Name Unit 3 Pre / Post-Assessment THEME 3 rd Grade Pre/Post-test *I can use context clues to determine the meaning of a word or phrase in sentences. Directions: Answer the following questions. 1 2 Which sentence uses the word play to mean a performance? Harry was the lead actor in the play. Sam will play basketball next year. Did you learn to play the flute? All of the above When Chris saw the surfboards sail into the beach, he knew he wanted to learn to ride the surf also. What is a surfboard? a boat for fishing near shore a barge for carrying things to shore a float for rescuing swimmers a board to ride through the surf 3 4 What is the meaning of the word in bold print in this sentence? I detest going to the dentist. I m scared I will have a cavity. like fix know don t like What is the meaning of the word in bold print in this sentence? We will have a brief meeting after school. It won't last long. long fancy short tired 1
5 The farmer was concerned about his wilting field of corn plants. There had been no rain for weeks, and the weatherman said the drought would continue for another month. What is the meaning of concerned? drought worried excited watched *I can answer questions about a story. This means I can look back in the text. Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Harriet Tubman 1Harriet Tubman was a slave. A slave is someone who is owned by someone else and must do whatever the owner says. She and her family lived and worked on a big farm in the South. 2One day, Harriet decided she did not want to be a slave anymore. One night, she ran away from the farm. She was guided by the stars. 3Her father had taught her about the stars called the Drinking Gourd. She followed this group of stars. Today the Drinking Gourd is called the Big Dipper. 4The Drinking Gourd led Harriet Tubman to freedom. She began working on the Underground Railroad. It was a system of secret paths that led to free states. 5Over the years she helped many slaves reach freedom. She became a famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. 6 What is a slave? a person who works on a plantation a person who is owned by another person a person who is in charge of the plantation none of the above 7 In the passage what is the Drinking Gourd? a cup of water a secret path a group of stars all of the above 2
*I can identify the theme in stories and poems. Directions: Read the passages and answer the questions. The Dog and the Shadow Aesop's Fable A dog, carrying a piece of meat in his mouth, saw his shadow in the water, as he crossed a bridge over a stream. He mistook his shadow for another dog that also carried a piece of meat in his mouth. He saw that the other dog's meat was twice the size of his own. The dog immediately let go of his piece of meat and lunged at the other dog, with the hopes of grasping the larger piece of meat. As he dove towards the image, he lost both his meat and the larger chunk of meat. His shadow disappeared and with it all of the meat swept away downstream. 8 What lesson did the dog learn? It's a good idea to learn to swim. The other dog was a fast swimmer. Be thankful for what you have. Be careful walking across a bridge. 9 (R) What is the setting in this passage? at the beach on a bridge over a stream on a farm at the dog pound All in a Week On Monday, I rode a rocket ship away to outer space. On Tuesday, I ran my heart out in a mile-long foot race. On Wednesday, I taught a purple baby dragon how to fly. On Thursday, I flew in a big balloon across the sunny sky. On Friday, I swam the ocean blue atop a friendly whale. On Saturday, I climbed a mountain up a rocky trail. How did I go on a great adventure every day? Easy I just read a book, and words took me away! 10 The theme of this poem is reading is exhausting reading is adventurous reading is difficult reading is relaxing 3
Knocked Down 1 Christopher held the heavy bowling ball in his right hand. He stared down the long, waxed lane in front of him. He closed his eyes and imagined throwing a strike, the pins tumbling down with a loud crash. He opened his eyes, took a deep breath, took three steps, and then sent the ball rolling. A thundering sound erupted as the ball collided with the pins, knocking them all down. 2 Yes! Christopher cried running back to his seat. 3 Nice, his friend Patrick said. You re still like fifty points behind me, though. Christopher leaned back in his seat. He was feeling pretty good. Then he heard a voice behind him. 4 Hey, Chris. A terrible feeling overcame Christopher. He looked behind him to see Sam. He and Sam had been friends since kindergarten, but Christopher had been avoiding him lately. Kids like Patrick didn t think Sam was cool. 5 I thought you said you were too busy to go bowling today, Sam said. 6 Christopher shrugged. I changed my mind. 7 Whatever, Sam said, with a hurt look on his face. Then, he walked away. Patrick finished his turn and nodded to Christopher. 8 What s that geek Sam doing here? he asked. I don t know, Christopher answered. 11 The theme of this story is sportsmanship friendship winning losers 12 (R) Which word best describes how Sam feels? selfish bossy sad excited 4
