Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Borrow and Leave a Comment
As teachers it is important to share ideas and activities we have used in our classrooms. Feel free to copy any of the activities posted on this blog...just remember to leave a comment about the activity you want to use. Thanks
Making Inferences Practice 2
Making
Inferences
Directions: Read each passage and then
respond to the questions. Each question
will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details. Explain your answer by referencing the text.
Everyday
after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice Alice Alice
1. What type of job does Paul work? ____________________________________________________
|
How
do you know this?
|
2. Describe Alice
|
What
in the text supports your description?
|
3. What relationship do Paul and Alice have?
_____________________________________________
|
Why
do you feel this way?
|
Valerie
opened up the letter from the military department. She felt the pit of her stomach drop to the
bottom of the earth before she even opened it.
She knew it was news about John.
As she read the first line, she thought of all of the lunches she had
packed him and all the nights she tucked him in his bed and warded off the
nighttime monsters. The man carrying the
flag put his hand on her shoulder. She
thought of the day that John signed up for the military. Her tears wet the letter. She stopped reading after the first line.
4. What does the letter say?
___________________________________________________________
|
How
do you know this?
|
5. What is Valerie’s relationship to John?
________________________________________________
|
What
in the text supports your description?
|
“Tommy!” Mom called out as she walked in the front
door. “Tommy,” she continued shouting,
“I sure could use some help with these groceries. There was still no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen to put the
grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered glass from the
picture window all over the living room floor and a baseball not far from
there. “I’m going to kill you, Tommy!”
Mom yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy’s shoes were gone.
6. What happened to the window?
______________________________________________________
|
How
do you know this?
|
7. Why did Tommy leave?
____________________________________________________________
|
What
in the text supports your description?
|
Ruby
sat on the bed she shared with her husband holding a hairclip. There was something mysterious and powerful
about the cheaply manufactured neon clip that she was fondling in her newly suspicious
palms. She didn’t recognize the
hairclip. It was too big to be their
daughter’s, and Ruby was sure that it wasn’t hers. She hadn’t had friends over in weeks but here
was this hairclip, little and green with a few long black hair strands caught
in it. Ruby ran her fingers through her
own blonde hair. She had just been
vacuuming when she noticed this small, bright green object under the bed. Now their life would never be the same. She would wait here until Mike returned home.
8. Why is Ruby so affected by the hairclip?
_______________________________________________
|
What
in the text supports your idea?
|
9. How has the hairclip affected Ruby’s
relationship? _______________________________________
|
What
in the text supports your idea?
|
10. From
where did the hairclip most likely come? _________________________________________
|
What
in the text supports your idea?
|
Making Inferences Practice
Making Inferences
Directions: Read
each passage and then respond to the questions.
Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual
details. Explain your answer by
referencing the text.
Kyle ran into his house and slammed the door behind
him. He paused with his back to the wall
and tried to catch his breath. The puppy
in his coat struggled to get out. Kyle
looked out the window worriedly, but he saw that nobody was coming. Then he let the puppy out of his jacket. The puppy yelped while Kyle took the collar
off of him. He threw the collar in an
old soup can in the trash, carefully flipping over the can. The dog looked around nervously.
1. Why is Kyle out of
breath? __________________________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
2. Why is the puppy
nervous? _________________________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
3. Why does Kyle put
the collar in a soup can? ____________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
Anastasia sat by the fountain in the park with her head in
her palms. She was weeping mournfully
and wearing all black. In between gasps
and sobs, Anastasia cried out a name:
“Oh... John…” And then her cell
phone beeped. Her hand ran into her
purse and her heart fluttered. The text
message was from John. She opened up the
message and read the few bare words, “I need to get my jacket back from you.” Anastasia threw her head into her arms and
continued sobbing.
4. What relationship
do John and Anastasia have? _________________________________________
|
Why do you feel this way?
|
5. Why is Anastasia
sad? _____________________________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
Cassie rolled over in her bed as she felt the sunlight hit
her face. The beams were warming the
back of her neck when she slowly realized that it was a Thursday, and she felt
a little too good for a Thursday.
Struggling to open her eyes, she looked up at the clock. “9:48,” she
shouted, “Holy cow!” Cassie jumped out
of bed, threw on the first outfit that she grabbed, brushed her teeth in two
swipes, threw her books into her backpack, and then ran out the door.
