Literacy F 1-5

Level F

Program Directors Esther Aboud M.Ed in Special Education Yehudis Leitner

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Literacy

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Unit 1: Summaries Lesson 1: Central Idea and Details

The Glitter Trap © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Author: Yaakov Astor

Genre: Nonfiction

Standards: Lesson: RI.6.2

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INTRODUCE THE LESSON

Before Reading 1. Learn about the topic, central idea, and key details.

2. Practice finding the central idea and key details.

3. Complete the vocabulary worksheet.

Unit Goal Summarize a text.

Identify the central idea and key details, and explain how the key details support the central idea.

During Reading 1. Think about the meaning of specific words or phrases.

2. Think about which details are most important and how they support the central idea.

After Reading 1. Complete the lesson review to find the central idea and supporting details.

2. Complete the writing prompt.

3. Complete the project.

4. Check your progress by taking the assessment.

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Lesson Focus

LESSON

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Lesson Introduction Central Idea and Details

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LESSON

What To Know

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A text can feel like a lot to take in at once. But once you know what to look for, the important ideas become easier to follow.

Topic

Central Idea

Key Details

The topic is the person, place, thing, or idea the text is mostly about. It is usually just one or two words.

The central idea is the most important point the author wants readers to understand about the topic. It is written as a complete sentence.

Key details are important facts,

examples, events, or explanations that support the central idea.

They help readers find and understand the central idea.

See It In Action

A

n ant colony is a group of ants that live and work together. It may look busy and disorganized, but each ant has a specific job. Some ants search for food, while others care for the young or protect the nest. When one ant finds food, it leaves a scent trail for the others to follow. Soon, a whole line of ants can work together to carry food back to the colony.

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No single ant controls the whole group. Instead, ants communicate through scents, touch, and movement. By following these signals, thousands of tiny ants can build tunnels, find food, and keep the colony safe. Their success depends on each ant doing its part.

1.

Topic Write the person, place, or thing the text is about.

3.

Ant colonies

2.

The text says that: → Each ant has a specific job. → Ants leave a scent trail that helps other ants find food. → Ants use different ways to communicate so they can build tunnels, find food, and keep the colony safe. → The colony is successful because every ant does its part.

entral Idea C Write a sentence that tells what the author wants the reader to know about ant colonies.

Ants work together as a team, with each ant doing a specific job to help the group.

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ey Details K Find key details in the text that help the reader understand how ants work together and have specific jobs to help the group.

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Let’s Practice!

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Read the passage. Then, answer the questions.

I

t sounds like something out of a dream — a frog that can survive being completely frozen. During the winter, this tiny creature stops breathing. Its heart stops beating, and ice forms inside its body.

Most living things would die instantly. This one just waits.

1.

Topic What is the text about?

2.

entral Idea C What does the author want the reader to know about the topic?

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When temperatures warm up, the wood frog defrosts and hops away like nothing happened. Its body makes a special sugar that protects its cells from being destroyed by the ice. Scientists are studying whether this ability could one day help people.

a. Wood frogs are special because they can survive being frozen. b. Wood frogs defrost quickly because warm weather melts the ice inside their bodies. c. Wood frogs stop breathing during the winter and cannot survive in cold temperatures.

3.

ey Details K Which key details help readers understand the central idea?

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Vocabulary

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Match the bolded words with their definitions. Highlight context clues.

1.

Ben filed a complaint with the bus company after the driver skipped his stop.

doing something harmful to someone because they harmed you first

2.

The king wanted to take revenge on the enemy who had attacked his city, so he sent his army to punish them.

feeling strong disapproval toward something nasty, dirty, or wrong

3.

The sudden, loud clap of thunder triggered a massive rockslide down the mountainside.

fight against or refuse to give in

4. When it turns dark, the lights in the

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garden turn on automatically.

a statement saying that you are unhappy with something

5.

Sam looked disgusted when he swallowed a spoonful of salt instead of sugar.

in a way that happens by itself

6.

After teaching for forty years, Mrs. Green decided to retire and spend her days gardening.

stop working permanently, usually because one has reached an older age

7.

The man tried to pull a scam by painting black stripes on a donkey and trying to sell it as a rare zebra.

caused something to happen

8.

Even though he was full, it was hard for Uncle Bob to resist eating a fresh cinnamon roll.

a plan or trick used to steal money

complaint [kum-PLAYNT]; revenge [ri-VENJ]; triggered [TRIG-uhrd]; automatically [aw-tuh-MAT-ik-lee]; disgusted [dis-GUS-tid]; retire [ri-TYER]; scam [SKAM]; resist [ri-ZIST]

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Author: Yaakov Astor

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The Glitter Trap Genre: Nonfiction

A

package disappears from a front porch. Usually, that would be the end of the story. It was stolen, and there is little anyone can do. But what happens when the thief chooses the wrong porch? The package belongs to someone who refuses to let the theft go and has the skills to fight back in a way no porch pirate would expect. What unusual plan will he create? And how will one missing package lead to something much bigger?

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The Missing Package

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More than 100 million packages.

That's how many disappear from American porches every single year — snatched up by thieves so common they've earned their own nickname: "porch pirates."

For most victims, it ends the same way. File a complaint. Shake your head. Move on.

But every once in a while, a porch pirate makes a serious mistake. They steal from the wrong person.

Mark Rober came home one day and checked his front porch. His package was gone.

Most people just shrug and move on. Mark Rober wasn't most people.

He checked his security camera and watched the whole thing happen. A man walking calmly down the street suddenly made a quick turn, ran up to his porch, grabbed the package, and kept on walking.

Just like that. Gone in five seconds.

Rober was furious. He brought the recording to the police. Their answer? Sorry, not worth our time.

Thousands of packages go missing every day.

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Big mistake, because Mark Rober used to work for NASA. For nine years, he designed parts for robots that are still rolling around on Mars right now. If anyone could build the ultimate revenge package, it was this man.

Operation Glitter Bomb Rober spent six months designing his creation.

From the outside, it looked like a normal delivery, a brown box with tape and a shipping label. Totally boring.

Inside? A nightmare for thieves.

Here's what was packed into that little box: A glitter spinner. A cup holding a pound of glitter sat on top of a tiny motor. When triggered, the motor spun super fast, shooting glitter in every direction. If you've ever spilled glitter, you know it gets everywhere, your clothes, your hair, your carpet. Now picture a whole pound of it going off in your face.

Skunk spray. Rober hid a can of the worstsmelling spray you can imagine. A small motor

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shaking his arms, trying to get it off. It was no use. The glitter was in his hair, on his couch, all over the floor.

Then the skunk spray kicked in.

The look on his face went from confused to totally disgusted. He grabbed the box and threw it outside as fast as he could. But the glitter was already everywhere. And that smell? It wasn't going anywhere.

Version 2.0: Bigger, Stinkier, Louder As soon as Rober shared his success, people couldn't stop talking about it. Seeing how excited everyone was, he decided to build an even better version.

Glitter Bomb 2.0 had wide cameras for better pictures and two bottles of even stinkier spray. It also had Earth-friendly glitter (because Rober cares about the planet, even while pranking thieves).

But the best new addition? A countdown.

After the glitter and stink spray went off, a deep voice from inside the box started counting down: "Fifteen… fourteen… thirteen…"

Nothing actually happened at zero. But the thieves didn't know that. One thief heard the countdown, panicked, ran outside, and chucked the whole thing into a dumpster.

Rober asked neighbors and friends who'd been hit by porch pirates if they wanted their own glitter

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sprayed it five times. Then, just when the thief thought it was over, boom, another five sprays. And another. Every 30 seconds.

Four hidden cameras. Each camera recorded what the thief did. The box also had GPS, so Rober could see where it went. The recording was automatically saved, so even if the thief smashed the box, Rober still had it.

A motion sensor. The box didn't start recording until it was picked up and moved away from the porch. That way, the battery wouldn't die while it sat there waiting.

Once it was ready, Rober placed the box on his porch. Then he waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

Gotcha!

One day at work, Rober got an alert: the package was moving. He opened his GPS tracker and watched the little dot travel through town, turn a few corners, and finally stop in a parking garage.

After work, he drove straight there. And sure enough, the box was sitting on the ground, tossed aside like trash.

He took it home and watched the recording. It was glorious.

The recording showed a thief opening the box at home. For one second, everything was normal. Then, POOF, glitter erupted everywhere. The thief's eyes went wide. He started slapping at his clothes and

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bomb. He got over 400 volunteers! He sent boxes all over the country and set up a system to track them as they moved.

When a UPS Driver Got Fooled

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Things got off to a funny start. One of the very first boxes was "stolen," but not by a thief. A UPS driver thought it was a real package left outside for pickup, scanned it, and tossed it in his truck! The box spent the whole day riding around town on a delivery route.

When thieves did grab the boxes, the results were just as hilarious. One thief opened the box in his car.

Glitter went everywhere: on the seats, dashboard, and steering wheel. Another thief opened it in his living room and spent the next ten minutes gagging from the smell while covered head to toe in glitter.

The Prank That Wouldn’t Stop Growing Rober did not stop with one glitter bomb. Each year, he found ways to make the prank bigger, louder, smellier, and harder to ignore.

He kept making new glitter bombs. Some had more glitter. Others had flashing lights, police sounds, fake radio chatter, and awful-smelling spray.

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Some had better cameras and GPS too.

The goal was not just to make a mess. Rober wanted the thieves to panic, drop the box, and think twice before stealing another package.

The thieves’ shocked reactions made one thing clear: Rober’s message was pretty hard to miss.

Glitter Bombs vs. Car Thieves After several years, Rober was ready to retire from the glitter bomb business. Then someone broke into his car. Bad move.

He made a brand-new version just for car break-ins. Rober planted bombs inside parked cars. They were hidden in fake electronics, backpacks, even suitcases. Each one was packed with cameras and a glitter bomb triggered by remote control.

For extra fun, he put some bombs in a car with bulletproof windows. The hidden camera caught thief after thief trying, and failing, to smash the glass.

Some of them hit the window over and over, then just gave up. They walked away looking totally confused.

Over eight months, Rober's cameras recorded 25 break-ins. Every single thief got a face full of glitter and a nose full of skunk spray.

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Bigger Fish to Catch

F U N FA C T S

All About Glitter → Glitter was invented in 1934 by a man in New Jersey who was working with plastic. Even today, some companies keep their formula a secret. → The world produces tens of thousands of tons of glitter every year. Some scientists worry that the tiny pieces of plastic can be harmful to nature. → One pound of glitter contains millions of tiny pieces. Imagine trying to clean all of that up!

stolen goods to a boss higher up the chain. That boss sent the money overseas.

Where overseas? India. Rober had found a massive scam group. It was made up of a lot of centers.

Workers pretended to be from the government or technical support. They tricked elderly people into giving them all their money.

Rober worked with experts who could see scam centers' security cameras. Together, they watched the scammers at work. They also sent someone inside a scam center with a hidden camera. That person recorded everything from inside.

And because this was still Mark Rober, he couldn't resist adding his special touch. He sent a glitter bomb package right to the scam center's front desk.

He also released cockroaches into the building and set off a fog machine. The scammers ran in all directions, shocked and confused.

Shortly after Rober shared his recordings, police in India closed one of the scam centers.

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But here's where the story takes a wild turn.

While creating glitter bombs, Rober kept getting interrupted with scam calls. Most people ignore these phone calls, but there are still many people who get tricked. Many elderly people are convinced to send thousands of dollars in cash to specific locations.

