Directions.

Read the following passage, and answer the

questions that follow.

Think about those first few days of the school year. First,
students describe their summer break. Then the teacher reviews
what students learned the year before. Why? Because students
forget what they learn in school over the long summer. Why not
replace the traditional ten-month school year with year-round
school? Year round education promotes the retention of learning
and benefits school districts in other ways as well.
Many year-round schools place students in four groups
with different vacation times. A popular scheduling plan calls
for forty-five days of school and then fifteen days off. While
three groups use the building, one group is on vacation. By
rotating four student sessions, a school built to serve 750
students can handle 1,000 students. Staggered schedules save
school districts money because they do not have to spend the
millions of dollars it takes to build new schools. One school
district in California that converted to a year round schedule
estimated that it saved sixteen million dollars in building costs
over a thirteen-year period. In addition, districts do not have to
worry about the overbuilding caused by constructing schools
that will not be needed once an increase in student enrollment
has passed.
Year-round school also helps teachers. Frequent breaks
offered by year-round education may decrease burnout.

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Teachers can also use this time to visit and learn from other
teachers. Kristin Brown, a first-year teacher in a year-round
middle school, sat in on her department head’s class during one
break. She picked up valuable tips about classroom management
and teaching students with different abilities.
Most important, year- round education effectively uses the
time students have in school. One re searcher found that
teachers in year round schools do not have to spend as much
time reviewing old material. Students have an easier time
remembering what they have learned when their education is
interrupted only by short breaks rather than by a long summer.
Students surveyed in California agreed; over 80 percent felt that
the year- round schedule reduces boredom and fatigue and kept
them from forgetting what they had learned. The frequent school
breaks also offer between-session opportunities for students to
get extra help or to take advanced or enriched classes.
Year- round education saves money, benefits teachers,
promotes the retention of learning, and provides remedial and
enrichment opportunities for students. It is time to rethink the
traditional school calendar and consider year- round education.
Encourage your district to adopt year- round education by
writing or calling the superintendent of schools or a school-
board member.

1. What is the writer for or against? What specific words in

the first paragraph tell you?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2. Why does the writer include the fact about a school district
in California?
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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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3. Why does the writer tell the story about a first-year
teacher ?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. What is the main point of the fourth paragraph ?

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________

5. In the last paragraph what does the writer ask the reader
to do?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Issue and Writer’s Point of View

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 Directions. Use the ideas and information in the passage
you have just read to complete the graphic organizer.

Issue and Writer’s Point Of View

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Reason Reason
________________
Reason
Year-round school ________________
_________________ ________________
saves money.
_________________ ________________
_________________
_________________
_______________

Evidence Evidence
_________________
Evidence
_______________
_________________ Frequent breaks
_______________
_________________ reduce teacher _______________
_________________ burnout. Teachers, _______________
_________________ like Kristin Brown, _______________
________________ can learn from other _______________
_______________
teachers. ______________

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