Practice

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Vocabulary

gnarled parched landscape scorching

gushed brimming scrawny progress

A. Complete each group of words or phrases with a vocabulary word from the box that has a similar meaning.

1. dried, thirsty,

2. twisted, crooked,

3. ! owed, ! ooded,

4. improvement, forward movement,

5. burning, hot,

6. scenery, geography,

7. thin, skinny,

8. to the top, " lled,

B. Complete the sentences with the correct vocabulary words.

9. The old tree’s branches were and twisted.

10. Some people do not like and like to keep things the way they are.

11. The sun makes it dif" cult for people to live in the hot desert.

12. The drought had the land and no plants would grow in the cracked and dry soil.

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Vocabulary

gnarled parched landscape scorchinggushed brimming scrawny progress

1. The plants and trees began to dry and shrink from the heat of the

sun.

2. The twisted, branches of the old tree provided little shade for picnickers.

3. The desert hare was thin and from lack of food.

4. The heat slowed the explorers across the sand.

5. The summer sun made the land look from the lack of water.

6. Water from a broken irrigation hose, ! ooding the crops.

7. The rains transformed the dry, stark into bright " elds of green.

8. Soon the buckets were with water from the heavy rain.

B. Choose two of the vocabulary words and write a new sentence for each.

9.

10.

A. Choose the word from the box that best completes each sentence.

Practice

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My Great-Grandmother’s GourdGrade 5/Unit 396

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PracticeComprehension:

Compare and Contrast

When you compare things, you point out how they are alike. When you contrast things, you point out how they are different.

Read the paragraphs below. Then use information from the passage to fill in the Compare-and-Contrast chart.

Trees are among the oldest living things on Earth. The baobab is a deciduous tree, or a tree that loses its leaves. Baobabs have very wide trunks that can grow to a diameter of more than 45 feet around. The wood in the trunk is pulpy and holds water easily. Most species of baobab grow in the hot, dry climate of Africa, from South Africa to Sudan. Several species also grow in Australia. Many baobabs live for 1,000 years or more.

Like baobabs, most coast redwoods are very old. Unlike baobabs, however, coast redwoods grow tall rather than wide. Coast redwoods are coniferous, not deciduous, so they do not lose their leaves. One of the tallest known redwoods is about 367 feet tall and 600 years old. The wood of the coast redwood is soft, red, and resistant to disease. Coast redwoods grow in areas along the western coast of the United States. They thrive in the foggy, damp, mountainous areas near the Paci! c Ocean.

Baobab Both Coast redwoods

Type of tree:

Type of tree:

Growth: Growth:

Wood: Wood:

Climate: Climate:

97My Great-Grandmother’s Gourd Grade 5/Unit 3

At Home: Make a chart that compares and contrasts your favorite food with the favorite food of a family member or helper.

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Fluency

As I read, I will pay attention to tempo.

The Mojave and Colorado deserts are two entirely 8 different ecosystems that exist side by side. Although they 17 are both arid, they look different, have different weather, and 27 are occupied by different living things. 33 These deserts are different because they are at two 42 different elevations, their height above sea level. The 50 Colorado Desert is below 3,000 feet in elevation. It has less 60 rainfall, fewer plants, and higher temperatures than the 68 Mojave Desert. The Mojave is over 3,000 feet in elevation. 77 It has more rainfall and temperatures can dip below freezing. 87 So Joshua Tree National Park contains two quite different 96 deserts. But the most remarkable thing about this park is 106 the area between the two deserts. This transition area is very 117 thin, generally less than a mile wide. In this slim zone, 128 animals and plants from both sides of the park are abundant. 139 But the cholla (CHOY-uh) cactus rules the zone. Don’t walk 148 too close to this “jumping” cactus or the spiny needles will 159 snag you. Ouch! 162

Comprehension Check1. Compare and contrast the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Compare

and Contrast

2. What is the transition area? Main Idea and Details

Words Read – Number of Errors = Words

Correct ScoreFirst Read – =

Second Read – =

99My Great-Grandmother’s Gourd Grade 5/Unit 3

At Home: Help the student read the passage paying attention to the goal at the top of the page.

