Winter Holiday Math & Reading — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Sam made 14 snowballs and his friend made 9. How many snowballs did they make together?
A) 22
B) 5
C) 23
D) 24
14 + 9 = 23. You can split 9 into 6 + 3: add 6 to 14 to make 20, then add 3 more to get 23.
2. Which word means almost the same as freezing?
A) Warm
B) Icy
C) Sunny
D) Breezy
'Icy' and 'freezing' both describe very cold temperatures, so they are synonyms. Warm, sunny, and breezy describe totally different weather.
3. There were 16 birds on a branch. Then 7 flew away. How many are still on the branch?
A) 8
B) 23
C) 10
D) 9
16 - 7 = 9. If 7 of the 16 birds flew off, 9 are still sitting on the branch.
4. Read: "The pond froze solid overnight." What does froze mean here?
A) Melted into water
B) Turned into ice
C) Became very hot
D) Dried up completely
To 'freeze' means liquid water turns into solid ice when it gets cold enough. A pond that froze solid changed from water to ice.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. 8 plus 7 plus 4 equals 19.
Add in order: 8 + 7 = 15, then 15 + 4 = 19. You could also notice 8 + 4 = 12 (doubles add), then 12 + 7 = 19.
2. A penguin is a bird that cannot fly.
Penguin wings are shaped like flippers for swimming fast in water, not for flying. Penguins are one of the few birds that never leave the ground or water to fly.
3. 18 minus 9 equals 9.
18 - 9 = 9. This is a doubles fact because 9 + 9 = 18, so half of 18 is 9.
4. Maple trees lose their leaves in winter.
Maple trees are deciduous, meaning they drop all their leaves in fall. The bare branches stay through winter until new leaves grow in spring.
5. 6 plus 5 plus 3 equals 14.
Add in order: 6 + 5 = 11, then 11 + 3 = 14. You could also see 5 + 3 = 8, then 8 + 6 = 14.