Connect Reading and Writing

    Vocabulary

  • choice

  • contest

  • excellent

  • interpret

  • knowledge

  • nonsense

  • outcome

  • response

Critical Thinking

  • 1. SUM IT UP Make a Character-Setting-Plot Diagram for “A Contest of Riddles.” Use your diagram to retell the story.

    Character-Setting-Plot Diagram

    Character-Setting-Plot Diagram

  • 2. Explain Think about your responses to the pro/con discussion from page 144. Have you changed your ideas since reading the selection? Explain.

  • 3. Make Judgments Do you think that a contest is a good way to choose a husband or wife? Why or why not?

  • 4. Compare Look at “A Contest of Riddles” and “Atalanta’s Race.” How are the outcomes of each story alike? How are they different?

Reading Fluency

Expression Read the passage on page 653 to a partner. Assess your fluency.

  • 1. I read

    • a. great

    • b. OK

    • c. not very well

  • 2. What I did best in my reading was _____.

Reading Strategy

Monitor Your Reading

Tell a partner how clarifying vocabulary helped you interpret the meanings of unfamiliar words.

Vocabulary Review

Oral Review Read the paragraph aloud. Add the vocabulary words.

Our class saw a play about a dance _____. We must write a _____ to it. Some kids said it was terrible, but that’s _____! I loved it. The acting was _____ and the end had a cool _____. Sometimes, it was hard to _____ what the actors were saying. Maybe people would have enjoyed it if they had more _____ about dancing. But we always have a _____ to read about it on our own.

Written Review Imagine you are the princess. Write a letter to the king and queen about why it was important to make your own choice. Use four vocabulary words.

Illustration of the pen icon Write About the Guiding Question

Explore the Strength of Intelligence

How would either the servant in “A Contest of Riddles” or Hippomenes in “Atalanta’s Race” respond to this statement: “Sometimes being smart isn’t enough.” Write a response for the character using examples from the text.