2

Grade

Reading Level J

Comprehension

STORIES INCLUDED
Missing Tadpoles
Fool’s Gold or Real Gold?
The Slam Dunk
Ernest and the Elevator
The Fire Triangle
… and 5 more!

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Grade 2 Reading Comprehension

Level J Workbook

by K5 Learning

© K5 Learning 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the author. Permission is granted to
reproduce this material to be used with one (1) teacher's students by virtue of the
purchase of this book. In other words, one (1) teacher may make copies of these
worksheets to be used with his/her students. Permission is not given to reproduce the
material for resale.
____________________________________________

Please visit store.k5learning.com for more workbooks from K5 Learning.

 Level J Reader

Table of Contents

Introduction & Tips ............................................................................................................... 1

List of Vocabulary Words .................................................................................................... 3

Stories & Exercises:

Ernest and the Elevator............................................................................................................... 4

Stinky and Safe ......................................................................................................................... 10

Missing Tadpoles ...................................................................................................................... 16

Who Were the Beatles .............................................................................................................. 22

A Slimy Situation ....................................................................................................................... 28

Don’t Feed the Ducks................................................................................................................ 34

Fool’s Gold or Real Gold ........................................................................................................... 40

The Underdogs ......................................................................................................................... 46

The Slam Dunk ......................................................................................................................... 52

The Fire Triangle....................................................................................................................... 58

More from K5 Learning ....................................................................................................... 64

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 Level J Reader

Introduction & Tips

Welcome to our series of levelled reading workbooks. Each workbook contains a
number of texts. Each text is followed by exercises designed to reinforce literacy skills
including reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and writing. The books include
both fiction and non-fiction passages and explore a wide range of topics in social
studies, nature, history, science and more.

Our readers are “leveled” from A to Z based on a number of factors related to text
complexity such as vocabulary, average word size and sentence length, amount of
repetitiveness of words and sentence structures and subject matter complexity.

Early reading levels use short simple words and sentences in big fonts in a highly
repetitive manner. Stories relate to subjects young children are familiar with. Each
successive level introduces greater reading challenge.

About K5 Learning

K5 Learning provides thousands of free worksheets and affordable workbooks for

children in kindergarten to grade 5.

We work with award-winning teachers to create materials in support of independent

learning.

Our aim is to help parents help their kids develop their reading, math and study skills.
Visit us at www.k5learning.com.

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 Level J Reader

Some tips on using our leveled readers

 Review the vocabulary words on the first page of each story with your student.
Ask your child to read these words and talk about what they mean.

 Ask younger students to read the stories out loud and use their finger to point to
words as they read from left to right. Help them as needed.

 Ask younger students to also read the directions of the exercises out loud.
Remind them to use complete sentences when answering.

 Ask older students to look up words they don’t know in a dictionary.

 Point out punctuation; for example, when there is an exclamation mark ask
them to reread the sentence using more enthusiasm.

 Review your student’s work and guide him or her through any answers that are
not correct.

 Discuss the stories, the characters, the topics, the settings, the pictures –
anything about the text to make it more interesting, relevant or fun.

 Monitor your student’s progress and adjust reading levels as needed.

 Keep the reading fun!

Other books in this series

This book is one of a series of levelled reading workbooks. The levelled reading
approach makes it easy for parents to find appropriate materials for their kids.

The books range from Levels A-C (kindergarten) to Levels X-Z (grade 6).

The books can be purchased and downloaded exclusively from the online bookstore at
K5 Learning store.k5learning.com.

Questions & Feedback

If you have any questions or feedback for us, please contact us at customer-
service@k5learning.com.

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 Level J Reader

List of Vocabulary Words

The following vocabulary words are introduced in this workbook:

apartment audience autographs basketball

behaved bounce breadcrumbs breathe

burning cinnamon creature crowds

determination dunk elevator erupt

explosion fans favorite fear

fire fooled fuel gold

guitar habitat heat high

hockey human judge lava

liquid mirror nature observation

odor opossum oxygen predators

principal pyrite reporters salami

science searching shoot sign

skate sparkles swimming tadpoles

tails teammate trampoline visitor

volcano water worried

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 Level J Reader

apartment elevator salami

behaved favorite fear

Ernest and the Elevator

Liam has a dog named Ernest. He is a very good dog.

Ernest rarely barks. He never bites. He’s very well -

behaved, except that he loves chewing Liam’s
shoes.

