Fifth Grade
Worksheets
The Plaque on the Wall
Ted pushed the buttons on the controller that made the lasers fire at the enemy's spaceships. Then he maneuvered his ship around all the enemy ships until he had eliminated all of them. The light from the TV screen reflected off his glasses, but there was a glare from something else that continued to shine in Ted's eyes and annoy him.
Ted put his game on pause and got up from his perch on the edge of the sofa in front of the TV. He liked staying at Grandpa and Grandma's house while his parents were shopping. Ted really didn't enjoy grocery shopping at all, but Grandma and Grandpa's house had lots of fun things to do in it.
He walked across the room to the source of the glare. The sun was shining in the window and hitting the glass of a small picture frame. Ted looked at the picture and then realized that it was not a picture but framed calligraphy art. Ted read the words on the print. It said, "I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be." The quote was by Abraham Lincoln.
Ted stared at the print for several minutes. He wondered what it meant. He knew, of course, who Abraham Lincoln was, but it seemed funny that he would say something like that.
Ted turned to his grandfather, who was sitting in the reclining chair in the corner of the room. "Grandpa, do you know what this means?" Ted asked as he pointed to the print on the wall.
Ted's grandfather put down the newspaper he was reading and looked up at his grandson. "Ah, that is a quote by Abraham Lincoln," said Grandpa.
"Yes, why do you think he said that?" asked Ted.
"Well, some people put a lot of emphasis on their heritage and the family they came from. Sometimes that is a good thing. It is good to be proud of who you are and your background," Grandpa said. "But I think President Lincoln was saying that he thought it was more important for him to know himself and to be concerned about what he would become."
Ted thought about that for a minute. "I am glad that I know who you are, Grandpa, but I think I understand what he is saying," said Ted. "I am concerned about what kind of job I will have, too. I don't think I want to be president."
