Gr 3 - Empowering Writing SKill - Comp - CW - 2021

Creative Learners Empowering Writing Skills Grade 3 Comprehension & Creative Writing

Sr. No INDEX Page No 1 5-6 2 Comprehensions 7-8 3 9 - 10 4 Contents 5 Similes 11 - 14 6 The Metaphor Family 15 - 17 7 Bug Eaters 18 - 19 8 Ben's Loose Tooth? 20 - 24 9 What Makes a Toothache? 25 - 29 10 Riding the Board 30 - 32 11 Pool Party 33 - 37 12 The Big Ostrich 38 - 40 13 Animal Baths 41 - 42 14 A Birthday Treat 43 - 47 15 Trolls New look 48 - 50 16 Talk with your Hands 51 - 55 17 One Hump or Two? 56 - 61 18 Meet Jorge Estrella 62- 65 19 The Tall Giraffe 66 - 68 20 The Scariest Scarecrow 69 - 73 Quills and Thrills 74 - 78 Sisters in Space Friends Helping Friends The Haunted Tree

Sr. No INDEX Page No 1 2 Creative Writing 80 - 83 3 84 - 87 4 Contents 88 - 89 5 Empowering Vocabulary Words 90 - 91 6 Collective Nouns 92 - 93 7 Similes 8 Metaphors 94 9 Personification 95 10 Alliteration 96 11 Hyperbole 97 Onomatopoeia 98 - 107 Colours 108 - 143 Sentence Pyramid Creative Writing Topics (18)

Comprehensions 4

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub A simile (pronounced: SIM-uh-lee) is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not normally alike. Many similes use the words like or as. How many similes are in this poem? 1 Similes by Lill Pluta Black as words on printed pages. Sad like tigers locked in cages. Long as thread unrolled from spools. Straight like legs on wooden stools. Quiet as a school at night. Happy like a bird in flight. Light as fuzzy skin on peaches. White like dunes of sand on beaches. Cold as scoops of frozen peas. Fun like writing similes. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 5

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1 Similes by Lill Pluta 1. Complete these similes. Use your creativity. Try to write four or more words on each line. happy as __________________________________________ dark as __________________________________________ smart as __________________________________________ 2. Write a simile about a friend. My friend _____________________ is as __________________ as ____________________________________________________ . 3. Write a simile about your teacher. My teacher, ____________________, is as _________________ as ____________________________________________________. 4. Write a simile about an animal. ________________________ is as ________________________ as ____________________________________________________. 5. Write a simile about your favourite food. ________________________ is as ________________________ as ____________________________________________________. 6 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 2 The Metaphor Family by Lill Pluta My brother is a dragon. My mom’s a teddy bear. I am a shaggy sheepdog with a ton of tangled hair. My father is a monkey. He likes to make us laugh, especially my sister, who is a tall giraffe. We are a busy family with many things to do. Our home is always happy, but sometimes it’s a zoo. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 7

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 2 The Metaphor Family by Lill Pluta 1. Mom said my bedroom is a pig pen. What does she mean? _________________________________________________________ 2. My friend Joey is a clown. What does this mean? _________________________________________________________ 3. Everyone calls me a little angel. What do they probably mean? _________________________________________________________ 4. Write a metaphor about someone who is very smart. _________________________________________________________ 5. Write a metaphor about someone who is a fast runner. _________________________________________________________ 6. Write a metaphor about someone who is not well-behaved. _________________________________________________________ 7. Write a metaphor about a tree. _________________________________________________________ 8. Write a nice metaphor about one of your friends. _________________________________________________________ 8 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 3 Bug Eaters Did you know that some plants eat bugs? They do! But first the plants must catch their food. The venus’s flytrap has little hair on its leaves. When a bug moves against these hair, the plant feels it. Then the leaves snap shut. The bug is trapped. The teasel is a plant shaped like a cup. When it rains, water stays in the bottom of the cup. Bugs fall into the water. They cannot get out. Look at the picture of the sundew plant. Do you see the long “arms”? These “arms” make sticky drops. A bug lands on the drop and gets stuck. Then the “arms” close up. They trap the bug! The rainbow plant also traps bugs with sticky drops. venus fly trap teasel sundew 1. Which two plants have sticky drops? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 9

