Lesson 1

PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Understanding Characters The School Story

Comprehension: Understanding
Characters
Read the selection below.

Sam’s Story
Sam’s teacher asked the class to write get up, go back into the living room, and
a story. The minute Sam heard this, his play more video games. But he knew
heart started thumping. Sam always had a he had to come up with an idea before
hard time coming up with ideas. tomorrow’s class.
When Sam got home from school, Just then, his little brother walked
he had a snack. Then he played a video into the kitchen. “What are you doing?”
game with his little brother. The whole he asked.
time, the story assignment cast a little “I have to think of something to write
black cloud over his afternoon activities. about for school,” Sam replied, sighing.
What could he write about? “Well, I’m going to go play some
Finally, he decided to do some more. Good luck!” His little brother
brainstorming. He sat down at the bounded out of the room.
kitchen table and opened his notebook. Suddenly, Sam had an idea. He’d
Sam’s mind was as blank as the notebook write a story about how much he liked
page in front of him. His hands started playing video games! Sam smiled to
to sweat, and all he wanted to do was himself as he began to write.

Use the Inference Map to list details that help you understand Sam’s character.

Detail: Detail: Detail:

Personality:

Introduce Comprehension 1 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

The School Story

Understanding Characters Comprehension:
Understanding Characters
Read the selection below.

A Day at the Zoo

Rachel handed her little sister Abby children’s zoo after we watched the sea
some popcorn from her paper cone and lions.”
said, “Here, Abby, take some more.” “Maybe another time. I don’t want
The two girls intently watched the to disappoint Abby,” said Rachel.
sea lions bop a ball back and forth in The zookeeper blew her whistle and
the pool. Rachel saw her dad climbing tossed a disk to the sea lion. The marine
up the bleachers and waved him over. mammal batted it into the crowd. A girl
She had offered to watch Abby while sitting near them tried to catch it, but it
their parents saw a 3-D movie about bounced away and fell back into Rachel’s
predators. lap. The crowd cheered as the zookeeper
“What a show, Rachel! Would you announced Rachel should keep it.
like to see it?” he asked. Abby tugged Rachel looked over at the girl, saw
on Rachel’s arm and whined, “Rachel, she was wearing a cast on one arm, and
you promised we could go to the knew what she had to do.

Complete an Inference Map with details that tell about Rachel’s

personality. Then answer the questions below.

1. How would you describe Rachel’s personality?

2. What decision do you think Rachel has made at the end of the story?

Deepen Comprehension 2 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

The School Story

Prefixes dis-, ex-, inter-, non- Vocabulary Strategies:
Prefixes dis-, ex-, inter-, non-
The words in the box begin with the prefixes dis- or non-,
meaning “not”; ex-, meaning “outside”; or inter-, meaning
“between/among.” Choose the word that best completes
each sentence.

disappeared nonstop displease displace exceed

nonfiction extract interact interlace interview

1. The rabbit into the bushes.

2. The dentist had to the rotten tooth.
3. Put a few large rocks in the birdbath to
some water.
4. Do not the boundary of the playground
during recess.
5. Talking during the assembly will the speaker.
6. Being at the amusement park all day was fun.
7. Reporters like to famous people for the news.
8. A good book sticks to the facts.
9. The designer wanted to the cloth with gold
silk thread.
10. When good friends , they feel relaxed
and natural.

Vocabulary Strategies 3 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Short Vowels The School Story

Spelling: Short Vowels

Basic Complete the puzzle by writing the Basic Word for each clue.
1.
Spelling Words
2.
1. batch
3.
2. reject
3. vanish
4. 5. 4. sloppy
6. 5. rhythm
6. blunder
7. 8. 7. strict
8. meadow
9. recover
9.
10. cleanse
11. text
10.
12. mystery
13. expand
14. bluff
Across Down 15. promptly
2. a group of something 1. enforced all the time 16. initials
4. to make clean 2. a mistake 17. statue
6. a book or other piece of 3. something that is not 18. polish
writing understood 19. somehow
7. to return to a normal 5. become larger 20. dreadful
condition 8. disappear Challenge
9. a grassy field salary
10. to make smooth and shiny quintet
magnetic
Challenge How could you earn money to buy a bike? Write
tepid
sentences with your ideas. Use three of the Challenge Words. Write
intact
on a separate sheet of paper.

Spelling 4 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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Confirming Pages
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Spelling Word Sort The School Story

Spelling: Short Vowels

Write each Basic Word beside the correct heading.

Spelling Words

/ă / 1. batch
spelled a 2. reject
3. vanish
4. sloppy
5. rhythm
/ĕ / 6. blunder
spelled e or ea 7. strict
8. meadow
9. recover
10. cleanse
/ /
11. text
spelled i or y 12. mystery
13. expand
14. bluff
15. promptly
/ŏ /
16. initials
spelled o
17. statue
18. polish
19. somehow
/ŭ /
20. dreadful
spelled u or o-
consonant-e Challenge
salary
quintet
Challenge Add the Challenge Words to your Word Sort. Some magnetic
words will fit in more than one group. tepid
Connect to Reading Look through The School Story. Find words in intact
the selection that have the /ă /, /ĕ /, / /, /ŏ /, and /ŭ / spelling patterns
on this page. Add them to your Word Sort.

Spelling 5 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Proofreading for Spelling The School Story

Spelling: Short Vowels

Find the misspelled words and circle them. Write them correctly on
the lines below. Spelling Words
The author’s work was sloopy, and the writing was pretty 1. batch
dredfull. There was no rhythim or style to the writing. The 2. reject
mistery the author tried to create didn’t work. As a publisher, 3. vanish
4. sloppy
Martin could never print the tex . 5. rhythm
Yet Martin felt very uneasy, somhow, after he promply 6. blunder
wrote the note to rejeckt the writer’s story once again. Martin 7. strict
8. meadow
glanced out the window. What he saw there made him feel that 9. recover
he might have made a blundar. 10. cleanse
A young man was standing like a statew, staring intently 11. text
12. mystery
up at his office. The man’s stare was not a bluf because Martin 13. expand
could see the hopefulness in the man’s face. Martin decided that 14. bluff
if the writer was truly dedicated, he could allow him one last 15. promptly
16. initials
chance to pollesh his work. 17. statue
18. polish
1. 7.
19. somehow
2. 8. 20. dreadful
3. 9.
4. 10.
5. 11.
6. 12.

Spelling 6 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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Confirming Pages
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Subjects and Predicates The School Story

Grammar: Complete Sentences

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete

thought. All sentences have two parts: a subject and a
Thinking Question
predicate. The simple subject of a sentence is whom What part of the
or what the sentence is about. The simple predicate sentence tells whom
is the main word that describes the action or the or what the sentence
is about? Which part
state of being. The simple predicate is a verb. describes the action or
state of being?
subject predicate
The author placed her book on the shelf.

Activity Underline the simple subject in the sentences. Circle the simple
predicate.
1. Carla opened her workbook.
2. The dog barked at the passing train.
3. Before lunch, I rode my bike.
4. My father told me to rake the yard.
5. Recess is my favorite part of the day.
6. Grandma called right before dinner.
7. Shannon helped Carla with her homework.
8. Jacob gradually felt comfortable at the new school.

Grammar 7 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Complete Subjects and The School Story

Grammar: Complete Sentences

Predicates
A complete subject tells who or what a sentence
is about, including any words that modify. Thinking Question
A complete predicate tells what the complete What part of this sentence
tells whom or what the
subject is or does. It includes a verb or verbs and sentence is about? What part
any words that modify them. of this sentence includes
the verb and any words
complete subject complete predicate that modify it?
A box of cookies landed on my desk.

Activity Circle the complete subject in each sentence.

