Comprehension and Fluency Name

Read the passage. Use the ask and answer questions strategy to guide your reading.

The Father of Earth Day Imagine a world where pollution filled the sky and turned rivers orange. 12 What would the world be like if the soil was too poisoned to grow food? 27 The world might look like that today if not for Senator Gaylord Nelson.

40 A Commitment to the Environment 45 Gaylord Nelson developed an 49 affection, or liking, for nature growing 55 up in northern Wisconsin. He brought 61 his love of the land to his career. In 70 1959 he became governor of Wisconsin. 76 Governor Nelson worked hard to 81 protect his state’s natural resources. He 87 preserved, or saved, thousands of acres

93 of unspoiled land. The government Images Menuez/Photodisc/Getty Doug 98 bought private lands and turned them Gaylord Nelson thought it was important to protect natural resources and the 104 into public parks. Nelson also started a environment. 111 program that taught young people about 117 the environment and gave them jobs in the state’s parks. 127 In 1962 Nelson joined the U.S. Senate. He wanted to do for his country 141 what he had done for his state: protect the environment. Few other senators 154 felt the same way. Nelson hoped President John F. Kennedy could produce 166 support for the environment. In 1963 the senator helped plan a national 178 tour for the president. The tour did not create the support that Nelson 191 hoped it would. Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Companies, The McGraw-Hill © Copyright

Practice • Grade 5 • Unit 6 • Week 4 283 Comprehension and Fluency Name

Taking It to the People Senator Nelson looked for another way to show Congress that the environment was important. In 1969, he read about college students protesting against the Vietnam War. Why not plan a protest against pollution? At the time, pollution was a big problem. There were no laws about clean air or clean water. Nelson wanted Congress to pass such laws, but he needed to show that people supported the legislation. He hoped a national protest would do that. Nelson called for pro-environment demonstrations around the country. The protests were held on April 22, 1970. Nelson called the day “Earth Day.” About 20 million people took part. Congress heard the message. It created the Environmental Protection Agency. It passed some of the country’s most important

environmental legislation. These ©Corbis. All Rights Reserved. laws included the Clean Water Senator Gaylord Nelson thought of Earth Day as a way for people around the world Acts, the Clean Air Act, and the to protect our planet. Endangered Species Act. Gaylord Nelson left the Senate in 1981. He joined the Wilderness Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Society, a group that protects public wild lands. In 1995, Nelson won the Presidential Medal of Honor for his work.

Nelson’s Legacy Gaylord Nelson died in 2005, but Earth Day lived on. Every year since 1970, people around the world have gathered on April 22 to celebrate the environment. Earth Day’s message, however, has changed. Today, Earth Day focuses on what private individuals can do to help the environment. As Gaylord Nelson showed, one person can do a lot.

284 Practice • Grade 5 • Unit 6 • Week 4 Comprehension: Problem and Solution and Fluency Name

A. Reread the passage. Circle the letter of the best answer to each question. 1. Gaylord Nelson wanted to solve a problem. Which sentence from the text best states that problem?

a. Gaylord Nelson developed an affection, or liking, for nature growing up in northern Wisconsin. b. The government bought private lands and turned them into public parks. c. Senator Nelson looked for another way to show Congress that the environment was important. 2. Which sentence explains where Senator Nelson found an idea for a solution?

a. In 1963 the senator helped plan a national tour for the president. b. In 1969, he read about college students protesting against the Vietnam War. c. About 20 million people took part. 3. The solution to Senator Nelson’s problem is also the main idea of the text. Which sentence from the text best describes that solution?

a. Nelson called for pro-environment demonstrations around the country. b. It passed some of the country’s most important environmental legislation. c. He joined the Wilderness Society, a group that protects public wild lands.

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to expression and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Number of Words Correct Words Read – = Errors Score First Read – =

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Companies, The McGraw-Hill © Copyright Second Read – =

Beginning/Intermediate Read the directions and help students Practice • Grade 5 • Unit 6 • Week 4 285 identify and relate problems to solutions. Pair students to reread the passage and discuss answers to the questions.