Milliken 02 reading well reading comprehension grades 4 5

MP3462

Includes
Assessment
Pages!


Reading Well 4–5
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 4–5
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
14
16
17

18
20
22
23
24
26
27
28
30
32
33
34
36
38
39
40
41

Reading Comprehension Skills
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Assessment of Skills Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy
Using Student Assessments
Individual Activity Assessment
Story Frame
Story Map
Story Frame/Story Map Assessment
Student Reading Comprehension Skills Assessment
Student Reading Log and Assessment
Belling the Cat
A Letter from Plimoth Plantation

It’s Perfectly True
Making Candles
New Rhymes from Old
The Legend of King Arthur
One Hump or Two?
It All Depends on Point of View
Quill Pens
Ben’s Best Friend
State Quarters Chart
The State Quarters Program
The Civil War
Mom for the Day
Reading a Map
Spice Up Your Life
Last Manatee Dies in Miami Zoo
The Three Stones
Spies in the Skies
Character Traits*
Analyzing Changes in a Character*
Answer Key

*These two pages can be used with activities in this book or with any
outside story or book students read.

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Reading Comprehension Skills
Activities provide opportunities for students
in grades 4 and 5 to practice these reading
comprehension skills.

Skill

Page numbers

Relate pictures to text

16, 29, 32

Distinguish between reality
and fantasy

13, 35

Detect cause and effect

19, 31, 35, 37

Recognize the main idea

20, 25, 37

Compare and contrast

16, 21, 27, 40

Identify significant details

13, 18, 20, 23, 33, 35

Recognize rhymes

17

Sequence events

15, 18, 23

Follow instructions

39

Summarize material

35

Use context clues

18, 19, 25

Predict outcomes

11, 19, 25, 31

Draw conclusions

11, 15, 25, 35, 37, 39, 40

Classify

21, 37

Distinguish between fact
and opinion

38

Determine point of view

22

Paraphrase

13, 15, 37

Discover author’s purpose

19, 31, 35, 38

Identify supporting details

21, 23, 27, 33

Make judgements

11, 15, 16, 25, 40

Increase vocabulary skills

18, 19, 23, 38

Analysis

40

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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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Assessment of Skills Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy
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
Skill Level
Knowledge

Analysis

_____ recording

_____ decoding

_____ outlining

_____ using logic

_____ listing

_____ writing analogies

_____ classifying items

_____ making inferences

_____ summarizing

_____ drawing conclusions

_____ discriminating between facts
and opinions

_____ predicting sequences
_____ distinguishing between cause
and effect

_____ distinguishing between
definitions and examples

Synthesis

Comprehension

_____ problem solving

_____ patterning

_____ creative thinking

_____ predicting outcomes

_____ planning a project

_____ estimating consequences

_____ testing hypotheses

_____ identifying steps in a process

_____ drawing conclusions

_____ comparing and contrasting like
and unlike items

_____ deductive reasoning
Evaluation

Application

_____ discovering common attributes

_____ ordering

_____ developing and evaluating criteria

_____ inferring

_____ evaluating material for extraneous
information

_____ sequencing

_____ constructing graphs and charts

_____ determining appropriateness and
relevancy of information

_____ applying concepts to new situations
_____ understanding changes in
word meanings
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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.

Assessment of Skills Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy
This form provides a means of tracking and assessing students’ mastery of specific skills
in each of the six subdivisions in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

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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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) __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
The problem is __________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
The problem is solved when ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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 detailed
1 fragmentary

2 partial
0 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

_____

_____

_____

_____

Classifies like and unlike items

_____

_____

_____

_____

Distinguishes fact/opinion

_____

_____

_____

_____

Paraphrases

_____

_____

_____

_____

Understands author’s purpose

_____

_____

_____

_____

Identifies supporting details

_____

_____

_____

_____

Overall assessment

_____

_____

_____

_____

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Student Reading Log and Assessment
Student’s name: ___________________________________________________________________

Title of Book

Check one box
Easy

Just right

Hard

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

____________________________________________________

_______

_______

_______

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: _______________

Belling the Cat
Long ago a group of mice lived in the same house with a very watchful cat. The mice were
constantly in danger.
One day they held a meeting to discuss what to do about the cat. Many mice talked about
the problem, but none had any ideas about what to do.
Finally, one of the smallest mice spoke up. “We all agree that the cat can sneak up on us
too easily. If we could hear her coming, we would have time to run to safety. I think we should
put a bell around the cat’s neck. Then we will always know when she is near.”
The other mice cheered. They congratulated the smallest mouse on his marvelous idea.
Finally, their problem was solved.
Then the oldest mouse spoke. “Belling the cat is indeed a grand idea, but who will
do it?”
Not one mouse spoke.
1. What is the moral of this fable?
____ Cats are sneaky.

