you - Goldfieldsliteracy

Narrative
1
KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS/ARCHIVE PHOTOS
Flipper’s family was there when President Clinton signed the pardon.
Narrative
On February 19, 1999, President Bill Clinton
pardoned, or excused, Henry O. Flipper for a crime
that took place more than 100 years ago!
Henry Flipper was born a slave in 1856. He
worked very hard to become the first black
graduate of the U.S. Army College in West
Point, New York. In 1881 Flipper’s
commander, who was white, said that
Flipper stole $2,500. Flipper was found
not guilty. But he had to leave the
Army anyway because people said he
had not acted the way a soldier
should. The real crime was that
white soldiers did not want Flipper
in the army because he was black.
Level 2
U.S.ARMY/REUTES/ARCHIVE PHOTOS
1
Honor at Last
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Did Henry Flipper steal
$2,500? How do you
know?
2
Why do you think
President Clinton
pardoned Flipper?
3
Is Flipper’s story a sad
one or a happy one? Why?
Writer’s Response
1
Why do you think the
author wrote this story?
2
How do you think the
author got the pictures for
this story?
The important
news about
this story was what
President Clinton
BEGINNING
AND ENDING
did. So I started the
story by telling
about that. But of
course that was
really the end of the story!
After I told the end, I had to tell the
beginning. I know that seems backwards,
but I think the story makes sense anyway.
Most of the time when you tell a story, you
start with what happened first. Then you tell
what happened next. Finally, you tell how
the story ended.
But sometimes it’s okay to start with
the ending and then tell the beginning.
Write a story about a
✏
special person. Tell why he
”
or she is special. Decide
whether to put the
beginning of the story at the
beginning or the end!
Pretend Henry O.
✏
Flipper is still alive. What would you like to
say to him? Write him a letter.
What if you were a member of Henry O.
✏
Flipper’s family who was there with
President Clinton? Write a letter to a friend
telling how you felt that day.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
2
MARIAM AGRON/ANIMALS ANIMALS
Narrative
2
Don’t Ever Kiss a Peacock!
I went to my friend Jaime’s
birthday party. It was at the zoo. We
saw a baby giraffe. It could run and
it was only five days old.
A monkey was in the next habitat.
His name was Bonzo. I wanted to
feed Bonzo cotton candy. My friend
Jaime said, “No. That will make him
sick.”
Level 2
Then we walked to a big cage.
Five beautiful peacocks were inside.
I wanted to see them better. I put
my face very close to the cage.
A peacock bit my nose!
I jumped back. My nose hurt. After a
second, I was okay.
Jaime’s mom smiled. She said,
“Don’t ever kiss a peacock!”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why was the peacock
able to bite the narrator’s
nose?
2
How do you think the
narrator (the person
telling the story) felt about
being bitten by a
peacock?
3
If you had been at the zoo
that day, what animal
would you have wanted to
see? Tell why.
Writer’s Response
1
Who do you think the
narrator is? What clues
does the author give you?
2
The author tells a story,
but includes facts about
animals too. Does that
mean this isn’t really a
story? Explain your
answer.
When I tell a
story, I have
to use verbs. Verbs
tell what is
ACTION
VERBS
happening. If I can,
I like to use action
verbs. They tell
more about what
the people or animals in the story are
doing.
Look at my story. Words like was, were,
and wanted are verbs, but they don’t have
any action. Words like run, feed, walked,
bit, and jumped are action verbs. They help
the reader see and feel what is happening.
When you write, try to use action verbs.
They can help make your writing
more exciting.
”
Think of something
✏
silly or strange that has
happened to you. Write a
story telling what
happened. Try to use action
verbs.
Where would be a
✏
fun place to have a birthday party? Why
would it be fun? Write a description of your
idea.
Choose a zoo animal. Write a
✏
paragraph about what the animal eats. Make
a class book about what zoo animals eat.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
3
AHMEN KACHATURIAN FOR TIME FOR KIDS
HYPERION BOOKS
Narrative
3
A Cool Tale of Wonder
Alaska is a playground for author Jean
Craighead George. She often travels there
from her home in New York. She enjoys
watching the wolves and whales there.
When her grandson Luke was 11, George took him with her to
Alaska. She remembers their trip in her book Arctic Son. It tells the story of a
˘
boy named Luke and his adventures with the Inupiat (i-noo-pee-it)
tribe and
some wonderful animals. The story is full of whales, wolves, and walruses.
“Animals are such fun!” says George.
Level 2
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why do you think Jean
Craighead George likes to
visit Alaska?
2
How do you think Luke
felt when his grandmother
took him to Alaska? Why?
3
If you went to Alaska,
would you rather see a
whale, a wolf, or a walrus?
Tell why.
Writer’s Response
1
2
Does the author think you
would like to read the
book Arctic Son? Why do
you think so?
How do you think the
author knows what
George said about
animals?
