Vocabulary

Name

bouquet encircle fussy sparkles

emotion express portraits whirl

Finish each sentence using the vocabulary word provided.

Possible responses provided.
1. (bouquet) On Mother’s Day I gave my mom a bouquet of fresh flowers

2. (emotion) Watching the sad movie filled me with feelings of emotion

3. (encircle) When we play the game in the school yard, we encircle one of
our friends and dance around her .

4. (express) Some artists I know like to express their emotions through their

paintings .

5. (fussy) Whenever we go shopping, my mother and I are very fussy about

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what we are willing to buy .

6. (portraits) At the art museum I really enjoyed the portraits of the famous
presidents .

7. (sparkles) When I am in art class, I like to use paint that sparkles with
light .

8. (whirl) I saw the couple on the dance floor whirl around each other

Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1 201

 Comprehension: Problem and Solution Graphic Organizer
Name

Read the selection. Complete the problem and solution graphic

organizer.

Characters

Setting

Problem

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Event

Solution

202 Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1

 Comprehension and Fluency
Name

Read the passage. Use the visualize strategy to help you understand
the story.

The Stray Dog

Kwan was in his neighborhood, walking home from the bus stop,
11 when a medium-sized dog came running up to him. It was a shaggy
24 white dog with orange spots and floppy ears and looked as if it didn’t
38 belong to anybody. Kwan bent down for a closer look. He didn’t
50 recognize the animal from any of the families in the neighborhood.
61 The dog was a big fluffy ball of dirt and had no tags, so there was
77 little doubt. The dog was a stray. Kwan wondered what he should do.
90 Kwan walked the rest of the way to his house, the dog following
103 behind him. When Kwan reached his front door, he picked up the dog
116 and walked inside. The dog wagged his tail frantically with pleasure
127 at being held. He felt like a huge sack of marbles in Kwan’s arms
141 as Kwan carried him into the kitchen. His father was there pouring
153 orange juice into a glass. He took one look at Kwan and the dog and
168 nearly dropped the carton of juice.
174 “You can’t keep it, Kwan,” his father said. “I’ve already explained
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185 to you that we don’t have the time or space for a dog.”
198 “I know, Dad,” said Kwan, putting the dog down on the floor. “But
211 he’s definitely a stray, and I really want to help him.” The dog ran
225 over to the kitchen door where Kwan’s dad kept a pair of running
238 shoes. He took both shoes in his mouth and ran back over to Kwan
252 and plopped the shoes down in front of him. The dog sat there with
266 his tongue hanging out, wagging his tail. Just then, Kwan’s mom
277 walked in.

Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1 203

 Comprehension and Fluency
Name

“I guess he likes shoes,” she said, smiling. “Why don’t you take
him to Uncle Bae’s and see if he wants the dog?” She looked at Kwan
pointedly and said, “He gets so few visitors.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll go see Uncle Bae,” said Kwan. He grabbed an old
belt from the closet to use for a leash and walked out the door.
Uncle Bae was Kwan’s least favorite relative, mainly because he
was a real grump. He was
about as warm as a block of
ice. As a young man, Uncle
Bae had fought in the army
and had his vision severely
damaged so that now he
could barely see.
“Come in!” his uncle
called when Kwan rang the
bell. Kwan walked into the
living room with the dog,
saying, “Hi, Uncle Bae. It’s
me, Kwan.” His uncle was
sitting in an easy chair.
“This stray dog followed me home this afternoon and Mom and

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Dad said I couldn’t keep it,” Kwan announced. “We thought you might
like to keep him.”
“What am I going to do with a dog?” said Uncle Bae angrily. “Get
him away. But first, go get my shoes. They’re in my bedroom.”
Kwan smiled knowingly at the dog. He walked the dog into Uncle
Bae’s bedroom and brought him over to a pair of loafers. The dog
grabbed the shoes in his mouth and ran back into the living room.
He plopped the loafers right in Uncle Bae’s lap. Uncle Bae’s face lit
up like the sun. It was the first time in a long time that Kwan saw his
Uncle Bae smile. Uncle Bae looked at Kwan and said, “What should I
name him?”

204 Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1

 Comprehension: Problem and Solution and Fluency
Name

A. Reread the passage and answer the questions.

Possible responses provided.
1. What is the main problem Kwan faces in the story?

A stray dog follows him home. He wants to help the dog, but he is not

sure how to do it since he knows he cannot keep the dog himself.

2. What is Kwan’s mother’s suggestion?

She suggests that Kwan take the dog to Uncle Bae to see if he wants to

keep it.

3. What is Uncle Bae’s first reaction to the dog?

He tells Kwan to take it away.

4. What is the solution to Kwan’s problem?

When the dog brings Uncle Bae his shoes, Uncle Bae decides to keep
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the dog.

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to

expression. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Number of Words Correct

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1 205

 Genre/Literary Element
Name

A Change of Heart
“I’m just plain sick of helping Eric with reading,” Jen told her father after
school one day. “Sometimes he can be a real brat.”
“Well,” said Jen’s father with a knowing smile, “before you quit, look in
your room.”
Jen went into her room and there on her bed was a little handmade book.
It was titled “Best Sister.” It was about a boy who gets an “A” in reading
and thanks his sister for her help. Jen went to her father. “Maybe I’ll read
this book with Eric next,” she said with a smile.

Answer the questions about the text.

1. How can you tell this is realistic fiction?

It is a made up story. It has characters and settings that could exist in

real life.

2. How are the characters in this text like characters from real life?

Possible response: The brother and sister act like brothers and sisters

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in real life. They have mixed feelings towards each other.

3. How does the author foreshadow that Jen will change her mind?

Jen’s father tells her to see what is in her room before she decides to

quit helping Eric.

4. How does Jen feel about reading to her brother at the end of the text?
Jen is happy to read the book that Eric made for her.

206 Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1

 Vocabulary Strategy: Similes and Metaphors
Name

Read each passage. Find and underline the simile or metaphor. Then
identify what is being compared and if it is a simile or a metaphor.

1. Kwan bent down for a closer look. He didn’t recognize the animal from any of
the families in the neighborhood. The dog was a big fluffy ball of dirt and had
no tags, so there was little doubt. The dog was a stray.
Simile or metaphor? metaphor
What is being compared? The dog is being compared to a ball of dirt.

2. Uncle Bae was Kwan’s least favorite relative, mainly because he was a real
grump. He was about as warm as a block of ice.
Simile or metaphor? simile
What is being compared? Uncle Bae is being compared to a block of ice.

3. He plopped the loafers right in Uncle Bae’s lap. Uncle Bae’s face lit up like the sun.
It was the first time in a long time that Kwan saw his Uncle Bae smile.
Simile or metaphor? simile
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What is being compared? Uncle Bae’s face is being compared to the sun.

Practice • Grade 4 • Unit 5 • Week 1 207