AnyOneCanRead®
Module C – Weeks 18 to 34
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Information about Core Knowledge (R) Teacher Read-Alouds (“Listening And Learning”) that should occur daily, in parallel with below AnyOneCanRead READING and PHONICS activities. Resources for:
Westward Expansion:
Click this link for WEEKS 18 TO 20
Insects:
Click this link for WEEKS 21 TO 22
The U.S. Civil War:
Click this link for WEEKS 23 TO 25
The Human Body – Building Blocks And Nutrition:
Click this link for WEEKS 26 TO 28
Immigration:
Click this link for WEEKS 29 TO 31
Fighting For A Cause:
Click this link for WEEKS 32 TO 34
WEEK EIGHTEEN
WEEK EIGHTEEN READING PASSAGES
Lesson 41 – Inf./Deriv. Builder
NEW WORDS: airman, airmen, anteater, anteaters, badman, badmen, beastly, bedrooms, beeline, betters, bigheaded, birdhouse, birdhouses, birdies, birdwatcher, birdwatchers, blackout, blackouts, blowfish, blowout, bluebird, bluebirds, bluer, bluest, boathouse, boathouses, boatmen, boxers, brightest, buzzer, byes, canes, carpets, catchers, catching, children’s, climber, cloths, clouded, crumb, darker, daylight, doorways, eater, eaters, eighth, eyeing, fatter, fishy, friendships, getters, girl’s, goodbye, goodbyes, goodie, greatest, highlight, highly, hillside, longhair, markdowns, outfox, parked, picky, redbird, redbirds, shortest, shorthair, shortstops, sitter, treeing, turnaround, walkouts, workaround, worldly
My dad is an airman.
Anne turned ten.
Anteaters have long noses.
Bob’s a big eater!
Park by that turnaround.
Your dog keeps treeing my cat!
Tom is going to do this workaround.
Watch out for the badman.
Joe wants to be a baker.
She is one beastly sitter.
Go to your bedroom.
She made a beeline for the door.
Are they beings from other worlds?
That’s the biggest house here.
He thinks he’s great, but he’s just bigheaded.
Look at the red birdie!
That’s a big birdhouse!
My mom is a birdwatcher.
That’s Anne’s cat.
The airmen fly fast! 
Did they catch the badmen?
I think an anteater looks funny.
Those bakers make lots of cakes!
Their bedrooms are small.
That worldly man loves his “things!”
Don’t look in the king’s eyes, he’s one of your betters.
The birdies are singing.
There are no birds at our birdhouses.
Birdwatchers are good at sitting still.
I see lots of blackbirds.
Lights go out when you have a blackout.
I think that’s a blowfish!
Our car had a blowout today.
There’s a bluebird in that tree.
My dad likes to play the blues.
Your shirt is bluer than his.
Their boathouse was flooded.
That boatman got too much sun today.
Boxers work out all day.
Tom is brighter than Joe.
John buys shoes once a year.
Turn off that buzzer!
We have to say our good-byes, now.
Let’s look for markdowns on shirts.
Do you have four cans of fish?
Which of these canes is the shortest?
Are some of your carpets white?
Who are the best catchers and shortstops now?
Now I’m catching on!
Put the children’s shoes in the van.
She climbs a tree as fast as a cat.
Buy a box of those red cloths.
Is that a blackbird?
We had lots of blackouts this year.
Our car had a blowout on our trip.
See the bluebirds in the snow?
You have the bluest eyes!
All the boatmen are wet.
Which one of those boathouses is yours?
Our car is parked where that brightest light is.
I jumped when the buzzers went off.
Min is a good tree climber.
It just clouded up.
He’s just the coolest guy!
I hope she comes to see us on Sunday.
I think I could’ve done that.
I ate each crumb of my cake!
My room is darker than yours.
When will daylight come?
I think my cat is dying.
All their doorways were flooded.
They are picky eaters.
It’s the eighth day in a row of rain!
Look at how he’s eyeing that cake!
Those houses are all walkouts.
Jill’s faster than Pat.
Mark’s fatter than Tom.
I’m feeding the dog.
There are lots of redbirds at the feeder.
I found my pen on the stairs.
I hope she finds her cat fast.
The fishermen caught a lot today.
It looks fishy to me.
Get in that fifth train car.
I knew a cat named “Fish!”
A dead frog floated up to the boat.
The redbird flew high up.
What’s that, flying way up there?
Don’t go away now!
That’s the fourth stickup here in ten years!
You can’t outfox me!
He freely told us he’d done something bad.
They have one of the best friendships I know of.
Those frogs are mighty big!
Tom and Bob are what I call “go-getters.”
All the girls think John is good-looking.
That girl’s cat is so sweet!
She’s such a goodie-goodie!
Say goodbye, now.
They said their goodbyes and went home.
We had the greatest trip!
He didn’t have ten hairs on his head.
Jill’s cat is a shorthair, and Pat’s is a longhair.
My hands are wet.
It’s harder to do that than I thought.
She still hasn’t called us.
You should get a haircut!
Jill, I love your new hairdo!
It’s highly likely that he’ll come on Sunday.
This tree is higher than that one.
What was the highlight of your trip?
There weren’t a lot of cars on the highway today.
What’s that way up on the hillside?
They are working hard in that anthill!
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
Kay And Martez
Lesson 42 – Part One
NEW WORDS: Kay’s, Martez, Martez’s, brags, coleslaw, cubes, hopscotch, invite, melt, playground, playtime, serves, shopper, stuffs, visits
Martez, Martez, Martez
Kay’s dad checks Kay’s plate. “Kay,” he says, “have some of your coleslaw! Food is not free!”
Kay smiles. “Food is not free” is something her dad says a lot. He is a man who likes to save as much cash as he can. He hates paying for food that ends up in the trash. Kay cuts her pork chop and lifts a bite of it into the air.