Rober thought: If glitter bombs could help fight package thieves, maybe they could also be used on scammers.

First, he found a victim who was told to send money to the scammers. Instead of sending money, together Rober and the victim sent a glitter bomb!

While using GPS to track the fake money packages, Rober noticed something strange. Some packages would sit in one spot for half a day. Then, suddenly, they would move across town. The thieves weren't keeping the stuff. They were passing it along to someone else.

Rober followed the trail. It turned out that the scammers weren't working alone. They were lowlevel workers, called "mules." They handed their

More Than Just a Prank Mark Rober's glitter bombs started as one man's way of getting even with a petty thief. But they became something much bigger than that. His recordings have been seen all over the world. They've helped people, especially older people, learn how to spot scams before they get tricked. And they've shown that one person with a good idea and a whole lot of glitter can make a real difference in the world.

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Lesson Review Central Idea and Details

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Answer the questions.

1. Topic 1.

What is the text about?

2.

2. Central Idea What does the author want readers to know about the topic? a. Mark Rober became interested in larger scams after he discovered that package thieves were working for other criminals. b. Mark Rober’s glitter bombs proved that embarrassing thieves is the best way to stop them. c. Mark Rober’s creative idea started as a way to catch package thieves but ended up helping stop bigger crimes and protect others.

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d. Mark Rober used his engineering skills to build complicated glitter bombs with cameras, GPS, and skunk spray.

3. Key Details 3.

Which key details from the text help the reader understand the central idea? a. b. c. d.

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Writing Prompt Topic Sentences LE SSO N

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A writing prompt gives you a writing task. It may ask a question or give directions. Some prompts will ask you to write a one-paragraph response.

Before you start to write, you need a plan. Make sure to: → Read the prompt. → Think about the question. What is your answer to the question? → Find proofs in the text. → Jot down some specific examples, facts, quotes, details, or explanations that support your answer.

Match each writing prompt to the information you would use to plan your answer.

Why did Mark Rober decide to create a glitter bomb?

Find three ways the glitter bomb project became more than a prank.

What made Mark Rober's glitter bomb special?

Give three examples of what made Rober’s glitter bomb special.

How did the glitter bomb project become bigger than a prank?

List reasons why Rober created a glitter bomb.

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When you are ready to write, begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence answers the prompt in one clear sentence. In other words, it says the main idea of the paragraph you are about to write. The rest of the paragraph will explain that idea.

Look at the example. Write a topic sentence for each prompt.

Example: Why did Mark Rober decide to create a glitter bomb?

1.

Mark Rober created a glitter bomb to stop package thieves.

or

Rober created a glitter bomb because his packages were stolen, the police didn’t help, and he thought a bomb would stop the thieves.

What made Mark Rober's glitter bomb special?

2. How did the glitter bomb project become bigger than a prank?

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Design Your Own “Anti-Thief Gadget”

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Create a drawing and label a device that could stop thieves (like Mark Rober’s glitter bomb).

Include at least three features and explain how it works.

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Vocabulary Assessment LE SSO N

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Circle the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is an example of a complaint? a. Cheering for a wonderful performance b. Writing a note to a store explaining that the toy you bought was broken c. Giving a friend a high-five d. Cleaning up your bedroom floor without being asked

2. Which word means the act of doing

5. Kate felt

by the green mold growing inside the abandoned lunchbox. a. resist b. retire c. disgusted d. automatically

6. Which word means to stop working

something harmful to someone because they harmed you first?

completely, usually because you have reached an older age?

a. Revenge b. Automatically c. Triggered d. Disgusted

a. Retire b. Resist c. Scam d. Automatically

3. Breathing in the black pepper

7. Selling a plain river rock as a rare, magical gemstone is an example of a .

a. triggered b. disgusted c. retired d. complained

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Sara's sneezing fit.

a. revenge b. automatic c. triggered d. scam

4. Which of the following events happens

8. Which word means to fight against or

automatically?

refuse to give in to something?

a. Choosing which outfit you want to wear to school b. Writing a three-page story about a magical kingdom c. Your heart pumping blood d. Solving a long-division problem

a. Complaint b. Automatically c. Retire d. Resist

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Comprehension Assessment

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LESSON

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Learn this simple routine to help you answer multiple-choice questions.

Read.

Think & Check.

Choose.

Step 1: Read. First, make sure you understand what the question is asking you to do.

Literary terms: Author’s purpose Central idea Structure Perspective/Point of view Details

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLES

1. Read the question. Notice important words.

Underline literary terms and important words. Make sure you know what they mean.

Important words: Best Most likely Supports Suggest Mean

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2. Say it simply.

What do you need to find? Say: “I need to...”

Other answers may be partially correct, but only one will be totally correct.

1.

The central idea is the most important point the author wants readers to understand.

Which sentence best states the central idea of the text? a. Package thieves often steal from porches, and many victims do not get help from the police. b. Glitter is messy and difficult to clean up. c. Mark Rober used his engineering skills to fight package thieves and expose bigger crimes. d. Porch pirates often steal packages from people’s homes.

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I need to… find the sentence that says the central idea of the text.

Other answers may be partially correct, but only one will be totally correct.

2. Which detail best supports the idea that Rober had the skills needed to build the glitter bomb? a. He checked his security camera after the package disappeared. b. He had worked for NASA designing parts for Mars robots. c. He watched the thief on his security camera. d. He spent six months designing his creation.

I need to… find the answer choice that completely supports the idea that Rober had the skills to build a glitter bomb.

The reason why the author wrote it

3. What is the purpose of describing each part inside the glitter bomb? a. To explain why the package looked valuable b. To show how carefully Rober planned the prank c. To explain how Rober learned to build inventions while working at NASA d. To compare the glitter bomb with other inventions

I need to… think about what the description shows the reader and why the author wrote it.

4. What does the word "ultimate" most likely mean in the following sentence? If anyone could build the ultimate revenge package, it was this man. a. Best b. Most complicated c. Final d. Largest

5. Which is most likely the reason Rober added a countdown to Glitter Bomb 2.0? a. To activate another explosion at zero b. To confuse and frighten the thieves c. To help police find the thieves faster d. To give the hidden cameras more time to record the thieves

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The answer may not be in the text or the dictionary; you need to make an inference or educated guess.

I need to… read the sentence with the word "ultimate" and figure out what it means in that sentence.

I need to… think of a reason Rober would want to add the countdown to the glitter bomb.

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Unit 1: Summaries Lesson 2: Facts and Opinions

The Ig Nobel Prize © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Author: Yaakov Astor

Genre: Informational

Standards: Lesson: RI/RL.6.2

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INTRODUCE THE LESSON

Before Reading 1. Learn the difference between facts and opinions.

2. Practice identifying facts and opinions.

3. Complete the vocabulary worksheet.

Unit Goal Summarize a text.

During Reading 1. Think about the meaning of specific words or phrases.

2. Think about which statements from the author are facts and which are opinions.

Differentiate between facts and opinions.

After Reading 1. Complete the lesson review to differentiate between facts and opinions.

2. Complete the writing prompt.

3. Complete the project.

4. Check your progress by taking the assessment.

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Lesson Focus

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Lesson Introduction Facts and Opinions

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LESSON

What To Know

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

A fact is something that can be proven true. An opinion is what someone thinks, feels, or believes.

Some opinions begin with words like I think or I believe, but many opinions do not. To tell the difference, ask: Can this be proven, or is it someone’s idea or feeling?

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5'8"

Fact

Opinion

The boy is 5'8".

The boy is tall.

His height can be measured and checked.

Even though many people think someone who is 5'8" is tall, one could argue that the boy is not tall.

Watch out! A good writer can make their opinions sound like facts.

See It In Action

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id you know that the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth? It can grow to about 100 feet long, which is even longer than two school buses. It can weigh as much as 30 elephants! I think that is absolutely amazing because it’s hard to imagine something so huge living in the ocean. They eat tiny creatures called krill, even though they are so massive themselves. Blue whales are one of the most incredible animals in the world because they are both powerful and gentle at the same time.

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Facts from the text

Opinions from the text

The blue whale can grow to about 100 feet.

Blue whales are amazing.

It can weigh as much as 30 elephants.

It is hard to imagine something so huge living in the ocean.

Facts about the text

Opinions about the text

The author thinks that blue whales are amazing.

I think blue whales are the coolest animals.

The author finds it hard to imagine something so huge living in the ocean.

The text is super interesting.

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Let’s Practice!

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Read each opinion. Write a different opinion someone could have.

1. Purple is the prettiest color.

2. When it is under 45 degrees, you need to wear a coat.

3. Ice cream is the best dessert.

4. It is not fun to be sick.

5. Some trees have leaves.

Fact

Opinion

6. French fries are made from potatoes.

Fact

Opinion

7. Everyone should eat eggs for lunch.

Fact

Opinion

8. It is good to be tall.

Fact

Opinion

9. $100 is a lot of money.

Fact

Opinion

10. The ocean is filled with water.

Fact

Opinion

11. Playing with toys is fun.

Fact

Opinion

12. Glass can break.

Fact

Opinion

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Read each statement. Circle fact or opinion.

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LESSON

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Match the bolded words with their definitions. Highlight context clues.

1.

Sleeping on a soft bed inside the warm cabin felt like a luxury after hiking through the woods all day.

having excellent personal qualities or great bravery

2.

I got a ticket because I parked my car illegally.

put off doing something

3.

It was noble of Sam to admit his mistake and apologize, even though no one knew he was responsible.

a state of great comfort, or having expensive things that are not necessary

4. The hospital performs organ

medical operations in which a body part is placed into another person's body

5.

Hundreds of people gathered for a rally to save the historic building from being destroyed.

things that are completed successfully through effort

6.

The math riddle completely stumped the students until the teacher showed them a clue.

against the law

7.

Mira decided not to procrastinate and cleaned her room right away.

a gathering of people to show support for a specific cause or idea

8.

Winning the science and spelling competitions were two achievements for the student.

caused to be confused or unable to find an answer to a difficult problem

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transplants, saving the lives of patients who need new hearts or kidneys.

luxury [LUG-shuh-ree]; illegally [ih-LEE-guh-lee]; noble [NOH-buhl]; transplants [TRANS-plants]; rally [RAL-ee]; stumped [STUMPT]; procrastinate [proh-KRAS-tuh-nayt]; achievements [uh-CHEEV-mints]

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Author: Yaakov Astor

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The Ig Nobel Prize Genre: Informational

G

et ready for some of the strangest true stories you have ever read. These are not stories about ordinary scientists doing ordinary experiments or leaders making ordinary decisions.

These are stories about tanks, toast, frogs, mosquitoes, and other things that probably do not belong in the same article.

How ridiculous can real life get? And which strange story will make you laugh the most?

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Want to Win a Prize? Try Being Ridiculous.

So... what is an Ig Nobel Prize?

You've probably heard of the Nobel Prize. It’s a special award given to people who do amazing things to help the world, like curing diseases, writing brilliant books, or stopping wars.

The Ig Nobel Prize is the Nobel Prize's weird cousin.

The name is a joke. “Ignoble” means “not noble,” and the prize is given for achievements that, as the organizers say, “first make you laugh and then make you think.”

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In 2011, the mayor of a city in Lithuania got into a tank.

A real tank. The kind soldiers use in wars. He drove it down a city street, past parked cars and people staring in shock, until he found exactly what he was looking for: an expensive luxury car parked illegally in a bike lane.

