I ran outside in my slippers. Whiskers led me to the big flowerpot by the garage. Sure enough, a muddy dog bone sat right in the middle of a small hole.
“Duh,” said the squirrel. “ You can talk. The problem is, humans never listen.”
It started on a sleepy Saturday morning. I woke up, rubbed my eyes, and looked out my window at the old oak tree in our backyard. A chatty gray squirrel was hopping from branch to branch, chattering loudly. Grade 4 Fsa Ela Writing Practice Test Fsassessments
Whiskers did a backflip off the fence. “You saved winter!” he squeaked. “You’re not a bad listener, for a human.”
I shoved the window open. “Wait! Don’t go. My name is Jamie. What’s yours?” I ran outside in my slippers
“That’s easy,” I said. I pulled the bone out and tossed it toward the fence. Then, I dug carefully with a spoon. Under the dirt, I found a whole treasure of acorns and walnuts.
“Our secret,” I whispered back.
I had never thought about squirrels having problems before. I wanted to help. “Show me where,” I said.
The squirrel flicked his tail. “They call me Whiskers. But listen, Jamie, I have a problem. My family’s nut stash is gone. A big dog buried his bone right on top of our winter acorns. We are going to be hungry.” “Duh,” said the squirrel
Below the story, I have included a "Why this passes" breakdown to help the student understand the structure. Imagine you wake up one day with a special power: you can talk to animals. Write a story about your first conversation with an animal. Be sure to include a beginning, a middle, and an end. Use details, dialogue, and clear sequencing. The Day the Squirrel Spoke By a 4th Grade Test Taker