Grammar

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Review: Linking Verbs

• A linking verb links the subject of a sentence to a noun or an adjective in the predicate.

• The noun that follows a linking verb renames or identifies the subject.

• The adjective that follows a linking verb describes the subject.

• Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation from the rest of a sentence.

• Use a comma before the quotation when the speaker's name comes first.

Work with a partner. Take turns reading the sentences aloud. The person who listens should add a linking verb to each sentence. Then look at the sentences together. Add quotation marks and the correct punctuation where necessary.

1. My uncle said Desert sandstorms unbearable.

2. The villagers excited when they see the new water pump said Ibrahim.

3. Why doesn’t anyone remember that baobab trees important for survival asked my grandmother

4. I always said that a snake happy in the desert.

5. The journey across the desert magni! cent exclaimed Carlos

6. I so satis! ed with the work that I did to help my grandmother prepare the baobab tree said Fatima.

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Grammar

Name Mechanics

• Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation from the rest of a sentence.

• Use a comma before the quotation when the speaker’s name comes first.

• Use a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation mark to end the quotation when the speaker’s name comes last.

Add the correct punctuation to each sentence.

1. People always say The desert is no place for the thirsty dog.

2. My grandmother said, It’s important to have more than one means to get water.

3. “Hurray ” the people cheered.

4. To survive in the desert, one must be sharp as a cactus said my uncle.

5. How long do you plan on using the water pump? asked my neighbor.

Rewrite the following passage. Add the correct punctuation.

Fatima’s grandmother tapped her on the shoulder. “Fatima, would you please come with me she asked. Fatima agreed and followed her grandmother outside the village limits.

When they were away from the villagers, Fatima’s grandmother pointed to the baobab trees and said, “We should use these trees to store our own water.

My Great-Grandmother’s GourdGrade 5/Unit 3

85At Home: Write a dialogue between friends living in a desert.

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Practice

The exact meaning of a word is called a denotation. Synonyms have similar denotations as the original word, and can carry positive or negative feelings, or connotations, as well. For example, two synonyms that describe a relaxed person are lazy, which has a negative connotation, and easygoing, which has a more positive connotation.

A. Look at the words below. Write the word with the most positive connotation on the line.

1. arti! cial, manmade, phony

2. peaceful, dull, boring

3. hurriedly, hastily, speedily

4. bright, piercing, glaring

5. sly, know-it-all, intelligent

B. Write the word with the most negative connotation on the line.

6. mislay, misplace, lose

7. drenched, sopping, soaked

8. disgusting, distasteful, unpleasant

9. distressed, worried, desperate

10. ridiculous, amusing, funny

C. Choose 2 words from above and write its exact meaning.

11.

12.

Vocabulary Strategy: Denotation and Connotations

101My Great-Grandmother’s GourdGrade 5/Unit 3

At Home: With a family member or helper, choose four of your answers above and write one more positive and negative connotation for each word.

Practice

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Text Feature: Process Diagram

A process diagram is a drawing that shows how something is put together, how something works, or how something changes over time. In a diagram, the important parts of an object are labeled.

Below is a diagram of the water cycle. Use it to answer the questions.

1. What are two forms of precipitation?

2. What is the gas that results from evaporation called?

3. What does the water vapor form during condensation?

4. Where does water go when it falls back to Earth as precipitation?

5. What source of energy drives the water cycle?

6. What causes water to change from clouds into precipitation?

2. Condensation: The water vapor rises, forms clouds, and is cooled bythe air.

1. Evaporation: The sun heats water in the soil, rivers, lakes, and oceans. The water evaporates and turns into water vapor, a gas.

3. Precipitation: Waterreturns to Earth as rain, snow, or other precipitation. Some waterseeps into the ground.Some water returns tothe ocean.

My Great-Grandmother’s GourdGrade 5/Unit 3100

At Home: Find a process diagram in a magazine or newspaper. Then explain the diagram to a family member or helper.

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All Aboard!

