Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? Try These Questions From The Actual Fifth Grade FCAT
March 14, 2008
As the FCAT continues today in schools across North Escambia, we thought we would help you waste a little time by playing a game of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” with actual questions from past fifth grade FCATs.
Grab everybody around you and get ready. To play along and see how you might do on the fifth grade FCAT, you’ll need a piece of paper to record your answers to the following questions:
(1) Samantha baked a dessert for her class using the recipe shown below.
Samantha used the least amount of which ingredient?
CRANBERRY APPLE CRUNCH
- A. 3/4 cup chopped apples
- B. 1/2 cup oats
- C. 2/3 cup cranberry sauce
- D. 1/4 cup brown sugar
(2) Louie made 17 bag lunches for the school outing. If Louie
had made 4 more lunches, he would have made exactly
3 times as many bag lunches as Marc did. How many lunches did Marc make?
- A. 6
- B. 7
- C. 13
- D. 4
(3) Coach Neal is planning a track meet for 84 students. Each race has 3 teams,
with 4 runners on each team. How many races should Coach Neal plan so
that each student runs in exactly one race?
- A. 7
- B. 12
- C. 21
- D. 28
(4) Toshi wants to find out which after-school sport is most popular among all
the students at his elementary school. Which of these groups would be best
to survey in order to get this information?
- A. all students at the school
- B. all teachers at the school
- C. all fifth grade students at the school
- D. all parents of the students at the school
(5) The 1927 legislative session designated the mockingbird as the state bird of
Florida. The bird is about 10 inches long and has a wingspan of 15 inches.
Which fraction represents the mockingbird’s length compared to
its wingspan?
- A. 1/5
- B. 2/15
- C. 2/3
- D. 3/2
(6) Angie is flying to London, England, on a plane departing at 2:00 p.m. She is
required to be at the airport one and a half hours before the departure time and it takes her 45 minutes to get from her house to the airport. What is the latest time
Angie can leave her house to arrive at the airport at the required time?
- A. 11:45 am
- B. 12:30 am
- C. 1:15 pm
- D. 4:15 pm
(7) Melanie measured the mass of the textbooks in her backpack. Which unit of
measure best describes the mass of the textbooks?
- A. 3 grams
- B. 3 kilograms
- C. 3 metric tons
- D. 3 milligrams
(8) Marchelle built a rectangular wooden picture frame. The frame has a
perimeter of 130 inches and a width of 30 inches.
What is the height, in inches, of the picture frame?
- A. 30 inches
- B. 35 inches
- C. 10 inches
- D. 13 inches
(9) Sonya has to write the greatest four-digit number she can think of by
following these three rules:
1. Any digit 0 through 9 may be used.
2. Any digit may be used only once.
3. There must be an 8 in the tens place.
What is the greatest number Sonya could write by following the three rules?
- A. 9876
- B. 9786
- C. 8796
- D. 9867
For the next two questions, read the two selections in blue.
Betsy Brandon Meets the Betsy Brandon Meets the President
by M.V. Pollock
There was a flurry of excitement in the Brandon household early one morning in
1791. It was the day that General Washington, the president, was supposed to visit
Salisbury, North Carolina. For most of the people, it would be their only chance to
see anyone so important. Everybody planned to be there. Everybody, it seemed,
except fourteen-year-old Betsy, the oldest child of Squire Richard Brandon’s
family. Betsy had to stay at home to finish the chores.
“Ha! Betsy won’t get to see the president,” teased the younger children as they
climbed into the family buggy. Betsy tried to hide her disappointment as they rode
away.
But Betsy was not one to mope. She returned to the kitchen and washed the
breakfast dishes and swept the floor. Then she took her bonnet from the hook on
the back of the door. She was going outside to feed the chickens. But what was
that rumbling noise? It sounded like wheels, but not like those of her father’s
buggy. It seemed to come from the opposite direction.
Betsy hurried to the front door and peeked out. Her eyes grew wide. Coming
down the road that passed in front of the house was the most beautiful coach she
had ever seen. It was pale ivory and trimmed in gold.
As it came near, Betsy felt herself drawn down the pathway to get a better
view. The coach was decorated with elaborate scenes that reminded Betsy of the
four seasons. And it bore an impressive emblem, like a coat of arms.
Suddenly the driver pulled on the reins. “Whoa!” he said loudly. The ornate
harnesses tinkled musically as the four fine horses halted right in front of the gate
where Betsy stood.
