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.

Homework

Elena loved school. She woke up early every morning and ate her breakfast quickly so she would never be late. Kindergarten was fun! Elena also loved to play with her baby sister after school. Maria slept late because she was little, so Elena had to wait until the afternoon to…

In the Old Graveyard

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the story of Tom, an orphan boy living with his aunt in Missouri in the mid-1800s. Tom is a little wild and full of mischief, but his friend Huckleberry Finn is more wild and more mischievous. In the passage, Tom and Huck sneak out…

Literary Lessons

In “Little Women,” readers follow the four March sisters as they grow up through the Civil War. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are quite different from each other, but love each other dearly. As this passage starts, Meg is now married, Beth has recovered from a serious illness, Amy is…

Charlie Meets His Match

A chipmunk twitched his tail as he lay hidden deep under the fallen leaves. It was cold outside, wintertime was approaching, but he was snug in his den in the woods, tucked underground beneath a fallen log and covered by a crunchy carpet of faded autumn leaves. Charlie had a…

The Homesick Connecticut Yankee

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is the story of Hank Morgan, a 19th century Connecticut man, who suffers a blow to the head and is transported back centuries to the time of King Arthur. Once there he has many adventures while he struggles to apply 19th century American…

Primary Source: The Statue of Liberty

Designed by Frenchman Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the construction of The Statue of Liberty began in the 1870s. Originally named “Liberty Enlightening the World,” the statue was erected in New York Harbor and officially dedicated on October 28, 1886. However, bad weather postponed the fireworks display that had been planned for…

Lost in New York

Owen stepped out of the yellow taxi cab and looked up. All around were the tallest buildings he had ever seen.  “Those are called skyscrapers, Owen,” said Dad. “Welcome to New York!” Dad took Owen’s hand and led him through a glass door. The man at the desk gave Dad…

Friendship in a Bottle

Ari was a lonely lad who lived on a large island called Iceland. His village was a fishing hamlet along the green, rugged coastline, and Ari often wondered what lay beyond the horizon. The days were long and cold, and he spent many hours of silence in his tiny cottage…

The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact  was a document written and signed by the Pilgrims as they arrived in the New World in 1620. The group had originally planned to go to the Hudson River area, which was part of the Virginia Colony. Bad weather, however, put them farther north, near the coast of Massachusetts. Since they…

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

The little bird perched itself on the tree branch outside Vanessa’s bedroom window. It trilled an energetic song as the first pale yellow rays of sunshine peeked over the horizon. “Oh my gosh, what is that noise?” she complained to herself, pulling her bed sheets over her head in an…