Underline the complete predicate.
1. People who own dogs know about responsibility.
2. Yellow pencils make great party favors.
3. My cousin Gina sent me a text message this morning.
4. Some teachers drive to school.
5. A small black kitten poked its head out from behind a tree.
6. Those of you who are confused may want to review your notes.
7. My bus driver is very friendly.
8. Indoor soccer is my favorite sport to play.

Grammar 8 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Fragments and Run-ons The School Story

Grammar: Complete Sentences

A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not

express a complete thought. A run-on sentence is two
or more sentences run together with commas or without
punctuation.
Thinking Question
sentence fragment complete sentence Does the group of words
A dance on Saturday. A dance will be held express a complete
thought? Is the sentence
on Saturday. made of two sentences
with commas or without
run-on sentence punctuation?
A dance will be held on Saturday, I’m going.
complete sentence
A dance will be held on Saturday, and I’m going.

Activity Label each group of words sentence fragment, run-on sentence, or

complete sentence. Correct any sentence fragments or run-on sentences.

1. Field trip to the museum.

2. I sat next to Lauren at lunch she had pizza.

3. Four students in our class from San Mateo.

4. Our band teacher gave Victor the drumsticks.

5. Rehearsals after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

6. Jamie is president of student government, he works hard.

Grammar 9 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Contractions The School Story

Grammar: Spiral Review

Incorrect Hasn’t no one read the story I wrote?

Correct Hasn’t anyone read the story I wrote?
Incorrect She printed copies for us, and there on the table.
Correct She printed copies for us, and they’re on the table.

1–6. Write the correct word in parentheses to complete the sentence.

1. I had no time to read it. (have, haven’t)

2. Her stories don’t have happy endings. (ever, never)
3. Details are important, so be sure you haven’t left out.
(any, none)
4. hard to believe the ending to this mystery story. (Its, It’s)
5. I think that creating an interesting plot. (you’re, your)
6. are good twists and turns in the plot. (They’re, There)

7–10. The rules below have errors. Circle the error. Then write the correct
word on the line.

7. Don’t keep food or liquids nowhere near the hardware.

8. Nothing with magnets shouldn’t be put near the computer.

9. Save your changes often if your working on an important file.

10. Be gentle with computers. There fragile pieces of equipment.

Grammar 10 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Sentence Fluency The School Story

Grammar: Connect to Writing

Sentence Fragment The mother and baby elephant at the zoo.

Complete Sentence The mother and baby elephant live at the zoo.
Run-on Sentence Danielle gave me a book to read, I finished it in one night.
Complete Sentence Danielle gave me a book to read, and I finished it in one night.

Read the sentences. Fix sentence fragments and run-on sentences to form
complete sentences. Write the new sentences on the lines.
1. My new bike is red, I want to paint it because my favorite color is blue.

2. Heather had fun with her aunt, they went ice skating.

3. The candidate’s speeches delivered from the stage in the auditorium.

4. We had pancakes for breakfast, I prefer eggs.

5. A group of children in the mall with their parents.

6. Grace should always call me before eight o’clock, that is my curfew.

Grammar 11 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass
 Lesson 1
PRACTICE BOOK
Name Date

Focus Trait: Voice The School Story

Writing: Write to Express

Using Dialogue to Reveal Character

Plain Dialogue Dialogue That Reveals Character
Marc said, “You took Marc said, “How could you take my notebook? You’re going to pay
my notebook.” for that!”

A. Read the line of plain dialogue. Then add words to the dialogue so that
it reveals character.

Plain Dialogue Dialogue That Reveals Character

1. “The water park is fun,” said “I ” Amber
Amber. . “The double slide is ”

B. Read each example of plain dialogue. Revise each example to reveal

something about a character.

Pair/Share Work with a partner to brainstorm how to revise the plain

dialogue to reveal character.

Plain Dialogue Dialogue That Reveals Character

2. John said, “I wonder when lunch
starts.”

3. “I’m glad we are friends,” said

Gloria.

4. “I’m sorry that you broke your

arm,” said Fred.

Writing 12 Grade 6, Unit 1: Finding Your Voice

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First Pass