Then, he drove right over it.

Glass exploded. Metal crumpled. The fancy car was now closer to a flat metal pancake than a car. When the owner came running out of a nearby store, the mayor calmly climbed down from the tank, shook his hand, told him not to park illegally again, and even swept up the broken glass before driving off.

You might think the mayor got into serious trouble for this.

Instead, he got a prize.

It's called the Ig Nobel Prize, and it's given out every year for the strangest, weirdest, and sometimes most ridiculous achievements on Earth.

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And it gets even stranger. In 2013, he shared the Ig Nobel Peace Prize with the Belarus State Police because officers arrested a man for clapping at a rally—even though the man only had one hand.

How exactly someone claps with one hand remains a mystery.

PA U S E A N D P O N D E R How do you think the people of Belarus felt when Lukashenko won the Ig Nobel Prize?

What does this tell you about the Ig Nobel Prize?

Downright Strange

The Peace Prize Goes to... a Dictator?

Imagine being arrested for clapping.

Not shouting. Not causing trouble. Just clapping your hands.

One of the strangest Ig Nobel winners was Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, a country in Europe.

Lukashenko is a dictator. That means he rules the country by himself, and the people have very little say in the decisions he makes.

In 2011, some people in Belarus wanted changes in their government. Since they could not safely speak out, they gathered in the streets, not to shout, not to carry signs, but simply to clap.

Lukashenko's response?

He made public clapping against the law.

Yes, really.

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There are different categories, just like the real Nobel Prizes. The categories include medicine, peace, biology, physics, and more. But unlike the Nobel Prize, you don’t win an Ig Nobel for curing a serious disease. You win it for proving a strange or silly fact. For example, one scientist showed that the longer a cow has been lying down, the more likely it is to stand up soon.

Yes. A real scientist proved that. And yes, he won an Ig Nobel Prize for it.

Some Ig Nobel winners study very strange things.

One group of Japanese scientists gave mice heart transplants and played different kinds of music for them. Picture tiny mice recovering from surgery while opera music fills the room.

They discovered that the mice that listened to opera lived the longest.

It's hard to imagine the mice had a favorite singer, but opera seemed to help.

Then another group of scientists figured out that it might be possible to walk on a pond on the moon.

The moon's gravity is much weaker than Earth's, so water acts differently there.

While other scientists searched for cures and inventions, one researcher spent his days watching cows in a field. He found that the longer a cow has been lying down, the more likely it is to stand up soon. But one question stumped him. When would a standing cow lie down? It turns out that when a cow is already standing, nobody can tell when it will decide to lie down.

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What kind of scientist spends time figuring out when a cow might stand up or lie down?

The kind who wins an Ig Nobel Prize.

When Murphy's Law Meets Science

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Have you ever dropped a piece of buttered toast and watched it land butter-side down?

Many people believe this always happens. It is part of a saying called Murphy's Law: If something can go wrong, it probably will.

A British scientist named Robert Matthews decided to find out if it was true.

He dropped pieces of buttered toast over and over again. He tried different spreads and different

heights. Toast flew, flipped, and hit the floor while the scientist kept taking notes.

What did he discover?

Most of the time, the toast really did land butterside down.

You probably won't see this in a science textbook, but Matthews found that as toast falls, it usually flips once.

It just doesn't flip enough to land the right way up.

His advice?

Be careful when you eat.

For his toast-dropping experiments, Matthews won the 1996 Ig Nobel Prize for Physics.

The Pill That Wasn't In 2008, Professor Dan Ariely tried one of the sneakiest experiments in the history of medicine.

He gave volunteers sugar pills and told them they were pain medicine. Then he gave them small electric shocks and asked how much they hurt.

But there was a twist.

One group was told the pills were expensive. The other group was told the pills were cheap.

The pills were exactly the same.

Same sugar. Same shocks. Completely different results.

The people who thought they had taken the expensive medicine said they felt less pain. Not a little less. A lot less.

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The Art of Getting Nothing Done Have you ever had an important job to do, but cleaned your room instead? Or organized your desk?

Or done almost anything except the job you were supposed to do?

Then you know what it means to procrastinate.

In 2011, Professor John Perry won an Ig Nobel Prize for studying how to be the best procrastinator possible.

His advice was simple. Put a big job at the top of your list. Then do smaller jobs instead.

That way, you'll feel good about yourself because you're getting things done, even while avoiding the big job.

Perry also noticed that people often put things off because they want everything to be perfect. They tell themselves “I don't have enough time to do a perfect job right now.”

So they wait. And wait. And wait some more.

That's why Perry said a good procrastinator should tell himself that he wants to do a perfect job.

The job will seem so big that he'll probably avoid it and do something else instead.

The funniest part? Perry wrote this prize-winning essay fifteen years before he won a prize for it.

The next year, he wrote a serious scientific paper and put his pet hamster's name on it as one of the authors.

Because if you're the kind of scientist who makes frogs float, why stop there? Most journals have strict rules about who is allowed to be listed as an author on a research paper. Somehow, Geim got away with it.

Then, in 2010, Geim also won a real Nobel Prize in physics. He won it for discovering graphene, an amazingly thin material that is stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum.

The same man who made frogs float and listed a hamster as a co-author turned out to be one of the world's top scientists.

And that is exactly what the Ig Nobel Prize is all about.

Don't Laugh In 2006, a group of scientists won an Ig Nobel Prize for discovering something very strange.

They found that mosquitoes that spread malaria like the smell of Limburger cheese just as much as the smell of human feet.

People laughed. Of course they did.

But then something surprising happened.

Scientists put the cheese in traps.

The trap smelled like strong cheese, and the mosquitoes were drawn to it instead of to people.

The result?

Hundreds of lives saved. By cheese.

So the next time someone tells you an idea is too strange or a question is too silly, remember the floating frog, the falling toast, and the cheese-loving mosquitoes.

Sometimes strange questions can lead to important answers.

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Two groups swallowed identical sugar pills, but one group expected the "expensive" pills to work better.

"When you expect something to happen," Ariely explained, "your brain makes it happen."

In other words, people thought the expensive pills would work better. So many of them felt less pain, even though the pills were only sugar.

For this strange discovery, Ariely won an Ig Nobel Prize for Medicine.

From Floating Frogs to the Nobel Stage Only one person has ever won both an Ig Nobel Prize and a real Nobel Prize. His name was André Geim.

In 2000, Geim won an Ig Nobel for using a powerful magnet to make a living frog float in the air.

Imagine walking into a lab and seeing a frog floating in midair. It looked more like a magic trick than a science experiment.

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Lesson Review Facts and Opinions

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LESSON

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Read each statement from the article. Circle fact or opinion.

1.

"In 2011, the mayor of a city in Lithuania got into a tank... and drove right over an illegally parked car."

Fact

Opinion

2.

"One of the strangest Ig Nobel winners was Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus."

Fact

Opinion

3.

"Professor Dan Ariely tried one of the sneakiest experiments in the history of medicine."

Fact

Opinion

4.

"The people who thought they had taken the expensive medicine said they felt less pain."

Fact

Opinion

5.

"The funniest part? Perry wrote this prize-winning essay fifteen years before he won a prize for it."

Fact

Opinion

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Read what each reader said about the story. Circle fact or opinion.

6.

Carlos: "The author writes about the Ig Nobel prize winners and how ridiculous they are."

Fact

Opinion

7.

Jaden: "The experiment with the mice listening to opera music was completely cruel and unnecessary."

Fact

Opinion

8.

Aaliyah: "André Geim put his pet hamster's name on a serious scientific paper."

Fact

Opinion

9.

Sam: "Procrastinating by doing smaller tasks on your to-do list is actually a brilliant idea."

Fact

Opinion

Write one fact and one opinion about the article.

10. Fact: 11. Opinion:

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Writing Prompt Body Sentences LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

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Remember, the topic sentence of a paragraph tells the main idea. Body sentences give reasons, details, or examples that explain and support the main idea of the paragraph.

Do you think it is a good idea to give prizes for silly science? Why or why not?

1.

Plan. Write at least three reasons to support your opinion.

2. Topic Sentence. Answer the question in a complete sentence. State your opinion.

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3. Body Sentences. Write three sentences that each give a reason explaining why or why not.

4. Paragraph. Put it together.

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LESSON

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Become a scientist. Invent a research question that sounds totally ridiculous but could actually give useful data.

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Create a poster with your idea. For example: Does sucking on candy help you do math faster?

As a class, vote on which idea best matches the Ig Nobel motto: "First makes you laugh, then makes you think."

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Vocabulary Assessment LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

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ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Circle the correct answer.

5. Which word means a gathering of

expensive and nice to have, but not necessary?

people who come together to support a cause or idea?

a. Transplants b. Luxury c. Noble d. Rally

a. Achievements b. Rally c. Stumped d. Illegally

2. Which word means in a way that goes

6. The mystery

against the law or rules?

weeks.

a. Procrastinate b. Transplants c. Noble d. Illegally

a. transplants b. procrastinate c. stumped d. illegally

3. The mayor praised the young boy for

the detective for

7. If you

his deed of returning the lost wallet to its owner.

instead of sweeping the kitchen floor in the morning, the mess will grow bigger by dinnertime.

a. illegally b. stumped c. luxury d. noble

a. noble b. transplants c. procrastinate d. stumped

4. Which situation is an example of a

8. Which of the following is the best

medical transplant?

example of an achievement?

a. A surgeon placing a healthy liver into a patient who has a failing liver b. A dentist cleaning a patient's teeth c. A doctor checking a student's height and weight d. A person resting quietly on a couch to recover from a cold

a. Dropping your ink pen under the classroom desk b. Baking a perfect loaf of bread from scratch c. Watching the gray clouds float past d. Bringing home your homework notebook

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1. Which word means something

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Comprehension Assessment

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LESSON

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VOCABUL A RY

Read.

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Think & Check.

ASS ESS M EN T

Choose.

Step 1: Read. First, make sure you understand what the question is asking you to do.

Step 2: Think and Check. Answer the question on your own. Check back in the text before you choose.

1. Think of possibilities.

Try to answer the question on your own. If you don’t know the answer, look for likely possibilities in the answer choices.

2. Think back to the text.

Many answers can be double-checked by looking back in the text. Sometimes the question tells you where to look. Other times, you need to remember where to find a specific part of the text.

Does the question say?

In the section…

At the beginning of the article…

The story/descriptions/idea about…

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3. Check back in the text.

Reread the part of the text that can help.

Circle the correct answer.

I don’t know the answer yet.

I first need to look back in the text.

1.

I need to read the last section in the text.

What important idea does the author develop in the final section of the text? a. Scientists should ignore ideas that seem strange. b. Scientific discoveries often happen by accident. c. Ideas that seem silly can lead to important discoveries. d. Limburger cheese can cure most major diseases.

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The section talks about a silly Ig Nobel discovery that led to a helpful invention.

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Look in the beginning of the article.

2. How does the author introduce the Ig Nobel Prize at the beginning of the article? a. By listing the rules to win a research award b. By telling a wild story about a mayor in a tank c. By giving an example of an unusual experiment that won a prize d. By describing how a scientist drops buttered toast.

What role does this section play in the story?

Tip: Read a bit before and a bit after the section.

3. How does the section "The Pill That Wasn't" fit into the overall structure of the article? a. It explains how the Ig Nobel Prize was first created. b. It gives an example of an Ig Nobel Prize. c. It explains how a funny experiment led to the creation of new medicine. d. It proves that expensive medicine is always better.