6. What problem is
Cassie having? _____________________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
7. Where is Cassie
going? ____________________________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
Kelvin was waiting in front of the corner store at
3:56. His muscles were tense and he was
sweating a bit more than usual. The
other kids gathered in front of the little storefront were much more relaxed,
even playful. They joked back and forth
lightly to each other but for Kelvin, time slowed. 3:57.
“Don’t worry, Kelvin. He ain’t
even gonna show up.” Kelvin hoped that
he wouldn’t. A black four-door Camry
with tinted windows pulled up and parked across the street. Kelvin gulped. 3:58.
A group of teenagers piled out of the car. James was in the front. “Hi-ya, Kelvin. Glad you could make it,” James said. Kelvin felt smaller.
8. Why is Kelvin
waiting at the corner store? _____________________________________________
|
How do you know this?
|
9. Are James and
Kelvin friends? _______________________________________________________
|
What in the text supports your idea?
|
10. Why is Kelvin so
nervous? _________________________________________________________
|
What in the text supports your idea?
|
Main Idea #3
Main Idea with Robots
Directions: Read
each passage and ask yourself, “What is the author doing in this
paragraph?” Write your answer in the
summary box and then think of an appropriate title for the passage based on the
main idea of the passage.
1. What do you get
when you cross a robot and an astronaut?
A Robonaut! Robonauts are robot
helpers designed to work side-by-side with astronauts. Work on the first Robonaut began in 1997, and
by 2002 Robonaut B was revealed to the public.
Robonaut B may have featured interchangeable lower bodies, like four-wheel
mode or hydraulic legs, but scientists and engineers continued to improve
Robonaut. In February of 2010, Robonaut
2 was released to the public. Robonaut 2
moved four times faster than the first Robonaut. An advanced version of Robonaut 2 was finally
tested in outer space in 2011. Robonaut
functioned exactly as designed.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
2. Automation is the use of machines to
reduce the need for human labor. In
other words automation is when jobs done by people become jobs done by
robots. Automation can be a good thing. Because of automation, clothing, cars, and
other manufactured products are available at good prices and in large supply. But automation can also be a bad thing. Because of automation, there are over 700,000
robots in America
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
3. From airplanes to
forklifts, hydraulic power is the strength behind many amazing technologies
that affect our daily lives, even the breaks on your school bus, but how do
they work? First, fluid is rapidly
released into a chamber through a valve.
As the fluid collect, the valve is slammed shut which causes a pressure
spike. Because the chamber is sealed,
the pressure has nowhere to go. The
hydraulic mechanism channels the pressure and provides great power. And that’s how, with the help of hydraulics,
Grandma can stop a car with one foot.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
4. Many people use
the words cyborg and android interchangeably when, in fact,
they have different meanings. Both terms
refer to beings powered by robotics, but an android is powered entirely by
robots. Though androids are completely
mechanical, they are designed to look like humans. They may have synthetic skin, hair, and other
features, but no human organs. On the
other hand, cyborgs are part human and part machine. They may have robotic hands, legs, or eyes,
but all cyborgs have surgically implanted technologies that enhance their
abilities.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
5. It is widely
acknowledged fact that machines are stronger than people, but is it possible
for them to become smarter than us too? Some
scientists fear that it is, or so says the theory of technological
singularity. In a nut shell, the theory
of technological singularity says that when a computer becomes capable of
improving its own capabilities, even in just the slightest way, it will go into
an infinite loop, getting progressively smarter, which would inevitably lead to
machines becoming smarter than people, or so the theory goes. Such gains in available intelligence might
lead to huge improvements in science and medicine. Diseases could be cured and so forth. On the other hand, it could lead to the total
domination of mankind by robots, which would be bad. I, for one, welcome our new computer
overlords.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title: _____________________________________________________________
6. Fellow Members of
the Springfield Robotics Club: It has
come to my attention that the workshop has been left an absolute mess on at
least two separate occasions. Remember,
that this is a shared space, so we must clean up behind ourselves after every
meeting. It is in the spirit of keeping
our club meeting space that we establish this rule: when you take a tool off
the rack, put it back. If everyone puts
their tools back immediately after they are done using them, there will be
minimal mess to clean up, and we won’t get kicked out of the spot. So, if you like having a meeting place, put
your tools back.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
Main Idea Practice #2
Main Idea 2
Directions: Read each passage and ask yourself, “What is the
author doing in this paragraph?” Write
your answer in the summary box and then think of an appropriate title for the
passage based on the main idea of the passage.
1. Being a clown
isn’t all fun and games. Rodeo clowns
expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or are bucked off of bulls
at riding competitions, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion
wildly to get their attention. In this
way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the
rider. So you see, sometimes clowning
around can be serious business.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
2. The wolverine, a
medium sized mammal weighing no more than 50 lbs., has earned its reputation
for ferocity with its documented ability to kill prey many times its size. The reason why wolverines have so many
conflicts with other animals (including wolves, cougars, and even bears) is
probably because of the wolverine’s preferred hunting style. Rather than chasing down or tricking its prey
like most hunters, the wolverine prefers to take its meals directly from other
hunters. So while a polar bear or a lone
wolf might be enjoying a hard earned carcass, a hungry wolverine may try to
take his lunch. This keeps the wolverine
in plenty of fights.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
3. Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James
Naismith, a gym teacher at the YMCA College in Springfield ,
Massachusetts America
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
4. What’s that
humming sound? Could it be hummingbird,
the only bird capable of backward flight?
Hummingbirds have many unique flight habits that distinguish them from
other birds. Most birds flap their wings
up and down to fly, but the hummingbird moves its wings forward and backward
very rapidly in a figure eight pattern. This
allows the hummingbird to hover in position, fly upside down, and move about
very rapidly. And while other birds have
to push off with their feet to begin flying, and work their ways up to their
top speeds, the hummingbird can both start flying at maximum speed and stop
flying instantaneously. After you’ve
seen a hummingbird in flight, it’s unlikely that you’ll mistake them for
another bird.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title: _____________________________________________________________
5. Remember, if
something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. That said, the key to making perfect cookies
is merely a matter of preparation and precision. To begin with, read your cookie recipe
thoroughly before baking. Make sure that
you have all of the necessary ingredients before you continue. Next, use good tools and utensils. Sometimes, the craftsperson is only as good
as his or her tools. By using good tools
you can minimize mistakes and improve the quality of your product. Lastly, you should use top quality
ingredients. Unlike in the fairytales,
you can’t turn lead into gold. If you
use poor quality materials, you’ll create an inferior product. So, to make perfect cookies you should use
the highest quality materials available.
Bon apatite!
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
6. The term “machine
gun” is commonly applied to any gun that is designed to fire repeatedly and in
rapid succession for as long as the trigger is held down. During the course of warfare, the trigger of
some machine guns may be held down almost continuously for hours to create suppressant
fire (rounds fired not necessarily to kill an enemy, but to prevent them from
attacking). All of this firing can
generate a lot of heat, which may cause the weapon to overheat and malfunction. But this situation has been addressed in a
number of ways. For one, practically all
machine guns fire from an open bolt, which allows air to cool the breach
between bursts of fire. Additionally,
some machine guns have removable barrels, which allow hot barrels to be
replaced. And some advanced machine guns
even have sophisticated barrel cooling systems, which maintain a functional
heat level within the weapon. As you
might have concluded, a lot of brain power has gone into keeping those guns
firing.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
Main Idea Practice
Main Idea
Directions: Read
each passage and ask yourself, “What is the author doing in this
paragraph?” Write your answer in the
summary box and then think of an appropriate title for the passage based on the
main idea of the passage.
1. A penny for your
thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny,
it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel
since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is
ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955
double die penny. These pennies were
mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch
$25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a
pretty penny.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
2. Before you put on
that Angry Birds costume and exhaust
yourself roving from door to door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect
on the tradition in which you are taking part.
Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival
dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st
was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts, so they
celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing
around bon fires. Over the next two
millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be candy fueled costume ball that
we know today.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
3. When one hears the
term “reality” applied to a television show, one might expect that the events
portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted, but this is
not always the case. Many reality shows
occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what
most people understand to be “reality.”
Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were
later restaged by producers. Worse
still, some involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the
participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it’s
no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
4. It is estimated that over twenty million
pounds of candy corn are sold in the US United States
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
5. Screech!
When a driver pushes on the brake pedal, it initiates a process that
causes the vehicle to stop in motion.
You literally trust automotive braking systems with your life every time
you get into a vehicle or cross at a busy intersection, but how does this
process work? It begins when the pedal
is pushed. At this moment brake fluid is
released into the area where the breaking mechanisms are. As the fluid collects, this creates a
leverage, which causes a friction to be applied. If the breaking system is functioning
properly, this friction will create a force that will cause the wheels to stop
and allow you to reach your destination safely.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
6. There are many types of lethal venom in the
animal kingdom, but perhaps no stranger carrier than the platypus. The platypus
is one of few venomous mammals. Males carry
a venom cocktail in their ankle spurs that incapacitates victims with
excruciating pain. Stranger still, the
platypus is the only mammal that uses electroreception. What this means is that the platypus uses its
bill to sense the electricity produced by the muscular movements of its prey. The platypus neither sees, hears, nor smells
its prey while hunting but, rather, pursues it through electroreception. Perhaps most odd, the platypus is the only
mammal that lays eggs rather than giving birth to live young. The platypus is an odd creature indeed.
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
7. Yellowstone
National Park is mainly located in Wyoming , although three percent is located in the
state of Montana . The Continental Divide of North America runs
diagonally through the southwestern part of the park. The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau,
which is an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level. This plateau is bounded on nearly all sides
by mountain ranges. There are 290
waterfalls that are at least fifteen feet in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls
of the Yellowstone
River
|
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be
specific and clearly explain the main idea.
|
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
Reading Comprehension with Figurative Language Review
Jacob the Great
Jacob hated finishing things
almost as much as he loved starting them.
As a result, he had gotten into a million hobbies and activities, but he
never stuck with any of them long enough to get any good.
He begged his mother for months
for a guitar so that he could play Black Eyed Peas songs to Angie, a girl whom he
liked, but after he finally got one for Christmas, he found out that guitars
doesn’t play themselves. He took a few
lessons, but strumming the strings hurt his fingers and he didn’t like holding
the pick, so now the five-hundred dollar guitar lives under his bed.
After reading an ad in the back
of one of his comic books, Jacob decided that he wanted a Wonder-Sweeper 5000
metal detector, so that he could find buried pirate treasure. So he mowed lawns all summer and didn’t spend
his money on ice-cream like his younger brother, Alex. He saved it all in a shoe box in his
closet. Then he shoveled driveways all
winter, and he didn’t spend his money on candy and chips like his
classmates. By the time spring came he had
saved $200, and he purchased the Wonder-Sweeper 5000 metal detector. He beeped it around the park for a while, be he
soon found out that no pirates had ever set sail in his neighborhood, and if
they had they didn’t leave any treasure.
Even though he found a key ring, forty-seven cents, and all the bottle
caps he could throw, he buried the metal detector in his closest.
Given Jacob’s history with
hobbies, it was no surprise that Jacob’s father was reluctant to buy him a magician’s kit for his birthday. “Geez, Jacob… You sure you wouldn’t rather I
got you more guitar lessons?” He
suggested. Jacob was insistent. “Dad, you’ve got to get me the magician’s
kit. This time I’ll stick with it for
real. I promise! Come on, Dad,” Jacob begged. Jacob’s father sighed and then replied, “Oh,
I don’t know, Jacob. Things are awfully
tight right now.” But Jacob’s father was
reminded of his own youth long ago, when he quit from football and started
karate practice before hardly getting his equipment dirty. So when Jacob’s birthday came around, Jacob was
both surprised and pleased to find the magician’s kit that he had desired so
badly with a big bright bow on it.
Jacob opened up the box and unwrapped
the many parts in the kit. As he did so,
he imagined sawing his pet cat in half and putting it back together to the
amazement of his friends and family. He
took the many fake coins, trick cards, and rope pieces of varying length on the
kitchen table and imagined pulling rabbits out of his hat and turning them into
pigeons with a mysterious puff of smoke.
