Day One
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are large tropical storms that develop in the oceans of the world. Hurricanes gather
heat and energy from the warm ocean water. The heat from these warm currents increases the power of the
hurricane. Hurricanes that remain over warm water usually get bigger and stronger, but they weaken once
they get over land. Hurricanes are storms that are given names, and a new list of names is created each
year. The first hurricane’s name starts with the letter A, like Ashley, and the names move through the
alphabet as more hurricanes form.
Hurricane clouds move in a circle around a point called the eye, which is the center of the storm.
To be called a hurricane, a storm must have wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour. When a hurricane
comes ashore, there are heavy rains, large waves, and strong winds that cause damage to buildings, cars,
and trees. Also, flooding can occur when large waves called storm surges hit the beaches. Storm surges
are the main reason people are told to leave beach towns and move inland when a hurricane approaches.
Hurricanes move very slowly, so people usually have a chance to get out of the way.
During the official hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, these large storms
sometimes hit coastal areas of the United States. As these hurricanes approach, there is rain and strong
winds. Meteorologists, scientists who study the weather, watch these storms very carefully. They classify
hurricanes into five categories depending upon the strength of the hurricane. Category 1 and 2 hurricanes
are the weakest hurricanes, Category 4 and 5 hurricanes are the strongest, and Category 3 storms are in
the middle.
Quiz Prep: *when do hurricanes usually occur in the US? *what is the difference between the different
categories of hurricanes? *what makes a hurricane different from most unpredictable weather events? *what
is the meaning of the underlined vocabulary?
Day Two
Jackson’s Day
Jackson was a golden retriever who loved to play and go on walks but hated getting a bath.
Whenever he heard the water running in the tub, he hid behind the couch and growled at his owner,
Jennifer. One day, he even ran out the front door when it was bath time.
Jackson ran and ran until he found a huge mud puddle, and he jumped right into the murky water.
He was completely covered in mud. His golden fur was brown and slimy from head to toe. He continued his
journey away from home hoping to find other dogs in the neighborhood that wanted to play. He did not find
any dogs at the local park or near the elementary school where Jennifer always walked him at night. He
hoped he would at least find a cat to chase, but there were no dogs or cats in Jackson’s path.
After an hour of playing, Jackson started to get hungry and decided to walk back to the house.
Meanwhile, at home, Jennifer was worried and scared that Jackson might not ever come back. She looked
all over the neighborhood and had no luck finding him. She even checked with her neighbors to ask whether
or not they had seen Jackson. A while later, after Jennifer got home, she heard a bark coming from the front
door. That bark was familiar. It was Jackson! Jennifer was amazed at how filthy Jackson had gotten in the
time he was gone. Before Jackson could eat his dinner, he had to face the bath he had run away from. This
time, he listened and took his bath without any trouble. Soon Jackson was clean, but he needed a nap!
Quiz Prep: *where did Jackson go? *what is the main idea? *how did Jackson feel at the end of the day?
Why? *why does Jacskson come home? *what is the meaning of the underlined vocabulary?
Day Three
Who is Dr. Seuss?
While many children and adults have enjoyed books by Dr. Seuss, very few actually know anything about Dr.
Seuss himself. Dr. Seuss was born in 1904 and was given the name Theodor Seuss Giesel. He grew up in Springfield,
Massachusetts and left town as a young man to attend Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. In college, he wrote for
the school newspaper. Geisel created the name Dr. Seuss, a penname he would continue to write under for the rest of
his life. Seuss first entered college with the idea that he would become a professor, but a classmate who saw him
sketching thought he should become an artist. He soon pursued his passion for drawing. After college, he got a job
working as a cartoonist for a newspaper. However, once the United States became involved in World War II, Seuss
wanted to use his talent to help in the war effort. He worked for the Army making different types of war movies and
animated films that were used to train soldiers. Publishers who saw his work during the war wanted Seuss to illustrate
a children’s book. The war experience, along with his experience as a journalist, led to his desire to write and illustrate
his own children’s books.
Dr. Seuss had a slow and difficult start as an author. His first book almost did not get published. However,
after many months of being turned down, his persistence paid off. Seuss soon signed with a new publisher. This small
success was enough to keep Dr. Seuss writing and illustrating. While writing, he often put on silly hats to help reduce
the stress of finishing a story. Shortly after his first work was published, Dr. Seuss wrote and published The Cat in the
Hat, the book that made him famous. For years afterward, Dr. Seuss continued to write and illustrate many books in his
own unique style, which was very different than other authors. He won many awards for his books throughout his
writing career, and many were adapted for television and movies. The name Dr. Seuss became very popular in
children’s literature. Though Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, passed away at the age of 87 in 1991,
his books and illustrations continue to live on.
Quiz Prep: *what is the sequence of the important events in the life of Dr. Seuss? *what is the main idea? *what is the
meaning of the underlined vocabulary?
Day Four
Piano Lessons
Susie loved to hear her older sister, Emma, play piano. Listening to the pretty notes and watching Emma’s
fingers press the keys made Susie want to play music too. But every time Susie asked to play, her mother would tell
her how much work it was to learn to play piano well. Emma made it look easy. Susie was sure she could learn to play
even though she was a few years younger, so she decided she had to prove to her mother that she was ready for the
responsibility. Susie helped her mom around the house by washing the dishes and dusting.
“Mom, can I start taking piano lessons?” Susie asked.
“Susie, as long as you understand that you are going to have to practice every day, you can take
piano lessons,” her mom said.
Susie was so excited. She could not wait to play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” one of her favorite songs. In
no time, she thought, she would play as well as Emma!
Susie was excited and nervous for her first piano lesson. When she finally got there, she was surprised; her
teacher had flashcards and a book for her. Emma just had music notes in her piano books. Susie did not know there
were so many other things to know about the piano first. She had to learn each of the notes, or sounds, that the piano
makes. Then, she had to learn which key on the piano made each note. There were even Italian words she had to
learn! Her teacher showed her everything she had to practice and learn before the next lesson. During that first lesson,
Susie never even got to touch a key on the piano.
“Don’t people get to play piano at piano lessons?” she wondered.
The next day, when Susie got home from school, her mom had her snack all ready. She ate it fast and
started to run outside.
“Where are you going?” her mom asked.
“Outside to play kickball,” Susie said. “Bye mom!”
“Not so fast, you must study your piano flashcards,” her mom said. “Then, you can play.”
“But mom, everyone is playing kickball,” Susie whined.
“Susie, this is what you wanted, now you have to follow through with it,” her mom said.
Quiz Prep: *what is the main idea? *what surprised Susie? *how do you think Susie’s mom feels at the end of the
story? *what is the meaning of the underlined vocabulary?