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STUDENT
Name __________________________________________
Unit 25 Selection
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
EDITION
Read the next two selections. Then choose the best answer to each question.
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers
Level 4
1
Each spring, Texas is ablaze with wildflowers. The colorful displays appear as if an artist has
splashed paint from a palette onto roadsides and fields. The many varieties of wildflowers cause
the spectacle to continue for weeks. At one time, wildflowers were at risk of extinction in Texas
and in the United States. While First Lady of the United States, Lady Bird Johnson worked to
protect and care for the native plants of the nation. Her efforts were recognized in the Lone
Star State and across America. Today, flowers thrive in the wild because of the work of Lady
Bird Johnson.
Name __________________________________________
Unit 25 Selection
2
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Mrs. Johnson encouraged the seeding of the medians along Texas highways. 4Thousands
of
Wildflowers grow in abundance when rain is plentiful. When nature adds a warm Texas sky
to the
pounds of seed continue to be planted each year. Spring brings fresh arrays of color
towell-watered
the Texasfields, a flora-filled spring is guaranteed.
Wildflowers answer their
wake-up calls in demonstrations of multicolored hues that appear as rainbows. Thousands
landscape. The bluebonnet and the Indian paintbrush are two of the most recognized species of
of tourists photograph nature’s explosion of reds, blues, yellows, and pinks along the Texas
Texas wildflowers.
highways. Beyond their beauty, the native plants are important to the environment. They help
conserve water and control erosion of the soil. Their presence among the landscape provides
3
habitat for
wildlife. Therefore, tourists are encouraged to preserve memories through
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was founded and named to honor the aformer
First
photographs rather than by removing or picking the flowers.
Lady. This research center is located in the city of Austin, Texas. Its mission is to promote the
5
A sunrise
on of
a field of bluebonnets or Indian paintbrushes is both breathtaking and inspiring.
use and survival of diverse and valuable native plants. The center oversees year-round
care
Perhaps Lady Bird Johnson expressed it best when she said, “My heart found its home long ago
landscapes, conducts research, and provides educational programs.
in the beauty, mystery, order, and disorder of the flowering earth.” Indeed, when nature’s brush
touches the landscape of Texas, the hearts of people are painted with hope.
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The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
1 Based on information from “The Heart of
Texas Wildflowers,” why was a wildflower
center named in honor of Lady Bird Johnson?
4 How do the wildflowers along Texas highways
promote tourism based on the information
found in “The Heart of Texas Wildflowers”?
A She learned to care for wildflowers while
attending college.
F Visitors travel to Texas to write stories
about wildflowers.
B She placed wildflowers in the gardens
near the White House.
G Visitors travel to Texas to view and
photograph the wildflowers.
C She was the wife of a popular President
of the United States.
H Visitors travel to Texas to pick wildflowers
that grow along the highways.
D She influenced the conservation of
wildflowers in the United States.
J Visitors travel to Texas to learn how to
plant and care for wildflowers.
2 Based on information from “The Heart of
Texas Wildflowers,” what action has the
greatest impact on the growth of wildflowers
along Texas highways?
5 What is the best caption for the photograph
above paragraph 1 in “The Heart of Texas
Wildflowers”?
A Nature’s Art
F Research is conducted each year to find
ways to improve wildflowers.
B Wildflower Seeds
C Planting Wildflowers
G Workers are hired to water the flowers
growing along the Texas highways.
D Bluebonnets at Sunset
H Seeds are planted along Texas highways.
J Soil is fertilized each year.
3 Which sentence from “The Heart of Texas
Wildflowers” is an opinion?
Name __________________________________________
A At one time, wildflowers were at risk of
Unit 25extinction
Selection in Texas and in the United
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
States.
In the spring when bluebonnets color Texas roadsides, “The Legend of the Bluebonnet”
reappears.
B A sunrise
on a field of bluebonnets or
Indian paintbrushes is both breathtaking
Texans celebrate the story and enjoy the beauty of a favorite Texas flower, the bluebonnet.
and inspiring.
The Legend of the Bluebonnet
1
C Today, flowers thrive in the wild because
of the work of Lady Bird Johnson.
