Moselle T's Study Materials

Finding the Topic Sentence!

Have you ever read a paragraph and known exactly what it’s about just by reading the very first sentence? That first sentence is a very important topic sentence!

A topic sentence is like the “boss” of the paragraph. It tells you the main idea, so you know what you are going to read about. All of the other sentences in the paragraph give more details about that one main idea. Usually, it’s the first sentence in a paragraph.

What is a topic? It tells you WHO or WHAT the paragraph will talk about. So, it must be a person or object.

What is the main idea? The main idea tells you information ABOUT THE TOPIC.

The topic is like the main dish at a restaurant, and the main idea is the side dishes that come with it.

So, here’s the formula for a topic sentence:

🧠 Topic + Main Idea = Topic Sentence

Let’s look at an example!

📖 Read the paragraph:

My dog, Buster, is the best pet because he loves to play all the time. He will chase the red ball in the backyard. Then, he digs a big hole near the fence. After that, he loves to chew on his squeaky bone. Sometimes he runs very fast in circles. He is a very happy dog. He always has so much fun when we play together.

💡Let’s find the topic sentence and the main ideas!

1. What is the topic of this paragraph? (Who/what is being talked about?)
   1. Answer: My dog, Buster
2. What is the topic sentence (the “boss” sentence)?
   1. Answer: My dog, Buster, is the best pet because he loves to play all the time.
3. What are three main ideas (details) about Buster?
   1. Answers (any 3 of these is correct):
      1. He chases a ball in the backyard
      2. He digs a hole near the fence
      3. He chews on his squeaky bone
      4. He runs very fast in circles
      5. He is very happy
   2. Note: when you write the main ideas, DO NOT just copy all of the sentences. That means you aren’t thinking about it- you’re just copying what you see.

🤔 Now, if you try to write your own new topic sentence for this paragraph, how would you do it?

First, add the topic: my dog, Buster (this won’t change, because the topic is the same)

Second, add the main idea. (This can change depending on how you want to say it):

Here’s some examples that I thought of: Buster never rests, Buster has a lot of energy, Buster is an excited dog

💡 Finally, put them together into one sentence:

My dog, Buster, has a lot of energy.

(Now we know that you will tell us about why he has a lot of energy!)

❗Important note: Some topic sentences will be a list (apples, oranges, lemons…), and some will be a statement/piece of information that tells us a fact (like Buster!). Both are great ways to write a topic sentence, and I suggest trying to use one of the 2 styles in your writing.

👍 These are the parts of a topic sentence, and how to make one. Now, try this worksheet, where you need to identify the topic, main ideas, and topic sentence by yourself, as well as create a new topic sentence for the paragraph. The writing for the 3 main ideas and new topic sentence creation can vary, and the sheet can be brought to me to be checked if so desired. The topic/topic sentence should not be different.

‘Distributive’ Adjectives!

Distributive adjectives are special words that tell us about a group of people or things, but they always focus on each person or thing individually.

Let’s look at some of the most common ones and what they mean:

• Each: This word is used to talk about two or more people or things, one by one.
  • Example: Each student has a pencil. (This means every student has their own pencil.)
• Every: This word is used when we talk about a group of three or more, and we want to include all of them.
  • Example: Every child received a gift. (This means all the children received a gift.)

• Both: This word is used to talk about two people or things at the same time.
  • Example: Both of my parents are tall.

• Either: This word is used when you are talking about two things, and you can choose one of them.
  • Example: You can choose either the blue cup or the red cup.
• Neither: This word is used to say that two things are not true.
  • Example: Neither of the two boys wanted to play. (This means not one of them wanted to play.)

• Any: This word is used to talk about something without saying which one.
  • Example: Do you have any books?

• One: This word is used to talk about a single person or thing in a group.
  • Example: One of the girls is my sister.
• None: This word is used to say that not one person or thing in a group is true.
  • Example: None of the students came to school today.