“Martez likes pork chops,” Kay says. “But he hates coleslaw.” Kay pops the bite of pork chop in her mouth. Then she says, “Martez likes to play hopscotch and draw pictures with crayons.” After a bit, she adds, “Martez can run the fastest on the playground.”
“Martez, Martez, Martez!” says Kay’s dad. “Who is this Martez?”
“He’s my pal.”
“Is Martez in your class?” asks Kay’s mom. Kay nods. “Is he nice?”
“He is the best!”
“So should we invite Martez to visit us for dinner?”
“Yes!” says Kay with a shout. “Can we invite him tomorrow?”
Dinner with Kay
The next day, Martez visits Kay’s house for dinner. Kay’s mom serves corn on the cob. Martez tells Kay’s mom, “I like this corn a lot! You are a good cook!”
“Thank you!” says Kay’s mom.
“I got the corn on sale!” Kay’s dad brags. Kay’s dad smiles. He is proud to think that he got good corn for such a good price.
Martez says, “This corn is so sweet. You are a good shopper.”
After dinner, Kay and Martez run outside. They splash in the pool and play tag. While doing the dishes, Kay’s mom says, “What good manners that Martez has!”
“Yes,” says Kay’s dad. “And he ate all of the food on his plate!”
When playtime is finished, Martez runs inside to thank Kay’s mom and dad for dinner. Then he asks, “Can Kay have dinner at our house tomorrow?” Kay’s mom and dad say she can. They like Martez.
The Red Dish
The next day, Kay has dinner with Martez and his mom and dad. Martez’s mom and dad are from Mexico. They have a Mexican dish with peppers, corn, and rice all mixed up. There are two dishes of it sitting side by side. One dish is red. One is green.
“Are the two dishes the same?” Kay asks.
“Nope,” says Martez with a smile. “The stuff in the red dish has lots of hot peppers. The stuff in the green dish has just green peppers, which are not as hot.”
Martez points at his dad and says, “My dad likes hot peppers.” His dad smiles and nods. Martez asks Kay, “Do you like hot peppers?” Kay shrugs. She has never had hot peppers.
Kay has some food from the green dish. She likes it a lot. She says, “Could I have some from the red dish?”
“You can, but it’s hot, hot, hot!” says Martez. “We have a saying in our house: He is a brave man who has food from dad’s red dish!”
“Brave or perhaps foolish!” says his mom.
Kay is brave — or perhaps foolish. She takes a bite of the peppers from the red dish. Martez looks at her. His mom and dad look, too. “Do you like it?” asks Martez.
Kay’s face starts to get red. She yells, “Hot!” Her face gets redder and redder. Martez sees that Kay is in pain. He brings her ice cubes. Kay stuffs some in her mouth and lets them melt. The ice cubes help cool down her mouth.
“Ug!” Kay says, sitting back from her plate. “Those peppers in the red dish are too hot for me! I need to stick to the green dish.”
“Still,” Martez says, “today you joined the club.”
“What club?”
“The I-ate-from-dad’s-red-dish-and-am-still-living-to-tell-the-tale club!” says Martez. Martez and his mom and dad all smile. They like Kay.
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WEEK EIGHTEEN PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 55) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-A” SOUND:
Letters “AI”:
The President said, “We need to come to the aid of the refugees.”
It will ail me if she doesn’t get admitted to her first-choice college.
The rifle sharpshooter has a very precise aim.
The Prime Minister’s aide handed him his speech.
This translator aids you in communicating when you travel to a foreign country.
The doctor asked, “What ails you, ma’am?”
What are your aims in pulling us together for this two-day conference?
I asked Dad if I could borrow the car, and he said, “Sorry, that ain’t gonna happen!”
This project is a mess, and they are sending me in to help to bail them out.
We’ll buy some worms for bait before we go fishing.
Do you the Bible story about the brothers Cain and Abel?
The spy said, “We cannot fail on this secret mission.”
I fain would accept the invitation to join your team.
My Aunt Gail is in dental school.
I’m going to try hard to not gain any weight on our vacation.
We need to work on improving the gait of this horse.
Hail the size of golf balls is coming down in the storm.
The other guy in my jail cell is in here for stealing cars.
Our boss laid out his strategic plan for the upcoming year.
In this horror novel, a virus had lain dormant, frozen in a glacier, for tens of thousands of years.
The Greene family had a maid who would come once a week and clean their house.
Don’t forget to put this letter in the mail.
Keep your guard up and don’t let your boxing opponent maim you.
I completely agree with your main point.
You just hit the nail on the head!
I get paid fifteen dollars an hour at the restaurant where I work.
Pour the soap that we’ll need to wash the car into this pail.
My little brother is often a pain in the neck.
We’ve been ordered to raid the enemy encampment.
Hold onto the rail when you climb these steep stairs.
I hear that it’s going to rain torrents for two days.
Columbus decided to sail west to find the Indies.
The dog tucked his tail and retreated when the cat scratched him in the face.
The Thompsons went to Vail, Colorado for a skiing vacation.
He’s so vain that he’s constantly looking in the mirror to check that every hair is in its right place.
This novel is about a little waif who goes from rags to riches.
We heard a wail from the Lady of the house when she discovered her Ming vase in shards on the floor.
The farmhand yoked the ox to the wain to prepare for going into town.
Let’s wait until the sun comes out from behind the clouds to take this photograph.
This judge tends to set bails for the defendants who are brought before him at very high dollar levels.
This pirate baits ships to come to shore by putting signal lights on dangerous, craggy rocks.
The felt-like surface of a pool table is a fabric called “baize.”
My cousin Dwain is a percussionist.
Trying to be successful with this bad method fails every time.
Our Mom would faint if she saw a rat cross the kitchen floor!
World stock markets generally showed gains last year.
The gaits of those two horses are very similar.