D Spring brings fresh arrays of color to the
Texas landscape.
On the hills above the village, the shaman listened for words from the Great Spirit to answer
GRADE LEVEL 4 student edition
Unit 25 Assessment
the people’s cry for rain. The villagers anxiously awaited the shaman’s return, hoping for relief
from the drought. A small girl waiting with the villagers clutched her cherished doll which was
decorated with a blue jay’s feather. The young girl understood thirst because her beloved family
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had died during the drought. The doll was the little girl’s thread to her past. Because she had no
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mother or father, a family had taken the orphan into their tipi.
2
Soon, the shaman returned from the hills. The little girl listened as he shared his vision, “We
have taken too much from the land and returned too little. The Great Spirit who guides our
people tells us to make sacrifices and the rains will come.” Gazing at her doll, the little girl knew
what she must do.
3
While her new family lay sleeping, the girl slipped outside carrying a torch from the tipi’s fire.
She walked to the place where the shaman spoke to the Great Spirit, gathering sticks along the
way. Using the torch, the little girl touched the pile of sticks. She wept and placed her sacred doll,
with the feather as blue as the sky, in the fire. The girl begged, “Oh Great Spirit, save my people.
Please accept my sacrifice and send rain to water our land.” When the fire cooled, the young girl
scattered the ashes of her doll in all directions. She trusted the Great Spirit to hear her cry. The
sky was black like the raven when the girl lay down and fell asleep in the cool grass.
4
The next morning while the people of the village slept, the young child
awakened. The Indian girl gasped with joy as she looked where she had
scattered the ashes. Flowers the color of the blue jay feather covered the
earth. The villagers were amazed at the splendor of the display.
5
The shaman proclaimed a miracle! The Great Spirit had accepted the
sacrifice of the little girl. The ashes of the doll had become wildflowers
as a promise of rain. The warm rain began to fall, watering the land and
quenching the thirst of the people. The legend continues each spring
when bluebonnets sprinkle the landscape of Texas as reminders of a
young girl’s sacrifice for the land and the people she loved.
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Unit 25 Assessment
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
6 In “The Legend of the Bluebonnet,” what is
the cause of the drought?
F The people have not asked for rain.
9 The author includes the photograph in
“The Legend of the Bluebonnet” to provide
evidence that —
A the people of the village are pleased
with the young girl
G The people do not listen to the shaman.
H The people are lazy.
B the young girl is rewarded for her
sacrifice
J The people are selfish.
C the flowers in the village are watered
by rain
D the shaman is recognized by the Great
Spirit
7 What characteristic causes the little girl in
“The Legend of the Bluebonnet” to sacrifice
her special doll?
A She is lonely.
10 Read the sentence from paragraph 3 of
“The Legend of the Bluebonnet.”
B She is cheerful.
C She is wise.
The sky was black like the raven
D She is sad.
when the girl lay down and fell
asleep in the cool grass.
Which words from this sentence form
a simile?
8 Read the sentence from paragraph 1 of
“The Legend of the Bluebonnet.”
F The sky was black
The doll was the little girl’s thread to
G in the cool grass
her past.
H when the girl lay down
The author’s use of the metaphor in this
sentence refers to the doll as —
J black like the raven
F the reminder of her parents
Name __________________________________________
Unit 25 Assessment
G the symbol of her hope
H the source of her sadness
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
11 Both the legend and the selection provide
information about —
J the cause of the drought
A the conservation of wildflowers
13 Which word in “The Legend of the
Bluebonnet” has the same meaning as
spectacle in paragraph 1 of “The Heart of
Texas Wildflowers”?
B the location of wildflowers
A splendor
C the seeding of wildflowers
B sacrifice
D the importance of wildflowers
C vision
D miracle
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12 What is one difference between “The Heart
of Texas Wildflowers” and “The Legend of
the Bluebonnet”?
14 Read the sentence from paragraph 2 of
“The Heart of Texas Wildflowers.”
Mrs. Johnson encouraged the seeding
F Lady Bird Johnson sacrifices an important
possession, while the young girl does
not.
of the medians along Texas highways.
Which sentence from “The Legend of the
Bluebonnet” demonstrates a similar action?
