Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources
Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources
Reading Comprehension Worksheets
The War of 1812
Flag Day
Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1

The War of 1812
The War of 1812

Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1
Print Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1 Reading Comprehension with Third Grade Work

Print Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1 Reading Comprehension with Fourth Grade Work

Print Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1 Reading Comprehension with Fifth Grade Work

Print Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1 Reading Comprehension

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 3 to 5
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   2.74

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    artillery, chucked, fisticuffs, pointed, spite, easily, command, beginning, boast, fell, commander, supplies, anger, half-hearted, attack, packed
     content words:    Chief Thunder Cloud, Private Evans, Colonel John Evans, Fort McHenry, Major General George Armistead, East Coast, If Baltimore, Thomas Evans, Major Armistead

Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1
By Toni Lee Robinson 		  
1     Thomas was not happy. "Here you go, Chief Thunder Cloud," said Caleb, handing him a bulging cloth bag. "That's the last of it!"
 
2     Scowling, Thomas took the bundle from his big brother. He shoved it under the seat of the wagon. His mother sat on the seat. His little brother and baby sister sat with her. The family's things filled the wagon bed. Thomas thumped down in the back of the wagon. His frown darkened.
 
3     "Cheer up, Tommy," Caleb said. He put his hand on the ten year old's shoulder. "You'll be back soon enough, if the major has his way. But the Redcoats are going to hit us hard. We're all going to be dodging cannon balls. You need to be in the city where it's safer."
 
4     Thomas only looked more cross. Caleb chucked the younger boy on the chin. "Come on, now. You know Father's got enough to worry about. There are enemy ships on the way! He can't be thinking about little bugs like you."
 
5     Thomas's fists clenched. His face blotched with anger. He leaped to his feet in the back of the wagon. "You take that back!" he shouted. "I am not a little bug!"
 
6     Caleb grinned. "Is it fisticuffs, my good man? Very well! Take your best shot." He stuck his chin out. "Right here, tough guy." He pointed at his own chin. "Do your worst." He kept his face stuck out at an absurd angle. He bugged out his eyes. The silly face made Thomas laugh in spite of himself.
 
7     Caleb smiled and ruffled Thomas's hair. "That's better," he said. "You know you've got to go, Tommy. A soldier has to follow orders. You've been ordered back to Baltimore, Private Evans!" Caleb stood up straight. His right hand snapped a salute.
 
8     Thomas let out a sigh. He returned a half-hearted salute. He hated leaving the fort now. They had spent days helping their father get ready for the British attack. Now the British fleet was headed toward the fort. All the excitement was just beginning!
 
9     In quiet times the family lived at the fort. Thomas's father was Lt. Colonel John Evans. He was second in command at Fort McHenry. Major General George Armistead was the fort's commander. Thomas's brother Caleb was eighteen. He served in their father's artillery troop. This group of soldiers was trained to handle the fort's big guns.

Paragraphs 10 to 18:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Weekly Reading Books

          Create Weekly Reading Books

Prepare for an entire week at once!

Feedback on Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1
Leave your feedback on Seeing Stars - The Battle of Fort McHenry, Part 1   (use this link if you found an error in the story)

The War of 1812
             The War of 1812

Flag Day
             Flag Day

United States
             United States


    American Government  
 
    Black History and Blacks in U.S. History  
 
    Children in History  
 
    Government Careers  
 
    Hispanic Heritage  
 
    How Can I Help?  
 
 
    Immigration  
 
    National Parks and Monuments  
 
    Native Americans  
 
    Presidents of the United States  
 
    Women's History  
 

United States History
    A Nation Divided
(1840-1861) 		 
 
    A New Nation
(1776-1830) 		 
 
    After the Civil War
(1865-1870) 		 
 
    American Revolution  
 
    Cold War
(1947-1991) 		 
 
    Colonial America (1492-1776)  
 
    Lewis and Clark
(1804-1806) 		 
 
    Pearl Harbor  
 
    Spanish American War (1898)  
 
    The 1890's  
 
    The 1900's  
 
    The 1910's  
 
    The 1920's  
 
    The 1930's  
 
 
    The 1940's  
 
    The 1950's  
 
    The 1960's  
 
    The 1970's  
 
    The 1980's  
 
    The 1990's  
 
    The 2000's  
 
    The Civil War
(1861-1865) 		 
 
    The Great Depression
(1929-1945) 		 
 
    The United States Grows
(1865-1900) 		 
 
    The War of 1812  
 
    Wild, Wild West  
 
    World War I
(1914-1918) 		 
 
    World War II  
 

50 States

             Fifty States Theme Unit

Document Based Activities
      Document Based Activities



Copyright © 2025 edHelper