, and so he did.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Eduardo was amazed by what he found. It was a fountain. It

was unlike anything a man could make. Its water flowed smoothly
into a clear pool held by rocks. Its spray reached above the trees
and fell like a rainbow. Each drop of water shone like a rare
colorful gem.1 It was a magnificent sight.
Eduardo knew what this fountain must be. He stepped close as

mist settled on his face. The cool water startled him. He shut his
eyes and went into the warm light.
Suddenly, Eduardo felt a second splash of water hit his face.
This water was warm and was not refreshing. Eduardo wiped it
away and opened his eyes. He heard Ponce de León telling him to
wake up. Near Eduardo, the other explorers were also getting up.
Eduardo’s great dream was over.
Eduardo had to get ready for another day of searching. This
time, he did not mind. He was eager to explore. He believed he

might find the Fountain of Youth after all. Ponce de León was not
the only person with a dream. Eduardo could not wait to make his
own dream come true.
1
gem: a precious stone; jewel
4UVEFOU/BNF
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Art Discoveries
by Margaret Miller
Art lovers and artists enjoy was opened in 1922, many
finding new types of art. They people saw this new style of art
get ideas by looking at art in for the first time.
museums or from other artists. Soon, people everywhere
Sometimes, a new style or wanted to imitate this style.
design starts a movement in the Art Deco stayed very much the
art world. same as it was thousands of
One example of this is years ago. Modern artists used
Art Deco. In the 1920s, Art bright colors and bold lines in
Deco became a very popular their work. Art Deco was also
trend. This style uses simple used in fashion and jewelry. It
lines, bold colors, and zigzag found its way into clothing and
shapes. Art Deco was inspired furniture. It was also used in
by ancient Egyptian artists. movies as well.
The ancient Egyptians used to
honor their kings and
queens by building
ornate tombs for them.
A style that inspired
Art Deco can be found
on the tomb of King

Tutankhamen, a famous
Egyptian leader. When
Tutankhamen’s tomb
4UVEFOU/BNF
In 1925, there was an from other designs. Bright blue,

important Art Deco show in green, and pink often coat the
Paris, France. Due to this show, walls. Many of these walls
more and more people learned have simple lines and sharp
about this “old/new” style of angles and edges. The roofs of
art. Art Deco became the next buildings have a zigzag shape
big thing in the art world. that makes them look like
Art Deco was also used to steps. Some windows are
design buildings and brighten set as circles instead
up big cities. In fact, Art of squares, and they
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State Building in New York, building blocks and CVJMEJOHTEJGGFSFOU
use Art Deco style. neon lights. In addition, GSPNPUIFS

How can you tell when you Art Deco style uses CVJMEJOHT
are looking at an Art Deco symmetry. This means
building? There are several that one half of the design looks
ways that Art Deco is different the same as the other half.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Art Deco style is used in used it to celebrate the good

many cities. One of the most times in life. In the 1930s,
popular is Miami Beach, however, the United States
Florida. When Miami Beach went through a terrible time
was built, designers wanted called the Great Depression.
people to come from all over to Many Americans lost their jobs
see the city. So, they designed and their money. Stores went
everything from shops to out of business. People did not
restaurants to movie theaters have much to celebrate.
using the Art Deco style. The Because of this, Art Deco
idea worked well. Many people also changed. Cities did not
came to visit and see this lively build as many huge skyscrapers
town. Miami Beach became as before. Designers cut back
world famous for its use of the on fancy decorations for their
Art Deco style. buildings. Art Deco was not as
To many people, Art Deco bold and bright any more. It

stood for being happy and rich. became a simpler style.
It was bold and fun. People
4UVEFOU/BNF
Many designers did not like fancy features. Also, Art Deco
the old Art Deco style. They is no longer as popular as it
thought it was too showy. They once was.
did not think it was true to Art lovers are always
life. These designers worked looking for new kinds of
on newer buildings that were styles. Different cities and
different from the others. countries use different kinds
They used rounded corners of art. Sometimes, the art of a
and curved edges instead of particular place tells about its
sharp angles. They used glass history.
and cement as building blocks To this day, art continues to
rather than stone and wood. change and grow. Art Deco has
Art Deco has clearly had its chance to shine in its
changed quite a bit over the own way. What style will be the
years. Today, it is not as next big thing, and where will
common to see a building it come from? Perhaps it will
or a painting in this style. come from your hometown!
One reason is that Art Deco One thing is for sure: art lovers
buildings often cost a lot of will keep searching near and far
money to build because of the to find it.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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I Used to Hate Carrots

by Betty Dominguez
I used to hate carrots, and peaches, and tea.
But something has happened. It’s strange.
I have the same mouth, and I know I’m still me,
though my tastes are really beginning to change.
I thought—a carrot or two wouldn’t hurt.

Then I sampled a peach. It was sweet as honey!
I even had a cup of tea for dessert!
I used to hate carrots, and peaches, and tea.
I don’t understand it. What happened to me?
4UVEFOU/BNF
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Mother Nature’s Courtroom

by Leo Haggerty
Today, Mother Nature needed to find out about some unusual

cold weather fronts in Florida. Count Cold, Snow Belle, and
Miss Ice were brought to her courtroom. Each one had made
recent excursions to Florida without warning. Yet Mother Nature
believed they had not acted alone. She thought some bigger force
was pressuring them. Mother Nature wanted to know for sure.
Count Cold was the first to sit before her. Wrapped in white
fur robes, he balanced on the edge of the chair. The glass of water
next to the Count quickly froze as he touched it.
Mother Nature presented the Count’s case. She read:
Count Cold rules over Siberia and other frosty lands. His
snow covers entire countries. His glaciers freeze huge seas.
The Count first swept into Florida with the Great Blizzard of
1899. He tossed snow drifts and freezing temperatures across
Tampa Bay. It was the only time in Florida history that the
temperature dropped below 0 degrees.
The Count did not strike again for almost 85 years. Then one
day in 1982, he returned. He froze Florida and almost all of the
United States! It was known as Cold Sunday.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The Count spoke. He said that he was not a criminal. After all,
he had only been to Florida twice in 83 years. He recalled that a
strange weather pattern had blown in from the west, pushing him
down to Florida both times.
Still, Mother Nature could not look past the damage he caused.
The Count’s deep freeze in 1982 destroyed Florida’s entire orange
crop in one night. That badly hurt the state’s juice business. So
Count Cold was ordered to stay away from the fruit orchards. His
case was closed. Mother Nature was ready for the next case.
It was Snow Belle’s turn to face the court. Mother Nature
unrolled the paper and read:
Snow Belle oversees the Rocky Mountains in the western part
of the United States. She covers ski slopes with puffy powder and
smooth hills with snow for sledding. Kids love her.
Snow Belle has visited Florida twice. For most of February
1978, flurries fell over the state—but many people had fun.
However, in March of 1993, she brought a blizzard into
Florida and all along the east coast of the United States. She
carried freezing rain and tornadoes with her. It was called “The
Storm of the Century.” This caused a lot of damage. It was her
second visit in 15 years without permission.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Mother Nature gave Snow Belle a stern look. Snow Belle

confessed that she had indeed visited Florida in 1978— just for
fun. However, she could not explain the storm of 1993. She felt
that somehow she was convinced to bring a blizzard to Florida. A
mysterious force had urged her to do it.
Mother Nature ordered Snow Belle to take a class in weather
patterns. If she passed the final exam, her record would be wiped
clean. Snow Belle promised that she would work hard.
Mother Nature was still bothered. Neither Count Cold nor
Snow Belle could tell her who was pressuring them. She worried
that her last case would not be much help either.
Miss Ice sat as stiff as an icicle as she rapped her blue
fingertips on the railing and pinched her purple lips. Mother
Nature picked up the last scroll and read:
Miss Ice keeps a firm grip on the northern Atlantic Ocean. She
hurls winter storms against the coasts and brings sleet, hail, and
bitter rain all winter long.
Miss Ice first came to Florida in 1989.
She brought the worst freeze ever to the state.
People had trouble in the frigid cold because
they were used to warm temperatures. So many
people needed to heat their homes that the
power system broke down.
When Miss Ice returned in 2003, she left a
fine line of flurries along the coast. Her second
visit stirred up old fears, but she caused no
damage that time.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Miss Ice explained that a strong force pushed her into Florida
in 1989. She fought it with whipping winds and shards of ice,
but could not win. When the force returned in 2003, she fought
back harder. Her sweat and tears became the traces of snow that
Florida saw that winter.
Mother Nature promised to let Miss Ice off the hook, on one
condition: Miss Ice must name the force that had pushed her.
When Miss Ice finally spoke, everyone could see her breath. Yet
only Mother Nature heard the two words she whispered: El Niño.1
Mother Nature gasped. El Niño was a huge weather wonder
who stirred up all sorts of trouble. She should have known he was
behind it all. When El Niño was on the rise, he made Florida’s
winters strangely cool.
Mother Nature dismissed the court. It was time to track down
El Niño and bring him to her courtroom.
1
El Niño: a warm current of water that appears every three to seven years in the eastern
Pacific Ocean, causing severe changes in weather around the world
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Florida’s Crocs and Gators

by Danielle Caldwell
American crocodiles and alligators are the largest reptiles in
Florida. They look similar—which means that a lot of people
have trouble telling them apart. The two animals are alike in
many ways, but there are also several key differences.
It is not always easy to find alligators and crocodiles. They

often float just below the surface of the water. Only their eyes and
nostrils peek out above the water. This makes it easy for them to
hide while they hunt.
Both alligators and crocodiles catch their prey by crushing
it with their sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Adult alligators will
eat any flesh they can snap up, including leftovers from other
animals. Mostly, they eat a lot of fish. Crocodiles feed mostly at
night and eat fish as well as turtles, crabs, and birds.
Alligators and crocodiles can stay underwater for a long time.

Alligators like freshwater. Crocodiles, on the other hand, prefer
saltwater. They have special glands that can remove extra salt
from their bodies.
4UVEFOU/BNF
They have clear lenses under their eyelids that can slide across
their eyes, allowing them to see underwater. Both have flaps to
close their windpipes. This means they can drown prey without
getting water in their lungs. In addition, alligators and crocodiles
move even faster in water than they do on land. They have long,
powerful tails for swimming.
One way to tell alligators and crocodiles apart is by looking at
their snouts. An alligator has a wide, flat snout. Crocodile snouts,
on the other hand, are much narrower. Some of the crocodile’s
lower teeth stick out and curve into the upper jaw.
Alligators live all over Florida, but crocodiles live only in

the southern tip of the state. Both species live in shelters called
burrows. They use their snouts and tails to dig into riverbanks or
beaches. They crawl into their burrows to avoid danger and cold
weather. During hot, dry seasons, alligators and crocodiles will
travel long distances across land to find water. Alligators will also
dig and cover special holes to catch and save water.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The word alligator comes from the Spanish word el lagarto.

