Georgia Common Core Support Coach, CCGPS Edition, Target: Reading Comprehension, Grade 5

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5
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Target
5
Target Reading
Comprehension
DevelopedExclusivelyfortheCCSS Reading
Comprehension
Focus on
> Biographies
> Dramas
> Historical
Nonfiction
> Myths
> Fables
> Poetry
> Scientific
Nonfiction
> Short Stories
> Technical Texts
Master the skills and strategies you need
to comprehend complex texts!
TARGET ReadingComprehensionGEORGIA
T132GA
ISBN-13: 978-1-62362-041-7
9 7 8 1 6 2 3 6 2 0 4 1 7
9 0 0 0 0
GEORGIA

Contents
Fiction
Lesson 1: Short Stories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Star Compare and Contrast • Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sing Me a Friend Summarize • Plot and Setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Read on Your Own from The Railway Children. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Lesson 2: Poetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Road Not Taken / By the Arno
Visualize • Poetic Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
My Castle Figurative Language • Speaker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Read on Your Own Lady Icicle / Snow-Flakes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Lesson 3: Drama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Let Freedom Ring, Act 1 Draw Inferences • Theme . . . . . . . . . . 52
Let Freedom Ring, Act 2 Make Predictions • Dramatic Structure. 60
Read on Your Own The Red Shadow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Lesson 4: Graphic Novel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
The Last Training Mission, Part 1
Sequence of Events • Visual Elements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
The Last Training Mission, Part 2
Draw Inferences • Theme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Read on Your Own Sammy Gets His Act Together. . . . . . . . . . 94
Lesson 5: Traditional Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
A Collection of Aesop’s Fables Paraphrase • Point of View . . . . . 102
The Magic Moneybag
Ask and Answer Questions • Compare and Contrast Characters. . . . . . . 110
Read on Your Own Armadillo’s Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
RL.5.2, RL.5.3, RL.5.9,
RL.5.10, RF.5.4.c, L.5.4.b
RL.5.2, RL.5.4, RL.5.5,
RL.5.10, L.5.4.a, L.5.4.c
RL.5.1, RL.5.2, RL.5.3,
RL.5.5, RL.5.10, L.5.4.b
RL.5.1, RL.5.2, RL.5.7,
RL.5.10, L.5.4.c, L.5.5.b,
L.5.5.c
Common Core Georgia
Performance Standards
(CCGPS)
RL.5.3, RL.5.6, RL.5.9,
RL.5.10, L.5.5.b, L.5.6
2
Duplicatinganypartofthisbookisprohibitedbylaw.©2014TriumphLearning,LLC
CC13_ELA_G5_SE_FM_TOC.indd 2 5/9/13 2:17 PM

Nonfiction
Lesson 6: Literary Nonfiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Genre Model: Edith Markham: My Century
Make Predictions • Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Genre Model: Preserving Freedom: The Edith
Markham Story Summarize • Multiple Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Read onYour Own TheBlind Courageof ErikWeihenmayer. . . 142
Lesson 7: Historical Nonfiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Alaska and Hawaii: Struggling for Statehood
Draw Inferences • Relationships between Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
The American Flag: A Long, Colorful History
Main Idea and Details • Text Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Read on Your Own The Heavenly Horses of Han Wudi. . . . 166
Lesson 8: Technical Texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
How to Start a Community Garden
Compare and Contrast • Text Structure: Problem and Solution. . . . . . . . 174
The Art of Video Games Preview, Skim, and Scan • Text Structure:
Cause and Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Read on Your Own From Snurfers to Snowboards. . . . . . . . . . 190
Lesson 9: Scientific Nonfiction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Using Silver in Medicine
Locate Information • Interaction between Ideas/Concepts in Text . . . . 200
Titanium: Metal of the Future Draw Conclusions • Graphics. . . 208
Read on Your Own Sleep and Dreams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
RI.5.2, RI.5.4, RI.5.6, RI.5.9,
RI.5.10, L.5.4.a, L.5.5.a
RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, RI.5.5,
RI.5.10, L.5.4.a, L.5.5.c
RI.5.4, RI.5.5, RI.5.10, L.5.6
RI.5.3, RI.5.7, RI.5.9,
RI.5.10, L.5.4.a, L.5.4.c
Common Core Georgia
(CCGPS)
3

