NameMonday, January 22

I'm So (yawn) Tired!By Erin Horner

Sometimes I stay up late andwatch one of my favorite movies.When the final credits roll, Igroggily make my way to bed. Thenext morning when I wake up, Iam so tired. I cannot stop yawning!Why do we yawn when we aretired? Yawning is a reflex. It issomething that our body doeswithout us even having to thinkabout it. Some people believe thatour bodies yawn when we needmore oxygen. They think thatwhen there is not enough oxygen in our lungs, the nerves in our bodytell the muscles in our mouth to open wide. When we do this, we takein an extra large breath of air. This extra deep breath helps to fill ourlungs with more oxygen. The extra oxygen in our lungs then helps ourbodies to feel a little less sleepy. Others, though, just think that ayawn is a way that our bodies stretch. These researchers believe thatyawning helps to stretch our facial joint and muscles. This raises ourblood pressure and helps our bodies feel more alert. No one knowsexactly why we yawn. We do know, though, that a big yawn feelsgreat! We also know that they may be our bodies' way of letting thosearound us know that we stayed up way too late the night before!

I'm So (yawn) Tired!

Questions

1. What is a reflex?

2. In this passage the word groggily means:

A. carefullyB. dazed and weakened from a lack of sleepC. hurtD. joyfully

3. The author probably wrote this passage to ______.

A. inform you about some theories as to why we yawnB. demonstrate how to stop a yawn once it startsC. persuade you to get more sleepD. describe her favorite late night routine

4. Choose the best title of this passage.

A. Everyone Knows Why We YawnB. Only Tired People YawnC. Yikes! I Can't Stop Yawning and I Don't Know Why!D. Someday I'll Stop Yawning

NameMonday, January 22

Tsunami: What a Wave!By Brandi Waters

Do you ever think about what goes on atthe bottom of the ocean? It is probably alot more than you think! Volcanoes canstart at the bottom of the ocean.Earthquakes can happen there, too. No bigdeal, right? No people. No buildings. Nodanger. No one can get hurt out in themiddle of the ocean, right? Wrong. Apowerful earthquake or volcanic eruptioncan kill many people, even when ithappens in the middle of the ocean! Whenthey happen at the bottom of the ocean,they make the water move. Rippling wavesrush out from the spot where the earthquake or eruption took place.The waves move out in every direction. They can move as fast as fourhundred fifty miles per hour! These waves are called tsunamis. Whentsunamis get close to land, they get much taller. This is because theocean is not as deep near the shore. Some waves can be up to onehundred feet tall! These giant waves can do a lot of damage when theycrash onto the shore. They can destroy buildings. They can causeflooding. They can cause people to drown. Tsunamis are verydangerous.

Tsunami: What a Wave!

Questions

1. A tsunami is ______.

A. an earthquakeB. a series of strong wavesC. a volcanoD. all of the above

2. Tsunamis begin ______.

A. at the bottom of the oceanB. when a powerful earthquake happens underwaterC. when a volcano erupts underwaterD. all of the above

3. When tsunamis get close to the shore, they ______.

A. move fasterB. get widerC. move slowerD. get taller

4. Tsunamis can move as fast as ______.

5. What kind of damage can a tsunami cause?

NameTuesday, January 23

Pies, Pies, All Kinds of Pies!By Kathleen W. Redman

What some people wouldcall the perfect dessert has along and interesting history.This dessert is made withall kinds of foods.Sometimes, it isn't a dessertat all! It can be the maincourse of a meal. Thispopular dish is, of course,the pie.

A pie is usually made withpastry dough on top,bottom, and all the way around filled with some kind of food. Thereare apple, cherry, pumpkin, peach, and blueberry pies. There are evenmeat pies, like beef or chicken, with or without vegetables. There'seven a dish called lobster pie!

The pie got its start thousands of years ago - as early as 9500 B.C.The Greeks made their pies with crust as something for the country'smany sailors to take with them on long journeys. The Romans alsomade pies and put the recipe for them in a Roman cookbook that datesto the first century.

The pie made its way across Europe and to America with the firstEuropean settlers to arrive in the New World. The pie became morepopular as bakers tried all different kinds of fillings for pies.

In Europe, an interesting part of pie baking is the use of a pie bird.Bakers put a hollow ceramic pipe, made to look like a bird with itsmouth open, into the piecrust to keep steam from building up insidethe pie while it bakes. Other bakers use the not-so-cute method ofcutting holes in the piecrust to keep steam from building up.

