Open Up - Grade 4 - ELA - Module 4 - Mid Unit 3 Assessment - Formative Library | Library

Directions:
Watch the video “Kayla Abramowitz” for the gist. Do not take notes as you watch.

Before watching the video a second time, set up your own graphic organizer in the space below to take notes on what the video is mostly about. Your teacher will pause the video periodically as you watch and take notes. When you have finished taking notes, you will be asked to respond to this prompt:

What reasons does Kayla Abramowitz give to support the point that kids can make a difference? Support your thinking with evidence from the video. (SL.4.3)

Part II:
Directions: Read the text “Making Hard Times Bear-able” and answer the questions below.

Making Hard Times Bear-able
By Sara Matson

Fourth-grader Jessica Carscadden has a special teddy bear that her grandma gave her. She says she “huggles”— hugs and cuddles—it every night. The bear makes her feel safe when she’s scared or sad. Jessica wants to help other kids feel safe, too. That’s why she started a stuffedanimal collection project called We Care Bears.

It began when Jessica was cleaning her room. “I had some stuffed animals that I didn’t need anymore,” she says. Then she thought of the fire station across the street from her house. “I realized that if I gave the stuffed animals to the firefighters, they could give them to kids they meet who are scared or injured.,” she says.

Jessica and her dad took a bag of stuffed animals to the fire station. “The firefighters were happy to get them,” she says. After that, she wondered if other kids had unwanted stuffed animals that were in very good condition to give away. She shared her thoughts with her school principal and the members of the student council. They thought the idea was great. So Jessica talked to the entire school at an assembly.

Students brought stuffed toys to school and placed them in collection bags. At the end of two weeks, Jessica’s friends helped her load about 300 stuffed animals of all kinds into her mom’s van!

Bags and Bags of Bears
Jessica carefully sorted the donations, making sure all the stuffed animals were in good condition. Her parents drove her to local fire stations to deliver them. Soon, news of her We Care Bears project spread. Several more schools and a restaurant held collection drives to help.

Since she started We Care Bears, Jessica has delivered hundreds of bags of bears and other stuffed animals to fire stations in Southern California—about 3,000 stuffed toys in all! Lynette Round, who works for the Orange County Fire Authority, says, “The firefighters use the stuffed animals to help children in crisis.”

Jessica is glad that so many kids will have a teddy bear or other animasl to “huggle” during a difficult time. She says, “If I was hurt, I’d want somebody to help me.”

Highlights is proud to know this Gallant Kid.

“Making Hard Times Bear-able” by Sara Matson. Copyright © 2014 Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

At the beginning of the article, Jessica says she has a special teddy bear that she “huggles” every night. According to the text, what does the word huggles mean? (RI.4.1)

In the last paragraph, the article states, “Several more schools and a restaurant held collection drives to help.”

What does the word collection mean in this sentence? Use a dictionary and write the correct definition below. (RI.4.4, L.4.4c)

What does the word drive mean in this sentence? Underline the best answer. (RI.4.4, L.4.4a)

What is a collection drive? Use what you have learned about these two words to write a definition below. (RI.4.4)

Jessica made “sure all the stuffed animals were in good condition” before bringing them to the fire station. Underline the word that means the same thing as condition as it is used in this sentence. (RI.4.4, L.4.4a)

According to the article, why does Jessica collect stuffed animals? Underline the best answer. (RI.4.1)

Why might the author have given this article the title “Making Hard Times Bear-able”? (RI.4.1)

Part III:

Follow the directions below to research who Kayla Abramowitz and Jessica Carscadden were and what each girl did to take action and make a difference in her community.

Complete the graphic organizer to capture your research about Kayla Abramowitz and Jessica Carscadden. Use evidence from the video “Kayla Abramowitz” and from the text “Making Hard Times Bear-able.” (W.4.7, W.4.8)

Source: Open Up Resouces (Download for free at openupresources.org.)

Open Up - Grade 4 - ELA - Module 4 - Mid Unit 3 Assessment

Making Hard Times Bear-able

Bags and Bags of Bears

At the beginning of the article, Jessica says she has a special teddy bear that she “huggles” every night. According to the text, what does the word huggles mean? (RI.4.1)

In the last paragraph, the article states, “Several more schools and a restaurant held collection drives to help.”What does the word collection mean in this sentence? Use a dictionary and write the correct definition below. (RI.4.4, L.4.4c)

What does the word drive mean in this sentence? Underline the best answer. (RI.4.4, L.4.4a)

What is a collection drive? Use what you have learned about these two words to write a definition below. (RI.4.4)

Jessica made “sure all the stuffed animals were in good condition” before bringing them to the fire station. Underline the word that means the same thing as condition as it is used in this sentence. (RI.4.4, L.4.4a)

According to the article, why does Jessica collect stuffed animals? Underline the best answer. (RI.4.1)

Why might the author have given this article the title “Making Hard Times Bear-able”? (RI.4.1)

In the last paragraph, the article states, “Several more schools and a restaurant held collection drives to help.”

What does the word collection mean in this sentence? Use a dictionary and write the correct definition below. (RI.4.4, L.4.4c)