9780153505645.pdf

RXENL08ARD5B27_BLR_CoverCalamity Jane by Mary Ann Ryanillustrated by Marni Backerclone top of image.Adventurer and Leader9 780153 5056459 0 0 0 0ISBN-13:978-0-15-350564-5ISBN-10:0-15-350564-8 GRADE 5Lesson 27WORD COUNT1,056GENREBiographyLEVELBelow LevelHarcourt LeveledReaders Online Database Calamity JaneCopyright by Harcourt,Inc.All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic or mechanical,including photocopy,recording,or any information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publisher.Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to School Permissions and Copyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277 Sea Harbor Drive,Orlando,Florida 328876777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURT and the Harcourt Logo are trademarks of Harcourt,Inc.,registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.Printed in the United States of AmericaISBN 10:0-15-350564-8ISBN 13:978-0-15-350564-5Ordering OptionsISBN 10:0-15-350335-1(Grade 5 Below-Level Collection)ISBN 13:978-0-15-350335-1(Grade 5 Below-Level Collection)ISBN 10:0-15-357566-2(package of 5)ISBN 13:978-0-15-357566-2(package of 5)If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge,Harcourt School Publishers retains title to the materials and they may not be resold.Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited and is illegal.Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication,or any portion of it,into electronic format.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 179 12 11 10 09 08 07 06by Mary Ann Ryanillustrated by Marni BackerAdventurer and LeaderRXENL08ARD5B27_BLR_P13Calamity Jane had a lifetime of adventures.She was a talented performer.She also helped care for many people who were sick.She was a daring explorer who worked with many famous war heroes.In fact,her name and legacy still live on more than a hundred years after her death.RXENL08ARD5B27_BLR_P3Calamity Jane was born Martha Jane Canary on May 1,1852.Her family lived in the isolated town of Princeton,Missouri.She was raised in a small cabin on a farm.She was the eldest of six children.Her parents,Robert and Charlotte,were farmers who didnt have much success in Missouri.However,they worked hard to support their large family.Because Martha Jane was the eldest of her brothers and sisters,she had no time to invest in school.She probably never learned to read and write.She did learn a great deal of responsibility,though.When Martha Jane became a teenager,her parents made a decision that would change her life forever.4RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 4RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 412/27/07 12:21:50 PM12/27/07 12:21:50 PM5When the Civil War was taking place in the eastern part of the United States,soldiers came to places like Missouri in search of people who would fi ght in the war.Some decided to join.Others were appalled by the idea that the war was coming so close to their home.Marthas family decided to make the journey out West just like many other families during that time.They traveled in covered wagon trains along grueling trails.These trails eventually led them to Oregon.RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 5RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 512/27/07 12:26:03 PM12/27/07 12:26:03 PMWhile her family was on the trail,Martha Jane started to make a name for herself.Most women wore long dresses and bonnets.Martha Jane wore pants.Even though she was still a young girl,her somewhat haughty attitude gave her the confi dence to join her father and the other men on adventures.Often,the streams along the trail would rise from heavy rains.Martha Jane would ride across these streams on her pony to prove her bravery.Throughout the whole trip,she impressed everyone with her skills and tough attitude.Finally,fi ve months after she and her family had left Missouri,they arrived in Virginia City.It was a mining town located in Montana.6RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 6RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 612/27/07 3:07:39 PM12/27/07 3:07:39 PM7Sadly,both of Marthas parents died within their fi rst year in Montana.Martha,who had already learned how to be independent,began her journey through the West at the age of sixteen.She was so fearless that it was hard for people not to notice her.At fi rst,she tried to earn money by taking more common jobs for women at that time.These included cooking and washing clothes.However,she thought that these jobs were far too boring.She dis-guised herself as a young man so that she could fi nd more exciting work.RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 7RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 712/27/07 12:35:20 PM12/27/07 12:35:20 PM8Eventually,Martha Jane was hired to lead herds of oxen to their destination.These oxen carried different items such as food or building materials for railroads.Martha Jane earned a good living doing this work.She made between fi fty and seventy-fi ve dollars a month.This was quite a large amount of money at that time.She also received free food and coffee.She liked this job because she could be outside on horseback all day.It was also a challenging experience.It was very important to keep the oxen moving at a fast pace so the goods would be delivered on time.RXENL08ARD5B27_BLR_P89RXENL08ARD5B27_BLR_P9No one is exactly certain where Martha Janes nickname“Calamity Jane”came from.The name Calamity probably came to Martha Jane because she was known for her daring behavior.Calamity means“disaster.”According to legend,Martha Jane got her nickname when she saved a captain during a battle.“Calamity Jane”was fi tting for Marthas personality.She accepted it.Wherever she would go,she always wanted to be introduced not as Martha Jane but as Calamity Jane.10RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 10RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 1012/27/07 12:37:50 PM12/27/07 12:37:50 PMIn the spring of 1875,Calamity Jane joined a group of geologists.Geologists are people who study the earth and what it is made up of.This group went on a journey to map the remote Black Hills of South Dakota.At the time,there were stories that in these hills,they would fi nd a large amount of gold.Calamity Jane did not really have much interest in searching for gold,but she loved to travel.She saw this as a new chance for adventure.11RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 11RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 1112/27/07 12:39:47 PM12/27/07 12:39:47 PM12The group that Calamity Jane was traveling with had the protection of the United States Army since the journey was quite dangerous.The Army needed scouts who would never fl ounder.Scouts traveled ahead of the group.They warned the others of any possible danger that was ahead.This was the perfect job for Calamity Jane.According to her own stories,she served as a scout for some very important missions.She even said she worked for General Custer.He was an important military leader at that time.However,we cannot be certain if all of these stories are true.RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 12RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 1212/27/07 12:41:56 PM12/27/07 12:41:56 PMA few years later,in 1878,there was a smallpox outbreak.Calamity Jane was living in the town of Deadwood,South Dakota.It was a place laden with sick men and women.She saw people all around her becoming very ill.Smallpox is a disease that causes the skin to break out in bumps.It can leave bad scars.Smallpox is also very contagious and can be deadly.Instead of running from the disease,Calamity Jane decided to help care for anyone with the disease.She treated those who were sick,often risking her own health.After this,people truly thought of her as a hero.She sacrifi ced herself for the good of others.13RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 13RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 1312/27/07 12:46:10 PM12/27/07 12:46:10 PM?Think Critically1.Why did Calamity Janes family decide to leave Missouri?2.Summarize Calamity Janes life in a few sentences.3.What are some qualities about Calamity Jane that you admire?4.How do you think the author feels about Calamity Jane?Explain your answer.5.Why do you think that so many people attended Calamity Janes funeral?Social StudiesThe Civil War The Civil War occurred during Calamity Janes time.Do research on the Internet or use library resources to fi nd out facts such as when the Civil War took place,what it was about,and how it ended.List fi ve key events of this war.School-Home Connection Talk about Calamity Janes life with someone at home.What do they think was her greatest accomplishment?Word Count:1,035RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 15RXENL08CRD5B27_BL.indd 1512/27/07 3:10:41 PM12/27/07 3:10:41 PM