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 2. How are all these plants the same? a. They have hair on their leaves. b. They have trap bugs. c. They have “arms” d. They have drops 3. Which plant is shaped like a cup? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 4. How does a venus fly trap catch its prey? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 5. Which plant has little hair on its leaves? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 6. Identify and write any three verbs from the above comprehension. 1.______________ 2.__________________ 3.________________ 10 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 4 Ben’s Loose Tooth by Donna Latham “I’m always last,” Ben sighed. “Last to learn to whistle. Last to lose a tooth. “ Ben’s older sister, Kate, was always bossy. “Jiggle your teeth,” she said. “Find one that’s wiggly and wobbly.” Tooth by tooth, Ben jiggled. He wriggled the last tooth. “It’s wiggly. It’s wobbly!” “Tug it,” Kate said. “Uh!” Ben mumbled. “It’s stuck in my gums.” “Hmmm.” Kate scrunched her nose. “Munch that apple.” Ben took a bite. “Ouch! No luck.” “Hmmm,” said Kate. She tapped her pinky against her chin. “I’ll scare it out of you! That’s how you get rid of hiccups. Maybe it works for teeth too.” Ben squeezed his eyes shut. He held his breath. He waited and waited. “Hey! When are you going to scare me?” He propped one eye open. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 11

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub “How scary would it be if I told you?” Kate asked. Well—,” Ben said. “Boo!” cried Kate. She flapped her arms. Ben’s fingers flew to the tooth. He wriggled it. He jiggled it. “Blah! I’ll never lose a tooth.” He hung his head. “I’ll never learn to whistle, either.” “Whistle? I can teach you!” Kate said. “Pucker your lips. Leave a tiny space.” Ben scrunched his lips together. “Perfect.” Kate smiled. “Now, shoot the air out. Hard.” With all his might, Ben blasted air. Out burst a high note — with his tooth! 12 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 4 Ben’s Loose Tooth by Donna Latham 1. What is Ben’s main problem in this story? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 2. Who is Kate? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 3. Complete the web by listing three ideas Kate had for helping Ben. Kate’s Ideas for Helping Ben Get His Tooth Out 4. What was Ben trying to do when the tooth came out of his mouth? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 13

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 5. What does the word “Tug It” mean in the story ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 6. Why did she tap her pinky against her chin ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 7. How did Kate teach Ben to whistle ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 8. What happened when Ben “whistled” with all his might ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 9. Write antonyms for the following words: a) last x _______________ b) shut x _______________ 10. Find Rhyming Words: a) jiggle - _______________ b) munch - _______________ 14 Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 5 What makes a Toothache? by Kimberly M. Hutmache A tooth can start to ache if the hard enamel covering the tooth is broken down. The enamel is broken down by caries. Caries is a disease that forms holes, known as cavities, in the enamel. It is caused by bacteria. Caries usually begins in the grooves of molars, in between teeth and around the gums. These are all areas where food particles can get caught. Bacteria is always present in the mouth, and it feeds on these tiny food particles. As they feed, they produce acids that work to slowly break down the enamel of teeth, and create cavities. If the cavity is not caught early, it can lead to a toothache, and in some cases, it can lead to an infection. The best way to avoid cavities and the toothaches that come with them, is to brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly. Be sure to pay attention to your dentist as she demonstrates how to brush your teeth and floss correctly. Hopefully, if you listen to “your” dentist and follow her directions, ou won’t ever have to experience the pain of a toothache. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 15

