Dancing Rainbows
Reading Assessment
Reading: Word Analysis, Vocabulary, and Fluency
Directions: Read the sentence and find the correct answer.
1. Curt’s ancestors were farmers.
What does the word ancestors mean?
a. respect or admiration
b. to show special respect
c. people one’s family that lived a long time ago
d. someone who is older and wise
2. On Feast Day, native dances honor the pueblo’s patron saint.
What does honor mean?
a. to show special respect for someone or something
b. to copy
c. to dance
d. to celebrate
3. Andy tells Curt, “We must respect Mother Earth.”
What does the word respect mean?
a. people one’s family comes from
b. to show that you admire or think highly of someone
c. someone who is older and wise
d. copying
4. Andy is an elder in his tribe.
What does the word elder mean?
a. people in your family that lived before you
b. copying
c. Native American
d. someone who is older and wise
5. In this dance they are imitating the Comanche warriors.
What does the word imitating mean?
a. to admire someone
b. copying
c. people in your family that lived a long time ago
d. to show special respect
Reading: Comprehension
Directions: Read each question. Choose the best answer.
1. Pueblo is a Spanish word for_____________
a) tribe
b) town
c) Feast Day
d) none of the above
2. What is the purpose of feast day?
a) to honor the pueblo’s patron saint.
b) To celebrate the power of the summer sun.
c) both a and b
d) none of the above
3. What were Curt’s ancestors?
a) farmers
b) fishers
c) gatherers
d) none of the above
4. All Tewa dances are _________________.
a) fun
b) prayers
c) for food
d) none of the above
5. How do Tewas show respect for animals?
a) by not hunting them
b) by speaking their language
c) the Buffalo Dance
d) by living with them
6. What is the purpose of the Buffalo Dance?
a) To honor the animals and to give Tewas strength and power during feast day.
b) It allows them to speak the same language as the animals
c) They like to dress up in costumes.
d) To play the drums.
7. Tewas believe that rain is ___________________.
a) bad luck
b) good luck
c) fun to play in
d) dangerous
8. Why do Tewas believe that drums have great power?
a) They can make loud noises.
b) They are strong instruments.
c) They are round.
d) They sound the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
9. What do the dancers do in the Comanche Dance?
a) wave feathers
b) bake bread
c) imitate the Comanche warriors and pray for the tribe
d) meet in the plaza
10. When do Tewa children learn to dance?
a) When they are five.
b) When they are ten.
c) As soon as they learn to walk.
d) When they are adults.
Answer sheet
1) c
2) a
3) b
4) d
5) b
1) b
2) c
3) a
4) b
5) c
6) a
7) b
8) d
9) c
10) c