Milliken 02 reading well reading comprehension grades 3 4

MP3461

Includes
Assessment
Pages!


Reading Well 3–4
Milliken’s Reading Well reading series provides teachers and parents
with a wide variety of activities to use at home or in the classroom to enhance your
reading program.
Reading materials and styles of writing include realistic fiction, biography, poetry,
fantasy, informational articles, myths, legends, tall tales, and plays or skits.
The comprehension activities have been selected to provide opportunities for students
to practice a variety of reading skills. A list of comprehension skills for all grade levels is
included on the Reading Comprehension Chart on page 1.
A variety of assessment rubrics helps you track progress in achieving those skills.
Each book in the series is sequential, allowing students to build on skills previous
learned. The various levels available allows you to select the one most appropriate for
an individual student or class.


Reading
Well
Grades 3–4
written by
Cindy Barden
illustrated by
Corbin Hillam

Author

Cindy Barden
Illustrator
Corbin Hillam
Book Design and Production
Good Neighbor Press, Inc.
Copyright © 2002
Milliken Publishing Co.
All rights reserved.
The purchase of this book entitles the individual teacher/purchaser to reproduce copies
by any reproduction process for single classroom use. The reproduction of any part of
this book for use by an entire school or school system or for any commercial use is
strictly prohibited.


Table of Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
16

18
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
32
34
36
37
38
39
40
41

Reading Comprehension Skills
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Using Student Assessments
Individual Activity Assessment
Oral Reading Assessment
Story Frame
Story Map
Story Frame/Story Map Assessment
Student Reading Comprehension Skills Assessment
Student Reading Log and Assessment

No Sugar?
Grandma’s Memory Book
What’s Your Birthstone?
Trolls of Scandinavia
Grandma Meets the Alien
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Imagine Eating 500 Pounds of Food a Day!
African and Asian Elephants
Nonsense Verse
Monumental Monuments
Om-pah, Om-pah Booms the Tuba
The Strings Sing
Listen to the Flute
Boom, Boom, Boom
Pecos Bill—A Tall Tale Hero
The Secret of Alexandria Elementary School
The Turtle Goes to War
Yellowstone Vacation
Churning Butter
Make Your Own Butter
Poetry to Prose
The Ant and the Grasshopper
A Mixed-Up Story
Answers

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Reading Comprehension Skills
Activities provide opportunities for students
in grades 3 and 4 to practice these reading
comprehension skills.

Skill

Page numbers

Relate pictures to text

21, 36

Distinguish between reality
and fantasy

29, 30

Detect cause and effect

18, 19

Recognize the main idea

12, 13, 19, 33, 36

Compare and contrast

13, 21, 25, 26

Identify significant details

12, 13, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 37

Recognize rhymes

22, 38

Sequence events

11, 31, 36, 40

Follow instructions

37

Summarize material

17, 38

Use context clues

11, 18, 32, 39

Predict outcomes

16, 29

Draw conclusions

16, 30, 37, 39

Classify

15, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27

Distinguish between fact
and opinion

35

Discover author’s purpose

20, 29, 31, 34

Identify supporting details

14, 15, 20, 24, 33

Make judgements

11, 18, 19

Increase vocabulary skills

11, 32

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Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy, developed by Benjamin Bloom,
divides cognitive objectives into six categories
ranging from simple to complex. Milliken’s Reading
Well series provides opportunities for children to
meet these six objectives.
Knowledge is the ability to memorize information
and recall specific facts.
Skills include recording, outlining, listing, discriminating between facts and opinions,
classifying items, distinguishing between definitions and examples, and summarizing
material.
Comprehension is the ability to grasp the meaning of what has been learned rather
than simply memorizing facts.
Skills include comparing and contrasting like and unlike items, identifying steps in a
process, interpreting charts and graphs, translating verbal material to mathematical
terms, estimating consequences, patterning, and predicting outcomes.
Application is the ability to use material previously learned in new situations.
Skills include inferring, estimating, applying concepts to new situations, ordering,
sequencing, understanding changes in word meanings, and constructing graphs and
charts.
Analysis is the ability to understand both the content and structural form of material
and the ability to break material into its component parts.
Skills include writing analogies, decoding, using logic, drawing conclusions, predicting
sequences, making inferences, and distinguishing between cause and effect.
Synthesis is the ability to put parts together to form a new whole.
Skills include planning, deductive reasoning, creative thinking, testing hypotheses,

drawing conclusions, problem solving, and planning a project.
Evaluation is the ability to use definite criteria to judge the value of material for a
given purpose.
Skills include developing and evaluating criteria, determining appropriateness and
relevancy of information, discovering common attributes, and evaluating material for
extraneous information.

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Using Student Assessments
Assessment forms can measure student progress on a variety of reading comprehension
skills. They also enable you to track a child’s literary development over time. Completed
forms can be shared with students and their parents, used as motivational tools, and
used as guides when completing report cards.

Individual Activity Assessment
Most activities in the Reading Well series provide opportunities for students to sharpen
several reading comprehension skills.
The Individual Activity Assessment form can be used as a follow-up for any activity in this
book. A copy of it can be attached to the completed activity for students to take home.

Oral Reading Assessment
This form allows you to track students’ oral reading skills. It can be used on a monthly or
quarterly basis and will be a helpful reference tool at parent/teacher conferences.

Story Frame and Story Map

Students can complete the Story Frame and Story Map after reading any type of
narrative. The Story Frame helps students summarize material they have read. The Story
Map helps students identify the elements of a story. These forms can be used with many
of the activities in this book as well as with other books and stories students read.

Story Frame/Story Map Assessment
This form provides a means to assess a student’s reading comprehension level through
the use of the story frame, story map, or other types of oral or written book reports
completed by students.

Student Reading Comprehension Skills Assessment
This form allows you to assess a student’s overall level on many reading comprehension
skills. It can be used on a quarterly basis to track progress and provides valuable
information for parents about their child’s progress.

Student Reading Log and Assessment
This form is a self-assessment tool for students as well
as a progress report. It provides an opportunity to
learn at what level a student is comfortable reading
and to suggest appropriate reading material for the
future, providing input for both students and parents.

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Individual Activity Assessment
Student’s name: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________

Activity title: ______________________________________________________________________

Skill Level
4
3
2
1

Student
Student
Student
Student

has mastered this skill
shows high level of proficiency
has basic understanding of this skill
needs improvement on this skill

Skills needed to complete this activity.
Check all that apply.

Skill level

_____ Relate pictures to text

_____

_____ Distinguish between reality and fantasy

_____

_____ Detect causes and effects

_____

_____ Recognize main idea

_____

_____ Compare and contrast

_____

_____ Identify significant details

_____

_____ Recognize rhymes

_____

_____ Sequence events

_____

_____ Follow instructions

_____

_____ Summarize material

_____

_____ Use context clues

_____

_____ Predict outcomes

_____

_____ Draw conclusions

_____

_____ Synthesize

_____

_____ Determine point of view

_____

_____ Discover author’s purpose

_____

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Oral Reading Assessment
Student’s name: ___________________________________________________________________

Skill Level
4
3
2
1

Student
Student
Student
Student

has mastered this skill
shows high level of proficiency
has basic understanding of this skill
needs improvement on this skill

Dates of assessment
Reading Skill

Skill Level

Recognizes when words do not
make sense or sound right

_____

_____

_____

____

Self-corrects if word doesn’t
make sense or sound right

_____

_____

_____

____

Pays attention to end punctuation

_____

_____

_____

____

Reads fluently

_____

_____

_____

____

Reads with expression

_____

_____

_____

____

Understands what he/she has read

_____

_____

_____

____

Overall assessment

_____

_____

_____

____

Notes to help student improve: _____________________________________________________
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Student’s name: ______________________________________________ Date: ______________

Story Frame

Title: ___________________________________________________________________

Author: _________________________________________________________________
This story is mainly about ________________________________________________
(name of main character)

Other important characters are ___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
This story takes place (when and where) __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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The problem is __________________________________________________________
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The problem is solved when ______________________________________________
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At the end of the story __________________________________________________
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Student’s name: ______________________________________________ Date: ______________

Story Map
Title: _________________________________________________________________________
Author: _______________________________________________________________________

Main Characters

Setting
Time:

Place:

Problem(s)

Minor Characters

Solution(s)

Ending

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Story Frame/Story Map Assessment
Student’s name: _____________________________________________ Date: _______________

Story Title: ________________________________________________________________________

Scoring
3
1

detailed
2
fragmentary 0

partial
inaccurate

Story elements
Description of setting (time and place)

Score: ____

Description of main characters

Score: ____

Description of problem(s) encountered

Score: ____

Sequencing of major events

Score: ____

Resolution of problem

Score: ____
Total score: ________

Scoring Guide
Level

Total Score

Proficient

13–15

Capable

9–12

Developing

5–8

Unsatisfactory

0–4

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Student Reading Comprehension Skills Assessment
Student’s name: ___________________________________________________________________

Skill Level
4
3
2
1

Student
Student
Student
Student

has mastered this skill
shows high level of proficiency
has basic understanding of this skill
needs improvement on this skill

N/A not applicable at this time
Dates of assessment
Skill

Level of Skill (1–4)

Relates pictures to text

_____

_____

_____

_____

Distinguishes between reality and fantasy

_____

_____

_____

_____

Detects causes and effects

_____

_____

_____

_____

Recognizes the main idea

_____

_____

_____

_____

Compares and contrasts

_____

_____

_____

_____

Identifies significant details

_____

_____

_____

_____

Recognizes rhymes

_____

_____

_____

_____

Sequences events

_____

_____

_____

_____

Follows instructions

_____

_____

_____

_____

Summarizes material

_____

_____

_____

_____

Uses context clues

_____

_____

_____

_____

Predicts outcomes

_____

_____

_____

_____

Draws conclusions

_____

_____

_____

_____

Determines point of view

_____

_____

_____

_____

Overall assessment

_____

_____

_____

_____

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Student Reading Log and Assessment
Student’s name: ___________________________________________________________________
Title of Book

Check one box
Easy

Just right

Hard

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The book I liked best was: __________________________________________________________
because __________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Assessment of Student Reading Log
_____ Student is reading above level expected.
Keep up the great work!
_____ Student is reading at level expected.
Good job!
_____ Student is reading below level expected.
He/she needs to work harder.

Suggestions for books student might enjoy are: _____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

No Sugar?
Aaron’s class learned about making healthy choices. They studied the food
pyramid. They learned to read labels on food products.
After school, Aaron stopped at a store for a snack. He wanted something sweet,
but he remembered what his teacher had said about eating too much sugar.
Carefully he read labels before making his choice.
“Look, Mom,” he said proudly. “I bought this snack because there’s no sugar listed
on the label. It tastes good too.”
“Glucose, sucrose, lactose, and fructose,” Aaron’s mother read. “Corn syrup and
honey. I’m glad you read the label first, but I guess there’s one thing your teacher

forgot to tell you.”
“What’s that?” Aaron asked.
“Glucose, sucrose, lactose, and fructose are other names for sugar.”
“Oh,” said Aaron. “No wonder it tasted so good.”
1. Number the sentences in the order in which they occur in the story.
___ Aaron read the label before he bought his snack.
___ Aaron’s mother said that sugar has other names.
___ Aaron’s class learned about eating healthy.
2. What are other names for sugar? ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. What do you think Aaron told his class the next day?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

Grandma’s Memory Book
“What should we do today?” Sara asked her
grandma. “It’s too cold and wet to play outside.”
“I know,” said Grandma. She went to the
bookshelf and took out a large book bulging with
old photographs.

“This book is very special to me. I call it my
memory book,” Grandma said.
Sara saw a picture of a little girl in an old
fashioned dress standing by an old car.
“That’s me, when I was your age,” her
grandma told Sara.
Sara never realized her grandma used to be a kid too. They looked at other
pictures in the memory book. She saw Grandma and Grandpa on their wedding day,
pictures of places they lived, and vacations they took many, many years ago.
“That’s your dad,” Grandma said proudly, pointing to a picture of a little baby.
“There’s your dad again, in his Little League uniform. He was the best batter on
the team.”
They found pictures of another baby. “Who’s that?” Sara asked.
“That’s the best one of all,” Grandma told her. “That’s you when you were a
baby.”
“I like looking at these pictures with you and hearing stories about the old days,”
Sara said.
“Next time you come to visit, we’ll start a memory book for you,” Grandma
promised. “Maybe someday you’ll share your memory book with your own little girl.”
1. What is the main idea of this story?
A. Sara and her grandmother are bored.
B. Sara and her grandmother share good memories.
C. Scrapbooks are fun to look at.
2. What do Sara and her grandmother plan to do the next time Sara visits?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

What’s Your Birthstone?
People have been making and wearing jewelry since the Stone Age. Necklaces of
animal teeth and bones were worn to scare away evil spirits. Later, people wore
rare or valuable stones to bring good luck, health, and happiness.
Many years ago, a different stone with a special meaning became connected
with each month of the year. In the 16th century, people began wearing jewelry with
the special stone for the month when they were born. They called these birthstones.
Month

Color

Birthstone

Symbolizes

January

deep red

garnet

constancy

February

violet

amethyst

sincerity

March

sea-blue

aquamarine

courage

April

clear

diamond

innocence

May

bright green

emerald

love, success

June

white

pearl

health, longevity

July

bright red

ruby

contentment

August

light green

peridot

married happiness

September

bright blue

sapphire

clear thinking

October

various

opal

hope

November

gold

topaz

fidelity

December

sky blue

turquoise

prosperity

Today people do not believe wearing birthstones will bring good luck, happiness, or

health, but they still enjoy wearing birthstone jewelry.
1. What is the main idea of this article?
A. Birthstones bring good luck.
B. People like to wear jewelry.
C. People have worn birthstones for hundreds of years.
2. Which three birthstones are shades of blue? ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. How are the January and July birthstones similar?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. When did people first start wearing birthstones? ________________________________
5. What is your birthstone? _______________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Trolls of Scandinavia
Trolls are creatures found in stories told in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden,
Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and nearby islands. They are short with wrinkled faces,
gray skin and hair. Some male trolls have long beards. Trolls are very strong for
their size.
Trolls have long noses so they can smell danger from far away. Their large, furry
ears help them hear wolves. With their wide, flat feet, they can walk through deep
snow. Their thick, leathery skin protects them from harsh weather and insect bites.
They use their long tails to tickle other trolls.

Trolls have small eyes and poor eyesight. “He couldn’t tell a tree from a hole in the
ground” is a favorite troll saying.
1. Name four Scandinavian countries. ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do trolls have:
wide, flat feet _________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
large, furry ears _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
thick, leathery skin ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
long noses ____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Trolls of Scandinavia (cont’d)
According to legends, trolls live with their families deep in the forests, usually
underground or under bridges. The head of each troll family is the oldest member.
Since trolls live very long lives, family leaders may be great, great-grandmothers or
grandfathers.
Troll mothers cook and clean and take care of the children. Troll fathers hunt and

make things for the family. Troll children are often full of mischief and play pranks on
each other and on other family members.
At night, the families gather around fires and tell troll stories, but when the sun rises,
they must be well-hidden. Trolls cannot handle direct sunlight. If even one sunbeam
touches a troll, he or she will turn to stone.
People in Scandinavia claim that many odd-shaped rocks or boulders were really
once trolls.
Some stories say that night trolls kidnap people and turn them into trolls. Other
stories tell of trolls who take care of and protect children lost in the woods.
3. Circle the words that describe trolls.
green
tall
weak

handsome
wrinkled
real

ugly
strong
fantasy

short
gray

4. Why do trolls live underground or under bridges?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. Write a question you would ask if you could meet a troll.
_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

Grandma Meets the Alien
Setting:
A nursing home
Characters:
Narrator, Grandma Greene, Alien
NARRATOR: Grandma Greene woke from a
restless sleep. She heard a weird humming
sound through the open window of her room in
the nursing home. She couldn’t believe her
eyes when she looked out and saw an alien
spaceship hovering next to her window. She
watched as a door opened in the spaceship
and an alien walked toward her through the
window. Grandma Greene was fascinated—and scared.
ALIEN: Greetings, Earth Creature. I’ve come to take you to Planet Zyco.
Please follow me.
GRANDMA GREENE: Follow you? Where?
ALIEN: To Planet Zyco. Hurry now.

GRANDMA GREENE: No way, alien. I’m too old to go anywhere.
Besides, at 94 I don’t hurry so well any more.
ALIEN: But you must. We’ve traveled one zillion and thirteen
light years to find you. That’s a long way, you know.
GRANDMA GREENE: I don’t care how far it is. Besides, why would you want an old
lady like me?
ALIEN: We need you. You are the only one in seven galaxies that can help us.
GRANDMA GREENE: Me? Why would you need me?
Before reading the rest of the play, list three possible reasons why the alien wants
Grandma Greene to go to Planet Zyco.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

Grandma Meets the Alien (cont’d)
ALIEN: Because we have discovered that you bake the finest chocolate chip cookies
in the entire universe. Our people love chocolate chip cookies more than
anything else in the world.
GRANDMA GREENE: Chocolate chip cookies? I’ve baked thousands of them in my

time. Maybe more than a million. Even won a prize or two. But that was long ago.
ALIEN: Did you forget how to bake scrumptious cookies that melt in your mouth?
GRANDMA GREENE: Forget? Of course not.
ALIEN: Then I don’t see what the problem is. Let’s go.
GRANDMA GREENE: Young man, you may not have noticed, but I’m an old lady. I’m
very sick and haven’t got long to live. I can’t see too well or hear too well, either.
My bones are old. I doubt I’d live long enough to arrive at your planet, let alone
be able to bake cookies.
ALIEN: Oh, is that all? On Planet Zyco, we live to be 300 years old or more. Actually,
I’m 146 myself—in the prime of life.
GRANDMA GREENE: 300 years?
ALIEN: Of course. And you can too. We can fix your hearing and your eyesight. We
can strengthen your bones. You’ll feel 50 years younger in a day or so.
GRANDMA GREENE: Well, why are you standing around wasting time when we could
be on our way? You’d better stop at the store and stock up on eggs, sugar, flour,
and the other ingredients I’ll need. I’ve got a lot of baking to do.
Before Grandma Greene went to Planet Zyco, she left a short note for her friends
and family. Write Grandma Greene’s note.
Dear Friends and Family,
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Boy Who Cried Wolf
During the summer, all the boys in Faraway took turns
watching the village sheep on a hill outside the village.
None of the boys liked the job, but they all had to take
their turns for a week at a time.
When it was Matt’s turn to watch the sheep, he soon
became bored and decided to play a trick on the
people in the village.
“Wolf! Wolf!” Matt shouted as loudly as he could.
All the people of the village ran to the hill to help Matt
save the sheep from the wolf.
When they arrived, Matt was the only one who laughed
at his joke. There wasn’t any wolf.
The next day, Matt tried the same trick. “Wolf! Wolf!”
he shouted.
Again the villagers ran to help him. This time Matt
laughed even harder because they had fallen for the
same joke two days in a row.
Two days later, as Matt sat on the hill watching the
clouds, a wolf attacked the sheep. Matt was really scared.
He needed help.
“Wolf! Wolf!” Matt shouted.
No one came. The villagers were tired of his tricks.

“Wolf! Wolf!” he shouted even louder.
The villagers ignored him and the wolf took all the sheep.

1. Why didn’t the villagers come when Matt cried “Wolf! Wolf!” the third time?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is a fable—a story that teaches a lesson.
What lesson can people learn from this story?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Boy Who Cried Wolf (cont’d)
1. Which sentence summarizes the main idea of the story?
A. Wolves like to attack sheep.
B. Taking care of sheep is a boring job.
C. People who lie will not be believed, even when they tell the truth.
2. For each action listed (cause), write what happened as a result (effect).
Cause

Matt called “Wolf! Wolf!”

because he was bored.

Effect

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Matt shouted “Wolf! Wolf!”
a second time as a joke.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

A wolf attacked the sheep.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

No villagers came to help.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

How do you think Matt felt at the end of the story? _________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

Imagine Eating 500 Pounds of Food a Day!
Read the article about elephants. Then answer the questions.
Elephants are the largest land animals.
Male elephants can be 9 to 11 feet tall
and weigh 10,000 to 15,000 pounds. Even
baby elephants weigh more than many
people. Can you imagine a 200 pound
newborn baby?
An elephant’s trunk is very powerful. It
can lift, carry, and pull objects as heavy
as a tree trunk. Yet, an elephant can pick
up an object as small as a peanut with its
trunk. In hot weather, an elephant cools
itself by spraying water on its back. The
long, flexible trunk is really part of the
elephant’s upper lip, as well as its nose.
An elephant’s tusks are really teeth that
have grown very long. Most elephants
have two tusks which can weigh 50 to 100
pounds. Many elephants have been killed for their valuable ivory tusks. Poachers

ignore laws that protect elephants from hunters.
Elephants are vegetarians. They eat grass, leaves, bamboo shoots, fruit, and tree
bark. An adult elephant can consume nearly 500 pounds of food a day! Can you
imagine eating that much?

1. What is the author’s purpose for writing “Imagine Eating 500 Pounds Of Food
a Day!”?
A. To relay information to the reader
B. To entertain the reader
C. To persuade the reader to believe what he or she believes
2. List five facts you learned about elephants.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

African and Asian Elephants
Have you ever noticed that some elephants have much smaller ears than others?
These elephants originally came from Asia. The ones with the larger ears came from
Africa. Their ears may be two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half feet across. There is

another unusual thing about African elephants: they always sleep standing up.
Study the pictures of the African and Asian elephants. Then put an X in the
correct column.

Asian

African

Both

Has tusks
Has two fingerlike extensions on end of trunk
Has one fingerlike extensions on end of trunk
Has larger ears
Has smoother forehead
Has two humps on forehead
Has looser, more wrinkled skin
Is smaller
21
Copyright © 2002 Milliken Publishing Co.

reproducible

MP3461