Lesson 10: Persuasive Nonfiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Let’s Serve Healthier School Meals
Ask and Answer Questions • Reasons and Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
No More Supersized Sodas! / Let Me Drink
What I Want! Summarize • Author’s Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Read on Your Own A Use for Community Land. . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Tools
Graphic Organizers and Close Reading Worksheets
Lesson 1: Short Stories
The Star. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Sing Me a Friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Lesson 2: Poetry
The Road Not Taken /
By the Arno. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
My Castle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Lesson 3: Drama
Let Freedom Ring, Act 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Let Freedom Ring, Act 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Lesson 4: Graphic Novel
The Last Training Mission,
Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
The Last Training Mission,
Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Lesson 5: Traditional Literature
A Collection of Aesop’s Fables. . . . . . . . . 269
The Magic Moneybag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Lesson 6: Literary Nonfiction
Genre Model: Edith Markham:
My Century. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Genre Model: Preserving Freedom:
The Edith Markham Story . . . . . . . . . 275
Lesson 7: Historical Nonfiction
Alaska and Hawaii: Struggling
for Statehood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
The American Flag: A Long,
Colorful History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Lesson 8: Technical Texts
How to Start a
Community Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
The Art of Video Games. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Lesson 9: Scientific Nonfiction
Using Silver in Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Titanium: Metal of the Future. . . . . . . . . 287
Lesson 10: Persuasive Nonfiction
Let’s Serve Healthier
School Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
No More Supersized Sodas! /
Let Me Drink What I Want!. . . . . . . . . 291
RI.5.2, RI.5.4, RI.5.6, RI.5.8,
RI.5.9, RI.5.10, L.5.6
Common Core Georgia
(CCGPS)
4

Lesson 5
Traditional
Literature
Traditional literature includes
the myths, fables, folktales, and legends of
a particular culture. Myths usually explain
how an aspect of nature came to be and often
center on a hero. Fables are stories that teach
morals, or lessons about life. They often
involve animals that speak. Folktales are
stories that were passed down orally from one
generation to the next. Legends are traditional
stories about heroes with ideal qualities. How
might a myth explain what causes lightning
and storms?
Skills Focus
A Collection of Aesop’s Fables
Paraphrase Point of View
The Magic Moneybag
Ask and Answer Questions
Compare and Contrast Characters
Traditional Literature 99
CC13_ELA_G5_SE_L05_099-122.indd 99 4/30/13 12:38 PM

Practice the Skill
First Read Paraphrase
When you paraphrase, you put information in your own words.
When you read a text and then talk or write about it without quoting
the text, you are paraphrasing. For example, read this sentence: Marco
was an extremely intelligent boy who had difficulty relating to kids his
own age. You could paraphrase it like this: Marco was very smart and
had trouble making friends.
Paraphrasing is different from summarizing because when
summarizing, you include only the most important details. Therefore,
a summary is much shorter than the original. You include all the details
when you paraphrase, so it is longer than a summary would be.
Try It Read the following fable from Aesop called “Belling the Cat.”
Long ago, the mice got together to decide what to do about their
enemy, the cat. Finally, the youngest mouse suggested that they put
a bell around the cat’s neck so they would hear her coming and hide.
All the mice were excited by this solution. Then, one old mouse asked,
“Who will put the bell on the cat?”
Not one mouse volunteered.
The old mouse said, “It is easy to suggest impossible solutions.”
Discuss Paraphrase the first sentence. Then paraphrase the rest of
the excerpt. Make sure you are not using the same words
that appear in the text.
As you read, complete the Paraphrase Chart on page 269.
100 Lesson 5 • Traditional Literature

