3rd Grade Houghton Mifflin Reading at a Glance

Theme 1

Cliff Hanger:

belay- being tied to a person or a rock with a rope for safety

descent- a trip down into or from something, such as a mountain

harness- a set of straps that can attach to a safety rope

ledge- a shelf of rock

rappel- to come down a cliff by sliding down a rope

trekked- made a slow and difficult journey on foot


Ballad of Mulan

armor- body covering, often of metal, worn for protection in battle

comrades- companions who share one's activities

endured- put up with or lasted through

farewell- goodbye

triumphant- successful

troops- soldiers

victorious- having won by defeating another


The Lost and Found

directions- lines or paths along which someone or something goes, lies, or points

rumpled- wrinkled or creased

situations- sets of conditions at certain moments in time

unusual- not usual, common, or ordinary

visible- able to be seen

worried- concerned or anxious


Radio Rescue and Midnight Ride

ferocious- fierce, powerful

hurricane- an ocean-born storm with violent winds and heavy rains

distress-serious danger or trouble

transmitting- sending signals by radio or wire

raise- to contact by radio

acknowledge- received and made a reply to

relaying- passing or sending along

route- way or path

trot- movement that is faster than a walk and slower than a run

urged- pushed onward

reins- straps a rider uses to guide an animal


Focus on Poetry

beats- pulses that are the basic units of rhythm, used in both poetry and music

lines- rows of words printed or written across a page or column

pattern- a combination of actions, or events that are repeated in a recognizable arrangement

rhyme- to agree or correspond in sound

rhythm- a series of pulses that repeat in a regular order

stanzas- groups of lines that make up divisions of a poem


Theme 2
The Keeping Quilt

border- a part that forms the outside edge of something

gathering- a coming together of people

 needles- small, thin tools used for sewing

 scraps- leftover bits of cloth sewn- fastened with stitches, using a needle and thread

threaded- passed thread through the eye of a needle

Grandma's Records

conga- a tall, narrow drum with one head that is played by beating with the hands

percussion- the striking together of two things to create a sound; a family of musical instruments played by being struck or shaken

 performing- presenting something, such as music or acting, before an audience

 record- a grooved disc that can be played on a phonograph

salsa- a style of Latin American dance music that mixes African, Cuban, jazz, and rock music

theater- a building where plays, movies, or concerts are presented

The Talking Cloth

collector- a person who gathers things or has a collection

collection- a group of objects with something in common

flourish- a dramatic waving motion; a showy way of doing something

royalty- members of a royal family, such as kings, queens, princesses or princes

embroidered- decorated by sewing designs with thread or yarn

symbols- designs that stand for other things or ideas

wealth- plenty of money or other valuable things

Dancing Rainbows

ancestors- people one's family comes from

elders- people who are older and ofter wise, respected leaders in a group

honor- to show special respect for

imitating- copying what someone does

respect- admiration or consideration

Miss Rumphius & Celebrating Chinese New Year

bloomed- had flowers that opened up; blossomed

lupines- flowers of a certain type that grow in a cone-shaped cluster

bushels- amounts that each equal 32 quarts

headlands- points of high land that stick out into a body of water

 hollows- small valleys

unity- togetherness

hosts- people who hold a party

elaborate- complicated and carefully planned

feast- a large, fancy meal

chef- a cook

Focus on Trickster Tales

boastfulness- being full of praise for oneself, one's belongings, or one's actions

clever- smart culture- the customs, beliefs, and ways of living that belong to a people

folktales- a traditional story handed down to one generation to the next

greediness- being filled with selfish desire for more than what one needs

mischief- bad behavior

qualities- features that make a person or thing special

trickster- a character who plays tricks or pranks on others

Theme 3

Dogzilla

colossal- very big: enormous

creature- a living being, especially an animal

heroic- very brave or daring

horrifying- causing much fear

monstrous- extremely large; enormous

terrifying- causing much fear

tremendous- very great, large, or powerful

The Mysterious Giant of Barletta

giant- a huge, strong, imaginary creature that looks like a human being

mysterious- very hard to explain or understand

pedestal- a base or support for a column or a statue statue- an image, often a person or an animal, usually made of stone, metal, or wood

weakling- a person lacking strength or character

square- a rectangle having four equal sides; an open area where two or more streets come together, often in the center of a town.

Raising Dragons

appetite- the desire for food; hunger

chores- small jobs usually done on a regular schedule

harvested- picked or gathered

hitched- tied on or fastened by a knot, ring, or hook

plow- to break up and turn over dirt so that seeds can be planted

sown- scattered or planted

tended- looked after; took care of

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi

awesome- causing a feeling of wonder, fear, and respect

convinced- made to do, believe or feel certain about something

disappeared- passed out of sight; vanished

discovered- found; learned

incredible- too unlikely to be believed; astonishing or amazing

impossibe-not able to happen or exist

Fugitives on Four Legs & Dinosaur Bob

fleeing- running away escapade- an adventurous escape

sanctuary- a safe place set aside for animals to live in wallow- roll around happily in something, enjoy something a lot

safari- a trip to see wild animals

rendition- a performance of a song

liner- a large passenger ship

berth- a place to sleep on a ship

serenade- a musical performance that honors someone

menace- a danger

Theme 4

Nights of the Pufflings

ashore- on or to the shore (from the water)

burrows- holes or tunnels dug in the ground by small animals

instinctively- acting on an inner feeling; doing without thinking

launching- throwing; sending forcefully upward

stranded- left in a helpless or difficult position

uninhabited- having no people living there

venture- to set out to do something even though it might be dangerous

Seal Surfer

basked- rested in pleasant warmth

buffeted- struck powerfully, blown about

horizon- the line where the sky seems to meet the sea or Earth

quay- a dock where ships are loaded and unloaded

surf- to ride on waves, often on a surfboard

swell- a long wave that moves without breaking

swooped- moved with a sudden, sweeping motion

Two Days in May

appreciate- to enjoy and understand

grazing- eating growing plants

population- relating to the number of people or animals living in a certain place

starve- to suffer or die from not having enough food

surrounding- on all sides of

territory- an area of land

wander- to move from place to place without having a special destination

Alejandro's Gift & The Living Desert

companion- friend

refresh- to make like new again

cherished- well loved

furrows- long, narrow grooves cut in the ground

dwellers- people or animals who live in a place

drudgery- hard, boring, or unpleasant work

shunned- avoided on purpose

saguaro- a kind of tall cactus

environment- the place where animals, plants, or people live

moisture- wetness

tenants- people or animals who live in a place

behavior- the way a person or animal acts

cope- deal with

Focus on Biography

biography- a person's life story

 facts- things that are true

events- things that happen

sequence- one thing following after another

research- careful study of a subject

Theme 5

Across the Wide Dark Sea

anchor- a heavy metal hook attached to a ship and dropped overboard to hold the ship in place

cramped- crowded; not enough room to move about

journey- a trip from one place to another

seeping- slowly leaking; oozing

settlement- a small community in a new place

survive- to stay alive; to hold up or withstand

weary- tired; needing to rest

Yunni and Halomoni's Trip

bustling- full of activity; busy

custom- a tradition; a way of doing something that many people follow

foreigners- people who come from another country or place

passport- a government document that allows a person to travel in foreign countries

sightseeing- visiting interesting places; touring

skyscrapers- very tall buildings

vendor- someone who sells something

Trapped by the Ice

barren- having little plant or animal life

crevasse- deep hole or crack

deserted- empty; not lived in, or having few or no people

floes- large sheets of floating ice

grueling- very tiring impassable- not able to be crossed or traveled through

perilous- very dangerous terrain- land, ground, or earth

The Island-below-the-Star & A Wild Ride

harpoons- spears used to hunt whales and large fish

seaworthy- safe for sailing in

calabashes- large, round bowls made from a gourd

awe- a feeling of wonder and respect

hull- the body of a boat rolling- moving roughly in many directions

 territory- 1. land controlled by a certain group; 2. a part of the United States that is not a state

slogging- moving slowly

newsreel- a short movie about recent news

Focus on Fairy Tales

folktale- a traditional story handed down by the people of a country or region from one generation to the next

fairy- a tiny imaginary being in human form who has magical powers

hero- the main male character in a story, poem, or play

heroine- the main female character in a story, poem, or play

culture- the customs, beliefs, and ways of living that belong to a people

Theme 6

Pepita Talks Twice

language- spoken or written human speech

Spanish- a language

enchiladas- tortillas rolled around a filling, then covered with spicy sauce

salsa- a spicy sauce usually made with tomatoes, onions, and peppers

tortilla- a round, flat bread made of corn, from Mexico and Central America

 tamales- cornmeal dough wrapped in a corn husk or leaf around a filling and steamed

tacos- tortillas folded around a filling such as ground meat or cheese

Poppa's New Pants

draped- hung loosely in folds

fabric- cloth

hem- to fold back and sew down the edges

mended- repaired by sewing

pattern- a repeated design or decoration

plaid- a pattern of stripes that cross each other

rustling- quick, soft, fluttering sound

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

ceaseless- not stopping; constant

companionable- friendly

discouraged- having little hope or enthusiasm

dismal- gloomy; miserable

dreary- gloomy; bleak; dull e

exhausted- very tired

pelting- beating against again and again

sullenly- in a bad-humored way; not happily; gloomily

Helen Keller & Prairie School

miraculously- amazingly

condemned- doomed

frustrated- discouraged and upset

communicate- exchange ideas by talking, writing, or other methods

restored- brought back

sod- mixture of grass and soil

fetch- bring

fidgeted- moved around restlessly

prairie- flat, grassy land with few trees

hauling- carrying

trunks- sturdy boxes for storing things

To view a summary of our reading series, please visit the following website:

3rd Grade Summary of Reading Series