Name Friday, June 17

"Slow down," his father said. "We have to wait for the others to come." "Well, I'm going outside for a while," Sammy said. "I think the sunshine will feel good." Sammy ran out the door. The sky was clear. He was glad it was summer. He couldn't go to the park in the winter. It would be too cold to swim. Oops! What was that? Sammy saw a little, puffy cloud. The cloud started getting bigger. CRACK! BOOM! Sammy ran for the house. That was lightning and thunder! What was going on? Just as Sammy got in the door, the rain started. It rained and rained. Sammy watched the thunderstorm through the window. All of a sudden, the rain stopped. The clouds got darker and lower. Hey! It was getting cool in the house. No, that was wrong. It was getting cold! Sammy was freezing! And through the window, he could see snow starting to fall. In just a few minutes, everything was covered with snow. There was ice on the water puddles. What was going on? Sammy couldn't figure it out. First, it had been sunny and warm. Then it was rainy and cool. Now it was snowing and cold. Was it summer or winter? This just couldn't happen.

What a Day!
By Kathleen W. Redman

Sammy was restless. He was so excited. He just couldn't go to sleep. Tomorrow he would be six years old. It was going to be a great day! There would be so many things to do. Everyone was going to the park. They would swim in the pool. They would play tag. They would climb trees. They would . . . Slowly Sammy drifted off to sleep. *** Sammy sat up in his bed. He looked out the window. It was sunny and warm. It was a beautiful summer day. It wasn't too warm and it wasn't too cold. It was just right for a birthday! Sammy got out of bed. He put on his clothes and ran to the kitchen. "Mom! Dad! Kelly! Dylan!" he shouted. "Let's go to the park right now!"

What a Day!
Name Friday, June 17

Questions
1. Who was having a birthday in this story? A. Tim B. Dylan C. Sammy's father D. Sammy 2. Where were they going for Sammy's birthday? A. the movies B. the fair C. the mall D. the park 3. Why was Sammy having a hard time going to sleep? A. He didn't feel good. B. He had a headache. C. It was too early to go to sleep. D. He was excited. 4. When Sammy saw the lightning he was (awake, asleep).

While Sammy was thinking about the weather, the snow stopped. It was very quiet for a bit. Then something started rattling on the roof. Sammy looked out the window. Now hail was falling. Some of it was as big as a golf ball! The hail stopped and the rain started again. The house began to float. A flood was washing everything away. Sammy got up on a table. He reached down to get his cat out of the water. His hand was getting wet! *** Sammy woke up with a start! His cat was licking his hand. Sammy sat up in his bed. He looked out the window. It was sunny and warm. It was a beautiful summer day. It wasn't too warm and it wasn't too cold. It was just right for a birthday!

Name Friday, June 17

5. What happened in Sammy's dream after the rain stopped? A. The wind started to blow. B. It got warm and sunny again. C. It got cold and started to snow. D. There was a flood. 6. What made the noise on the roof? A. hail B. lightning C. sleet D. rain 7. What happened after the hail stopped? A. more snow B. a hurricane C. a tornado D. more rain and a flood 8. Why did Sammy's hand feel wet? A. His cat was licking his hand. B. He was washing his hands in his dream. C. There really was a flood. D. He stuck it outside in the rain.

Name Monday, June 20

Keith Interviews Jimmy, the Loggerhead Turtle

By Kathleen W. Redman

"It's a long story. Being born as a loggerhead turtle is a lot of work. My mom swam hundreds of miles to lay eggs in the same spot where she was born. It was on a beach in Florida." "Florida's nice. I hear the beaches there are very pretty." "They are, Keith. But there are also lots of people there." "Is that a problem?" "Yes. Loggerhead eggs are tiny and are easily destroyed by humans and pets. On many beaches, there are protected areas just for turtle eggs. Sixty days after my egg was laid, I hatched and had to make a pretty long trip." "Trip? To where?" "To the water, Keith. Even though my birthplace was a few feet from the ocean, it's a very long walk for a baby turtle." "How did you know where the water was?" "Since we're usually born at night, we look for stars or the moon reflecting off the water. We walk toward the light. On many beaches though, there are lots of houses. Some of my brothers and sisters got lost. They walked toward the lights on the houses. Sadly, they never made it to the

