ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01988-8ISBN-10: 0-547-01988-2

1031859

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

3.1.1

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: J

DRA: 18

Genre:Humorous Fiction

Strategy:Summarize

Skill:Story Structure

Word Count: 296

by Dixie Lee Petrokisillustrated by Melanie Siegal

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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Printed in China

ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01988-8ISBN-10: 0-547-01988-2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0940 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11

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2

“Mrs. Harvey is sick today,” the principal told Alma’s class.

Alma thought that news was just great. Now they might not have that math test!

The principal talked to Alma’s class.

Alma

principal

3

Then a new teacher strolled into the room.

When Alma saw him, she felt a big lump in her throat.

Alma’s new teacher made Alma feel worried.

new teacher

4

“That’s your dad!” gasped Cary.“Yes, it is,” Alma said, frowning. “He’s wearing a funny outfit,”

Cary said.“Yes, he is,” Alma said.

Cary said the new teacher was Alma’s dad!

Cary

5

“Hi, kids!” said Mr. Alvarez. “I’ll be your teacher while Mrs. Harvey is out sick.” He wrote his name on the board.

Then he smiled and said, “I know you were planning to take a math test this morning. But tests aren’t fun.”

The kids all looked at each other.“So let’s sing songs!” Mr. Alvarez said.

Mr. Alvarez wanted the class to sing.

Mr. Alvarez

6

So the class sang songs.Then they blew giant bubbles, told

stories, and had a snack.Then Mr. Alvarez showed them how

to make hats out of colored balloons.

The class had fun with Mr. Alvarez.

bubbles

singing

balloons

7

“Your dad is great!” Cary told Alma. “School is so much better now that he’s our teacher.”

But Alma looked worried.

Alma was worried about the new teacher.

8

Alma’s father drove her home after school. “Did you have fun today?” he asked.

“I guess so,” Alma said.“You guess so?” he asked.

Alma talked to her father.

balloon hat

9

“Dad, I like fun,” said Alma. “But we need to learn.”

“I know, but I wanted your classmates to like me,” her dad said.

“Just be yourself,” Alma said. “They’ll like you.”

Alma told her dad her class needed to learn, too.

10

The next day, Mr. Alvarez dressed like a teacher.

“Today we will get back to learning,” Alma’s dad told the class. “But don’t worry. Learning can be fun, too!”

Alma smiled. She felt proud of her dad.

By the end of the day, everyone agreed. Learning was fun!

Alma’s class had fun learning!

11

RespondingTARGET SKILL Story Structure Alma

has a problem when her class gets a new teacher. Copy the story map below. Fill in the story events. Then tell how Alma solves her problem.

CharactersAlma, Mr. Alvarez

Settingschool

PlotAlma worried that her father was too much fun in class.EventsThe principal said that Mrs. Harvey was sick.???

Text to Self What have you had fun learning? Write a paragraph that describes what you did. Use exact words and colorful details to tell what made it fun.

Write About It

12

announcedcertainlyfineprincipal

proudsoaredstrolledworried

TARGET VOCABULARY

TARGET SKILL Story Structure Name the setting, characters, and plot in a story.

TARGET STRATEGY Summarize Tell the important parts of the story in your own words.

GENRE Humorous fiction is a story that is written to entertain the reader.

ISBN-13: 978-0-547-01988-8ISBN-10: 0-547-01988-2

1031859

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

3.1.1

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: J

DRA: 18

Genre:Humorous Fiction

Strategy:Summarize

Skill:Story Structure

Word Count: 296