And what's a history of pies without pie throwing? For many years,throwing a pie in someone's face has been a popular routine in manycomedy shows. It gets a good laugh and makes a big mess of the

victim.

January 23 is National Pie Day. It's a great day to try your hand at piebaking, or, if you're already good at baking, to try a new andinteresting recipe for pie. Or if you can't or don't want to bake, it's agood day to brush up on your pie-throwing skills!

Pies, Pies, All Kinds of Pies!

Questions

1. According to the text, what do some people call pies?

A. portable meat pattiesB. the perfect dessertC. fried nightmaresD. junk food

2. What can pies be other than dessert?

3. Pies got started as early as ______.

A. 9500 B.C.B. 9000 B.C.C. 900 B.C.D. 500 B.C.

4. The Greeks made pies with crust for their ______

A. sailorsB. kingC. pigsD. senators

NameTuesday, January 23

5. The ______ put the recipe for pies in a cookbook in the firstcentury.

A. RomansB. MongolsC. SaxonsD. Greeks

6. What do European bakers use to keep the steam in a pie frombuilding up?

7. When is National Pie Day celebrated?

A. January 13B. January 18C. January 23D. January 3

8. How are pies used in comedy shows?

A. They are thrown at someone's face.B. They are baked.C. They are thrown away.D. They are eaten.

What is your favorite kind of pie? Tell why you like it.

NameTuesday, January 23

Lassen Volcanic National ParkBy Meg Leonard

Lassen Volcanic National Park is inCalifornia. It is in the northeastern part of thestate. Lassen Peak is the southernmost activevolcano in the Cascade Mountain Range. Thelast eruption at Lassen Peak was in 1915.Lassen Peak is the largest volcano out of agroup of thirty volcanoes in the park. Thevolcanoes in this group do not erupt regularly.

Scientists love to study the volcanoes here.The mountains are peaceful and quiet. Butyou can also find fumaroles. A fumarole is avent in the side of a volcano that lets gassesescape. They can be small or large cracks. You can also find boilingmud pots. A mud pot is a small hole filled with boiling acidic waterand mud. These give evidence that there is a lot of heat under theground.

Weather has a big effect on the park. The roads can be covered withsnow for much of the year. Visitors may be surprised by a reddishcolor in the snow. It is snow algae. Scientists study these algae in themountains. Snow algae live in deep snow that stays around for a longtime. Other species eat the algae. Scientists study this to learn how thealgae survive in this harsh environment. They also study the algae tosee if it could help fight cancer.

Like many other national parks, you can hike and camp here. ThePacific Crest Trail runs through the park. Visitors to the park canstudy the volcanoes or living creatures. Or they can enjoy theoutdoors through other activities. There is something for everyone atLassen Volcanic National Park.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Questions

1. Where Lassen Volcanic National Park?

A. FloridaB. OregonC. HawaiiD. California

2. When did Lassen Peak last erupt?

A. 1925B. 1935C. 1945D. 1915

3. What is a fumarole?

A. a boiling pit of mud and acidic waterB. a volcanoC. a snow stormD. a crack in a volcano that lets gas escape

4. What can affect the way visitors travel in the park?

A. tornadoesB. snow stormsC. typhoonsD. hurricanes

5. What causes the red snow?

A. red wildflowersB. snow algaeC. pollenD. the sun's light

6. Which mountain range contains Lassen Peak?

Name DateWednesday, January 24

The Crow and the FoxWritten by Brenda B. Covert

Miss Crow learned her lesson about flattery one day when Mr. Fox tricked her out of a piece of cheese. She gave it a lot ofthought and decided to get her revenge.

Hidden among the leaves in the trees, Miss Crow watched Mr. Fox. "When the time is right," she told herself, "I will teach him alesson that he will never forget!"

One day Mr. Fox found a curious object. He seemed pretty excited about it from what Miss Crow could see. She flew a littlecloser to get a better look at the object.

"Look at that!" she thought. Her eyes gleamed. Mr. Fox had found ...

Answer the following questions before you finish the story.1. Why is Miss Crow watching Mr. Fox?

2. Think of three objects that Mr. Fox might like to find. List them and the reasons that a fox or a crow might like those items.