Every day after school , Liam takes Ernest for a walk.

“Time for a walk, Ernest,”

Liam calls. Ernest wags his
tail and runs over to Liam.
Liam clips Ernest’s leash to
his collar.

Liam and Ernest live in an apartment building. Ernest

does not like to ride in the elevator. Every day, Liam
tries to get Ernest to go into the elevator. And every
day, Ernest refuses to go inside.

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 Level J Reader

Ernest whines, cries and pulls on the

leash. He’s too scared to
ride the elevator.

Most of the time, Liam and Ernest

take the stairs. Not today! Today, Liam
decides to help Ernest conquer his fear.

First, Liam tries to lure Ernest into the

elevator with his favorite dog toy. He
takes Ernest’s stuffed monkey out of his
doggie bed and puts it on the elevator floor.

“Come on, Ernest!” he exclaims, holding the elevator

door open. “Come get your toy.”

Ernest looks at the stuffed monkey. He looks at the

elevator. Then he lies down and makes a soft whining
noise. He won’t get in the elevator.

Liam has another idea. He finds some salami in the

fridge and puts it on the floor of the elevator.

“Come get the salami, Ernest,” he says.

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 Level J Reader

Ernest looks at the salami. He looks at the elevator.

He inches a little bit forward, then stops. E rnest still
won’t get in the elevator.

Liam is about to give up. Will nothing help Ernest

overcome his fear?

Then, Liam has another idea. He takes off one of his

shoes and tosses it inside the elevator.

“Ernest, go get the shoe!” Before Liam can even

finish his sentence, Ernest jumps inside the elevator.
He starts chewing on Liam’s shoe.

They get to the bottom floor. “You are so brave,

Ernest,” Liam says. Ernest won’t let go of the shoe,
but Liam doesn’t mind. He takes Ernest for a walk in
one shoe and one sock.

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 Level J Reader

Ernest and the Elevator (exercises)

1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the correct answer .

Ernest’s favori te thing to

T F
chew is salami .

Liam takes Ernest for a walk

T F
every day.

Ernest’s favorite dog toy is a

T F
stuffed giraffe.

2. Circle the correct answer.

Ernest looks at the stuffed monkey. He looks at

the elevator. Then he lies down and ( barks /
makes a soft whining noise ).

Ernest won’t let go of the ( stuffed monkey / shoe ),

but Liam doesn’t mind.

Other than the fact that he loves

( hiding / chewing ) Liam’s shoes, Ernest is very
well-behaved.
.

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 Level J Reader

3. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the events of the story in

the correct order.

_______ Liam tries to lure Ernest into the elevator

with salami.

_______ Liam tries to lure Ernest into the elevator

with a stuffed monkey.

_______ Liam takes Ernest for a walk w earing only

one shoe.

_______ Liam lures Ernest into the elevator with

one of his shoes.

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 Level J Reader

Ernest and the Elevator (answers)

1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the correct answer.

2. Circle the correct answer.

3. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the events of the story in

the correct order.

2 Liam tries to lure Ernest into the elevator with

salami.

1 Liam tries to lure Ernest into the elevator with a

stuffed monkey.

4 Liam takes Ernest for a walk wearing only one shoe .

3 Liam lures Ernest into the elevator with one of his

shoes.

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 Level J Reader

predators opossum liquid

cinnamon creature odor

Stinky and Safe

Animals protect themselves in all sorts of ways. Some

animals have hard shells. Some animals have sharp
teeth and claws. Some animals can run very fast.
Some animals are really good at hiding.

Other animals protect themselves by being stinky.

When you smell something really bad, you probably

plug your nose and run away. Some animals try to be
so stinky that predators run away, too.

One animal that makes

itself stink is the opossum.
The opossum is related to
the kangaroo. When the
opossum feels scared, it lies
down and plays dead. It also releases a
very stinky odor so predators won’t come close.

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 Level J Reader

Skunks can also be smelly. You can

recognize a skunk by its black fur
and the white stripe on its back.
When a skunk gets scared, it lifts up
its tail and sprays a stinky liquid. If
the liquid lands on you, you’ll be
stinky, too! It’s very hard to wash off
the smell of skunk on your clothes.

Insects also use smelly sprays to

protect themselves. Millipedes are
long, skinny bugs with lots and lots of legs. When a
millipede is scared, it will curl into a ball and spray
out a stinky liquid. Some people say this makes it
look like a cinnamon bun. A stinky cinnamon bun!