It means “big lizard.” Alligators are not lizards, but they are very
big. Adult males can grow to be 14 feet long and weigh over
300 pounds. Adults have olive brown or black skin covered with
scales and bony plates covering their slightly soft, white bellies.
The word crocodile comes from the Greek word krokodilos.
It means “pebble worm,” which describes the bumpy, dark
green and brown body of the crocodile. At 15 feet long, though,
crocodiles are much bigger than worms!
Alligators and crocodiles have different ways of caring for
their young. Female alligators build nests in early summer to
lay their eggs. Each nest is a large mound made from plants and
mud. The female digs a hole in the top and then lays 20–50 eggs
in it. She covers the eggs with rotting plants to keep them warm.
She stays nearby to guard the nest. About 65 days later, the eggs
hatch. The hatchlings bark so the mother knows when to dig them
out. She uses her tongue to carry them down to the water.
The mother protects the hatchlings from birds, fish, and
sometimes male alligators. She also holds the prey underwater
when she hunts to allow her young to eat.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Crocodile mothers are not as active as alligator mothers. In

most cases, they dig holes instead of building mounds. They lay
30–60 eggs in late spring that hatch about 90 days later. Crocodile
mothers sometimes protect the eggs from animals trying to eat
them. However, once the eggs have hatched, the young are on
their own. They usually leave their mothers days after hatching.
Alligators have been protected and studied since the 1960s.

Experts have tried to save them from extinction after the animals
were hunted for hundreds of years. From 1800 to 1900, three
million alligators were killed for their skins. Many also died
because their habitat was destroyed. The government set up laws
to protect alligators from hunters and to protect much of their
habitat. Today, over one million alligators live in Florida.
The American crocodile, though, is still at risk. Crocodiles
were also endangered by hunting and habitat loss. It was not
until 1984 that laws were passed to protect them. Experts believe
10,000 to 20,000 wild American crocodiles now live in Florida.
Alligators and crocodiles are both important animals in

Florida. Scientists study them. Lawmakers protect them. Schools
and businesses proudly use them as mascots. It is clear that these
large reptiles have a long future in Florida.
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Section 6
Benchmarks
Reference and Research Information
The student selects and uses a variety of appropriate reference materials,
including multiple presentations of information such as maps, charts, and
photos, to gather information for research projects.
Author’s Purpose
Contents
Explanation of Skills for the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Passages Orange Juice: From Tree to Glass Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Key Lime Pie Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Beach Day Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
How to Train a Bottlenose Dolphin Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Treasures Under the Sea Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
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Orange Juice: From Tree to Glass

by Melissa Graham
Have you ever enjoyed a cool glass of orange juice? You might
not think about where it came from, but the journey from the tree
to your glass is an interesting one.
The trip begins in Florida. Each year, 40 billion oranges are
grown in Florida, more than any other state. In fact, it is almost
half of the world’s orange supply.
Florida boasts more than 600,000 acres of orange trees. Most
trees bloom in March and April. The blooms grow and some
oranges are ready to be picked in October and November.
Other oranges ripen in December, January, and February. The last
oranges do not get picked until a year after the tree blooms.
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4UVEFOU/BNF
Almost all of Florida’s oranges are picked by hand. Growers

climb ladders and fill up bag after bag of oranges. Some of these
oranges are picked to be sold at supermarkets and fruit stands.
Most of them, however, are made into juice. Growers dump full
sacks of oranges into tubs that can hold 900 pounds. A machine
dumps the full tubs into a particular truck called a goat. The
oranges are then transferred from the goat to a tractor trailer. The
trailer hauls the oranges to a large factory which is a processing
plant. This building is where oranges are turned into juice.
When the orange truck arrives at the processing plant, it is
weighed. This shows how large the batch of oranges is. Then the
oranges are unloaded and tested again. The oranges are sorted
into different groups to make different kinds of juice.
Bad or damaged oranges are removed. The rest are washed
and sent to juice extractors. These machines crush the oranges to
squeeze out the juice. They also drain the oil out of the oranges.
After the squeezing is done, the juice continues its journey. It
goes to a finisher, a big screen that takes out pulp and seeds.
4UVEFOU/BNF
The juice is not ready to drink

yet. First, it is heated to get rid of any
extra water. Then it is chilled until it
becomes frozen. The frozen juice is
then separated by the amount of sugar
and acid it has. This allows juice
companies to mix the different kinds
of juice to produce their own flavors.
Some companies make +VJDFFYUSBDUPSTTRVFF[F
frozen orange juice. They do this KVJDFPVUPGUIFPSBOHFT
by filling cans with concentrate.1
When people open the cans, all they have to do is add
water. Other companies make juice that is ready to drink.
The juice is then shipped to stores by trucks with cooling systems.
The next time you drink a glass of orange juice, you will know
how it got from the tree to your glass. It takes a lot of work, but
the result is well worth it!
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concentrate: a liquid made stronger by the removal of water
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Key Lime Pie

by Matt A. Sacks
Did you know that Florida has an official state pie? It does!
That honor goes to the delicious key lime pie.
The main ingredient in key lime pie is key lime juice. Key
limes are small, oval-shaped citrus fruits. They have yellow skin,
are green on the inside, and are juicier and tarter than regular
limes. Key limes grow on 8-foot-tall trees covered with thorns
and shiny, crooked leaves.
Key limes were first found in Asia and over time, traders
carried them to Europe. Then, in the 1500s, the explorer
Christopher Columbus took them on his journeys. After a while,
key lime seeds were planted in Florida, especially in Key West.
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Key limes still grow in many Florida back yards, but they are
not as common as they once were. Instead, Florida growers now
plant Persian lime trees. Persian limes are seedless and bigger
than key limes. They taste a lot like key limes, but true key lime
fans can tell the difference. For that reason, Florida grocery stores
make sure to keep key limes in stock. Most of them are grown in
Mexico and shipped to Florida.
Once customers buy their limes, they are ready to make key
lime pie. Each pie needs one perfectly ripe piece of fruit. Ripe
key limes are yellow and have no brown spots or hard, dried skin.
There are many types of key lime pie. Most use the same kind
of filling. However, there are different choices for the crust and
toppings. The most popular key lime pie has a flour crust. It also
has a meringue topping, which is made of egg whites and sugar.
Since the crust of the pie can get soggy, other kinds of key lime
pie use a graham cracker crust.
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Here is a recipe to make a basic key lime pie. If you make this
recipe, be sure to ask an adult to help you.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon key lime zest

1/2 cup key lime juice
a 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
9-inch baked pie shell
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar
Grate the outer skin of one ripe key lime with a fine grater.
Do not grate the bitter white part under the skin. After the zest is
ready, squeeze the key limes over a measuring cup until you have
a 1/2 cup of juice.
6TFCPUUMFELFZMJNFKVJDFJGGSFTILFZMJNFTBSFOPUBWBJMBCMF
4UVEFOU/BNF
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pour the lime juice and zest
into a mixing bowl. Add 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
and 3 egg yolks. Beat the ingredients until the mixture thickens.
Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake for 25–30 minutes until
the filling is set. Cool the pie on a rack.
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Mix 1/4
teaspoon of cream of tartar and 3 egg whites in a stainless
steel bowl. Beat them until they form soft peaks. Carefully add
6 tablespoons of sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until blended. The
finished mixture will be dry, not stiff. Spread the meringue so
it covers the filling. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the meringue
peaks are light brown.
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Key lime pie should be stored in the refrigerator until it is time

to serve it.
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Beach Day
by Katherine Brown
I’m about to begin a great day at the beach
full of fun in the water and sand.
I find a nice spot and call my dad over
with a quick little wave of my hand.
I reach for the sunscreen, give a strong squeeze

and the lotion comes pouring out.
I spread it around, but it looks like cream cheese
has been smeared from my toes to my snout.
A strong gust of wind blows sand in my face—

now I’m tempted to call it a day.
But the beach is so nice and the waves are so near—
nothing will stand in my way!
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How to Train a Bottlenose Dolphin

by Michael Castillo
Although the ocean is home They have six air sacs near their
to the bottlenose dolphins, these blow holes to make 30 different
creatures also live in many sounds. These noises sound
marine parks and aquariums. like clicks, grunts, and squeaks.
Adult males can grow up Each dolphin makes one
to eight feet long and weigh personal sound, like a name.
500 pounds. They are very Dolphin clicks are part
strong and can dive deep into of a special sense called
the water for minutes at a time. echolocation. This helps
Dolphins will usually not hurt dolphins understand what is
anybody. Sometimes, they around them. The dolphin
can attack if they feel they are sends clicking sounds into the
in danger. To be safe, people water. It listens as the sounds

working with dolphins must be bounce off things and return to
able to communicate with them the dolphin. The dolphin can
and understand their behavior. then tell the shape, size, speed,
Dolphins use noises to distance, and location of the
communicate with each other. object based on these echoes.
4UVEFOU/BNF
Experts have noticed many part-time at animal shelters,

other interesting behaviors zoos, or aquariums, and almost
in dolphins, like leaping and all of them have college
tail-slapping. Trainers ask degrees. They often study
dolphins to perform these biology or psychology to learn
acts in aquariums and special more about how animals act
pools. The trainers use these and think. Trainers must be
as a starting point to teach the very good at swimming and
dolphins new behaviors. diving, too. Above all, a trainer
must be patient and careful.
All trainers must use
positive reinforcement to
work with dolphins. Positive
reinforcement means giving
a reward when the dolphin
does something correctly.
For example, a trainer might
feed a dolphin a fish for doing
a certain trick. The dolphin
connects the trick with a fun,
pleasant reward and is willing
to do it again. The most
common reward is fish, but
trainers offer other rewards.
%PMQIJOTVTFUIFJSQPXFSGVM Dolphins like head rubs, tongue
UBJMTUPQVTIPVUPGUIFXBUFS tickles, and squirts of fresh
water in the mouth. Dolphins