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Skim the story. Find the part where it talks about Geim.

4. According to the article, what makes André Geim different from other scientists? a. He won both an Ig Nobel and a real Nobel Prize. b. He preferred winning a Nobel Prize to winning an Ig Nobel Prize. c. He was the only scientist who made frogs float. d. He won an Ig Nobel prize for discovering graphene.

5. What is the author's main purpose for including the story about Alexander Lukashenko? a. To explain the history of clapping in Belarus b. To argue that all rallies should be banned c. To give an example of silly peace prize d. To explain how a one-handed man started a revolution

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Unit 1: Summaries Lesson 3: Summarizing an Informational Text

The Incredible Snakeman © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Author: Yaakov Astor

Genre: Informational

Standards: Lesson: RI.6.2

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INTRODUCE THE LESSON

Before Reading 1. Learn about summarizing informational texts.

2. Practice writing summaries without opinions or judgments.

3. Complete the vocabulary worksheet.

Unit Goal

During Reading 1. Think about the meaning of specific words or phrases.

2. Think about the central idea and supporting details.

Lesson Focus Write a summary of an informational text.

After Reading 1. Complete the lesson review to summarize the text.

2. Complete the writing prompt.

3. Complete the activity.

4. Check your progress by taking the assessment.

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Summarize a text.

LESSON

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Lesson Introduction Summarizing an Informational Text

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What To Know

PRACTICE

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A summary is a short version of a longer text. It tells the central idea and the most important details in your own words.

Summaries: Are short Clearly state the central idea/topic of the text Include only key details

Are written in your own words Do not include your own ideas or opinions Do not include or use the word “I”

See It In Action

Grow!

P

lants need several things to survive and grow. First, a seed needs soil. Soil gives the seed a place to rest and grow roots. The roots help the plant take in nutrients from the ground. Next, the plant needs water. Water keeps the plant alive and helps move nutrients through the stem. A plant also needs sunlight. Sunlight helps the plant make its own food.

Without soil, water, and sunlight, a plant will not have what it needs to grow strong.

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1.

2.

Name the text. State the central idea or topic.

Start with the type of text and/or title, write an action, and end with the central idea or topic.

Type of Text

Central Idea or Topic

Title (optional)

The passage “Grow!” teaches about the things plants need to survive.

3.

Choose 2-3 Key Details.

Write the most important details in your own words. → A seed needs soil to grow roots. → A plant needs water to stay alive. → A plant needs sunlight to make food and grow strong.

Write the summary. (3-4 sentences) Put the information together in the same order as the text.

The passage “Grow!” teaches about the things a plant needs to survive. First, a seed needs soil so it can grow roots. Then, the plant needs water to stay alive and move nutrients. Last, the plant needs sunlight to make food and grow strong.

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Look for facts that support the central idea.

Keep it short, use your own words, and include only the most important details.

Let’s Practice!

LE SSO N

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This summary is not written well because it includes the reader’s opinions.

Read the summary, underline the opinions, and answer the questions.

Summary I think wolves are more important to nature than most people realize, and this article really changed the way I think about them. When wolves were brought back to Yellowstone, many things became healthier, such as rivers, plants, and other animals. That amazes me because I never thought one animal could make such a big difference. I now believe that every animal has a role, and removing even one can cause serious problems.

1.

Which sentence should come at the beginning of the summary? a. Wolves are more important to nature than most people realize. b. The text, Wolves in the Wild, was a very interesting read about wolves. c. The article, Wolves in the Wild, describes the impact of wolves on the environment.

2. Choose the sentence that removes the reader's opinion from the sentence below.

I think wolves are more important to nature than most people realize.

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a. You would think wolves are more important to nature than most people realize. b. The article argues that wolves are more important to nature than most people realize. c. Wolves are important, and the article changed my thinking.

3. Choose the sentence that removes the reader's opinion from the sentence below.

I now believe that every animal has a role, and removing even one can cause serious problems. a. We now believe every animal has a role, and removing one causes problems. b. The author's belief is that animals have roles, and I agree that removal is bad. c. The author says that every animal has a role, and removing even one can cause serious problems.

4. Rewrite the sentence so it gives information without the reader’s opinion.

That amazes me because I never thought one animal could make such a big difference.

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Vocabulary

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LESSON

PRACTICE

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Match the bolded words with their definitions. Highlight context clues.

1.

The wildlife rescuer opened the crate to release the eagle back into the wild.

the ability to fight against something harmful or not be affected by it as much

2.

The honeybee injects venom when it stings.

meetings or experiences with someone or something

3.

Every snowflake has a unique pattern; no two designs are ever exactly alike.

the only one of its kind; unusual or special

4. The baker's morning routine includes

let something go or set it free

5.

After fighting the same illness many times, his body built up resistance and did not get sick as easily.

forces a liquid into something using a needle or a sharp point

6.

Heavy rains caused a rapid rise in the river's water level.

very quickly

7.

The deep-sea diver had unusual encounters with strange sea creatures like octopuses and eels.

a pattern of actions that is followed regularly

8.

A natural spring serves as the source for the stream that flows through the valley.

the place, person, or thing where something comes from

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waking up before sunrise, measuring the flour, and turning on the ovens.

release [rih-LEESS]; injects [in-JEKTS]; unique [yoo-NEEK]; routine [roo-TEEN]; resistance [reh-ZISS-tenss]; rapid [RAP-id]; encounters [en-KOWN-terz]; source [sors]

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ASS ESS M EN T

Author: Yaakov Astor

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The Incredible Snakeman Genre: Informational

M

ost people would run the other way if they saw a deadly snake.

Bill Haast moved closer. He spent his life working with some of the most dangerous snakes in the world, including the king cobra. Why would someone choose to get so close to a creature that could kill him? What might he discover from working with snakes that most people feared? As you read, think about what made Bill Haast’s work so unusual and why people came from far away to watch him.

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A small crowd gathered around a large, wellgroomed, square-shaped lawn. They were waiting for an incredible show: the capture of a live king cobra.

Parents and children looked around nervously.

Where was the fence? Surely they weren’t going to release a deadly cobra onto an open lawn!

Just then, a man stepped forward and introduced himself as Bill Haast's assistant. He helped roll out a tall cart on wheels. At the top of the cart, inside a metal box, was a 16-foot king cobra. The man he was helping, dressed in a white shirt, pants, and shoes, was none other than Mr. Haast himself.

The assistant picked up a microphone.

“Please remain where you are once the snake is released,” he warned. “Do not step onto the lawn.”

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Lesson

The crowd stared in disbelief. They really were going to let it loose.

Scenes like this took place every day at the famous Serpentarium.

The Serpentarium You know that a zoo is a place to see land animals.

You know that an aquarium is for seeing sea animals like seals and whales. What's a Serpentarium?

It's for seeing snakes.

The Serpentarium also had lizards, crocodiles, and other reptiles. It even had two giant Galápagos tortoises that were more than 100 years old. But the real attraction was its snake collection. There were about 20,000 of them!

You knew that the moment you drove into the parking lot. The first thing you saw was an amazing 35-foot-tall concrete king cobra sticking out of the top of the roof!

The King of Snakes, the King Cobra About a hundred people had gathered around the lawn watching. The assistant admitted that no matter how many times Mr. Haast had done this successfully, he was always a little nervous.

“A king cobra is the deadliest snake in the world,”

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Cat-and-Mouse The moment the snake touched the ground, it rose high above the lawn and spread its neck out wide.

Its body swayed back and forth while its eyes locked onto Haast.

Haast crouched close to the snake. He immediately

D I D YO U K N O W ?

Both poison and venom can be dangerous or even deadly but they are not the same thing.

Poison is harmful when it is swallowed, touched, or breathed in. For example, some plants are poisonous because they can make you sick if you eat them.

Venom is different because it is injected through a bite or sting. A king cobra is venomous because its fangs push venom into its victim when it bites.

Some animals, like the blue-ringed octopus, are both venomous and poisonous.

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got its attention by placing his hand about six inches from its fangs.

“Bill has done this thousands of times,” the assistant narrated calmly. “But he never underestimates the snake. He distracts it with one hand. Then he slowly moves the other closer. When the moment is right, he grabs it behind the head.”

As if on cue, Haast shot his right hand toward the cobra. Instantly, the snake followed the movement.

He did it again, once, twice, three times. Each time, the hissing cobra followed the movement as if hypnotized. Slowly, nearly invisibly, his other hand edged closer.

Suddenly the cobra swung toward it.

The crowd gasped as Haast pulled back just in time.

“It’s okay,” the assistant explained. “It’s all part of the cat-and-mouse game they’re playing.”

Then he shared a frightening detail.

“Bill was once bitten by a king cobra during a performance like this. It had learned his routine, and just as Bill thought it hadn’t noticed his hand inching closer, the snake changed direction and sank its fangs into his finger. Bill nearly died. But after so many bites over the years, his body had developed an unusual resistance to snake venom, and he survived.”

The cobra hissed louder as if on cue. Yet Haast remained perfectly calm. Again and again the snake lunged, and each time Haast escaped by inches.

“Bill knows,” his assistant explained, “that the snake can only strike as far as it lifts its head off the ground. It won’t jump and strike.”

At times the cobra turned toward nearby spectators, causing them to recoil in fear. Each time, Haast stepped between them and the snake, drawing its attention back to himself.

“When Bill is ready,” his assistant announced, “he’ll grab the snake from behind its head, making it unable to move.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Haast struck.

His hand flashed forward too quickly to follow. In an instant, he gripped the cobra firmly behind the head.

The entire crowd exhaled in relief.

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he explained. “Other snakes may have more powerful venom, but a king cobra injects more of it in a single bite than any other snake. One bite can kill several grown men. It can even kill an elephant!”

The crowd fell silent.

King cobras have short, hollow fangs. When they bite, venom flows through the fangs and into their victim.

“King cobras can grow to 18 feet,” he added one final detail. “The one we’re about to take out of the box is 16 feet.”

How long is 16 feet? About the length of three large tables placed end to end.

Bill Haast stepped forward holding a long metal pole with a hook at the end. Slowly, he slid open the metal door. Instantly, a loud hiss-growl erupted from inside the box.

“That sound is unique to the king cobra,” the assistant explained. “It’s deeper than the hiss of most snakes.”

Carefully, Haast slid the hook beneath the snake.

Then, in one smooth motion, he lifted the cobra from the box and lowered it onto the ground.

Jaws dropped. Children clutched their parents’ hands, frozen in fear.

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Milking a Cobra Haast took such huge risks for a reason. He wasn't just putting on a show. He was collecting venom for medical research. Mr. Haast’s assistant brought out a glass jar with a thin rubber cover.

“Some of you may have seen us milk other snakes earlier,” he said. “You'll notice that this glass jar is much bigger. In a moment, Bill will have the snake bite the rubber cover on top. Then you'll see how much more venom a king cobra has than other snakes.”

Sure enough, Haast brought the cobra’s head close to the glass jar. The snake opened its mouth wide.

People oohed and aahed. Its huge fangs were already wet with dripping venom. Haast pressed its mouth against the rubber cover, and it bit down hard.

The venom didn’t squirt out. Instead, it came streaming down like an egg yolk, quickly filling the jar. As it continued filling up, the crowd stared in amazement. The amount of venom was enormous.

Venom for Medicine

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Bill Haast opened the Serpentarium in 1948. Over time, it became world-famous. Tourists came from everywhere to watch him handle deadly snakes.