Another insect you might find around your house is a

stink bug. These bugs are shaped like a shield with
legs. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that
stink bugs are very stinky. If you try to squish one, it
will release a smelly odor.

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 Level J Reader

Did you know sea creatures can be smelly, too? The

sea hare looks like a colorful, und erwater slug. To
protect itself, it squirts sticky, stinky, purple ink.

Animals have all sorts of ways to protect themselves.

Even stinky ones!

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 Level J Reader

Stinky and Safe (exercises)

1. Choose the correct answer.

Which of these animals plays dead?

a. opossum
b. stink bug
c. sea hare
d. millipede

Which of these animals is stinky?

a. skunk
b. sea hare
c. opossum
d. all of the above

Which of these animals is an insect?

a. stink bug
b. opossum
c. skunk
d. sea hare

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 Level J Reader

2. Answer the questions below.

Why do some animals use stinky sprays?

______________________________________________________

What does a skunk do right before spraying ?

______________________________________________________

What does a millipede look like when it curls into

a ball?
______________________________________________________

3. Match each of these pictures to the correct

animal name.

millipede

skunk

opossum

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 Level J Reader

Stinky and Safe (answers)

1. Choose the correct answer.

Which of these animals plays dead?
a. opossum
Which of these animals is stinky?
d. all of the above
Which of these animals is an insect?
a. stink bug

2. Answer the questions below.

Why do some animals use stinky sprays?
They spray to protect themselves from predators .
What does a skunk do right before spraying?
It lifts up its tail .
What does a millipede look like when it curls into
a ball?
It looks like a cinnamon bun.

3. Match each of these pictures to the correct

animal name.

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 Level J Reader

observation tadpoles water

swimming habitat tails

Missing Tadpoles

Mrs. Jones held up a clear jar to the class.

“Boys and girls, look at what I have,” she said. “Can

you see what's in this jar?”

“I see water,” Mark told her.

“Yes, but what else do you see?” asked

his teacher. He looked puzzled.

“Look closely,” the teacher smiled.

Then the students saw them. They saw some small

things swimming in the water.

Leah raised her hand. “Those are fish,” she said.

“Not quite. They are tadpoles. I'm going to add them

to our animal habitat, so we can observe them.”

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 Level J Reader

The students watched the tadpoles every day. They

made observations about their big eyes and long
tails. The tadpoles seemed to never blink and never
stop swimming. They never seemed to go to sleep.
The students liked the tadpoles
and gave each one a name.

One Friday afternoon, after

the kids had gone home, Mrs.
Jones saw something that
would surprise her students
after the weekend.

On Monday, Mark went to sharpen his pencil and

paused by the animal habitat. He peered in. Puzzled,
then worried, he called to Mrs. Jones.

“Mrs. Jones, our tadpoles are gone!” She walked over

and looked in. Sure enough, the tadpoles were no
longer there.

Smiling, she said, “Boys and girls, come on over and

take a look at what Mark has found.”

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 Level J Reader

They rushed over and looked in the water.

Concerned, one student asked, “ What happened to
the tadpoles? Why aren’t they in the habitat?”

The teacher smiled. “They are in the habitat. They

grew so quickly that they are no longer tadpoles.”

The students looked at their teacher, confused . She

explained, “As tadpoles grow older and bigger, they
no longer need to stay in the water. Their tails go
away and they grow legs. They're still i n our habitat.
Do you see them?”

The students looked again, just as a small frog

jumped near the glass wall.

“Wow, they have grown into

frogs!” Mark said, grinning.

“Great observation, Mark!”

Mrs. Jones replied, smiling.

“Ribbit!” responded Mark, and the whole class burst

out laughing.

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 Level J Reader

Missing Tadpoles (exercises)

1. Choose the correct answer.

What does Leah think is in the jar?

a. tadpoles
b. seashells
c. snails
d. fish

The students liked to watch the tadpoles do

what?
a. play
b. dance
c. swim
d. sleep

Which word is another word for “concerned” in

the story?
a. happy
b. worried
c. excited
d. confused

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 Level J Reader

2. Put the events in the correct order.

_______ The tadpoles swim in their new habitat.

_______ The tadpoles become frogs.

_______ Mrs. Jones shows the class a jar.

_______ The students return to school after the

weekend.

3. Draw a tadpole. Describe what it looks like in a

sentence.

