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Cracked Up!
By Colleen Messina

One minute I was sitting on the wall. I don't know what happened, but
then I found myself on the ground. The king's men were bending over me
and shaking their heads. They looked so worried that it cracked me
up...even more. The king's horses were sniffing me with their soft noses.
They all seemed to want to put me back together again. Perhaps I should
go talk to Mother Goose about this problem to inspire her. She could write
about my little mishap for her book of rhymes while I figure out what to do.
In fact, I am quite sure I would be an excellent character for her work.
Maybe I should try some superglue to fix myself up. Who am I?

Cracked Up!

Questions
1. Where was this character sitting in the beginning of this paragraph?
A. in the grass
B. on a piano bench
C. in a frying pan
D. on a wall

2. What animals sniffed this character?

A. cows
B. dogs
C. mice
D. horses

3. Father Time is mentioned in this paragraph.

A. true
B. false

4. What fictional character is this paragraph about?

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A New Way to Measure

By Jane Runyon

"Oh, my," started Mrs. Kim, "I don't think we will be able to do our lesson
today."

The children loved Mrs. Kim's science lessons.

Josh asked, "Why not?"

"Well," began Mrs. Kim, "I had planned for us to do some measuring today.
But I forgot to bring any rulers to class. We can't measure anything without a
ruler, can we?"

"What are we going to measure?" asked Matthew.

"I want you to measure the distance from one side of the classroom to the
other side," answered Mrs. Kim.

"We could measure like my dad sometimes does," said C. J. "He sometimes
just puts one foot in front of the other. I guess that's where we find out how many feet long something is."

"Let's see if that will work," said Mrs. Kim. "Why don't you see how many of your feet it takes to cross the
room, C.J?"

C.J. began walking from one side of the classroom to the other. He put one foot down and then put the heel of
his other foot at the toe of his first foot. He continued doing this until he had crossed the room.

"I counted thirty of my feet from one side to the other," C.J. announced.

"So you think the room is thirty feet across," said Mrs. Kim.

"I think someone else should try," said Maddie, "just to make sure."

"All right, Maddie," said Mrs. Kim, "why don't you try."

Maddie put heel to toe and she also walked across the room.

"I counted thirty-five footsteps," announced Maddie when she had finished. "C.J. must have counted wrong."

"I'll settle it," offered Matthew. "I'm sure I will count correctly."

Matthew crossed the room walking heel to toe. When he reached the other side, he announced, "You are both
wrong. It is only twenty-six steps across the room."

"Oh, my," said Mrs. Kim, "how did that happen? We have three different measures for the distance across the
room."

"I think I know why, Mrs. Kim," said Emma. "Look at C.J.'s, Maddie's, and Matthew's feet. They are all
different sizes. Maddie's feet are the smallest, and Matthew's are the biggest."

"That would make a difference," said Mrs. Kim. "What can we do to remedy that problem?"

"We could use something to measure that is one length," continued Emma. "I see some pieces of wood in the
corner that all seem to be the same length. Could we use them?"

"That is a very good idea, Emma," answered Mrs. Kim. "Those pieces of wood all just happen to be exactly
one meter in length. Let's see how many of them it will take to cross the room."
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The children placed the meter-long sticks end to end across the room. Kylie placed the last stick into place. "I
have the tenth stick," she said.

"So we can say that the room is ten meters in length," said Mrs. Kim. "Most countries around the world use
meter sticks for finding distances. All of their distances are based on the number ten. The ten meters you
measured across the room would be called a dekameter. Deka- is a prefix that means ten. Dekameter would be ten
meters."

"What if you wanted to measure something smaller than the room?" asked Susan. "What if I wanted to
measure the top of my desk?"

"Then we would use other metric measures," answered Mrs. Kim. "I can show you with a very special meter
stick that I have."

Mrs. Kim showed the class her special meter stick. She broke the stick into ten equal pieces. "Each of these
pieces of the meter stick is a decimeter. While deka- means ten, deci means one-tenth. Each of the pieces I have is
one-tenth of the meter I started with."

"What if I wanted to measure how wide my hand is?" asked Julie. "That is bigger than my hand."

"Watch what I can do with this decimeter," said Mrs. Kim. She broke the decimeter into ten equal pieces. Each
of these pieces was just about as wide as a fingernail from side to side. "I can use pieces this small to measure
smaller objects. One of these pieces is called a centimeter. Centi- is a prefix that means one-hundredth or one of a
hundred. If I broke the meter into pieces all this size, there would be one hundred of them."

"Can you break the centimeter into ten pieces?" asked Laura. "Those pieces would be awfully small."

"Yes, I can," answered Mrs. Kim. "Each of those pieces is called a millimeter. Milli- is a prefix that means one
thousandth. It would take one thousand of those very small pieces to make a meter."

"Wow!" said Charlie. "Can the pieces get smaller than that?"

"Yes, they can," answered Mrs. Kim. "But we don't use measures like that in our everyday lives. We do use
larger measures, though. Would you want to use a meter stick to measure the distance from our town to the state
capital?"