3. What will Miss Crow do next?

Name DateWednesday, January 24 The Crow and the Fox

4. How do you think Mr. Fox will react when he sees Miss Crow again?

5. Who will win the battle of wits this time: the fox or the crow? Explain your answer.

Name DateWednesday, January 24 The Crow and the Fox

Using the ideas you wrote for the thinking questions, write an ending to the story. Be sure to include dialog in your ending. Write incomplete sentences, using correct punctuation. Be creative and use these two blank pages.

Name DateWednesday, January 24 The Crow and the Fox

NameWednesday, January 24

Assignment: Compliment ThreeBy Brenda B. Covert

"Why doesn't anybody like me?" Kendraasked.

"Sometimes I hear you talking withothers," Mrs. Taylor said softy. "I hear youtalking about your clothes, your hair, yourdance class, or your belongings. It seems likeyour favorite topic of conversation is you.You let everyone know how much you likeyourself, but they can't tell whether you likethem at all."

Kendra wished the floor would open upand swallow her. Mrs. Taylor's words stung. Kendra wondered ifshe really was guilty of being self-centered. When she had confidedin her teacher that her classmates didn't like her, she was looking forsympathy, not criticism. Why was Mrs. Taylor being so mean?

"When you get home, here's what I want you to do," Mrs. Taylorsaid gently. "Finish your homework first." She winked, and Kendraresponded with a small smile. "Then think about the way you behavearound others. Try to remember the things you said today. Ifsomeone else said those things to you, how would you react?Probably the same way your classmates react to you."

"To change their reactions, you need to change your behavior,"Mrs. Taylor went on. "Doesn't that make sense?"

Kendra agreed that it did, but she still didn't know what to do. Atleast Mrs. Taylor was smiling at her now. She watched as her teacherpicked up her pink, fluffy-topped pen and wrote something on anotepad.

"This will be your assignment for tomorrow," Mrs. Taylor said asshe finished writing. "You are to think of three differentcompliments for three different classmates. They must bemeaningful compliments and not simple flattery. This will help you

to focus your attention on others, and it will help them to see thatyou like them."

"And then they will be my friends?" Kendra asked, slipping thenote into her backpack.

"Friendship is based on more than a compliment," Mrs. Taylorreplied. "It may take longer than a day or two, but if you show yourclassmates that you like and care about them, I'm sure they willdecide that they like you, too."

On the piece of paper, these words were written in blue:

Assignment

3 people

3 compliments

Kendra looked at those words often as she planned her strategythat evening. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror and practicedsaying nice things to different kids in her class. She hoped that shehad picked the ones that would respond in a good way. She hadalways thought that telling her classmates about all her goodqualities would make them want to be her friends. It was quite ashock to learn that she was wrong!

The next day Kendra's heart beat rapidly as she walked into herclassroom. Mrs. Taylor gave her an encouraging smile. Kendra sawthat April was wearing a black velvet top with glittery flowers on it.Kendra had a similar one in her large walk-in closet.

"Hey, April, I really like your top," Kendra said. "Is it new?" Itwas difficult not to add that she had one like it, but she managed tocontrol the urge to talk about herself.

April looked at Kendra in surprise. "Thanks," she replied. "I likeit too! It was a gift from my grandma."

"It really looks good on you," Kendra said sincerely.

As she took her seat, she glanced toward the head of the class and

NameWednesday, January 24

caught Mrs. Taylor's eye. Her teacher gave a slight nod. That waseasier than I expected, Kendra thought. I wonder how soon I'll havethe chance to compliment someone else.

According to Mrs. Taylor's instructions, since Kendra hadcomplimented April on her clothes, she couldn't use a clothingcompliment again. As Mrs. Taylor taught American history,Kendra's gaze wandered over her classmates. Whom would shetarget next? What could she say?

During lunch, Kendra noticed that Summer got a lunch tray forDarcy, who was on crutches with a sprained ankle. When Summergot back in line to get her own lunch, Kendra said, "That's really niceof you to help Darcy get her lunch. You're a good friend."

Summer nearly dropped her tray. "Thank you," she saiduncertainly, as if she wasn't sure whether Kendra was sincere. "I liketo help my friends."

It was difficult not to giggle, but Kendra managed. She neverimagined that saying nice things to others would be so much fun!She might not stop at three compliments. Why not see how manynice things she could say in one day?

Kendra complimented Alex on his basketball skills at recess. Shecongratulated Miranda on her perfect score on their spelling test.Orlando raised his eyebrows when Kendra told him that she enjoyedhis celebrity impersonations.