G Lady Bird Johnson knows what the
results of her actions will be, while the
young girl does not.
F The villagers were amazed at the
splendor of the display.
H Lady Bird Johnson shows an interest in
other people, while the young girl does
not.
G She wept and placed her sacred doll,
with the feather as blue as the sky, in
the fire.
J Lady Bird Johnson displays concern about
the land, while the young girl does not.
H When the fire cooled, the young girl
scattered the ashes of her doll in all
directions.
J The warm rain began to fall, watering
the land and quenching the thirst of the
people.
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total motivation reading
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student sample pages
Name __________________________________________
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Analysis
What can you infer about Lady Bird Johnson based on her efforts with wildflower
conservation?
You get both...
Analyze
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students can work in
the book and online!
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aluation
Ev
Do you think the outcome of the sacrifice was worth the girl’s loss of her doll?
Eva
luate
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Justify your thinking. ____________________________________________________________
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nthesis
Sy
Name __________________________________________
Write an additional paragraph for “The Legend of the Bluebonnet.”
Unit 25 Critical Thinking
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
C re a t e
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The Heart of Texas Wildflowers
______________________________________________________________________________
and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
owledge
Kn
m e mber
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In “The Legend of the Bluebonnet,” what does the young girl sacrifice?
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___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
prehensi
om
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C
Re
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GRADE LEVEL 4 student edition
Unit 25 Critical Thinking
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What is the purpose of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center?
Un
derstand
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plication
Ap
Describe something you consider to be beautiful.
Apply
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_____________________________________________________________________________
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total motivation reading
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Name __________________________________________
Unit 25 Creative Thinking
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
Motivation Station
Motivation Mike says, “Characters in literary selections
experience problems and search for solutions.”
Cinquains are poems that have 5 lines. They are easy to write because they are
not required to rhyme and can follow different patterns. One pattern for a cinquain
is provided.
Line 1: Name of topic
Line 2: Two adjectives that describe the topic
Line 3: Three verbs (with the –ing suffix) that show actions performed by the topic
Line 4: A short sentence that tells something about the topic
Line 5: A new name for the topic
Use this pattern to create a cinquain about wildflowers.
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_______________________, _______________________
_______________________, _______________________, _______________________
__________________________________________________________
_______________________
Journal
Write about a personal possession that would be difficult for you to sacrifice.
Name __________________________________________
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Unit 25 Homework
The Heart of Texas Wildflowers and The Legend of the Bluebonnet
_____________________________________________________________________________
Wildflowers grow in many regions across Texas.
The map highlights areas people visit to view the
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breathtaking settings: Central Texas, the Texas
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Hill Country, and East Texas. These locations boast
Map Key
Location
of
Wildflowers
spectacular displays of flowers. Maps guide people
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as they travel mile after mile watching the colors
Lampasas
Llano
N
Burnet
Georgetown
Marble
Falls
offers print or digital maps. The Texas Hill Country
_____________________________________________________________________________
Wildflower Trail maintains a website people
Brenham
La Grange
San Antonio
Yoakum
access to locate wildflower destinations. Texas
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Cuero
Highways magazine publishes articles with beautiful
LEVEL 4
E
S
Austin
Willow
City
Loop
unfold. The Texas Department of Transportation
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W
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photographs of wildflower landscapes and maps
that accompany the articles.
1
Bluebonnets in Texas
Based on the map, in which direction would a
person living in Austin, Texas, travel to view
the largest display of wildflowers?
3
In what publication are maps of wildflower
trails found?
A The Texas Hill Country Wildflower Trail
A North
B The Eastern Region of Texas
B South
C Texas Department of Transportation
C East
D Texas Highways magazine
D West
2
How is a map helpful to a person who would
like to photograph wildflowers?
4
Explain the purpose of a compass rose.
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F It shows the most beautiful landscapes.
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G It identifies when the flowers bloom.
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H It helps plan the most efficient route.
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J It highlights tourist centers.
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✁
Parent Activities
1. Use digital and print sources to locate information about beginning a garden
of bluebonnets.
2. Create an album of Texas wildflowers with photographs and brief descriptions.
3. Help your child plant and maintain a garden.
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