Fearful, Betsy wanted to run, but she felt as if her feet were glued to the path.
The door of the coach opened, and a tall, handsome man in uniform stepped down.
He was almost as tall as her father. He tipped his hat and nodded in her direction.
Then another, even more handsome man stepped out. He was white haired and at
least six-feet-four. Surely they were men of importance on their way to Salisbury
to see the president.
“Good morning, miss,” said the white-haired man. His face was stern and
deeply lined, but his blue eyes were warm and friendly.
“Good morning, sir.” Betsy’s voice quavered when she spoke.
“Is your father home?”
“No, sir.”
“Is your mother home?”
As Betsy shook her head, her golden braids moved back and forth. “My family
all went to Salisbury to see the president,” she explained.
“Did you not wish to see the president, too?” The voice was kind.
“Oh yes, sir,” Betsy replied. “I wanted to see the president more than anything,
but I must stay here to do the chores.”
The two men exchanged amused glances. “If you will prepare breakfast for us,
I promise you will see the president before any of the others.”
Thinking that the president would soon pass by on his way to Salisbury, Betsy
hurried into the kitchen. She prepared a delicious breakfast, which the two men
seemed to enjoy.
They thanked her and prepared to leave. Betsy asked, “Sir, when my family
returns, to whom shall I say I served breakfast?”
The white-haired man climbed inside the coach. Leaning out the window he
smiled. “Just tell them you served breakfast to President Washington and his aide,”
he said. And the coach rolled away in clouds of dust.
Washington by Nancy Byrd Turner
He played by the river when he was young,
He raced with rabbits along the hills,
He fished for minnows, and climbed and swung,
And hooted back at the whippoorwills.1
Strong and slender and tall he grew —
And then, one morning, the bugles blew.
Over the hills the summons came,
Over the river’s shining rim.
He said that the bugles called his name,
He knew that his country needed him,
And he answered, “Coming!” and marched away
For many a night and many a day.
Perhaps when the marches were hot and long
He’d think of the river flowing by
Or, camping under the winter sky,
Would hear the whippoorwill’s far-off song.
Boy or soldier, in peace or strife,
He loved America all his life!
(10) Based on the story and the poem, how was Washington’s life as a child
different from Betsy Brandon’s life?
- A. Washington played by the river, but Betsy played at home.
- B. Washington practiced marching, but Betsy prepared tasty meals.
- C. Washington practiced birdcalls, but Betsy listened for passing coaches.
- D. Washington spent his days playing, but Betsy spent her days helping at home.
(11) Which event from the story FIRST prepares the reader for something
unexpected to happen?
- A. Betsy watched the family buggy leave.
- B. The coach stopped in front of the house.
- C. Betsy wondered what the rumbling noise was.
- D. People were excited about seeing an important man.
(12) Read this sentence from the story.
As it came near, Betsy felt herself drawn down the pathway to get a
better view.
In which sentence below does the word view have the same meaning as it
does in “Betsy Brandon Meets the President”?
- A. Direct your view to the second picture on the left.
- B. The report clearly states the writer’s point of view.
- C. The defense lawyer’s speech affected the judge’s view of the situation.
- D. The guests can get a view of the garden by looking out of the window.
(13) The author of the story describes Washington as having a face that is “stern
and deeply lined” and eyes that are “warm and friendly.” What does this lead
the reader to believe?
- A. Washington was always polite to others, even when he was worried.
- B. Washington’s experiences in life had made him tough, but he remained akind person.
- C. Washington was difficult to know because his looks were so different from his personality.
- D. Washington’s hardships as a soldier made him older than he really was, but he continued to serve his country.
(14) Read these lines from the poem “Washington.”
He said that the bugles called his name,
He knew that his country needed him,
The poet includes these lines to show that Washington
- A. heard the sounds of nature.
- B. wanted to travel the country.
- C. played a musical instrument.
- D. felt patriotic toward his country.
(15) Read these lines from the poem “Washington.”
Perhaps when the marches were hot and long
He’d think of the river flowing by
The poet includes these lines to suggest that whenever Washington felt weary
and tired, he would
- A. find shade by a river.
- B. cool himself in a river.
- C. change his travel route to follow a river.
- D. recall a childhood experience about a river.
That concludes our questions from last year’s actual fifth grade FCAT. Now it is time to grade yourself. Click here for the answer key.
Just so you know…we picked the “easier” multiple choice questions. We did not use the math questions, for instance, were you had to draw geometric figures or show and explain your work.