When she told Emily that she wished her own handwriting was aspretty as Emily's, Orlando overheard her. He turned around in hisseat and asked, "What is this, National Compliment Day?"

Everyone turned to witness Kendra's reaction. She thoughtquickly. "If it is, you'd better get with the program!" Kendra retortedsmartly before a giggle escaped.

Emily and April, who were sitting close by, giggled as well."Yeah, Orlando!" April said. "Now it's your turn to say somethingnice!"

While Orlando tried to cover his embarrassment and think of a goodresponse, Kendra looked up and saw Mrs. Taylor smiling broadly ather. When she gave Kendra the thumbs-up sign, Kendra mouthed thewords "thank you."

Assignment: Compliment Three

Questions

1. What action preceded this story?

A. Kendra's classmates learned to like her.B. Kendra had a great day at school.C. Kendra bragged about her dance recital.D. Kendra complained about not having friends.

2. What is the plot in this story?

A. learning to put others firstB. thinking up good complimentsC. trusting the teacher to helpD. trying to make friends

3. Which of the following words best describes Kendra at thestory's beginning?

A. lonelyB. snobbishC. bashfulD. poised

4. Kendra wished the floor would open up and swallow her.What does that mean?

NameWednesday, January 24

5. Which of these is not a fact?

A. Mrs. Taylor response to Kendra's complaint was mean.B. The assignment was to compliment three classmates in

one day.C. Kendra complimented five classmates.D. Orlando was one of Kendra's classmates.

"To have a friend, you've got to be a friend." Discuss the meaning ofthis old saying. Provide examples to support your thoughts.

NameWednesday, January 24

A Patriot's PlateBy Colleen Messina

I am a homonym that can be spelled two ways,and I have more than one meaning. Spelled oneway, I form the rows on an ear of corn. Spelledanother way, I am an officer in the Air Force,Army, or Marine Corps. See if you can fill inthe blanks in the following sentences:

An Army ________ knew the power of carrots,kale, and cauliflower.

However, he couldn't stand the sight of a_________ of corn; he couldn't take a bite.

So on his plate, this patriotic fellow did not have a seed of somethingyellow.

A Patriot's Plate

Questions

1. Which branch of the armed forces was not mentioned in thisparagraph?

A. Air ForceB. NavyC. ArmyD. Marine Corps

2. Which vegetable was not mentioned in this paragraph?

A. cauliflowerB. lettuceC. kaleD. carrots

3. This type of food can be yellow.

A. trueB. false

4. What words fill in the blanks in the sentences in thisparagraph?

NameThursday, January 25

Happy Haggis Day!By Beth A. Beutler

Dear Diary,

I am on a winter break with my cousin who lives in Scotland. I havenever been here before, and boy, are things different! They have someinteresting customs and holidays.

Today just happened to be a day on which the Scots have a specialsupper in honor of one of their favorite poets, Robert Burns. Theycommemorate his birthday with a meal of haggis. Haggis is notsomething I would choose for dinner. I will write more about it in aminute.

We had the celebration at my cousin's home. Several families fromthe neighborhood came over late in the afternoon, and my uncle beganthe evening by saying the Selkirk Grace, a short poem thanking Godthat food is available to all in the room. Then, a man playing bagpipeswalked in, followed by a cook carrying a dish called haggis. Haggis isa dish that mixes various organs of a sheep, such as its heart and liver,with suet, oatmeal, and seasonings. It is cooked in the animal'sstomach! So, it's rather like a big sausage. We also had soup, coffee,and a layered dessert (the most tolerable part of the meal, if you askme).

Apparently, Robert Burns wrote a poem about haggis, and it seemsappropriate to his fans to honor his memory by eating this dish eachyear.

After dinner, one of the guests gave a speech about Robert Burns,remembering his many poems. Then, guests toasted the women or"lassies" in the room, followed by several people reciting poems andsinging songs by Burns. I learned that he wrote in a variety of moodsand about many subjects. Some of his more well-known poems are"To a Mouse," "Holy Willie's Prayer," and "My Luve is Like a Red,Red Rose."

At the end of the night, we joined hands and sang "Auld Lang Syne."I didn't realize that Robert Burns had written those words, too. We

sing that song in America every New Year's Eve. It is a songreminding people to remember their loved ones and traditions fromthe past.

I was surprised to learn that Robert Burns only lived to be 37,considering the fame and respect he earned in his life and for all theseyears later. These folks are dedicated to remembering him, perhapsbecause he was very down-to-earth, having worked as a farmer andenjoying a simple life. Ironically, one of his tutors did not think hehad much talent in writing. However, his readers certainly feltdifferently!