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

Missing tadpoles (answers)

1. Choose the correct answer.

What does Leah think is in the jar?

d. fish
The students liked to watch the tadpoles do
what?
c. swim
Which word is another word for “concerned” in
the story?
b. worried

2. Put the events in the correct order.

2 The tadpoles swim in their new habitat.

4 The tadpoles become frogs.
1 Mrs. Jones shows the class a jar.
3 The students return to school after the
weekend.

3. Draw a tadpole. Describe what it looks like in a

sentence.

Picture of a tadpole with description.

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 Level J Reader

autographs reporters guitar

audience crowds fans

Who Were the Beatles?

Almost 60 years ago, in 1964, a band came to the

United States from England. This band was called
“the Beatles.” They became the most popular band
of all time.

The Beatles had four members: John, Paul, George,

and Ringo. Their nickname was “the Fab Four .” Ringo
played the drums. The others sang and
played guitars. The band members also
had long hair. At that time, most boys in
America had very short hair.

The Beatles played rock and roll, but it

sounded different to Americans. Their
music was loud and fast. Their songs were easy to
sing along with and dance to. Students all over
America started listening to the Beatles on the radio.

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 Level J Reader

The Beatles wrote famous songs

such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand ,”
“Yesterday,” and “Let It Be.” They
made movies as well, includi ng
one where they traveled in a
yellow submarine!

One night, the Beatles were on The Ed Sullivan Show.

On this show, bands played music to a live audience.
Over 74 million people tuned in to watch the Beatles
on television.

People began to call the excitement “Beatlemania.”

People would scream and faint when they saw the
Beatles. At a concert in Chicago, the audience
cheered so loudly the band couldn’t hear their own
instruments.

People were so excited to see the Beatles that it

became hard for the band members to go outside.
Fans would keep asking for their autographs or
pictures.

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 Level J Reader

Reporters would follow the Beatles wherever they

went. Crowds of people would wait outside of their
homes or hotels. If the band members tried to leave,
people would chase them.

Being so famous became hard for the Beatles. They

couldn’t do normal things like go to a store or to the
movies. They stopped doing concerts so that they
could avoid the crowds.

The Beatles stopped playing as a band after only

eight years, but they are still famous around the
world. People of all ages still buy their songs and
records.

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 Level J Reader

Who Were the Beatles? (exercises)

1. Choose the correct answer.

The Beatles were:

a. a famous rock and roll band

b. a type of guitar
c. creatures that live under rocks

The Beatles came from:

a. the United States

b. England
c. The Ed Sullivan Show

In which year did The Beatles come to America?

a. 2001
b. 1964
c. 1886

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 Level J Reader

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

A. When people saw the Beatles, they would

_________________ or faint.

B. The band was together for _________________

years.

C. At a concert in Chicago, the crowd cheered

so loudly, the band couldn’t hear their own
_________________.

3. One of The Beatles’ most famous songs is called

“Yellow Submarine.” Fill in the missing words to
the song:

We all live in a yellow submarine.

Yellow submarine, _________________ submarine.

We all _________________ in a yellow ________________.

_________________ submarine, yellow submarine.

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 Level J Reader

Who Were the Beatles? (answers)

1. Choose the correct answer.

The Beatles were:
a. a famous rock and roll band
The Beatles came from:
b. England
In which year did The Beatles come to America?
b. 1964

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

A. When people saw the Beatles, they woul d
scream or faint.
B. The band was together for eight years.
C. At a concert in Chicago, the crowd cheered
so loudly, the band couldn’t hear their own
instruments.

3. One of The Beatles’ most famous song s is called

“Yellow Submarine.” Fill in the missing words to
the song:
We all live in a yellow submarine .
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
We all live in a yellow submarine.
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine.

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 Level J Reader

principal science erupt

volcano judge lava

A Slimy Situation

Cathy grinned at her science fair project. She had

worked so hard on it.

Her project was a homemade volcano. It was a

special volcano. It was a volcano that could erupt!

She finished painting it and went to the garage to

get a big box to put it in. She shut the lid and wrote
her name on it. Her dad promised to drive her to
school as the box was so big.

The next morning, she climbed into her dad’ s

car with her project next to her.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

“I can’t wait to show my

project today!” she said. She wanted
to see everyone’s faces when the volcano erupted.