"Good morning boys and girls. I'm Keith Trace, host of Amazing Animals. Today, we've got a real treat for you. He is one of the wettest guests we've had here. He's left lots of sand all over the place here. His name is Jimmy, and he's a loggerhead turtle. Hello, Jimmy." "Hi, Keith. Sorry about the sand." "No problem, Jimmy. We have a vacuum cleaner." "I took a walk along the beach. I've been leaving sand everywhere." "A walk along the beach sounds nice." "Not really, Keith. It was a lot of work." "How so?"

Name Monday, June 20

"So is swimming out in the ocean pretty easy for you loggerheads?" "Usually, yes. But there are lots of dangers down there, Keith. We're most afraid of fishing nets. Lots of us get caught in fishing nets and drown. Motorboat propellers aren't very healthy for us, either. Because of these threats, we're endangered." "But your eggs are protected, right?" "Yes. There are lots of things being done to help us. Fishing nets are now being made with turtle escape holes." "Well, Jimmy, I hope things get better for you. And don't worry about the sand. We'll get it cleaned up." "Thanks, Keith." "That was Jimmy, the loggerhead turtle, truly an amazing animal. I hope you enjoyed this episode, boys and girls! See you next time!"

water." "That's too bad. What do you do once you make it to the ocean?" "Swim, swim, and swim. We swim way out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Africa. At sea, we grow to be up to a little over five hundred pounds and about three feet long. We can live to be two hundred years old." "So you're a good swimmer, Jimmy?" "Very good. Although we breathe air, we can stay underwater for up to seven hours." "That's absolutely amazing. What do you guys eat down there?" "Lots of shellfish. We've got unusually large heads. That's because we have really strong jaws to crush shells." "Wow! I noticed that you have an interesting color." "Very nice, huh? I like the way I look. My shell is a nice reddish-brown color. My skin is brownish-yellow."

Name Monday, June 20

Keith Interviews Jimmy, the Loggerhead Turtle

5. Loggerhead turtles are usually born where their mothers were born. A. True B. False 6. What do loggerhead turtles like to eat? A. shellfish B. leaves C. ice cream D. sand 7. Loggerhead turtles can swim underwater for how long? A. up to a day B. up to seven hours C. up to thirty minutes D. up to two hours 8. Adult loggerhead turtles stay close to the beach. A. True B. False

Questions
1. How much can an adult loggerhead turtle weigh? A. one ton B. one thousand pounds C. a little over five hundred pounds D. a little over one thousand pounds 2. Loggerhead turtles hatch how many days after being laid? A. fifty days B. sixty days C. seventy days D. eighty days 3. The first thing loggerhead turtles do after being born is walk to the ocean. A. False B. True 4. Loggerhead turtles are born where? A. in a hospital B. on the beach C. on a riverbank D. at sea

Name Monday, June 20

his desk. Mikey puts all his school supplies in a paper bag. He uses a wet rag to wash off his desk. School is ending. The clean desks are stacked in a corner of the classroom. The chairs are stacked neatly beside them. School is ending. Mrs. Brown's class sits in a circle on the floor. Mrs. Brown asks everyone to share their summer plans. P.M. Because it is the last day of school, everyone gets to eat lunch outside. School is ending. After recess, Mrs. Brown has everyone stand together in front of the class for a group photo. They take a silly picture, too. School is endin.. It is warm outside. Mrs. Brown takes the class outside for one last game of color tag. Everyone is excited about the last day of school. School is endi... Mikey said goodbye to everyone in his class. Mrs. Brown said goodbye to each student and gave them a hug. School is end.... Mikey said goodbye to Ben and his other friends. He put his paper sack with his papers and supplies in his backpack. School is en.... Mikey got on the school bus to go home. He

