Worksheet

Turn, Jump, Count: Reasons for a Double Dutch Team

Read a persuasive letter asking for a Double Dutch jump rope team, sort facts and details under each reason, and study how the reasons are ordered.

Grade 5ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toW.5.1.b

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What’s included

Single worksheet
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1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
9 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 5
Subject: ELA
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students sort facts and details under the reasons they support in an opinion letter.
Students explain how a writer orders reasons, ending with the strongest one.
Students write a new fact or detail that supports a given reason.

How to use

Read the letter aloud and have students box each reason's signal word (First, Second, Most important). Then let them sort the note cards and answer the rest on their own.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

W.5.1.b

Give logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.

Preview

OwlSheets.com

Name Date

Turn, Jump, Count: Reasons for a Double Dutch Team

Sort supporting details under the right reason and see how the reasons are ordered.

Read the letter

Kenji and Lorena wrote this letter to their principal. Read it carefully.

A Letter About Double Dutch

1Dear Principal Haddad,
We are writing to ask if our school can start a Double Dutch jump rope team. In Double Dutch, two people turn two long ropes in opposite directions while a third person jumps in the middle. We have been practicing at recess for two months, and more students ask to join us every week. We think a team would be good for our whole school. Here are our reasons.

2First, Double Dutch is a great way to stay healthy. Jumping rope makes your heart pump faster and builds strong leg muscles. It also improves balance, because jumpers have to land lightly on the balls of their feet over and over. On rainy days, a team could practice in the gym, so students would keep moving all year long.

3Second, Double Dutch teaches teamwork. The two turners must swing the ropes at the same speed, or the ropes will tangle. The jumper has to watch the ropes closely and wait for the right moment to jump in. Last week, Malik and Sofia could not keep a steady beat, so they counted out loud together until their turns matched. When all three work well together, the ropes make a steady slap, slap sound on the blacktop. In Double Dutch, every person depends on the others.

4Most important, a team would be open to everyone. Unlike some sports, Double Dutch does not need costly uniforms or a large field. All a team needs is a few long ropes and some open space. Students of any size can learn to turn or jump, and nobody has to sit on a bench while others play. At recess, our group already includes third, fourth, and fifth graders.

5Coach Brennan has offered to help us after school on Wednesdays. We hope you will agree that a Double Dutch team would make our school healthier, closer, and more welcoming.
Sincerely,
Kenji Watanabe and Lorena Diaz

Reasons and support

Use the letter to answer each question.

What do Kenji and Lorena want the principal to do?

A. Let students play Double Dutch in the gym at lunch
B. Let the school start a Double Dutch team
C. Buy new uniforms for the school's sports teams
D. Make recess longer so groups can practice more

Complete the outline of the letter's reasons. Use words from the word bank. Two words will not be used.

Word bank: everyone · uniforms · healthy · tangled · teamwork

Reason 1: Double Dutch helps students stay .
Reason 2: Double Dutch teaches .
Most important reason: A team would be open to .

Kenji and Lorena made extra note cards. Sort each note under the reason it supports.

Turners and jumpers practice counting the beat together.A long rope costs much less than a soccer goal.After a few minutes of jumping, most kids are breathing hard.Even second graders at recess have learned to turn.Strong leg muscles help jumpers land softly.Turners call out to each other before they switch places.

Staying healthy	Teamwork	Open to everyone

Read paragraph 3 again. Underline the sentence that tells what will happen to the ropes if the turners swing at different speeds.

Second, Double Dutch teaches teamwork.The two turners must swing the ropes at the same speed, or the ropes will tangle.The jumper has to watch the ropes closely and wait for the right moment to jump in.Last week, Malik and Sofia could not keep a steady beat, so they counted out loud together until their turns matched.When all three work well together, the ropes make a steady slap, slap sound on the blacktop.In Double Dutch, every person depends on the others.

Which detail from the letter supports the reason that a team would be open to everyone?

A. The jumper waits for the right moment to jump in.
B. Jumpers land lightly on the balls of their feet.
C. The group has third, fourth, and fifth graders.
D. Malik and Sofia counted out loud together.

The writers begin paragraph 4 with the words "Most important." What do these words tell the reader?

A. This reason happened last, after the other two.
B. This is the reason the writers think is strongest.
C. This reason was suggested by Coach Brennan.
D. This reason is the one the principal asked about.

Lorena wants to add a detail to paragraph 2. Which sentence fits the reason in that paragraph best?

A. Jumping rope is a workout for the whole body.
B. Some schools hold jump rope contests each year.
C. Our ropes are kept in a bin by the gym door.
D. Many people jump rope while they sing rhymes.

Add your own support

Write in complete sentences.

Write one new fact or detail that Kenji and Lorena could add to support the reason that Double Dutch teaches teamwork.

Think of a club you would like at your school. Write two reasons for it in order, with a detail for each. Then tell which reason you put last and why.