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WEEK NINETEEN
WEEK NINETEEN READING PASSAGES
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
Kay And Martez
Lesson 43 – Part Two
NEW WORDS: Aztec, Carlos, Hidalgo, airport, describes, exclaims, explains, gracias, greetings, invites, jabs, pinned, rainforests, shrine, stretches, stripes, theirs, tribute, wetlands, whispers
In the Mail
In the summer, Martez takes a trip to Mexico with his Mom and Dad. He sends Kay a card with a picture of a place in Mexico on it. The card says, “Kay, I am on a trip with my mom and dad. It is fun, but I miss you. I can’t wait to get back so we can play.” Then there are some words that Kay can’t make out.
“Mom!” Kay says, “Martez wrote me this card, but I think the last part of it is written in Mexican.”
Kay’s mom looks at the card. She smiles. “That’s not Mexican,” she says. “It’s Spanish. Lots of Mexicans write in Spanish.”
“Why do they write in Spanish?” Kay asks.
“Well, you see, way back in the past, men from Spain came to Mexico. Because the men from Spain spoke and wrote Spanish, the Mexicans began to talk and write in Spanish, too. And that is why, to this day, lots of Mexicans still talk and write in Spanish.”
“But what do the words say?”
“Let me see,” says Kay’s mom. “I took a Spanish class. Martez says, ‘You are my best pal. See you soon!’”
Kay hugs the card and shouts, “Martez is the best!”
The Holiday
When Martez gets back from his trip, he invites Kay to visit him at home. When Kay steps in, she sees lots of singing and dancing. There is a flag with green, white, and red stripes pinned up in the living room.
“What’s up?” Kay asks.
Martez explains, “Today is September 16th. It is a big holiday for Mexicans.”
“On this day,” Martez explains, “we pay tribute to a man who helped set Mexico free from the Spanish. You see, for a long time, the Spanish were in charge in Mexico. All of the land in Mexico was theirs. They could tell Mexicans what to do. They made the Mexicans do all of the hard jobs. Then one man got tired of it and set out to make things better.”
Martez points at a picture and says, “This is the man who started it all. His name was Hidalgo. He made a speech. He said the Mexicans should be free from the Spanish.”
“Did they do it?” asks Kay.
“Yes. It took a long time, but in the end, they did.”
“Is it sort of like when the U.S. broke free from the British?” Kay asks.
“Yes, yes!” Martez says. “It is just like that!”
Kay points at the flag. It has three stripes: one green, one white, and one red. “Is that the Mexican flag?” she asks.
“Yes,” says Martez . “That is our flag.” Then Martez stretches out his hand and says, “Would you dance a Mexican dance with me?”
Better Than the Best
Kay has started to spend a lot of time with Martez. She has started to use some Spanish words, too. When her dad spoons rice onto her plate one day, Kay says gracias. Then she explains that gracias is Spanish for thank you.
Kay’s mom says, “Kay, would you like to have a chance to use those Spanish words of yours in Mexico?”
“Are you kidding?” Kay exclaims. “That would be the best!”
“Well, your dad and I have planned a trip to Mexico.”
Kay shouts, “Yippee!”
Kay’s mom has a big smile on her face. She says, “How would you like to bring Martez with you on the trip?”
Kay’s jaw drops. “If Martez is on the trip, that would be better than the best!” she says.
Her mom adds, “Martez just needs to ask his mom and dad.”
Kay jumps up and shouts, “I can’t wait to tell Martez!”
The Long Cab Ride
Kay and Martez just got to Mexico with Kay’s mom and dad. They are at the airport. They are looking for a cab that will take them to the place where they are staying. Kay’s dad waves his hand and gets a cab.
A man jumps out of a cab and shouts, “Greetings! I’m Carlos. Where can I drive you on this fine day?”
“To the inn,” says Kay’s dad. Carlos steps on the gas. The cab picks up speed.
“I will take you to the inn,” Carlos says, “and on the way I will take you to see some nice sites here in Mexico. There are lots of nice sites on the way, or just out of the way a bit.”
“Thanks,” says Kay’s dad, “but we are tired from the trip. So you can just take us to where we are staying.”
“Here in Mexico,” Carlos says, “we have all sorts of land. There are hills and plains. There are deserts, rainforests, and wetlands. I will take you to see some wetlands on the way! They are not far out of the way.”
“Wetlands?” says Kay’s dad. “Where’s the inn?” He starts to say something else, but Kay’s mom jabs him in the back.
“Hush!” she whispers. “Let him share.”
Carlos waves his hands and describes things as he drives. “Should you use those hands to drive the cab?” Kay’s dad asks. But Carlos keeps talking.
“On the left, you can see a soccer game. Soccer is a big sport in Mexico. That is an Aztec shrine,” Carlos says. “Here is a good place for shopping. That is my mom’s house.”
At last, the cab zips up to the inn. Carlos tells Kay’s dad the price of the cab ride. Kay’s dad is upset. It was a long ride, and he must pay a lot. He hates to pay so much. But what can he do?
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
Kay And Martez
Lesson 44 – Part Three
NEW WORDS: Aztecs, Cortez, Gomez, boasts, bookshop, clashed, empire, marching, raises, respect, shrines, stacked, vast, votes, waits
The Vote
The next morning, Kay’s dad is still upset that the cab ride cost so much. But Kay’s mom is not. “You may think I’m nuts,” she says, “but I liked that cab ride yesterday. I liked having someone in the car who could tell us what’s what.”
Kay says, “I liked that, too.”
Kay’s dad looks at Martez and says, “Did you like it, too?”
Martez shrugs and says, “Well … I sort of … did … like it.”
Kay’s mom says, “I think we should hire someone who has a car and can tell us what there is to see down here in Mexico. The man at the desk gave me a name. He says this man — Mister Gomez is his name — has a car. If we hire him, he will drive us to see all of the best sites.”
“But that will cost a lot!” says Kay’s dad. “Why should we pay when we can see all the same sites by ourselves? Look, I got this book on Mexico in a used bookshop. It will tell us all of the same stuff that the man would tell us! And it has lots of pictures!”
“It’s not the same!” says Kay’s mom. “And that book of yours is out of date. Let’s have a vote. Who votes we hire Mister Gomez?” Kay’s mom raises her hand at once. Kay’s hand shoots up fast, too. Martez waits a bit. Then he raises his hand, as well.