Words such as
he, she, it, him,
her, and their are
pronouns. Pronouns
PRONOUNS
are very useful
words. They are used
in place of nouns.
Look at my first
paragraph. I used the author’s name, Jean
Craighead George, in the first sentence. After
that, I used she and her instead of repeating
the author’s name every time. That would be
really boring!
It is important to make sure readers know
what noun each pronoun is replacing.
Otherwise, they might get confused. Look at
the pronouns him, their, and it in my second
paragraph. What nouns are those
pronouns replacing?
”
Find out about the
✏
author of a book you like.
Write a story about the
author. Tell why he or she
wrote the book.
Plan to interview
✏
Jean Craighead George. Write
some questions you could ask her. Write the
answers she might give.
Write your own story about Alaska and
✏
some animals that live there. Draw a picture
to go with your story.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
4
PHOTO:SHUZO OGUSHI
PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS FOR TIME FOR KIDS BY DAVE COWLES
Narrative
4
Poké Power
There would be no Pokémon
without a shy, quiet man named
Satoshi Tajiri. He invented Pokémon,
which means “pocket monster” in
Japanese. The game first appeared in
Japan in 1996. Today his creation is
out of control!
Tajiri got the idea for Pokémon
from a bug collection he had when
he was a child. Collecting is a big
part of Pokémon. So are sharing and
trading.
Level 2
In 1991,
Tajiri came
across a Nintendo
Game Boy. He saw that two Game
Boys could be linked. “I imagined an
insect moving across the cable,” he
recalls. “My idea was for information
to go back and forth, to be shared.”
Pokémon is big now, but what will
happen when the next big thing
comes along? Just ask the Power
Rangers!
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
What do bugs have to do
with Pokémon?
2
Why do you think kids
love Pokémon?
In this story I
used lots of
verbs, or words that
tell action. I had to
VERB
ENDINGS
remember that
sometimes we add
endings like -ed and
-ing to verbs.
But those endings can be tricky! Sometimes
you have to drop the final e on a verb before
you add the ending. That’s what I had to do to
the verbs share, trade, and move before I
added the -ing ending.
And sometimes you don’t change the verb at
all before you add the ending. Find what
happened when I added -ed to invent.
Watch your spelling when you write
verbs with endings!
”
Writer’s Response
1
Why do you think the
author wanted to write
about the man who
invented Pokémon?
2
Why did the author tell
about Tajiri’s bug
collection?
3
Why did the author
mention the Power
Rangers in the last
paragraph?
What’s your favorite
✏
toy or game? Imagine the
person who invented it.
Write about that person. Tell
how you think he or she got
the idea for the toy or game.
Do you like
✏
Pokémon? Write a letter to an
older relative. Explain Pokémon to him or
her. Tell how you feel about it.
Ask kids in your class what their
✏
favorite toy or game is and why. Write a story
telling what you found out about favorite
toys.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
5
BILL FRAKES/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Fallon Heffernan
In-line Skater
Age: 12
Grade: 7th
Hometown: Neptune Beach,
Florida
Narrative
5
Hotshot on In-line Skates
Fallon Heffernan is a daredevil on
in-line skates. And she has a move to
prove it.
Fallon likes to do the Miller Flip.
She drops into the halfpipe (a track
shaped like a U) and zips up the
other side. She grabs the top edge of
the pipe. Then she does a backflip.
Finally, she lands back inside the
pipe!
Level 2
“The move always surprises the
crowd,” says Fallon. “They don’t
expect me to turn upside down.”
Fallon did the Miller Flip and
other wild moves at a big contest in
October 1998. She won the women’s
halfpipe event and came in second
in another event.
Fallon was the youngest skater (12
years old) in the contest. She was
also the shortest (4 feet 6 inches).
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
What two words would
you use to describe Fallon
Heffernan?
2
What is a daredevil? Do
you agree that Fallon is a
daredevil? Why or why
not?
3
Would you like to meet
Fallon? What would you
say to her if you did?
Writer’s Response
1
2
In the second paragraph,
the writer describes a
skating move called the
Miller Flip. Why does the
writer do that?
In the last paragraph, why
does the writer tell how
old and how tall Fallon is?
In this article,
I wanted to
focus on what
FOCUSING
makes Fallon stand
ON A
MAIN IDEA
out. She practices
hard. She is a good
skater. But what
one thing is most
important to her winning? I needed to
point that out.
What makes Fallon stand out? She is a
daredevil. I decided to say this in the first
sentence. I described the Miller Flip so that
readers could picture Fallon making this
exciting move. Then I mentioned her other
wild moves because that shows that she
takes chances and isn’t afraid. That’s
what a daredevil does.
You are getting ready to
✏
do the Miller Flip. Tell how
”
you feel and what you see as
you do the flip.
You are interviewing
✏
Fallon. What do you want
to know about her? Write your
questions.
