Genre Study: Poetry

Name

As you read the passage, notice the features of poetry.

Blue Ribbon Dreams

Five a.m., I’m out of bed,
6 Trudging to the barn, feet like lead.
13  Training, training every day,
17  County fair, I’m on my way!
23 By the entrance hangs a bit,
29 A jingling bridle next to it.
35 I wind my way back to the stall
43 “Morning, Little Red,” I softly call.
49 As always, he entrances me,
54 How lovely one young horse can be!
61 Red and I are not too tall.
68 (In fact, we’re really rather small).
74 Some folks, neither fair nor wise,
80 Might judge us simply by our size.
87 But I intend to demonstrate
92 That small things can be truly great.
99 So every morning, and again at night
106 I train Little Red with all my might.
114 Again, again, and yet again
119 I lead him all ‘round the pen.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

126 I feel Red’s muscles coiled and strong.

133 Raising my head, I break out in song
141  Training, training every day,
145  County fair, we’re on our way.
151 I imagine us at the county fair
158 And think of all who’ll see us there.
166 Will we win? Who can know?
172 I shrug, laugh. Blue ribbon or no,
179 Today I’m 10 feet tall, Red’s 20 hands high.
188 We’re champions, Little Red and I.

Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 A1

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

A. Use text evidence to answer the questions. Accept all possible answers.

1. Reread the first two lines of the poem. What words and phrases tell you how
the girl feels?

The girl says she is “trudging” and her feet are “like lead.“ This lets me
know she is tired as she walks to the barn.

2. Reread line 19. Why do you think the poet repeats the word “again”?

The poet wants to show that training Little Red means doing the same thing
over and over again and is hard work.

3. How do you know this is a narrative poem?

I know that “Blue Ribbon Dreams” is a narrative poem because it tells a story
and has characters. It tells the story of a girl training her horse.

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to expression
and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Number of Words Correct

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

A2 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

Sammy’s Day Out

Sammy the wolf cub lifted his head,
And looked at the litter-mates sharing his bed.
They were all sleeping, the way youngsters ought.
So he got up very quietly (lest he be caught).

He crept from the bedroom, and then down the hall.

He crept to his goal, making no sound at all.
He crept to the fridge for a big junky snack.
(In his head, his mom scolded, “Your fangs will get plaque!”)

He munched, munched, and munched, and he thought and he planned,

All the ways he might spend the free time now at hand,
With no one to scold him, or tell him “Behave!”
Or “Don’t chase your tail, son!” or “Go clean your cave!”

But the junk food he wolfed down soon made him feel drowsy.
And worse than that even, his stomach felt lousy.
He went to his parents, though he knew what they’d say:
“That’s what you get for eating in the middle of the day!”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Use text evidence to answer the questions. Accept all possible answers.

1. Reread the second stanza. Why do you think the poet uses the word “crept”?

The poet uses the word “crept” to show that Sammy doesn’t want anyone
to hear him.

2. Reread the third stanza. What word does the poet repeat? Why do you think
the poet repeats that word?

The poet repeats the word “munched.”

This shows that Sammy ate a lot of junk food.

Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 A3

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

As you read the passage, notice the features of poetry.

Blue Ribbon Dreams

Five a.m., I’m out of bed,
6 Trudging to the barn, feet like lead.
13  Training, training every day,
17  County fair, I’m on my way!
23 By the entrance hangs a bit,
29 A jingling bridle next to it.
35 I wind my way back to the stall
43 “Morning, Little Red,” I softly call.
49 As always, he entrances me,
54 How lovely one young horse can be!
61 Red and I are not too tall.
68 (In fact, we’re really rather small).
74 Some folks, neither fair nor wise,
80 Might judge us simply by our size.
87 But I intend to demonstrate
92 That small things can be truly great.
99 So every morning, and again at night
106 I train Little Red with all my might.
114 Again, again, and yet again

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

119 I lead him all ‘round the pen.
126 I feel Red’s muscles coiled and strong.
133 Raising my head, I break out in song
141  Training, training every day,
145  County fair, we’re on our way.
151 I imagine us at the county fair
158 And think of all who’ll see us there.
166 Will we win? Who can know?
172 I shrug, laugh. Blue ribbon or no,
179 Today I’m 10 feet tall, Red’s 20 hands high.
188 We’re champions, Little Red and I.