School Is Ending
By Joyce Furstenau

A.M. School is ending. The school bus arrives at school. It is the last day. Seven children get off the bus. Some of them are in Mikey's room. Each of them carries a sack with rags for cleaning desks. School is ending. Mrs. Brown's class says the flag salute together for the last time this year. The class says today's date for the last time. They say the class motto together for the last time. School is ending. Children are cleaning out their desks. The teacher is cleaning out her cupboards. The boards have all been washed clean. School is ending. It is time to take down all the artwork. Mikey takes his caterpillar picture. Benny takes down his butterfly picture. Mrs. Brown takes down her bulletin board. School is ending. Mikey takes his nametag off

Name Monday, June 20

sat next to Juan on the bus. Juan and Mikey talked about the last day of school on the way home. School is e.... Mikey got off the school bus. He waved goodbye to his bus driver, Mrs. James. Mikey is excited about summer vacation. School is out! School Is Ending

3. Who is Mikey's teacher? A. Mikey's teacher is Mrs. Brown. B. Mikey's teacher is Mrs. Gray. C. Mikey's teacher is Mrs. Green. D. Mikey's teacher is Mrs. Black. 4. What is everyone doing to their desks? A. arranging their desks B. making a fort with their desks C. cleaning desks D. decorating the desks 5. Why does everyone eat lunch outside today? A. It is the last day of school. B. The lunchroom is closed. C. It is too hot inside. D. The school has ants. 6. The word "ending" slowly disappears at the end of the story. Why do you think the author did this? A. to show the reader how to spell the word B. to show the reader it was time for recess C. to show the reader it was time for lunch D. to show the reader school was slowly coming to an end

Questions
1. The story starts with the abbreviation A.M. What does this mean? A. A.M. means after meals. B. A.M. means in the morning. C. A.M. means after Monday. D. A.M. means after Mikey. 2. What is important about this day in the story? A. School is on vacation. B. School is over. C. School is starting. D. School is fun.

Name Tuesday, June 21

Let's Clean Up!

By Phyllis Naegeli

Maybe where you used to live, people don't put their litter where it should go. It bothers me when people leave their trash on the ground. Look over there," said Andy, pointing to a small grove of trees. "Do you see the trash along the edge of the trees?" "Yes," said Jan, humbly. "That's what happens when people don't put their trash where it belongs," said Andy. "I'm sorry," said Jan, hanging her head. "I never thought about it before. I guess I should put my litter in a trashcan." "It's O.K. I have an idea though. I saw a sign over there about 'Pick up Some Litter Day'. Maybe we should sign up for it. It will be good to help clean up the park." "I'll have to check with my mom, but it sounds like a great idea," said Jan. "Come on, let's go home," said Andy. "I need to ask my parents, too." Andy and Jan got the O.K from their parents and signed up for "Pick up Some Litter Day." When the day came, it was a warm, sunny afternoon. Arriving at the park, Jan was amazed at how many people had come to help. "Look at all the people," she said, gazing around.

Andy and Jan sat on the park bench to have a snack. Andy pulled an apple out of his bag. Jan took a candy bar out of her pocket. She peeled off the wrapper and tossed it on the ground. "Why did you do that?" asked Andy in a surprised tone. "Why did I do what?" asked Jan. "Throw your wrapper on the ground," said Andy. "I don't know. I guess I didn't think about it," said Jan. Andy leaned over and picked up the wrapper. He walked over to a trashcan and dropped the wrapper into the can. Then he came back to the bench and sat down. "Did I upset you?" asked Jan. "A little," said Andy. "I know you just moved here.

"You're welcome," said Andy.

Name Tuesday, June 21

Jan tilted her head. "Can I ask a question?" "Sure, go ahead," said Mr. Jones. "Why do people litter?" Mr. Jones looked thoughtful. "Most people litter because they don't understand. It's really the biggest problem. When people see trash on the ground, they think it's O.K. to drop their own. Or they feel that someone else will pick up after them," he said. "Like we did today," said Andy. "Yes. But, we wouldn't have to do it if everyone did their part," said Mr. Jones. "I'm going to do my part!" said Jan. "Me, too," said Andy. Mr. Jones smiled. "That's a good place to start!"

