Reading Standards

ELA Review:
Tatenda Teaches His Town

Reviewing Standards:
3.FL.VA.7a.i 3.RI.KID.2

3.RI.CS.6 3.RI.CS.4

3.RI.KID.1 3.RI.CS.4
3.FL.VA.7a.ii 3.FL.PWR.3a

Standards (Skills)

3.FL.VA.7a.i Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
I can use Context clues as a clue to decide the meaning of a word or phrase.

3.RI.KID.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
I can determine the main idea of a text. I can recount the key details of a text and explain how they support the main idea (TEE).

3.RI.KID.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the answers.
I can use the text as evidence when asking and answering questions about it.

3.RI.CS.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
I can determine the meaning of words and phrases when reading 3rd grades text.

3.RI.CS.6 Distinguish reader point of view from that of an author of a text.
I can see that my point of view is different from the authors point of view.

3.FL.VA.7a.ii Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word. iii. Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root.
I can use my knowledge of affixes (prefixes and suffixes) to figure out the meaning of new words when I already know the root word.

3.FL.PWR.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text.
I can use my phonics and word analysis skills when reading.

Tatenda Teaches His Town

by Cecil Dzwowa

1

Like many families in Sanyati, a small countryside town in

western Zimbabwe,1 Tatenda’s family does not have a television.
One day after school, Tatenda arrived home tired and decided to
rest on the sofa. But just before he sat down, he noticed
something unusual in the house. “At first, I thought Dad had
bought a television set, but when my mother said it was a
computer, I was disappointed.”

It’s not that Tatenda didn’t like computers; he just didn’t

know how to use them.

3

For almost two weeks, the gift lay idle in the house. Tatenda

and his father didn’t even know how to turn it on. “Nobody in
our neighborhood knew how to operate a computer,” Tatenda
said.

4

But things changed when Amina, a young family friend,

came from Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, to visit. Amina knew
all about computers and was a good teacher, too.

Pressing the Wrong Buttons

5

At first, Tatenda and Amina were frustrated as Tatenda

struggled to learn. “I was always pressing the wrong buttons,”
Tatenda remembered. “But I kept on going because I was eager
to learn.” Amina realized then that she could not keep Tatenda
away from the computer. After three weeks, Tatenda mastered
some computer basics, such as opening and closing files. But he
was taking a long time to learn.

1 Zimbabwe: a country in Africa

10

2

slowly improved. By the time Amina returned, Tatenda felt
comfortable with the computer.

Tatenda kept on practicing after Amina left. His speed

6

Meanwhile, Tatenda’s friends wondered what had happened

to him. Tatenda had not told them about his new gadget. He no
longer played soccer after school like he used to. “Even if he
came, he did not spend much time with us. He always had an
excuse for going back home,” his friend Saidi said.

7

preventing him from playing with them? Did one of them do
something wrong? Did Tatenda have new friends?

Tatenda’s friends worried. Were Tatenda’s parents

8

9

One day, Saidi, along with two other friends, Themba and

Solomon, surprised Tatenda at home. When they arrived,
Tatenda was so busy on the computer that he did not hear them.
His mother opened the door and let his friends inside. They
couldn’t believe what they saw — a computer and Tatenda
operating it.

10

“It was too late,” Tatenda recalled. “My secret was out.”

Master of the Keys

11

But it was a new beginning for the three friends. After that

surprise visit, they came to see Tatenda work on the computer.
Then Tatenda let them press a button or two and shake the
mouse for fun. Slowly, he taught them how to use the computer.
Saidi took about three months to learn the basics; Themba,
about four months; and Solomon, a year.

12

It wasn’t long before the neighborhood kids wanted to

learn, too! “There were so many kids coming to see him that we
had to move the computer out of his room into a bigger room,”
his mother said.

13

And even more kids came. Tatenda worried. The computer

began to experience problems because the kids were pressing
too many buttons. So he came up with a plan. He began

Spring 2023 TCAP Item Release

11

charging for lessons. But this did not stop more kids from
coming. Those whose parents did not have money paid with
chickens or goats.

Tatenda has taught computer skills to 30 students from his

14

local school, and the number continues to grow. There are
600 students there and no computer. Two of the teachers at his
school are also his students. “He is a bright kid and a good
teacher,” said Mrs. Magumise, one of Tatenda’s schoolteachers.

With the money earned from teaching, Tatenda has bought

a television and radio for his family. And he plans to buy a new
computer. He also plans to keep on teaching. The people of
Sanyati couldn’t be more pleased. Tatenda has single- handedly
introduced computers to his town and is simply known there as
“Teacher.”

15

-Prefixes come at the beginning of a root word.

​-Suffixes come at the end.
-Both impact the meaning of the root word (the word being changed).

​​Affixes (Prefixes and Suffixes)

The suffix dis- means ____________

The root word continued means _________

The new word, discontinued must mean ___________________-

​​Dis- (Continued)

What is Main Idea? - YouTube

You can open this webpage in a new tab.

Copy link

Open in new tab

Multiple Choice

Which sentence correctly states the author’s point of view about

Tatenda

• The author doesn't understand why Tatenda still teaches about computers.

• The author thinks Tatenda's work is important.

• The author wishes Tatenda would work harder.

• The author thinks Tatenda talks about money too much

Author's Purpose (P.I.E.) Learn how to determine the author's purpose for writing. - YouTube

You can open this webpage in a new tab.

Copy link

Open in new tab

Multiple Select

What does gadget mean as it is used in paragraph 7? Go back and check!

• Friend

• Tool

• Gadget

• Computer

Multiple Choice

When the author says, “Tatenda felt comfortable with the

computer,” what does he mean?

• Tatenda learned how to put the computer together.

• Tatenda was ready for a newer computer.

• Tatenda learned to use his time wisely when working on the

  computer.

• Tatenda had mastered using the computer

Multiple Choice

Which detail best supports your choice for the meaning of, "Tatenda felt comfortable with the

computer"?

• Tatenda practiced and improved.

• Amina returned to Tatenda’s house.

• Tatenda’s students visited him.

• Tatenda stopped playing with his friends.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence about the passage.

Tatenda was a gifted teacher.

When the suffix -ed is added to gift, what does the word gifted

mean?

• being lucky

• giving something

• having much talent

• wanting many thing

Open Ended

What are some other meanings of gifted?

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence from paragraph 1.

But just before he sat down, he noticed something

unusual in the house.

What is the meaning of the prefix un- in the word unusual?

• more

• not

• again

• under