Practice the Skill
Second Read Point of View
The narrator is the voice that tells a story. A story can be told from
different points of view.
In first-person point of view, the narrator is a character in the story.
The narrator tells the story through his or her own eyes. The narrator
makes statements like, “When I was walking down the street, I was
humming to myself.”
In third-person point of view, the narrator is outside the story. The
narrator can talk about all the characters from an outsider’s perspective.
In a third-person narrative, a statement might be, “When Jane was
walking down the street, she was humming to herself.”
Try It Reread the fable “Belling the Cat” on the previous page. Then
read this version of “Belling the Cat.”
The house we lived in had a scary and hungry cat. Every night we
feared for our lives, and we didn’t know what to do. Finally, the youngest
mouse came up with an idea. He suggested that we put a bell around
the cat’s neck so that we would hear the cat coming and have time to
hide. I thought that was a brilliant idea until the oldest mouse asked for
a volunteer. No one made a squeak. We got his point. It’s not so easy to
come up with ideas that actually work.
Discuss How is the story different when told from the first-person
and from the third-person point of view? Underline the
details in both selections that help you determine the kind
of narration used.
As you read, record your answers to questions about the
narrator’s point of view on the Close Reading Worksheet on
page 270.
A Collection of Aesop’s Fables 101

Aesop’s Fables
A Collection of
Which point of view
is used in this story?
Circle the details in
paragraph 1 that help
you determine the type
of narration.
Why does the fox want
the goat to jump into
the well?
Purpose for Reading
Read along with your teacher. Each time, read for a different purpose.
First Read Focus on paraphrasing.
Second Read Focus on the narrator’s point of view.
Third Read Focus on evaluating the stories critically.
The Fox and the Goat
A fox was out for a walk one day when he fell into a well that
was so deep, he could find no quick way to climb out. As he
was pondering his situation, a thirsty goat happened upon the
well. He looked into the well and saw the fox at the bottom.
“How is the water?” asked the goat. “I am very thirsty, and
it looks quite refreshing. You must feel very contented to be
down there.”
The clever fox thought quickly. “Ah, yes, it is wonderful
to be down here with all this cool, clean water. I have been
drinking and drinking, and I no longer have that terrible
feeling of thirst I had when I arrived.”
Without thinking of how he would get out of the well, the
goat jumped in and began sucking up as much water as he
could. After a few minutes, he took a break from drinking and
lifted his head.
“Goat,” said the fox, “as you can see, we are stuck down here.
But I think I have figured out a way that we can both get out.”
1
2
3
4
5

Paraphrase the fable.
Write the story in your
own words on the
Paraphrase Chart.
Think about the goat’s
point of view. How
would the story be
different if the goat
were the narrator?
Fox continued, “If you stand up on your hind legs and put
your front legs on the wall, I can climb up your back. I will stand
on your head to reach the top of the wall, and then I can pull
myself over. Once I am out, I will gladly help you to get out.”
The goat agreed at once and positioned himself with his
front legs high up on the wall. The fox scurried up the goat’s
back, grabbed hold of the goat’s horns, and swung himself over
the edge of the well. He then looked back down at the poor old
goat at the bottom of the well.
“OK, now you reach in and help me out,” reminded the
goat. “I need to escape too, of course.”
But the fox had no intention of helping the foolish goat, so
he turned and began walking away.
“You must help me! You promised that you would!”
screamed the goat.
But the fox just turned around and, in a bored tone of voice,
replied, “You should never have jumped into the well in the
first place. You did not think about how you would get out
before you threw yourself in. You must learn to look before
you leap.”
And with that, the fox walked away.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

own words on the
Paraphrase Chart.
What is the narrator’s
point of view?
Circle the details in
paragraph 14 that help
you determine the type
of narration.
The Fox and the Grapes
A fox was out on a summer day, walking through a grove of
fruit trees, when he spotted a grapevine. “It is so hot out today,
and I am quite thirsty,” said the fox. “Those grapes would taste
so good, with all the sweet juice oozing into my mouth.”
The grapevine, however, was quite high up, much
higher than the fox could easily reach. “Those grapes are
perfectly ripe, so they are worth a little effort,” said the fox. He
jumped up as high as he could, but did not even come close to
reaching the grapes. He paused to figure out what to do.
The fox decided to take a running jump from a distance,
so he ran forward and jumped as high as he could. Again, he
could not reach the grapes. “I know I can do this,” said the fox
to himself. “I will try one more time.” The fox moved backward,
ran toward the vine, and leaped upwards. But again, he was
unsuccessful.
The fox wanted the grapes badly, so he continued trying,
but his attempts were unsuccessful. Looking at the grapes one
last time, he said, “On second thought, those grapes do not
look very fresh. I am sure they are sour,” and he walked away.
A bee who had witnessed the scene said, “It is easy to
dislike the things we cannot have.”
13
14
15
16
17