"This is great! Let's get started." Jan and Andy put on work gloves to protect their hands. Then Jan grabbed two bags and handed one to Andy. They spent the next hour picking up litter all over the park. When their bags were full, they brought the bag to the disposal area. "Look at all the bags full of trash!" Jan said, sadly. "Do you think this is just from people throwing their trash on the ground?" Andy put his trash bag with the others. "No, it comes from a lot of places. When people put their trash out to be picked up, it can blow around. There are a lot of houses around here, which means lots of trashcans. It also comes from people throwing trash out of the window of their cars. Then there are people who just drop their candy wrappers on the ground," Andy teased. "I said I was sorry," said Jan. "But, now I understand why you were so upset. I'll never litter again!" Mr. Jones, one of the organizers for "Pick up Some Litter Day" came over to the children. "Thank you for helping today," he said, shaking each child's hand.

Name Tuesday, June 21

Let's Clean Up!

Questions
1. Why did Andy get upset with Jan? A. She moved away. B. She threw her candy wrapper on the ground. C. She ate his apple. D. She was late coming to the park. 2. Jan was sorry for upsetting Andy. A. true B. false 3. Where were Jan and Andy? A. at the park B. at the mall C. on a farm D. at school 4. When "Pick up Some Litter Day" came, it rained. A. false B. true

5. What are some reasons that people litter? A. They don't understand. B. They think someone else will clean up after them. C. They see trash on the ground and think it is O.K. to drop theirs. D. all of the above 6. How long did Jan and Andy work picking up trash at the park? A. all day B. two hours C. ten minutes D. one hour 7. What was the most important lesson Jan learned?

8. Whom did Jan ask if she could sign up for "Pick up Some Litter Day"? A. her mom B. Mr. Jones C. her dad D. Andy

Name Tuesday, June 21

Being a Cat
By Kathleen W. Redman

One black and brown cat ran under the piano. It jumped on the pretty ball. It rolled across the rug. The cats like to play with the ball, Sue thought to herself. Soon all four cats were having so much fun. Sue laughed. She wanted to be a cat. She wondered what it would be like to be a cat. Would she be a black cat, a brown cat, or a white cat? Sue meowed! She got on her hands and knees. She tried to be a cat. Sue went under the piano. Sue ran like a cat to play with the ball. She went over to their food. But Sue wasn't by herself. She looked to her left. She looked to her right. She saw four cats beside her. There's not enough food for five cats, she thought. And then she smelled it. "Yuck!" Sue said to the cats. "I don't like this. It smells like fish! No, this is not for me!" Sue said to the four cats. "You can have all of it." Sue decided to ride her little tricycle. Her tricycle was white. Maybe she could paint it with some black and brown paint like the cats. "Yes, that'll be just like you guys," she said. Sue rode her tricycle for a while. Then she got off her tricycle. She went to the food dish where the

Sue has four cats. Two of the cats are black and white. Two of the cats are black and brown. "Please come from under the stairs and eat," Sue said. "Please, please, please! I want you to eat all your food." One of the cats ran to the dish of food. It ate almost half the food. It meowed. Sue thought it said, "This food is good." Now the other cats came out. They rubbed Sue's arm. One went to the water dish. Another went to the food. "That's it," Sue said. "That is what they want." One of the black and white cats saw a pretty ball. The ball was new. Sue rolled the ball. Sue wondered if the cat would play with it. The cat came near the ball. It hit the ball with its paws. The ball went under the piano. Then it stopped.

Name Tuesday, June 21

cats were eating and purring. She patted each one on its head. "I love cats," Sue said, "but I don't want to be one." Being a Cat

3. What color are her cats? A. One is white, one is black, and two are black and brown. B. One is black, one is brown, and two are brown and white. C. The story does not tell what color they are. D. Two are black and white and two are brown and black. 4. Which cat played with the ball first? A. one of the brown and black cats B. one of the black and white cats C. one of the brown cats D. one of the black cats 5. Sue wondered what it would be like to be a ______. A. fairy B. tricycle C. cat D. white ball 6. What sound did Sue make? A. purr B. meow C. arf D. woof

Questions
1. Who is the main character of the story? A. Sarah B. Sue C. Selena D. Sandi 2. How many cat(s) does Sue have? A. four B. two C. three D. one

Name Tuesday, June 21

7. What did Sue NOT like about being a cat? A. playing with the ball B. eating the cat food C. running under the piano D. purring 8. What did Sue do after she played at being a cat? A. went for a walk. B. rode her tricycle. C. went to sleep. D. watched TV.

looked a little bit hurt.