So, dear diary, although this was an odd evening, it was aneducational one. When I go back to school and have to write a paperabout a poet, I know which one I'll choose!

Good night.

Happy Haggis Day!

Questions

1. Robert Burns was a ______.

A. writerB. song writerC. poetD. all of the above

2. In what country was the writer of the diary entry located?

NameThursday, January 25

3. The name of the meat "sausage" that was served at the dinneris ______.

4. What poem written by Robert Burns is often sung in Americaon New Year's Eve?

5. In this story, which meaning would best describe"down-to-earth"?

A. practicalB. living on the groundC. gardenerD. grand

6. Robert Burns only lived to be ______.

7. One of Burn's tutors thought Burns did not have much talent in______.

8. Which of the following works is NOT listed in the story?

A. "The Cotter's Saturday Night"B. "My Luve is Like a Red, Red Rose"C. "Auld Lang Syne"D. "To a Mouse"

9. What other vocation did Robert pursue?

NameThursday, January 25

Fun and Games in Ancient EgyptBy Phyllis Naegeli

What do you do for fun? Do you playgames? Maybe you go to the movies. Howabout listening to music? These are all thingswe do for fun and games. What about theAncient Egyptians? How did they have fun?From what we have found out, they had lotsof fun. They had toys, games, and playedpretend. They listened to musicians. And,they enjoyed sports. Let's see what we candiscover.

Girls and boys of Ancient Egypt had lots offun. Boys wrestled, played tug of war, andused pretend weapons to imitate warriors. They also pretended to dowork like their fathers. Girls had dolls made of wood or cloth.Sometimes the dolls had hair and moveable legs and arms. There arepictures in Egypt of girls holding hands in a circle and dancing. Thisgame is called "pressing the grapes." We do not know what the ruleswere, but maybe it was like "Ring around the Rosy." Boys and girlsplayed ball games in Ancient Egypt, too. The balls they used weremade from papyrus, wood, or leather. There were other toys too.Horses on wheels and baby rattles have been found. The children hadmany things to keep them entertained.

Adults played many indoor games. A board game named senet is themost well known. It is exciting to have the rules for this ancient game.The board used in senet has a checkerboard pattern with three rows often squares. Each player had seven game pieces of different sizes,colors, and shapes. They threw sticks called "knuckle-bones" like diceto tell them how to move. The object of the game was to move yourpieces to special squares. These squares represented good fortune.Ancient Egyptians played other games too. A game that used a boardwith twenty squares has been found in some tombs. Dice have beenfound also. Another type of game used a board with holes drilled in it.The pieces are in the shape of animals on top of pegs. It's too bad wedon't know how to play these games. Maybe someday we will!

Families in Ancient Egypt did many fun things together. All familiesenjoyed the Nile River. Adults and children swam and fished. Theywatched boat games where men tried to push each other into the river.They also went to the temples together. Here they worshipped theirgods and watched performances of plays. Wealthier families hiredmusicians to entertain them. There were wonderful parties withacrobats and dancers. Ancient Egyptians had a wonderful family life.

Sports were also important in Ancient Egypt. They had their owntype of Olympic games. Wrestling was a favored sport. There aremany pictures of wrestlers found in Egypt. Athletes also fenced withsticks made into spears. Boxing was also a popular sport. There werecompetitions in running, archery, spear throwing, and weightlifting.Horses were used in some competitions. There were even early typesof hockey, handball, and gymnastics.

From toys, to games, to sports, the Ancient Egyptians sure knew howto have fun!

Fun and Games in Ancient Egypt

Questions

1. What game is shown in pictures in Egypt where girls holdhands and dance?

A. ring around the rosyB. senetC. hockeyD. pressing the grapes

2. What were some balls made of in Ancient Egypt?

A. rubberB. papyrusC. glassD. all of the above

3. What are knuckle-bones?

A. sticks thrown in the game of senetB. dice thrown in the game of senetC. rocks thrown in the game of senetD. jewels thrown in the game of senet

NameThursday, January 25

4. Senet was played on a board with three rows of fifteen squares.

A. trueB. false

5. What kind of game was played on the Nile River?

A. a dancing gameB. a boat gameC. a boxing gameD. a hockey game

6. The Ancient Egyptians liked to watch sports events.

A. falseB. true

7. Ancient Egyptian temples were used for worship and ______.

A. shoppingB. cookingC. playsD. all of the above

8. Which type of family enjoyed the Nile River in AncientEgypt?

A. only the wealthyB. only the poorC. only the religiousD. all families

What do you do with your family for entertainment? Write about aspecial time you had with your family.