You were in the audience at Fallon’s
✏
skating contest. Write a letter to a friend
describing what you saw. Tell what you
enjoyed most.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
6
STEVEN W.JONES/FPG
Narrative
6
For One or More Players
My best friend Kristen moved to
Oregon. You know what that means?
She can’t play with me on the
playground anymore. The other kids
all have best friends who still live
here. They can play with each other.
So now during recess I make up
games to play by myself. They are all
for one person.
One of these games is “Bouncing
Beth Bumbledown.” That’s a game
Level 2
where you try to jump higher than a
bouncing ball.
Some kids think I’m a nut. My dad
says, “Without nuts we wouldn’t
have Rocky Road ice cream.”
Today, two girls asked me what
game I was playing. Maybe
tomorrow I’ll explain it to them.
Then I can make up games for two
or more.
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
How does the narrator
(the person telling the
story) feel now that
Kristen has moved away?
2
Why does the narrator
play games for one rather
than play with the other
children?
3
What might happen if the
narrator starts making up
games for two or more?
Writer’s Response
1
Why do you think the
author described one of
the games the narrator
made up?
2
The dad said, “Without
nuts we wouldn’t have
Rocky Road ice cream.”
What does that mean?
Why did the author put
that in the story?
Which of these
words from the
story names a
PROPER
person, which
NOUNS
names a place, and
which names a
thing: Kristen,
Oregon, Rocky
Road? Did you say that Kristen names a
person, Oregon names a place, and Rocky
Road names a thing?
Did you notice that the words begin with
capital letters? That’s because words that
name a particular person (like Kristen, but
not girl), a particular place (like Oregon,
but not state), or a particular thing (like
Rocky Road, but not ice cream) are proper
nouns. They must begin with capital letters.
Imagine you are the
✏
narrator. Write a postcard to
Kristen. Tell her how you
feel about her moving to
Oregon and what you have
been doing at school.
Imagine you are
✏
Kristen. Write an e-mail to the narrator. Tell
her how you feel about moving and living in
Oregon.
What is a game you like to play? Is it for
✏
one person or more? Write directions that tell
how to play the game.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
7
DAN LAMONT
Sam Girouard looks for fossils.
Narrative
7
The Fossil Finder
When Sam Girouard was 8 years
old, he visited his grandmother in
Alabama. They explored an old
mine. What they found changed
Sam’s life forever. “It was just packed
with fossils,” says Sam.
Sam has been hunting fossils ever
since. The 16-year-old is now a real
fossil scientist. He helped dig up a
Level 2
T. rex skeleton! He also found a bone
of a mastodon, which was like an
elephant. It was 41/2 million years
old!
Sam doesn’t tell other scientists his
age right away. “I’m afraid that if
people first knew I was a kid, my
work wouldn’t be taken seriously,”
he says.
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
How long has Sam been a
fossil hunter?
2
Why might Sam’s age
bother some scientists?
3
Do you think fossil
hunting sounds like fun?
Why or why not?
Writer’s Response
1
2
The writer ended two
sentences in the second
paragraph with
exclamation points. Why
do you think she did that?
Why did the writer tell you
how Sam got started
hunting fossils?
Sometimes
when I write
a story, I have to
EXPLAINING
WHAT WORDS
use a word I’m not
MEAN
sure my readers
will understand. I
can try to use
another easier word, but sometimes that
just doesn’t work.
In this story, I needed to use the word
mastodon. It’s the name of the animal
whose bone Sam found. There is no other
word for that name, but I knew some kids
wouldn’t know what a mastodon is. So I
said that it was like an elephant. This gives
readers a clue about what mastodon
means.
Write a story about
✏
Sam and a dinosaur fossil he
”
found. Tell what happened.
Make sure your story has a
beginning, a middle, and an
end.
Write a letter to Sam.
✏
Ask him questions about his job as a fossil
hunter. Tell him what job you would like to
have.
Pretend you are Sam. Write a journal
✏
entry about the day you found the fossils in
the old mine. Tell how you feel about that
day.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
8
JAMES S.KEYSER FOR TIMES
Hannah uses a special “high-back” swing that helps her sit up.
Narrative
8
A Dream Come True
When Hannah Kristan was in
elementary school, she did not like
recess. “I never got to do anything
except sit there,” she recalls.
Hannah, 12, was born with a
disease that kept the bones in her
back from growing the way most
people’s do. She uses a wheelchair.
Kids in wheelchairs can’t use the
Level 2
swings and slides on playgrounds.
Then Hannah heard about special
playgrounds for disabled kids. She
helped raise money for one in her
town. Hannah says, “Disabled
people are just like anybody else. We
want to be able to play with our
friends.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why is it surprising that
Hannah doesn’t like
recess?
2
What did Hannah do to
get a playground she
could use?
3
How would you describe
Hannah? Write two words
and explain why you
chose them.
Writer’s Response
1
2
The author tells you right
away that Hannah did not
like recess but doesn’t
explain why. Why did the
author wait to explain?
