Paragraph Unit
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Lesson 6 Staying on Topic

 

Begin with this oral activity.

 

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Multiple Choice

  1.     How to Eat Fried Worms is a wonderful book about a bet between four friends. Billy is a young boy who is dared to eat 15 worms in 15 days. Each chapter describes how Billy is able to eat yet another worm. Students love this book! Six students read this book last year while on vacation in the Caribbean. Students enjoy the gross descriptions by Thomas Rockwell! The book also has a good theme about friendship, peer pressure, and winning and losing.

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a) How to Eat Fried Worms is a wonderful book about a bet between four friends.
    b) Each chapter describes how Billy is able to eat yet another worm.
    c) Students love this book!
    d) Six students read this book last year while on vacation in the Caribbean.

  1.      Include more protein in your diet – add worms! How to Eat Fried Worms has been grossing out children and adults since it was written in 1973. This book was written by Thomas Rockwell, son of Norman Rockwell. This is the story of Billy who makes a bet. In this bet he must eat 15 worms in 15 days – all for $50. The best part about this book is the variety of ways Billy's friends prepare the worms. Yummy!

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a)  Include more protein in your diet – add worms!
    b) How to Eat Fried Worms has been grossing out children and adults since it was written in 1973.
    c) This book was written by Thomas Rockwell, son of Norman Rockwell.
    d) The best part about this book is the variety of ways Billy's friends prepare the worms.

  1.      In How to Eat Fried Worms Billy accepts a bet that he can eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. The agreement is that Billy can prepare the worms any way he wishes. His family goes along with this after checking with the doctor. Billy must go to the doctor each year for a physical. Billy's mother even helps prepare the worms. When it begins to look he will win the bet, the to boys he made the bet with try tricking Billy with in many hilarious ways.

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a) The agreement is that Billy can prepare the worms any way he wishes.
    b) Billy must go to the doctor each year for a physical.
    c) Billy's mother even helps prepare the worms.
    d) When it begins to look he will win the bet, the to boys he made the bet with try tricking Billy with in many hilarious ways.

  1.      Try this wonderful recipe activity. First list six things that you think you could never eat. Then pretend you are on a deserted island and one of these items is all that is available to eat. You may decide which item from the list you would like to be on your deserted island. On many islands bananas and coconuts grow in the wild. Create a recipe describing the best way to prepare this item.

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a) First list six things that you think you could never eat.
    b) You may decide which item from the list you would like to be on your deserted island.
    c) On many islands bananas and coconuts grow in the wild.
    d) Create a recipe describing the best way to prepare this item.
     

  2.       The body of the earthworm is seventy percent protein. This makes them a great meal for birds and small burrowing animals. One type of bird is the robin. Because the earthworm does not have ears or eyes it does not know it is a target until the prey is close enough to create vibrations. This makes earthworms an easy prey.  

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a) This makes them a great meal for birds and small burrowing animals.
    b) One type of bird is the robin.
    c) Because the earthworm does not have ears or eyes it does not know it is a target until the prey is close enough to create vibrations.
    d) This makes earthworms an easy prey.  
     

  3.      Robins love to eat earthworms. When a bird pulls an earthworm from its burrow, the worm uses its bristles to cling to the wall of its home. The bristles may cling so tightly that the bird may often tear the worm in two. Earthworms have the ability to regrow the first seven or eight rings of their bodies. Regenerating its head is a true miracle of the earthworm.

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a)     Robins love to eat earthworms.
    b)     When a bird pulls an earthworm from its burrow, the worm uses its bristles to cling to the wall of its home.
    c)     he bristles may cling so tightly that the bird may often tear the worm in two.
    d)     Earthworms have the ability to regrow the first seven or eight rings of their bodies.
     
  4.      Humans have known that earthworms have been vital to enriching Earth's rich soil all throughout history. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra called earthworms sacred. The Greek philosopher Aristotle said earthworms were the intestines" of the soil. Charles Darwin even spent 39 years studying earthworms. In 1881 Charles Darwin stated, "It may be doubted whether there are many other creatures which have played so important a part in the history of the world."

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?
    a) Humans have known that earthworms have been vital to enriching Earth's rich soil all throughout history.
    b)     Egyptian Queen Cleopatra called earthworms sacred.
    c)     The Greek philosopher Aristotle said earthworms were the intestines" of the soil.
    d)     Charles Darwin even spent 39 years studying earthworms.
     
  5.     Over 3000 types of earthworms live on our planet. The nightcrawler is eight to ten inches long and is often used by fishermen. Garden worms live in damp garden soil and grow five to seven inches in length. Manure worms are four to five inches long and can be found in soils rich in manure. One short earthworm is the red worm at three to four inches long. These are the easiest to raise and make up close to 90% of the commercial market.

    Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?

    a) Several kinds of earthworms can be found on Earth.
    b)     The nightcrawler is eight to ten inches long and is often used by fishermen.
    c)     Fishermen like to use worms to catch trout.
    d)     Garden worms live in damp garden soil and grow five to seven inches in length.

Sources of Earthworm Information:

NYSite West Side - Earthworm  http://www.nysite.com/nature/fauna/earthworm.htm

Worm World  http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/worm/pg000102.html
Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet  http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2133.html

 

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-------------Key-------------

 

  1. d
  2. c
  3. b
  4. c

  5. b

  6. a

  7. d

  8. c

 

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