Becoming a dolphin trainer pay close attention to trainers
takes a very long time. Trainers because they like getting these
start early in life. Many work kinds of rewards.
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Dolphins that pay attention Then, it learns to roll the right

to trainers can learn signals. way. Next, it learns to hold up
Only one signal is taught at the proper body part. Finally,
a time. The easier signals are it lets different team members
hand or arm motions. More clean, rub, or give medicine to
difficult signals use targets. A the body part.
target is a pole or a trainer’s
hand. The dolphin has to
swim, leap, or dive to touch
the target. Trainers will use a
whistle to call a dolphin.
More than anything, a
trainer must make sure that
the dolphin is healthy and fit.
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Dolphins learn to float near the
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pool’s edge and roll to one side. BOEàU
This allows a medical team to
check the fins, eyes, and belly of Dolphins can have up to
the animal. six training sessions each day.
A dolphin is not taught this In each one, they review some
routine all at one time. It needs behaviors they have already
many training sessions to learn learned. Then, they practice two
what to do. First, the dolphin or three new behaviors. Each
learns to be comfortable in behavior is practiced one or two
approaching the medical team. times each session.
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Dolphins do not have to

take part in these sessions if
they do not want to. Still, most
participate because they enjoy
the games, the human contact,
and the rewards.
Many of the behaviors
dolphins learn are just for show. #PUUMFOPTFEPMQIJOTEPOPU
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People at parks and aquariums TIBQFEUFFUI5IFZTXBMMPX
enjoy watching dolphins leap àTIXIPMF
and play. In addition, dolphins
can perform more important Trainers do much more than
tasks. Some dolphins are teach their dolphin friends.
trained to work for the military. Each morning they collect
Trained dolphins work in the fish and sort them into food
open sea. They find and mark buckets to feed the dolphins.
dangerous sea mines floating Trainers must also dive down
in the ocean or buried in the and clean out the pools where
sand. They sweep large areas of dolphins live. Above all,
water to find the safest path for trainers keep a close eye on
ships. They search harbors and the dolphins. They study each
alert their handlers if someone dolphin’s mood and energy
gets too close to a marine base. level. Then, they plan tasks
The dolphins return to their that will keep each dolphin
handlers for rewards when their healthy and happy to learn.
work is done.
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Treasures Under the Sea

by Jake Finch
The waters of Florida are full of sunken treasure. Some
experts believe these underwater riches are worth more than
$165 million! How did so much money end up at the bottom of
the sea? How long has it been down there?
Hundreds of years ago, pirates sailed the oceans. They
attacked any wealthy ships that they came across. Once the
pirates took control of a ship, they looted any gold and tools they
wanted and sank the rest.
Pirates were not the only reason ships sank. When Florida was
first discovered, many different countries wanted to control it.
Wars broke out, and many battles were fought at sea. For years,
warships fought with each other on the open seas. When a ship
went down, it often took costly weapons and gold coins with it.
Natural forces took down
ships, as well. Over the years,
ain
North America Sp
hurricanes hit the coast of
o
ett
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Florida and its waters. Many Atlantic

Ocean
ships were destroyed by strong
Mexico
winds and waves. Others were ro
m
f
es
lost when they crashed into

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4UVEFOU/BNF
Even though there are so many sunken treasures, they can still
be hard to find. After hundreds of years, sand can shift and bury
everything. Water currents also push things around. Just getting
underwater is difficult enough. Long before leaving land, treasure
hunters look for clues about the location of a shipwreck. They
examine ship logs, journals, and old maps. Sometimes they even
listen to old legends, hoping there might be a bit of truth to them.
Treasure seekers narrow down the clues to one site that looks
promising. Then they can begin the real hunt.
Some treasure hunters use metal detectors to check the area
near a shipwreck. If they find old coins, they swim out to explore
the shallow waters. Many people use snorkeling equipment to
check the area near the shore. Trained scuba divers can swim
even deeper. In most cases, this swim-and-scan method does not
produce any real finds. Anything deeper than 150 feet is too far
down for divers with regular scuba equipment.
Still Lost: A Sample of Florida’s Sunken Treasures

Date Location Type of Treasure Value
1563 Florida coast Spanish silver bullion, gold ingots, cannons $2,000,000
1590 Fort Meyers coast Calusa Indian tribute for their leader, Carlos millions
1650s Cayo Costa Island Spanish ship with Mexican gold, silver, gems unknown
1700s Santa Rosa Island Billy Bootleg’s gold and silver bars $1,000,000
1700s Boca Raton Inlet one of Blackbeard’s small treasure chests $200,000
1715 Cape Canaveral gold of the Spanish Armada fleet $20,000,000
1823 Cayo Costa Island newly-minted U.S. gold coins $3,000,000

1864 Apalachicola Bay Confederate Army silver and various coins $500,000
4UVEFOU/BNF
To search deeper water, treasure hunters use ships equipped

with special tools. The magnetometer, a type of large metal
detector, is used for finding buried metal objects. Waterproof
video and picture cameras are common tools, too. The ships also
use sonar1, which can find objects on the ocean floor.
Another crucial tool is the Recovery Operation Vehicle (ROV).
ROVs are underwater vehicles without human drivers. ROVs have
camera and sonar tools to find objects. Some ROVs can go up to
8,000 feet deep. Experts use the information from all these search
tools to draw maps of the dive site. Maps help them decide the
best way to find the sunken treasure.
When sunken treasure is found and recovered, it is called
“marine salvage.” The sailors and treasure hunters who find
marine salvage are called “salvors.” Some salvors want to study
the treasures to learn more about history. Most salvors like the
adventure of finding ancient objects. They often sell them to
collectors to make money.
1
sonar: a system used to find the position of underwater objects
4UVEFOU/BNF
Finding the treasure is hard work, but bringing it to the surface

is even more difficult. It can require substantial time and money.
Divers get more tired with each dive. Also, they cannot go very
deep. Salvors must use expensive ROVs to bring most salvage up
to the surface. These vehicles are equipped with different types of
tools that can grab, cut, and pull objects.
Uncovering hidden treasure requires a lot of effort. The crew
must be skilled, and the weather and water conditions must be
just right. The work can be exhausting, and there is no promise
that treasure will be found. However, there is still a lot of ocean
left to explore in Florida. No treasure hunter would dream of
walking away from so much wealth.
4UVEFOU/BNF
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STOP
Writing+
Contents
Section 1: FCAT Writing+ Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

6-Point Writing Rubric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Writing Checklist for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Writing Prompts: Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Writing Prompts: Narrative (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . 185
Writing Prompts: Expository (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . .189
Section 2: Writing Plan Format (LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Writing Plan Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Section 3: Writing Sample Format (LA.B.1.2.2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Writing Sample Format Explanation for Studtents . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Cloze Selection Format Explanation for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Section 5: Stand-Alone Questions Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Stand-Alone Questions Format Explanation for Students . . . . . .225
Short-Response and Extended Response Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Anchor Papers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253

Section 1
Writing+ Prompts
In this section, students will practice responding to narrative and
expository writing prompts. Encourage students to plan out their
responses carefully and refer to their outlines when they write. You may
wish to provide students with the Writer’s Checklist on page 183.
A rubric for scoring student responses (p. 182) and sample student
responses (pp. 253–286) are provided.
Benchmarks
Benchmark LA.B.1.2.1
The student prepares for writing by recording thoughts, focusing on a
central idea, grouping related ideas, and identifying the purpose for
writing.
The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the
topic and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a
logical organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion,
and transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas;
demonstrates a command of language, including precision in word
choice; generally has correct subject/verb agreement; generally has
correct verb and nouns forms; with few exceptions, has sentences that
are complete, except when fragments are used purposefully; uses a
variety of sentence structures; and generally follows the conventions of
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
The student produces final documents that have been edited for
correct spelling; correct use of punctuation, including commas in series,

dates, and addresses, and beginning and ending quotation marks;
correct capitalization of proper nouns; correct paragraph indentation;
correct usage of subject/verb agreement, verb and noun forms, and
sentence structure; and correct formatting according to instructions.

6-Point Writing Rubric
6 Points 5 Points 4 Points 3
Points 2 Points 1 Point
Focus Writing is Focus Writing is Focus Writing is Focus Writing is not Focus Displays Focus Displays no
clearly focused on mostly focused on partially on topic but focused. Includes minimal awareness understanding of the
the topic and the topic. includes unrelated unrelated details. of the topic. Contains topic.
topic is explained details. many unrelated
completely. details.
Organization Organization Organization Organization Organization Organization
Writing is organized, Writing is organized Writing shows little Writing is not Includes either a Includes either
with a clear with beginning, organization or organized. There is sentence or phrase picture only,
beginning, middle, middle, and end. connection between no clear beginning, and left to right scribbles or letter
and end, and using ideas. middle, and end. progression. Ideas strings, or simple left
transition words. are expressed in no to right progression.
identifiable order.
Support Writing has Support Writing Support Writing Support Writing has Support Writing has Support Few details
many details to includes details that uses some details few supporting few details and word or examples and
support the main support the main and predictable details and simple, choice is basic. limited word choice.
idea and the word idea and mostly word choice. repetitive word
choice is specific and specific word choice. choice.
engaging.
Conventions Conventions Most Conventions Conventions Conventions Conventions
All sentences are sentences are Sentences contain Sentences have little Numerous spelling Minimal
complete and complete and there some spelling, or no punctuation and grammatical understanding of
contain mostly are few spelling, grammar, and and numerous errors. Basic letter/sound
correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. grammar and understanding of correspondence,
grammar, and punctuation errors. Writing has no spelling errors. There sentence structure. little use of
punctuation. Writing Sentence structure variety in sentence is no variety in capitalization or
has a variety of has some variety. structure. sentence structure. punctuation.
sentence structures.
U Writing that is unscorable or is unrelated to the topic or is illegible.

4UVEFOU/BNF
Writer’s Checklist
Here is a checklist to help you do your best when
you respond to the FCAT Writing+ prompts. Keep this
checklist in mind when you plan, write, and review
your answers.
Read the prompt carefully.

Think about the central idea of your answer.
Make an outline to organize your ideas.
As you write, support your ideas by adding
details.
Use transitional words such as first, however,
and also to link your ideas.
Review your answers for punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, and grammar
mistakes.

Writing Prompts
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Example of a Prompt That Asks You to

Write a Story
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Example of a Prompt That Asks You to

Write to Explain
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NBLFBHSFBUQFU

130.15
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%0/0583*5&0/5)*41"(&

Section 2
Writing Plan Format
The FCAT Writing+ test consists of four types of multiple-choice
questions: questions based on writing plans, questions based on drafts,
questions based on a cloze selection, and stand-alone questions about
conventions.
In this section, students will practice answering multiple-choice
questions based on sample student writing plans. These questions will
assess focus and organization. The writing plans consist of graphic
organizers and information that a student has created in preparation for
writing.
Benchmarks
The student prepares for writing by recording thoughts, focusing on a
central idea, grouping related ideas, and identifying the purpose for
writing.
The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the topic
and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a logical
organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion, and
transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas;
choice; generally has correct subject/verb agreement; generally has
correct verb and nouns forms; with few exceptions, has sentences that are
complete, except when fragments are used purposefully; uses a variety of
sentence structures; and generally follows the conventions of
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

Get Ready to Take on Writing+
Writing Plan Format
The questions in this section are called multiple-choice
questions. A multiple-choice question is followed by
several answer choices.
Writing plans such as a web, chart, or list help you Tip
to organize your thoughts before you write your first O
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Ben’s Writing Plan
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STOP

Section 3
Writing Sample Format
conventions.
questions based on sample student drafts. These drafts include
numbered markers that denote sentence and paragraph placement.
Students will be tested on revision techniques, conventions, and
cohesiveness of the drafts.
Benchmark
The student drafts and revises writing in cursive that focuses on the
topic and demonstrates a sense of completeness or wholeness; has a
logical organizational pattern, including a beginning, middle, conclusion,
and transitional devices; has ample development of supporting ideas;
choice.