Here’s a simple worksheet to practice distributive adjectives, that most students should be able to do without much difficulty:

Here’s a more challenging version, where students need to fill in the blank using their own knowledge of each grammar and its meaning:

Vocabulary List: 13 words

1. Cacophony: A harsh, loud mixture of sounds.
2. Minuscule: Extremely small; tiny.
3. Liberated: To be set free.
4. Profound: Felt or experienced very strongly.
5. Frantically: In a wild, hurried, and worried way.
6. Instinctively: Acting on a natural feeling without thinking.
7. Desperation: A feeling of hopelessness that makes you willing to do anything.
8. Hesitation: The act of pausing before doing something, especially because you are nervous.
9. Daunting: Seeming difficult and likely to make you feel worried.
10. Summoned: To gather up something, like courage or strength.
11. Cavernous: Like a cave; very large and deep.
12. Labyrinth: A place with many confusing paths or passages; a maze.
13. Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

📖 Vocabulary Practice 1: Unscramble the Letters

📖Vocabulary Practice 2: Fill in the blanks

Instructions: Complete each sentence by choosing the correct word from the word bank below. Each word will only be used once.

Maria’s Big Day

Maria was a second grader with bright, curious eyes that noticed everything. She loved adventures, and today felt like a big one. Her class was taking a trip to the city’s recycling center. The bus ride was a happy cacophony of songs and laughter. Maria bounced in her seat, imagining the huge machines and mountains of materials they were going to see. She couldn’t wait.
When they arrived, the recycling center was even bigger than she had imagined. It was a single, cavernous room that echoed with noise. Giant piles of paper stood like skyscrapers, and mountains of colorful plastic bottles shimmered under the warehouse lights. The air smelled of metal and damp paper.

A guide showed them how big machines sorted everything with loud clanks and whirs. The whole place was like a giant, noisy labyrinth of conveyor belts and bins. Maria watched, fascinated by the organized chaos. It was interesting how old, forgotten things were being prepared to become something new.
As the class walked past a tall bin overflowing with cardboard, Maria heard a minuscule sound. Chirp, chirp, chirp! It was a weak, scared sound, almost lost in the noise of the machinery. She paused, letting her friends walk ahead. She scanned the area, her eyes searching for the source of the tiny plea.

Her eyes landed on a huge cardboard box that had been flattened and folded over. Tucked deep inside a fold, so small she almost missed it, was a little brown bird. It was completely trapped. Its wings fluttered frantically, but it was stuck fast.

Maria’s heart gave a sad little thump inside her chest. The bird was in trouble, and the big machines were getting closer to this area. She knew, instinctively, that she had to do something, and she had to do it quickly. The little creature’s life might depend on it.

A feeling of desperation began to creep in as Maria looked around. Her teacher was listening to the guide, and her friends were laughing at a machine that crushed cans with a loud CRUNCH. No one else had heard the tiny chirps. “I have to help it,” she whispered to herself. She grabbed the edge of the flattened box and pulled with all her might. It was heavy and awkward, and it barely moved an inch.
The task felt daunting. She looked around for a tool, maybe a stick or a piece of metal she could use to pry the cardboard open. But the floor was clean and clear. There was nothing she could use. She tried to pull the thick layers of cardboard apart gently with her fingers, but they were too strong. Maria felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her.

Just then, Maria saw a man in a bright yellow vest sorting cans nearby. He had a kind face. Maria felt shy. Her stomach did a little flip. What if he was too busy? What if he thought she was being silly and getting in the way? The man seemed focused on his work, and she didn’t want to interrupt him.

She stood there for a long moment, her hesitation feeling like a heavy weight. But then she thought about the distressed bird, and a feeling of determination pushed her shyness away. She summoned all her courage. She had to try.

She took a deep breath and walked over to him. “Excuse me,” she said in a small but clear voice. The man stopped his work immediately and looked down at her, his expression showing warmth and empathy. “A bird, you say? Show me.” He approached the box with Maria to see the problem.

“You have very good eyes,” the worker said to Maria. “Let’s see if we can get your little friend out.” He carefully took hold of the heavy cardboard with his strong hands and lifted one side, creating a small opening. Whoosh! In a flash of brown feathers, the liberated bird flew out of the box.

It soared up, circled once in the big, open room as if to say thank you, and then zipped out through a high window into the blue sky. Maria watched it go, a huge smile on her face. She felt a profound sense of relief and accomplishment bubble up inside her chest. The worker patted her shoulder. “That was a very kind thing to do,” he said.