“That’s three votes for Mister Gomez, and one vote for your book,” boasts Kay’s mom. Kay’s dad groans.
Mister Gomez
Mister Gomez is at the inn the next morning. He takes them outside and points to a stone with his cane. “This stone has stood here for a long, long time,” Mister Gomez says. “It has stood here much longer than me. This stone is from the time of the Aztec Empire.”
“The what?” Kay asks.
“The Aztec Empire,” says Mister Gomez. “Back in the past, Aztec men cut stones like this one and stacked them up to make shrines to their gods.”
“The Aztecs had lots of gods,” Mister Gomez says. “They had a sun god, a moon god, and a rain god. Then, one day, the Spanish came. They were led by a man named Cortez. His goal was to be in charge of Mexico.”
“Cortez led his men on a long march. He and his men kept marching until they got to the spot where we are standing. Here they clashed with the Aztec troops. The Aztec troops were brave, but in the end, the Spanish came out on top. Cortez and his men were in charge of Mexico.”
“Cortez and the Spanish did not respect the Aztecs. The Spanish knocked down the Aztec shrines and used the stones to make roads and streets and forts.”
Mister Gomez waves his cane and says, “Lots of the stones in this square were cut back in Aztec times. They were used to make Aztec shrines. Then they were used by Cortez and the Spanish. And we still use them today.”
Martez says, “That is so cool that we are standing on the same stones!” The smile on Kay’s face tells that she thinks so, too.
Kay’s mom jabs Kay’s dad in the side and says, “Looks like we are fine without that book of yours!”
A House in the Clouds
The next day, Mister Gomez takes Martez, Kay, and Kay’s mom and dad on a trip. In the car, Mister Gomez says, “You will like this next place. The stones there have stood for much, much longer than the last stones.”
When they get to the site, they see three vast piles of stone, all of which rise to a point and seem to scrape the clouds. One of them is so big that Kay and Martez have to tilt their necks all the way back to see the top of it.
“Goodness!” says Kay’s mom.
“Cool!” says Martez.
“Was this a shrine?” Kay’s mom asks.
“Yes,” says Mister Gomez. “This was a shrine to a snake god. That one there was a shrine to the sun god. And that one was a shrine to the moon god.”
“Were they Aztec shrines?” Martez asks.
“Sort of,” Mister Gomez says. “The Aztecs came after. The shrines were set up way back in the past. But the Aztecs came here and added to the shrines. This was an important place for them. They came here to offer gifts to their gods.”
“Can we get to the top of one of them?” asks Kay.
“Yes, you can,” says Mister Gomez, “if your mom and dad say it’s fine. But you must grab on to the rope.”
Kay and Martez make their way to the top. It takes them a long time to get there. From the top, they can see for miles and miles.
Martez yells, “Kay and I have a house in the clouds!”
Kay says, “Look! Mom and Dad look like bugs from up here!” Kay waves her hands at her mom and dad. They wave back.
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WEEK NINETEEN PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 55) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-A” SOUND … continued:
Letters “AI” … continued:
Watch, Dad’s going to show us how he hails a cab.
The jails in our State are pretty overcrowded right now.
The gentleman was impressed with the beauty of the many young maids attending the dance.
Some people don’t trust the mails to deliver things efficiently.
In this YouTube, the lion maims the poor zebra.
We’re going to Maine for our summer vacation.
It’s my uncle’s job to inspect all of the water mains in the city.
The growing of maize (corn), for human consumption, actually began in southern Mexico.
I need the box of nails that are two inches long.
Fill these two pails with slop for the pigs.
I have pains in both of my hips.
Our house is overdue for a complete new paint job.
The Vikings were well-known for their raids on Northern European villages.
The stair rails on the cruise ship are constantly being sanitized by the ship’s staff.
I hope it rains tonight, because the garden really needs it.
Mom says that she got a big raise at work because she’s doing so well leading projects.
The Captain yelled, “Unfurl the sails!”
That lady is so kind that she’s like a saint!
I have always wondered why so many animals have tails, and what use are they?
We would never taint our high-quality food products with artificial flavors!
Many of those poor waifs don’t even have shoes.
Our new baby absolutely wails when she is hungry.
I’d better go on a diet because my waist has gone from 36 to 38 inches around.
Since your sister is already a member here, we’re going to waive the usual twenty-five dollar entry fee.
My friend Blain pitched a no-hitter in yesterday’s baseball game!
Mom, can you please help me to braid my hair?
After taking that long, hard test, my brain hurts!
The drain in the sink appears to be stopped up.
When that poor golfer takes a golf swing, it looks like a flail at the ball rather than a proper swing.
My ninety-year-old grandma has become quite frail, I’m afraid.
In the Middle Ages, there were stories of a Holy Grail that had unusual powers.
Please buy us a loaf of multi-grain bread when you go to the grocery.
My cousin Paige is the head of our school’s chess club.
Massive herds of buffalo stampeded across the broad plain.
The exhibit at the museum showed how one had to plait fibers to make a mat.
The Queen was devastated when she heard that her favorite knight had been slain in battle.
This guy completes his work as slowly as a snail, and we’re probably going to have to fire him.
We visited Barcelona on our summer trip to Spain.
Our staid boss doesn’t like throwing spaghetti at the wall, and he demands that we stick to facts and do our homework.
I hope that we can get this ink stain out of my shirt.
Principal Swain gave us permission to have a pep rally!
A huge snake slithered across a hiking trail that we were walking today.
We took the Amtrak train from Baltimore up to New York City.
One trait that I inherited from both of my parents is being good at athletics.
I love the story “The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain.
The phrase “never the twain shall meet” means that two things are too different to coexist.