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 5 What makes a Toothache? by Kimberly M. Hutmache 1. Put the events that cause a toothache in sequential order. Write 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Bacteria feed on the food particles in the mouth and leave behind acids. “Food particles become stuck between teeth”. Acids eat through the enamel covering of teeth. The cavity grows and causes a toothache. The tooth’s enamel is eaten away, causing a cavity. 2. Which is the most practical way to prevent cavities? a. Always avoid all foods with sugar. b. Brush your teeth and floss regularly. c. Visit the dentist every month. d. Chew your food more slowly. 16 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 3. How can a toothache start ? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 4. What is caries ? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 5. Where do caries usually begin ? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 6. What does bacteria feed on ? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 7. What will happen if the cavity is not caught early ? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 8 How can we avoid cavities? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ 9. Write antonyms for the following words: a) start x _______________ b) come x _______________ c) regular x _______________ d) slow x _______________ e) early x _______________ f) day x _______________ Gr. 3 17

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 6 Riding the Board Anna stepped on her skateboard and pushed off. But this time something went wrong. Her board flew out from under her. As she started to fall, she put out her arm and fell hard on it. Anna rubbed her arm. She waited for the hurting to stop, but it did not. Then Anna tried to move her arm. It hurt even more. She looked across the park. Dad was reading a book. She got up and she walked toward Dad. She held her arm still as she walked, but it still hurt a lot. Now Anna was crying. Dad moved Anna’s hurt arm just a little bit. “Ow!” shouted Anna. “That hurts!” Dad took Anna to the doctor. Dr. Rio took an X-ray of Anna’s arm. She showed it to Anna and her dad. The X-ray showed that Anna’s arm bone was broken. “But I was wearing my arm pads,” said Anna. “How could I break my arm?” “You held your arm out and landed on it. That’s why it broke,” said Dr. Rio. “Next time hold them close to your body.” “That’s an important thing to know,” said Dad. “Yes,” said Dr. Rio. “We often learn best from the mistakes we make.” Then she smiled at Anna. “Now, let’s put a cast on that arm of yours.” 18 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1. What happened first in this story? a. Anna’s board flew out from under her. b. Anna fell on her arm. c. Anna pushed off. d. Anna stepped on her board. 2. What did Anna do just before she fell? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. Which of these happened first? a. Dad took off Anna’s helmet and pads. b. Anna rubbed her arm and tried to move it. c. Anna got up and walked toward Dad. d. Anna started crying. 4. What happened next after Dad brought Anna to the doctor? a. Dad tried to move Anna’s arm. b. Anna asked, “How could I break my arm?” c. Dr. Rio took an X-ray of Anna’s arm. d. Anna’s arm stopped hurting so much. 5. After Dr. Rio took an X-ray, what did she do next? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 19

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 7 Pool Party by Kelly Hashway “Here you go,” Melanie said, handing Ava an envelope. “Thanks,” Ava said. “But what is it?” “An invitation to my pool party. It’s Saturday at two.” Melanie kept talking but Ava wasn’t listening. The words pool party echoed through her mind. Ava couldn’t swim. Every time she tried to learn she’d wind up with water up her nose and she’d be out of the pool as quickly as possible. “You’re coming, right?” Melanie said. “Huh?” Ava jumped. “Do you think you could come a little early? I could use your help inflating the floating basketball hoops and the ball.” Ava didn’t know what to say. Melanie was one of her best friends. She couldn’t miss her party. But she didn’t want the whole school to find out she couldn’t swim. “I think I might be busy this Saturday.” Ava saw the disappointment on Melanie’s face. “Maybe I could stop by for a little while, but I definitely wouldn’t have time to swim.” Ava spent the rest of the school day dodging Melanie’s questions about what she had to do on Saturday and why she couldn’t stay for the whole party. Ava felt awful. That night she begged her parents to ground her or make other plans so she couldn’t go to Melanie’s party. 20 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub “Ava, this is silly,” her mother said. “Melanie is your friend. She won’t care that you can’t swim.” Ava wasn’t so sure. “Just be honest with Melanie,” her father said. When Saturday arrived, Ava’s parents drove her to the party right on time. They had even convinced her to wear her bathing suit under her clothes. “You don’t have to go in the water, but you might get splashed,” her mother insisted. Melanie ran up to Ava the moment she stepped out of the car. “You made it! The party would’ve been ruined if you weren’t here.” Ava’s stomach lurched. Melanie was a good friend and she deserved the truth. “Mel, I have to tell you something. I didn’t really have other plans. I was just afraid to tell you that… I can’t swim.” Melanie smiled. “Perfect! We won’t have to fight over who will be referee of the pool games. No one ever wants to get out of the water to do it.” Ava nodded. “I could do that. It sounds like fun.” “It will be,” Melanie said, looping her arm through Ava’s and heading toward the pool. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 21