Writing Sample Format
The questions in this section are called multiple-
choice questions. A multiple-choice question is
followed by several answer choices. Tip
In this section, you will be asked to answer O
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What do these mean?

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Sunday, October 15
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Forest Hill School Play

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STOP

Section 4
Cloze Selection Format

conventions.
questions based on cloze selections. These selections contain numbered
blanks that represent missing information that test students’ knowledge of
conventions. Students are asked to select the best answers that complete the
blanks in the selection.
Benchmark
The student produces final documents that have been edited for correct
spelling; correct use of punctuation, including commas in series, dates, and
addresses, and beginning and ending quotation marks; correct capitalization
of proper nouns; correct paragraph indentation; correct usage of subject/
verb agreement, verb and noun forms, and sentence structure; and correct
formatting according to instructions.

Cloze Selection Format
The questions in this section are called multiple-
choice questions. A multiple-choice question is
followed by several answer choices. Tip
In this section, you will be asked to answer multiple- O
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choice questions based on short passages that RVFTUJPOTBOE
have incomplete sentences. Use your knowledge of BOTXFSDIPJDFT
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grammar and conventions to correctly complete the
sentences. O
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Always read all the answer choices under each UIFBOTXFSUPB
question, and decide which answer is correct. Fill RVFTUJPO NBLFTVSF
UPGJMMJOUIFCVCCMF
in the bubble next to the answer you think is correct
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for each multiple-choice question. Do not make any
marks outside the bubble.

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STOP

Section 5
Stand-Alone Questions Format

conventions.
questions about grammatical conventions including capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling.
Benchmark
The student produces final documents that have been edited for correct
spelling; correct use of punctuation, including commas in series, dates, and
addresses, and beginning and ending quotation marks; correct capitalization
of proper nouns; correct paragraph indentation; correct usage of subject/
verb agreement, verb and noun forms, and sentence structure; and correct
formatting according to instructions.

Stand-Alone Questions Format
The questions in this section are called multiple-choice
questions. A multiple-choice question is followed by
several answer choices. Tip
In this section, you will be asked to answer multiple- O
"MXBZTSFBEUIF
choice questions about capitalization, punctuation, RVFTUJPOTBOE
and spelling. BOTXFSDIPJDFT
DBSFGVMMZ
Always read the questions and answer choices
carefully. This section has three answer choices for 8IFOZPVDIPPTF
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each question. Read every answer choice, even if UIFBOTXFSUPB

you think you’ve already found the correct answer. RVFTUJPO NBLFTVSF
UPGJMMJOUIFCVCCMF
When you choose the answer to a question, make
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sure you fill in the bubble completely. Do not make
any marks outside the bubble.

4UVEFOU/BNF
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b *UJTHPJOHUPCF DPME XJOEZ BOEGPHHZ QVODUVBUJPO
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c *UJTHPJOHUPCFDPME XJOEZ BOEGPHHZ
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f *MPWFHPJOHUP7FSNPOUJO0DUPCFS
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g *MPWFHPJOHUP7FSNPOUJOPDUPCFS
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b *MJLF"OOBTESBXJOHCFUUFSUIBO5SFZT
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STOP

FCAT Reading Short-Response Rubric
Score Description
The response indicates that the student has a complete understanding of the
reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that
2 is accurate, complete, and fulfills all the requirements of the task. Necessary
support and/or examples are included, and the information given is clearly text-
based.
The response indicates that the student has a partial understanding of the
1 includes information that is essentially correct and text-based, but the
information is too general or too simplistic. Some of the support and/or examples
may be incomplete or omitted.
The response indicates that the student does not demonstrate an understanding
of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a
0 response that is inaccurate; the response has an insufficient amount of
information to determine the student’s understanding of the task; or the student
has failed to respond to the task.
FCAT Reading Extended-Response Rubric

Score Description
The response indicates that the student has a thorough understanding of the
4 is accurate, complete, and fulfills all the requirements of the task. Necessary
support and/or examples are included, and the information is clearly text-based.
The response indicates that the student has an understanding of the reading
concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is
3 accurate and fulfills all the requirements of the task, but the required support
and/or details are not complete or clearly text-based.
The response indicates that the student has a partial understanding of the
2 includes information that is essentially correct and text-based, but the
information is too general or too simplistic. Some of the support and/or examples
and requirements of the task may be incomplete or omitted. REA
The response indicates that the student has very limited understanding of the
1 reading concept embodied in the task. The response is incomplete, may exhibit
many flaws, and may not address all requirements of the task.
The response indicates that the student does not demonstrate an understanding
of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a
0 response that is inaccurate; the response has an insufficient amount of
information to determine the student’s understanding of the task; or the student
has failed to respond to the task.

Answer Key
r"OTXFSTGPSUIF'$"5SFBEJOHTFDUJPOTBOEGPS'$"58SJUJOH
TFDUJPOTDBOCFGPVOEPOQQm
r"ODIPSQBQFSTGPSUIFXSJUJOHQSPNQUTDBOCFGPVOEPOQQm
4FDUJPO8PSETBOE1ISBTFTJO$POUFYU
Question Correct SSS Benchmark Content Focus Content Difficulty
Answer
1. B LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
2. F LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
3. D LA.A.1.2.3 Word Relationships Low
4. G LA.A.1.2.3 Prefixes Low
5. A LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
7. D LA.A.1.2.3 Antonyms Moderate
8 H LA.A.1.2.3 Suffixes Low
9. D LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Low
10. G LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
11. B LA.A.1.2.3 Suffixes Low
12. G LA.A.1.2.3 Antonyms Moderate
13. C LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
14. F LA.A.1.2.3 Root Words Moderate
16. I LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
17. C LA.A.1.2.3 Suffixes Moderate
18. F LA.A.1.2.3 Word Relationships Moderate
19. A LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
20. F LA.A.1.2.3 Vocab Moderate

21. C LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
22. I LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
24. G LA.A.1.2.3 Antonyms Moderate

25. B LA.A.1.2.3 Homophones Low
27. C LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
28. H LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
29. C LA.A.1.2.3 Antonyms Moderate
30. G LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Moderate
31. B LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text High
32. F LA.A.1.2.3 Synonyms Moderate
34. F LA.A.1.2.3 Analyze Words in Text Low
35. A LA.A.1.2.3 Suffixes Low

4FDUJPO.BJO*EFB&TTFOUJBM.FTTBHFBOE%FUBJMT$ISPOPMPHJDBM0SEFS
"VUIPST1VSQPTF
Answer
1. D LA.A.2.2.1 Details Moderate
2. I LA.A.2.2.1 Main Idea/Essential Message Low
3. B LA.A.2.2.1 Details Low
4. G LA.A.2.2.1 Chronological Order Low
5. A LA.A.2.2.1 Details Low
6. LA.A.2.2.1 Main Idea/Essential Message Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point The sailor wants to quit his job because he is bored with it. He wants fresh food and
Answer new routines. Even exciting things, like loading the ship with exotic oils, have gotten
tiring. All he wants is a book, good food, and a fire to keep him warm.
1-point The sailor hates his life on the ship. He wants to move into the city.
Answer
7. C LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
8. G LA.A.2.2.1 Main Idea/Essential Message Moderate
9. A LA.A.2.2.1 Details Low
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point As a child, Beverly Cleary read a lot of books, but she wished more books were
Answer interesting. So she decided to write books that she would have wanted to read. She
wanted to tell stories about how kids really are, instead of how they should be. One
of her most well-known characters is named Ramona. Ramona is like many real,
curious young girls. She makes many mistakes, and her life is full of good times but
also challenges. Beverly Cleary knows about kids getting into funny situations because
she was one of them. This is why children love her books. They see themselves in the
stories.
3-point When Beverly Cleary was young, she liked reading books about kids like her. So she
Answer writes stories about the ups and downs of life as a kid. Her mother said that kids like
simple, funny stories. So she wrote what kids wanted to read. That is why the books of
Beverly Cleary are so popular with readers.
2-point Beverly Cleary writes about familiar things. She writes stories about the things that
Answer happened to her as a child. Other books are about kids who do what they are told to
do, but her books are about what kids really do. Books by Beverly Cleary make children
laugh.

1-point Beverly Cleary writes books about kids, but she likes to read too. Her books are funny.
Answer
11. B LA.A.2.2.1 Chronological Order Low
12. H LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
13. LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point The author titled the poem “Ocean Treasure” because it is about a young boy searching
Answer for treasure on the ocean. The poem talks about ships crashing in the water, and how
coins can end up on beaches. The boy in the poem keeps searching the beach because
he hopes to find a treasure.
1-point “Ocean Treasure” is about what you find on a beach, including shark’s teeth and coins.
Answer
14. D LA.A.2.2.1 Main Idea/Essential Message Moderate
15. G LA.A.2.2.1 Chronological Order Low
16. B LA.A.2.2.1 Chronological Order Low
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point Thanks to their day at the space museum, Shelley and Naveem were prepared to
Answer stargaze that night at the campsite. Together they tried to locate the North Star and
other constellations. Also, Mrs. Shenoy knew to tell the kids that there were stars that
people couldn’t see from Earth. Without the trip to the museum, the whole family may
not have been able to make the most out of their night under the stars.
3-point Shelley and the Shenoy family learned many things at the space museum. When they
Answer went camping, they put learning into action. They looked for stars. They saw planets.
They even looked for the Big Dipper. Camping was a fun activity, and it was even more
fun because of the museum.
2-point The Shenoys took Shelley to a space museum. It was not her idea of a fun vacation.
Answer Things got better when the family went camping. The Shenoys told ghost stories. Then
they looked at stars. They had learned about stars at the museum.
1-point Shelley went on a trip with her friend and went to a museum. She felt better at the end
Answer of the trip than she did at the beginning.
18. D LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate

19. F LA.A.2.2.1 Chronological Order Low
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/

2-point “Flagler’s Folly” was his decision to build a railroad connecting the Florida Keys. This
Answer project cost a lot of money and was very challenging. When the railroad was finished,
no one used it. No tourists came to the Florida Keys, and no business people wanted to
sell goods there. In the end, the railroad closed.
1-point Henry Flagler spent his oil money on hotels and a railroad that no one used.
Answer
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Henry Flagler’s idea was not a bad one. He wanted to connect the islands of the
Answer Florida Keys with a railroad. However, at the time there were many problems and his
railroad failed. Today, a highway connects the Florida Keys to the rest of Florida. People
vacation in the Keys, and goods are brought back and forth from the mainland. Flagler’s
idea worked.
1-point Today, there is a system of bridges connecting the Florida Keys. People can enjoy
Answer Florida, just like Henry Flagler did.
24. F LA.A.2.2.1 Main Idea/Essential Message Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point Sanibel Island is a good place to hunt for seashells because it juts out into the ocean. Its
Answer curved shape collects shells that may ride the current past other islands. Also, storms
help uncover buried shells by knocking away patches of sand. People who look for
shells on Sanibel Island look for them in many ways. Some dig for shells. Others rake
the sand to find small shells. There is even a position called “the Sanibel stoop,” which
is a way of walking while bent over searching for shells.
3-point People on Sanibel Island find beautiful shells right in their own backyards! Water
Answer leaves shells on the island’s beaches because it moves right onto the coasts. Other
islands don’t get as many shells. People can try many things to find shells. They can
dig and rake, and even shuffle their shoes. Sometimes there can be stingrays or other
dangerous animals in the water.
2-point Sanibel Island is Florida’s best place to look for seashells. Shells get put on the island
Answer by the ocean. This way, people can find the shells by looking for them. Hunting shells is
a fun way to spend a trip.
1-point Sanibel Island has many shells on it. People look for many kinds of shells in the water.
Answer

4FDUJPO1MPU%FWFMPQNFOU"VUIPST1VSQPTF
Answer
1. C LA.E.1.2.2 Plot Development Moderate
2. G LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Low
3. A LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
4. G LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
6. LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict Resolution Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Timu played extra hard to regain his honor after losing the ball. When a player stumbled,
Answer Timu was able to get control of the ball. Then he passed it to one of his friends. His
friend broke through defenders and made a goal. Timu shouted encouragement the
whole time.
1-point Timu is part of the strongest team in the land. Thanks to him, they scored a goal.
Answer
7. C LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
8. I LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Low
9. B LA.E.1.2.2 Character Point of View Moderate
10. LA.A.2.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point Miguel does not like the changes that have taken place in St. Augustine. Under Spanish
Answer rule, the town was busy and exciting. Bad things began to happen when Florida was
traded to the British. Miguel also worries about Jesse Fish, a crooked businessman.
Jesse convinces Spanish landowners into letting him sell their land, only to keep
their money. Luckily, Miguel and Señor Herrera do not sell their shop to Jesse. Miguel
chooses to focus his energy on making a bright future in St. Augustine. He knows it
will be a challenge.
3-point St. Augustine was a nice, exciting place. Miguel loved it. Life changed when the Spanish
Answer traded Florida to the British. Now everyone is leaving. This makes Miguel sad. Miguel
knows a businessman named Jesse Fish. He has always known that Jesse Fish was a
crook. Miguel does not sell his store to Jesse. It is a good decision.
2-point A man named Jesse Fish tries to buy Miguel’s property. Miguel says no. He does not
Answer think that Jesse Fish is a hero, like everyone else does. St. Augustine has become very
different since a war happened.

1-point Miguel lives in St. Augustine in Florida. There was a war. Miguel is worried about things
Answer changing.
11. D LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
12. H LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
14. LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Mack is scared of the next morning’s battle. He is also hungry because the food given to
Answer soldiers is not very good. Since the army is supposed to be quiet and use no light, Mack
can’t talk to anyone. He lies in his bedroll hungry, worried, and alone.
1-point Mack thinks Old Harvey is annoying.
Answer
15. LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Old Harvey talks all about the good things in life, and his words help Mack relax.
Answer He points out the beauty of nature, like the stars and the blooms. He says that all
the beauty gives a man hope for better things. This feeling of hope makes Mack
comfortable enough to fall asleep.
1-point Mack spends a peaceful night with Old Harvey.
Answer
16. B LA.E.1.2.2 Plot Development Moderate
17. I LA.E.1.2.2 Plot Development Moderate
19. LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution High
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point At first, Hana is not sure that the man could really be Thomas Edison. So she gives him
Answer a test with questions about Thomas Edison’s life. When the man easily passes the test,
Hana knows he is real. Then at the end of the story, the man shows her a hiding place
that only the real Thomas Edison would know about. Hana found the Edison house
boring in the beginning. Once she meets the inventor, she finds it much more interesting.

3-point Hana knows the man is the real Thomas Edison because he shows her plans for a time
Answer machine. Hana also gives the man a test about Thomas Edison, which he passes easily.
Hana was disappointed in the Edison house because Edison no longer used his lab
to invent. However, when she meets the stranger, she learns that she may have been
wrong.
2-point Thomas Edison passes a test about his own life, so Hana believes him. She finds this
Answer much more exciting than the Edison house tour. That was boring.
1-point Hana used a time machine to find out if the man was Thomas Edison.
Answer
20. B LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
21. I LA.E.1.2.2 Plot Development Moderate
22. B LA.E.1.2.2 Conflict/Conflict Resolution Moderate
23. H LA.E.1.2.2 Plot Development Low
24. A LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
25. LA.E.1.2.2 Character Point of View Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point David had expected to be bored, but soon realizes that he is having a great time with
Answer his aunt and uncle. He is so happy because he had a full day of fun, playing games,
swimming, and watching dancers at the square dance.
1-point David had a great time playing shuffleboard and dancing.
Answer

4FDUJPO$BVTFBOE&GGFDU"VUIPST1VSQPTF
Answer
1. C LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
2. F LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
3. B LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Low
4. I LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Low
5. B LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
6. LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Nothing in Jody’s day goes as she planned it. She runs out of sugar cubes for her
Answer project. Then she knocks over the box of sugar cubes and her dog, Max, gobbles them
up. She rips a hole in her bike tire on the way to the store. Then, when walking, she falls
and stains her pants. Finally, she spills her dad’s soda on the carpet. All of these events
together make Jody’s day an “off day.”
1-point Jody ran out of sugar cubes, too. Her dog ate them. Jody spilled her dad’s soda. She
Answer had a bad day.
7. A LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Low
8. F LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
9. C LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose High
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point People apply sunscreen to keep safe from harmful rays of the sun. Until recently, people
Answer thought the Sun wasn’t dangerous, or that certain kinds of rays were safer than others.
Today, people know that it is important to wear sunscreen. Sunburns can cause illness.
Over long periods of time, too much sun can even cause skin cancer.
3-point Sunscreen blocks rays from the Sun that can make you sick. It was invented to block
Answer UVB and UVA rays. These rays can cause burns and cancer. It is important to wear
sunscreen outside.
2-point People use sunscreen to get a nice tan. Too much sun can make you sick and be
Answer harmful. Everyone should be careful with the Sun’s rays.
1-point People wear sunscreen. UVB rays are blocked by it, but not UVA rays.
Answer
11. B LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
12. H LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate

3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Rashad wishes that every day was his birthday. This wish makes him grow a year older
Answer every day. He is eighteen in a week and will be ninety-eight before he can even shave.
1-point Rashad wished for birthdays every day.
Answer
14. A LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Moderate
16. C LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose High
17. Cause and Effect Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point When people came to the Everglades, they dug canals so they could move from
Answer one place to another. As a result, the fresh water flowed to the sea. This dried up the
Everglades. People used water without thinking about it, for shaving, or washing their
cars. Animals needed this water to drink to survive. Many animals struggled to live in the
dried-up Everglades.
3-point Animals in the Everglades need water to survive. When people moved into the area, they
Answer used up the water. They built canals that took away the water. Every animal did what it
could to survive. Alligators ate creatures that found water in their holes.
2-point Water flowed away from the Everglades into the sea. People tried to protect the area but
Answer it was too late. Animals died.
1-point The Everglades is home to both humans and animals.
Answer
18. B LA.E.2.2.1 Cause and Effect Low
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Shires were brought to America to do work in the new colonies. They worked on farms
Answer to pull plows or heavy loads. They were also used in the city, since they were not
bothered by busy city crowds.
1-point Shires were brought because there was open spaces, and limestone in the water.
Answer
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/

2-point Florida is the perfect place for Shires because the soil and water contain a lot of
Answer limestone, which is good for growing bones. Also, the wide open spaces in Florida are
great for the Shires’ legs.
1-point Shires travel to parades and contests during the year and then come back to Florida.
Answer

4FDUJPO$PNQBSJTPOBOE$POUSBTU4JNJMBSJUJFTBOE%JGGFSFODFT"VUIPST1VSQPTF
Answer
1. D LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
2. G LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
4. F LA.E.1.2.3 Similarities/Differences among Moderate
Characters
6. LA.E.1.2.3 Similarities/Differences within a Moderate
3&"% Character
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Before he falls asleep, Eduardo is tired of searching for the Fountain of Youth. He
Answer believes it is an endless search, and he is sick of hiking and being bitten by mosquitoes.
After his dream, though, Eduardo is excited. He has seen the fountain in a dream, and is
excited to begin the search again.
1-point Eduardo fell asleep and had a dream about the fountain. He was not the only one with a
Answer dream.
7. B LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Low
8. H LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
10. LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point When Art Deco was first created in the 1920s, it quickly became the next big thing.
Answer People spent a lot of money to build expensive Art Deco buildings. Art Deco was used
in other forms of art, as well, such as movies and jewelry. During this time, people had
a lot to celebrate. However, this changed. The Great Depression caused people to cut
back on expensive things. Art Deco was no longer popular. Today there are only a few
Art Deco buildings left.
3-point Art Deco was inspired by Egyptian art. It became the next big thing in art in the 1920s.
Answer The style had zigzags, bright colors, and simple lines. Not everyone could pay for this
style, though. Over time people stopped liking Art Deco, and now buildings are only
made from glass and cement.
2-point The Art Deco style was very popular in places like Miami Beach, Florida. The 1920s
Answer were a good time. People were happy and rich. But they lost their jobs in the Great
Depression. Art Deco is no longer popular.
1-point Art Deco was once a big thing in the art world. No one knows what the next big thing
Answer will be.