The Crow and the Pitcher
A thirsty crow was flying around one day when he spotted a
pitcher of water below. “Oh, I hope that pitcher is full of water,”
the crow said.
The crow flew down as quickly as he could, but when he
reached the pitcher, he found that it was nearly empty. There
was only a tiny bit of water at the very bottom. The crow
poked his beak into the pitcher to try to slurp up the water,
but his beak was not long enough. He looked at the water and
wondered, “How can I get to that water with my beak?”
At last, an idea came to him. The crow flew off, picked up
a small rock in his beak, carried it back to the pitcher, and
dropped it inside. He continued doing this over and over. It
took a very long time, since the crow could only carry one
pebble at a time, but finally the pitcher was full of pebbles. The
pebbles had caused the water level to rise, and the crow could
now enjoy a much-deserved drink of water.
After taking a long drink, the crow thought about his hard
work and his interesting, successful solution to the problem.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” he said.
18
19
20
21
own words on the
Paraphrase Chart.
Think about the crow’s
point of view. How
would the story be
different if the crow
were the narrator?
Why is the crow’s
solution clever? What
would happen if he
tipped the pitcher to
get the water?

own words on the
Paraphrase Chart.
Compare
What do these fables
have in common? List a
few ideas.
The Dove and the Ant
One day, a red ant was out walking by a river. He carefully
approached the bank of the river to take a drink, but the water
was moving much too fast for a tiny ant and washed him away.
The ant was floating helplessly down the river when he
was spotted by a dove flying overhead. The dove took pity on
the tiny ant, thinking that he would never be able to get out of
the river by himself. So, the dove picked up a long branch and
dropped it into the river, near the water’s edge. The ant was
able to climb onto the branch and walk across it to the shore.
Once he got out of the river, the ant saw a man in the
bushes. The man had his eyes trained on the dove and was
preparing to shoot her. Just as the man was taking aim to shoot,
the ant hurried over to him and bit him on the foot. The sting
caused the man to miss his shot, and the dove flew to safety.
“Little friends may prove to be great friends,” said the
happy dove. “That tiny ant has saved my life.”
22
23
24
25

Vocabulary: Adages and Proverbs
Adages and proverbs are short sayings that express an idea about
human behavior. An adage expresses some kind of truth about human
nature or how people behave, such as “The early bird gets the worm.”
A proverb offers advice about how to live your life, such as “Better
safe than sorry.” Adages and proverbs are often found in traditional
literature because they quickly sum up the moral of the story in a way
that most people can understand.
Try It Read this proverb from the end of “The Fox and the Goat.”
“You must learn to look before you leap.”
If you don’t know what the proverb means, think about the moral, or
lesson, of the story.
Discuss What is the meaning of the proverb? What lesson is the
proverb trying to teach?
The following adages and proverbs are found in “A Collection of
Aesop’s Fables.” Explain each adage or proverb in your own words.
1. It is easy to dislike the things we cannot have, p. 104 When you
can’t get something, it’s easier to say it’s terrible. That way, you don’t
feel bad that you don’t have it.
2. Necessity is the mother of invention, p. 105 When people need to
accomplish something, they think of creative ways to do it.
3. Little friends may prove to be great friends, p. 106 Sometimes, people
who are smaller or weaker than others can still be useful.

Practice the Skill
First Read Ask and Answer Questions
When you ask and answer questions, you think about things you
want to know as you read. You ask yourself questions about such things
as the reasons for a character’s actions or plot events. Then you look for
answers to these questions as you continue reading. Asking questions as
you read helps you understand the text better.
Try It Read the following paragraphs from a Cherokee fable called
“Why Rabbit Has a Short Tail.”
Fox tied four fish to his long, bushy tail. When he saw Rabbit coming,
he dangled his tail in the icy water. Rabbit hopped over.
“What are you doing, Fox?” asked Rabbit.
“I am fishing. I hope to catch enough fish to sell in the village so I
can buy a nice tail comb.”
Fox suspected Rabbit would want the tail comb for his own tail, but
he knew that Rabbit was not as clever as he was. He also knew that he
was faster and could beat him to the village. He started walking away.
“I am done for the day,” he said. “See you later.”
As soon as he walked away, Rabbit put his long tail into the water.
Discuss What questions might you ask about the story? Draw a box
around something that you are wondering about.
You might ask yourself, “Why does the rabbit have a long tail?
I thought rabbits had short, bushy tails.” Since the answer to this
question is not in the text, you would have to keep reading to see if you
could find the answer. Does the title give you a clue?
As you read, record your answers to questions on the Close
Reading Worksheet on page 271.

