Eye of the Storm 1-2

Eye of the Storm

Eye of the Storm is about storm chaser and weather photographer Warren Faidley. Faidley crosses the United States each year, following lightning storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes to capture them on film for his photo agency, Weatherstock. He became world-famous after photographing a lightning bolt that was the closest ever filmed.

Faidley follows weather patterns that happen at the same time, in the same areas, every year. In the summer, he stays near Arizona to photograph lightning storms in the desert. In the spring, he travels to Tornado Alley, which includes northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Faidley spends about six weeks there, tracking thunderstorms and looking for tornadoes. His truck, Shadow Chaser, has a video camera, radios, scanners, emergency flashing lights, electronic equipment, and a lot of maps.

Faidley writes in his diary about what happened one May day in Texas. For the first part of the day, he and his partner, Tom Willett, listen to weather reports and go to the National Weather Service for updates, to predict where the storms will be.

Faidley and Willett drive north toward a spot where a funnel cloud has been reported. After a few close calls, they see a white funnel cloud coming down. When it touches the ground, it becomes a tornado.

Faidley sets up his camera and takes pictures. There are two huge storms coming together and creating more tornadoes in the area. Through the evening, the storm chasers follow the storms into Oklahoma. Soon, it gets too dark to take any more photos. By the end of the day, they have seen a total of seven tornadoes! Fortunately, there are no reports of any injuries.

Proofread 8/29/26

Halloween Costumes Story By: Andrew Frinkle

Halloween Costumes

Story By: Andrew Frinkle

It was nearly Halloween, so Jenny and her friends had to finish their costumes soon. Everyone was working so hard making them. It was hard work, but it would pay off with extra candy if they finished on time! It didn't hurt to look good, either.

Frank, her little brother, was going as a Fantastabot. That was a kind of robot that he liked from his cartoons. He was using a lot of cardboard, paint, paper, and shiny plastic to make his costume. It actually looked really good. He was a pretty good artist for his age, and was very good with LEGO blocks. Maybe that's why he was so good at making a robot costume.

Her friend Sandra from next door wanted to be a fairy. She used coat hangers to make the shapes of the wings, and she'd stretched colorful tissue paper across the wings. With spots and sparkles, they looked like real butterfly wings, only human-sized! She was finishing the costume with her ballet outfit and some sparkly tights and a tiara. It was a very pretty costume.

Thomas, Sandra's brother, wanted to be a superhero. He had some stretchy pants and a cape he'd made. He was working on a mask to cover his face and a shirt with a cool superhero logo. It was a decent costume, but he was a bit skinny for a superhero. Jenny helped him a little bit, because he was her friend's brother, and because he was really funny sometimes.

And what was Jenny going to be? Well, she'd be a princess, of course. She'd been adding rhinestones and glitter to an old pink dress she had from a party last year. She was also doing up her hair and makeup with mom's help. Shiny silver shoes with glass beads finished the look, along with a scepter that made her look royal.

When Halloween came, they looked awesome. Everyone complimented them on their costumes and even gave them extra candy sometimes. The whole thing was a great success, and Jenny was sad to finally take off her princess costume at the end of the night. Oh well, she thought... I can always wear it on the weekends!

Proofread 8/29/26

Earthquake Terror 1-1

Earthquake Terror

As Earthquake Terror begins, Jonathan and his sister Abby are camping with their parents on Magpie Island. When their mother breaks her ankle, their father must rush her to the hospital. Jonathan stays behind on the island with Abby, who uses a walker, and their dog, Moose.

Not long after the parents leave, Moose begins pacing back and forth, barking loudly, and shaking the way he does during a thunderstorm. Jonathan notices how quiet everything is - no birds chirping, no leaves moving.

Suddenly, there is a loud noise in the distance. Jonathan feels a jolt and falls forward. He feels the ground moving underneath him. It's an earthquake!

Jonathan feels as if he's riding a surfboard. He and Abby both fall, and she loses her walker. Thinking about the earthquake drills that he practices in school every year, Jonathan tells Abby to put her hands over her head. He tries to crawl over to her but can't keep his balance. Everything is moving, Abby is screaming, Moose is barking, and the earth sounds like a pounding drum. A huge redwood falls, just missing Jonathan by a few feet. It lands on another fallen tree.

Finally, Jonathan reaches Abby. He tells her that they need to find shelter. They manage to crawl over and wedge themselves into the space between the redwood and the other tree. Moose joins them there.

Then, as quickly as it started, everything stops. Jonathan isn't sure how long the earthquake lasted. Everything is quiet again. The children come out from under the tree. They are both okay, except for a few cuts. They know that they are lucky to be alive.

Proofread 8/29/26

Things that come in 10's Story By: Andrew Frinkle

Things that come in 10's

Story By: Andrew Frinkle

Lots of things come in 10's.

There are tens of them.

Can you think of any?

October is the 10th month.

Do you have a $10 bill?

Dimes are 10 cents.

A decade is 10 years.

Crabs have 10 legs.

Squids have 10 limbs.

Shrimp have 10 legs.

Bowling has 10 pins.

You have 10 fingers.

You have 10 toes.

Decagons have 10 sides.

Lots of things come in 10's.

There are tens of them.

Can you think of more?

Proofread 8/29/26

The Weather is Snowy Story By: Andrew Frinkle

The Weather is Snowy

Story By: Andrew Frinkle

How is the weather today?

The weather is snowy.

The air is cold.

The sky is grey.

It is winter.

It is snowing.

White flakes fall.

They are soft.

They are small.

They are cold.

I wear a hat.

I wear gloves.

I wear a coat.

I wear boots.

How is the weather today?

The weather is snowy.

Proofread 8/29/26

A Fall Festival with Grandma By: Deborah Lynn

A Fall Festival with Grandma

By: Deborah Lynn

It would soon be Halloween and Mommy and Daddy wanted their kids to have fun!

"What can we do so that Eva and Micah will be safe?" asked Mommy.

"Let them go to the Fall Festival with Grandma. That would be lots of fun!" Daddy answered.

"Yes Mommy, please," Eva begged. "Let us go to the Fall Festival."

"What is a Fall Festival?" Micah asked.

Mommy explained that it was a place where the people from Grandma's church would have games and prizes. She said they would like it very much. There would be many children there. So when Halloween arrived, Grandma came over to get Eva and Micah. Eva was dressed up as a Princess and Micah looked like Spiderman.

"This is going to be way cool!" Micah said with a smile.

The festival was outside at a football field. They had bounce houses, walls to climb and swings that went around and around and way up high. There were pony rides, a petting zoo and lots of games to play. Everyone at the festival won candy even if they didn't win the game! There were hot dogs, drinks, pretzels and cotton candy. There was so much to do that they didn't have time to do it all.

They stayed until the rides closed and then they walked back to the car in the dark. It really was a very fun night, and on the way home Grandma even stopped at the ice cream store. Eva and Micah got two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

"I had fun Grandma," Micah said.

"Me too, Grandma, thanks for taking us," Eva said.

Grandma just smiled. I think she was happy too.

Proofread 8/29/26

Autumn By www.theteachersguide.com

Autumn

By www.theteachersguide.com

As summer draws its final breath

to prepare its curtain call

the monarchs begin their epic trek

to usher in the fall

The northern wind breathes out its chill

as songs begin to hush

and paints the trees upon the hill

with its artist's brush

From green to red, orange and brown

the trees discard their masks

and lay them gently upon the ground

for us to begin our tasks

Autumn makes way for winter's reign

we bid farewell old friend

till summer's warmth begins to wane

and fall returns again

Proofread 8/29/26