A Bee-Friendly Garden - 3RD GRADE

UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Read the article "A Bee-Friendly Garden" before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

A Bee-Friendly Garden

Our lives would be different without bees. Bees help plants grow. Many plants produce the fruits and vegetables we eat. Without bees, these fruits and vegetables could not grow. Bees are truly wonderful creatures.

Yet the number of bees is now low. It is getting even lower. Scientists are unsure why. Some people are fearful for their future. They think that bees may die off. We must do something about this problem. One solution is to make our gardens bee-friendly.

One of the most careless things to do is spray insect killer. Insect killer does work. It kills the insects that eat plants. But it can also be harmful to bees. Some insect killers can kill the bee before it returns to the hive. Others can get carried back by bees. This could harm the rest of the hive. Insect pests can be stopped in other ways. For example, ladybugs and praying mantises eat pests. Wiping insect soap on plants leaves can also kill pests. These two methods do not harm bees.

Making our gardens bee-friendly can also add to the bee population. Planting a bee garden is a great idea. Bee gardens provide nectar and pollen for the bees. A successful bee garden would have flowers that bloom over the spring, summer, and fall. The flowers need to be planted in bunches of like flowers. The garden would also have different types of plants that are closely grouped together.

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Weekly Assessment ? Unit 2, Week 4

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UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Many people believe that all bees live in hives. That is untrue. Some bees dig into the ground. There, they build their nests. They lay their eggs. When people lay wood chips or other materials on the ground, bees cannot dig nests. So here is another good way to help bees. When you are working outside, leave loose dirt in flower beds and gardens.

Some bees nest in old pieces of wood. Others nest in holes. Still others nest in buildings or trees. Gardens can be made to provide spaces like these for bees. Trees or walls that block wind are a good idea. So are shady areas. These help bees to escape the hot sun. Trees and overhangs can protect bees from hard rains. Bee gardens also provide bees with water. Bees need water just like people do.

Making a bee-friendly garden is far from a useless task. The rewards are worth the effort. A bee-friendly garden is beautiful and colorful. Most importantly, it keeps bees healthy and happy.

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Weekly Assessment ? Unit 2, Week 4

Name:

Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on "A Bee-Friendly Garden."

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article. Some people are fearful for their future. What does the word fearful mean?

A being very afraid B being without fear C being afraid over and over again D being afraid before there is danger

Part B: What is the meaning of the suffix -ful in fearful ? A again B before C full of D having none

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Name:

Date:

2 Read the sentence from the article. One of the most careless things to do is spray insect killer. What does the word careless mean? A paying attention again B paying much attention C before paying attention D without paying attention

3 Underline the sentence in the paragraph that best summarizes the author's point of view about bee gardens.

Making our gardens bee-friendly can also add to the bee population. Planting a bee garden is a great idea. Bee gardens provide nectar and pollen for the bees. A successful bee garden would have flowers that bloom over the spring, summer, and fall. The flowers need to be planted in bunches of like flowers. The garden would also have different types of plants that are closely grouped together.

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Weekly Assessment ? Unit 2, Week 4

Name:

Date:

4 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the author's point of view about bees?

A They are important to our world. B They are necessary for other insects. C They do not belong in flower gardens. D They do not help us as much as they could.

Part B: Which sentence from the article best summarizes the author's point of view about bees?

A "Our lives would be different without bees." B "Bees help plants grow." C "Yet the number of bees is now low." D "Insect killer does work."

5 With which sentences would the author of the article most likely agree? Pick two choices.

A Wood chips should cover the ground of a bee garden. B The dirt in bee gardens should not be loose. C Bee gardens should have many flowers. D Bees do not need water like people do. E Planting a bee garden is not helpful. F It is important to help bees survive.

Copyright ? McGraw-Hill Education

Weekly Assessment ? Unit 2, Week 4

GO ON

Grade 3

101

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