Menu Close

Katy and the Big Snow

Katy the red crawler tractor could do a lot of tasks – in all types of weather. Things were a bit slow one winter day in Geoppolis when all of a sudden the “big snow” hits town. Who will help all the people, businesses, and government agencies in their distress? Katy, of course! Follow her around the city as she digs a path in the deep snow.

Interested in using this resource in your classroom? Check out the posters that go along with this book: Goods & Services, Capital Resources, Productivity.

Author: Virginia Lee Burton
Reading Level: 2.9
Grade Level: Pre K – 3
Accelerated Reader Level/Points: .5
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Comprehension Questions

Katy the tractor is an example of what kind of productive resource?

A capital resource. Capital resources include tools, equipment, machines, buildings, etc.

What service did Katy provide?

She removed snow from roads and driveways.

Were Katy’s services provided by the government or a private company?

The government.

How does a government get the money to provide services like Katy’s?

Through taxes collected from citizens.

Why was Katy so valuable to the city?

She could do difficult work that people alone couldn’t do very efficiently – pushing big piles of rubble on road construction, pulling equipment out of difficult places – like a pond, and pushing big mounds of snow. Capital goods, like Katy, help increase productivity.

On the map of Geoppolis (pages 6-7) we see all the places Katy visited throughout the book as she helped people stranded and in trouble by the big snow. Which of the places represent services often provided by government?

An asterisk (*) indicates a service that can also be provided by private companies/organizations. Sometimes such a service is more likely to be provided by private companies, e.g. electric power or telephone company.

Highway Department

  • Grammar School*
  • Post Office*
  • Telephone Company*

Fire Department

  • Library
  • Auto Bus*
  • Hospital*

Fire Tower

  • High School*
  • Electric Company*
  • Water Department*

In your community, are the services above provided by the government, or are they provided by private businesses?

Answers will vary. If you’re not sure, it may take some sleuthing to find out!