Practice the Skill
Second Read Compare and Contrast Characters
A character is a person or animal that takes part in the action of a
story. In stories, characters have distinct personalities that are shown by
the way they talk to each other, think, and act.
When you compare and contrast characters, you look for similarities
and differences between them. You can compare and contrast a
character’s thoughts, actions, and interactions with those of other
characters. For example, two characters may meet a third character. One
character warmly greets the third character, while the other character
completely ignores her. This is a major difference in the way the characters
interact with other characters, and it reveals a lot about each one.
Try It Read the following paragraphs from the tale “The Town Mouse
and the Country Mouse.”
The town mouse lived in the big city. He loved the busyness of city
life. He had something exciting to do every night.
His cousin, the country mouse, invited him to come for a visit.
The fresh air will do me good, the town mouse thought to himself, and
we always enjoy each other’s company.
The country mouse liked the simple life. He took the town mouse on
long walks, and they sat for hours on his porch. After a couple of days, the
town mouse couldn’t stand it anymore. “Cousin, all this peace and quiet
is getting on my nerves. I’m going back to the city sooner than I planned.
Perhaps you will visit me in the city. There will be so much to do!”
Discuss In what ways are the town mouse and country mouse
different? Underline the differences. How are the characters
similar? Double underline the similarities.
As you read, complete the Characters Chart on page 272.
The Magic Moneybag 109

What happens to
the firewood in the
courtyard? Put a box
around details that
help you find the
answer.
How are the
woodcutter and his
wife similar in their
actions? Underline
the similarities and
write them on the
Characters Chart.
Purpose for Reading
Read along with your teacher. Each time, read for a different purpose.
First Read Focus on asking and answering questions.
Second Read Focus on comparing and contrasting characters.
Third Read Focus on evaluating the story critically.
a Korean folktale
A long time ago, there was a young woodcutter and his
wife who lived in a small hut. They were very poor. Each
morning, they walked up the mountain near their hut. They
chopped down trees so they could gather firewood. They
collected enough to make two bundles of firewood, and then
they secured the heavy bundles to their backs so they could
return home.
One bundle of firewood was brought inside so they could
use it to cook their food and keep the hut warm. They placed
the second bundle in the yard and would take it to the market
the following day so they could sell it. With the money, they
would buy rice so they could eat. The couple never made extra
money with which to buy anything fancy, but they were able to
buy enough rice each day to keep themselves fed. They never
complained about how hard they had to work.
One morning when they woke up, they noticed that
the bundle of firewood in the courtyard had mysteriously
disappeared. They had no wood to sell at the market to buy rice.
1
2
3
MoneybagThe Magic

What is the woodcutter
probably thinking or
feeling when he is
carried away into the
sky? Put a box around
details that help you
answer.
How do both the
woodcutter and his
wife feel by the fifth
morning? Underline
the similarity and write
it on the Characters
Chart.
That day, the woodcutter and his wife headed back up the
mountain to gather two bundles of firewood as usual. They
brought the firewood back down to their hut and left one
bundle in the yard, but the following morning, the bundle
from the courtyard was gone again. Similarly, this pattern
continued on the third and fourth mornings.
By the fifth morning, the woodcutter decided that he must
do something, since he and his wife could not continue to
live with just one bundle of firewood. They had nothing to
sell at the market to buy rice. The woodcutter and his wife
felt desperate.
To find out what might be causing the disappearances,
the woodcutter hollowed out a space inside the bundle of
firewood in the courtyard and climbed inside, making sure
that from the outside, the bundle looked perfectly normal.
He waited patiently. In the middle of the night, a large,
strong rope came down from the sky, twisted itself around the
bundle of firewood, and lifted it, with the woodcutter inside,
up to heaven.
When the woodcutter arrived in heaven, he saw an old
man with white hair. The old man approached the bundle of
firewood and untied it. When he saw the woodcutter hidden
inside, the old man asked, “Why do you gather two bundles of
firewood each day? Most people gather only one.”
4
5
6
7

