A Shriek in the Night

Have you ever been frightened by a sound in the night?

1 Savannah read under her covers with a flashlight until her eyes were closing. She switched off the flashlight and let her book drop to the rug beside her bed. She turned over and snuggled deeper into the soft flannel sheets.

2 It felt as though Savannah had been sleeping for only a few minutes when she awoke with a start to a terrible, bloodcurdling scream. She lay stiffly and silently in her bed waiting to see what would happen. Her clenched muscles had just begun to relax when she heard another scream coming from outside her bedroom window. This scream was followed by a series of wails and shrieks.

3 Savannah slipped from her bed and ran as quickly as she could to her parents’ bedroom. “Mom,” she whispered urgently. “Did you hear that screaming?”

4 Savannah’s mom was already awake, sitting up and hunting for her slippers. Savannah’s dad continued to snore. Neither Savannah nor her mother were surprised. Savannah’s dad was notorious for being able to sleep through anything. When he lived alone before he got married, he had to set three alarm clocks every night. He positioned them in various places around his bedroom to make sure that he would get up in time for work.

5 Savannah’s mom finally found her slippers and motioned Savannah toward the bedroom door. She shut the door behind them. “What do you think it is, Mom?” asked Savannah. 6 Before Mom could answer, she and Savannah heard the terrible shrieks again. They waited until it was over to speak. “I’m pretty sure it’s an animal,” said Mom. “Let’s see if we can spot anything through the kitchen window.

7 Savannah and her mom scanned the dark backyard but couldn’t see anything. They were getting ready to head back to bed when the noises began again. This time they both looked up into the large old oak trees that towered over the backyard. They could see two small eyes gleaming in the moonlight from one of the highest branches.

8 “I think it’s an owl,” said Mom, craning her neck to get a better look. “All I can see are its eyes, though. ”

9 “I feel so much better,” said Savannah with relief in her voice. “Maybe we can look online in the morning and see if we can figure out what kind of owl it is,” she suggested. “My teacher showed us a great website for wild animal identification.

10 Savannah and her mom both returned to bed. They heard the owl’s cries one more time before they drifted back to sleep, but it didn’t sound nearly as frightening anymore.

11 In the morning, Savannah and her mom were able to identify the owl from the night before as a barn owl. They used the website that Ms. Petrovic had recommended to listen to sound bytes of different types of animals.

12 As they were listening, Savannah’s dad came downstairs for breakfast. “What’s all that racket?” he asked cheerfully, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

13 “Doesn’t that sound at all familiar, Dad?” asked Savannah, replaying the barn owl’s call.

14 “Nope,” said Dad. “Should it?”

15 Savannah and her mom just laughed.

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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Write the words from the story that have the meanings below.

1. causing fear

2. held tightly together 4. well known for something unpleasant or unfavorable

3. needing immediate attention 5. stretching the neck to see better

6. Number the events below to show the order in which they happened.

Savannah switched off her flashlight.

Savannah and her mom saw the owl’s eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Savannah’s dad poured himself a glass of orange juice.

Savannah ran into her parents’ bedroom.

Savannah’s mom looked for her slippers.

7. Find one sentence that shows Savannah was frightened by the screaming she heard.

8. If Savannah hears a barn owl again someday, do you think she will be frightened? Why or why not?

9. What problem did Savannah have in the story?

10. Why weren’t Savannah and her mom surprised when the owl’s cries didn’t wake up Savannah’s dad?

11. How were Savannah and her mom able to identify the owl’s call?

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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