De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Cloud [Pdf]

"The Cloud" is a one-page, folktale about a cloud who moved closer to the earth, despite warnings that it would die, to save the drought-stricken plants and animals. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes: determining the lesson learned and underlining supporting text. This passage aligns with Common Core Anchor Reading Standards 1 requiring close reading, textual evidence, main idea, and summarizing.