4th Grade Summaries Theme 3
The Stranger
Summary 1:
Farmer Bailey was driving down a country road in late summer when he hit
a man with his truck. Mr. Bailey brought the stranger home. The stranger was
dressed in odd clothes and did not speak. A doctor said the stranger had lost his
memory.
The Baileys noticed some odd things about the timid man. He was confused
by simple things like buttons, and fascinated by steam. Rabbits seemed to trust
him. The stranger couldn’t stop watching the geese flying south.
After three weeks, Mr. Bailey began to notice that the seasons were not
changing. The stranger saw this too. The trees to the north were red and orange.
But to the south, all the leaves were still green. The stranger also felt that
something was very wrong.
One evening, the stranger put on his old clothes. With tears in his eyes, he
hugged the Baileys and ran out the door. When the Baileys went outside to wave
good-bye, the air was cold. The leaves had changed colors too.
Every autumn since then, the strange thing happens at the Bailey farm. The
leaves on their trees stay green one week longer than anywhere else. Then the
leaves change colors overnight. And in the morning, the Baileys find the words
“See you next fall” etched in frost on their windows.
Poem: A Mystery?
Who turned the green leaves
And turned them red and gold?
Who touched the morning air
And made it crisp and cold?
Who touched the green grass
And left it frosty white?
Who changed the whole world
While I slept last night?
Summary 2:
It was late summer. Farmer Bailey was driving. Suddenly, he hit a stranger
with his truck. Farmer Bailey brought the man to his house to make sure he wasn’t
hurt.
The stranger didn’t speak at all. He had strange clothes. He didn’t know how
to use buttons. He had never seen steam. The stranger worked hard, but he never
sweat. After three weeks, the stranger still had not said a word.
Farmer Bailey noticed something odd about the weather. The seasons were
not changing. The leaves on the trees had not changed from green to red and
orange. The temperature had not gotten colder. Instead of changing to autumn, it
was still summer around the farm.
The stranger knew that something was wrong. One day, he put on his old
clothes and left the Bailey’s house. As soon as the stranger left, the air got cold and
the leaves changed colors.
Every autumn at the Bailey’s house after the stranger’s visit, a strange thing
happens. The leaves change color overnight. In the morning, the Baileys find the
words “See you next fall” written on their window.
Cendrillion
Summary 1:
I live on a beautiful island in the Caribbean Sea. Cendrillion [SHON-dreeyhon] is a young peasant woman with a kind heart, who often worked beside me.
One day, she had a very sad face. You see, she wanted to go to the ball that night
to meet Paul. He was handsome and kind, just like a prince.
I wanted her to have her wish. So, with the help of my magic wand,
Cendrillion had everything she needed. She even had an elegant dress and pink
slippers. At the ball, Cendrillion made a grand entrance! Paul danced with her all
night.
At midnight, we had to run out of the ball. But Cendrillion left behind one
pink slipper. Cendrillion kept the other pink slipper. She said it would remind her
of that wonderful night and all the happiness she would never have again.
The next day, Paul went to Cendrillion’s house with the pink slipper. He was
looking for the beautiful stranger from the ball. I took my wand and made
Cendrillion appear as she did at the ball. But she wanted to look like her real self,
so I changed her back.
Paul went over to her and gently put the pink slipper on her foot. He said she
was as beautiful as the night before. I could see true live shinning in his eyes.
Cendrillion and Paul were married soon after.
Poem: Island Home
My island home is small.
There is water all around.
The wind and waves together
Make a lovely ocean sound.
We eat the island fruits.
We swim almost every day.
My island makes me smile.
I could never move away!
Summary 2:
Cendrillion was a young woman. She lived on a beautiful island. She lived
with her father, stepmother, and her stepsister. Cendrillion’s stepmother always
made her work hard.
One day, Cendrillion wasn’t allowed to go to a fancy ball. Her stepmother
said she was too lazy. Cendrillion wanted to go to the ball, because Paul would be
there. Paul was handsome and kind, just like a prince.
Cendrillion’s godmother made a promise. She said that she would find a way
for Cendrillion to go to the ball. Her godmother used her magic wand to give
Cendrillion everything she needed for the ball: a carriage, horses, a beautiful dress,
and elegant shoes.
At the ball, Paul danced with Cendrillion all night. At midnight, Cendrillion
had to leave the ball quickly. But she forgot one of her shoes. Paul picked up the
shoe and hoped to find the woman who owned the other shoe.
When Paul got to Cendrillion’s house, he put the shoe on her foot.
Cendrillion was not wearing beautiful, expensive clothes. Paul said she looked just
as beautiful as the night before. There was true love in his eyes. Cendrillion and
Paul were married soon after that.
Heat Wave!
Summary 1:
I was outside one day at our farm when I saw a big cloud of yellow air
coming across the sky. A flock of geese flew into the cloud. They came out
plucked, stuffed, and cooked!
The Heat Wave had hit our farm. Our flowers pulled up their roots and
walked under the porch, looking for shade. The corn that was planted in the fields
got so hot that it started to pop. Our cows jumped around on the hot ground so
much that their milk turned into butter.
We needed to fight the Heat Wave. We mixed flour, yeast, and water
together outside. The dough started baking in the heat. A flock of crows smelled
the baking bread and flew over. Their flapping wings cooled us off for a minute,
but the birds didn’t keep moving. They landed there and ate the bread. And the
temperature went right back up.
I had another idea. We planted lettuce seeds, which started to grow right
away. The more the lettuce grew, the cooler the air got. The Heat Wave put up a
fight, but the lettuce won. The Heat Wave finally disappeared. So, I saved the farm
by planting lettuce. How did lettuce cool the air? Well, it wasn’t just any kind of
lettuce-it was iceberg lettuce!
Poem: Beat the Heat
The weather will be hot today,
Too hot to work, too hot to play.
Fan yourself and look for shade.
Drink a glass of lemonade.
Wear clothes that are light and cool.
Swim all morning at the pool.
Rest indoors all afternoon,
And wish for cooler weather soon!
Summary 2:
One summer day on a farm in Kansas, the weather got very hot. There was a
Heat Wave! It was so hot that birds flying across the sky got cooked outside. It was
so hot that the flowers went under the porch, looking for shade.
The corn planted in the fields was so hot that is popped. There was popcorn
all over the fields. The family who lived on the farm needed to get rid of the
popcorn. They packed it in their truck and sold it at the movie theater.
The family needed to fight the Heat Wave. They mixed flour, yeast, and
water together. This made dough, and the dough started baking. Some crows
smelled the baking bread and flew over. They created some shade, so it was cooler
for a while. But then the birds landed on the bread, so there wasn’t any more shade.
It was hot again.
Then the family had another idea. They planted lettuce seeds. The lettuce
grew right away. As the lettuce grew, the temperature got cooler. Finally, the Heat
Wave disappeared. The lettuce cooled off the air so much because it was iceberg
lettuce!