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 7 Pool Party by Kelly Hashway 1. What happened when Ava tried to learn how to swim? a. She couldn’t keep her head above water. b. She got water up her nose and jumped out of the pool. c. Her friends made fun of her. d. She splashed around and had to be rescued. 2. Why did Melanie want Ava to come to the party early? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 3. Why did Ava go to the party? a. Ava didn’t want her friends to know that she couldn’t swim. b. Melanie said she needed someone to be referee of the pool games. c. Melanie agreed to teach Ava how to swim. d. Ava’s parents convinced her to go. 4. Throughout the story, is Melanie being a good friend to Ava? Give two reasons to support your answer. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 5. What lesson can be learned from this story? a. True friends can teach each other new things. b. It’s okay to lie to your friends as long as it doesn’t hurt their feelings. c. Don’t listen to people who tease you. d. True friends like you the way you are. 22 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 6. When was the pool party? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 7. What would happen to Ava when she tried to learn swimming? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 8. Why was Melanie disappointed with Ava? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 9. What did Ava’s father advised her? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 10. What did Melanie request Ava to do for the pool games? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 11. Writed antonyms for the following words: x ___________ a. possible x ___________ b. plan x ___________ c. arrive x ___________ d. spend x ___________ e. arrival x ___________ f. deserve Gr. 3 23

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 7 Pool Party by Kelly Hashway Below are sentences from the story. Choose the best definition for each underlined vocabulary word. 1. The words pool party echoed through her mind. a. repeated b. sang c. yelled d. hurt 2. I could use your help inflating the floating basketball hoops and the ball. a. making b. placing on water c. throwing d. filling with air 3. Ava saw the disappointment on Melanie’s face. a. a happy look b. an angry look c. a sad look d. a confused look 4. “Just be honest with Melanie,” her father said. a. be kind b. behave c. have good manners d. tell the truth 5. Ava’s stomach lurched. b. moved or turned a. relaxed or calme c. became cold d. felt hungry 6. We won’t have to fight over who will be referee of the pool games. a. best player b. goalie c. person who makes rules d. judge for a sport 7. Ava nodded. b. moved her head up a. moved her head back and down and forth c. held still d. jumped for joy 24 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 8 The Big Ostrich by Guy Belleranti The ostrich of Africa is a big animal. Growing as tall as nine feet and sometimes weighing as much as 300 pounds, it is the world’s largest living bird. An ostrich starts out big right from the beginning of its life. It hatches from an egg that weighs up to three pounds and measures about six inches long and five inches wide. The egg is too big for a lion to get into its jaws to crush with its teeth. The shell is also very thick and tough. Some natives even use Ratites: Flightless Birds ostrich eggs as canteens for holding water. When the egg hatches, The ostrich is a ratite. the ostrich chick is as big as a A ratite is a bird with a full-sized chicken. Six months later reduced keel, or no keel the ostrich is already six feet tall. at all, on its breastbone. That’s quite a growth spurt! The keel is what anchors the muscles needed for Speaking of big, have you ever wing movement. Without noticed an ostrich’s eyes? Each eye a keel, a bird cannot fly. is two inches across. That’s the size Other ratites include the of a tennis ball and five times larger emu, cassowary, kiwi and than a human’s eye. rhea. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 25

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub It’s the largest eye of any land animal, including the elephant. In fact, an ostrich’s eye weighs twice as much as its brain! Having huge eyes and an impressive height help the ostrich see long distances. If it spots a predator like a cheetah, lion, or leopard, the ostrich can run fast on its long legs. How fast? Over 40 miles an hour for a short distance and 30 miles an hour for up to ten miles. A predator must sneak up really close to catch this flightless bird. Otherwise, the ostrich, which is the fastest two-legged runner in the world, will get away. An ostrich can also stand its ground and defend itself. Its long powerful legs can kick hard. And the sharp toenail on the larger of its two toes can rip an animal open. One thing’s for sure, it’s not easy to mess with an ostrich! 26 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub The Big Ostrich 1. According to the article, what makes an ostrich egg so difficult for a predator to destroy? Use a complete sentence. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 2a. How long does it take for an ostrich chick to reach six feet in height? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 2b. About how many more feet will the ostrich grow in order to reach its full height? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 3. Choose the statement about “ostrich’s” eyes that is correct. a. An ostrich’s eyes are very large, but they can only see short distances. b. An ostrich’s eyes are the largest eyes of any animal living today. c. An ostrich’s eyes weigh twice as much as a human’s eyes. d. An ostrich’s eyes are five times as large as a human’s eyes. 4. Re-read the following sentence from the article. Some natives even use ostrich eggs as canteens for holding water. Which is the best definition for the underlined word? a. packages b. containers c. ponds d. wells Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 27

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 5. What is one thing a ratite cannot do that most birds can? ___________________ 6. Fill in the Table taking help from the passage. Ostrich Facts 1. Height of the Ostrich 2. Weight of the Ostrich 3. Weight of the egg 4. Size of the eye 5. Weight of the eye 7. Write any two similies from the passage? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 8. Define ratite. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 9. Name five ratites. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 10. How can an ostrich rip an animal? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 28 Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 8 The Big Ostrich By Guy Belleranti Match each vocabulary word on the left with the definition on the right. 1. impressive unable to fly 2. distance difficult to break or damage 3. flightless holds something in place 4. predator deserving admiration 5. tough made less or smaller in size 6. noticed the amount of space between two points 7. reduced an animal that hunts other animals for food 8. anchors observed Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 29

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 9 Animal Baths To wash yourself, you take a bath or a shower. Animals need to keep clean, too. How do animals clean themselves? Cats lick themselves to keep their fur clean. Have you ever watched a pet cat clean itself? Elephants take baths much as you do. But instead of hopping into the tub, they walk into a river or lake. Pigs also like to roll around in water. This keeps them clean and cool. If there is no clean water, they will roll in mud on a hot day. They do this to cool off. Pigs do not really like mud. They are happier in a nice, clean pond. Bats have a funny way to groom. They lick their thumbs to clean their ears! Guess how polar bears clean themselves. They use snow, of course! Some animals take baths in dust instead of water! The wombat is an Australian animal with lots of fur. To get clean,it lies down. Then it scoops sand all over itself! Birds clean themselves in many ways. Sometimes they wash in water. That’s why some people put birdbaths in their yard. 30 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub At other times birds take dust baths, just like wombats. Birds also use their beaks to keep their feathers clean. They use their beaks the way you use a comb. Sometimes a bird has itchy bugs in its feathers. Birds may use ants to help them clean off the bugs. A bird will lie down on an ant nest. Then the ants will crawl on the bird. The ants make a kind of bug spray on the feathers. Then the itchy bugs die! Birds take baths in something else besides dust and ants! Some birds take “smoke baths.” They sit on chimneys. They wave their wings in the smoke! Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 31

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1. Name two animals that take dust baths. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 2. What is a pig’s favorite way to get clean? a. It takes a bath in clean water. b. It licks itself. c. It rolls in nice, thick mud. d. It lies down on ants. 3. How is a polar bear’s bath different from a cat’s bath? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. A bird uses its beak like a person uses ____________ a. tub b. lake c. comb d. shower 5. How are the ways elephants and birds take baths alike? How are they different? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 6. How do pigs take a bath? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 7. How do birds clean themselves? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 32 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 10 A Birthday Treat by Kelly Hashway Randy couldn’t wait to get to school. It was Mrs. Anderson’s birthday, and she promised the class a special treat to help her celebrate. Randy knew that Mrs. Anderson was a great baker. She always made the most delicious cakes and cookies for the school bake sales. Randy’s mouth watered as he walked into the room and took his seat. Mrs. Anderson had a long covered container on her desk, and the room smelled incredible from whatever goody Mrs. Anderson had made. Everyone sniffed the air and smiled in anticipation. Once the class was settled, Mrs. Anderson said, “As promised I have a special treat for you today.” Randy’s stomach growled. “Wait, Mrs. Anderson,” Olivia said. “We have to sing happy birthday first.” Randy sighed. He really wanted to see what Mrs. Anderson had made. But the class always sang on someone’s birthday. So Randy sang along, imagining cakes and cookies the whole time. Finally it was time to eat. Randy sat forward in his seat to get a good view of the container. Mrs. Anderson said, “I decided to do something a little different today. I wanted to share something really special with you, so I made my grandmother’s famous blueberry muffins.” With a big smile, she uncovered the container. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 33