"That would be a whole lot of meters!" exclaimed Pete.

"That's why groups of ten are used again," said Mrs. Kim. "We talked about how ten meters is called a
dekameter. If we were to put ten dekameters end to end, it would be called a hectometer. Hecto- is a prefix that
means one hundred. There are one hundred meters in a hectometer. If we put ten hectometers end to end, we
would have a kilometer. Kilo- means one thousand. There are one thousand meters in a kilometer. Kilometers are
used to measure very long distances because they are very long."

"That seems a lot easier than trying to remember how many inches are in a foot and how many feet are in a
yard," reasoned Hannah.

"And we can use those same prefixes to describe how much things weigh and how much a container can hold.
But we will save that for another day. Right now, let's see how many things we can measure with our meter
sticks."

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A New Way to Measure

Questions
1. You must always use a ruler to measure something.
A. false
B. true

2. What happens when you use units of different length to measure with?

3. What does the prefix deka- mean?

A. meter
B. measure
C. one-tenth
D. ten

4. About how long is a centimeter?

A. a desk
B. the width of a fingernail
C. a foot
D. a mile

5. Why would you use a kilometer to measure the distance between cities?

6. What is the basic number unit used in the metric system?

A. tens
B. twenties
C. twos
D. ones

7. Most of the world uses the metric system.

A. false
B. true

8. What does the prefix cent- mean?

A. one hundred
B. one thousandth
C. one thousand
D. one hundredth

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A Problem for James

By Kathleen W. Redman

You would like James. He is really funny. He's always very nice to everyone. He likes to read and knows a lot
of interesting things. James has many friends. He gets along with almost everyone.

James gets sad and upset sometimes, though. Some days, James doesn't feel like talking. He looks really tired.
Sometimes James really doesn't want to be at school. He doesn't want to be around his friends. What would make
James feel so upset?

Sometimes James feels bad because people make fun of him. James is overweight. There are some kids at
school who pick on him. Sometimes James just doesn't like the way he looks. He doesn't like feeling tired all the
time. Feeling tired and sad is a problem for James.

James has decided to make some changes. His dad took him to the doctor last week. His doctor measured
James's height and weight. He asked James a lot of questions. He even took some of James's blood to test. Finally
the doctor was finished.

The doctor told James and his dad that James is obese. That means he weighs too much for a person his age
and body type. His doctor said James isn't getting enough exercise. He also said James isn't eating right. The
doctor helped them make a plan to help James.

James is working hard to change what he eats. He doesn't have soft drinks and candy at home. He eats fruit for
snacks. He drinks water or skim milk instead of soft drinks. His dad doesn't take him out for fast food all the time.
James's dad is learning to cook healthier meals. They use the My Plate plan to choose their foods.

James doesn't spend as much time at the computer now. He also doesn't watch television as much. His dad
limits his computer and television time. James and his dad go outside a lot more. They don't do exercises. They
just stay active. They go to the pool and play. They go bowling. They walk. Last weekend, James's dad took him
and his friends roller-skating. Twice a week, James walks to the library.

It will take time for James to lose weight. He's already starting to feel better, though. He doesn't feel so tired.
He is happier. He likes himself more. If he keeps eating well and staying active, he'll lose more weight and have a
healthy, fit body.

A Problem for James

Questions
1. What is the main idea in paragraph 7?
A. It is important to be active.
B. You should always walk to the library.
C. James is lazy.
D. You should never spend time on a computer.

2. Which of these statements from the article is an opinion?

A. It will take time for James to lose weight.
B. You would like James.
C. They use the My Plate plan to choose their foods.
D. He drinks water or skim milk instead of soft drinks.

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3. What are three things James does to stay active?

4. How do James and his father choose the foods they are going to eat?

5. What is a synonym for obese?

A. slim
B. thin
C. overweight
D. obey

6. After he went to the doctor, James began to eat ______ for snacks.
A. cookies
B. ice cream
C. fruit
D. candy

7. James and his dad exercise for one hour each day.
A. false
B. true

8. It will take ______ for James to lose weight.

A. doctors
B. money
C. medication
D. time

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A Bright Idea
By Colleen Messina

This item is a b____, but it does not go into the ground. B___s that go into the
ground often produce flowers. B___s that go into the ground spend their time in the
dark. This item, on the other hand, makes light. Although many people worked on
different ideas related to this one for many years, the first practical version of this
item was developed by Thomas Edison. He invented it in 1879. This item changed
people's lives in the early 1900s. It was a brilliant invention. In fact, this item is
sometimes used to illustrate that a person has had a bright idea. What is it?