Prefixes

What other prefixes do you know? On another sheet of paper, list them along with theirmeanings. Knowing what a prefix means can help you figure out the meaning of anunfamiliar word.

a- on anti- against im- not in- not inter- among, between

mis- wrong multi- many, muchnon- notover- too muchpre- before

re- again, backsuper- above, beyondtrans- across un- not under- below, less than

Here are some words with these prefixes. Use the information from the chart above towrite what you think each word means. Then use a dictionary to check your definitions.Make corrections if needed.

1. aboard _____________________

2. supervisor _____________________

3. multicolored _____________________

4. misunderstood _____________________

5. international _____________________

6. preheat _____________________

7. nonstop _____________________

8. transcontinental _____________________

9. uncomfortable _____________________

10. overpriced _____________________

11. review _____________________

12. unbelievable _____________________

13. inexpensive _____________________

14. underweight _____________________

15. impatient _____________________

16. antifreeze _____________________

A prefix is a word part that is added to the beginning of a word and changes its meaning. Here are some common prefixes and their meanings.

Scholastic Success With: Vocabulary, Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources

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Juan was angry! His mom had signed him up late forbaseball, and now he was not on his old team. He wouldnot get to play with Tyler, Joe, and Brad. They had playedtogether for four years! And they all loved Coach Dave—he was one of the best coaches in the league. Juan wasnot even sure if he wanted to play at all. He just knew itwould not be any fun.

At the first practice, Juan walked slowly to the field. Hesaw one guy pitching and one hitting. The guy hitting struckout. “Great!” thought Juan. “I will be on a team with nohitters!” Juan continued on to the field. He saw some guysplaying catch. One guy missed an easy ball. “Perfect!”thought Juan. “I will also have to teach them how to catch!”

Juan thought about calling it quits when he suddenly realized that Eric, a friend fromschool, was on the team. Eric was a great pitcher! “Well, maybe I will stay for a bit,” Juansaid to himself.

Juan started looking around some more. He recognized two other kids he hadwatched when he had been on the other team. One was a fast runner, and one nevermissed a pop fly. “Hey! This team might be okay after all!” thought Juan.

Eric was excited to see Juan. “Hey, Juan! I’m glad you are on our team. We are goingto have a great team. Do you know who our coach is?”

Juan was sure the coach would not be as good as Coach Dave, but Eric wasexcited. "So, who is the coach, Eric?” Juan asked, somewhat indifferently.

“It’s Home Run Harvey!” Eric replied excitedly. “Home Run Harvey!” exclaimed Juan. “The one and only Home Run Harvey from the

university team?” “That is right,” said Eric. “His little brother is on our team, and he wants to coach.”

Juan could not believe how lucky he was to get on Home Run Harvey’s team! “So who is his brother?” Juan asked. “Tim is over there,” said Eric, pointing to the guy who had not caught what Juan had

called an “easy ball.” Juan felt badly for thinking negatively about Tim’s missed catch. Everyone misses a

ball now and then. Juan could not wait to tell his friends about his new team and coach!

Analyzing characters

A New Team for Juan

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1. Check how Juan felt in each situation.

He could not play baseball with his friends.

He sees a player on his new team strike out.

He sees his friend, Eric.

He learns Home Run Harvey is the coach.

2. Why was Juan angry that he could not play on his old team? ____________________

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Underline when Juan first started feeling more positive about the new team.when he saw a player who was a fast runner

when he saw a player who never missed a pop fly

when he saw Eric

4. Why do you think Juan felt badly about what he thought when he saw Tim miss

a catch? ______________________________________________________________________

5. Circle the words that describe Juan at the end of the story.

angry scared excited pessimistic remorseful timid

6. Circle the main idea of the story.

Juan’s mom made a terrible mistake, and now Juan had to suffer.

What Juan thought was going to be a negative experience soon looked like it could be a positive one.

Juan is going to get awesome coaching from a very talented ball player.

7. What kind of season do you think Juan’s team will have? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Analyzing characters/reviewing skills

Choose three characters from a book. On another piece of paper, write two differentwords to describe each character.

positive negative

Scholastic Success With Reading Comprehension: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources