Download Reading Homework: Pumpkins in the Past Date due____ Fluency

Reading Homework: Pumpkins in the Past
Date due___________________________________
Fluency: Repeated Reading
Repeated reading helps readers to develop fluency. This week’s passage has
many different kinds of punctuation. Practice reading the question marks,
commas, and exclamation points.
Practice reading the attached story three times.
Reading #
Date
Parent initial and comments
1
2
3
Wide reading: Independent Reading
Complete at least three tasks from the chart below.
Read 20 minutes in your
independent reading
book
Follow directions for
making something
I made____________
Read aloud to a younger
child.
Read 20 minutes in your
independent reading
book
Learn more about
pumpkins! Do some
research and write down
two facts.
Read 20 minutes in your
independent reading
book
Read a nonfiction book
for 20 minutes
Read 20 minutes in your
independent reading
book
Create an acrostic poem
about pumpkins.
Vocabulary
1. Read and study the attached vocabulary words.
2. Complete the Vocabulary Practice pages.
Comprehension
Answer the questions.
Pumpkins in the
Past
Each fall, pumpkin-flavored everything arrives at stores and
restaurants. Pumpkin drinks, pumpkin cakes, and pumpkin
cookies—all can be yours! But how did people use pumpkins long
ago?
Pumpkins and Native Americans
(1) People have been growing pumpkins for thousands of
years. Archaeologists have found pumpkin seeds at sites in
Mexico. These seeds are over 5,000 years old!
(2) When European explorers came to North America, they
found pumpkins growing in many different places. Some
native tribes grew pumpkins with corn and beans. This made
a garden called a “three sisters” garden. The beans grew up
the corn stalks. The pumpkins shaded the roots of the corn.
(3) Native Americans used pumpkins for many purposes.
They ate pumpkins, pumpkin flowers, pumpkin seeds, and
pumpkin leaves. They wove strips of pumpkin skin into mats.
They even dried pumpkins to preserve them to eat later.
Pumpkin Pies
(4) Colonial Americans learned how to grow pumpkins.
Pumpkin became an important colonial food. Cooks had an
ingenious way of making pumpkin pie. They used the
pumpkin as the dish for the pie! Cooks mixed up eggs, milk,
honey or maple syrup, and spices. They opened up a pumpkin
and scooped out the pulp. Then, they poured the egg mixture
into the pumpkin. They placed the entire pumpkin into the hot
coals of a fire. The pie baked inside the pumpkin. When it was
done, the entire pumpkin was cut up and eaten. Each portion
included the sweet filling and the cooked pumpkin.
Comprehension Questions
Hint: Read each question carefully. Look back to the text to
help you figure out the answer. Then, cross out answers that
are not correct. Circle the letter of the correct answer.
1. Native Americans used pumpkins for many different purposes.
Which detail supports this statement?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The pie baked inside the pumpkin.
The beans grew up the corn stalks.
Archaeologists have found pumpkin seeds at sites in Mexico.
They ate pumpkins, pumpkin flowers, pumpkin seeds, and
pumpkin leaves.
2. According to the text, how long have people been growing
pumpkins?
A.
B.
C.
D.
For 1,000 years
For thousands of years
Since colonial times
For a long time
3. This text is an example of:
A. Narrative text: It tells a story.
B. Poetic text: It expresses thoughts and feelings in verse.
C. Expository text: It explains ideas and information sorted into
categories.
D. Dramatic text: It includes a cast of characters and stage
directions.
4. Which paragraph in the text includes sentences that explain a
sequence of events?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Paragraph
Paragraph
Paragraph
Paragraph
1
2
3
4
Vocabulary Words
Read the definitions below.
archaeologist: An archaeologist is a person who studies the past by
looking at old items and digging in historical places.
preserve: To preserve something means to save it for later.
purpose: A purpose is a reason for doing something.
ingenious: Something that is ingenious is clever.
portion: A portion is a part of something.
Use the vocabulary word in each sentence as you answer the
questions.
Would you like a large portion of chocolate-covered
mealworms, or a small portion?
Explain an example of an ingenious idea.
There are many ways to learn and practice new words. One
way is to think about how words fit into sentences. Can you
put the correct words in each sentence?
My mom is an
, so
we are always going around to historical places to find old
stuff. Today we are looking at a desert site.
“Look at this
use of natural
materials,” Mom said. “I wonder what the
of these jars could be.”
I shrugged. “Maybe they used them to
food to eat later.”
“Exactly!” said Mom. “Each jar looks like it could hold a
of food.”
Draw a picture to illustrate the story. Include at least two
vocabulary words to label your picture.