Why does the old man
most likely take the
bundles of wood in
the first place? Draw
a box around details
that help you find the
answer.
Does the woodcutter
think he and his wife
deserve the old man’s
generosity? Support
your answer with
details in the text.
The woodcutter replied, “My wife and I have no money. We
cut two bundles of firewood each day so that we can sell one at
the market and use the money to buy rice so that we may eat.
We don’t have any money left over after buying rice, but we do
not complain.”
“Ahh,” said the old man with warmth and understanding in
his voice. “I see that you and your wife are hardworking people
and are careful with what little money you do have. You take
care of yourselves without complaining. Therefore, I would
like to offer you a treasure that you can take back to your house
and use to help support and sustain yourself and your wife.”
At that instant, seven fairies came up to the woodcutter
and led him away to a beautiful palace that glowed with gold
and sparkling gems. Inside were many precious objects that
were beyond anything the woodcutter had ever imagined.
One room of the palace was filled entirely with money bags of
different shapes and sizes, all filled to the brim.
“Which one would you like?” a fairy sweetly asked him.
“You are welcome to take whichever you choose.”
The woodcutter could not believe his good luck. With wide
eyes, he carefully studied each bag. At last, the woodcutter’s
eyes rested on the largest moneybag in the room. “I’d like that
one, please, the huge, swollen one over there. That one seems
stuffed with many wonderful things.”
8
9
10
11
12

At just that moment, the old man entered the room,
looked angrily at the woodcutter, and told him that he could
not have that particular bag. “You can have this empty one,”
he said. “Each evening you can reach in, and one silver coin
will appear for you to take out. One coin, and no more.” The
woodcutter agreed to take the empty bag, not sure whether
to believe the old man’s words as he looked longingly at the
enormous overstuffed one. Then he took hold of the rope and
was lowered back to his house.
The woodcutter’s wife was thrilled when she heard what
had happened on her husband’s adventure. They would no
longer have to worry about making enough money to buy rice.
Each day, the woodcutter and his wife would rise as usual,
walk up the mountain, collect the firewood for their hut, and
return home at dark. Once home, however, they would reach
into their moneybag. One beautiful silver coin would come
rolling out. Each evening was exactly the same; one coin would
come rolling out, no more, no less. The woodcutter’s wife
carefully collected the silver coins.
One evening, the husband looked at the pile of coins
they had saved. “We should buy an ox,” he suggested, but his
wife did not agree. “We should buy a larger plot of land,” the
woodcutter suggested a few days later, but again, his wife did
not agree. She thought they should save some money in case
they needed it some day.
13
14
15
16
How does the
moneybag work? Draw
a box around details
that help you find the
answer.
How do the woodcutter
and his wife differ
in their thoughts
about the money?
Double underline
the differences and
write them on the
Characters Chart.
Why doesn’t the wife
want to spend the
money on big things
like an ox and land?

How are the
woodcutter and his
wife different in their
ideas about how to
spend the money?
Double underline
the differences and
write them on the
Characters Chart.
Evaluate
What lesson do you
think the woodcutter
learns in this story?
A few days later, she made a suggestion. “Why don’t we
build a modest cottage? That would be nice.”
“We have so much money,” exclaimed the woodcutter.
“Why would we build a small cottage when we can build a
large, brick house? That would be so much better!”
Although his wife did not agree, the woodcutter started
spending the money on everything they would need for their
new house. They became so busy with building their house
that neither of them climbed the mountain anymore to collect
firewood. After a time, the pile of silver was almost gone, and
the house was still not ready.
One coin per evening was just not enough, so the husband
decided to try to take more coins. Without his wife knowing,
he opened the moneybag for a second time one evening,
and to his pleasant surprise, a second silver coin rolled out.
When he opened it a third time and a third coin rolled out, the
woodcutter smiled and congratulated himself on solving their
problem. The house could be finished quickly now that they
had more money.
But, when he opened it a fourth time, no money came
out. The woodcutter had not obeyed the old man’s warning.
Disappointed, he turned around to see that his nearly
complete brick house had disappeared as well.
There was nothing left to do. Knowing they could no longer
depend on the magic moneybag, the woodcutter and his wife
went back to the mountains to cut two bundles of firewood
each day, resuming their hardworking life.
17
18
19
20
21
22