11. B LA.E.1.2.3 Similarities/Differences within a Low
Character
12. G LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose High
13. LA.E.1.2.3 Similarities/Differences within a Moderate
3&"% Character
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point The speaker talks about how she used to hate carrots, peaches, and tea. But her
Answer feelings about these foods have changed. She tried each one and found that she liked
them. Like she said, her tastes have changed.
1-point The girl ate carrots, a peach, and tea. She felt strange about it.
Answer
14. B LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison Moderate
15. H LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison Moderate
16. D LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison/Contrast Moderate
17. LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison/Contrast Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point Mother Nature wanted to find out who was causing all of the weather trouble. She
Answer ordered Count Cold to stay away from Florida forever. In 1982, he had destroyed
Florida’s entire orange crop. She was nicer to Snow Belle. She told her to take a class
in weather patterns, since Snow Belle did not know why she had brought the blizzard
of 1993. But Miss Ice was given a choice. She knew who was bringing the bad weather.
Her crimes would be forgiven if she could tell who had made her bring ice storms to
Florida. Miss Ice confessed that it was El Niño who was behind the bad weather.
3-point Count Cold did not mean to damage the crops. Still, he was told to never come back
Answer to Florida. Snow Belle was happy to come to Florida so kids could sled, but once she
brought a blizzard. This made it so she had to take a class and learn about weather.
Miss Ice knew who was causing the cold, snow, and ice. She got off the hook for telling
who it was.
2-point Count Cold was told to go away, but Snow Belle could come back if she took a class
Answer about weather patterns. Miss Ice tried to fight El Niño but did not win. She got off the
hook.
1-point Mother Nature is going to bring El Niño to her courtroom for causing such bad weather.
Answer
18. B LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
19. F LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison Moderate
20. A LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Moderate
21. LA.A.2.2.7 Comparison/Contrast Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/

2-point The word “alligator” comes from a Spanish word, “el lagarto.” It means “big lizard.” This
Answer meaning is only partly true, because an alligator is big, but it is not a lizard. The word
“crocodile” comes from a Greek word, “krokodeilos.” It means “pebble worm.” The skin
of a crocodile can look bumpy and green, like pebbles.
1-point Alligators and crocodiles are different, and their names mean different things.
Answer
22. LA.A.2.2.7 Contrast Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Alligators and crocodiles have been hunted for their skins. Alligators have been
Answer protected since the 1960s, but only recently have laws been passed to protect the
crocodiles. Both these animals are important to Florida, so laws are made to keep them
safe.
1-point In 1984, a law was made to protect alligators and crocodiles. They have a good future in
Answer Florida.

4FDUJPO3FGFSFODFBOE3FTFBSDI*OGPSNBUJPO"VUIPST1VSQPTF
Answer
1. A LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
2. I LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
3. C LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Low
4. I LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose High
6. LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point The chart shows how the tubs of oranges get from the trees to the processing plant.
Answer Trucks called “goats” are used to move the oranges from one place to another. They
take the oranges to the tractor trailer for delivery.
1-point The chart shows a truck that moves oranges.
Answer
7. D LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
8. F LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
10. LA.A.2.2.2 Reference Information (Multiple High
3&"% Sources)
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point This article tells the story of the key lime and why it has become a popular part of
Answer Florida life. The key lime came from Asia and was brought to other parts of the world by
traders. During this time, key lime seeds were planted in Florida. The lime gets its name
from Key West, where many of the seeds were planted. The small citrus fruit is yellow
on the outside but green on the inside. It has a strong taste that is juicier and tarter than
ordinary limes. This is why people use it in pies, candy, and other foods.
3-point The key lime is a tart citrus fruit that people use in pies and ice cream and to add flavor
Answer to tea. The fruit came from Asia and ended up in Florida. Christopher Columbus brought
them on his voyage to America. Seeds were planted in Key West, giving the fruit its
famous name.
2-point Key limes have yellow skin and green insides. They have been around since the 1500s.
Answer Key limes often grow in people’s backyards in Florida. They are great for making pies.
1-point Key lime pie is the official state pie of Florida. Today, not all key lime pies are made with
Answer real key limes.
12. H LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose Low

13. LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
3&"%
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point The poem talks about the wind blowing sand in the speaker’s face. Also, the illustration
Answer shows that the beach is crowded and the sunscreen is uncomfortable. But even with all
the people and commotion, the character in the poem ends up enjoying her day.
1-point There are children in the water and a lifeguard watches them. It is windy.
Answer
14. C LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Low
15. G LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
16. D LA.A.2.2.2 Author’s Purpose High
3&"% Sources)
5)*/,
&91-"*/
4-point The job of a dolphin trainer includes many responsibilities. First of all, a trainer is
Answer responsible for communicating with the dolphin. Since people and dolphins speak
different languages, it is important for a trainer to teach a dolphin to understand certain
signals. Also, trainers must train a dolphin to have its health checked by a medical team.
This takes time because the dolphin must learn what to do. Many trainers train a dolphin
to do tricks for show, and this requires a lot of practice and positive reinforcement.
Trainers reward dolphins with things like fish, head rubs, and squirts of water when they
do well.
3-point Dolphin trainers have many jobs. They offer rewards to get dolphins to do things.
Answer Training takes a very long time, so trainers have to start very young and know how
animals think. They teach dolphins echolocation and hand signals so they can
communicate. Then they practice new behaviors to use in dolphin shows. Dolphins love
working with people, and they even get rewards.
2-point Dolphin trainers check to make sure a dolphin is healthy. They work together as a team
Answer to clean the animal and give it medicine. A dolphin can learn this routine after some
practice.
1-point Dolphin trainers teach dolphins how to do things, like be in a show or work for the
Answer military.
18. A LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
19. F LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate

20. D LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Moderate
21. G LA.A.2.2.8 Reference Information Low

3&"% Sources)
5)*/,
&91-"*/
2-point Salvors find and recover sunken ships. Sometimes they do this for adventure, but
Answer mostly they do it for money. They use many tools to locate a shipwreck and then bring
valuable items to the surface. It is a job for a person who never gives up.
1-point Salvors are named for “marine salvage,” which is the same as a sunken treasure.
Answer

FCAT Writing+ Answer Key
4FDUJPO8SJUJOH1SPNQUT
See anchor papers on pp. 253–286.
4FDUJPO8SJUJOH1MBO'PSNBU
Question Correct Answer SSS Benchmark Content Focus
1. C LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
2. F LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
3. C LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
4. H LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
5. B LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
7. A LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
8. F LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
9. D LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
10. I LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
12. I LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
14. G LA.B.1.2.2 Organization

4FDUJPO8SJUJOH4BNQMF'PSNBU
1. D LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
2. I LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
3. B LA.B.1.2.2 Support
4. F LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
5. D LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
7. A LA.B.1.2.2 Support
10. F LA.B.1.2.2 Support
11. B LA.B.1.2.2 Support
12. H LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
13. A LA.B.1.2.2 Focus
14. G LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
15. D LA.B.1.2.2 Support
18. F LA.B.1.2.2 Support
19. D LA.B.1.2.2 Organization
20. G LA.B.1.2.2 Support

4FDUJPO$MP[F4FMFDUJPO'PSNBU
1. A LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
2. H LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
4. G LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
5. B LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
7. C LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
12. F LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions
13 B LA.B.1.2.3 Conventions

4FDUJPO4UBOE"MPOF2VFTUJPOT'PSNBU

"ODIPS1BQFST

6-Point Writing Rubric
6 Points 5 Points 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point
Focus Writing is Focus Writing is Focus Writing is Focus Writing is not Focus Displays Focus Displays no
clearly focused on mostly focused partially on topic but focused. Includes minimal awareness understanding of
the topic and the on topic. includes unrelated unrelated details. of the topic. Contains the topic.
topic is explained details. many unrelated
completely. details.
Organization Organization Organization Organization Organization Organization
Writing is organized, Writing is organized Writing shows little Writing is not Includes either a Includes either
with a clear with beginning, organization or organized. There is sentence or phrase picture only,
beginning, middle, middle, and end. connection between no clear beginning, and left to right scribbles or letter
and end, and using ideas. middle, and end. progression. Ideas strings, or simple
transition words. are expressed in no left to right
identifiable order. progression.
Support Writing has Support Writing Support Writing Support Writing has Support Writing has Support Few
many details to includes details that uses some details few supporting few details and word details or examples
support the main support the main and predictable details and simple, choice is basic. and limited word
idea and the word idea and mostly word choice. repetitive word choice.
choice is specific and specific word choice. choice.
engaging.
Conventions Conventions Most Conventions Conventions Conventions Conventions
All sentences are sentences are Sentences contain Sentences have little Numerous spelling Minimal
complete and complete and there some spelling, or no punctuation and grammatical understanding of
contain mostly are few spelling, grammar, and and numerous errors. Basic letter/sound
correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. grammar and understanding of correspondence,
grammar, and punctuation errors. Writing has no spelling errors. There sentence structure. little use of
punctuation. Writing Sentence structure variety in sentence is no variety in capitalization or
has a variety of has some variety. structure. sentence structure. punctuation.
sentence structures.
U Writing that is unscorable or is unrelated to the topic or is illegible.

for narrative prompt on page 185
4DPSF1PJOU
If I traveled through the time and saw the world 100 years
from now, it would be very different.
Today, people live very fast lives. I don’t think this is going to
change. That means that 100 years from now, things will happen
much faster. People will have faster cars.
People will also try to do more work faster. They will save
time by talking to each other using computers and cell phones.
We are starting to do that today. But by then, I bet almost
everyone will carry around phones and computers all the time.
I worry that the faster life becomes, the less time people will
take to see and talk to each other. I wonder if anyone will know
what it is like to sit at a park and talk to a friend. I hope so.
Maybe in 100 years people will all spend their time at their
computers in their homes and just talk to each other that way. I
think this is sad. Doing things quickly is good, but enjoying what
is around you is good, too. In 100 years things will be different. I
hope the changes are good ones.

4DPSF1PJOU
In 100 years the world will be really different. Today, people
live very fast lives. I think that is happening more and more.
I think that 100 years from now, things will happen much
faster. People will have faster cars. They will also try to do more
work faster. I can work pretty fast. People will talk to each other
on computers and cell phones.
We are starting to do that today. But by then, I bet almost
everyone will have phones and computers. I think that people will
stop wanting to see each other.
I wonder if anyone will know what it is like to sit in a park and
talk to a friend. I like playing with my friends.
Maybe in 100 years no one will ever even meet. People will
stay at their computers in their homes and just talk to each other
that way. I think this is sad. Being fast is good, but having fun
is good, too. In 100 years things will be different. I hope the
changes are good.