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Randy slumped back in his seat. Blueberry? Randy didn’t like blueberries. Mrs. Anderson walked around the room, giving out the muffins. When she got to Randy’s desk, he politely said, “No, thank you. I don’t like blueberries.” “Are you sure you don’t want to at least try one?” Mrs. Anderson asked. “You could pick the blueberries out if you’d like.” “No, thank you.” Randy lowered his head and rubbed his grumbling stomach. He’d skipped breakfast, and now he was really hungry. He watched his classmates eat the muffins and comment on how delicious they were. Finally Randy couldn’t take it. He was so hungry he didn’t care if the muffins had blueberries. Just as he was about to raise his hand, Mrs. Anderson put a muffin on his desk. “As a birthday present to me, do you think you could at least try one?” Randy nodded. He took a small bite, trying not to get a blueberry. But a little bit of the purplish fruit got in there anyway. Randy tasted the tart yet sweet blueberry and smiled. “Hey, these are good!” He took another big bite, getting several blueberries this time. “I’m glad you like them, Randy,” Mrs. Anderson said. “And thank you for trying them for me.” Randy tried to say, “You’re welcome,” but it was tough to do with a mouth full of blueberry muffin. 34 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 10 A Birthday Treat by Kelly Hashway 1. Whose birthday is being celebrated in the story? a. Olivia’s b. Randy’s c. Marvin’s d. Mrs. Anderson’s 2. When Mrs. Anderson said, “I have a special treat for you today,” how did Randy feel? (circle one word from the list) disappointed angry worried stomach growled Explain why he felt this way. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 3. Why were the blueberry muffins special to Miss Anderson? a. She grew the blueberries herself. b. They were made from her grandmother’s recipe. c. Her class helped her make them. d. Her daughter helped her make the muffins. 4. Randy was very hungry when it was time to eat the muffins. Why? a. He skipped breakfast. b. He skipped lunch. c. He forgot to bring a snack to school. d. He just ate cupcakes. 5. What lesson can be learned from this story? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 35

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 6. Why was Randy excited to get to school? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 7. What was special about Mrs. Anderson and what did she bake most delicious? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 8. What did Mrs. Anderson promise the children ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 9. What did Randy imagine while the Happy Birthday song was being sung ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 10. Describe what Randy was experiencing as he was hungry ? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 11. Write antonyms for the following words: a) small x _______________ b) sweet x _______________ c) cover x _______________ d) there x _______________ e) decide x _______________ 36 Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 10 A Birthday Treat by Kelly Hashway The scrambled words below are vocabulary words from the story. Unscramble each word and write it on the line. Please be sure each word is spelled correctly. 1. s l u i d o e c i ___________________ hint: tasty; yummy 2. t o p i n a c i a n t i ___________________ hint: to feel excitement beforehand 3. o y d o g ___________________ hint: treat; snack 4. e i t p o l l y ___________________ hint: with good manners 5. s e n p r e t ___________________ hint: gift 6. t e n c m o m ___________________ hint: to give an opinion Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 37