NameFriday, January 26

Discovering America II: 1805 (FortMandan-Pacific)By Toni Lee Robinson

Spring had come to the Great Plains of NorthAmerica. The Corps (pronounced core) ofDiscovery was ready for the next leg of theirwestward journey. Lewis and Clark and theirmen had come up the Missouri River in the fallof 1804. At Fort Mandan they had spent fivemonths waiting out the cold weather.

Living with the Mandans was a French trappernamed Charbonneau. His wife Sacagawea,(Sa-ka-ga-WEE-ah), was a Shoshone Indiangirl. She was soon to have a baby. TheCaptains had asked Sacagawea and herhusband to come west with them. The team needed someone to helpthem speak with the Indian people they found along the way.

Sacagawea's baby was born February 11. His name, Jean Baptiste(jzon bap-TEEST), was French. The baby would travel on hismother's back for the entire trip. Captain Clark was fond of the littleboy and called him "Pompy."

On April 7, 1805, the Corps headed west. They rode in two pirogues(PEE-ros) and six smaller canoes. There were thirty-three travelers inall, as well as Seaman, Lewis's big dog. Everyone was excited to beon the move again. Lewis wrote in his journal that the moment oftheir leaving was "among the most happy of my life."

The group pushed up the Missouri. In the area that is now Montana,the travelers were awed at the huge herds of buffalo, antelope, andother game. Lewis had guessed that the Indian stories about grizzlybears were fairy tales. But when he saw the huge bears, he changedhis mind. Several times grizzlies charged the men, roaring andsnarling. Shooting the bears didn't always stop them. One was shotnine times. It was still attacking when it finally died! This bear wasabout six hundred pounds and nearly nine feet long.

Farther upriver, the going got tougher. A windstorm caused one ofthe pirogues to take on water. Bundles that held the captains' journalsand other important gear began to float away. Sacagawea quicklygrabbed the bundles out of the water. Most of the items were saved.Lewis and Clark were very thankful for her quick thinking.

The Corps traveled on. Lewis knew they would need horses for thenext part of the trip. He was glad to find Sacagawea's people, theShoshone. She and her husband were called upon to speak withCameahwait, the leader of the tribe. They asked him to sell horses tothe travelers. Suddenly, Sacagawea recognized the chief. He was herbrother! She was very happy to see him. The Indian woman had beenkidnapped by another tribe five years earlier and had not seen herfamily since.

With Shoshone horses, the party rode into the mountains. They wouldbe over the mountains, they hoped, in day or two. They would find ariver that would lead to the Pacific Ocean, the famous NorthwestPassage. Lewis stepped to the top of Lemhi Pass expecting to see aneasy route to the Pacific. Instead, he saw tall, snow-covered peaksgoing on far into the distance.

The dreadful mountain crossing took eleven days. The trail wasburied in snow and fallen timber. Men and horses fell and rolled downthe steep hillsides. Lack of game forced them to kill some of thehorses for food. The men were cold, exhausted, and starving. Themountains, now called the Bitterroots, seemed to go on and on.

Finally, the Corps staggered out onto the Weippe (WEE-yipe) Prairie.Nez Perce (NEZZ- purs) Indians fed them and helped them makecanoes. Leaving their horses in the care of the Nez Perce, theypaddled down the Clearwater River to the Snake and then to theColumbia River. They were very close, now, to their goal.

On November 7, Clark wrote joyfully of seeing the ocean. But againthey were disappointed. What they saw was Gray's Bay, still milesfrom the ocean. Nearly three weeks of heavy wind and rain forcedthem to camp at this spot. At last, in mid-November, they reached thePacific shore. Five hundred fifty-four days had passed since they leftSt. Louis, Clark noted. They had come over four thousand miles.