Name Tuesday, June 21

John chose Al. Then it was Dale's turn again. "Luke," Dale said. He looked at Jen. This time she looked very hurt. So John and Dale took turns choosing. When they ran out of boys, John had to choose the first girl. "I choose Jen," he said. "She's not too bad for a girl." After all the girls were chosen for a team, the game began. Everyone played his or her best. Dale batted last. He hit a double and one run scored. His team won. "Okay," Coach said. "Everyone played a great game. Congratulations to Dale's team for the win. Dale, that double really helped your team." Dale should have felt very proud. Instead, all he felt was shame. He had let the other boys keep him from choosing Jen for his team. Why had he done that? Dale just couldn't keep thinking about what he had done. He couldn't look at Jen, either. When Dale got home he went into the living room. His mother was watering her plants. "Did you have a good day?" she asked. "I hit a double in P.E. class today. Our team won

Why Did I Do That?

By Kathleen W. Redman

Dale walked slowly home. He kept his head down. He was not smiling. He looked very sad. He was thinking about Jen. Jen was his best friend. At least, Jen used to be his best friend. Dale did not know if she even liked him now. Dale just kept thinking about what happened in P.E. class today. Coach told Dale and John to choose their teams. The class was going to play baseball. Dale was excited to be captain. And he had the first choice, too. Dale looked at all the other students. Jen was a very good baseball player. Dale wanted to choose her, but he knew the boys would make fun of him. They would call him a sissy. They would say that only sissies want girls on their team. "Come on, Dale," Coach had said. "Make your first choice." Dale looked down. "Mark," he said. "Mark will be on my team." Dale looked at Jen. She looked surprised. She

Name Tuesday, June 21

2. Jen was good at baseball. A. false B. true 3. Coach chose two captains. Who were they?

the game," Dale answered. "Then why do you look so upset?" his mother asked. Dale told her all about what he had done. He told her about wanting to choose Jen. He told her about being afraid he would be called Sissy. He told her about how Jen looked when he didn't choose her. "But Jen is my best friend," Dale said. "I mean, she used to be my best friend. Maybe she doesn't like me at all now. Why did I do that, Mom? I feel so ashamed!" His mom sat down. "Come sit by me," she said. "I think we need to talk." Why Did I Do That?

4. Who was Dale's first choice? A. Jen B. Amy C. Luke D. Mark 5. Who chose Luke? A. Dale B. Al C. John D. Mark 6. Who chose Jen? A. Luke B. John C. Mark D. Dale

Questions
1. Who was Dale's best friend?

Name Tuesday, June 21

7. Which boy's team won the game?

8. What emotion did Dale feel after the game? A. excitement B. happiness C. pride D. shame

Name Wednesday, June 22

Painting a Rainbow
By KATHLEEN W. REDMAN

"Then up came Gloomy Gus. Gloomy Gus was a gray elf. He had a big paintbrush. He painted the clouds gray. He painted the sky gray. He painted everything gray. He made the babies cry. And then the rain started. "All the mothers were angry. They took their babies inside. They dried off their babies and helped them get warm. Then they stood in their doorways and shouted at Gloomy Gus. 'Go away,' they shouted. 'Our babies want to play!' "Gloomy Gus laughed and laughed. 'I won' t go away,' he said. 'I won't go away for anything.' "The mothers thought and thought. Then they thought of a way to chase Gloomy Gus away. 'We will paint him away,' they said. 'But where will we find paintbrushes and paint?' one mother asked. "'We can use our brooms for paintbrushes,' someone said. 'We can use the colors on the bottoms of our babies' feet for paint,' another mother said. "All the mothers got their brooms. Then they tickled their babies' feet with the brooms. The colors on the babies' feet came off on the brooms. One mother had a red broom. One mother had a yellow broom. Each mother had a different colored broom. "The mothers went outside in the rain. They painted the flowers. They painted the clouds. They

