Monday, February 23
Living in a Mission Village (1) Little Bear awakens suddenly before the sun rises. (2) It is time for him too begin the day at San Antonio de Valero. (3) After morning prayers and a meel of hot mush, Little Bear follows his father into the village workshop where they begin the long process of turning the freshly skinned animal hides into leather. (4) Little Bear still remembers the life he had before his family came to the mission village. (5) It was a very different life. (6) His family was free to speak its native language, sleep under the stars, and worship as it pleased. (7) Now Little Bear’s family is forced to learn a new language called Spanish and sleep in a room surrounded by walls. (8) He and his sister were punished last week for speaking the old language and playing the games their grandparents taught them.
1. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 2?
a. Change It to it b. Change begin to begun c. Change too to to d. Make no change
2. What change should be made in sentence 3?
a. Change meel to meal b. Change skinned to skin c. Change follows to following d. Change hides to hide’s
3. Which sentence could BEST be added after sentence 8?
a. Little Bear loves living at the mission. b. He forgets everything about his old life. c. Little Bear wonders if he will ever go home. d. Little Bear wants to live here forever.
4. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 5 and 6?
a. It was a different life, sleeping under the stars with worship and his native language. b. Life was different then because his family was free to speak its native language, sleep under the stars, and worship as it pleased. c. Life was different at the mission because there were no stars. d. His family was different then because it spoke differently, slept differently, and worshipped differently. Monday, February 23
Home Sweet Home (1) The Lipan Apaches used both wickiups or tipis. (2) They used the tipi when they followed the buffalo. (3) The Apache women used long poles to build tipis. (4) They made frameworks with poles tied at the top. (5) The more poles they used, the largger the tipis. (6) They fastened buffalo skins over the poles to cover them. (7) When they traveled, they dissmantled the homes to move them. (8) When the Lipan Apaches stayed in one place, they lived in wickiups. (9) These homes were made of bent sticks, thatch bundles, and buffalo hides. (10) They resembled domes and were smaller than tipis. (11) The Lipan Apaches called either the wickiup or the tipi “home sweet home.”
1. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 1?
a. Change both to neither b. Change or to nor c. Change or to and d. Make no change
2. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 5?
a. Change lagger to larger b. Change poles to polls c. Change used to ussed d. Make no change
3. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 7?
a. Change dissmantled to dismmantled b. Change dissmantled to dismantlled c. Change dissmantled to dismantled d. Make no change
4. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 11?
a. Change either to neither b. Change or to nor c. Change or to and d. Make no change
Tuesday, February 24 Joana wrote this report about field day at her school. Read Joana’s report and think about the corrections and improvements she should make. Then answer the questions that follow.
Field Day (1) Field day was cool. (2) All of the classes got to spend the entire day outside. (3)The weather was cool but sunny. (4) There was almost no wind and just a few wispy clouds. (5) The news says there may be rain tomorrow. (6) It was a great day for field day. (7) Each class started their first event at nine o’clock. (8) The coachs had done a good job of organizing the whole day. (9) Parents and older students from the high school helped at the many events. (10) All of the kids has been practicing the different events in gym class for several weeks. (11) I am anxious to do the rope climb. (12) Three months of push-ups and pull-ups have gotten me in good shape. (13) The last time I atempted the rope climb in gym class, I made it to the top in forty-five seconds. (14) That was my best time. (15) I wanted to beat it on field day. (16) My hands slipped on the first couple of feet up the rope. (17) As I tried to bear down and clear my mind of everything else, I was able to make it quickly to the top in just thirty-nine seconds. (18) I beat my old record! (19) Jacqueline, my best friend. (20) Liked the sack race. (21) I was her partner. (22) We did well in all of the practices conducted in gym. (23) We seemed to get better and better each time the teachers led one of the practices. (24) When the whistle blew to start the race on field day, we both tripped and fell. (25) After managing to pull ourselves up, Jacqueline and I finished in second place. (26) This was not bad because we were sprawled out all over our lane at the start. (27) Classes moved smoothly from event to event. (28) Breaks, snack time, and lunch were all included in the schedule. (29) No one got hurt or lost. (30) Many of the parents commented on how tired they were at the end of the day. (31) Not one of the childs I talked to said anything about being tired. (32) The students all loved it. (33) The students were ready to do it again.
1. Jomana would like to improve her beginning sentence. Which of these would be the BEST sentence to use in place of sentence 1.
a. Field day was fun and exciting for the students at Hawthorne Elementary School.
b. Everyone had a fun time at the field day.
c. Hawthorne Elementary School wanted to have a field day.
d. Field day was outside at the school.
2. Which sentence does not belong in this paper?
a. Sentence 2
b. Sentence 5 c. Sentence 9
d. Sentence 11
3. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 8?
a. Change organizing to organising
b. Add a comma after job
c. Change coachs to coaches
d. Make no change
4. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?
a. Change has to had
b. Change kids to kid’s
c. Change different to diferent
d. Make no change
5. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 13?
a. Change the second I to me b. Change atempted to attempted c. Change the period after seconds to a question mark d. Make no change
6. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 19 and 20?
a. Jacqueline, my best friend and we liked the sack race. b. Jacqueline, my best friend, liked the sack race. c. Jacqueline is my best friend and liked the sack race. d. Jacqueline, my best friend, but she liked the sack race.
7. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 31? a. Change childs to children b. Change talked to talks c. Add a comma after to d. Make no change
8. What is the BEST way to combine sentences 32 and 33?
a. The students all loved it to do it again tomorrow. b. The students all loved it and ready to do it again tomorrow. c. The students all loving it and they were ready to do it again tomorrow. d. The students all loved it and were ready to do it again.
Wednesday, February 25
Friends and Neighbors
(1) “What’s so funny?” I asked my parents who were wearing goofy grins. (2) “You’re about to receive the best surprise ever, but we promised to keep it a secret,” they replied together. (3) I tried to guess the surprise, but they just shook their heads and smiled. (4) A few minutes later, my best friend knocked on the door. (5) I had been so distracted. (6) I did not hear the car pull into the driveway. (7) When our television is on, it is difficult to hear. (8) “Hey Ben,” I called as I opened the door. (9) “I thought we were going to the bowling alley tomorrow afternoon,” I continued. (10) Ben and his parents shouted out, “Surprise! We’re your new neighbors!” (11) I had forgotten the house next door was vacant. (12) I yelled, “Hooray!” (13) Now I understood why my parents were acting mysteriously. (14) Having my best friend as a neighbor is a surprise that will last for years.
1. What is the best way, if any, to revise sentence 3 to improve the paragraph?
a. I guessed many times and they smiled at me. b. I wanted to guess the surprise, but they would not let me. c. I guessed over and over and my parents ignored me. d. No revision is needed.
2. Which sentence could be deleted from the paragraph?
a. Sentence 3 b. Sentence 7 c. Sentence 11 d. Sentence 13
3. What is the best way to combine sentences 5 and 6?
a. I had been so distracted, but I did not hear the car pull into the driveway. b. I had been so distracted that I did not hear the car pull into the driveway. c. I did not hear the car pull into the driveway even though I had been so distracted. d. I did not hear the car pull into the driveway, and I had been so distracted.
4. Where is the best place to insert this sentence in the paragraph?
Suddenly this news clicked in my brain.
a. After sentence 11 b. Before sentence 13 c. After sentence 3 d. Between sentences 10 and 11
Wednesday, February 25
AVOID DOUBLE NEGATIVES You want to avoid using a two negative words in one sentence. Words like no and not are negative words. Fix each sentence below so that there is not a double negative. The first one has been done for you.
1. They won’t ask no questions.
They won’t ask any questions.______
2. She don’t never eat liver.
______
______
3. We hardly had no time to rest.
______
______
4. There ain’t nobody at the door.
______
______5. You can’t get no help from them.
______
______
6. I never saw no shooting stars.
______
______
Thursday, February 26 Zach is in the fourth grade. His teacher asked each student to write a report about an animal. Zach wrote about the armadillo. This is a draft of his paper. Zach wants help to revise and edit the paper. Read Zach’s paper and think about changes you would make to help him improve it. Then answer the questions that follow. The Armadillo
(1) A cricket silently rests under a deep pile of rotting leaves. (2) All of a sudden, a sticky wet tongue appears out of nowhere. (3) It flicks quickly through the leaves and latches onto the surprised cricket. (4) Within the blink of an eye, the cricket disappears down the throat of a dark brown, four- legged creature. (5) An armadillo has found an evening snack. (6) Armadillos are animals. (7) There are several kinds of armadillos. (8) The ninebanded armadillo lives in many of the states in the southern part of the United States. (9) Armadillos are covered with very tough skin. (10) This skin makes it difficult for other animals to penetrate the body and harm the armadillo. (11) The armadillo’s underside and the tip of its nose are not protected by the tough skin. (12) These tender spots are exposed to any and all enemies. (13) The shoulder area of the armadillo is covered by large secsions of skin. (14) The area along the armadillo’s legs near the tail is also covered with these tough sections or bands of skin. (15) The bands cover the middle part of the armadillo’s back. (16) They are connected with muscles to help the armadillo move. (17) Some armadillos can have as many as eleven bands. (18) A long tail extends out the backside of an armadillo. (19) It too is covered by tough skin. (20) Sometimes, an armadillo uses its tail to keep its balance when standing on its two back foots. (21) When an armadillo is in danger, it may roll up into a ball showing an enemy only its tough outside skin. (22) Another armadillo may leap straight into the air. (23) It can jump up to two feet high. (24) When the armadillo lands back on the ground, it takes off in a quick run. (25) If an armadillo is unable to run away from an enemy, it will stop and dig a hole. (26) The armadillo can scoop out a hole large enough to protect itself in just a few minutes. (27) Armadillos eat insects, worms, spiders, scorpions, small snakes, lizards, berries, and roots. (28) The armadillo gobles down any food it finds. (29) Its long, wet tongue latches onto the insects or other small creatures and pulls them into its mouth. (30) The tongue is also used to help break up the food in the armadillo’s mouth before it is swallowed. (31) Armadillos spend most of their time living alone. (32) And looking for food. (33) They live in holes in the ground called burrows. (34) An individual armadillo may make as many as five burrows. (35) One burrow serves as the home. (36) The other burrows are used to hide away from enemies. (37) Usually, armadillos stay home in their holes during the day. (38) As it turns dark, the armadillos come out of their burrows and go look for food. (39) When the weather turns colder, armadillos make a switch. (40) They come out during the day and stay inside of their burrows at night. (41) This helps keep them protected from the cold temperatures. (42) Baby armadillos are usually born in the first two to five months of the year. (43) A armadillo often gives birth to four babies at a time. (44) Each one is exactly the same as the others. (45) Baby armadillos are up and walking around just a few hours after birth. (46) They scramble to get their mother’s milk. (47) After several months of living with their mother, the young armadillos will leave to go and live on their own. (48) Armadillos live all across the southern parts of the United States. (49) They do have to be careful around people, but it looks like they are here to stay.
1. Zach would like to improve the report by writing a strong topic sentence in place of sentence 6. Which of these sentences would be the BEST sentence to use? a. Armadillos like to live in the United States. b. Armadillos are four-legged mammals found in the southern parts of the United States, Mexico, countries of Central America, and many parts of South America. c. Armadillos can live in many places. d. Armadillos like to eat insects that are found near the ground.
2. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 20? a. Change its to it’s b. Change balance to balanse c. Change foots to feet d. Make no change
3. Which sentence could BEST be added after sentence 20? a. The armadillo has a long tail. b. The armadillo uses its tail for many things. c. The armadillo gets hungry when it is moving over the land. d. The armadillo does this to get higher in the air in search of food or danger.
4. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 28? a. Change gobles to gobbles b. Change finds to found c. Change the period to a question mark d. Make no change
5. Which of the following is NOT a sentence? a. Sentence 9 b. Sentence 14 c. Sentence 32 d. Sentence 47
6. Which is the BEST way to combine sentences 35 and 36? a. One burrow serves as the home yet the other burrows are used to hide away from enemies. b. One burrow serves as the home, and the other burrows are used to hide away from enemies. c. One burrow serves as the home and while the other burrows are used to hide away from enemies. d. One burrow serves as the home, or the other burrows are used to hide away from enemies.