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 11 Trolls New Look Once there was a troll who lived under a bridge. Every day he scared people. That is what his father told him to do. That is what all trolls do. Troll yelled, and people ran away. “Good job!” said his father. But Troll was very sad. His was a lonely job. “No one ever talks to me. No one ever smiles,” he said. “Of course not!” said his father. “You are a troll! No one will smile at you.” When Troll heard this, he sat under the bridge. He thought he would never move again. The next morning, three girls came to the bank of the river. Troll knew he should yell and wave his arms. But he wanted to smile. He wanted to tell them how pretty they looked. Then he remembered what his father had told him. He yelled. “What was that?” screamed the big sister. 38 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub “It must be a monster!” screamed the middle sister. They both ran back the way they had come. But the little sister looked under the bridge. She saw Troll. “Who are you?” she asked. “I am just a troll,” said Troll. “No one will ever smile at me.” “Think about how you look,” said the girl. “What do you mean?” asked Troll. “If you sit under bridges and look wild, people will not smile at you. They will be scared of you,” said the girl. “You need to change the way you look!” “How?” asked Troll. “You need to take a bath. Trim your hair. Wear some nice clothes!” Troll thought hard about what the girl said. Then he took a bath in the river. After that he walked into town. First he went to a barbershop. He said, “Please trim my hair.” “As you wish, Mr. Troll,” said the man. Next Troll bought some nice clothes. He paid with some fish from the river. “Thank you,” said the man in the store, and he smiled at Troll! That made Troll smile to himself all the way home. Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 39

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1. At the beginning of the story, where is Troll? a. under a bridge b. in a store c. in a house d. on an island 2. What is Troll’s problem? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. How does Troll solve his problem? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. Where does Troll walk into, at the end of the story? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 5. How does Troll feel at the beginning of the story, and how does he feel at the end? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Sr. No Words Synonyms Antonyms 1 scared 2 smile Gr. 3 3 4 yell trim 40 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 12 Talk with your Hands Some people can’t hear. These people have a special way of talking. They talk with their hands. This is called “signing.” There are two main ways to sign. First, you can spell out each letter in a word. Here is the word love. Spelling words takes a long time. There is a faster way to sign. You can show a whole word with one sign. To sign some words, you keep your hands still. (Look at the signs for love and ball below.) To sign other words, you need to move your hands. To sign the word dog, you pat your leg. Signing is lots of fun. Anyone can learn. You can learn from a book. You can learn from a teacher. You can learn from a friend who uses signing every day. Here are good signs to start with: Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 41

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1. What is this passage mostly about? a. how to be a better speller b. why some people cannot hear c. all the things you can do with your hands d. using your hands to talk 2. Look at the sign. What letter is it? a. L b. O c. V d. E 3 . What word does this sign stand for? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. Name a word that you have to move your hands to sign. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 5. There are many ways to learn how to sign. Name two. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 42 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner‛s Hub 13 One Hump or Two? by Kelly Hashway Do you know what the hump of a camel is used for? If you answered to store water, guess again. This rumour about camels storing water in their humps has been around for a long time, but it’s actually not true. A camel’s hump is a storage place for fatty tissue. Most animals, including humans, store fat throughout their bodies, beneath their skin. But camels store their fat in one place, their hump. A hump can weigh as much as 80 pounds. Why do camels store their fat this way? The answer is most likely because of their environment. Camels can go up to two weeks without eating because they have this fatty tissue to live off of. Since camels live in the desert where food is scarce, they need this storage of fat to survive. Camels have amazing survival skills built into their bodies. Their humps contribute to the camel staying cooler because all the body fat is concentrated to one area instead of being spread throughout the body. Also camels are great at handling changes in body temperature. They need to reach temperatures over 106 degrees Fahrenheit before they begin to sweat. And when they do sweat, it evaporates while on the camel’s skin, instead of on its coat. This cools the camel much faster. Their coats also help them adapt to the heat. While the coat is thick, it reflects the Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 43