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WEEK TWENTY
WEEK TWENTY READING PASSAGES
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
Kay And Martez
Lesson 45 – Part Four
NEW WORDS: arts, belted, booth, crafts, dicker, farewell, fins, harness, knickknacks, limit, loop, passport, passports, patterns, pays, shares, sheepish, spending, starfish, stitched, ticket, tickets, tossing, unzips
The Market
The next day, Kay and her mom take a trip to a street market. Mister Gomez joins them. At the market, all sorts of things are on sale. Some men are selling food. Some are selling arts and crafts. There are paintings and knickknacks and cloth stitched in fun patterns.
One man is selling masks. Kay’s mom spots a mask that she likes. It is a red mask with glitter. She looks at the price tag and groans. “I can’t pay that much,” she tells Kay. “We need to stick to our spending limit.”
“See if you can get it for less,” says Mister Gomez. “I’ll bet he will dicker with you on the price.”
Kay’s mom asks the man, “Will you take ten for this?”
“No!” the man says. “I painted it by hand! Fifteen!”
“That is too much for me,” Kay’s mom says. “I will pay you twelve.”
The man says, “Fifteen! No less.” Kay’s mom sets down the mask and starts to look at the next booth. “No, no!” the man yells. “Stay! I will sell it to you for twelve!”
He hands her the mask. She grins and pays the man.
“Way to go, Mom!” says Kay, “I am impressed.”
“So am I!” says Mister Gomez with a smile.
A Rainforest Ride
The next day, they say farewell to Mister Gomez. Kay’s dad rents a car to take them to see the rainforest. In the rainforest, it is hot and wet. A thick layer of trees blocks out part of the sun. Kay’s mom drives. Kay’s dad shares facts from his book. As they drive, Kay spots a zip line that children can ride.
“Mom, Dad!” she yells. “Can we stop and ride the zip line? It looks like so much fun!” Kay’s mom parks the car. The zip line runs from a tree house down to the ground.
“Is it safe?” Kay’s mom asks the man in charge.
“Yes,” says the man. “It’s safe. The children ride in a harness. And there is a net down there to catch them, just in case.” Kay’s mom thinks it looks safe. She pays the man and gets two tickets, one for Kay and one for Martez.
Martez gets belted into the harness. Then he rides the zip line. He shouts as he slides down the line. Kay yells down, “Is it fun, Martez?”
Martez yells back, “It’s the best!”
Kay gets belted in. She has a fun ride, too.
The Dive
Kay’s dad drives to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. For two days, the children soak up the sun and swim in the pool. On day three, they dive in the Gulf of Mexico. They rent masks, fins, and tanks of air. Then a man brings them out to the dive site in a boat. The dive site is a reef where a Spanish ship sank.
They jump in and swim down. With their fins on, they can swim fast. With their masks on, they can see a long way down. They see fish and crabs. Martez spots a starfish.
Martez and Kay look for the Spanish ship. They swim down until they see it. They see fish swimming in and out of it. Then they swim back up.
At the Airport
The trip has ended. It is time to get back to the U.S. Kay’s dad drives to the airport. Kay’s mom stays with Kay and Martez while he drops off the car. Kay and Martez play with an airplane and toss it in the air. It makes a big loop and glides down.
Kay’s dad had fun on the trip, but he spent a lot of cash. He takes what is left of his Mexican cash and has it turned back into U.S. cash. At the ticket counter, Kay’s dad takes charge. He barks out orders. “This way, Kay! Stay close to me, Martez! Children, get out your passports!”
The children get their passports out. Kay’s mom gets hers out. But Kay’s dad’s is nowhere to be found. He unzips his bag to look for it. Soon he is digging in the bag, tossing things this way and that. At last, he sees his passport.
“Here it is!” he says, with a sheepish look. Martez, Kay, and her mom all smile. Kay’s dad sometimes has a hard time keeping track of things.
“Dad,” Kay says, “maybe you should sit back and let Mom take charge for a while.”
*********
Lesson 46 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: Caesar’s, Charlie, Friday’s, Grimes, Jacob, Mandy, Monday’s, Moses, Noah, Phil, Philip, Saturday’s, Simon, Thursday’s, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, ark, bakin, barley, blithe, breakin, bridegroom, buckwheat, crickets, crumble, declare, disgrace, erroneously, feelers, fidgety, fourteen, fret, giving, grace, grave, guest, hippety, katydids, kneads, ladybird, leaking, meander, ne’er, nightingale, pieman, politely, quaking, restless, rocking, sabbath, silvery, sneaking, someday, spouse, supposes, thickets, thou, tilts, tinker’s, toeses, tweet, yawn
My Boat
I sail my boat on a tiny sea, blow, wind, blow,
And someday I shall a sailor be, blow, wind, blow.
Simple Simon
Simple Simon met a pieman, going to the fair.
Says Simple Simon to the pieman, “Let me taste your ware.”
Says the pieman to Simple Simon, “Show me first your penny.”
Says Simple Simon to the pieman, “Indeed, I have not any.”
But I Wonder …
The crickets in the thickets, and the katydids in trees,
And ants on plants, and butterflies, and ladybugs and bees,
Don’t smell with little noses, but with FEELERS, if you please.
They get along quite nicely, but I wonder how they SNEEZE.
Poem By Aileen Fisher
The Boatmen
The boatman, he’s a lucky man!
No one can do, as the boatman can.
The boatmen dance, and the boatmen sing,
The boatman is up to everything!
Hi! Ho! Away we go!
Floating down the river, on the “Oh-Hi-Oh.”
(That is, the Ohio River!)
Over The Hill
Over the hill to feed my sheep, over the hill to my man Charlie,
Over the hill to feed my sheep, on buckwheat cakes and barley.
The Story of Fidgety Philip
“Let me see if Philip can, be a little gentle-man.
Let me see if he is able, to sit still for once at table.”
Thus Papa bade young Phil behave, and Mama looked so very grave.
But fidgety Phil, he won’t sit still.
He wriggles, and giggles, and then, I declare,
Swings backwards and forwards, and tilts up his chair,
Just like any old rocking-horse.
“Philip! I am getting cross!”
See the naughty, restless child, growing still more rude and wild,
Till his chair falls over quite.
Philip screams with all his might, catches at the cloth, but then,
That makes matters worse again.
Down upon the ground they fall, glasses, plates, knives, forks, and all.
How his Mama did fret and frown, when she saw them tumbling down!
And his Papa made such a face! Philip is in sad disgrace.
Where is Philip, where is he? Fairly covered up you see!
Cloth and all are lying on him, he has pulled down all upon him.
What a terrible to-do! Dishes, glasses, snapped in two!
Here a knife, and there a fork! Philip, this is cruel work.
Table all so bare, and ah!
Poor old Papa, and poor sweet Mama, look quite cross, and wonder how,
They shall have their dinner now.
Poem By Heinrich Koffmann
Hippety Hop
Hippety hop to the barber shop, to get a stick of candy.
One for you, and one for me, and one for Sister Mandy.
Old Grimes
Old Grimes is dead, that good old man.
We ne’er shall see him more.
He used to wear, a long brown coat,
All buttoned down before.
The Moon’s The North Wind’s Cookie
The Moon’s the North Wind’s cookie; he bites it, day by day,
Until there’s but a rim of scraps, that crumble all away.
The South Wind is a baker; he kneads clouds in his den,
And bakes a crisp new moon, that greedy North Wind eats again!
Poem By Vachel Lindsay
Moses Supposes
Moses supposes his toes are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously.
For nobody’s toeses are posies of roses, as Moses supposes his toeses to be.
March Winds
March winds and April showers,
Bring forth May flowers.
Pretty Lady
When I see a lady, a very pretty lady,
I turn my head and look at her, JUST LIKE THAT.
I smile at her politely, and pass her by a-singing,
I pass her by a-singing, and I LIFT MY HAT!
A Chimney
Black within and red without,
Four corners, round about.
The Wedding Of Jenny Wren
At the wedding of Miss Jenny Wren, the bridegroom was so wee.
“Go ask the wedding guests to come to the wedding feast,” said he.
Oh, come to the wedding, birdies all, and each a present bring!
“I’ll come,” said the cock. “I’ll come, come, come! And before the feast, I’ll sing!”
“I’ll come! I’ll come!” said the big black crow, “and bring the pair some meat!”
“I’ll come, too,” said the nightingale, “I’ll sing ‘Tweet-tweet! Tweet-tweet!'”
“I’ll bring wood,” the woodpecker said, “For Jenny and her little spouse!”
“And I’ll come, too,” the swallow said, “I’ll twitter on top of the house!”
At the wedding of Miss Jenny Wren, the bridegroom was so wee,
But one and all the birdies came, that wedding for to see.
Ladybird
Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home!
Your house is on fire, your children all gone.
All but one, and her name is Ann.
And she crept under, the pudding pan.
Old Noah
Old Noah did build himself an ark,
He built one out of hickory bark,
There’s one wide river to cross.
The animals went in two by two,
The elephant and the kangaroo,
There’s one wide river to cross.
The animals went in three by three,
The big baboon and the chimpanzee,
There’s one wide river to cross.
The animals went in four by four,
The hippopotamus blocked the door,
There’s one wide river to cross.
Night Comes
Night comes, leaking out of the sky.
Stars come peeking, moon comes sneaking, silvery-sly.
Who is shaking, shivery-quaking?
Who is afraid of the night? Not I.
Poem By Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
Jacob
Wake up, Jacob! Day’s a-breakin‘!
Peas in the pot, and hoe-cakes a-bakin‘!
Old Mother Goose
Old Mother Goose, when she wanted to meander,
Would ride through the air, on a very fine gander.
A Week Of Birthdays
Monday’s child is fair of face.
Tuesday’s child is full of grace.
Wednesday’s child is full of woe.
Thursday’s child has far to go.
Friday’s child is loving and giving.
Saturday’s child works hard for its living.
But the child that’s born on the Sabbath Day,
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
Wide Awake
I have to jump up, out of bed,
And stretch my hands, and rub my head, and curl my toes,
And yawn and shake myself all wide-awake!
Poem By Myra Cohn Livingston
Two Birds
There were two birds, sat on a stone,
One flew away, and then there was one.
The other bird flew after, and then there was none,
And so the stone was left all alone.
The Man Who Had Naught
(Note: the word “naught” means “nothing.”)
There was a man, and he had naught, and robbers came to rob him.
He crept up to the chimney pot, and then they thought they had him.
But he got down on the other side, and then they could not find him.
He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days, and never looked behind him.
Scratching Kitty
Who’s on the roof? Pit-a-pat, Pit-a-pat, only the yellow kitty-cat.
Pray, what is she doing now? MEOW! MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!
Tell me, how does kitty scratch? SCRITCH! SCRATCH! SCRITCH! SCRATCH!
December
All the months go past, each is like a guest. December is the last, December is the best.
Each has lovely things. Each one is a friend. But December brings Christmas at the end.
Poem By Rose Fyleman
White Hen
A white hen sitting, on white eggs three,
Next, three speckled chickens, as plump as plump can be.
Poem By Christina Rossetti
Caesar’s Song
Bow-wow-wow! Whose dog art thou?
Little Tom Tinker’s dog. Bow-wow-wow!
If I Were Bigger Than Anyone
If I were bigger than anyone, if I were taller than trees,
I could step over hills and towns, and go anywhere I please.
If I got bored with being huge, the next day I’d be small.
But the size I really am, I might not choose at all.
Poem By Ruth Harnden
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WEEK TWENTY PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 55) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-A” SOUND … continued:
Letters “AY” / “AYE”:
The crew was glad that their ship was sailing into the calmer waters of the bay.
We dropped anchor at a forested cay and enjoyed swimming in the warm, tropical waters.
It’s going to be a gorgeous day for a round of golf.
Fay has recommended a great story for us to read for next month’s book club.
Our family had a gay old time during the Christmas holidays.
Did you see the owl up in our hay loft?
Jay is going to act as the team’s first base coach.
There is a jay in that tree that is taunting our cat.
Emma and Kay have gone to the park to snow sled.
I’m going to lay my keys on this desk; don’t let me forget where I put them.
I look forward to it warming up in the month of May.
You’ve waited long enough since finishing eating, so you may now go back into the pool.
I must vote “nay” to this proposed new law.
How much do I need to pay you for these pretty earrings?
Ray has decided to take up model airplane flying as a hobby.
Finally, a ray of sun has broken through the clouds!
I’m hard of hearing; what did you say?
Aunt Tay is joining us on our cruise in the Southern Caribbean.
That movie is way too weird for my tastes.
The crowd yelled “YAY!” when she sunk a three-pointer in the basketball game.
The captain couldn’t name all of the bays in the world that she had sailed into.
I’ve got photos of at least fifteen different cays that we sailed around on our trip.
Aunt Faye insists on taking our family to dinner every time that she visits us.
Fay’s guinea pig is named Mortimer.
Jay’s down the street playing hoops with Henry.
A flock of jays has landed in our back yard.
Do you know if Aunt Kay’s bringing her dog with her when she comes to visit?
Laura and Kaye both made the cheerleading squad.
Can you pass the Lay’s potato chips?
The first thing that Mom does after a shopping trip is that she lays her purse down by the microwave.
It was two Mays ago that I officially became a teenager.
The Board of Directors took a vote, and the “nays” outvoted the “ayes.”
I hear that this warehouse job pays really well.
I need to go to Ray’s Camera Shop to buy a telephoto lens.
The rays of bright light were blinding.
Aunt Raye bakes the best cinnamon rolls in the history of mankind.
*********
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WEEK TWENTY-ONE
WEEK TWENTY-ONE READING PASSAGES
Lesson 47 – Beatrix Potter
The Tale Of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle – Part One
NEW WORDS: Henny, Lucie’s, Sally, Twinkie, anxiously, braided, clothespins, currant, currants, damask, dearie, folded, handkerchiefs, handkin, handkins, heap, ironed, losing, pebble, prickles, scarlet, snaffle, sniffle, snuffle, stout, striped, tiled
It was once upon a time. There was a little girl called Lucie. She lived at a farm called “Little-Town.” She was a good girl. But she was always losing her pocket-handkerchiefs!
One day, little Lucie came into the farm-yard crying. Oh, she did cry so! “I’ve lost my pocket-handkin! Three handkins and a blouse! Have YOU seen them, Tabby Kitten?”
The Kitten kept washing her white paws. So, Lucie asked a speckled hen. “Sally Henny-Penny! Have YOU found three pocket-handkins?” But the speckled hen ran into a barn. She clucked, “I go barefoot. Barefoot! Barefoot!”
And then Lucie asked Cock Robin. She saw him sitting on a twig. Cock Robin looked sideways at Lucie. He stared with his bright black eye. Then he flew over a fence and away.
Lucie climbed on the fence. She looked up at the hill behind Little-Town. It was a tall hill. It went way up. Up into the clouds. It was like it had no top! She looked high up the hillside. She thought she saw some white things. They were spread out on the grass.
Lucie scrambled up the hill. She went as fast as her short legs would take her. She ran along a steep path-way. She went up and up. Soon, the town was way down below. She could have thrown a pebble down a chimney!
Soon, she came to a spring. It was bubbling out from the hillside. Someone had stood a tin can up on a stone. The can would catch the water. But the water was already running over. The can was no bigger than an egg-cup!
Lucie looked at the sand on the path. It was wet. There were foot-marks. They were from a VERY small person. Lucie ran on. The path ended. She faced a big rock. The grass was short and green.
There were clothes-lines. They were cut from stems of ferns. The lines were braided. She saw a heap of tiny clothespins. But there were no pocket-handkerchiefs!
Now, there WAS something else. It was a door! It opened straight into the hill. Inside it, someone was singing. She could hear the words.
“Lily-white and clean, oh!
With little frills between, oh!
Smooth and hot-red rusty spot.
Never here be seen, oh!”
Lucie knocked once. Then twice. This stopped the song. A little frightened voice called out. “Who’s that?” Lucie opened the door. What do you think there was inside the hill? A nice clean kitchen with a tiled floor. And there were pretty wooden beams. It was just like any other farm kitchen! Except the ceiling was low. Lucie’s head nearly touched it. And the pots and pans were small. So was everything else there.
There was a nice hot fireplace smell. Lucie saw a very short, stout person. She was standing at the table. She had an iron in her hand. She stared anxiously at Lucie. Her bright gown was tucked up. She wore a large apron. It fit over her striped petticoat. Her little black nose twitched. It went, “sniffle, snaffle, snuffle.” And her eyes went “twinkie, twinkle.” Underneath her cap, where Lucie had yellow curls herself, that little person had PRICKLES!
“Who are you?” asked Lucie. “Have you seen my pocket-handkins?”
The little person bowed to Lucie. “Oh yes, if you please, my dear. My name is Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. Oh, yes. If you please, dearie. I’m excellent at doing all kinds of laundry!” Next, she took something out of the clothes basket. She spread it on the ironing-blanket.
“What’s that thing?” asked Lucie. “Is that my pocket-handkin?”
“Oh no, if you please, ma’am. That’s a little scarlet waist-coat. It belongs to Cock Robin!” She ironed it. Then she folded it. She put it on one side. Then she took something else off a clothes-horse.
“Is that my blouse?” asked Lucie.
“Oh no, if you please. That’s a damask table-cloth. It belongs to Jenny Wren. Look how it’s stained with currant wine! Both red AND black currants. It’s very hard to wash!” said Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.
*********
Lesson 48 – Beatrix Potter
The Tale Of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle – Part Two
NEW WORDS: Dicky, Gatesgarth, Shelby, acquainted, belonged, bundles, dipping, fastened, fetched, fluffed, frilled, fronts, hairpins, handkerchief, hanky, jackets, lambs, moleskin, shawl, shrunken, suds, terribly, titmouse, trotted, velvety, washer, washes, wrinkly
Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s nose twitched. It went “sniffle, snaffle, snuffle.” Her eyes went “twinkie, twinkle.” She fetched another hot iron from the fire.