"Once upon a time," Caitlyn's mother said, "babies did not have names like Caitlyn, Gabriel, or Haley. They had color names like Indigo, Violet, or Yellow. "When a baby was born, its mother looked at its feet. The color on the bottoms of the baby's feet became its name. We still use some of those names for babies now. I have an aunt named Violet. "This story is about a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. There were a few puffy white clouds in the sky. Pretty flowers grew in the soft meadow grass. It was a great day to be outside. "Many of the mothers had brought their babies outside. Indigo was playing with Red and Blue on a blanket. Brown and Orange, the twins, were in a playpen. Green, Yellow, and Violet were rolling in the grass. All the babies were happy. They were having fun.

Painting a Rainbow
Name Wednesday, June 22

Questions
1. Who is telling the story? A. Gloomy Gus B. Caitlyn C. Caitlyn's grandmother D. Caitlyn's mother 2. According to the story, children long ago were named for ______. A. colors B. flowers C. songs D. birds 3. How did a mother know what to name her baby? A. An elf told her. B. She named the baby for her favorite color. C. She looked in a book. D. She looked at the baby's feet. 4. The story is set in what season? A. summer B. spring C. fall D. winter

painted the grass. They painted the sky. And the rain stopped. The sun started to shine. "Gloomy Gus did not like the colors. He sneaked behind a tree and ran away. The mothers painted a bridge from the meadow, up to the sky, and back down again. It had all the colors in it. Now Gloomy Gus could not come back! The mothers had painted a rainbow. "Now, babies don't have red, or orange, or blue feet. Their feet are the same color as the rest of their skin. And they have names like Vera, Michael, or Tim." "And Caitlyn!" Caitlyn said to her mother. Her mother smiled at her. "And Caitlyn," she said.

Name Wednesday, June 22

5. Where were the babies playing? A. near a waterfall B. in the meadow C. inside their houses D. on a mountain 6. Who painted everything gray? A. Black B. Greg the Grumpy C. the mothers D. Gloomy Gus 7. What happened when the babies started crying? A. Gloomy Gus went away. B. It started raining. C. The mothers ran inside. D. Nothing happened. 8. What did the mothers paint to keep Gloomy Gus away? A. their babies B. a rainbow C. the mountains D. their houses

sing a single note.

Name Thursday, June 23

The King Who Couldn't Sing

By Joyce Furstenau

Long ago in a kingdom beside the Sidelong River, lived a king who could not sing. He wanted to be known as the singing king, but he could not even sing a simple tune. He was known throughout the kingdom as The-King-Who-Could-Not-Sing. Now the king wanted to learn to sing so badly that he offered his fastest mustang to anyone who could teach him to sing. A long line of subjects came forward in answer to the king's offer. The first young man tried teaching the king a simple eight-note scale, but each note sounded worse than the last. One young man tried teaching the king to sing a tongue-twister song. When the king tried to sing it, his tongue became so twisted that he couldn't even speak so he quickly gave up. A third man tried teaching the king a love song. He sang it so badly that everyone who heard it began crying. Before long, the king had completely lost hope of ever learning to sing. Everyone along the length of the Sidelong River had tried; still the king could not

One morning, the king looked down into his courtyard from the tower atop his castle. He watched the throng of people working outside the castle walls. Many of them were happily singing as they labored under the morning sun. The king was very sad. He loved the sound of people singing. While the king was sitting at his window, a tiny bird landed on a nearby ledge. The bird began to sing the sweetest song the king's ears had ever heard. Then, in the distance, another bird began to sing. The king's face grew brighter. "What a beautiful orchestra these birds make," said the king out loud to himself. As the king listened to the bird's song, he puckered his lips and began to whistle the bird's song back, as if to answer it. Back and forth, back and forth, the king and the bird whistled the bird's beautiful song all day long. By evening, an amazing thing had happened. The king realized that he himself had found the answer to his lifelong dream. The-King-Who-Could-Not-Sing had learned to whistle. So from that day forth, instead of The-King-Who-Could-Not-Sing, he was known as The Whistling King.