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub sunlight and protects the camel from the heat that rises off the desert sand. An adult camel measures just over six feet tall at its shoulder and over seven feet tall at its hump or humps. There are two kinds of camels, those with one hump and those with two humps. Camels with one hump are called Dromedary or Arabian camels. They live in the dry deserts in West Asia. Camels with two humps are called Bactrian camels. They live in Central and East Asia. Besides their humps, camels have a lot of interesting features. They can live between 40- 50 years. They can carry about 400 pounds and run up to 40 miles per hour. It’s true that camels can go long periods of time without drinking water, and they can drink about 26 gallons of water at a time. If that’s not interesting enough, camels have three sets of eyelids. Two of these sets come complete with eyelashes, while the third set is skin. Camels can also close their nostrils. So whether a camel has one hump or two, it is one amazing creature that is very well adapted to its environment. 44 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 13 One Hump or Two? by Kelly Hashway 1. What is a camel’s hump used for? a. to store water b. to store fat c. to store food d. to carry riders 2. How does the colour of a camel’s coat help it to survive in the desert? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 3. Fill in the blank lines. Camels with one hump are called __________________ or __________________ camels. Camels with two humps are called __________________ camels. 4. How long can a camel live? b. up to 5 centuries d. up to 5 generations a. up to 5 decades c. up to 5 millennia 5. Which sentence is an opinion? a. A camel’s hump can weigh as much as 80 pounds. b. When camels reach temperatures over 106 º F, they begin to sweat. c. Besides their humps, camels have a lot of interesting features. d. Bactrian camels live in Central and East Asia. Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 45

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Extended Questions 6. How much can a camel’s hump weigh? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 7. Why do the humps contribute to the camel staying cooler? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 8. Which is the amazing survival skills built in camel’s bodies? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 9. How much can a camel drink at a time? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 10. Describe the three eyelids of the camel? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 46 Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 13 One Hump or Two? by Kelly Hashway Fill in the missing letters to create a word from the article. Then, write the full word on the line. Be sure you spell each word correctly. 1. ___ ___ v i r ___ ___ ___ e n ___ 1. clue: the place where a person or animal lives 2. ___ u r v ___ ___ a ___ 2. clue: ability to live 3. ___ v a p ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ s 3. clue: liquid dries up and becomes a gas 4. ___ s i ___ 4. clue: largest continent in the world 5. n ___ ___ ___ ___ i l s 5. clue: openings on the nose that allow air to enter the body 6. ___ o n c e ___ ___ r ___ ___ e d 6. clue: gathered in one place 7. ___ e m ___ e ___ a t u ___ ___ 7. clue: measurement of heat Gr. 3 Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com 47

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 14. Meet Jorge Estrella Jorge Estrella writes for a newspaper. He works for Big Sky News. We spoke to him to find out about his job. Question: How long have you been writing news stories? Answer: I have been writing for two years. Q: Why did you become a writer? A: I have always liked to write. When I was a kid, I wrote lots of stories. Q: So why do you only write news stories now? A: When you write a storybook, you spend a lot of time alone. I want to have many chances to meet people and talk to them. That’s why I write news, not books. Q: How do you spend time with other people as a news writer? A: Before I write a story, I have to get facts. I see the people who know the facts. I ask them questions. Then I go back to the building where I work. It’s filled with people. The people are all working on the next day’s newspaper. 48 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub Q: Do you think your job is hard? A: Some days are harder than others. On a hard day, many things happen. That means I have to write a lot of news stories. Sometimes I even miss lunch! But at the end of hard day, I feel good about all of my work. Q: Do you ever write news stories about kids? A: Sure. I am working on one right now. It’s about some kids who think the city needs more soccer fields. They want to find a way to get more fields. Q: What do you think will happen? A: Well, many people will read my story. Maybe some of them will offer to help. If they do, that will be another story I can write. Gr. 3 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources 49

Date: ______________ Learner’s Hub 1. Big Sky News is the name of a a. newspaper b. mystery book c. song d. college 2. From reading this passage, what can you tell about Jorge Estrella? a. He likes to be alone. b. He likes to play soccer. c. He likes to write books. d. He likes to be around people. 3. Where do you think Jorge writes his news stories? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 4. What would a hard day at work be like for Jorge? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 5. To write a story about the kids who want more soccer fields, a. what does Jorge need to do? b. Meet and talk to people. c. Read a soccer book. d. Watch the kids play soccer. e. Give the kids a soccer field. 50 Hi-Lo Passages to Build Comprehension: Grades 3-4 © Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources Gr. 3