Grant Wood

Image: American Gothic, Grant Wood 1930

American Gothic, John Stone

(based on painting by Grant Wood)

Just outside the frame

there has to be a dog

chickens, cows and hay

and a smokehouse

where a ham in hickory

is also being preserved

Here for all time

The borders of the Gothic window

anticipate the ribs

of the house

the tines of the pitchfork

repeat the triumph

of his overalls

and front and center

the long faces, the sober lips

above the upright spines

of this couple

arrested in the name of art

These two

by now

the sun this high

ought to be

in mortal time

about their businesses

Instead they linger here

within the patient fabric

of the lives they wove

he asking the artist silently

how much longer

and worrying about the crops

she no less concerned about the crops

but more to the point just now

whether she remembered

to turn off the stove

The mood of the two subjects in the painting can be described as:

• Stern and solemn

• Joyful and celebratory

• Mysterious and dreamy

• Elderly and confused

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RI.9-10.7

CCSS.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

Image: American Gothic, Grant Wood 1930

American Gothic, John Stone

(based on painting by Grant Wood)

Just outside the frame

there has to be a dog

chickens, cows and hay

and a smokehouse

where a ham in hickory

is also being preserved

Here for all time

The borders of the Gothic window

anticipate the ribs

of the house

the tines of the pitchfork

repeat the triumph

of his overalls

and front and center

the long faces, the sober lips

above the upright spines

of this couple

arrested in the name of art

These two

by now

the sun this high

ought to be

in mortal time

about their businesses

Instead they linger here

within the patient fabric

of the lives they wove

he asking the artist silently

how much longer

and worrying about the crops

she no less concerned about the crops

but more to the point just now

whether she remembered

to turn off the stove

What is emphasized in the poem, that is absent from the painting?:

• Reflects more traditional, down-to-earth values

• Depicts a greater degree of formality

• Provides a more detailed backstory of its subjects

• Conveys a grimmer, more hopeless tone

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

Image: American Gothic, Grant Wood 1930

American Gothic, John Stone

(based on painting by Grant Wood)

Just outside the frame

there has to be a dog

chickens, cows and hay

and a smokehouse

where a ham in hickory

is also being preserved

Here for all time

The borders of the Gothic window

anticipate the ribs

of the house

the tines of the pitchfork

repeat the triumph

of his overalls

and front and center

the long faces, the sober lips

above the upright spines

of this couple

arrested in the name of art

These two

by now

the sun this high

ought to be

in mortal time

about their businesses

Instead they linger here

within the patient fabric

of the lives they wove

he asking the artist silently

how much longer

and worrying about the crops

she no less concerned about the crops

but more to the point just now

whether she remembered

to turn off the stove

What is the author’s most likely meaning in stanza 6 in which he describes the painting’s subjects as “this couple/arrested in the name of art”?

• The couple is symbolically “arrested by the judgmental artist as if by officers of the law.

• The couple is stopped from doing their necessary farming work to pose for a painting.

• The couple is unhappy about the artwork being created about them.

• The couple is celebrating art despite their difficult farming life.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Image: American Gothic, Grant Wood 1930

American Gothic, John Stone

(based on painting by Grant Wood)

Just outside the frame

there has to be a dog

chickens, cows and hay

and a smokehouse

where a ham in hickory

is also being preserved

Here for all time

The borders of the Gothic window

anticipate the ribs

of the house

the tines of the pitchfork

repeat the triumph

of his overalls

and front and center

the long faces, the sober lips

above the upright spines

of this couple

arrested in the name of art

These two

by now

the sun this high

ought to be

in mortal time

about their businesses

Instead they linger here

within the patient fabric

of the lives they wove

he asking the artist silently

how much longer

and worrying about the crops

she no less concerned about the crops

but more to the point just now

whether she remembered

to turn off the stove

How does the tone of the last two stanzas of the poem, in which the woman in the painting is described as “no less concerned about the crops” as much as “whether she remembered / to turn off the stove,” compare to the overall tone of the painting?

• The stanzas’ tone is more serious than that of the painting.

• The tone is more humorous than that of the painting.

• The tone is more formal than that of the painting.

• The tone is more fearful than that of the painting.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.11-12.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn't let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.

• What is the theme of the story? Never give up. Persistence pays off.

• What is the theme of the story? Growing four inches helps you become a better basketball player

• What is the theme of the story? Coaches can be unfair to short basketball players.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier were papermakers, but they had been interested in flying for many years. One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea. He was sitting in front of the fire when he saw some small pieces of scorched paper being carried up the chimney.Soon afterwards, the brothers conducted an experiment. They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once, the bag rose to the ceiling. After this, Stephen and Joseph conducted many more experiments, both indoors and in the open air. Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper. On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.

Which sentence in this article provides text evidence for the inference that the Montgolfier brothers used hot air to lift their balloon?

• Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper.

• On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.

• They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once the bag rose to the ceiling.

• One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What is the tone of the passage below:

Often you feel you’ve done nothing when you’ve actually done a lot. That’s because what you did do seemed beneath notice—it was so small that it didn’t “count.” But it did—just as each stitch counts toward a finished dress, each brick or nail toward a house you can live in, each mistake toward knowing how to do things right.

• Hesitant

• Encouraging

• Amused

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

I love to watch birds! It always amazes me

how they can build those nests! I like to leave

scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find.

They'll use these things and weave them into a

nest. Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds

can use all the help they can get.

What is the author's perspective?

• Humans should help birds build their nest

• Birds are interesting animals

• Humans should never interfere with wild animals

• Birds use lots of things to build their nest

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.6

CCSS.RI.11-12.6

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.9-10.6