Name Thursday, June 23

The King Who Couldn't Sing

Questions
1. What was the king's biggest wish? A. He wanted to be able to hear. B. He wanted to be able to fish. C. He wanted to be able to sing. D. He wanted to be able to see. 2. What did the king offer as a reward to anyone who could teach him to sing? A. He offered his fastest cow as a reward. B. He offered his fastest car as a reward. C. He offered his fastest mustang as a reward. D. He offered his fastest servant as a reward. 3. What kind of song was the first thing he tried to sing? A. The first song was a love song. B. The first song was a German song. C. The first song was a simple scale. D. The first song was a tongue twister.

4. What happened when the king sang a love song? A. everyone began dancing. B. everyone began crying. C. everyone began singing. D. everyone began leaving. 5. Where was the king when the bird began to sing? A. The king was in the tower. B. The king was in the dungeon. C. The king was in the courtyard. D. The king was in the keep. 6. What did the king finally learn to do? A. The king learned to sing. B. The king learned to whistle. C. The king learned to talk. D. The king learned to yodel.

Name Thursday, June 23

it was about a robot. Ryan's newest love was robots. When Ryan heard about the main character of the movie, he could not wait to watch it. The movie started and sure enough, it was about a robot. It was not your average robot. This robot was bigger than the tallest buildings in the city. It was silver with red eyes. It had huge feet. When its mouth opened, all that could be seen were sharp, shiny teeth. Whenever light hit the teeth, they would sparkle like a sharp knife blade. Ryan's brothers kept saying things like "cool" and "awesome." Ryan did not think the robot was cool or awesome. He thought that it was scary. Ryan did not want to tell his brothers that he was scared. He did not want them to think he was a baby. Instead, he sat on the sofa with his fists clenched around his favorite blanket. He watched as the robot destroyed the city. He watched as people ran away from it screaming. Ryan sat still, barely taking a breath. Finally, Ryan's mom turned it off because it was time for bed. She asked the boys how the movie was. Ryan's brothers went on and on about how awesome it was. They ran upstairs making robot sounds and trying to relive the movie. Ryan, on the other hand, did not have much to say. He slowly walked up the stairs. He brushed his teeth. He put his pajamas on. He climbed up the ladder on his bunk bed to the top bunk. His mom came in his room to tuck him in and say goodnight. She noticed that the look on Ryan's face was not the same. He did not look like the same boy that pretended that

Stories in Our Head

By Jody Williams

"Ryan, it's time to get ready for bed," Mom said from downstairs. Ryan was upstairs playing. Ryan knew it was time for bed. He was tired. He wanted to climb in his bed. He wanted to close his eyes. He wanted to go to sleep. One thing was standing in his way -- his bad dreams. Ryan was good at a lot of things. He was a great soccer player. He was a fantastic artist. He was good at reading. In fact, he was reading harder books than most second graders. Ryan was even good at sleeping. His mom said that when Ryan was three weeks old, he slept through the night. Most babies do not sleep through the night until they are a few months old. One night Ryan and his older brothers were watching a movie. They would often do this before they went to bed. Mom said that it settled them down. Usually, that was the case. On that night, Ryan's oldest brother got to pick the movie. He picked one that Ryan had never seen before. Ryan did not want to watch it. Then his brother told him

race.
Name Thursday, June 23

his blankets were a cave. He would usually crawl down into the covers and lie perfectly still until sleep would come. He would stay like that until he woke up in the morning. Ryan's mom asked if he was ok. He said he was fine. He was just really tired. She kissed him goodnight and wished him sweet dreams. She left the room and Ryan started to feel strange. He had never felt strange before when his mom left his room. He felt scared. Ryan crawled down into his covers as he usually did. He closed his eyes, but they kept popping open. Every time he would close his eyes, all that he could see was that robot. Ryan tossed and turned. He flipped his pillow over and back again. He made sure that he had his favorite blankets. He even got out of bed and turned an extra light on in his room. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Ryan fell asleep. The house was quiet. Everyone had gone to bed. Dreams were flowing through their heads. All of a sudden the silence was broken. Ryan sat up in his bed. He opened his mouth and a scream came out. It was not an ordinary scream. It was a scared scream. It was the kind that hits all of a sudden. Ryan could feel his heart pounding. He was breathing fast. It was as if he just finished running a

Ryan's mom and dad ran into his room. They found Ryan sitting up in his bed. His mom put her arms around him. His dad rubbed his leg and asked what was wrong. When Ryan calmed down, he told his parents about his dream. They listened. He felt better after he had told them about it. Ryan's dad went to the hall closet. He took boxes out of the closet. Ryan and his mom wondered why he was picking this moment to clean out the closet. After much huffing and puffing, Ryan's dad came into his room. He said he had something special for Ryan. It was a Curious George night light. Dad explained that it was his when he was a boy. He remembered that he had packed it away, hoping that one day one of his boys would use it. Dad plugged it into the wall and George's happy face shined. Ryan did go back to sleep that night, but the next night it happened again. The same robot stomped into his dream. Ryan's mom and dad came into his room. They listened as he talked about his dream. Mom did everything that she could to reassure Ryan that it was just a dream. She said that even though dreams seem real, they are not. They are stories in our heads. Ryan went back to sleep. The next night, Ryan did not want to go to bed. He even told his mom so in a not so nice way. She was a bit shocked at Ryan's behavior. She knew that he was worried about his dreams. Ryan did get ready

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old for. Ryan hoped he put his bad robot dream to rest for good. Stories in Our Head

for bed. He waited for his mom to come into his room. She did come in, but this time she had something with her. She had a box of crayons and some paper. She also had a shoebox. It was the box that Dad's new running shoes came in. Mom asked Ryan to sit at his desk. She gave him the crayons and the paper. She told Ryan that she knew he was worried about going to sleep. She explained that maybe if Ryan drew a picture about his dream, it would help him sleep. Ryan loved this idea, first, because he loved to draw and second, because it delayed bedtime. Ryan drew a scene from his dream. He added every detail, even the red eyes of the robot. When he was finished, he told his mom about his picture. She listened. Then she took his drawing, folded it, and put it into the shoebox. She put the lid on the shoebox and wrote something on top. When she showed it to Ryan, he read it and smiled. It said "Good-bye Bad Dreams, Hello Sleep." Mom asked Ryan where he would like to keep the box. He knew just the spot. With Mom in tow, Ryan ran down the steps and into the basement. He opened the door to the storage room. He walked to the back of the room, pushing aside boxes. Finally, he saw the perfect spot. He put the box on a shelf that had boxes of toys and books that he was too

Questions
1. What problem did Ryan face in the story?

2. What was the cause of Ryan's bad dreams? A. His brothers jumped out of the closet and scared him. B. He watched a scary movie before bedtime. C. He read a scary story before going to bed. D. A big barking dog chased him down the street. 3. Why did Ryan agree to watch the movie with his brothers? A. They made him watch it. B. It was about robots and Ryan loved robots. C. They bribed Ryan with delicious popcorn. D. none of the above

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4. Why did Ryan not want to tell his brothers that he was scared while watching the movie?

7. What did Ryan's dad do to help him fall asleep? A. gave him a Curious George nightlight that used to be his. B. sang him a lullaby. C. suggested Ryan try counting sheep. D. made him some warm milk to drink. 8. Ryan's mom told him that dreams are not real but just stories in his head. A. false B. true

5. How were Ryan's actions different from his brothers' after their mom turned the movie off?

9. What did Ryan do with the crayons, paper, and shoebox that his mom gave him before he went to bed?

6. Describe how Ryan woke up from his bad dream.

10. What did Ryan choose to write on the shoebox? A. "Good-bye Bad Dreams, Hello Sleep" B. "Go Away Dreams" C. "Bad Dream Box" D. "I Don't Like Bad Dreams"