For the rest of the day, Maria couldn’t stop thinking about the bird. On the bus ride home, the loud noises of her friends faded away as she looked out the window. She had learned that even in a big, busy world, it was important to pay attention to the small things. She felt proud. She had noticed something no one else did, and because of her, a little creature was free.

📒 Reading Comprehension Questions:

Hello grammar geniuses! Today, we’re going to learn about some special words that help us talk about things. These words are called demonstrative pronouns. They help us point to things and show if they are near or far from us.

The four words are: this, that, these, and those.

The words all start with T, but they have very different meanings!

This and That (For ONE thing!)

We use this when we are talking about one thing that is close to us.

• “This is an apple.” 🍎 (The apple is right here!)
• “This is my book.” 📚 (The book is in my hand!)

We use that when we are talking about one thing that is far away from us.

• “That is a cloud.” ☁️ (The cloud is way up high!)
• “That is a big tree.” 🌳 (The tree is far away in the park!)

These and Those (For MANY things!)

We use these when we are talking about many things that are close to us.

• “These are my toys.” 🧸🚗 (The toys are all around me!)
• “These are my friends.” 👫👭 (My friends are standing right next to me!)

We use those when we are talking about many things that are far away from us.

• “Those are the stars.” ✨ (The stars are far away in the sky!)
• “Those are the mountains.” 🏔️ (The mountains are far away!)

📖 Practice! Worksheet 1: Circle the correct pronoun!

I recommend this worksheet to students who have an extra hard time with the demonstrative pronouns. It is basic practice to become familiar with the meaning of the words, and very accessible.

Directions: Look at the pictures and circle the correct word. Then, write “close” or “far” on the first line and “one” or “many” on the second line.

(I split the files into 2 separate ones because the file was too large to upload to this post! The Answer Key is at the end of the 2nd file.)

📖 More Practice! Worksheet 2: Fill in the Blanks

This is a rudimentary worksheet, and most students should be able to complete it with little difficulty. If they need a lot of help with this, have them review the Comparison Chart above a few more times (you can ask them to chant it aloud), then try it one more time.

Directions: Read the sentence and fill in the blank with THIS, THAT, THESE, or THOSE.

📖 Even More Practice! Worksheet 3: Pronoun and Verb Connection

This worksheet makes the student think about the verb in connection to the pronoun. By now, they should be aware that “is” = one and “and” = many. The worksheet might be a bit challenging for some students, because it requires deeper thought.

Directions: Read the sentence and circle the correct pronoun and verb.

This reading isn’t long, but is full of complex vocabulary that will more than likely be unfamiliar to students.

Vocabulary List (15 words):

Chirped: Birds make happy, short sounds.

Content: Feeling pleased and happy with what you have.

Dawn: The very beginning of the day, when the sun first appears.

Glimmered: Shone faintly or unsteadily.

Gnarled: Twisted, knobby, and rough, especially with age.

Lush: Growing thickly and strongly, with a lot of leaves.

Meandered: Moved slowly and without a clear direction.

Menacing: Suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.

Murmured: Spoke in a low, soft voice that is hard to hear.

Perched: Sat on a high or narrow place.

Resolve: Firm determination to do something.

Scampered: To run quickly with light steps.

Vast: Very great in size or amount.

Venture: To go on a dangerous or exciting journey.

Wandered: Walked slowly without a specific destination.

Here is a Vocabulary practice worksheet! Write the vocab word, and use it in a sentence that is 6+ words. This can be brought to me for review.

Bobo the Bear’s Perilous Discovery

At dawn, little bear Bobo woke up with a jolt! A strange, soft light was pulsing from outside his window. It wasn’t the warm, friendly sun. This light felt… wrong. His heart thumped a little faster, a tiny drum in his chest. He had to see what it was! He quickly got dressed, his sleepy yawns replaced by a growing sense of urgent curiosity.

Bobo crept to the kitchen, his paws silent on the wooden floor. His mom was still asleep, a gentle snore filling the quiet room. He grabbed a quick, delicious berry cookie, barely tasting it. “This calls for an adventure breakfast!” he thought, crunching quickly. He carefully opened the back door, the mysterious light pulling him forward into the cool morning air.