4DPSF1PJOU
The world will be a very different in a hundred years. Today,
people are always going faster. I think it is happening more and
more. People will have faster cars in 100 years. They will also try
to do more work faster. I can work pretty fast. People will only
talk to each other on computers and cell phones. My mom has a
cell phone.
I bet everyone will have phones and computers all the time. I
wonder if anyone will know what it is like to sit at a park and talk
to a friend. I went to the park with my friend on Sunday.
Maybe in 100 years people will not want to see each other.
They will have computers and talk to each other that way. I think
this is sad. I hope things are good in 100 years.
4DPSF1PJOU
Similar to the 4-point paper but the student fails to carry
through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of the
information relates to the topic of the world in 100 years. Word
choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
People 100 years from now will try to do more work faster.
I can work pretty fast. I was the first one who did the math
worksheet today. I did a good job.
People will use computers and cell phones. My mom has a cell
phone. People will just talk on computers. I think this is sad. I
hope things are good in 100 years.
4DPSF1PJOU
Similar to the 2-point paper but the writing barely addresses
the topic of the importance of the world in 100 years. The
response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and
mechanics are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
I was worried when I had to paint a picture for art class. I did
not think I was a good painter, but I needed to paint a picture
for my art class at school. I asked my older brother for help. My
brother is a great painter. I know that because some things he has
painted are hanging on the wall in our house.
He is very busy because he is in high school and has a lot
of homework. He also has basketball practice. But he took lots
of time out of his week to help me with my project. We spent a
whole week working on it. My brother helped me seven nights in
a row.
He didn’t paint anything on the paper, because he wanted me
to do it myself. But he did help me think about what I wanted
to paint. My idea was just to paint a spaceship. I decorated the
spaceship with some of my favorite things.
My brother and I talked a lot about the painting before I
started. After a while, I just wanted to get started! Talking to my
brother before I started painting made it easier for me to do a
good job. I really had fun working on my project with him.

4DPSF1PJOU
I was worried when I had to paint a picture for art class. But
I asked my older brother for help, and he was very helpful. I did
not think I was a very good painter, but I needed to paint a picture
for my art class at school.
My brother is a good painter. The pictures he makes are nice.
He is very busy because he is in high school. But he took time to
help me with my project.
We spent a whole week working on it. My brother helped
me seven nights in a row. He didn’t paint anything on the paper,
because he wanted me to do it myself. He did help me think about
what I wanted to paint and how I could paint it. My idea was to
paint a spaceship. I saw a spaceship in a movie.
My brother helped me think what would make my picture
different. I decorated the spaceship with some of my favorite
things. My brother and I talked a lot about the painting before I
ever painted anything. After a while, I just wanted to get started!
But he really helped me. My project is good and I got to spend
time with him.

4DPSF1PJOU
I had to paint a picture for art class. I asked my older brother
for help. It was very nice of him to help. I did not think I was
a very good painter. I needed to paint a picture for my art class
at school.
My brother’s pictures are nice. He has a lot to do because he is
in high school. He also plays basketball. He took lots of time to
help me with my project. My brother helped me a lot of times.
He didn’t paint or anything because he wanted me to do it. He
did help me think about what I wanted to paint. My idea was to
paint a spaceship. I saw a spaceship in a movie.
My brother and I talked a lot. I just wanted to get started! He
really helped me a lot. I like my painting.
4DPSF1PJOU
Similar to the 4-point response but the student fails to carry
information relates to the topic of a time someone helped the
student. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
I had to paint a picture. My brother’s pictures are nice. He is in
high school. He helped me. He didn’t paint anything. He wanted
me to do it.
He helped me think about it. I wanted to do a spaceship. I saw
a spaceship in a movie. I had popcorn at the movie.
I like my picture. My brother really helped me.
4DPSF1PJOU
The writing barely addresses the topic of a time someone
helped the student. The response is disorganized. Word choice is
very limited, and mechanics are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
The time I felt most surprised was when I moved to a new
town. The surprise was that the new town was a fun place to live.
I did not think it would be.
My mother had gotten a new job, so we had to move near her
new office, over 100 miles away! I was very upset because I had
many good friends in my old town. I did not want to leave them. I
thought it would be hard to make new friends because I am a little
bit shy.
Leaving my old town was also hard because it was a place I
knew very well. I knew where to find all of the shops and parks.
My favorite store was there, and so was my favorite slide at the
playground. My house was so close to the library that I could
walk there.
My first surprise came when we arrived in our new town. Our
house was very nice. I even had my own bedroom. In our last
house, I shared a room with my little sister. The new house also
had a backyard, so my parents might put in a swing set.
On the first day of school, the other students seemed interested
in meeting me. They wanted to know all about my old town and
how my old school was different from the new one. Some of the
new friends I made on my first few days at the new school have
become my best friends. I have lots to write about when I send
letters to my friends back home!

4DPSF1PJOU
I did not think it would be.
My mother had gotten a new job, so we had to move near her
new office, over 100 miles away! I was very upset because I had
many good friends in my old town. I did not want to leave them.
In my old town, I knew where to find all of the shops and
parks. My favorite toy store was there. My favorite slide was at
the playground. My house was so close to the library that I could
walk there.
I was not happy to leave. My surprise came when we arrived
in our new town. Our house was very nice. I even had my own
bedroom. In our old house, I shared a room with my little sister.
On the first day of school, the other kids were nice to me. They
wanted to know all about my old town and how my old school
was different from the new one. I made some new friends. One of
my new friends has the same favorite movie as me.

4DPSF1PJOU
I was mad because I had lots of friends in my old town. My best
friend had the same red shirt as me. I did not want to leave them.
I thought it would be hard to make new friends. In my old
town, I knew where to find everything. My favorite toy store was
there. I was not happy to leave.
I was surprised when we arrived in our new town. The drive
took a long time. I even had my own bedroom. In our last house, I
had to share with my little sister.
On the first day of school, the other students were nice to me. I
made friends. One of my new friends has the same favorite movie
as me.
4DPSF1PJOU
information relates to the topic of a time the student felt surprised.
Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
I moved to a new town. I was mad because I had lots of friends
in my old town. My best friend had the same red shirt as me. I did
not want to leave.
The drive took a long time. I even had my own bedroom.
That was a good surprise. I met kids on the first day of school. I
was surprised. I am happy. One of my new friends has the same
favorite movie as me.
4DPSF1PJOU
the topic of a time the student felt surprised. The response
is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics
are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
There are many places I would like to visit. But if I had to
choose one place in the world, the place I would choose is Paris,
the capital of France.
If I woke up in Paris, I would be very excited. I would want to
visit a lot of places. The first thing I would want to do is travel to
all of the famous landmarks I have read about.
I would go to famous art museums and see paintings like the
Mona Lisa. That painting is famous because no one knows why
the woman in the picture is smiling.
Maybe I would take a day trip to the French Riviera. I could
swim or lie on the beach there. I could also visit the palace where
very rich kings and queens lived a long time ago. Then I would
go back to the city. I would try many new kinds of French food. I
love to eat great food, and there is a lot of great food in Paris, like
fancy cheese and chocolate.
At the end of the day, I would travel in an elevator to the very
top of the Eiffel Tower. The ground would look so far away!
Maybe I would even be at the top at sunset.
At night, the Eiffel Tower twinkles with lights. I would make
sure to be there to see that. I would take pictures if I went to Paris.
It is a beautiful city, and I would want to show my friends at
home everything I saw.

4DPSF1PJOU
There are many places I would like to visit. But if I had to pick
one place, I would pick Paris, the capital of France. If I woke
up in Paris, I would be very excited. I would want to visit a lot
of places. The first thing I would want to do is go to all of the
famous landmarks.
I could go to museums and see paintings like the Mona Lisa. I
saw a famous painting at a museum in New York.
Maybe I would take a day trip to the French Riviera. I love the
beach. I could also visit the place where rich kings and queens
lived. As I went around the city, I would try new kinds of French
food. I love to eat great food, and there is a lot of great food
in Paris.
At the end of the day, I would take an elevator to the very top
of the Eiffel Tower. I bet there would be a long line, but it would
be worth it. Maybe I would even be at the top at sunset. At night,
the Eiffel Tower has lights. I would make sure to be there to
see that.
I would take pictures if I went to Paris. It is a beautiful city,
and I would want to show my friends at home everything I saw.

4DPSF1PJOU
There are many places I would like to visit. But I would go to
Paris, France. I also want to go to Japan.
If I woke up in Paris, I would be very excited. I would want
to visit a lot of places. I could go to museums and see famous
pictures. I saw a famous picture at a museum in New York.
Maybe I would go to the French Riviera. I went to the beach
last summer. I would try many new kinds of French food. The
food in Paris is very famous.
I would go to the very top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s really
famous. Maybe I would even be at the top at sunset. At night, the
Eiffel Tower has light.
I would take pictures. I would show them to my friends.
4DPSF1PJOU
information relates to the topic of what would happen if the
student woke up in a new place. Word choice is limited. Many of
the sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
I would go to Paris. It’s in France. I want to go to Japan, too. I
would be excited to go to Paris. I was excited on my birthday, too.
I would go to lots of places. Maybe I would go to the beach. I
went to the beach last summer.
I love to eat good food. There is a lots of good food in Paris.
My mom told me.
I would go to the Eiffel Tower. I would take lots of pictures if I
went to Paris.
4DPSF1PJOU
the topic of what would happen if the student woke up in a new
place. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited,
and mechanics are poor.

for expository prompt on page 189
4DPSF1PJOU
Animal shelters are important because they help animals
like dogs and cats. Some dogs and cats are pets. Pets live with
families, and the families feed them. Pets have a safer place
to live.
Some animals do not have a place to live. They are called
strays. Strays sleep outside wherever they can find a spot. They
have to find their own food. If they are sick or hurt, there is no
one to help them.
Animal shelters can help solve these problems for stray
animals. A stray animal can sleep in a warm, safe place at an
animal shelter. There are people there to feed the animals, take
care of them, and give them medicine if they get sick.
Don’t animals deserve a place to live, just like people? I
think they do. The best thing about animal shelters is that people
sometimes come to them to find pets. That means that an animal
in a shelter has a chance to become part of a family!

4DPSF1PJOU
Animal shelters are important because they help animals
like dogs and cats. Some dogs and cats are pets. Pets live with
families. The families feed them and take good care of them.
Some animals don’t live with families. They are called strays.
Stray animals have to find their own food. If they are sick or hurt,
there is no one to help them.
Animal shelters can help stray animals. There are people there
to feed the animals, take care of them, and help if they get sick.
There is an animal shelter near my school.
Don’t animals deserve a place to live, just like people? I
think they do. The best thing about animal shelters is that people
sometimes come to them to find pets. That means that an animal
in a shelter can be someone’s pet.