O1 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

A. Use text evidence to answer the questions. Accept all possible answers

1. Reread the first two lines of the poem. How do you know how the girl feels
as she is walking to the barn?
The girl says she is “trudging” and her feet are “like lead.“ This lets me

know she is tired as she walks to the barn.

2. Reread line 19. What does the repetition of “again” help to express?
Repeating the word “again” expresses that training Little Red means doing

the same thing many times and is hard work.

3. How do you know that “Blue Ribbon Dreams” is a narrative poem?

A narrative poem tells a story and has characters. This poem tells the story

of a girl training her horse.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to expression
and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Number of Words Correct

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 O2

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

Sammy’s Day Out

Sammy the wolf cub lifted his head,
And looked at the litter-mates sharing his bed.
They were all sleeping, the way youngsters ought.
So he got up very quietly (lest he be caught).

He crept from the bedroom, and then down the hall.

He crept to his goal, making no sound at all.
He crept to the fridge for a big junky snack.
(In his head, his mom scolded, “Your fangs will get plaque!”)

He munched, munched, and munched, and he thought and he planned,

All the ways he might spend the free time now at hand,
With no one to scold him, or tell him “Behave!”
Or “Don’t chase your tail, son!” or “Go clean your cave!”

But the junk food he wolfed down soon made him feel drowsy.
And worse than that even, his stomach felt lousy.
He went to his parents, though he knew what they’d say:
“That’s what you get for eating in the middle of the day!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Use text evidence to answer the questions.
Accept all possible answers.
1. Reread the second stanza. Why might the poet have chosen the word
“crept” instead of “walked”?
“Crept” is a specific way of moving. It shows that Sammy is moving

carefully so that no one can hear him. The word “walked” is less

specific.

2. Reread the third stanza. What does the repetition express? Give an example.
The poet writes that Sammy “munched, munched, and munched.” The

repetition of “munched” expresses that Sammy ate a lot of junky food.

O3 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

As you read the passage, notice the features of poetry.

Blue Ribbon Dreams

Five a.m., I’m out of bed,
6 Trudging to the barn, feet like lead.
13  Training, training every day,
17  County fair, I’m on my way!
23 By the entrance hangs a bit,
29 A jingling bridle next to it.
35 I wind my way back to the stall
43 “Morning, Little Red,” I softly call.
49 As always, he entrances me,
54 How lovely one young horse can be!
61 Red and I are not too tall.
68 (In fact, we’re really rather small).
74 Some folks, neither fair nor wise,
80 Might judge us simply by our size.
87 But I intend to demonstrate
92 That small things can be truly great.
99 So every morning, and again at night
106 I train Little Red with all my might.
114 Again, again, and yet again
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

119 I lead him all ‘round the pen.

126 I feel Red’s muscles coiled and strong.
133 Raising my head, I break out in song
141  Training, training every day,
145  County fair, we’re on our way.
151 I imagine us at the county fair
158 And think of all who’ll see us there.
166 Will we win? Who can know?
172 I shrug, laugh. Blue ribbon or no,
179 Today I’m 10 feet tall, Red’s 20 hands high.
188 We’re champions, Little Red and I.

Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 B1

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

A. Use text evidence to answer the questions.

Accept all possible answers.
1. Reread the first two lines of the poem. How does the poet help you
understand the speaker’s mood?
The speaker says she is “trudging” and her feet are “like lead.“ This helps

me understand that she is very tired and not enthusiastic as she walks to

the barn.

2. Find an example of repetition in the poem. What idea does it help

emphasize?
An example of repetition is “again, again, and yet again.” The repetition

emphasizes the idea that the training is a lot of work because the speaker

has to lead Little Red around the pen many times.

3. How do you know “Blue Ribbons Dreams” is a narrative poem?

“Blue Ribbons Dreams” is a narrative poem because it tells the story of a

girl training her horse. Like some narrative poems, this one also rhymes.

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to expression

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.

Number of Words Correct

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

B2 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

Sammy’s Day Out

Sammy the wolf cub lifted his head,
And looked at the litter-mates sharing his bed.
They were all sleeping, the way youngsters ought.
So he got up very quietly (lest he be caught).

He crept from the bedroom, and then down the hall.

He crept to his goal, making no sound at all.
He crept to the fridge for a big junky snack.
(In his head, his mom scolded, “Your fangs will get plaque!”)

He munched, munched, and munched, and he thought and he planned,

All the ways he might spend the free time now at hand,
With no one to scold him, or tell him “Behave!”
Or “Don’t chase your tail, son!” or “Go clean your cave!”

But the junk food he wolfed down soon made him feel drowsy.
And worse than that even, his stomach felt lousy.
He went to his parents, though he knew what they’d say:
“That’s what you get for eating in the middle of the day!”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Use text evidence to answer the questions.

Accept all possible answers.
1. Find an example of repetition in the poem. What idea does it help express?
The words “munched, munched, and munched” is an example of repetition

and shows that Sammy ate a lot of junky food.

2. In the first stanza, how does the reader know that Sammy knows he is doing
something he shouldn’t be doing?
The phrase “lest he be caught” shows Sammy is doing something he

shouldn’t be doing.

Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 B3

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

As you read the passage, notice the features of poetry.

Blue Ribbon Dreams

Five a.m., I’m out of bed,
6 Trudging to the barn, feet like lead.
13  Training, training every day,
17  County fair, I’m on my way!
23 By the entrance hangs a bit,
29 A jingling bridle next to it.
35 I wind my way back to the stall
43 “Morning, Little Red,” I softly call.
49 As always, he entrances me,
54 How lovely one young horse can be!
61 Red and I are not too tall.
68 (In fact, we’re really rather small).
74 Some folks, neither fair nor wise,
80 Might judge us simply by our size.
87 But I intend to demonstrate
92 That small things can be truly great.
99 So every morning, and again at night
106 I train Little Red with all my might.
114 Again, again, and yet again
119 I lead him all ‘round the pen.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

126 I feel Red’s muscles coiled and strong.
133 Raising my head, I break out in song
141  Training, training every day,
145  County fair, we’re on our way.
151 I imagine us at the county fair
158 And think of all who’ll see us there.
166 Will we win? Who can know?
172 I shrug, laugh. Blue ribbon or no,
179 Today I’m 10 feet tall, Red’s 20 hands high.
188 We’re champions, Little Red and I.

E1 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5

 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

A. Use text evidence to answer the questions.

Accept all possible answers.
1. Reread the first two lines of the poem. What words and phrases tell you how
the girl feels?

The girl says she is “trudging” and her feet are “like lead.”

This tells me that she is tired as she walks to the barn.

2. Reread line 19. What does the repetition of “again” express?

that training Little Red means doing the
The repetition of “again” expresses
same thing many times and is hard work.

3. How do you know that “Blue Ribbon Dreams” is a narrative poem?

I know that “Blue Ribbon Dreams” is a narrative poem because

it tells a story and has characters.

B. Work with a partner. Read the passage aloud. Pay attention to expression
and phrasing. Stop after one minute. Fill out the chart.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Number of Words Correct

Words Read – =
Errors Score
First Read – =
Second Read – =

Read directions and questions. Pair students of different language

abilities to complete the page. Then have them share their
answers with the group. Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 E2
 Genre Study: Poetry

Name

Sammy’s Day Out

Sammy the wolf cub lifted his head,
And looked at the litter-mates sharing his bed.
They were all sleeping, the way youngsters ought.
So he got up very quietly (lest he be caught).

He crept from the bedroom, and then down the hall.

He crept to his goal, making no sound at all.
He crept to the fridge for a big junky snack.
(In his head, his mom scolded, “Your fangs will get plaque!”)

He munched, munched, and munched, and he thought and he planned,

All the ways he might spend the free time now at hand,
With no one to scold him, or tell him “Behave!”
Or “Don’t chase your tail, son!” or “Go clean your cave!”

But the junk food he wolfed down soon made him feel drowsy.
And worse than that even, his stomach felt lousy.
He went to his parents, though he knew what they’d say:
“That’s what you get for eating in the middle of the day!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Use text evidence to answer the questions.
Accept all possible answers.
1. Reread the second stanza. The word “crept” means to move slowly and
quietly. Why do you think the poet chose this word instead of “walked”?

The poet uses the word “crept” to show that Sammy doesn’t want anyone
to hear him.

2. Reread the third stanza. What word is repeated? What does this repetition
show?

The word munched is repeated.

This repetition shows that Sammy ate a lot of junky food.

Read directions and questions. Pair students of different

language abilities to complete the page. Then have them
E3 Genre Passages • Grade 5 • Unit 2 • Week 5 share their answers with the group.