Haast was not just an entertainer.

He collected snake venom. Scientists used it to create medicines.

It sounds strange. Venom for medicine?

Scientists have used venom to make medicines for heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and other illnesses.

Most amazing of all, Bill Haast was bitten so many times that his blood became a medicine by itself.

PA U S E A N D P O N D E R Would you describe venom as “bad” or “good”?

Why or why not?

Life-Saving Blood A person can die from one bite if it’s a dangerous snake. Bill Haast was bitten at least 173 times during his lifetime.

Each time he was bitten, his body got better at

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fighting the venom. It learned to protect itself.

Over time, his immunity grew stronger. His blood helped save the lives of other snakebite victims. Over the years, Haast donated blood to 21 snakebite victims. He never took payment for his help.

Surviving a King Cobra Bite One of his worst bites came in 1962 during a king cobra show at the Serpentarium.

That day, a photographer wanted a dramatic picture of Haast face-to-face with the cobra while it raised its hood as high as possible. To get the shot, Haast had to distract the snake longer than usual.

The cobra lunged at him again and again while cameras flashed.

Then, for a split second, Haast glanced toward the photographer.

That moment was enough.

The cobra struck his finger. It started bleeding heavily.

Gasps erupted from the audience. People screamed in horror.

Yet even after being bitten, Haast continued the performance. He captured the cobra, milked its venom, and returned it safely to its cage.

At first, he believed his immunity would protect him. He waited for symptoms before agreeing to go to the hospital.

People begged him not to wait. “You’ve got to go to the hospital!” his assistant screamed. “Now—right now!”

Finally he agreed.

At the hospital, he still appeared calm. Other than swelling around the bite, he showed few symptoms.

But suddenly his condition got worse. His face turned pale. He lost feeling throughout his body, and his breathing became rapid and shallow.

For the first time in his life, Bill Haast truly believed he might die. Doctors worked frantically for hours, uncertain whether he would survive.

Against all expectations, his condition began to improve, and he recovered completely. Haast later described the recovery as “miraculous.”

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Some of the Snakes That Bit Bill Haast Bill Haast received his first serious snake bite at age 12. He was bitten by a timber rattlesnake at Boy Scout camp. He survived because it was a small snake. It also was the beginning of his bloodbuilding immunity to snake venom.

Blue Krait Haast was bitten by a blue krait in 1954 and nearly died. The venom of a blue krait is 16 times more powerful than that of a cobra. Death usually happens within 6–12 hours of a krait bite.

Green Mamba Green mambas are grass-green– colored snakes. They are usually about six feet long, but some grow up to 12 feet. In 1965, Haast was bitten while trying to take one out of its cage. He lost consciousness for nearly five hours.

Afterward, Mr. Haast often reminded audiences that the green mamba is every bit as deadly as the king cobra.

During his lifetime, Haast handled more than three million venomous snakes. He survived countless dangerous encounters. Remarkably, he lived a lot longer than most people, beyond the age of 100!

People described him as a walking miracle, not only for surviving so many serious bites but for his life-healing blood.

Even after all the bites, or because of them, he was never sick.

“I’ve never had the flu,” he once said. “Not even a cold.”

Bill Haast’s life showed something extraordinary.

Even deadly snake venom can help save lives. It reminds us that everything in the world can be used for good. Something that can bring death can also become a source of life.

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Soft-Scaled Viper One of Haast’s most frightening bites happened in 1989, when he was bitten by a soft-scaled viper. It is also called the sawscaled viper because of the sound it makes as its scales rub together, creating a warning sound similar to a “sizzle.”

After the bite, Haast needed a rare antivenom medicine to save his life. The problem was that the medicine was in Iran and had to be obtained at a time when the United States and Iran were not getting along. The White House had to use secret connections to get the medicine out of the country. Haast waited nine days in the hospital.

Many times, he nearly died. The medicine arrived just in time.

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© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

A Walking Miracle

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Lesson Review Summarizing an Informational Text

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LESSON

PRACTICE

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Answer the questions to help plan a summary of the text.

1.

What is the central idea of the text?

2. What are three key details?

Write an outline for the summary.

3. Write a sentence with the text type and the topic/central idea.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

4. Write three sentences with key details from the text.

Write a full summary.

5. Put the sentences in the same order as the text. Use your own words and leave out opinions and unimportant details.

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Writing Prompt Concluding Sentences LE SSO N

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A concluding sentence is a closing thought at the end of a paragraph. It connects back to the main idea and gives the paragraph a clear ending. A concluding sentence can end in different ways. Read the three endings below. Each one could end a paragraph about king cobras.

Restate the main idea:

Give a lesson:

Give a final thought:

King cobras are dangerous snakes.

This shows why people must be careful around a king cobra.

King cobras should be handled only by trained experts.

Phrases that can help you conclude: In conclusion, To sum it up..., In the end...

Write a paragraph explaining what makes the king cobra a dangerous snake.

1.

Plan. Write some ways that show that the king cobra is a dangerous snake.

2. Topic Sentence. Answer the writing prompt in one sentence.

3. Body Sentences. Write three sentences. Each sentence should explain one reason king cobras © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

are dangerous.

4. Concluding Sentence. Choose one ending from the chart. Use it as the last sentence of your paragraph.

5. Paragraph. Put it together.

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© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Create a brochure to advertise Bill Haast's Serpentarium. Make it colorful and convincing!

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Vocabulary Assessment LE SSO N

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ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Circle the correct answer.

1. Which word means to let something go

5. Which word means the ability to fight

or set it free?

something harmful?

a. Routine b. Resistance c. Release d. Injects

a. Resistance b. Injects c. Rapid d. Source

2. The doctor carefully

medicine into the patient's arm to help them feel better. a. encounters b. routine c. release d. injects

6. When Sophie walks through the botanical gardens, she often beautiful, rare insects. a. encounters b. rapid c. routine d. resistance

3. Which of the following describes

7. Which word means very quickly?

something that is unique?

4. Packing his backpack every night

8. What is the original source of a giant

before bed became a helpful for Tyler.

oak tree? a. The leaves on its branches b. The brown bark covering its trunk c. An acorn buried deep inside the soil d. The shade created underneath the branches

a. source b. unique c. resistance d. routine

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a. Unique b. Source c. Rapid d. Routine

a. A pencil b. A white sheet of paper c. A rare gemstone d. A row of houses

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Comprehension Assessment

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LESSON

PRACTICE

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Learn this simple routine to help you answer multiple-choice questions.

Read.

Think & Check.

Choose.

Step 1: Read. First, make sure you understand what the question is asking you to do.

Step 2: Think and Check. Answer the question on your own. Check back in the text before you choose.

Step 3: Choose.

Narrow down your answer choices to make it easier to choose the correct one.

1. Read all the answer choices.

Read on even if you think you know the answer. Some answer choices may be only partially correct.

2. Cross out answer choices.

Start with answers that you know are clearly incorrect. Then, cross out answer choices that only partially answer the question.

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EXAMPLES

Wrong answer choices may… answer only part of the question. sound true but not answer the question. be too strong. come from the wrong part of the text. say the opposite of what the text means.

3. C hoose the best answer.

Decide from the answer choices that are left.

1. In the phrase “a loud hiss-growl erupted from inside the box,” the word “erupted” suggests that the sound: a. stopped suddenly b. came out quickly and forcefully c. was quiet and distant d. was repeated in a pattern This is a likely answer because I know erupted is used to describe volcanoes exploding.

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This could make sense in the sentence but doesn’t fit what I know about the word “erupted.”

The word “loud” shows the opposite.

Nothing suggests that the sound repeated in a pattern.

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2. Why does the author include the detail about Haast being bitten before?

The text shows Haast is being careful.

a. It shows that he is careless. b. It explains why he stopped working with snakes. c. It proves snakes are not dangerous. d. It emphasizes the real danger of his work.

Haast did not stop.

This is incorrect.

Even though Haast survived, the text still makes it clear that snakes are dangerous.

3. The comparison of venom flowing “like an egg yolk” helps the reader understand that the venom: Egg yolks are yellow, but that doesn’t affect how it flows.

a. is thick and slow-moving. b. is bright yellow. c. comes out in a large amount. d. can be eaten.

The egg yolk shows the way it flowed, not the amount.

This is not correct.

Venom is dangerous.

4. The phrase “cat-and-mouse game” used in the section, Cat-and-Mouse, suggests that the interaction between Haast and the cobra is: a. playful and harmless. b. a competition with rules and points. c. a dangerous struggle. d. a performance with trained tricks.

Animals do not have points and rules.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Cat-and-Mouse sounds like it could be a game, but in this case, it is not harmless.

It might be a performance, but it is not about tricks.

5. What is the overall structure of the passage mainly focused on?

The passage is not about zoos in general.

a. Explaining how zoos operate b. Describing one man’s work with dangerous snakes and its impact c. Comparing different types of snakes The focus is not on d. Teaching readers how to handle snakes safely comparing snakes.

It is not an instructional guide.

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Unit 1: Summaries Lesson 4: Summarizing a Story

The Search for Scout © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Author: Ishita Ghotia

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Standards: Lesson: RL.6.2

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INTRODUCE THE LESSON

Before Reading 1. Learn how to summarize a story.

2. Practice finding the parts of SWBST. 3. Complete the vocabulary worksheet.

Unit Goal

During Reading 1. Think about the meaning of specific words or phrases.

2. Focus on story elements: characters, setting, plot, problem.

Lesson Focus Write a summary of a story.

After Reading 1. Complete the lesson review to write a summary.

2. Complete the writing prompt.

3. Complete the project.

4. Check your progress by taking the assessment. © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Summarize a text.

LESSON

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Lesson Introduction Summarizing a Story

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LESSON

What To Know

PRACTICE

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In the last lesson, we learned how to summarize an informational text. In this lesson, we will learn how to summarize a story.

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A story summary focuses on the main character, what the character wants, the problem, what happens next, and how the story ends. We can remember these parts with the SWBST Strategy.

Each letter stands for one sentence in the summary.

S

Somebody: Who is the main character?

→ A six-year-old boy in kindergarten → A talking monkey → A firefighter who is just starting out

W

Wanted: What did they want, need, or try to do?

→ Win a race → Find a treasure → Overcome a fear

B

But: What problem or challenge gets in the way?

→ Another character → An earthquake → Their anger

S

So: What does the character do next?

→ Run away → Fight → Find a creative solution

T

Then: How does the story end?

→ The problem is solved. → The problem is no longer important. → The problem is not solved.

See It In Action

Summary

The Torn Poster

T

S

yler carried his group’s poster down the crowded hallway. The art contest ended at noon, and everyone had trusted him to hang it before the bell rang.

Near the stairwell, someone bumped his elbow. The poster slipped, hit the floor, and tore across one corner. Tyler froze.

Then he ran back to the classroom, found tape and a marker, and carefully fixed the rip. He reached the display board with one minute left. The corner was not perfect, but the poster was up in time.

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W B S T

Rememb e A summary r: is short, does not in clude opinions, and only has inform ation from the story.

The story is about Tyler, a boy who is part of an art contest.

Tyler wanted to hang his group's poster before the art contest ended.

But the poster fell and tore in the hallway.

So Tyler went back to the classroom and fixed it.

He hung the poster just in time.

| Lighthouse L I TE R ACY

Let’s Practice!

LE SSO N

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VOCABULARY

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ACT I VI T Y

AS SES SM EN T

Read the summary. Use the correct colors to highlight each step of SWBST.