Vocabulary: Contrast Words
Contrast words are words that signal relationships between ideas.
For example, the word nevertheless signals a contrast; something is
different from what was described before. The phrase in addition tells
you that a new piece of information is being added to what you already
read. These words help the reader make a transition from one thought
to the next. Sometimes, they are called transition words.
Try It Read these sentences from “The Magic Moneybag.”
. . . the following morning, the bundle from the courtyard was gone again.
Similarly, this pattern continued on the third and fourth mornings.
Think about the relationship between the ideas in the sentences
above. Underline the words that help you figure out the relationship.
Discuss What is the relationship between the ideas? What does the
word similarly tell you about the events in the story?
Find the following words in “The Magic Moneybag.” Read the
sentences before and after the sentence with the word. Think about the
relationship between the ideas. Then, write your own sentences using
the words on the lines below.
1. therefore, p. 112 You have done all of your chores. Therefore, you
can go to the movies this weekend.
2. however, p. 113 I usually go straight home after school. Today,
however, I have an appointment.
3. although, p. 114 Although my mom told me not to, I ate my dessert
first, and now I am not hungry for my dinner.

Respond to Text: Cultural Perspective
Folktales reflect the culture in which they were created. Culture is the
way of life of a group of people, including their values, traditions, and
customs. “The Magic Moneybag” is a Korean folktale. Korean culture
places a strong emphasis on the importance of family and ancestors. The
oldest person in the family is regarded as the wisest. Korean culture also
values positivity, not complaining, being modest (or not showing off
wealth), and honor. The woodcutter and his wife demonstrate some of
these values, while showing what could happen when these values are
not honored.
Try It Think about how the characters and events in the folktale
might have been influenced by Korean culture.
Discuss How do you think this folktale reflects Korean culture?
Which ideals do the characters in the folktale demonstrate?
Which ideals do the characters fail to demonstrate?
On Your Own Write a paragraph in which you explain
how this story reflects Korean culture. Remember that your
ideas should be supported by sound reasoning and textual
evidence. Use the next page to help you plan your response.
Then write your paragraph on a separate sheet of paper.
Checklist for a Good Response
A good paragraph
✔ gives information about the culture.
✔ explains the perspective of the people in that culture.
✔ uses details from the folktale and other information
you know.
✔ includes a topic sentence, supporting ideas, and a
concluding statement.

My Ideas about How the Folktale Reflects
the Culture
1. Topic Sentence Include this information in your first sentence:
There are many aspects of Korean culture that are reflected
in “The Magic Moneybag,” including not complaining and
modesty, or not showing off wealth .
2. Detail Sentences The sentences of your paragraph should provide
details that support how the culture affects the story. Use this chart
to organize your ideas.
Information about
Background and Culture
Impact on the Story
not complaining The woodcutter and his wife are
rewarded for working hard without
complaining.
modesty, or not showing
off wealth
The old man tells the woodcutter that
he cannot have the biggest bag. When
the woodcutter disobeys the old man’s
instructions because he wants more
money for more things, he is punished.
3. Concluding Sentence Your final sentence should restate your topic
sentence using different words.
Readers can learn about Korean culture by reading the folktale
“The Magic Moneybag” because the story reflects Korean people’s
values of honesty, modesty, and not complaining .
On a separate sheet of paper, write your paragraph.