The author uses some of
the exact words Hannah
said. How does that help
readers?
Compound
words are
words made up of
USING
two smaller words.
COMPOUND
I used three
WORDS
compounds in this
story.
Look in the first
paragraph for one
of them. Did you find the word anything?
What are its two parts? You’re right if you
said any and thing. When you write
anything, you write it as one word with no
space between any and thing.
I used the compounds wheelchair and
playground in the second paragraph. What
are the two parts in them? The two parts
can help you understand what the
compound word means.
Hannah worked to
✏
change something she didn’t
”
like. Write a story about
someone else you know of
who did that. Tell what the
person changed and how.
If you could meet
✏
Hannah, what would you ask her? Write your
questions and what you think she might
answer.
Think of an invention that could help a
✏
disabled person. Draw a picture of your
invention and write about how it works.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
9
AL GRILLO/AP
Doug Swingley
hugs his sled
dogs Cola and
Elmer.
Narrative
9
The Iditarod’s Top Dogs
Doug Swingley raced to the finish
line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog
Race. Cheering fans lined the streets
of Nome, Alaska. It was 1:31 in the
morning and very cold.
Swingley broke two sleds along the
way. But that did not stop him. He
reached the finish line 9 hours
before the next racer.
Level 2
This is the second time Swingley
has won the race. He won $69,000
and a new pickup truck. He and his
11 dogs raced the 1,100 miles from
Anchorage to Nome in 9 days, 14
hours, 31 minutes, and 7 seconds.
“I’ve got to take a long rest,” said
Swingley at the finish line. And so
did his dogs!
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
How can you tell that the
Iditarod is a very popular
race in Alaska?
2
Why would Swingley
need a long rest after this
race?
3
Look at the picture. How
does Swingley feel about
his sled dogs?
Writer’s Response
1
Why did the writer tell you
it was 1:31 in the
morning when Swingley
crossed the finish line?
2
Why did the writer tell you
that Swingley broke two
sleds during the race?
I like to use
numbers
when I write a story
like this one. The
NUMBERS
numbers here are
very important. They
tell my readers
exactly when Doug
Swingley got to the finish line. They also tell
exactly how long it took him to get there. And
numbers tell them exactly how much money
he won!
It’s important to use numbers when you
want your readers to understand exactly how
many or how much. Sometimes that helps
them get a better picture of what you’re
writing about. Using numbers doesn’t work
with every story I write. But it does in
this one.
Have you ever won a
✏
race, game, or contest? Have
”
you ever wanted to? Write a
story about it. Tell how it
began and how it ended.
Try to use numbers in your
story.
Write a story about
✏
the sled dogs, Cola and Elmer, who are
shown in the picture. Tell what the Iditarod
was like for them.
What do you think Swingley and his
✏
dogs did after they won the race? Write two
more paragraphs to add to the story.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
10
Narrative
RON CHAPPLE/FPG
10
My Trip on a Plane
I took a plane trip by
myself.
Mom said, “You’re old
enough to visit Aunt Rena on
your own.”
Mom took me to the airport.
I was a little scared. I didn’t
even care when she gave me a
goodbye kiss.
Stanley, the flight attendant,
showed me my seat on the
plane.
I was so excited I couldn’t
sit still. The man in front of
me said, “Please stop kicking
my seat.”
The plane’s engines roared.
Before I knew it, we were
flying.
Stanley gave me a book of
puzzles. The fluffy clouds
below us looked like
marshmallows.
The plane landed in
Cleveland. Stanley took me off
the plane. Aunt Rena was waiting for me. I was excited to see her.
I didn’t even care when she gave me a hello kiss.
Level 2
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
How do you think the
narrator (the person
telling the story) felt
before the flight? During
the flight? After the flight?
2
What did the narrator do
before the plane took off
because she was so
excited? How do you
know this happened?
3
Do you think the narrator
will want to fly on a plane
again? Why or why not?
Writer’s Response
1
What are some words the
author uses to show how
the narrator was feeling?
2
What two things does the
author compare in this
sentence: “The fluffy
clouds below us looked
like marshmallows”? Why
did the author compare
those two things?
What is a
contraction?
A contraction is two
words put together
CONTRACTIONS
to make one word.
One or more letters
are left out, and an
apostrophe (’) is
used in their place. In the contraction
you’re, the words you and are are put
together. The letter a is left out. An
apostrophe takes its place. What words are
used to make didn’t and couldn’t? What
letters are left out?
When we speak, we often use
contractions. So when I write what
someone is thinking or saying, I use
contractions.
Write a story about a
✏
trip you have taken or would
”
like to take. Tell where you
went, how you felt, and
what you did. Try to use a
contraction. Read your
story to a friend.
Find out three
✏
interesting facts about Cleveland or another
city in which you’re interested. Write the
facts and share them with the class.
Write some sentences that compare
✏
two things. Use this sentence form to help
you: A _______ is like a __________.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
11
Hooked on Harry
J. K. Rowling says
her books are “fun
to write.”
Narrative
11
MURDO MACLEOD
Can
you hear
the magic
spell spreading
through the air?
The spell has been cast
by J. K. Rowling, whose magic wand
is a pen. Rowling is the British
author of the Harry Potter books.
Harry finds out that his parents
were a witch and a wizard. He’s a
wizard too! He goes to Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Level 2
The
idea for
Harry just
“strolled into
my head,” says
Joanne Rowling. “I
still don’t know where he came
from!”
Kids sure are glad he’s here.
Rowling plans to write one book for
each year Harry is at Hogwarts. How
will it all end? All she will say is the
last word of the last book is “scar.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
What is unusual about
Harry Potter?
2
Is it interesting to find out
about the author of the
Harry Potter books? Why
or why not?
3
Why do you think the
Harry Potter books are so
popular?
Writer’s Response
1
Why does the writer use
the words magic, spell,
cast, and wand in the first
paragraph?
2
Why does the writer tell
you that J. K. Rowling
already knows the last
word of her last Harry
Potter book?
Every time I
write a story
for a magazine, I go
PROOFREADING
back and read it
FOR
again after it’s done.
PUNCTUATION
I check it over to
make sure
everything is okay.
One thing I check is
the punctuation at the ends of sentences.
Most sentences end with a period. Those
sentences just tell something.
Some sentences end with a question mark.
Those sentences ask questions.
But some sentences need an exclamation
mark. Those sentences tell something
surprising or exciting.
Can you find all three kinds of
punctuation in my story?
Ask kids in your class
✏
what they think about the
”
Harry Potter books. Write a
story telling the good and
bad things they say about
the books.
What is your favorite
✏
book? Find out about the author. Write a
story about the book and the author.
Some people do not like the Harry
✏
Potter books because they have magic in
them. Write an essay telling what you think.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
12
NINA BERMAN/SIPA
Larry knew
how to stop
the school bus.
A Lucky Brake
Narrative
12
Kids can be real heroes. Larry Champagne, 10, is one. He
saved a whole school bus full of kids. The bus driver passed out
on the way to school. The bus started to bang into fences along
the road. Kids screamed. But Larry ran to the front and stopped
the bus. How did he do it? He pushed hard on the brake!
Larry knows about brakes because he helps his grandfather
work on his truck. “And my grandmother always tells me to do
what’s right,” says Larry.
Larry’s act made news all over the country. He was even on
TV. His school gave him a medal. But the kids on that bus
already knew he was a real hero.
Level 2
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Do you think Larry is a
hero? Why or why not?
2
What would you have
done if you were on that
bus?
3
What people do you think
are heroes? Why do you
think so? Are any of them
kids?
I began this
story by
saying Larry was a
hero because he
TELLING
saved a school bus
THINGS IN
ORDER
full of kids. But I
knew readers would
want to know
exactly how that
happened. I had to tell what happened first,
what happened next, and what happened
after that.
1. The bus driver passed out.
2. The bus banged into the fences.
That made the kids scream.
3. Larry ran up and stopped the bus.
I had to tell how he did that.
Telling things in the proper order helps
readers keep up with what is
happening.
”
Writer’s Response
1
Why do you think the
author wrote this story?
2
Why did the author tell
you about Larry’s
grandfather and
grandmother?
Write a story about a
✏
hero and what the hero did.
Your hero can be real or
make-believe. Tell things in
time order.
Pretend you are
✏
Larry. Write about what happened the day
you stopped the bus. Remember to use “I.”
The principal made a speech when the
✏
school gave Larry his medal. What did the
principal say? Write the speech.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
13
RYAN SHECKLER/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Narrative
13
Hotshot on a
Skateboard
Ryan Sheckler knows what
he wants to be when he
grows up. He decided that at
his sixth birthday party. Ryan had
asked Tony Hawk to his party. Hawk
is a skateboard champ. Tony
showed up after Ryan promised
him a piece of chocolate cake.
After meeting Tony, Ryan knew
he wanted to be a skateboarder.
“I want to be on posters,” says
Ryan.
Ryan may get his wish. He
won a statewide contest in
California. Ryan did a
tricky move called the
Wave Gap.
Ryan zoomed off a
14-foot-high ramp. He sailed
through the air. Then he landed
on a wooden hill six feet away.
Watch out for Ryan Sheckler. You
might see him on a poster someday!
Level 2
Ryan Sheckler
Skateboarder
Age: 8
Grade: 3rd
Hometown: San Clemente, California
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Ryan knows what he
wants to be when he
grows up. Tell about what
you want to be when you
grow up.
2
Tony Hawk came to
Ryan’s birthday party.
Was this a nice thing to
do? Why or why not?
3
Ryan wears a helmet
when he skateboards.
What else should
skateboarders do to be
safe?
I was going to
write about
MAKING A
kids who play
TOPIC
sports. But I found
JUST THE
out kids play lots of
RIGHT SIZE
sports. That topic
was too big for one
article.
So I made my topic smaller. I looked for
kids who were champions in their sports.
Even that topic was too big! I couldn’t write
about all the champions!
So I wrote about one champion—Ryan. He
is interesting because he is so young to be a
champion. And I had just enough
information about him to write the article.
When you write, you have to decide if
your topic is too big, too small, or just
right.
Pretend you saw Ryan
✏
win the contest. Write an
Writer’s Response
1
2
Why did the writer tell
about Ryan winning the
contest? How is that
important to the story?
Ryan asked a champion
skateboarder to his
birthday party. Why did
the writer tell about that?
Level 2
”
article that tells who was
there, where the contest
took place, and what
happened.
Imagine Ryan is
✏
coming to your class to talk about kids’
sports. Write a script of what he might say to
kids about sports.
Ryan will appear at a local kids’ sports
✏
meet. Make a poster advertising the meet.
Where and when will it take place? How
much will tickets cost?
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
14
NUMBER 20,1949 (ENAMEL ON PAPER LAID DOWN ON MASONITE BY JACKSON POLLACK (1912-56) PRIVATE COLLECTION/JAMES GOODMAN GALLERY,NEW YORK,USA/BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY
Narrative
14
Squiggle Art
My class went to the art museum.
We looked at a painting by a famous
artist named Jackson Pollock. It had
squiggles of paint running all over it.
It made me smile.
“Anyone could make that
painting,” my friend Susie said. Susie
always says stuff like that. I didn’t
think it would be that easy.
Then I saw a piece of gum stuck to
Level 2
the painting. I reached out to peel it
off.
Beep! Beep! An alarm went off. A
guard rushed over.
I put up my hands. I shouted, “I’m
just trying to clean up the painting!”
The guard smiled. He said, “It’s
okay. The gum is part of the
painting.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Did the narrator (the
person telling the story)
think gum belonged on a
painting? How can you
tell?
2
What made the alarm go
off and the guard come
over?
3
Do you think it is easy or
hard to make a good
painting? Why do you
think as you do?
Writer’s Response
1
2
At the end of the first
paragraph, how does the
author let readers know
how the narrator felt
about the painting?
In the fourth paragraph,
what words for sound
does the author use? Why
does the author do that?
If I want to
show that
someone is
QUOTATION
speaking, I must
MARKS
use quotation
marks (“ ”). I put
these marks at the
beginning and the end of what the person
says. In my story, Susie talks. Can you find
what she says? A quick way to find her
words is to look for the quotation marks.
Susie says, “Anyone could make that
painting.”
Look through the rest of the story. Who
else speaks? What does each person
say? How can you tell?
Write a story about a
✏
class trip. Tell what people
”
said on the trip. Use
quotation marks to show
their words.
Look through a book
✏
that has paintings by
famous artists. Choose a picture you like.
Write a description of it and tell why you
like it.
Find out about Jackson Pollock or
✏
another artist. Write a paragraph that tells
about his or her life and work as an artist.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
15
OSAMU HONDA/AP
MARK LENNIHAN/AP
Serena has been playing since she was 5.
Narrative
Two sisters are new U.S. tennis
champs. Serena Williams, 17, beat
last year’s U.S. Open champion in a
very hard contest. She won over
Martina Hingis. Serena’s sister
Venus, 19, lost to Martina last year.
Then Serena and Venus played
together as teammates in what is
called a “doubles” contest. They
won. So Serena is the new “singles”
champion, and the two sisters
together are the new “doubles”
champions!
Level 2
Yes! Serena won almost $1 million at the Open.
They are very tough athletes. But
Serena says, “Tennis is a game. It’s
not your life. We really believe in
family.”
KATHY WILLENS/AP
15
New Champs
Take the Court
Venus is on the left and Serena on the right.
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Which sister is a
champion twice?
2
Do you think it is unusual
for sisters to win these
contests? Why or why
not?
3
Do you think Serena and
Venus play tennis a lot?
Why do you think so?
Writer’s Response
1
2
Why do you think the
author told you that Venus
had lost to Martina
Hingis?
Why do you think the
author told what Serena
said about family?
I always ask
someone else
to read my first
WORKING
draft. I read it over
WITH
myself first, of
A PARTNER
course. But I don’t
always catch my
own mistakes. And
sometimes another person has a good idea
for making my work better.
In my first draft, I didn’t tell that Serena
and Venus were sisters until the second
paragraph. But my writing partner said
readers would want to know that right away.
So I put that information in my first
sentence.
Use a partner to help you revise your
first draft. Partners often have good
ideas!
Think about an exciting
✏
game you have seen. Write
”
about what happened. Be
sure to tell who won and
what the score was.
What’s your favorite
✏
sport or game? Do you like
to play or watch? Write about the game. Tell
why you like it.
Write some questions you want to ask
✏
Serena and Venus. Write the answers you
think they would give.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
16
TED THAI FOR TIME FOR KIDS
Claudia Fleming at work. Shown are some of her desserts.
Narrative
16
She Takes the Cake!
Mmmmm . . . Claudia Fleming has
a sweet life. At the end of her day at
work, she is covered with sugar and
dotted with chocolate. She is a pastry
chef at a restaurant in New York City.
All day long she makes desserts!
“It’s like putting on a play,” she
says. “You get ready all morning. And
the curtain goes up for lunch and
dinner. It’s time for the show!”
Level 2
Claudia started by being a helper.
She watched her boss very carefully.
Soon she was the boss herself. She
says that kids who want to be chefs
should read cookbooks. “Cook at
home,” she says. “Work any job in a
restaurant.”
The best part of her job? “Making
something,” she says, “and then
making someone happy with it.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
What are two ways
Claudia Fleming might
have “a sweet life”?
2
Is being a pastry chef hard
work? Why do you think
so?
3
The word pastry means
“dessert.” How did you
figure that out?
Writers are
always
looking for ideas. I
KEEPING
carry a small
A JOURNAL
notebook. I write
down interesting
things I see or hear.
Often I find story
ideas in my journal.
I talked with Claudia Fleming when my
family went to her restaurant. I loved what
she said about her work being like putting
on a play. And then she told my son Patrick
he should cook at home if he wants to be a
chef. I wrote her words in my journal.
She had such interesting things to say I
knew you would want to read about
her!
Do you know someone
✏
who has an interesting job?
Writer’s Response
1
2
Why did the writer tell
that Claudia Fleming said
making desserts is like
putting on a play?
What clues did the author
give you in the title and
the first sentence about
the subject of the story?
Level 2
”
Talk to that person. Write
about the job and what the
person says about it.
Draw and write a
✏
poster or ad for Claudia
Fleming’s restaurant. Make people want to
have her desserts.
Describe your favorite dessert. Tell
✏
what it’s made of. Draw a picture to go with
your description.
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
17
On April 18, 1999, the greatest
hockey player of all time played his
final game. After the game, Wayne
Gretzky stepped into the spotlight to
say goodbye.
In 20 seasons, Gretzky, 38, skated
his way to 61 National Hockey League
(NHL) records. He was named an AllStar 18 times. He is hockey’s all-time
leading scorer. He had 2,857 total
points, including 894 goals and 1,963
assists.
“Everything I have in my life, I owe
to hockey,” said the nine-time Most
Valuable Player. The NHL has
decided to retire the number 99 to
honor “the Great One.”
Narrative
17
Goodbye,
Gretzky
BARTON SILVERMAN/NEW YORK TIMES PICTURES
Level 2
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why is Wayne Gretzky
called “the Great One”?
2
What does “retire the
number 99” mean?
3
Why do you suppose
Wayne Gretzky decided
not to play hockey any
more?
Writer’s Response
1
2
Why do you think the
author chose this
photograph to go with his
story about Wayne
Gretzky?
What does the author do
to show you what a great
hockey player Gretzky
was?
When you’re
writing about
someone as special
as Wayne Gretzky,
USING
you can’t just say
DETAILS
over and over how
great he is. You really
have to give your
readers the details
that show it.
So I spent some time finding information
about his records. I knew that you would want
to read those interesting facts about what he
did during his career as a hockey player. And
it’s those details that prove what an amazing
hockey player he was.
Remember that for your own writing, too.
Give your readers interesting details.
They give your writing zing!
”
Who is your favorite
✏
sports hero? Write about
that person. Explain why
the person is special.
Write a postcard or
✏
letter to Wayne Gretzky.
Ask him questions. Tell him what you know
about hockey and skating.
Would you like to play professional
✏
hockey like Wayne Gretzky? Write a
paragraph telling why or why not.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
18
BILL LOSH/FPG
Narrative
18
Working with Mom
I went to work with my mom
yesterday. She is an accountant.
That’s a person who works with lots
of numbers. Mom’s office is on the
53rd floor. Her desk is next to the
window. I asked if she was scared
she would fall out. She laughed.
“I can see our house from here,” I
said. My mom didn’t believe me.
The phone rang about twelve
times every minute. People ran in
Level 2
and out of her office. They carried
papers and asked her questions. We
went to five meetings. They were not
very interesting to me. But my mom
seemed to like them a lot.
The office was very noisy. How did
she get anything done?
Mom smiled. “Work can
sometimes be the hardest place to
get work done.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why do you think the
narrator (the person
telling the story) went to
work with her mother?
2
Why do you think the
child didn’t find her
mom’s meetings
interesting?
3
What does the mother
mean when she says,
“Work can sometimes be
the hardest place to get
work done”?
Writer’s Response
1
2
How does the author help
you know the meaning of
the word accountant?
Why is this important?
