Prose

Prose is spoken or written language that follows regular speech patterns. It is made up of sentences and paragraphs, as opposed to poetry which is made up of lines and stanzas. The term “prose” is often used to describe writings such as novels, short stories, and narratives.

Calm in Storm

Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities is about two  cities — London and Paris — during the French Revolution. This passage is about the time when the guillotine, a killing machine developed to efficiently behead people, was in steady use by the new government in France. ——————————— There was…

Queen Sandra

On Saturday morning, Sandra was eating cereal and watching cartoons on TV. This was her favorite way to relax after a long week of school.  The doorbell rang, but Sandra didn’t move. Her favorite show was on. Sandra’s mother opened the door and spoke to a man for a long…

The Mystery Mammal

Every week someone in my class gets a turn at solving a problem. It’s always something different. I’m excited because today it’s my turn! My teacher clapped his hands to get the class’s attention. “We have been studying different kinds of animals, so this week’s problem will focus on one…

Going to the Zoo

Today my class is going on a trip. Can you guess where? We are going to the zoo! Everyone is excited. There will be lots of wild animals at the zoo. My teacher Mrs. Green says it is time to go. The children get into the big, yellow school bus.…

Bo and the New Baby

Bo was a white dog with black spots. He lived in a red house with Max and Mary. Max and Mary were grown ups who liked to take Bo on long walks. They would play Frisbee in the park with Bo evening. After their walks, they all sat on the…

Mike’s Lucky Ice Cream

Mike licked the last of the mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was almost time to leave. He jumped into the car with his parents and headed off to the Olympic-sized pool at the recreation center for the big swim meet. When his race came up, Mike was confident. He…

Dad and Jackson Roast Pumpkin Seeds

“This is the very best part of carving pumpkins!” Jackson said. He was at the kitchen sink with Dad. They both had their hands in bowls of pumpkin seeds and were trying to seperate the squishy orange pulp from the pale white seeds.  “I’m not sure I agree with that,”…

Paul Bunyan, the Biggest Baby in the Northeast

In a small cabin in the northeast wilderness, a huge baby boy was born. His parents named him Paul Bunyan. “He’s a mighty big baby. The biggest I’ve ever seen in the state of Maine,” said Mama Bunyan. “What will we keep him in?” Papa Bunyan looked around the cabin…

The Crows

It was a hot day at the farm. Farmer Jenkins worked all morning in the corn field. Now he was tired. He went home for lunch. It was very quiet outside. Two black crows sat on an old fence nearby. Jim, the smaller crow, looked at all the ears of…

Amy’s Will

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is about the life and adventures of four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. They are growing up during the American Civil War. As this passage starts, the girls’ mother is away taking care of Mr. March, who is sick in Washington, D.C.…