A Bright Idea

Questions
1. What does this item bring to people?
A. light
B. propane
C. gas
D. water

2. Which person invented the first practical version of this item?

A. Marie Curie
B. Thomas Edison
C. Isaac Newton
D. none of the above

3. This item was invented in 1879.

A. true
B. false

4. What is described in this paragraph?

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That's What She Likes

By Beth Beutler

Meg Smith liked tortilla chips of all kinds. She liked white tortilla
chips. She liked yellow tortilla chips. She even liked blue tortilla chips.
She liked tortilla chips shaped like little bowls for dipping. She liked
large tortilla chips and small ones. She liked round tortilla chips and
wedge-shaped tortilla chips. She loved to go to Mexican restaurants
and get - you guessed it - tortilla chips!

At home, Meg's mom would melt a bowl of cheese and let Meg dip
tortilla chips in it. Meg liked to crush chips in a plastic bag, too. Mom
would use them as a topping on casseroles. Meg also liked to dip chips
in melted butter. Then she would sprinkle them with cinnamon. She
learned to make her own crispy chips with Mom. They would cut up
soft tortillas, dip them in melted butter, and then bake them until they were crispy. There were lots of ways to
enjoy tortilla chips.

Meg liked to try tortilla chips at different restaurants. Tonight, the family was going to Mary's Mexican
Restaurant. Meg was excited. So far, Mary's was the best place for tortilla chips. Meg also loved the salsa there. It
was neither too hot nor too mild. It was just right.

"Are you ready to go?" Mom asked.

"I sure am!" Meg said.

Mom, Dad, Meg, and her brother John got in the car. It took about seven minutes to get to Mary's.

They went in the door. The hostess greeted them.

"Hello, Smith family!" (The Smiths went to Mary's a lot. That's why the hostess knew their name.)

They sat down at their favorite table. Juan, their regular waiter, came by.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello," Meg replied.

"What will you have tonight?" Juan asked.

Mom, Dad, and John gave Juan their orders first. Then it was Meg's turn.

"I'll have..." Meg began, but Juan interrupted.

"Let me guess. You want nachos."

Meg smiled and nodded. The only thing better than plain tortilla chips was a plate of nachos. She liked the
added vegetables and meat.

"Coming right up," Juan said.

"You always order the same thing," Dad teased, tapping Meg on the shoulder.

"Who cares?" Meg said. "I want to enjoy the meal I like!"

"Do you like anything else?" John asked.

Meg played along. "Hmmm," she said, stroking her chin. "I like tacos."
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"That's almost like tortilla chips," John said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, you don't seem to mind them much," Meg retorted.

"Tacos or tortilla chips?"

"Both."

"You're right. I guess we really are brother and sister."

"Too bad," Meg said under her breath with a silly smile.

That's What She Likes

Questions
1. What type of tortilla chip is NOT listed?
A. blue chips
B. yellow tortilla chips
C. ranch tortilla chips
D. large chips

2. What would Mom use as a topping for casseroles?

A. stuffing
B. cheese
C. crushed tortilla chips
D. bread crumbs

3. What did Mom and Meg dip soft tortillas into before baking them?

4. What was the name of the restaurant the family went to?
A. Mary's Mexican Restaurant
B. Marie's Mexican Restaurant
C. Mark's Mexican Restaurant
D. Matthew's Mexican Restaurant

5. The hostess greeted the family by name.

A. true
B. false

6. What was the waiter's name?

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7. What did Meg order?

8. Dad said Meg ordered ______.

A. expensive things
B. new things
C. the same thing
D. too much

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Ant and His Fellow Arthropods: Life in the Soil

By Erin Horner

Psst! Can you see me? I'm down here. Way down here. Look in the
soil. I know I blend in, but if you really look hard, you'll find me. Some
people say I'm just an ant. That is true, but I'm also a very important
part of the soil community. My fellow arthropods and I think that it is
time for people to give us the respect that we deserve. We might not
have backbones, but we are ready to stand up for ourselves!

Some people call us pests. I, personally, find that term offensive!

Technically, we are soil arthropods. Other ants like me, as well as
termites, spiders, mites, centipedes, and millipedes are all arthropods.
We live in or near the soil. We do a lot for the soil. We help to stir it up.
As we move from place to place, bits of soil move with us. This
movement makes it possible for the soil to get more air. We also help
dead plants rot. First, my friends and I chew up dead plants and turn
them into tiny pieces. Next, we let the bacteria and fungi take over. They're the rot experts. Although we don't like
to talk about it, we are also a food source for larger critters. I'll be honest; it's not the best part of the job.

I don't think we are being unreasonable. We're just hoping to earn a little respect. We know that you aren't
impressed when we blaze a trail through your kitchen, but when we plot a path through the soil it's for a good
cause. We might be small, but we soil arthropods are a big part of soil life.

Ant and His Fellow Arthropods: Life in the Soil

Questions
1. This article is written in the ______ person.
A. first
B. third
C. second

2. What is the tone of this passage?

A. determined
B. uncertain
C. lighthearted
D. sad

3. How do ants and other arthropods help the soil?

4. Which of the following is an opinion?

A. Spiders are creepy.
B. Ants help the soil.
C. Mites move the soil.
D. Arthropods don't have backbones.

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