Paraphrase Think
about how you would
paraphrase this part of
the story.
Point of View What
is the narrator’s point
of view? Circle the
words in paragraph 1
that help you figure it
out.The first one has
been done for you.
Read on Your Own
Read the legend independently three times, using the skills you have
learned. Then answer the Comprehension Check questions.
First Read Practice the first-read skills you learned in this lesson.
Second Read Practice the second-read skills you learned in this lesson.
Third Read Think critically about the legend.
Armadillo’s Song
a Bolivian legend
A long time ago, there lived an armadillo who loved music
very much. Each time it rained, the armadillo would haul
his heavy shell toward the pond. The many frogs at the pond
would croak back and forth to each other, and the armadillo
would enjoy their beautiful singing.
“Oh, if only I could sing like that,” wished the armadillo.
He would sneak over to the edge of the pond and watch
the frogs jumping and swimming, singing to each other all the
while. He loved the music of their croaking, even though he
could not understand their words. That was probably for the
best, since the frogs were making fun of him.
“You are silly,” sang the frogs. “Everyone knows armadillos
cannot sing.”
Then one day a family of crickets moved near the
armadillo. He was so amazed by their beautiful chirping
sounds that he would sneak over to their house and listen to
their music all night long.
“You are silly,” sang the crickets. “Everyone knows
armadillos cannot sing.”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Ask and Answer
Questions Think
about why the
armadillo wants to
sing so badly.
Compare and
Contrast Characters
How are the canaries
and the armadillo
different? Double
underline the
difference.
One day a man with a cage full of flapping, singing canaries
walked down the road. The armadillo could not believe his
ears. Their songs were the most beautiful he had ever heard.
He followed the man as fast as his little legs could carry him.
“You are silly,” sang the canaries. “Everyone knows
armadillos cannot sing.”
After a while, the armadillo grew tired from walking.
He found himself at the door of a great wizard’s house. He
decided to ask the wizard a favor. Shyly, he approached the
great wizard, who was sitting on his front porch. “Excuse me,
wise wizard, but I hope you can help me. I would like to make
beautiful music, and I hope you can make me sing like the
frogs, crickets, and canaries.”
The wizard almost let out a laugh, for who had ever heard
of a singing armadillo? Nevertheless, when he looked closely
at the armadillo, he could see that the animal was serious.
“Hmm. I can make you sing, armadillo, but to do so, you
will have to die, so that is not a good solution,” said the wizard.
“If I die, I can sing?” asked the shocked armadillo. “I would
gladly die to be able to sing like the frogs, crickets, and
canaries. It is what I want more than anything. I want to die
right now!” the armadillo said.
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Armadillo’s Song 119

Compare and
Contrast Characters
How are the
armadillo and the
wizard different
in their thoughts?
Double underline
the difference.
Critical Thinking
Based on what you
learn in the story,
what does it mean to
sacrifice something?
“Do not throw caution to the wind,” replied the wizard.
“I do not want you to make a hasty decision.”
The wizard and the armadillo talked it over for a long time.
The wizard did not feel right about taking the armadillo’s life,
but the armadillo finally convinced him with his passion for
music and his insistence. The wizard killed the armadillo. He
made an incredible instrument from the armadillo’s shell and
some strings, which when plucked, made the most beautiful
sound. The wizard presented it to the best musician in town.
Sometimes, the musician would play the instrument near the
pond where the frogs lived. They would look with wide eyes
and croak, “Look at that. The armadillo can make music.”
Sometimes, the musician would play the instrument near
the crickets’ house. They would look with wide eyes and chirp,
“Look at that. The armadillo can make music.”
And sometimes, the musician would play the instrument
for his friend who owned the canaries. The tweeting canaries
would just look on and say, “Look at that. The armadillo can
make music.”
And that is how it happened. The armadillo could finally
sing, just as he had always longed to do. The sounds of the
instrument were the most beautiful in all the land. But, like
many of the great artists of the world, he made great sacrifices
for the sake of his art.
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16
17
18
19

Comprehension Check
1. What would be the point of view if the armadillo were narrating his
own story? How would this change the legend?
2. How are the frogs, crickets, and canaries all alike? Find details in the
legend to support your answer.
3. Why is it so important to the armadillo to be able to sing?
Armadillo’s Song 121

4. Read these sentences from the legend.
The wizard almost let out a laugh, for who had ever heard of
a singing armadillo? Nevertheless, when he looked closely
at the armadillo, he could see that the animal was serious.
Explain the relationship between the ideas before and after the word
Nevertheless. Then write your own sentence using the word.
5. Read this sentence from the legend.
“Do not throw caution to the wind,” replied the wizard.
Explain the meaning of this adage using details from the legend.
6. Paraphrase the last paragraph of the story. Restate the paragraph in
your own words.

Georgia Common Core Support Coach, CCGPS Edition, Target: Reading Comprehension, Grade 5

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