Val is Visual, Part 1

Val is Visual, Part 1

Val is Visual, Part 1
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	high interest, readability grades 3 to 5
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	2.49

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		specialist, history, boring, impressed, yeah, rate, seconds, recall, speller, doing, marked, stayed, flying, mind, notice, okay
	content words:		World War II, Civil War, Learning Center, When Mr

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Val is Visual, Part 1
By Patti Hutchison

¹     Val was sitting in history class. The teacher seemed to be talking on and on. Val couldn't remember what he had said two seconds ago. He started to stare out the window. It was a hot day, and the windows were open. He was watching a bee flying around. All of a sudden, the bee found a hole in the screen and made its way into the classroom. Not thinking, Val jumped up and shouted, "BEE!"

²     Mr. Abrams, the history teacher, was not impressed. "What are you shouting about, Val?" he asked sternly. Just then the bee buzzed by his ear. He swatted at it. It landed on the desk of the girl in the front row. She got up and screamed. Soon the whole class was in chaos.

³     Mr. Abrams finally got control of the class and took care of the bee. Then he looked at Val and said, "Val, can you please stop and see me after class?" Val's face turned red. He was sure he was in trouble again. He hadn't been listening, and he had gotten the whole class in an uproar. He would probably get detention. He tried to stay focused on Mr. Abrams' lecture for the rest of the class period.

⁴     When the bell finally rang, Val stayed in his seat until the rest of the kids had left class. He didn't want them to hear him getting in trouble again. He slowly walked up to Mr. Abrams' desk.

⁵     Surprisingly, Mr. Abrams didn't seem mad. He very calmly said, "I noticed that you have trouble paying attention in class, Val. Is there some way I can help you?"

⁶     Val said, "When I am trying to listen, my mind always wanders. I start to look out the window. I notice little things that are going on. I get interested in them and forget all about what I'm supposed to be listening to. I like history really well. I watch old movies about World War II. And I have tons of books about the Civil War. But I can't seem to keep my mind on what's going on in class. I'm sorry I made the whole class crazy today."

⁷     "That's okay," Mr. Abrams chuckled. "I guess we all needed a little excitement to wake us up. I love history, too, but sometimes it can get boring. I think I'd like to introduce you to someone who could help you with the way you learn things. I noticed that your grades in English class are much higher than they are in my history class. Do you like to read?"

⁸     "I read all the time," Val told him. "I can picture in my mind all the action, just like I'm watching a movie."

⁹     "Just what I thought," Mr. Abrams said. "Come with me." Mr. Abrams took Val to the Learning Center. He introduced Val to Mr. Ellis, the learning specialist. He told Mr. Ellis about his conversation with Val, and then he left.

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