MILESTONES

IN

READING
Book B

Uses reading strategies to increase comprehension

Provides practice with self-assessment and goal setting
Identifies level of mastery for 12 reading strategies
CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, Inc.
NAME: _______________________________________________________________________________

For the Student

Milestones in Reading is a program that gives you practice with
12 reading strategies. In Milestones in Reading, Book B, you will
complete 10 reading lessons. Each lesson has a reading passage and
questions about the passage. Each passage is a different writing form.
Some of the writing forms are a story, a folktale, a news article, and
a fable. After you read each passage, you will answer 12 questions.
Each question helps you practice a certain reading strategy.
Once you have completed the first five lessons, you will complete
a self-assessment. The self-assessment will help you see how well you
are doing and what goals you need to set. After you complete the last five
lessons, you will complete another self-assessment. This self-assessment
will help you see how well you met your goals.
Milestones in Reading, Book B, will help you become a better reader.
You will understand what important information to look for as you read.
This will help you get the most from your reading.

Illustration Credits
Leslie Alfred McGrath
Photography Credits
Bettmann/CORBIS page 20
Paul Dyer Photography page 14

1
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248

LESSON

Here is a news article about a singing group. Read the article.

Then do Numbers 1 through 12.
Its not often that you find a singing group that the whole family will enjoy.
Then again, its not often you find a group like Family in Song.
Family in Song is a mix of children and adults. The chorus was started
by Ami West. Ms. West is a music teacher at the Davis School.
One day last spring, the Wests invited three families to their home for a
backyard picnic. After dinner, Ms. West took out her guitar. Most of the people
knew the songs she played. They began to sing along.
Thats how we got started, Ms. West said. Everyone joined in. Boys and girls
sang. Mothers and fathers sang. There were a few grandmothers and grandfathers
there. They joined in, too. We sounded great! Someone joked that we should go
on stage. Later, I thought about it. I asked myself, Why not? The next day, I
called each family. I asked if they wanted to be part of a singing group. They all
said, Yes! We named ourselves Family in Song. Our first show was at the Spring
Town Fair. Since then, we have sung to large crowds all over the state.
Family in Song appears this Saturday at 2:00 P.M. at the City Station Concert
Hall. Tickets are $5.00. Dont wait too long to get your tickets. They are selling
fast. You do not want to miss this show. Family in Song is like a breath of spring
in the middle of a long cold winter.

23
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248

Finding Main Idea

Recognizing Cause and Effect

1. What is the news article mostly

about?

4. When Ms. West played her guitar,

people sang along because

 a music teacher
 how a singing group of families
got started
 families who have good
singing voices
 how to join a singing group

 they knew the songs she played.

 they wanted to be part
of a group.
 Ms. West told them to sing.
 they were practicing for a show.

Recalling Facts and Details

Comparing and Contrasting

2. Where was the first place that

the families sang together?

5. How is Family in Song different

from some other singing groups?






at a backyard picnic
at the Davis School
at the City Station Concert Hall
on a stage

 The group is a mix of boys

and girls.
 The group sings all new songs.
 The group thought up its
own name.
 The whole family can enjoy
the group.

Understanding Sequence

Making Predictions

3. Which of these happened first?

6. What will probably happen before

Saturday?

 Family in Song sang at

the Spring Town Fair.
 The Wests invited three families
to their home.
 Ms. West asked each family
to be part of a singing group.
 Boys and girls sang.

 Ms. West will invite other

families to join the group.
 Few tickets will be sold to Family
in Songs show.
 Many people will buy tickets
to see Family in Song.
 Family in Song will sing at
City Station Concert Hall.

24
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248

Finding Word Meaning in Context

Identifying Authors Purpose

7. The word chorus probably means

10. What is the purpose of the last

paragraph of the news article?






a group of singers.
an outdoor place to eat.
a group gathering.
short songs.

Drawing Conclusions
and Making Inferences
8. From the news article, you can
tell that
 Family in Song has more boys
than girls.
 Ms. West has a picnic every
Saturday in spring.
 Ms. West enjoys telling jokes.
 many people have enjoyed
hearing Family in Song.

Distinguishing Between
Fact and Opinion
9. Which of these tells what someone
thinks or feels?
 Family in Song appears this
Saturday at 2:00 P.M.
 We sounded great!
 After dinner, Ms. West took
out her guitar.
 Tickets are $5.00.

 to describe a concert hall

 to explain how to buy tickets
to see a singing group
 to convince people
to buy tickets to the
Family in Song show
 to tell a funny story about
Family in Song
Interpreting Figurative Language
11. In the news article, Family in Song
is compared to





a
a
a
a

backyard picnic.
spring fair.
long cold winter.
breath of spring.

Summarizing
12. What is a good summary
of the news article?
 Family in Song, a group that
began at a backyard picnic,
will put on a show this
Saturday at 2:00 P.M.
 Tickets are selling fast for
Saturdays Family in Song show.
 Family in Song has sung all
over the state.
 Ms. West, a music teacher,
asked many families to be part
of a singing group.

25
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248

Cut along the dotted line.

SELF-ASSESSMENT

Students Name: ____________________________________________________________

Date: _________________________

Teachers Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Complete this page after you have completed Lessons 610.

Before you begin, reread what you wrote in Self-assessment 1.
1. You have completed Lessons 610. Explain how well you think you did.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Did any part of the reading passages or questions give you trouble? ______________
If so, what kind of trouble did you have?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Are these the same parts that gave you trouble in Lessons 15?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Did you find any part of the reading passages or questions easier than you did
in Lessons 15?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think this is so? ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. Did you meet your goal for Lessons 610? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. How would you rate your work in Lessons 610? Circle your answer.
successful

somewhat successful

needs improvement

33
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248

Students Name: ____________________________________________________________

Date: _________________________

Teachers Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Part One
Complete this page after completing Teacher Assessment 1.

Comparing Levels of Mastery

Use the chart on Teacher Assessment 1 to complete the graph below. For each reading
strategy, shade the number correct to form a bar. A completed bar graph compares
a students level of mastery for each reading strategy.

10
9
8
Number Correct

Cut along the dotted line.

TEACHER ASSESSMENT

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

MI

FD

US

CE

CC

MP

WM

CI

FO

AP

FL

SM

Reading Strategies

KEY
MI =
FD =
US =
CE =
CC =
MP =

Finding Main Idea

Recalling Facts and Details
Understanding Sequence
Recognizing Cause and Effect
Comparing and Contrasting
Making Predictions

WM
CI
FO
AP
FL
SM

=
=
=
=
=
=

Finding Word Meaning in Context

Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion
Identifying Authors Purpose
Interpreting Figurative Language
Summarizing

35
Milestones In Reading - Book B CURRICULUMASSOCIATES, Inc. www.curriculumassociates.com 800-225-0248