Grades 6–7
Toolkit Texts
Selected by Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis
Short Nonfiction
for Guided and
Independent
Practice
Correlated to
From our perspective, we can never have enough short text.
It is accessible, to the point, and in a word—short! Toolkit Texts is
designed to capture kids’ interest, engage them in real-world
reading, and give them time to just plain read! The real world is rich,
fascinating, and compelling and kids love to explore it through
reading. We hope these short nonfiction articles will bring a bit of
that outside world into your classrooms. Enjoy!
Stephanie Harvey Anne Goudvis
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Toolkit Texts Grades 6–7
Table of Contents
Taste Sports and Safety
1 Bug Bites 17 Avalanche!
Did you know that lots of people eat bugs? In many Does a loud noise from a mountain climber cause
parts of the world, bugs are considered nutritious, an avalanche? Learn about the types of avalanches
tasty, and perfectly safe to eat! and what you can do to prevent them.
18 Going Up: Life in the Death Zone
Many mountain climbers have been killed on
Mt. Everest, not from falls or avalanches, but by the
effects of low pressure at extreme altitudes. Read
the fascinating story of Edmund Hillary and learn
about the dangers of high altitudes.
20 Basketball Without Borders: The
Globalization of the NBA
4 How Do We Taste? How does the world change with the dramatic
increase in globalization, the process of spreading
From the five basic tastes—sweet, salty, sour, savory,
objects and experiences to all people at all corners
bitter—come all the flavors we humans know and
of the world?
love. But how do we taste them? Find out!
Animals and Ecology Economics
22 Watch Your Money Grow
7 Mystery Voices
This article is an introduction to personal
Spring through summer, the rhythm of frog songs
economics, with clear explanations about banking,
give the night an audible pulse. Learn how these
interest, and saving money.
tiny critters make such loud noises.
24 Moneymakers
8 Frog Watching
Some people make
Frogs and other amphibians are becoming extinct
their money by
at an alarming rate. Read what scientists have
making money.
discovered about the causes and what you can do
Learn about the
to help.
people of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing.
Myths
10 The Loch Ness Monster: Anatomy of a Hoax Freedom
Scotland’s longest lake is home to one of the most 27 All Aboard the Underground Railroad
enduring legends of our time. How did the legend
Did the Underground Railroad actually have tracks
start? And what have scientists found?
and trains? Learn about the group of people who
worked against slavery and for freedom.
Weather 30 The Freedom to Learn
12 On Deadly Ground: Storm Surge Despite the injustices for African Americans during
In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed the 19th century, many children of former slaves
into the coast and caused severe damage. Read learned how to read and write at special schools.
about the devastating hurricane and the failed
levee system. 32 Stealing Freedom on the Underground
Railroad
14 Tornado! This map shows the routes that slaves traveled on
This article explains the science behind tornadoes, the Underground Railroad with background about
how to stay safe, and strange-but-true tales from the movement and laws of the time.
real twisters.
ii TOOLKIT TEXTS, GRADES 6–7
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34 What is Child Labor?
Millions of children are engaged in “child labor,”
American History
according to the International Labour Organization. 50 Fun and Games in Early America
Read about this tragic problem and follow the
timeline to learn about efforts being made to Just as they are for kids today, games and sports
solve it. were an important part of the lives of Native
American children growing up before 1492.
Arts and Education 52 Getting Well: Healing the Sick in Early
America
37 Education Is Our Hope Read about herbalists, Native American healers
Kids can make a difference in who cared for the people of their village.
the world! Learn about a group
of American high school students 54 Navajo Code Talkers
who made a positive difference in A little-known group of Native American soldiers
the lives of African children. played an essential part in defeating the Japanese
and Germans during WWII. Learn about these
40 Hip-Hop at the Museum? brave men and their secret code.
History museums have always looked at the past,
but a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution is
exploring the impact of hip-hop music and culture
Democracy and Equal Rights
today. 56 Viva La Causa: Chavez’s Fight for Social
Justice
42 Music to Your Ears . . . or Hearing Loss
Cesar Chavez organized a movement that fought
Listening to that iPod can do more than fill your for better working conditions for farm labors. Learn
ears with tunes. Learn about the symptoms of about this American civil rights hero and his cause.
hearing loss and how to prevent it.
60 “He Inspired Others”: An Interview with
Ancient Egypt Cesar’s Grandson
Fernando Chavez speaks about his courageous
44 Egypt: The Gift of the Nile grandfather and his contributions to the labor
Read about the importance of the Nile River to movement.
ancient Egyptians and find the major pyramids
on the map. 62 The Petticoat Vote
American women
45 Help Wanted in Ancient Egypt didn’t always have
Wanted: potters, embalmers, and scribes! If there the same rights as
had been newspapers in ancient Egypt, citizens men. Two women
might have read these job ads. inspired women
across the U.S. to
46 All Wrapped Up: The Many Tasks of Mummy fight for the right
Makers to vote.
You probably know that mummies are preserved
dead bodies wrapped in cloth. But you might not 64 The Changing Face of American Voters
know how many steps and how many people were Many Americans take for granted their right to
involved in making mummies. vote. But it hasn’t always been this way. Check
out this timeline about important changes in the
history of American voting.
66 A Long, Hard March
Read about two women’s experiences during a civil
rights march to Montgomery, Alabama.
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
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