If you’d like to let us know how you did, click here to email news@northescambia.com
For the entire fifth grade reading FCAT, click here for the test, or click here for the test with answers.
For the entire fifth grade math FCAT, click here for the test, or click here for the test with answers.
Pictured above: Students at Carver/Century K-8 School just before taking the FCAT.
Family Says Three-Year-Old Girl Is A Hero, “She Saved All Of Our Lives”
March 7, 2008
Three-year-old Elizabeth White is being called a hero by her family. Her mom credits Elizabeth for saving their lives.
Last Saturday afternoon was an ordinary one around the White household on Campbell Road in Century. Lunch was over. Mom Tiffany White had just loaded the dishwasher. She was home with her three kids, three year old Elizabeth, five year old Alicyn and two year old Landon. Dad Jason White had just left the house for a short trip.
“Then Elizabeth told me that she saw smoke,” Tiffany said. “I thought she had just seen the steam from the dishwasher. At first I didn’t think anything about what she was saying. Then I thought maybe I did see smoke cross outside the window. I went over and opened the back door. I saw fire everywhere.”
The utility room, located just outside the kitchen, was filled with a raging fire, Tiffany said. She grabbed the children and headed across the road to safety.
“If Elizabeth hadn’t seen the smoke when she did, we would have all got burned up in there,” Tiffany told NorthEscambia.com Thursday, standing outside the burned out shell of her home. “She saved all of our lives. She is our little hero. I’m proud of her.”
Elizabeth, who will celebrate her fourth birthday on Tuesday, was a bit shy about being interviewed by a stranger. But she did say she was not a hero. And she said she was not scared.
When NorthEscambia.com arrived Thursday, Jason and Tiffany were sifting through the burned out home, looking for anything they could salvage. Tiffany had just found a small photo album containing just handful of family photos. There’s a glimmer of hope in her eyes and she picks up the album and opens it for the first time. But her hope quickly turns to disappointment. The plastic on the album is melted to most of the photos. Others are a bit charred, or falling apart from becoming wet.
“These are about the only pictures I have left of my kids,” Tiffany said. “Most of my pictures were in frames on the walls. I’m going to miss my pictures of my babies.”
But she’s very thankful that she still has her babies and continues to praise Elizabeth has a hero.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, grows bored with the whole interview as one might expect from a three-year-old. She runs around the yard, which still contains several of the children’s outside play toys. She runs around excited and playful, hiding from our camera as much as she can. She’s turned avoid the NorthEscambia.com camera into a game of sorts.
Then she stops by the front corner of the house and points up toward the burned out window.
“I want to see my room,” she says. “Take me in there.”
Tiffany explains that she can’t take her inside because it is not safe.
“But I want to see,” she says. “Daddy, hold me up to the window so I can see my room. I want my toys.”
Jason tells her maybe later.
She does not seem to understand that her favorite toys — her Beanie Babies, her My Little Ponies and her stuffed animals — are not just inside that window anymore. They, like all the family’s possessions, are gone.
The family had no insurance, Jason said. They are currently crowded in the home of his parents, Kenneth and Ruby White in Flomaton, while they figure out what they will do next.
In the meantime, the community continues to pull together to help the Whites. Many have donated clothes and other items; some have donated money. If you would like help the family, email news@northescambia.com and we will put you in touch with family . Their primary need right now is for a house to rent in the area. Once they find that house, they will need household items, toys for the children and clothes.
Pictured top of page: Three year old Elizabeth White stands in front of her burned out home. Pictured below: Elizabeth points toward her room. Pictured bottom of page: Tiffany White looks at the only family photos that she could find. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos. Click to enlarge.
To read NorthEscambia.com’s story about the fire, click here.
To view a photo album from Saturday’s fire, click here.
CrossFaith Steeple Goes Up On New Church Building
March 6, 2008
The steeple was raised at the new CrossFaith Church building on Highway 29 in Molino Wednesday morning.
“It is a huge blessing,” Pastor Rob Hines said as he watched the steeple settle onto the roof of the new building.
There is a big missions conference scheduled for the church in mid April, and Hines fully expects to be in the building by then. He hopes that the congregation will be meeting in the new sanctuary by the end of this month, if all goes as planned.
The building includes a 300 seat sanctuary, a fellowship hall area that will double as a youth meeting room, classroom space and offices.
The church is currently located on Molino Road. That building has been put up for sale.
For a complete photo gallery of the steeple going up and from the inside of the church, click here.