4DPSF1PJOU
Animal shelters are good. They are important. They help
animals like dogs and cats. Some dogs and cats are pets. Pets live
with families. The families feed them and take good care of them.
Dogs like to chew on toys.
Some animals don’t have a place to live. They are called
strays. If they are sick or hurt, there is no one to help them. I went
to the doctor when I was sick.
But animal shelters can help stray animals. There are people
there to feed the animals. They take care of them, and help if they
get sick. There is an animal shelter near my school. It is a better
place for an animal to be than the street.
I think animals should have homes. It is not fair to make them
live outside. There should be shelters in a lot of places.
People can find pets at the shelter. Then they will have a home.
4DPSF1PJOU
through the attempted organizational pattern. Only some of
the information relates to the topic of the importance of animal
shelters. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are
simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
Animal shelters help animals. Some dogs and cats are pets.
Dogs like to chew on toys. They get food from the family.
Some animals have no homes. There is nothing to keep them
warm. They can get sick. I went to the doctor when I was sick.
Animal shelters help animals. There is an animal shelter near
my school. There should be shelters in a lot of places.
4DPSF1PJOU
The writing barely addresses the topic of the importance of
animal shelters. The response is disorganized. Word choice is
very limited, and mechanics are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
A good friend is a very special person. Not everyone you talk
to is going to be your good friend, because being a good friend
takes a lot of work. Sometimes, a good friend likes the same
things you like. You can play games, watch movies, or listen to
music together.
Liking the same TV shows or sports as you is not enough to
make someone a good friend. It is more important for a friend
to care about you. When something good happens to you, your
friend should be happy for you. A good friend will not act jealous
and make you feel bad about having good news.
You also need to be able to trust your friend. You should be
able to tell your friend a secret and know that he or she will not
tell anyone else.
A good friend also needs to be fair. If someone always takes
the biggest slice of pizza and always insists on going first when
you play a game, that person is not behaving like a good friend.
Being a good friend is a lot of fun, but it is not easy. If you find
someone who is a good friend to you, you are very lucky. You
should be a good friend back!

4DPSF1PJOU
A good friend is a very special person. Not everyone you talk
to is going to be your good friend, because being a good friend
takes a lot of work. Sometimes, a good friend likes the same
things you like. You can play games, watch movies, or listen to
music together.
Liking the same TV shows or sports as you is not enough to
make someone a good friend. When you are sad, your friend
should want to listen and make you feel better. A good friend will
listen.
When something good happens to you, your friend should be
happy for you. A good friend will not act jealous and make you
feel bad about having good things happen. You should be able to
tell your friend something and know that he or she will not tell
anyone else. A good friend also needs to be fair.
Being a good friend is a lot of fun, but it is not easy. You can
sleep over at a friend’s house. If you find someone who is a good
friend to you, you are very lucky. You should be a good friend
back!

4DPSF1PJOU
Not everyone you talk to will be your good friend. A good
friend is special. I have a friend named Brendan.
Sometimes, a good friend likes the same things you like. Even
likeing the same TV shows or sports as you is not enough to make
someone a good friend.
When you are sad, your friend should listen. When something
good happens to you, your friend should be happy for you. A
good friend will not make you feel bad about having good things
happen. You should be able to tell your friend something and
know that he or she will not tell anyone else.
A good friend should be nice. You can sleep over at a friend’s
house. Being a good friend is a lot of fun. But it is not easy.
4DPSF1PJOU
information relates to the topic of what makes a good friend.
Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
Being a good friend is hard work. I have a friend named
Brendan. Sometimes, a good friend likes things you like.
When you are sad, your friend should make you feel better.
You should be able to tell your friend stuff. You can sleep over at
a friend’s house. Good friends are nice.
4DPSF1PJOU
the topic of what make a good friend special. The response
is disorganized. Word choice is very limited, and mechanics
are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
If I could do another activity at school, I would like to learn
to play an instrument. The instrument I most want to play is the
piano.
I love to listen to music, and I think pianos sound really pretty.
When my dad plays the piano, I always want to get up and dance,
or even sit next to him and help him play. I like fast songs, slow
songs, and everything in between. I could have piano lessons once
a week and practice at home in between the lessons. I would be
good about remembering to practice, and I would make sure to
get my homework done, too.
At first I would play easy music that only had a few notes.
But later, if I worked hard, I would be able to play all my favorite
songs! I would also learn songs I have never heard before. Maybe
I would find a new favorite song.
I could even play in a concert or in the talent show at school.
That might make me a little bit nervous, but I think I would try
it. Everyone would clap loudly when I finished playing. I would
get up from the bench and take a bow. It would feel great to know
that I worked hard and played my music well. I would be very
proud. Maybe I would even grow up to be a famous piano player.
Those are all the reasons I hope my school will let me have
piano lessons someday.

4DPSF1PJOU
If I could do another activity at school, I would like to learn to
play an instrument. I want to play the piano.
I love to listen to music, and I think pianos sound really pretty.
When my dad plays the piano, I always want to get up and dance.
I could have piano lessons once a week and practice at home. I
would be good about remembering to practice. I would make sure
to get my homework done, too. At first I would play easy music.
But later, if I worked hard, I would be able to play all my favorite
songs! My favorite song was on the radio today.
I could even play in a concert or in the talent show at school.
That might make me scared, but I think I would try it. Everyone
would clap loudly. It would feel great to know that I worked hard
and played my music well. I would be very proud. Maybe I would
even grow up to be a famous piano player.

4DPSF1PJOU
I would like to learn to play an instrument. I want to play the
piano. I love music, and I think pianos sound really pretty. My
dad plays the piano. I always want to get up and dance, or even sit
next to him and help him play.
I like lots of songs. I could have piano lessons once a week. I
have swim class once a week, too. I would practice. I would do
my homework, too.
I could even be in a concert or the talent show at school. I
might be scared. Everyone would clap loudly. It would feel great
to know that I played my music well.
Maybe I would even grow up to be a famous piano player. My
friend wants to be a famous artist when she grows up. I would
write my own music.
4DPSF1PJOU
information relates to the topic of an activity the student would like
to do at school. Word choice is limited. Many of the sentences are
simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
I want to play the piano. My dad plays the piano. I love music.
I think pianos sound good. I could have piano lessons once a
week. I go swimming once a week, too.
I would practice. I could play at school. I would feel great. I
felt great when I rode my bike. Maybe I would get famous. My
friend wants to be a famous artist when she grows up.
4DPSF1PJOU
the topic of the importance of an activity the student would like
to do at school. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very
limited, and mechanics are poor.

4DPSF1PJOU
If I could decorate my room however I wanted, I would make
it like a museum of my life. Anyone who came in could learn
lots of interesting things about me. It would also be fun for me
because I would always get to look at things I liked.
On one wall I would hang pictures of my family because
those would remind me of good memories. Then I could look at
the wall and see how many people care about me. I would even
hang the pictures I have of my cousins making funny faces at
Thanksgiving dinner because they make me laugh.
My friends care about me a lot, too. I would hang pictures of
fun times I’ve had with them, like my birthday party and the time
we played together in the snow.
The stuffed cat that my best friend gave me would be on my
bed. I’d also hang up things that make me feel proud, like pictures
I made and tests I did well on.
The room would be full of things I like. My favorite games
and books would be on the shelves where I could always find
them. I would choose a blue rug and blue paint for the walls
because blue is my favorite color. All these things would make me
happy every time I came into my room.

4DPSF1PJOU
If I could decorate my room however I wanted, I would make
it like a museum of my life. It would be fun for me because I
would always get to look at things I liked.
On one wall I would hang pictures of my family. Then I could
look at the wall and see how many people care about me. I would
even hang the pictures I have of my cousins making funny faces
at Thanksgiving dinner.
fun times I’ve had with them. I would be careful not to put tape
on the paint.
I’d also hang up things that make me feel proud, like pictures
I made and tests I did well on. I would hang my spelling
award, too.
My favorite games and books would be on the shelves where
I could always find them. I like board games better than sports. I
would get a blue rug and blue paint for the walls because blue is
my favorite color. All these things would make me happy every
time I came into my room.

4DPSF1PJOU
If I could make my room however I wanted, I would make it
like a museum of my life. It would be fun for me because I would
always get to look at things I liked.
I would hang pictures of my family because those would
remind me of good times. Then I could look at the wall and see
how many people care about me. I would hang the pictures I have
of my cousins making funny faces.
fun times I’ve had with them. I would not put tape on the paint.
I’d hang up things that make me proud, like pictures I made.
I would put my favorite games and books on my shelves. I like
board games better than sports.
I would get a blue rug and blue paint for the walls. All these
things make me happy.
4DPSF1PJOU
information relates to the topic of how the student would like to
decorate his or her room. Word choice is limited. Many of the
sentences are simple.

4DPSF1PJOU
I would hang pictures of my family. I would always get to look
at things I liked. I want my own camera. My room would look
good.
I would hang pictures of my friends. I would have my favorite
games and books. I like board games better than sports. I would
have lots of blue. All these things would make me happy.
4DPSF1PJOU
the topic of how the student would like to decorate his or her
room. The response is disorganized. Word choice is very limited,
and mechanics are poor.

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Grade 4

Published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,

Printed in the United States of America

Section 4: Cloze Selection Format (LA.B.1.2.3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

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Format of the Reading Test

Format of the Writing+ Test

The FCAT Writing+ (Writing Plus) test contains multiple-choice questions

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FCAT Benchmark LA.E.1.2.3 Short- and extended-response rubrics

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Synonyms and Antonyms

Prefixes and Suffixes

is to look for letters that are added to the beginning or the

Simon Hears the Sound of Time

Simon was getting better with each toss. Skipping stones

The group under the Lone Oak stopped

Grandfather looked like he was lost in a memory. “Now, I

Saving Our Seabirds

The workers at Suncoast

The idea for Suncoast came Sometimes, birds arrive after

When birds arrive at the After a bird is treated, it

In addition to treating birds, needs about $700,000 each

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she had never been in a real race

Ron gave Dorie some last-minute advice and wished her

The race seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye and before

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These Crazy Words

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When you picture sand, you probably imagine something

The white beaches of Florida look like they have been

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idea or to act in a certain way.

A Sailor’s Life Is Not for Me

Being a sailor is dangerous in ways you might not even

Another problem is the food. It’s terrible! It’s not that I

ship. Just once, couldn’t we have some fresh fruit? I wish I

Right now, I’m even trying to write a book. I have plenty

Cleary’s Clever Kids

Do you know any kids who do everything absolutely

It took something really boring—a rainy day—to change

Ramona is the star of many of books. She gets into some

Some of Beverly’s books have won prestigious awards. Two

Quimby, Age 8, were Newbery Honor Books. The Newbery is

One of Beverly’s books even won the Newbery Medal—the

who might resemble you? Beverly Cleary’s

He’s heard the stories often enough,

A sudden, violent storm can lift treasure

Are We Having Fun Yet?

By lunchtime, Shelley and Naveem had taken part in all

When the astronaut finished talking, Naveem peppered him

The Shenoys and Shelley left the space center in the

Sure enough, Shelley had a great time. Everyone collected

When night fell, everyone stretched out on blankets and

Then Mr. and Mrs. Shenoy told scary stories by the

people should be talking. She enjoyed the silence and used

man named Andrews had great

The state of Florida needed First, Flagler bought

had to be fast and convenient.

Finally, on January 21, Few people could afford to use

More trouble was yet to Keys together. It tied them all

Seeking Sea Shells by the Seashore

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