In the third paragraph,
the author contrasts how
the narrator and the
mother viewed meetings.
How does the author do
that?
Level 2
I could have
written a
story that gave just
the facts. I went to
USING
HUMOR
work with Mom.
She sat at her desk.
She talked on the
phone. And so on.
But that wouldn’t have been very
interesting. So I used humor to make my
story more entertaining. I put in a couple of
funny things I said to Mom, one about
falling out the window and the other about
seeing our house. I joked about how often
the phone rang. It didn’t really ring twelve
times a minute, but that sounds funnier
than saying, ‘The phone rang a lot,’
don’t you think?
Write notes about one
✏
day at school. Then write a
”
story that tells about that
day. Remember to use “I.”
Interview a parent or
✏
another adult. Ask
questions about his or her
job. Write a story about what a work day is
like.
Invite a parent or another adult to come
✏
to school for a day. Write an invitation to give
to the person. Tell why you would like him or
her to come.
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
19
ROBERT SEAY/MACON TELEGRAPH
Officer Sinclair talks with some of his 33 kids.
Narrative
19
Police Officer Next Door
Ellis Sinclair has 33 kids. Sort of.
He is a police officer. The police in
his city wanted to help kids with
problems. They decided to have
Officer Sinclair move into a house in
the kids’ tough neighborhood.
He meets with the kids and the
principal of their school. He listens
to the kids whenever they want to
Level 2
talk. It’s working. Before he moved
in, most of the kids had been in
trouble with the law. Now only a few
have.
But Sinclair thinks his work is
more than a job. He wants “his” 33
kids to have a better life. He says,
“They’re my family.” He really lives
his job!
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
Why do you think it helps
the kids to have a police
officer live in their
neighborhood?
2
Why does Officer Sinclair
call the 33 kids his
family?
3
How do you think the kids
feel about having him
there? Why?
Writer’s Response
1
2
Why did the writer say in
the first sentence that
“Ellis Sinclair has 33
kids”?
How does the writer let
you know how Officer
Sinclair feels about his
kids?
Writers don’t
want to bore
their readers. So
CHANGING
they’ll do anything to
LENGTHS OF
keep their writing
SENTENCES
interesting. For
example, if all the
sentences in a story
are about the same
length, readers may start to fall asleep! So
writers make their sentences different lengths.
They mix together short sentences, medium
sentences, and long sentences.
Look at the second paragraph in my story. I
wrote two long sentences, then a short one,
then one long sentence, then a short one. That
makes my writing more interesting and
keeps my readers interested.
Have you ever met a
✏
police officer? Write about
”
what it was like to meet him
or her. Tell how a real police
officer is different from the
ones you see on TV.
You are one of Officer
✏
Sinclair’s 33 kids. Write a letter to a
friend telling him or her what it’s like to have
a police officer to talk to every day.
How does Officer Sinclair feel about his
✏
job? Write a paragraph about him. Tell what
he likes about his job. Tell what he doesn’t
like.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Narrative
20
KIMBERLY BUTLER FOR PEOPLE WEEKLY
Narrative
20
Time Traveler’s Tales
Mary Pope Osborne likes to go
places. She once traveled to 16
countries in an old van! Now she
uses her imagination to go back in
time to places like ancient Greece
and Egypt. She is the writer of the
Magic Tree House books.
“Kids give me lots of good ideas,”
she says. The kids she meets on
school visits often pick the places
Level 2
she sends her main characters, Jack
and Annie. For example, the idea to
put the time travelers on the doomed
ship Titanic came from kids.
“Tonight on the Titanic is a little
different from my other books,”
Osborne says. “I wanted kids to
know it was sad and not just a fun
adventure.”
©TIME Inc.
Reader’s Response
1
What’s the difference
between Mary Pope
Osborne’s trip to 16
countries and the trips
she takes now?
2
How does Osborne travel
back in time?
3
What was the Titanic?
Why is its story sad?
Writer’s Response
I write many
different
kinds of things for
THINKING
many different
ABOUT YOUR
kinds of magazines.
AUDIENCE
I write books, too.
But no matter what
I’m writing, I always
think carefully about my readers. Who is
going to read what I’m writing? What are
those people interested in? What do they
want to know?
Thinking about your readers can help you
decide what to write about. I knew kids your
age were my audience for this article. So I
chose to write about a person who writes
books kids like to read. I figured they
would like to know more about her.
Where do you think
✏
Osborne should send Jack
”
1
Why did the author tell
you that Osborne gets
many ideas from kids?
and Annie in her next book?
Write about one place and
why you chose it.
2
Does the author think
Osborne is an interesting
person? How do you
know?
Titanic. Tell about the author, the book, and
why readers should read the book.
Write a review of
✏
Osborne’s book Tonight on the
Write your own adventure story about
✏
two characters who travel in time. Make it
exciting for your audience.
Level 2
© Teacher Created Materials, Inc.