S

Somebody

W

Wanted

B

But

S

So

T

Then

The story is about Leo, who is on a hike with his brothers. It is getting late, and he needs to get his younger brother home before dark. Along the way, he realizes they have taken the wrong path. Instead of pretending he knows the way, Leo stops, checks the map, and admits his mistake. After that, the brothers carefully return to the main road and reach home before nightfall.

Read the story. Then complete the chart.

S

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

am stared at the word list until the letters seemed to blur. Last year, he had missed the final word by one letter, and he still remembered the quiet room and his burning face. This year, he practiced every night, tapping each syllable on the table.

On the day of the spelling bee, Sam stepped to the front of the room. One by one, the other students sat down. At last, only Sam and one other contestant remained. The judge read the final word. For a second, Sam heard nothing except his own heartbeat. He closed his eyes and spoke each letter carefully. Then the judge smiled and rang the bell.

That night, Sam placed the certificate on the table. His little brother picked up the worn word list and asked, “Can you teach me how to study like that?” Sam smiled. The certificate was nice, but those words mattered more.

Somebody: Who is the story about?

Wanted: What did they want?

But: What is the problem?

So: H ow does the main character try to solve the problem?

Then: How does the story end?

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© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Match the bolded words with their definitions. Highlight context clues.

1.

It was hard to climb the rocky terrain because the ground was full of loose stones.

extremely tired

2.

The detective tracked the muddy footprints on the floor until he discovered who was out in the rain.

a small piece of land or ground

3.

Mom planted carrots and tomatoes in a small patch of soil in the backyard.

followed the path, footprints, or clues left behind by someone or something

4.

The hikers found an open clearing in the forest where the sun could shine through.

special praise or attention given to someone for doing something well

5.

We stopped to gaze at the beautiful sunset and watched the changing colors.

characteristics or shape of the ground, such as rocky, flat, steep, or muddy

6.

After running around all afternoon, I was completely exhausted and fell fast asleep right away.

physically hurt

7.

The boy fell off his bike and injured his wrist.

look closely at something for a long time out of wonder

8.

After Lily returned the missing money, the principal gave her special recognition in front of the whole school.

an open area of land within a forest where there are no trees

terrain [tuh-RANE]; tracked [trakt]; patch [pach]; clearing [KLEER-ing]; gaze [gayz]; exhausted [ig-ZAW-stid]; injured [IN-jerd]; recognition [rek-uhg-NISH-uhn]

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LESSON

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ASS ESS M EN T

Author: Ishita Ghotia

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

The Search for Scout Genre: Realistic Fiction

S

earch-and-rescue dogs are trained to find people who are lost, trapped, or hurt. Using their powerful sense of smell, they can follow scent trails through forests, across rough terrain, and over long distances. In this story, Jake and his dog Scout arrive in the mountains for a training exercise, but the practice search does not go as planned. Why does Scout suddenly leave the trail? And what will Jake discover when he finally finds him?

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Jake smiled. Scout wasn't just a pet. He was a search-and-rescue dog, trained to find lost people in the mountains. Jake had spent years helping train him, and he loved his job more than anything.

Someday, Jake hoped to become a search-andrescue volunteer himself, someone who helps find missing hikers without being paid, simply because it matters.

Today was the first day of a training weekend in the North Carolina mountains. Both new trainees and experienced rescuers came with their dogs to practice. They would search forests, rivers, hills, and steep slopes.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Jake stepped out of the car and looked up at the tall trees surrounding the ranger station in western North Carolina. Sunlight shone through the leaves, birds called from high branches, and cool mountain air filled his lungs.

Beside him stood Scout, his black-and-white border collie, tail wagging fast.

“Ready for training?” Jake asked.

Scout barked and jumped in a circle.

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A moment later, he turned sharply and raced off the trail, straight into the forest.

“Scout!” Jake called.

Scout disappeared between the trees.

Jake wasn't worried at first. Scout often worked ahead during searches. He would be back soon. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Then twenty.

After an hour, the training exercise was called off.

Now everyone was searching for Scout.

“We’ll start a search,” Ranger Brooks said calmly.

But Jake could see the concern on his face. The slight tightening around his eyes. The way he kept glancing at the darkening sky.

Jake felt a knot in his stomach. Scout had never disappeared before. Not once.

It felt impossible. He was the dog who found lost hikers, not the one who got lost.

Jake was determined to find him and refused to let himself give up. But the forest was huge, and the afternoon sun was starting to drop.

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© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Jake spotted his best friend, Ben, waving from beside a trail map.

“Hi!” he called.

Ben scratched Scout behind the ears. “The star of the weekend has arrived.”

Scout barked again.

Soon everyone gathered around Ranger Brooks.

He was a search-and-rescue leader who had worked in these mountains for years.

“Welcome, everyone,” he said. “Search-and-rescue isn’t just about finding people. It’s about staying calm, reading the terrain, and trusting your training. Pay attention to every clue. Work as a team.”

The morning exercises began. Scout was given a scent sample, a piece of cloth from a pretend missing hiker, and he was off. He shot down the trail, nose low to the ground. Jake hurried after him, his boots crunching through leaves and mud.

Within minutes, Scout found the volunteer hiding behind large rocks near a rushing creek.

“He didn’t even slow down,” Ben said.

The training continued throughout the morning.

With each new exercise, they crossed muddy trails, pushed through thick bushes, and tracked scents across rocky hills where they could see the whole forest below. Each time, Scout found his target quickly, as if he already knew exactly where to go.

“He hasn’t missed one all morning,” Ben said at lunch.

Jake unwrapped his sandwich and smiled. “That’s Scout.”

After lunch, Ranger Brooks gathered the group.

“This last exercise is the hardest one,” he said.

“The terrain is rougher, and the missing hiker will be much farther out. Stay sharp.”

Scout stood alert beside Jake as he sniffed the scent sample. Then he sprang forward and raced down the trail.

At first, everything seemed normal. Jake jogged along the main trail, watching Scout race ahead.

Then Scout suddenly stopped.

His ears shot up.

Instead of sniffing the ground, he lifted his nose into the air.

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The team spread out across the forest. Jake, Ben, and Ranger Brooks moved together through the trees, calling Scout’s name and scanning the ground for clues.

Ben stopped beside a pine tree. “Look, broken branches.”

The team followed the direction the broken branches pointed. A little farther downhill, Jake knelt beside a patch of mud and spotted a set of paw prints.

“Those are Scout’s,” he said.

Jake’s heart lifted. “Scout came through here.”

For the first time in hours, he felt hope again.

They followed the tracks until the ground turned rocky and the trail disappeared. The team spread out again, searching in all directions. They crossed two small streams, cold water pushing against their boots.

They climbed a rocky hillside and looked out over the valley. They checked an old campsite near a fire ring.

Nothing.

The sun kept sinking lower, and the forest grew darker.

Jake stared at the long shadows stretched across the forest floor. “What if we don’t find him before dark?” he asked quietly.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

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Ben looked at him. “We keep going until we do.”

Jake nodded and pushed forward.

Soon they entered a deep part of the forest, so far from the main trails that the sounds of the ranger station had completely faded. This was the kind of place most hikers never visited. The trees stood close together, and thick bushes covered the ground. It was hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

Then Ben stopped.

“Here,” he said.

He pointed to a soft patch of dirt between two tree roots. Fresh paw prints, clear and sharp.

Ranger Brooks crouched beside them. “This is our best clue yet.”

The team followed the prints deeper into the forest. The light was fading fast. Jake’s legs ached.

His throat was sore from calling Scout’s name over and over.

Then he heard it.

A bark. Soft, but clear.

He froze.

“Scout!” he shouted.

Silence. Then another bark. Louder this time.

“There!” Ben pointed left.

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and carried him out of the forest. Before leaving, the hiker reached down and placed a hand on Scout’s head.

“You stayed with me the whole time,” he said quietly. “Thank you.”

Scout’s tail wagged.

Back at the ranger station, everyone talked excitedly about what had happened. The search for Scout had turned into something none of them had expected.

Ranger Brooks stood in front of the group.

“Scout deserves special recognition tonight,” he said.

“Scout left the trail during training,” Ranger Brooks said. “In an exercise, that's a fail.” He glanced toward the others. "But a man was out there with a broken ankle. Nobody knew he was there." He looked at Scout.

“Scout picked up on it.”

“You can teach a dog to follow a scent. You can teach him to stay on a trail. You can even teach him to stay with someone once he's found them.”

He paused. “But to walk away from the exercise because a real person needed help? That's not something you can put in a training manual. Good rescuers just know it on their own.”

Everyone applauded.

A few days later, the rescued hiker returned to the station. His ankle was wrapped and healing. He thanked Ranger Brooks, thanked Ben, and thanked every volunteer who had searched the forest that evening.

Then he crouched down beside Scout.

“You’re a hero,” he said.

Scout barked once, loud and happy. Everyone laughed.

Jake watched him and felt a quiet sense of pride. He had spent a lot of time teaching Scout how to search, track, and stay focused. But in a real situation, Scout had shown him something more; he knew when to stop following the plan and do what mattered most.

Jake hadn’t just trained a dog. He had trained a rescuer.

And out in those mountains, that had made all the difference. | Lighthouse L I TE R ACY

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Everyone moved at once. Branches scraped Jake's arms as he pushed through the bushes, faster and faster. He followed the sound through tangled brush and stepped into a small clearing.

And there was Scout.

His tail wagged when he saw Jake, but he didn’t run toward him. Instead, he turned and looked behind him.

Jake followed his gaze.

A man sat on the ground a few feet away, leaning against a tree. He looked pale and exhausted. One leg was stretched out stiffly in front of him.

Ranger Brooks stepped forward. “Are you injured?”

The man nodded slowly. “I slipped on a loose rock while I was exploring a trail. I hurt my ankle. I can’t walk. I’ve been here for hours.”

Jake dropped to his knees and hugged Scout tightly. Scout licked his face once, then turned back toward the injured hiker, as if checking that he was still okay.

The search dog everyone thought was missing had been carrying out a real rescue the entire time.

Ranger Brooks pulled out his radio. “We’ve located an injured hiker. Requesting a rescue team.” He looked at the others. “Help is coming.”

Not long afterward, a rescue team arrived with a stretcher and lights. They carefully helped the man

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Lesson Review Summarizing a Story

Lesson

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LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

STO RY

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ACT I VI T Y

Complete the chart.

Somebody: Who is the main character?

Wanted: What did they want?

But: What was holding them back?

So: How did they react?

Then: How did the story end?

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Use the chart to write a paragraph.

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AS SES SM EN T

Writing Prompt Transition Words LE SSO N

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Transition words often come at the beginning of sentences. They help the ideas in a paragraph flow.

Transition Words Show Order

Add Information

Show Contrast

First Next Then Finally

Also In addition Furthermore Lastly

But However Although Even though

Cause and Effect

Give an Example

Conclude

Therefore As a result For this reason If...then

For example For instance In particular For one

In conclusion Overall For these reasons All in all

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Fill in the blanks with transition words.

Why does Scout deserve special recognition?

Scout deserves special recognition for several reasons. , he left the training exercise because he discovered an injured hiker who needed help. , Scout stayed with the man until the rescue team arrived, making sure he was not alone. , Scout's actions helped save the hiker and showed that he was more than just a well-trained dog.

For these reasons, Scout truly earned the title of hero.

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PRACTICE

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STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Write a thank-you letter from the rescued hiker to Scout and the rescue team.

,

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Dear

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| Unit 1

| Lesson 4

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Vocabulary Assessment LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Circle the correct answer.

1. Which word means the characteristics

5. Which action is the best example of

or shape of ground?

gazing?

a. Patch b. Terrain c. Clearing d. Recognition

a. Blinking during a dusty gust of wind b. Looking away when someone turns to face you c. Closing your eyes tightly to fall asleep d. Staring at a museum painting

2. The forest ranger

the deer's path through the deep winter snow. a. tracked b. exhausted c. injured d. gazed

6. After a long day of building the large birdhouse, the carpenter felt completely . a. exhausted b. injured c. tracked d. recognition

of yellow sunflowers grew right in the middle of the large green lawn. a. gazed b. patch c. terrain d. recognition

4. Which of the following describes a a. A jungle where trees and vines grow tightly together b. A cave deep underground c. A sunny, open field completely surrounded by woods d. A narrow brick alleyway located between two tall buildings

| Unit 1

physically harmed? a. Injured b. Patch c. Clearing d. Gaze

8. Which word means special praise or

clearing?

Level F

7. Which word means hurt, damaged, or © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

3. A bright

| Lesson 4

attention given to someone for doing something well? a. Terrain b. Recognition c. Tracked d. Exhausted

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Comprehension Assessment

Lesson

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LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

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ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

We can use "Read. Think & Check. Choose." to answer harder questions.

Read.

Think & Check.

Choose.

Answering two-part questions: Break down the question. Think about the answer to each part before choosing the answer.

1. Read the question. Notice important words.

Some questions will have two literary terms you will need to find.

2. T hink and check.

There might be a part of the question you need to answer first. Answer both parts of the question. Find proof in the text.

3. C hoose the correct answer.

Narrow down the answer choices. Choose the answer that answers both parts of the question.

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The setting is when and where a story takes place.

Reread the parts of the text that describe the setting.

The plot is the order of events in a story.

1. How does the setting contribute to the development of the plot?

Wrong setting; the weather was pleasant.

a. The large, rugged forest makes finding Scout difficult. b. The bad weather slows the rescuers down. c. The ranger station provides enough equipment that the search becomes easy. d. The hiking trails in the forest prevent Scout from wandering very far.

The hiking trail could enable Scout to go far.

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First, I need to... know what the setting is.

Then, I need to... find how the setting connects to the events in the story.

The search wasn’t easy.

Purpose is the reason something was written.

Reread the part of the text that talks about Ben’s actions.

First I need to... find what Ben’s actions are.

Then, I need to... think about why they are needed in the story.

2. What is the purpose of Ben's actions in the story? a. They show that Ben wants to lead the search team. b. They help move the search forward by identifying important clues. c. They convince Jake to stop searching before dark. d. They show that Ben doubts Scout's abilities.

Reread the part of the text that takes place during the search.

Character means personality.

3. What do Ranger Brooks's reactions during the search show about his character? a. He stays calm during difficult situations. b. He trusts Scout without any concern. c. He expects Jake to lead the search. d. He wants to end the search early.

First I need to... find what Ranger Brooks's reactions are during the search.

Then, I need to... think how it shows his personality.

The central idea is something important the author wants readers to know about the topic of a text.

a. He reminds the group that training is the only key to success. b. He explains that good judgment cannot always be taught. c. He suggests that Scout should have stayed on the trail. d. He praises Scout for completing every part of the exercise.

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4. How does Ranger Brooks's response to Scout's actions support a central idea of the text?

First, I need to... find the central idea. Then, I need to... explain how his response to Scout's action supports the central idea.

The theme is a big idea hinted at throughout the story.

5. Which quote best supports a theme of the story? a. "Pay attention to every clue." b. "He hadn't just trained a dog. He had trained a rescuer." c. "He hasn't missed one all morning." d. "Jake was determined to find him."

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| Lesson 4

First, I need to… think of some themes in the story.

Then, I need to… decide which quote best supports a theme.

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Unit 2: Literary Elements Lesson 5: Plot

The Ransom of Red Chief © Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Author: Adapted from O. Henry

Genre: Fiction

Standards: Lesson: RL.6.3

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| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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INTRODUCE THE LESSON

Before Reading 1. Learn about plot elements.

2. Practice identifying plot elements.

3. Complete the vocabulary worksheet.

Unit Goal

During Reading 4. Think about the meaning of specific words or phrases.

5. Think about how the plot moves forward.

Lesson Focus Describe how a plot unfolds.

After Reading 6. Complete the lesson review to answer questions about the plot.

7. Complete the writing prompt.

8. Complete the project.

9. Check your progress by taking the assessment.

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Analyze literary elements in a fiction story.

LESSON

Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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3

Unit

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Lesson Introduction Plot

Lesson

5

LESSON

What To Know

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

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ACT I VI T Y

AS SES SM EN T

The plot is the order of events in a story. It includes what happens at the beginning, the problem that develops, and the events that lead to the ending.

The plot of a story revolves around a conflict or problem. To find the conflict, think about what is stopping the character from getting what they want.

The most exciting part!

The turning point of the story, or the part that surprises you.

Tension is building There is a problem or conflict.

The beginning The characters and setting (where and when the story takes place) are introduced.

The end is in sight Events that follow the climax.

Climax

3.

Rising Action

2.

Falling Action

4.

Resolution

Exposition

5.

1.

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Somebody

See It In Action

Exposition Somebody

Rising Action Wanted, But

Climax So Falling Action Then Resolution

4

The end All the loose ends are tied up.

Wanted, But

So

Then

Emma loved science.

She had spent two weeks building a volcano for the school science fair. On the morning of the fair, she opened her locker and discovered the volcano was missing. Emma searched the classroom, library, and hallway, but she couldn't find it. Each minute brought the science fair closer, and she worried she would have nothing to present when the judges arrived.

Just before the judges arrived, Emma caught sight of her volcano peeking out from behind a curtain in the auditorium. Her heart raced as she hurried over—it was finally found!

She quickly carried it to her display table and set it up.

Emma presented her project to the judges and was glad she didn't give up looking for it.

Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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Let’s Practice!

LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

STO RY

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ACT I VI T Y

AS SES SM EN T

Read the following passage. Then use the answer choice box to fill in the plot diagram.

Stone Soup

O

nce, a man arrived in a town with nothing to eat. He asked the villagers for food, but no one would share.

Having no choice, he took a pot filled with water and placed it over the fire. He dropped in a stone. The villagers asked what he was doing.

“I am making Stone Soup,” he said. “It will be delicious, but it tastes best with salt and pepper.” The villagers who wanted to taste the Stone Soup ran home to get some salt and pepper.

Soon all the villagers were adding carrots, onions, potatoes, and meat. Before long, the pot was smelling delicious. All the villagers came to take a taste.

As the tired traveler took a bowl, he smiled. He now had a delicious meal.

A man arrives in town.

The villagers added vegetables and meat to the soup.

The man eats the soup.

The man needed food but no one would share. He makes a soup with a stone.

Climax

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A delicious soup is cooked.

Falling Action

Rising Action

Exposition Resolution

Somebody

Wanted, But

Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

So

Then

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5

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Vocabulary

Lesson

5

LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

STO RY

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ACT I VI T Y

AS SES SM EN T

Match the definition to the bolded words. Highlight context clues.

1.

The rain shower was temporary, lasting for ten minutes before the sun came out.

prisoner

2.

The students collected coins to fund a new bookshelf for the classroom.

happening slowly or step-bystep over a period of time

3.

The thief demanded a ransom of fifty gold coins before he would return the stolen horse.

lasting for only a short period of time

4. The hawk was a captive in the small

close but not exact

5.

The hike takes approximately one hour, depending on how fast you walk.

very worried or hopeless and ready to do almost anything

6.

Exhausted and out of water, the lost explorer started to grow desperate.

provide money or pay for something

7.

A reasonable buyer would not pay fifty dollars for a plain pencil.

sensible; using good judgment

8.

The tiny green sprout grew gradually over the summer, slowly turning into a sunflower.

money paid to free a prisoner

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cage until it was rescued.

temporary [TEM-puh-rair-ee]; fund [FUHND]; ransom [RAN-suhm]; captive [KAP-tiv]; approximately [uh-PROK-suh-mit-lee]; desperate [DES-per-it]; reasonable [REE-zuh-nuh-buhl]; gradually [GRAJ-oo-uh-lee]

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Level F

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LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

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ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Author: Adapted from O. Henry

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

The Ransom of Red Chief Genre: Fiction

“T

he Ransom of Red Chief” was first published in 1907, more than 100 years ago. The story takes place in a small town in Alabama, during a time when people traveled by buggy, mailed letters, and news moved much more slowly than it does today.

In this quiet town, Sam and Bill think they have found the perfect place for a risky plan. There is a wealthy father, a boy who should be easy to hide, and no reason to expect much trouble. At first, everything seems to be going their way. Will Sam and Bill’s plan work the way they expect? What will cause the plot to take an unexpected turn?

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| Unit 2

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It looked like a good thing, but wait till I tell you.

We were down South, in Alabama, Bill Driscoll and myself, when this kidnapping idea struck us. It must have been a moment of temporary insanity, but we didn’t find that out till later.

There was a town down there, called Summit. The people there were the most peaceful, ordinary folks you'd ever find, which is exactly why we chose it.

Bill and I had about six hundred dollars between us and needed two thousand more to fund a land deal out west. We figured that a small, quiet town was the perfect place to pull off a kidnapping. No big-city newspapers. No trained detectives. Just a few local officers and not much reason to expect trouble.

We picked our target carefully: Johnny Dorset, the only son of a well-respected man named Ebenezer Dorset. Ebenezer was the serious type, the kind of man who never smiled at anything that didn't involve a profit. The kid was a boy of ten, with freckles and bright red hair. Bill and me figured that Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent. But wait till I tell you.

One evening after sundown, we drove in a buggy past old Dorset’s house. The kid was in the street, throwing rocks.

“Hey, little boy!” says Bill, “Would you like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride?”

The boy threw a brick that hit Bill in the eye.

“That will cost the old man an extra five hundred dollars,” says Bill, climbing over the wheel.

That boy fought like a trapped wildcat, but, at last, we got him into the buggy and drove away. We took him up to the cave. After dark, I drove the buggy to return it back to the little village where we rented it from. I walked back alone to the mountain.

When I returned, Bill was pressing a handkerchief against the scratches and bruises on his face. The boy, meanwhile, was crouched cheerfully by a fire at the mouth of the cave, watching a pot of coffee boil.

He had jammed two bird feathers into his red hair and was pointing a stick at me.

"Halt!" he announced. "Do you dare enter the camp of Red Chief?"

“He’s all right now,” says Bill, rolling up his

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trousers and examining some bruises on his shins.

"We're playing Indian. I'm Old Hank the Trapper. He’s picked out a rock and says he’s going to crush me with it at sunrise.” He paused. "By the way, that kid can kick hard.”

Yes, sir, that boy seemed to be having the time of his life. The fun of camping out in a cave had made him forget that he was a captive himself. He immediately gave me the name Snake-eye the Spy and launched into a long speech at supper that went something like this: “I like this fine. I never camped out before; but I had a pet ’possum once, and I was nine last birthday.

I hate to go to school. Are there any real Indians in these woods? I want some more gravy. Does the trees moving make the wind blow? We had five puppies. My father has lots of money. Are the stars hot? Why are oranges round? Have you got beds to sleep on in this cave?

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Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

but the kind of high, desperate screaming you'd expect from someone being chased by a bear.

I jumped up to see what the matter was. Red Chief was balanced on a rock ledge about four feet above where Bill lay sleeping, both arms wrapped around a stone roughly the size of a hatbox. He had the focused expression of a boy who has thought this through. He was waiting for exactly the right moment.

I got the stone away from the kid and made him lie down again. But, from that moment, Bill’s spirit was broken. He never closed an eye again in sleep as long as that boy was with us. Toward sun-up I remembered that Red Chief had said I was to be burned at the stake at sunrise. I wasn’t nervous or afraid, but I sat up and leaned against a rock.

“What are you getting up so soon for, Sam?” asked Bill.

“Me?” I say. “Oh, I got a kind of a pain in my shoulder. I thought sitting up would rest it.”

“You’re a liar!” says Bill. “You’re afraid. You’re to be burned at sunrise, and you’re afraid he’d do it. And he would, too, if he could find a match. Isn’t it awful, Sam? Do you think anybody will pay out money to get a little rascal like that back home?”

Over breakfast, I went up to the top of the He kept that up for approximately two hours mountain and ran my eyes towards Summit. I without stopping. Bill stared into the fire with thought I’d see village men armed with weapons the expression of a man who had made a terrible coming to search for the kidnappers. But what I saw mistake. was a peaceful scene with one man plowing a field We went to bed about eleven o’clock. We spread with a mule. “Perhaps,” I said to myself, “it has not down some blankets and put Red Chief between us. yet been discovered that the boy is missing.”

We weren’t afraid he’d run away.

When I got back to the cave, I He kept us awake for three found Bill backed up against the hours, jumping up and reaching side of it, breathing hard, and the F U N FA C T S for his rifle and screeching: boy threatening to smash him with “Hist! pard,” in our ears a rock half as big as a coconut. whenever he imagined he heard “He put a red-hot boiled potato About the Author something outside. At last, I fell down my back,” explained Bill, → O. Henry was a pen asleep and dreamed that I had “and then mashed it with his foot, name, which means it been kidnapped and chained to so I hit him.” was not the author’s real name. a tree by a pirate with red hair.

I took the rock away from the Just at daybreak, I was boy and kind of patched up the → O. Henry’s real name was William Sydney Porter. awakened by awful screams argument. “I’ll get you,” says the from Bill. Not ordinary yelling, kid to Bill. “You better beware!”

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“If you don’t behave,” I say, “I’ll take you straight home. Now, are you going to be good, or not?”

“I’ll behave, Snake-eye, if you won’t send me home and if you’ll let me play the Black Scout.”

I said yes, not knowing what it meant. I left Bill with the kid and headed to a village three miles away to mail a ransom letter to old Ebenezer Dorset.

The letter demanded fifteen hundred dollars. Bill had begged me to lower it from two thousand.

"No reasonable man," he said, "would pay two thousand for that."

I also wanted to see what folks in the area were saying about the kidnapping. I bought some tobacco and hung around the general store long enough to hear one farmer mention that Summit is all upset over the Dorset boy going missing. That was all I wanted to know. I mailed the letter and walked back.

When I got back to the cave, Bill and the boy were not to be found.

I sat by the cave and waited. In about half an hour, I heard the bushes rustle, and Bill wobbled out in

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

2

Lesson

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Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

front of the cave. Behind him was the kid with a broad grin on his face. Bill stopped, took off his hat, and wiped his face. The kid stopped about eight feet behind him.

"Sam," said Bill, "I tried. I want you to know I tried.

But I sent the boy home."

“What’s the trouble, Bill?” I asked him.

"The Black Scout game," said Bill. "I was the horse.

He rode me ninety miles. Then he fed me sand. Then for an hour he asked me why there's nothing inside holes and how a road can go two ways at once. I dragged him to the edge of the road and pointed him toward Summit. On the way, he kicked my legs and bit my thumb.”

“But he’s gone,” continued Bill, “gone home. I showed him the road to Summit. I’m sorry we’ll lose the ransom, but it was either that or the madhouse.”

Bill was puffing and blowing, but his face had a strange look of peace and happiness.

“Bill,” I say, “no one in your family has heart trouble, right?”

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PAUSE AND PONDER How does O. Henry make the story funny?

Find specific examples.

Bill sat down on the ground and didn't say anything for a long time.

That evening, I crept up the tree near the old fence and waited for the reply to our letter. Right on time, a boy came on a bicycle, slipped a folded note into the box, and pedaled away. I waited another hour to be sure it wasn't a trap, then climbed down and carried the letter back to the cave. I opened the note and read it to Bill.

It said: “Gentlemen: I received your letter today. I think your price is too high. Here is my offer which I think you will accept: You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars, and I will take him off your hands. Come at night, since the neighbors think he's lost, and I cannot be responsible for what they might do to anyone they saw bringing him back.

Respectfully, Ebenezer Dorset”

Ebenezer’s front door. Bill was counting out two hundred and fifty dollars into Dorset’s hand.

When the kid found out we were going to leave him at home, he started howling and grabbed onto Bill’s leg. His father peeled him away gradually, like a band-aid.

“How long can you hold him?” asks Bill.

“I’m not as strong as I used to be,” says old Dorset, “but I think I can promise you ten minutes.”

“Enough,” says Bill. “In ten minutes, I will cross through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan and head for Canada.”

And, as dark as it was, and as fat as Bill was, and as good a runner as I am, he was a good mile and a half out of Summit before I could catch up with him.

PAUSE AND PONDER Did you notice that O. Henry switches between past and present tense throughout the story?

Why do you think he does that?

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“No,” says Bill. “Nothing serious, except malaria and accidents. Why?” “Then you may want to turn around,” I say, “and take a look behind you.”

He turned. There was Red Chief, eight feet away, still grinning.

Bill looked at me with the eyes of a man who has been through too much.

“Sam,” he said, “what’s two hundred and fifty dollars, after all? We’ve got the money. I can’t handle even one more night of this kid. I think Mr. Dorset is being generous for making us such an offer. You’re not going to let the chance go, are you?”

“Tell you the truth, Bill,” I say, “this kid has somewhat got on my nerves too. We’ll take him home, pay the ransom, and make our get-away.”

We took him home that night. We got him to go by telling him that his father had bought new boots so that we could go hunt bears the next day.

It was just twelve o’clock when we knocked at

Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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Unit

2

Lesson Review Plot

Lesson

5

LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

Answer the questions about the plot.

Exposition

1.

Who are the characters?

2. What is the setting?

Rising Action

3. What do the main characters want?

4. What problems arise? Describe with a few examples.

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5. In short, what is the conflict in the story?

Climax

6. What is the turning point in the story (climax)?

Falling Action

7.

What happens next?

Resolution

8. How does the story end?

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AS SES SM EN T

Writing Prompt Opinions LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Facts can be proven. Opinions are what someone thinks or feels. When you give an opinion, explain your reasons so others can understand your thinking.

Kidnapping is a serious crime, but O. Henry makes Sam and Bill’s situation seem funny and difficult. Do you feel sorry for Sam and Bill, or do you think they got what they deserved? Write a paragraph explaining your opinion.

1.

Plan. Write your opinion. Write reasons and details to explain.

My opinion

2. Topic Sentence. Answer the question in a complete sentence. Write your opinion.

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3. Body Sentences. Explain your opinion.

4. Concluding Sentence. Restate your opinion.

To conclude,

5. Write as a paragraph. Put the sentences together. Make sure the whole paragraph makes sense.

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| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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Unit

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Activity

Lesson

5

LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Create a “survival kit” for Sam and Bill.

Choose five items Sam and Bill would need to survive being stuck with Johnny and explain each one.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

Example: Earplugs: for Johnny’s endless talking Bandages: for Bill’s scratches and bruises

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Vocabulary Assessment LE SSO N

PRACTICE

VOCABULARY

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

ASS ESS M EN T

Circle the correct answer. hich of the following is an example of W something that is temporary?

5. Which word means close to a specific number or amount, but not exactly?

a. The height of a mountain b. A snow castle built during winter c. The color of your eyes d. The foundation of a school building

2. The town held a bake sale to

a. Temporary b. Reasonable c. Desperate d. Approximately

6. Which word means happening slowly or

repairs for the old playground.

step-by-step over a period of time?

a. ransom b. fund c. gradually d. approximately

a. Captive b. Gradually c. Desperate d. Fund

3. Which word means money paid to free a

7.

prisoner or a captured person?

A hiker would not begin a long trail without water or a map.

a. Desperate b. Reasonable c. Ransom d. Temporary

a. temporary b. reasonable c. approximately d. ransom

4. The trapped bird was a

until someone opened the cage and let it fly away. a. captive b. gradually c. desperate d. approximately

Level F

| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

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1.

8. Which behavior shows that someone is desperate? a. Reading a book under a tree b. Drawing a neat map for a geography assignment c. Searching through every trash can to find a lost house key d. Humming a tune while waiting quietly for the school bus

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Unit

2

Comprehension Assessment

Lesson

5

LESSON

PRACTICE

VOCABUL A RY

Read.

STO RY

R EVI EW

ACT I VI T Y

Think & Check.

ASS ESS M EN T

Choose.

Reread the part where they approach Johnny.

1.

What do Johnny Dorset’s actions when Bill first approaches him show about his character? a. He is fearful of strangers. b. He is obedient and respectful. c. He is energetic and difficult to control. d. He is eager to leave home.

2. In the story, what does the phrase “his spirit was broken” most likely mean? a. He became physically injured. b. He lost interest in earning the ransom money. c. He became discouraged and exhausted. d. He forgot the kidnapping plan.

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3. What does Sam’s expectation of seeing armed search parties suggest about him? a. He believes the kidnapping is being taken seriously. b. He thinks the townspeople suspect him of being the kidnapper. c. He feels guilty about the crime. d. He plans to leave Summit immediately.

4. Why does Bill ask, “Do you think anybody will pay out money to get a little rascal like that back home?” a. He is beginning to doubt the success of the plan. b. He wants Sam to increase the ransom amount. c. He believes Johnny has escaped. d. He thinks Ebenezer Dorset is poor.

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The narrator is the voice that is telling the story. Their point of view changes how the story is told and what the reader knows.

5. How does the narrator's point of view help develop the humor in the story? a. It explains Johnny's secret plans. b. It shows Sam's growing frustration. c. It reveals Ebenezer Dorset's thoughts. d. It focuses on the town's reaction.

6. What does Johnny’s return after Bill sends him away suggest? a. He is lost and cannot find his home. b. He enjoys being with the kidnappers more than being at home. c. He wants the ransom money for himself. d. He is testing to see if Bill and Sam will chase him.

Reread the letter.

How does Ebenezer Dorset’s letter contribute to the humor of the story? a. It reveals that Johnny has been missing before. b. It changes the kidnappers’ expectations. c. It explains Johnny’s school grades. d. It proves the kidnappers are innocent.

© Lighthouse Curriculum. Copying strictly prohibited.

7.

I need to… explain why the letter is funny.

8. Which quote best supports the idea that Johnny is more difficult to handle than Bill and Sam expected? a. “The people there were the most peaceful, ordinary folks you'd ever find...” b. “We had about six hundred dollars between us...” c. “He rode me ninety miles. Then he fed me sand.” d. “I mailed the letter and walked back.”

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| Unit 2

| Lesson 5

| Lighthouse L I TE R ACY

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