The forest was still draped in shadows, but the strange light seemed to call to him, brighter now. He followed a small, hidden path that meandered deeper into the lush trees. The light grew stronger with every step, making the dewy leaves glimmer with an unnatural glow. This was no ordinary morning walk; it felt like he was walking into a dream, or perhaps a secret that wasn’t meant to be found.

Suddenly, the path opened into a clearing. In the center, stood an enormous ancient tree, much bigger and older than any he had ever seen. Its branches twisted like gnarled, shadowy arms. The strange, pulsing light was coming from a tiny, almost hidden hole at the very base of this giant tree! Bobo felt a chilling mix of wonder and a strange sense of fear. What dark magic was inside?

He bravely peeked into the hole. Inside, a beautiful, sparkling crystal glimmered with a powerful, rhythmic pulse. It filled the air with a strange hum, making the small hairs on Bobo’s neck stand up. He reached out a paw, drawn by its magic, but just as his paw almost touched it, a shadowy form moved swiftly across the hole.

A small, brown owl was perched on a branch directly above the hole, its large, unblinking eyes fixed on Bobo. “Whoo… whoo… Little bear, you should not be here,” the owl murmured softly, its voice like dry leaves scraping together. “That crystal holds a great power, and a great, terrible warning.” Bobo froze, his paw still in the air. He hadn’t seen the owl come!

“A warning?” Bobo whispered back, his voice barely audible. “What kind of warning?” The owl dipped its head slowly. “The crystal shows the forest’s true heart. It protects us. But if you touch it without respect, it will show you what happens when that heart breaks. It shows the future if we are not careful.” A shiver of dread ran down Bobo’s spine.

Bobo felt a surge of curiosity mixed with fear. What did the owl mean by a “broken heart”? And a future warning? He looked at the crystal again. It seemed to pulse faster, as if impatient. He knew he had to understand. This wasn’t just about a pretty light; it felt like the fate of the forest rested on his small paws.

He tried to reach the crystal again, his paw trembling with anticipation. But just then, thick, thorny vines burst out from around the hole, twisting and growing, forming a menacing barrier! They were sharp, dark, and seemed to grasp at the air. “Oh no!” Bobo cried, pulling his paw back sharply. “How can I get through this?” The owl hooted, a sad, knowing sound. “Only a promise from a truly caring heart can make the thorns yield.”

Bobo thought hard, his mind racing. He remembered his mom always saying, “Nature gives us everything. We must give it care, or it will fade.” He looked at the angry, dark vines. “Please move, beautiful vines,” he spoke, his voice clear and true, filled with a sudden, strong resolve. “I promise, I will always care for our forest. I will protect its trees and rivers. I will make sure its heart stays strong and healthy!”

To his astonishment, the thorny vines slowly, painfully, began to pull back, but as they did, a horrifying vision swirled inside the crystal. He saw the beautiful, lush forest he knew, but then, like a terrible, fast-forwarded nightmare, the trees withered, their leaves falling like ash. The rivers dried up, turning to cracked earth. The animals looked sad, thin, and slowly disappeared. It was a forest dying, empty and silent, because no one had cared. Bobo gasped, tears forming in his eyes. The vision then changed, showing the forest vibrant and alive, full of song and laughter, as long as it was loved. He understood. He gently touched the crystal, a deep sense of responsibility washing over him. He knew his journey had changed him forever.

With the forest’s secret truly understood and the dire warning seen, the light from the crystal shone one last, brilliant time, then softly faded back to a gentle glimmer. Bobo turned to thank the owl, but it had silently wandered away into the vast expanse of the forest, its message delivered. The forest felt heavy, yet full of purpose. Bobo knew his mission now. As the sun began to set, painting the sky with colors, he headed home, carrying the weight and wonder of the forest’s future in his heart. Back in his comfortable bed, he felt content not just with a discovery, but with a promise made. He closed his eyes, already dreaming of how he would protect his beloved, magical forest from the silent, terrible threat of neglect.

Here are comprehension questions for the reading, including some open-ended ones: