Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage: FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading

At a Glance

Approximate Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Genre: Journalistic Nonfiction Topic: An account of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 Author: Jack London Source: Collier’s Weekly, May 1906 Special Note: used on G10 MCAS 1999

Jack London was an American novelist, reporter, and social critic. He lived in San Francisco when it was struck by an earthquake in 1906. This is his eyewitness account of that earthquake. Read the account and answer the questions that follow.

Jack London: The Story of an Eyewitness

Jack London: The Story of An Eyewitness Journalistic Nonfiction Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging Structure: Purpose: Richness: Relationships: Vocabulary: Style: Lexile Measure: 920L

Purpose: To provide an account of the devastation caused by the earthquake through describing specific details, actions, reactions, and changes in San Francisco in order to emphasize that the great, technologically advanced city remained great and would rise again. See Questions: 3, 9, 10

[An Account of the San Francisco Earthquake] Collier’s Weekly, May 1906 1 The earthquake shook down in San Francisco hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of walls and chimneys. But the conflagration that followed burned up hundreds of millions of dollars’worth of property. There is no estimating within hundreds of millions the actual damage wrought. Not in history has a modern imperial city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone! Nothing remains of it but memories and a fringe of dwelling houses on its outskirts. Its industrial section is wiped out. Its social and residential section is wiped out. The factories and warehouses, the great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the palaces of the nabobs, are all gone. Remains only the fringe of dwelling houses on the outskirts of what was once San Francisco.

Style: Because this article was written 100 years ago, some language and syntax may be more formal in tone and manner than many readers are used to. The author uses vivid imagery and creates dramatic effect through the use of description, repetition, and various metaphors. See Questions: 7, 8, 9

2 Within an hour after the earthquake shock the smoke of San Francisco’s burning was a lurid tower visible a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this lurid tower swayed in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day, and filling the land with smoke. 3 On Wednesday morning at a quarter past five came the earthquake. A minute later the flames were leaping upward. In a dozen different quarters south of Market Street, in the working-class ghetto, and in the factories, fires started. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. All the cunning adjustments of a twentieth-century city had been smashed by the earthquake. The streets were humped into ridges and depressions and piled with debris of fallen walls. The steel rails were twisted into perpendicular and horizontal angles. The telephone and telegraph systems were disrupted. And the great water mains had burst. All the shrewd contrivances and safeguards of man had been thrown out of gear by thirty seconds’ twitching of the earth’s crust.

Vocabulary: This passage contains a number of rich and potentially challenging vocabulary words like “lurid,” “enumeration,” “shrewd,” “nabobs,” and many more. See Questions: 1, 2, 3

Continued on next page FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

4 By Wednesday afternoon, inside of twelve hours, half the heart of the city was gone. At that time I watched the vast conflagration from out on the bay. It was dead calm. Not a flicker of wind stirred. Yet from every side wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, north, and south, strong winds were blowing upon the doomed city. The heated air rising made an enormous suck. Thus did the fire of itself build its own colossal chimney through the atmosphere. Day and night, this dead calm continued, and yet, near to the flames, the wind was often half a gale, so mighty was the suck. 5 The edict which prevented chaos was the following proclamation by Mayor E. E. Schmitz: 6 “The Federal Troops, the members of the Regular Police Force, and all Special Police Officers have been authorized to kill any and all persons found engaged in looting or in the commission of any other crime.

Richness: This passage is based on a real event that happened over 100 years ago. It deals with devastation, natural disasters, and loss of life. See Questions: 3, 6, 9

Structure: While generally chronological, the writer does include digression such as the mayor’s edict (in ¶5-9). See Questions: 1, 2

7 “I have directed all the Gas and Electric Lighting Companies not to turn on gas or electricity until I order them to do so; you may therefore expect the city to remain in darkness for an indefinite time. 8 “I request all citizens to remain at home from darkness until daylight of every night until order is restored. 9 “I warn all citizens of the danger of fire from damaged or destroyed chimneys, broken or leaking gas pipes or fixtures, or any like cause.” 10 Wednesday night saw the destruction of the very heart of the city. Dynamite was lavishly used, and many of San Francisco’s proudest structures were crumbled by man himself into ruins, but there was no withstanding the onrush of the flames. Time and again successful stands were made by the fire fighters, and every time the flames flanked around on either side, or came up from the rear, and turned to defeat the hard-won victory. 11 An enumeration of the buildings destroyed would be a directory of San Francisco. An enumeration of the buildings undestroyed would be a line and several addresses. An enumeration of the deeds of heroism would stock a library and bankrupt the Carnegie medal fund. An enumeration of the dead—will never be made. All vestiges of them were destroyed by the flames. The number of the victims of the earthquake will never be known. South of Market Street, where the loss of life was particularly heavy, was the first to catch fire. 12 Remarkable as it may seem, Wednesday night, while the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, was a quiet night. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no hysteria, no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the part of the advancing flames, and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who wept, not one man who was excited, not one person who was in the slightest degree panicstricken. 13 Before the flames, throughout the night, fled tens of thousands of homeless ones. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bundles of bedding and dear household treasures. Sometimes a whole family was harnessed to a carriage or delivery wagon that was weighted down with their possessions. Baby buggies, toy wagons, and gocarts were used as trucks, while every other person was dragging a trunk. Yet everybody was gracious. The most perfect courtesy obtained. Never in all San Francisco’s history were her people so kind and courteous as on this night of terror. 14 All the night these tens of thousands fled before the flames. Many of them, the poor people from the labor ghetto, had fled all day as well. They had left their homes burdened with possessions. Now and again they lightened up, flinging out upon the street clothing and treasures they had dragged for miles.

Relationships: The most prominent relationship is that of “man” to nature (common in London’s writing). “Modern man” and his new technologies (rail lines, telegraph wires, etc.) are featured as being the most damaged by the forces of nature. See Questions: 5, 6, 9

Ideas for Connected Writing Activities: • The author used vivid language throughout this account to impress his readers with the horror of the aftermath of the earthquake. Choose two examples of vivid language from the account and explain how each furthered the author’s purpose. • Based on information in the passage, write this article as it might appear in the Boston Herald describing an earthquake that happened in 2006. • Draw a detailed picture illustrating one of the scenes described in the article. • Write an account of this earthquake as it might have appeared in the local San Francisco Chinese newspaper. Write from the perspective of someone living in Chinatown at the time.

Humanities Connections: • Research how the city of San Francisco honored this history for the 100th anniversary of the earthquake. • Research the impact of the earthquake on the Chinese community living in Chinatown.

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Spotlight On: Jack London Jack London (1876-1916) was born in San Francisco. Although he wanted to attend college, he couldn’t afford to finish. Working 18 hours a day at a cannery drew his attention to labor issues, and in 1896 he became a member of the Socialist Labor Party. In 1897 he joined the Alaskan Gold Rush, where he developed scurvy. His difficult experiences in the Klondike inspired his first successful writing, including his most famous short story, “To Build a Fire.” He went on to be incredibly successful financially, eventually writing over 50 books. His most famous is The Call of the Wild.

Spotlight On: the San Francisco Earthquake The earthquake that hit San Francisco on April 18, 1906 is now estimated as a 7.8 on the Richter scale, qualifying it as one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the history of the United States. Most of the damage, however, was caused by the subsequent fire which sparked from burst gas mains. With the water mains also damaged, it was extremely difficult to fight the fire that ultimately destroyed more than 500 blocks, or more than 80% of the city. The city fire chief called in the Army to help keep order, fight the fire, and feed and shelter people. They also helped detonate blocks of buildings surrounding the fire to create a barrier. When the earthquake struck, San Francisco was the biggest city on the West Coast, and a crucial port for Pacific trade. Today we know that at least 3,000 people died as a result of the earthquake. Due to racism in 1906, white police officers reported less than 500 deaths because they did not count the many deaths in Chinatown. In addition to the loss of life, between 300,000 and 400,000 residents were left homeless.

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage: FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading

Jack London: The Story of An Eyewitness Journalistic Nonfiction

The annotated answer key below highlights common reasons students might choose each answer, and the sidebar gives more insight into the question types, to help you understand patterns of student responses. Always make time to follow up with students in conferences or small groups to probe their thinking, teach in response to patterns, and help them apply effective reading and thinking strategies to their everyday reading. Note: You may find it helpful to refer to the “Types and Levels of Questions on FAST-R” sheet from your teacher resource folder as you examine your students’ responses. The icon in the right-hand column, below, corresponds to that sheet’s more detailed explanations of the kinds of thinking each type of question asks of readers. 1. When did the earthquake take place? A. 1990 (OOB)  B. 1906 (heading) C. 1896 (OOP2, author spotlight) D. 2006 (OOB)

FE1: Identify evidence explicitly stated in the text

2. According to the passage, how long did the actual earthquake last? A. an hour (OOP2, ¶2, the fire had started within an hour) B. three days and nights (OOP2, ¶2, the fire burned for this long)  C. thirty seconds (¶3, “thirty seconds” twitching of the earth’s crust) D. twelve hours (OOP2, ¶4, half the city was burned in twelve hours)

FE1: Identify evidence explicitly stated in the text

3. Based on details in the passage, the greatest amount of damage was caused by A. the earthquake (OOP1, the earthquake caused the initial damage, but ¶1-3 describe how the fire’s devastation followed the initial quake damage) B. the looting (OOP2, the mayor’s order in ¶6 averted looting and ‘prevented chaos’)  C. the fire (¶1, “the conflagration” burned up more dollars’ worth of property than the earthquake; the next three paragraphs detail the fire) D. the wind (OOP2, the wind fed the fire but wasn’t the cause of damage on its own)

FE2: Recognize evidence explicitly stated at multiple locations or with varied wording in the text

4. In paragraph 2, what is “the lurid tower”? A. the reddened sky (OOP1, in the next sentence, the author writes about the effect of the “lurid tower,” using the phrase, “reddening the sun”)  B. smoke from the fire (can be inferred from the sentence that includes “lurid tower”: “the smoke...was a lurid tower”) C. a tall, burning building (OOB, students may associate “tower” with a “tall building”) D. a swaying bridge in the distance (OOP2, the author writes about how the “lurid tower swayed” but no bridge is mentioned)

FE2: Recognize evidence explicitly stated at multiple locations or with varied wording in the text

5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is an example of a “cunning adjustment” of the 20th century? A. factories (OOP1, ¶3) B. chimneys (OOP1, ¶1 & 4)  C. telegraph systems (¶3) D. trains (OOB, students may be confused by the reference to “steel rails” used by trolly cars)

FE2: Recognize evidence explicitly stated at multiple locations or with varied wording in the text

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

6. What is the BEST inference we can make from the mayor’s proclamation (paragraphs 5-9)? A. Citizens were afraid to leave their homes. (OOP1, the mayor tells people to stay in their homes at night but it is not clear that they, themselves, were afraid to leave their homes)  B. The mayor wanted to avoid disorder and confusion after the earthquake. (can be inferred from the tone as well as the content of the mayor’s proclamation) C. He wanted everyone to meet in a safe location. (OOB, students may have learned from recent disasters [the tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, etc.] that mayors frequently try to move people to a safe location, but there’s no suggestion that the mayor of S.F. did) D. Uncontrollable chaos had broken out. (OOP2, the mayor’s edict “prevented chaos,” implying that it had not yet broken out; ¶12-13 confirm that it did not)

MI3: Interpret implicit meaning by understanding the organization of information in the text

7. According to the language used in paragraph 10, the writer compares the fire fighters to A. construction workers. (OOB)  B. troops on the battlefield. C. citizens in danger. (OOP2, ¶7-9) D. heroes. (OOP2, ¶11)

MI1: Interpret implicit meaning from words in context

8. What is the effect of the repetition of “enumeration” in paragraph 11? A. to make the sentences rhyme (OOP2)  B. to emphasize the significance of the earthquake’s impact C. to remind the reader of how expensive the damage had been (OOP1, ¶11) D. to keep the reader’s attention (OOB)

MI5: Interpret meaning by using an understanding of literary concepts

9. According to the passage, how many people died as a result of the earthquake and its aftermath? A. none (OOB, the number is unknown, but it is clear that many died) B. hundreds of thousands (OOP1, in ¶1, this is the amount of “dollars’ worth of walls and chimneys” that came down) C. hundreds of millions (OOP1, in ¶1, this is “worth of property” that was burned up in the fire that followed the earthquake)  D. an unknown amount (found in ¶11)

FE1: Identify evidence explicitly stated in the text

10. What is the writer’s attitude toward San Francisco? A. He thinks it was poorly designed. (OOP2, ¶1,3) B. He thinks the people of San Francisco are uncivilized. (OOP2, ¶13)  C. He thinks the city is a great city. (¶13-14) D. He thinks the city is corrupt. (OOB)

MI5: Interpret meaning by using an understanding of literary concepts

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

FAST-R +

Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading Name







“Jack London: The Story of an Eyewitness” • Journalistic NF

Date







Teacher/Class

Jack London was an American novelist, reporter, and social critic. He lived in San Francisco when it was struck by an earthquake in 1906. This is his eyewitness account of that earthquake. Read the account and answer the questions that follow.

Jack London: The Story of an Eyewitness

[An Account of the San Francisco Earthquake] Collier’s Weekly, May 1906 1 The earthquake shook down in San Francisco hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of walls and chimneys. But the conflagration that followed burned up hundreds of millions of dollars’worth of property. There is no estimating within hundreds of millions the actual damage wrought. Not in history has a modern imperial city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone! Nothing remains of it but memories and a fringe of dwelling houses on its outskirts. Its industrial section is wiped out. Its social and residential section is wiped out. The factories and warehouses, the great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the palaces of the nabobs, are all gone. Remains only the fringe of dwelling houses on the outskirts of what was once San Francisco. 2 Within an hour after the earthquake shock the smoke of San Francisco’s burning was a lurid tower visible a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this lurid tower swayed in the sky, reddening the sun, darkening the day, and filling the land with smoke. 3 On Wednesday morning at a quarter past five came the earthquake. A minute later the flames were leaping upward. In a dozen different quarters south of Market Street, in the working-class ghetto, and in the factories, fires started. There was no opposing the flames. There was no organization, no communication. All the cunning adjustments of a twentieth-century city had been smashed by the earthquake. The streets were humped into ridges and depressions and piled with debris of fallen walls. The steel rails were twisted into perpendicular and horizontal angles. The telephone and telegraph systems were disrupted. And the great Spotlight On: Jack London water mains had burst. All the shrewd contrivances and safeguards Jack London (1876-1916) was born of man had been thrown out of gear by thirty seconds’ twitching of in San Francisco. Although he wanted the earth’s crust. to attend college, he couldn’t afford to finish. Working 18 hours a day at 4 By Wednesday afternoon, inside of twelve hours, half the heart a cannery drew his attention to labor of the city was gone. At that time I watched the vast conflagration issues, and in 1896 he became a from out on the bay. It was dead calm. Not a flicker of wind stirred. member of the Socialist Labor Party. Yet from every side wind was pouring in upon the city. East, west, In 1897 he joined the Alaskan Gold Rush, where he developed scurvy. His north, and south, strong winds were blowing upon the doomed city. difficult experiences in the Klondike The heated air rising made an enormous suck. Thus did the fire of inspired his first successful writing, itself build its own colossal chimney through the atmosphere. Day including his most famous short and night, this dead calm continued, and yet, near to the flames, the story, “To Build a Fire.” He went on wind was often half a gale, so mighty was the suck. to be incredibly successful financially, 5 The edict which prevented chaos was the following proclamation by Mayor E. E. Schmitz:

eventually writing over 50 books. His most famous is The Call of the Wild.

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

6 “The Federal Troops, the members of the Regular Police Force, and all Special Police Officers have been authorized to kill any and all persons found engaged in looting or in the commission of any other crime. 7 “I have directed all the Gas and Electric Lighting Companies not to turn on gas or electricity until I order them to do so; you may therefore expect the city to remain in darkness for an indefinite time. 8 “I request all citizens to remain at home from darkness until daylight of every night until order is restored. 9 “I warn all citizens of the danger of fire from damaged or destroyed chimneys, broken or leaking gas pipes or fixtures, or any like cause.” 10 Wednesday night saw the destruction of the very heart of the city. Dynamite was lavishly used, and many of San Francisco’s proudest structures were crumbled by man himself into ruins, but there was no withstanding the onrush of the flames. Time and again successful stands were made by the fire fighters, and every time the flames flanked around on either side, or came up from the rear, and turned to defeat the hard-won victory. 11 An enumeration of the buildings destroyed would be a directory of San Francisco. An enumeration of the buildings undestroyed would be a line and several addresses. An enumeration of the deeds of heroism would stock a library and bankrupt the Carnegie medal fund. An enumeration of the dead—will never be made. All vestiges of them were destroyed by the flames. The number of the victims of the earthquake will never be known. South of Market Street, where the loss of life was particularly heavy, was the first to catch fire.

Spotlight On: the San Francisco Earthquake The earthquake that hit San Francisco on April 18, 1906 is now estimated as a 7.8 on the Richter scale, qualifying it as one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the history of the United States. Most of the damage, however, was caused by the subsequent fire which sparked from burst gas mains. With the water mains also damaged, it was extremely difficult to fight the fire that ultimately destroyed more than 500 blocks, or more than 80% of the city. The city fire chief called in the Army to help keep order, fight the fire, and feed and shelter people. They also helped detonate blocks of buildings surrounding the fire to create a barrier. When the earthquake struck, San Francisco was the biggest city on the West Coast, and a crucial port for Pacific trade. Today we know that at least 3,000 people died as a result of the earthquake. Due to racism in 1906, white police officers reported less than 500 deaths because they did not count the many deaths in Chinatown. In addition to the loss of life, between 300,000 and 400,000 residents were left homeless.

12 Remarkable as it may seem, Wednesday night, while the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, was a quiet night. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and yelling. There was no hysteria, no disorder. I passed Wednesday night in the part of the advancing flames, and in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who wept, not one man who was excited, not one person who was in the slightest degree panic-stricken. 13 Before the flames, throughout the night, fled tens of thousands of homeless ones. Some were wrapped in blankets. Others carried bundles of bedding and dear household treasures. Sometimes a whole family was harnessed to a carriage or delivery wagon that was weighted down with their possessions. Baby buggies, toy wagons, and gocarts were used as trucks, while every other person was dragging a trunk. Yet everybody was gracious. The most perfect courtesy obtained. Never in all San Francisco’s history were her people so kind and courteous as on this night of terror. 14 All the night these tens of thousands fled before the flames. Many of them, the poor people from the labor ghetto, had fled all day as well. They had left their homes burdened with possessions. Now and again they lightened up, flinging out upon the street clothing and treasures they had dragged for miles.

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

FAST-R +

Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading Name





“Jack London: The Story of an Eyewitness” • Journalistic Nonfiction

Date





Teacher/Class

Directions: On your answer sheet, fill in the circle for the correct answer. 1. When did the earthquake take place? A. 1990 B. 1906 C. 1896 D. 2006 2. According to the passage, how long did the actual earthquake last? A. an hour B. three days and nights C. thirty seconds D. twelve hours 3. Based on details in the passage, the greatest amount of damage was caused by A. the earthquake. B. the looting. C. the fire. D. the wind. 4. In paragrah 2, what is “the lurid tower”? A. the reddened sky B. smoke frome the fire C. a tall, burning building D. a swaying bridge in the distance 5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is and example of a “cunning adjustment” of the 20th century? A. factories B. chimneys C. telegraph systems D. trains

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

6. What is the BEST inference we can make from the mayor’s proclamation (paragraphs 5-9)? A. Citizens were afraid to leave their homes. B. The mayor wanted to avoid disorder and confusion after the earthquake. C. The mayor wanted everyone to meet in a safe location. D. Uncontrollable chaos had broken out. 7. According to the language used in paragraph 10, the writer compares the fire fighters to A. construction workers. B. troops on the battlefield. C. citizens in danger. D. heroes. 8. What is the effect of the repetition of “enumeration” in paragraph 11? A. to make the sentences rhyme B. to emphasize the significance of the earthquake’s impact C. to remind the reader of how expensive the damage had been D. to keep the reader’s attention 9. According to the passage, how many people died as a result of the earthquake and its aftermath? A. none B. hundreds of thousands C. hundreds of millions D. an unknown amount 10. What is the writer’s attitude toward San Francisco? A. He thinks it was poorly designed. B. He thinks the people of San Francisco are uncivilized. C. He thinks the city is a great city. D. He thinks the city is corrupt.

FAST-R: Formative Assessment of Student Thinking in Reading. The passage text by Jack London is from Collier’s Weekly, May 1901. Some questions are adapted from the Spring 1999 MCAS test. All other materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.

Teachers: Please duplicate and use this answer sheet only for students for whom you did not receive a pre-printed answer sheet!

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Write your answer to the open response prompt in the lined space below if your teacher directs you to do so.

OFFICE USE ONLY RESEARCH:

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