____ Proposing a plan is easier than putting it into action.
____ Warning bells are good protection for mice.
2. What do you think the mice did next?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Imagine you are one of the mice. Propose another solution.
____________________________________________
_______________________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

A Letter from Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation
August 6, 1627

Dear Constance,
In the seven years since we left England, I have never regretted that decision, but life
has not been easy for us here in the New World.
Our village has a tall wooden stockade around it to protect us from wolves and
unfriendly Indians. Beyond the fence are fields of cabbages and other vegetables. There
was not enough food the first winter and many people were sick and hungry. We did
better after an Indian named Squanto showed us new crops to plant and how to grow
them. We eat many foods you never heard of, like corn and potatoes. They are delicious.
The first two years we were here, we did not have a house of our own. First the men
built a storehouse to keep the things we brought on the Mayflower. Then they built a
meeting house for worship. However, we had to use that building for a hospital the first
winter because so many people were ill. Almost half the people died.
Our house is made of logs. All the men worked together to build it and thatch the roof.
They carried bundles of straw to the steep roof and laid them in overlapping rows. Then
they chinked the cracks between the logs to keep out the wind and cold. Jacob and I
helped mix mud with straw to do the chinking.
Our house has two rooms and a dirt floor. We eat and sleep in the main room. We
have a large fireplace to keep us warm in winter. My brother Jacob keeps the log bin
filled. Can you believe he’s eight years old already? He helps Father cut trees and
chop logs. They also hunt funny looking birds called turkeys, plus rabbits and other
small animals. Mother and I cook over the fire and roast meat
on the spit.

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

A Letter from Plimoth Plantation (cont’d)
Pricilla, Jacob, and I sleep on a mattress we keep under Father and Mother’s bed
during the day. There is so little room that we must stand the table on end against the
wall, then pull the mattress out for sleeping. We hang our clothes on pegs on the walls.
Mother keeps our Sunday clothes in the trunk we brought from England. She keeps our
family Bible there too. It is the only book we have.
The other room in our house is smaller. Mother and I store dried herbs and vegetables
there. Since it isn’t heated, it’s a good place for our milk, butter, and cheese. We even
keep our goat there when it is really cold outside.
We have a small garden near our house. Prissy and I hoe the garden and pull the
weeds between the rows of squash, beets, and turnips. Mother grows herbs and flowers.
We have several hens and a rooster. I collect the eggs and feed the chickens. The village
has only one cow, but we are lucky and have a milk goat. Prissy and I take turns milking
the goat and churning the butter.
Life is good in the New World, even though we work hard every day. If someday you
and your family decide to join us here at Plimoth Plantation, you will have some idea of
what to expect.
Your faithful friend,
Sarah

1. This story is an example of:
____ realistic fiction.

____ fantasy.

____ nonfiction.

2. Which two buildings were built first and what were they used for?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. List jobs men and boys did at Plimoth Plantation. _______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. List jobs girls and women did at Plimoth Plantation. _____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Describe Sarah’s home in your own words. ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

It’s Perfectly True
Setting: A hen house with a dovecote above and a large tree nearby.
Characters: Narrator, White Hen, Red Hen, Mother Owl, Gray Dove, Rooster
NARRATOR: As the sun set behind the hen house, the White Hen sat on a perch preening
herself. One white feather dropped to the ground.
WHITE HEN: There. That feather is gone. The more I preen, the more beautiful I shall
become.
NARRATOR: As soon as the White Hen fell asleep, Red Hen whispered to her neighbor.
RED HEN: Did you hear that? I won’t name any names, but there’s a hen I know who
is going to pluck out all her feathers just to make herself look more beautiful for the

rooster.
NARRATOR: Mother Owl heard the Red Hen. She spoke to Father Owl in the tree by the hen
house.
MOTHER OWL: What is this world coming to? I must go tell my friends. I heard it with my
own ears. One of the hens plucked out all her feathers in front of the rooster.
NARRATOR: Mother Owl called to her friends, the doves, who lived in the dovecote above
the hen house.
MOTHER OWL: Who-o-oo. Have you heard? There is a hen in the hen house who’s plucked
out all her feathers just to please the rooster. She’s freezing to death, I’m sorry to say, but
it’s perfectly true.
ALL THE DOVES: Trrrue . . . trrrue . . .
NARRATOR: The Gray Dove called to the rooster and the chickens in the barnyard.
GRAY DOVE: Have you heard? Two hens plucked out their feathers just to please the
rooster. They both caught a cold and died. It’s perfectly trrrue . . . trrrue . . . .

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

It’s Perfectly True (cont’d)
ROOSTER: Cock-a-doodle-doo! Wake up! Three hens have frozen to death. They plucked
out all their feathers because they loved me so much. Pass it on.
NARRATOR: During the night, the story passed from hen house to hen house. By
morning it was back where it started.

RED HEN: I just heard the most terrible story. Five hens plucked out all their feathers
to prove which was the thinnest. They pecked at one another until all five dropped dead.
WHITE HEN: What a bunch of silly hens! I must call the Hen News Channel and tell them of
this tragedy.
NARRATOR: That night the Hen News Channel announced an investigation into the
mysterious death of hundreds of hens.
Somehow, one feather became hundreds of dead hens. Once the story was aired
on the news, everyone knew it was perfectly true.
1. Number the sentences in order.
____ The story was aired on the Hen News Channel.
____ White Hen preened herself.
____ Gray Dove told Rooster about two hens dying.
____ Mother Owl overhead Red Hen.
____ Gray Dove heard about a hen freezing to death.
____ White Hen heard that five hens pecked each other
to death.
____ Rooster said, “Pass it on.”
2. Do you think White Hen recognized the story when it got back to the hen house?
Why or why not? _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. What is another way to say, “One little feather became hundreds of dead hens.”
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Do you think the title of this story is appropriate? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

Making Candles
Before they had electricity, people relied on firelight, candles, torches, and
lanterns as sources of light.
Candles were made by dipping a wick made of flax or cotton fibers into
melted wax or fat. The hot wax adhered to the wick and became hard when it
cooled. Candles were made thicker by dipping them into the melted wax
several times and allowing the wax to cool and harden each time.
Herbs, spices, or dried flower petals were added to the wax or fat to make
candles smell better. The most expensive candles were made from bee’s wax.
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jumped over the candlesticks.
This nursery rhyme is based on a game children played while their
parents made candles. After dipping candles, people hung them from two long horizontal
sticks while they hardened and cooled. These sticks, and not the candles themselves, were
the “candle sticks” Jack jumped over.

1. List light sources people used before they had electricity.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2. List light sources we use now.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Do you think the people making candles liked children to play this game? Why or

why not?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Based on the description, draw “candlesticks.”

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

New Rhymes From Old
Write the words of any short rhyming poem you know. It could be a nursery rhyme or other
type. You can copy one from a book if you’d like.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Rewrite the poem using the same rhythm and rhyme scheme, but change several of the
words to make a new poem.
Example based on Hickory, Dickory, Dock:
Gallop, a-gallop, a-gill,
A horse ran over a hill.
The horse said, “Neigh,

I cannot stay.”
Gallop, a-gallop, a-gill.

Write your poem.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Write a title for your poem. ____________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Legend of King Arthur
According to legends told in England, Uther Pendragon was the King of England. His
son, Arthur, was born about 500 A.D. The king’s magician, Merlin, predicted the king would
soon become ill and die. The king’s enemies would try to kill the baby to keep him from
becoming king.
King Uther believed Merlin and asked him to protect Arthur until he was old enough to
take his place on the throne. Merlin secretly gave the baby prince to Sir Ector to raise as his
own son.

As Merlin had predicted, King Uther soon died. For the next 18 years, Britain had no king.
Lords and barons raised private armies and fought each other.
Finally the Archbishop of Canterbury
asked Merlin for advice about how
Britain could find a king who could unite
the people and bring peace. Merlin
devised a plan. He promised that soon
a descendant of King Uther would take
his rightful place on the throne.
Knowing that a large tournament
would soon be held in London, Merlin
used his magic to place a sword up to
its hilt in an anvil on a stone. The
golden hilt was encrusted with gems.
Knights from all over England arrived
to test their abilities with sword and
spear. Among them were Sir Ector and his two sons, Sir Kay and Arthur. Merlin announced
that whoever could pull the sword from the anvil would become the rightful King of Britain.
1. Why did King Uther allow Merlin to take his baby son?
_______________________________________________________________________
2. Underline what happened first.
a. King Uther died

b. Merlin gave the baby to Sir Ector.

3. Underline what happened last.
a. Sir Ector and his sons arrived at the tournament.
b. Merlin placed a sword in an anvil.
4. What does “encrusted” mean? ______________________________________________
5. What does “devised” mean? ________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

The Legend of King Arthur (cont’d)
Sir Kay had a reputation as a brave knight. Arthur served as his page. A page kept his
knight’s armor polished and the points on his swords and spears sharpened.
In the first contest of the tournament, two groups of knights fought on horseback with
spears. Sir Kay fought brilliantly. Those who won the first contest prepared for the second.
Again Sir Kay fought heroically with his short sword until the sword broke. Wishing to
continue the contest, Sir Kay sent Arthur to fetch another sword from their tent.
On his way, Arthur saw the sword in the anvil. Since he wanted to help Sir Kay quickly, he
decided to take that sword and return it later. Arthur grasped the shining hilt and easily pulled
the sword from the anvil. He hurried back to the tournament. Sir Kay was astonished, for he
knew the meaning of the feat Arthur had performed, but asked Arthur to say nothing.
At the end of the day’s contests, Sir Kay proclaimed to his father that he had
taken the sword from the anvil. Sir Kay meant to be the next king, but Sir Ector
knew that could not happen. Wisely, he asked Sir Kay to show him how he
had obtained the sword. Sir Kay tried to replace the sword, but could not.
Arthur asked permission to try and was successful.
When Merlin and the Archbishop arrived, all the knights took turns
trying to remove the sword from the anvil. Since no one could
perform the task, Merlin asked Arthur to try.
Confusion broke out as Arthur easily pulled the glistening

sword from the anvil and held it high above his head for all
to see. Then Sir Ector and Merlin explained what had
happened 18 years earlier. Arthur became the rightful
King of Britain.
6. What do “task” and “feat” refer to in this story? _________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
7. What was the author’s purpose in retelling the legend?
____ to entertain

____ to persuade

____ to inform

8. Underline the cause and circle the effect in this sentence.
Arthur pulled the sword from the anvil because he was in a hurry to help Sir Kay.
9. What do you think Sir Kay did next? _________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

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Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

One Hump or Two?
Camels are large mammals native to desert regions of Asia and Africa. The Arabian

camel, also called a dromedary, has one hump. The Bactrian camel has two humps. Camels
can go several days without food or water. Food, not water, is stored in their humps.
When food is plentiful, camels’ humps swell and become firm. When food is scarce, the
humps shrink and become soft as the camels use up their supplies of stored fat.
Camels are well adapted for desert conditions including infrequent supplies of food and
water, blazing heat during the day, low temperatures at night, high winds, and blowing sand.
Camels have wide feet with pads that keep them from sinking into the sand as they walk.
Their long eyelashes protect their eyes from blowing sand. Camels can also close their
nostrils during a windstorm. Their sharp teeth allow them to bite off and chew tough thorny
plants. Their long necks help them reach leaves on trees. They can reach down to drink
water and eat grass without having to bend their legs.
1. What is the main idea of this article?
____ Bactrian camels have two humps.
____ Camels are well suited to desert life.
____ There are two kinds of camels.
2. Why don’t camels sink into the sand when they walk?
_______________________________________________________________________
3. What is the purpose of a camel’s hump?
_______________________________________________________________________

Bactrian camels, native to Asia, have
two humps.

Arabian camels, native to northern Africa,
are called dromedaries, and have one hump.
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Copyright © 2002 Milliken Publishing Co.

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MP3462


Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________

One Hump or Two? (cont’d)
Dromedaries stand about 7 feet tall at the shoulder. They have coarse fur on their backs
to protect them from the sun. The hair on their stomachs and legs is short to prevent
overheating. Dromedaries can cover more than 100 miles in a day and are used mainly
as saddle animals rather than as beasts of burden.
Bactrian camels live in the deserts of central Asia where winters are bitterly cold. They
stand about 6.5 feet high at the shoulder. Bactrian camels can carry heavier loads (up to
1,000 pounds) than dromedaries, but travel slower—only about 2.5 miles per hour.
When camels molt in the spring, their hair is collected and used to make rope, brushes,
and cloth. People eat camel meat. They drink camel milk and use it to make cheese. Camel
hides are made into leather.
4. Put an X in the correct column.
Dromedary

Bactrian

Both

Long eyelashes
Two humps
Sharp teeth
Long neck
Travels up to 100 miles a day
Carries up to 1,000 pounds
Its milk is made into cheese

Its hair is woven into cloth
Stores food in humps
Native to Africa
Adapted to life in desert

21
Copyright © 2002 Milliken Publishing Co.

reproducible

MP3462