1. Comprehension Questions and Stemming Practice Grade 5, Lesson 5
Elisa’s Diary
Comprehension Questions and Stemming Practice
Grade 5, Lesson 5
Created by: M. Christoff, Enrichment Specialist, Field Local Schools

2. Why might Elisa be writing in a diary?
Elisa is writing in a diary …
because she wants to record events in her life and
make sense our of her feelings about them.

3. When did Elisa’s grandmother give her the squirrel figurine?
She gave Elisa the figurine …
at the end of her first visit to the United States.

4. sad about moving to the United States.
Elisa enjoyed her first visit to the United States. How does she feel about being there now?
Elisa is …
sad about moving to the United States.
She misses Puerto Rico.

5. What is the conflict between Elisa and her brother?
Elisa has a
negative view of being in the United States.
Her brother is open to all the changes he is going through in his new home.
Their different feelings cause tension between them.

6. How does the author use language to set the tone?
The author uses words…
such as
“unbearable,”
“afraid,” and
“crazy”
which sets a frustrated tone.

7. How does the author describe Elisa’s problem?
The author has Elisa describe her own problem…
by explaining to her brother that she feels lonely and afraid
because she can’t speak or understand spoken English well.

8. that you must make an effort to overcome your fear.
Using text details on pp , what can you infer is the main message of this part of the story?
Elisa’s brother tries to help her by suggesting ways she can learn English.
The main theme of pages is….
that you must make an effort to overcome your fear.

9. Elisa decides that she will “like this school after all” because:
Why does Elisa write that she thinks she will “like this school after all”?
Elisa decides that she will “like this school after all” because:
she meets a student from Guatemala who is sad and quiet, and thinks she may have found a friend.

10. Why does Elisa call her classmates opponents?
Elisa calls her classmates “opponents” because …
she feels like she is competing with them to give the right answer.

11. What are the details that help you visualize the quetzal that Jose describes?
The details used to describe and help the reader visualize the quetzal include….
soft feathers,
green crest,
red chest,
gorgeous bird,
and the illustration on page 129.

12. What has made Elisa smile for the first time since classes started?
Elisa smiled for the first time since classes started because…
she feels that she has done something to feel good about. She received a “A” on her composition.

13. I think that Elisa’s and Jose’s plan will help…
What can you infer about Elisa’s and Jose’s plan to help each other with their English skills?
I think that Elisa’s and Jose’s plan will help…
them overcome fear of new things by working with someone else to solve the problem.

14. What do you think Elisa learned about dealing with new situations?
I think Elisa learned that new situations …
are easier to deal with when you have another person to help you.

15. Elisa’s introduction to “the joining of forces” shows ...
How does Elisa’s introduction to “the joining of forces” show the lesson she learned when she was a student?
Elisa’s introduction to “the joining of forces” shows ...
that she has learned to overcome fear in new situations.
She shares her story of a first day in a new school.

16. Why might she want to share the story with her students?
Elisa shares this story with her students because …
she wants her students to discover that they can work with others to overcome their fears.