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 Level J Reader

Cathy walked inside to set up the volcano. “That

looks amazing!” her dad said. He noticed all of the
materials she had used on her volcano. Paint from his
art supplies, paper from her mom’ s office and some
other materials from around the house.

“What does this big red button do?” he asked.

Before she could answer, a judge came over and

smiled. “I bet I know what it does,” he said, still
smiling. “If I press this button, will this volcano erupt?”

By this time, several students, teachers, and the

principal had walked over to watch. The judge
continued, “Why don’t you press the button and
show us what it can do?”

Cathy smiled and nodded. She was excited ,

but a little nervous. Cathy walked u p and
pressed the bright red button.

She waited. Everyone else waited , too.

Nothing happened; not even a small gurgle. Her
teacher suggested pressing it again.

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 Level J Reader

This time, Cathy pushed the button a bit harder.

Suddenly, the volcano began to rumble, but then
stopped. They waited some more, but still nothing
happened. “I guess it doesn’t work,” she said softly.

“It’s still a great volcano,” the

judge told her. He smiled and
turned his back to walk away.

Just then, everyone heard a

loud rumble. The
volcano began to
shake.

Hot pink lava slime erupted from the top. It shot up

high into the air as everyone watched in awe. Then
the hot pink lava slime fell down , right on the top of
the principal’s head!

Cathy’s eyes grew huge. Before she could begin to

apologize, her principal started to laugh. “ That
certainly is a great volcano!” The classroom filled
with everyone’s laughter.

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 Level J Reader

A Slimy Situation (exercises)

1. Choose the correct answer.

What is special about Cathy’s volcano?

a. It is pink.
b. It can sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
c. It can erupt.
d. It is bigger than a house.

What is the last step Cathy takes before going to

school?

a. painting the volcano

b. putting the volcano in a box
c. writing her name on the box
d. fixing the button

Which of the following means almost the same as

the word rumble in this story?

a. cream
b. growl
c. sing
d. whistle

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 Level J Reader

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Cathy makes a _______________________.

The judge says it is __________________________.

The ________________________ lands on the principal.

3. How do you think Cathy felt when the button did

not work the first time?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

A Slimy Situation (answers)

1. Choose the correct answer.

What is special about Cathy’s volcano?

c. It can erupt.

What is the last step Cathy takes before going to

school?
c. writing her name on the box

Which of the following means almost the same as

the word rumble in this story?
b. growl

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Cathy makes a volcano.

The judge says it is a great volcano.

The hot pink lava slime lands on the principal .

3. How do you think Cathy felt when the button did

not work the first time?

Answers will vary.

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 Level J Reader

breadcrumbs nature human

searching visitor sign

Don’t Feed the Ducks

A group of six ducks lived in a pond in a big park.

They were happy and lucky ducks.

Some people who visited the park fed them. The

visitors would give the ducks breadcrumbs, donuts
and crackers. The ducks liked the breadcrumbs the
most. They didn’t like the crackers. They only ate the
crackers if they were really hungry.

One day a man put up a sign. The ducks could not

read, so they just swam past it.

Soon, the ducks noticed

that visitors were not
giving them
breadcrumbs or donuts
anymore - not even crackers!

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 Level J Reader

The youngest duckling looked at the sign. “Ever since

that man put up that sign, no one has given us food!”

The duckling was angry. How can I find food for us?
thought the duckling.

A toad croaked beside him.

The croak made the duck
jump. The toad was friendly
and just wanted to help.

The toad told the duckling that ducks

don’t need human food. Ducks need to eat grass,
plants and fish eggs. “Eating duck food is better for
ducks,” croaked the toad as he hopped away.

“Of course,” said the duckling. “Donuts, crackers and

breadcrumbs are not duck food! Ducks should eat
what they find in nature.”

All the ducks agreed to try this new diet. There was
plenty of grass in the park. They ate the leaves that
fell from the trees. They even learned how to dive
underwater to find food.

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 Level J Reader

The ducks enjoyed searching for their own food. It

was much better than sitting around waiting for it.
Duck food also made them feel better.

One day, a little boy threw a whole donut into the

pond. The ducks were surprised. They all turned
toward the donut which looked so colorful!

Duckling raced toward the

donut. He grabbed it in his
beak. All the ducks held their
breath. Was the duckling going
to eat human food again?

Then, the duckling swam

towards the boy. He returned
the soggy donut to the
surprised boy with a loud
“quack.” Donuts are not duck
food, after all!