*I can compare and contrast themes in stories by the same author. Directions: Read the passages and answer the question that follows. The Ant and the Grasshopper (paraphrased) Aesop 1 The ants were spending a fine winter's day drying grain they had gathered during the summer. A grasshopper passed by the ants. He was so hungry that he was almost starving. He begged the ants for a little food. The ants asked him, "Why did you not store up food during the summer when there was plenty around?" 2 The grasshopper replied, "I didn't have the time. The weather was so lovely that I spent all the days singing." 3 The ants became angry. They said, "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter." The Trees and the Axe (paraphrased) Aesop A man came into the woods one day with an axe in his hand, and begged all the trees to give him a small branch. The trees were good-natured and kind, and so they gave him one of their branches. What did the man do but fix it into the axe head, and soon set to work cutting down tree after tree. Then the trees saw how foolish they had been. They helped their enemy destroy them. 13 How are these two stories alike? The characters learn a lesson. The characters are animals. The characters use magic. The characters are evil. 5
*I can compare and contrast themes in stories by the same author. Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions. The Hare and the Tortoise (paraphrased) Aesop One day a hare made fun of the short feet and slow pace of the tortoise. The tortoise replied, "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The hare, believing this to be simply impossible, agreed to the race. They agreed that the fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day of the race, the two started together. The tortoise never for a moment stopped. He went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the tortoise had reached the goal and was sleeping. Slow and steady wins the race. The Fox and the Crow (paraphrased) Aesop 1 A fox was walking through the forest when he saw a crow sitting on a tree branch with a fine piece of cheese in her beak. The fox wanted the cheese and decided he would be clever enough to get the cheese from the bird. 2 "What a noble and gracious bird I see in the tree!" said the fox. "What beauty! What fair feathers! If her voice is as lovely as her beauty, she would no doubt be the jewel of all birds." 3 The crow was so flattered by all this talk that she opened her beak and gave a cry to show the fox her voice. 4 "Caw! Caw!" she cried, as the cheese dropped to the ground for the fox to grab. 14 How are the themes in the stories above different? The animals in the story are different. In the first story the tortoise realizes that slow and steady wins the race. In the second story, the bird learns to think before you act. In the first story, they were having a race. In the second story they were eating. They both have animals. 15 6 (R) Look back in the passage The Fox and the Crow. The problem is the fox wanted the cheese the crow had in her beak. What is the solution to this problem? The fox asked her for it. The fox went to the store to buy some cheese. The fox gave up. The fox tricked her into dropping the cheese.
*I can explain how the illustrations support the text and how illustrations in a story help create the mood. Directions: Look at the picture and answer the question. 16 Take a close look at the illustration above. Explain how the boy is feeling. How can you tell he feels this way? 7
Marcy has a new dog named Lucy. Marcy's mother told her that taking care of a dog is hard work. Marcy promised that she would be responsible enough to take extra good care of Lucy. 17 How does this illustration support the text? Explain your thinking. Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows. One foggy afternoon a boy named Jeff left his home to go to his friend's house. He got on his bike and pedaled down the street. He had ridden halfway there when he heard a low howling sound. He was a little scared, but he kept on riding. As he pedaled faster, the howling grew louder. When he reached his friend's house, he slowly got off his bike and turned around. There was his dog Sam who had been chasing home his friend's cat. 18 Which illustration goes best with the story? 8
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question. The Adventures of Frogg Family The day had finally arrived. Freddie awoke at the crack of dawn to the sound of crickets chirping. He was so excited because today was the day he would learn to water ski. It was a tradition in the Frogg family that every young frog, on his 8th birthday, learns to ski. Freddie and his dad had been planning this adventure for 3 months. The boat and camper had been packed. Freddie told his mom and his little sister Francis goodbye. Freddie and his father began their 10 mile journey to Big Buck Lake. 19 If you are going to draw pictures to go with the story, you could draw pictures that show. the steps for how to catch a fish Freddie looking excited and packing the camper a sunny day in the desert Francis and her mother at home making lunch 9
Name 3 rd Grade Pre/Post-test 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) Unit 3 Pre / Post-Assessment THEME 17) 18) 19) 10