Carver/Century Students Celebrate Dr. Seuss Birthday This Week
March 6, 2008
It has been a week of green eggs and ham, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish and a fellow named Horton hearing a a Who this week at Carver/Century K-8 School.
The Carver students, from Pre-K to eighth grade, have been busy celebrating the birthday week of Theodor Seuss Geisel — better known as Dr. Seuss.
Students have enjoyed a nice snack of green eggs and ham and dressed up as characters such as the Cat in the Hat. The middle schools students have read Dr. Seuss classics to the elementary students. And first grade students even made bags of oobleck.
(Oobleck, by the way, is from Bartholomew and the Oobleck which follows the further adventures of the young royal page Bartholomew Cubbins of the kingdom of Didd as he tries to clean up after King Derwin orders an ill-advised magical spell cast to create something new coming from the sky, an extremely sticky green substance known as oobleck.)
For a photo gallery from this week’s Dr. Seuss birthday celebrations at Carver/Century, click here.
Byrneville Soldier Currently Serving In Southeastern Iraq
March 4, 2008
Airman 1st Class William McCann of Byrneville is currently serving with the United States Air Force in Iraq.
Airman McCann is deployed with the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, which conducts combat patrols to deter local insurgents from attacking Camp Bucca. The combat patrols include looking for improvised explosive devices and gathering intelligence by directly engaging Iraqis in the local communities. The squadron is the only U.S. defense force that provides continual patrols “outside the wire” (venturing outside the secure zone) in southeast Iraq. Camp Bucca is an Iraqi prison camp holding over 20,000 detainees.
“A lot of young boys look on their dads as their heroes,” McCann’s father Billy McCann told NorthEscambia.com. “I look on my son as my hero!! I couldn’t be prouder! But I do not want to appear to brag on my son because there are several boys from this area who have been to Iraq or who are there now.”
McCann is a 2005 graduate of Northview High School. He is married to the former Crystal Crocker of Pensacola. She resides at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
Pictured above: Airman 1st Class William McCann conducts communications checks as he prepares for an outside the wire mission in southeast Iraq. Pictured below: Airman 1st Class William McCann readies his gear before going outside the wire to conduct security operations in southeast Iraq. Click either photo to enlarge.
If you know someone from the North Escambia area currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or another war zone, send us an email news@northescambia.com and let us know. We would love to feature them in a future story.
Bratt First Graders Present Play ‘Three of a Kind’
February 29, 2008
The first graders at Bratt Elementary School presented the play “Three of a Kind” at a Thursday night PTA meeting.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the play, click here.
Three blind mice, three muskateers, Snow White, several dwarfs, Dorothy and Scarecrow, the three kittens (who lost their mittens), Little Red Riding Hood, the three little pigs, Peter Pan and a host of other childhood favorites took to the stage along with a lot of teddy bears.
But Baby Bear was missing. Three by three, the characters attempted to find Baby Bear by listening to the clues provided. After the characters learned to listen, Baby Bear was located safe and sound, asleep in a tree stump.
The play was present by the first grade classes of Mrs. Rolin, Mrs. Trice and Mrs. Gilmore under the direction of Emily Pollard. Songs included “Three of a Kind”, “Look High, Look Low”, “The Bear Song”, “All For One” and “Listen”.
During the PTA meeting prior to the play, it was reported that last fall’s cookie dough sale raised about $10,500 for the school. The money will be used for curtains, chairs and a sound system for the school’s multipurpose room.
NorthEscambia.com photos. Click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Honored For Service In Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary
February 28, 2008
Harold O. “Sonny” Blum of Walnut Hill was honored for 37 years of service as an auxiliary trooper at a recent meeting of the Warrington Kiwanis Club. Blum joined the Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary on March 27, 1970. During his 37 years volunteering with the auxiliary, he logged over 30,000 hours of service.
Blum (pictured above, right) was presented with a Certificate of Retirement by Scott Lunsford (pictured above, left) of the FHP Auxilliary. Blum also received a letter from Colonel Christopher Knight, director of the Florida Highway Patrol.
“You will be missed by all members of the Florida Highway Patrol family,” the letter says. “On behalf of your many friends, we wish you the very best in your retirement.”
The Escambia County Commission honored Blum with a proclamation at their January 10 meeting. He was presented with that proclamation at the Kiwanis meeting.
NorthEscambia.com first told you about Blum back on January 11, after we sat down with him at his Walnut Hill home. He reflected on his many years of service to the FHP. To read that article, click here.