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 Level J Reader

Don’t Feed the Ducks (exercises)

1. Fill in the blanks.

A. One day, a man put up a __________________.

B. Visitors were not giving them _______________

anymore.

C. A toad ________________ beside him.

D. There was ________________ of grass in the park.

2. Answer the questions. Use complete sentences.

What human food did the ducks like the most?

______________________________________________________

What human food did the ducks like the least?

______________________________________________________

What did duckling do with the soggy donut?

______________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

3. What do you think the sign said? Draw the sign

and write the words on it.

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 Level J Reader

Don’t Feed the Ducks (answers)

1. Fill in the blanks.

A. One day, a man put up a sign.

B. The visitors were not giving them food

anymore.

C. A toad croaked beside him.

D. There was plenty of grass in the park.

2. Answer the questions. Use complete sentences.

What human food did the ducks like the most?

The ducks liked the breadcrumbs the most.

What human food did the ducks like the least?

The ducks liked the crackers the least.

What did duckling do with the soggy donut?

Duckling returned the soggy donut to the
surprised boy with a loud “quack .”

3. What do you think the sign said? Draw the sign

and write the words on it.

Picture of a sign saying not to feed the ducks .

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 Level J Reader

explosion pyrite mirror

sparkles fooled gold

Fool’s Gold or Real Gold?

“A-ha!” cried Danny the gold digger. “I

struck gold!” He held a shiny yellow rock in
his hand. Unfortunately, he was fooled.
What he found was “fool’s gold.”

Real gold is very valuable. People make rings and

jewelry from it. In many places, gold has been used
as a type of money. Like Danny, people have always
been trying to find gold. If you find enough gold , you
will be very rich!

Fool’s gold is not very valuable. It is re ally a rock

called “pyrite” (sounds like “pie right”). Pyrite can be
yellowish or a shiny metal lic color. It sparkles like gold
when it reflects the sun. That is why people are
fooled into thinking it is real gold. Pyrite is useful , but
it will not make you rich.

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 Level J Reader

The word pyrite comes from the Greek

word “pyr,” which means fire. If
you hit pyrite, it will create a
spark. People have used this
spark to start fires or explosions.

Polished pieces of pyrite were

used as mirrors. Today, pyrite is
used in batteries and other things.

So, how does Danny the gold digger know if he has

found gold or pyrite? He can test it.

• Gold is very soft; it will bend. Pyrite is hard. It

will break into little pieces if you hit it.

• You can cut gold, but you cannot even

scratch pyrite.

• Gold flakes will not move around in a pan of

water. They will stay on the bottom , but
pyrite will move around.

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 Level J Reader

• If you rub gold on a white dinner plate, it will

leave a yellow streak. Pyrite will leave a
greenish black streak.

• Gold has no odor, but pyrite smells like rotten

eggs!

Now, you know how not to be fooled into thinking

you have struck gold. The best places to look for gold
or pyrite are along riverbeds or hillsides. If you find a
big, yellow , shiny rock, and it turns out to be pyrite,
then don’t be disappointed. They can still be
beautiful rocks. Danny used his fool’s gold as a paper
weight. Happy digging!

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 Level J Reader

Fool’s Gold or Real Gold? (exercises)

1. Fill in the blanks.

A. The Greek word “pyr” means ________________.

B. Pyrite can be yellowish or a shiny ____________

color.

C. The best places to look for pyrite are along

riverbeds or ________________.

D. Gold has no odor, but pyrite smells like

________________.

2. True or False? Circle the correc t answer.

Pyrite is very soft, and it will

True False
bend with pressure.

Pyrite is not as valuable as

True False
gold.

The sun is made out of gold. True False

Pyrite is used in batteries. True False

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 Level J Reader

3. Why is pyrite called “fool’s gold”? Answer in a full

sentence.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

Fool’s Gold or Real Gold? (answers)

1. Fill in the blanks.

A. The Greek word “pyr” means fire.

B. Pyrite can be yellowish or a shiny metallic

color.
C. The best places to look for pyrite are along
riverbeds or hillsides.
D. Gold has no odor, but pyrite smells like
rotten eggs.

2. True or False? Circle the correct answer.

3. Why is pyrite called “fool’s gold”? Answer in a full

sentence.
Pyrite is called “fool’s gold” because it sparkles
like gold when it reflects the sun.