As Jacob continued pulling plastic thumbs, foam balls, and giant playing
cards out of the magic kit, a commercial on the TV caught his attention. “Hey
kids! Have you ever wanted to go to
space? Experience what it’s like to be
an astronaut? Do you want to explore the
universe? Well, now you can.” As the commercial continued play, Jacob
walked away from the magic kit on the kitchen table and stared at the TV screen
longingly. “For only $195 you can go to space camp and live life like an astronaut
for a whole weekend. Enroll now for a
once in a life time experience.”
Jacob’s cry rang throughout the house as he yelled, “MOM!” He now knew what his true purpose in life
was.
Comprehension and Inferential Questions
Directions: After
reading the story, choose the best answer for each question. Circle one answer.
1. According to the
text, why does Jacob stop playing the guitar?
a. It hurt his
fingers. b.
He’d rather play drums. c. It was too easy. d. He
failed math.
2. To whom did Jacob
want to play Black Eyed Peas songs?
a. Alex b.
Angie c.
Mom d. Dad
3. According to the
passage, why does Jacob decide that he wants a metal detector?
a. He sees a man at
the park with one. b. His father had one as a child.
c. He saw a TV
commercial for one. d. He read an ad for one in a comic book.
4. How does Jacob get
the items that he wants in the story?
a. He asks his mom. b. He asks his dad.
c. He shovels
driveways and mows lawns. d. He does all of these things to get what he
wants.
5. When did Jacob buy
the metal detector?
a. In the fall b.
In the summer c.
In the spring d. In the winter
6. True or
False: The metal detector was a good
investment for Jacob.
a. True
b. False
7. Why doesn’t
Jacob’s father want to get him the magician’s kit for his birthday?
a. Jacob failed math
class. b. Jacob quits too many expensive activities.
c. Jacob has been
mean to his younger brother. d. Jacob
went to the park without permission.
8. Why does Jacob’s
father buy Jacob the magician’s kit?
a. Jacob mowed the
lawn. b. Jacob reminded his father of himself.
c. Jacob bought ice
cream for his brother. d. Jacob found his father’s key ring.
9. Which word is
closest in meaning to the italicized word in the following sentence from
paragraph four: “It was no surprise that Jacob’s father was reluctant to buy him a magician’s kit
for his birthday”?
a. Happy b.
Willing
c. Proud d. Hesitant
10. What distracts
Jacob from the magician’s kit?
a. A TV commercial
b. His father c.
The kitchen table d. A comic book
11. Based on the end
of the story, Jacob is most likely to
go on and do which of the following?
a. Become a great
magician b. Learn to play guitar well
c. Detect an
incredible hidden treasure d. Raise money to go to space camp
12. Which happened
first in the text?
a. Jacob asked his
dad for the magician’s kit. b. Jacob got a guitar for Christmas.
c. Jacob mowed lawns. d. Jacob shoveled driveways.
13. Which happened
last in the text?
a. Jacob saved up
$200. b. Jacob found forty-seven cents in the park.
c. Jacob took guitar
lessons. d. Jacob was influenced by a comic book.
Literary Elements Questions
Directions: After
reading the story, choose the best answer for each question.
14. Which character trait best describes Jacob in regards to his hobbies?
a. Dedicated b.
Impulsive c.
Committed d. Devoted
15. What was the
author’s purpose in writing this text?
a. Inform b.
Persuade c.
Entertain d. Confuse
16. In what genre is
this story?
a. Fiction b.
Nonfiction c.
Folklore d. Poetry
17. In what subgenre
is this story?
a. Biography b.
Historical Fiction c.
Realistic Fiction d. Fable
18. In which pattern
is the text organized?
a. Problem and
Solution b. Chronological c.
Sequence d. Cause and Effect
19. From what point
is view is the story narrated?
a. First-Person b. Third-Person Objective
c. Second-Person d. Third-Person Omniscient
20. Which poetic
technique is used in the following line: “He beeped it around the park for a
while”?
a. Onomatopoeia
b. Simile c. Personification d. Hyperbole
21. Which technique
is used in the following line: “He had gotten into a million hobbies and
activities”
a. Onomatopoeia
b. Simile
c. Personification d.
Hyperbole
22. Which technique
is used in the following line: “The five-hundred dollar guitar lives under his
bed.”
a. Onomatopoeia
b. Simile
c. Personification d.
Hyperbole
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