NameFriday, January 26

Discovering America II: 1805 (Fort Mandan-Pacific)

Questions

1. Where did the travelers spend the winter of 1804-1805?

A. In the mountainsB. With the ShoshoneC. St. LouisD. At Fort Mandan

2. Why were Sacagawea and her husband included in thejourney?

A. To cook for the menB. To speak with native peopleC. As guidesD. To paddle the canoes

3. Name one kind of wildlife the voyagers found on the MissouriRiver.

4. The expedition bought horses from the ______ tribe.

A. MandanB. ShoshoneC. Nez PerceD. Blackfeet

5. What was Lewis hoping to find as he looked over Lemhi Pass?

A. The Northwest Passage, an easy route to the oceanB. The oceanC. A good place to campD. Villages

6. The Nez Perce who helped Lewis and Clark were living

A. In MontanaB. Near the oceanC. In the mountainsD. On the Weippe Prairie

7. When they reached the Pacific, about how many miles had thetravelers come since leaving St. Louis?

A. About 2000B. 10,000C. A millionD. Over 4000

8. For you, what was the most exciting part of the Lewis andClark trip west? What do you think was most exciting for theexplorers?

NameFriday, January 26

Roman BathhousesBy Vickie Chao

What is your favorite wayto relax after a day of hardwork? If your answer is totake a hot bath, you arecertainly not alone. Theancient Romans had thesame idea, too.

The Romans were veryserious about bathing. Toappease the demand, therewere many bathhouses. Some of those bathhouses were privatelyowned, but others were not. Some of those bathhouses were verysimple, but others were not. Despite the differences, all bathhousesused the so-called hypocaust system for central heating. They had firegrates in their basements. When fires were lit in the grates, hot airflew through the wall ducts. It warmed up the baths. The floor atground level was supported by concrete or brick pillars. Both buildingmaterials were great for retaining heat.

Interestingly, the Romans did not wash their bodies with soap. Theyused oil instead. After undressing, they would usually rub oil ontotheir skin and head to a "warm room." Once there, they might lungeinto a pool of lukewarm water for a while. Or they might simply sitaround chatting with their friends. When they felt it was about time tomove on, they would then go to a "hot room." A "hot room" was likea sauna. It was hot and steamy. As the Romans sat and perspired, theyused a tool to scrape dirt off their skin. The tool had a specific name.It was called "strigil." It was made of wood, bone, or metal.

Now, with filth thoroughly scrubbed off, the Romans would first takea quick dip in a hot pool and then in a cold one. After they completedthe ritual, some would even hire attendants for massages or haircuts.

Roman bathhouses, in many ways, are like our spas. But they offeredmore services. Beyond the usual pools, Roman bathhouses also hadgardens, exercise yards, reading rooms, and even libraries. They had

concession stands and restaurants, too. Because of the many featuresand low admissions, the Romans went to bathhouses very often.Sometimes they went for cleaning their bodies. Sometimes they wentfor catching up with the latest gossip. Sometimes they went forbusiness meetings. And sometimes they went for curing minorailments. Regardless of what drove them to go, the Romans took theirbathing very seriously. Later as they invaded other countries, one ofthe first things they did when they arrived was to build a bathhouse.By doing so, they brought with them a piece of memory from home.They knew that no matter where they were, they could always counton going to a bathhouse and having a good time.

Roman Bathhouses

Questions

1. Which of the following about Roman bathhouses is correct?

A. They had heating systems hidden in the attics.B. They could only be found in Rome.C. They had several pools, all with lukewarm water.D. They had reading rooms and concession stands.

2. Why did the Romans go to a bathhouse?

A. To socializeB. To washC. To meet friendsD. All of the above

3. What did the Romans use to bathe?

A. Shower gelB. DetergentC. SoapsD. Oil and strigils

4. What is a strigil?

A. It is a tool that the Romans used for cleaning their ears.B. It is a tool that the Romans used for gardening.C. It is a tool that the Romans used for scrubbing dirt off

their skin.D. It is a tool that the Romans used for eating.

NameFriday, January 26

5. What material did the Romans use as the support for the floorat ground level?

A. DirtB. GlassC. WoodD. Concrete

6. Which of the following can we not find in a Romanbathhouse?

A. A hot poolB. A supermarketC. A libraryD. A cold pool

7. The Romans used the hypocaust system to heat up pools in abathhouse.

A. TrueB. False

8. Which of the following about Roman bathhouses is true?

A. All Roman bathhouses were publicly owned.B. Because of high admissions, Roman bathhouses were for

rich people only.C. Roman bathhouses were popular meeting places for

friends.D. Eating and drinking were not allowed in Roman

bathhouses.

Suppose you could travel back in time. You just came back from yourfirst visit to a Roman bathhouse. Describe your experience.

Name Date

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