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 Level J Reader

determination worried shoot

teammate hockey skate

The Underdogs

Cole and Jane were worried about their hockey

game. They were playing against the Aces. The Aces
were big and fast and had not lost a game all year.

The dressing room was quiet. The other players were

worried about the game, too. It wasn’t until Coach
Joe entered the room that the silence was
broken.

“Good morning, everyone!” Coach

Joe said with a smile. “Let’s have a
great game today! Keep your feet
moving, keep your head up, and have
some fun! Let’s hear your cheer! 1-2-3…”

The players shouted, “Go Stars!” and then

headed for the ice.

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 Level J Reader

Right away, it was clear that

the Aces w ere a strong team.
Their players could
skate fast and shoot
hard. After two
periods, it was 3-0 for the Aces.

During the break, the players crowded around

Coach Joe. “I know you’ve been worried about
playing the Aces,” he said. “They are a good team,
but we’re a good team, too! When we work hard,
stay positive, and don’t give up, great things can
happen. 1-2-3…”

“Go Stars!” the players shouted.

Back on the ice, Jane made a great pass to Cole ,

and he took a shot. Goal!

The Stars were working harder than ever. Cole’s goal

had given them even more determination. It wasn’t
long before another teammate scored.

“3-2!” Jane yelled.

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 Level J Reader

Time was running out for the Stars. The puck was in
the Aces’ end, and Cole took a shot. The goalie
kicked out his leg to make the save. The puck
bounced off his pad and came towards Jane, who
wound up, shot, and…

“Goal!” Cole shouted. Jane looked up at t he clock

to see only two seconds left in the game. The Stars
and the Aces ended up tied, 3-3.

The dressing room was filled with excitement after the

game as Coach Joe spoke to his players.

“This is why you never give up,” he said. “We

knew the Aces were going to be a strong team,
but we worked hard, right up until the last
second of the game. You should be
proud of yourselves for not
giving up. 1-2-3…”

“Go Stars!” the team

shouted.

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 Level J Reader

The Underdogs (exercises)

1. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the events from the story

in order.

_______ Jane passed the puck to Cole , and he

scored.
_______ The dressing room was quiet.

_______ After two periods, it was 3-0 for the Aces.

_______ Jane saw that there were only two

seconds left in the game.

2. True or False? Circle the correct answer.

Both Cole and Jane were

worried about playing the True False
Aces.

The Stars scored the first

True False
goal of the game.

The Stars and Aces were

True False
playing basketball .

Cole scored three goals

True False
during the game.

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 Level J Reader

3. List two reasons why the Aces were such a good

hockey team.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

The Underdogs (answers)

1. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the events from the story

in order.

_ 3 _ Jane passed the puck to Cole , and he

scored.
_1 _ The dressing room was quiet.
_2 _ After two periods, it was 3-0 for the Aces.
_4 _ Jane saw that there were only two
seconds left in the game.

2. True or False? Circle the correct answer.

3. List two reasons why the Aces were such a good

hockey team.

They skate fast and shoot hard.

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 Level J Reader

trampoline high bounce

basketball dunk ankle

The Slam Dunk

The kids were having a great time at the trampoline

park.

“This is so much fun!” Marie screamed as she jumped

up and down.

“I wish we could come here every

day!” Annie yelled.

Mom watched as the girls played on

the trampolines. Marie and Annie spotted
a bouncy area with a basketball net.

Marie got a ball and bounced toward

the net. She jumped as high as she could
and then threw the ball. It just missed the net!

“My turn,” Anni e said.

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 Level J Reader

Marie passed the ball to Annie so she could try. She

bounced up to the net and took a shot. She missed,
too!

Mom thought about her days of playing basketball

when she was in high school. She had been a pretty
good player, and basketball had been so much fun.
She missed those days.

Mom climbed onto the trampoline.

“You’re going to play?” Annie asked.

Mom replied, “I was a great basketball

player when I was a kid. Watch this,
girls!”

Mom started bounci ng on the

trampoline, higher and higher. All the
kids stopped what they were doing
and watched.

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 Level J Reader

Mom bounced close to the net, and then she made

her biggest jump yet. She raised her arm s and slam
dunked the ball into the basket! The girls started
cheering for Mom, but they quickly stopped.

“Oh, no!” Mom cried. She sat down on the

trampoline, holding her ankle.

Marie and Annie rushed over to see what was wrong.

“I think I hurt my ankle when I land ed,” Mom said,

holding her leg. “I guess I’m not the basketball star I
used to be.”

