Use the author s clue words to determine the mood of the passage. By: Ms To-Do List Graphics By: www.onceuponaportable.blogspot.com
Directions The purpose of this activity is to match the blue passage card with the correct red mood card. Students must be strategic readers and infer meaning from the author s word choice in the passage. 1. Print, cut, and laminate the 12 blue cards and 12 red cards. 2. Students can work independently, in pairs, or in groups of 3-4 to match the mood term to the correct passage. 3. The passages contain clue words that imply a specific mood. Some passages may seem similar, but look for the overall emotion created by the passage. 4. Students can record the mood and clue words on their answer sheet. An answer key for the teacher is also included. Some phrases may not be listed on the answer sheet, but students may perceive them as clue words. That s fine. They just need to explain their thinking. 5. Students may be unfamiliar with the mood terms. Review the mood terms beforehand for familiarity. Maybe make a list on the board or have them use a dictionary for assistance. 6. Another way to present this activity is to show one card on a projector and have the whole class determine together.
The soft wind gently blew through the pine trees. The sun s rays warmed the grass and the colorful wildflowers dotted the valley. Blue jays chirped in a tall oak tree and the busy squirrels stopped to listen to their beautiful melody. Drops of cold rain slowly rolled down the outside of the foggy window. The grey sky hung low and thick, keeping the sun s warm rays from warming the city. The streets were abandoned 1 2 Anna jumped out of her warm bed like a kangaroo. After quickly brushing her teeth, she bolted downstairs to gobble her eggs and toast. Grabbing her pack back, she zoomed out the door like a rocket. The class lined up in their assigned order. A few students fidgeted with their clothing while others seemed to be frozen in place. Their eyes were as big as saucers and their faces were pale. The music started and the group slowly shuffled forward to their spot. 3 4
Brandon knew that his sister would be furious if she found him in her bedroom. But he couldn t resist sneaking in and snooping around her room to find the best toy. She had pulled her last practical joke on him. Now it was time for him to return the favor. The clever raccoon sniffed around the picnic area. The sweet aroma of apples and oranges was too delicious to resist. He peered through the thick branches waiting for his chance to make his clever move to swipe a juicy piece of fruit. 5 6 Annabelle had always been the fastest runner in the class, so at Field Day she knew she would win the footrace. As she approached the finish line Tonia was inches in front of her and in the lead. Annabelle stuck out her foot and tripped Tania keeping her from winning. Even though Annabelle won, she couldn t enjoy it because she knew she had not won fairly. Mia s sister was like her best friend. They enjoyed each other s company and loved to do the same activities. So when Mia found out that her sister had lost her favorite necklace, she helped her look for it for days. Mia knew it was important and she felt horrible that her sister had lost it. 7 8
The proud fox knew that he was the smartest animal in the forest. On most days he easily persuaded the squirrels to offer him their acorns. Even the wise owl generously allowed the fox to relax in his tree during the hot days. There wasn t another animal that could refuse the fox. Slowly the earthworm wiggled and inched closer to the grass. It was only a few inches but seemed miles away. He felt like giving up and thought he was never going to make it. He had been squirming for hours and had only moved a few centimeters. All this hard work for nothing. 9 10 The loud thunder boomed like a drum and the bright lightning lit up the night sky. Howling winds ripped at the roof and tree branches angrily banged against the windows. The lightning streaked the sky like boney fingers reaching to touch the earth. As mom entered the front door she noticed some crumbs leading up the stairs. She carefully and quietly crept upstairs to her son s bedroom door. She gently placed her ear to the door. She knew that sound anywhere and threw the door open to find her son eating cookies in his room. He was caught red-handed! 11 12
Regretful Sympathetic Peaceful Depressed Anxious Excited
Mischievous Confident Revengeful Suspicious Frustrated Furious
Answer Key Mood Clue words 1. Peaceful Soft, gently, warmed the grass, wildflowers dotted the valley, blue jays chirped, beautiful melody 2. Depressed Cold rain, rolled, foggy, grey sky hung low, streets were abandoned 3. Eager Jumped out of her bed like a kangaroo, quickly, bolted downstairs, gobble, grabbing, zoomed out like a rocket 4. Anxious Fidgeted with their clothing, frozen in place, eyes were as big as saucers, faces were pale, slowly shuffled 5. Revengeful Sister would be furious, sneaking in and snooping, last practical joke, return the favor 6. Mischievous Clever, too delicious to resist, peered, waiting for his chance, clever, swipe 7. Regretful Knew she would win, tripped Tania keeping her from winning, she couldn t enjoy it, had not won fairly 8. Sympathetic Like her best friend, enjoyed each other s company, loved to do the same activities, helped her look for it for days, knew it was important, felt horrible 9. Confident Proud, smartest animal, persuaded, allowed the fox, could refuse the fox 10. Frustrated Wiggled and inched, seemed like miles away, felt like giving up, never going to make it, squirming for hours, hard work for nothing 11. Furious Boomed like a drum, howling winds ripped, branches angrily banged 12. Suspicious Noticed something, carefully and quietly crept, gently placed her ear to the door, threw the door open, caught red-handed
Answers Name Directions: Read the numbered passage on a blue card. Find the red mood card that matches the mood of the passage you read. Only one red mood card will match to a blue passage card. Write the mood of the passage next to its number below and write the clue words in the passage that helped you determine the mood. Mood Clue words 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.