Annie smiled. “Well,

you did make a really
cool slam dunk. I think
you are a star.”

“Thanks, Annie.” Mom

laughed. “That makes it
all worthwhile.”

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 Level J Reader

The Slam Dunk (exercises)

1. Multiple choice.

At the trampoline park, Annie and Marie decided

to play ____________.
a. hockey
b. basketball
c. tag

Mom was a good basketball player when she

was _____________.
a. a baby
b. a Girl Scout
c. in high school

Mom sat down on the trampoline because

_____________.
a. she needed a rest
b. she felt dizzy from jumping so high
c. she had hurt her ankle

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 Level J Reader

2. Write 1, 2, and 3 to put the events from the story

in order.

_______ Mom hurt her ankle.

_______ Annie missed the net when she threw the

basketball.

_______ Mom climbed onto the trampoline.

_______ Mom slam dunked the basketball .

3. How did Mom feel at the end of the story?

Embarrassed or proud, or both? Write a sentence.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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 Level J Reader

The Slam Dunk (answers)

1. Multiple choice.
At the trampoline park, Annie and Marie decided
to play ____________.
b. basketball

Mom was a good basketball player when she

was _____________.
c. in high school

Mom sat down on the trampoline because

_____________.
c. she had hurt her ankle

2. Write 1, 2, and 3 to put the events from the story

in order.

_ 4 Mom hurt her ankle.

_1 _ Annie missed the net when she threw the
basketball.
_2 _ Mom climbed onto the trampoline .
_3 _ Mom slam dunked the basketball .

3. How did Mom feel at the end of the story.

Embarrassed or proud, or both? Write a sentence.

Answers may vary.

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 Level J Reader

oxygen breathe fire

burning heat fuel

The Fire Triangle

The best part of camping is making s’mores. Before

we can make a s’more, we must have a campfire.

It takes three things to start a fire: oxygen, fuel, and

heat. We call these three things the “fire triangle.”

Oxygen is a part of the air around us. We cannot see

it, smell it or taste it. We breathe in oxygen all the
time. Fire needs oxygen to burn.

Fuel is anything that will burn. For

campfires, we use wood. Wood is
easy to find in the forest from old
trees which have fallen down.

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 Level J Reader

The final part of the fire triangle is

heat. Heat is needed to start the
fire. We use a heat source to
start the fire. Most of us light a
fire with matches. Once a fire
has started, it can make its
own heat, so we don’t have to
keep using more and more matches.

Before we start a fire, we should also know how to

stop a fire.

To stop a fire, we take away one of the things from

the fire triangle. The easiest way is to stop putting
more wood on the fire. When the fire runs out of fue l,
it will stop. We can also try to take away the oxygen
by pouring water, or shoveling sand, over the fire.
That stops the air from reaching the fire. Without
oxygen, the fire will stop burning.

Now we know how to start and stop a fire. Let's make

some s’mores!

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 Level J Reader

Get your graham crackers and chocolate ready.

Take your marshmallow and put it on the end of a
long stick. Roast the marshmallow over the fire.

It’s turning brown! Quickly, place the marshmallow

on a cracker. Put a piece of chocolate on top of the
marshmallow. Put another cracker on top of the
chocolate. Now press the s’more together gently.

Enjoy your s’more!

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 Level J Reader

The Fire Triangle (exercises)

1. Answer the questions below.

What are the three parts of the fire triangle?

_______________, _______________, and _______________.

What is the fuel most people use for campfire?

__________________.

2. Fill in the blanks.

A. Once a fire starts burning, it can make its

own _______________.

B. Pouring _______________ over the fire over the

fire will stop it from burning.

C. S’mores are made with _________________,

_________________, and _________________.

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 Level J Reader

3. True or False? Choose the correct answer.

Oxygen smells like rotten

True False
eggs.

You can put out a fire by

True False
shoveling sand over it.

To keep a fire burning, you

True False
need a lot of matches.

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 Level J Reader

The Fire Triangle (answers)

1. Answer the questions below.

What are the three parts of the fire triangle?
oxygen, fuel, and heat

What is the fuel most people use for campfire?

wood

2. Fill in the blanks.

A. Once a fire starts burning, it can make its
own _ heat .

B. Pouring water over the fire will stop it from

burning.

C. S’mores are made with graham crackers,

chocolate, and marshmallows.

3. True or False? Choose the correct answer.

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