“There’s one of my pocket-handkins!” cried Lucie. “And there’s my blouse!” Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle ironed it. Then she fluffed it. Then she shook out the frills. “Oh, that IS lovely!” said Lucie. “And what are those long yellow things? They have fingers like gloves.”
Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle answered her. “Oh, that’s a pair of stockings. They belong to Sally Henny-Penny. Look how she’s worn the heels out. Too much scratching in the yard! She’ll very soon go barefoot!”
“Why, there’s another handkerchief. But it isn’t mine. It’s red.”
“Oh no, if you please. That one belongs to old Mrs. Rabbit. It DID so smell of onions! I’ve had to wash it by itself. I can’t get out that smell.”
“There’s another one of mine,” said Lucie. “What are those funny little white things?”
“That’s a pair of mittens. They belong to Tabby Kitten. I only have to iron them. She washes them herself.”
“There’s my last pocket-hanky!” cried Lucie. “And what are you dipping into the basin of starch?”
“They’re little dicky shirt-fronts. They belong to Tom Titmouse. He is most terribly particular! Now I’ve finished my ironing. I’m going to air some clothes.”
“What are these dear soft fluffy things?” said Lucie.
“Oh, those are woolly coats. They belong to the little lambs at Shelby.”
“Will their jackets get lost?” asked Lucie.”
“No ma’am. Look at the sheep-mark on the shoulder. We know where each one is to go. Here’s one marked for Gatesgarth. These three come from Little-Town. They’re ALWAYS marked at washing time!” said Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.
Then she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes. There were small brown coats for mice. There was a velvety black moleskin waist-coat. There was a red tail-coat. But it had no tail. It belonged to Squirrel Nutkin.
There was a very much shrunken blue jacket. That was Peter Rabbit’s. There was a petticoat. It was NOT marked. It had gone lost during the washing. She finished hanging things up. At last, the basket was empty!
Then Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle made tea. There was a cup for herself and a cup for Lucie. They sat before the fire on a bench. They looked back and forth at each other.
Lucie stared at Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s hand, as she held the tea-cup. Her hand was very, very brown. And it was very, very wrinkly from the soap-suds. And her gown and her cap looked funny. There were lots of hairpins sticking wrong-end-out. So, Lucie didn’t sit too near her. She didn’t want to get pricked by the pins!
They finally finished tea. They tied up the clothes in bundles. Lucie’s pocket-handkerchiefs were folded up inside her clean apron. They fastened it all with a silver safety-pin.
Now they made up the fire, to be lit later on. Then they came out and locked the door. They hid the key under the door-sill. Then away down the hill trotted Lucie and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. They had to go slowly, with their large bundles of clothes!
All the way down the path, little animals came out to meet them. First, they met Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny! She gave them their nice clean clothes. All the animals and birds were grateful for dear Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s hard work.
They soon reached the bottom of the hill. They stopped next to a fence. There was nothing left except Lucie’s one little bundle. Lucie scrambled away with the bundle in her hand. She turned to say, “Good-night.” And she wanted to thank the washer-woman.
But what a VERY odd thing! Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle had not waited. She didn’t wait to be thanked. She didn’t wait to be paid! She was running, running, running up the hill. And where was her white frilled cap? Where was her shawl? Where her gown and her petticoat?
And HOW small she had grown. And HOW brown. And she was covered with PRICKLES! Why! Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle was nothing but a HEDGEHOG!
(Now some people say that little Lucie had been dreaming all this. But then how could she have found three clean pocket-handkins and an apron? How could she have a bundle pinned with a silver safety-pin? And besides, I have seen that door into the back of the hill called Cat Bells. And besides, I am very well acquainted with dear Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, myself!)
*********
WEEK TWENTY-ONE PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 55) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-A” SOUND … continued:
Letters “AY” / “AYE” … continued:
It’s Tay’s turn to be the dealer in the card game.
There are a couple of good ways that you can go about doing this to make it work well.
The crowd erupted with “yays” when Trevon slam-dunked the basketball.
That stubborn mule will bray at you if you just try to get him to move.
Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
The potter showed our class how to mold clay into a beautiful bowl.
We need to move these goods on the ocean container to a warehouse via dray.
Son, if you get into any trouble, I will flay you the second that you get home.
The wild west saloon was used to having some kind of fray going on almost every night.
Can you please take my gray suit to the dry cleaners?
Mom, can I go out to play with Harriet?
I pray that I will continue to have good health in the upcoming new year.
In this painting, you’ll see Saint George slay the dragon.
The Humane Society prefers that one spay every new kitten or puppy.
Are you sure that you can’t stay a little longer?
The boat is going to sway back and forth out in those rough waters.
I think that Tray is tall enough to be the center on our basketball team.
Let’s put out three different cheeses on this serving tray.
Fay Wray starred as the damsel in distress in the 1933 film “King Kong.”
The lone wolf bayed at the moon for hours.
When our donkey brays, it seems to rile up all the rest of the farm animals.
The science museum had an exhibit showing types of clays from different places around the world.
Let’s make sure that we invite Dayle to be a speaker at the conference.
My uncle drives drays a couple of nights a week to make some extra money.
The coach really flays the team if we’re doing poorly at our basics like blocking and tackling.
This fabric frays pretty easily at the edges.
This black and white photo has many different shades of grays in it.
The golfer Payne Stewart always wore knickers in tournaments, thus making quite a fashion statement.
We got to see two Broadway plays on our trip to New York City.
My family always prays before we eat our dinner.
In this part of the text, David slays Goliath with his slingshot.
The vet spays many young animals during the course of a year.
I hope that it stays sunny for a few more days.
Look at how that tree sways in a heavy wind.
Bring me those dirty trays for me to put them into the dishwasher.
Did you know that Bruce Wayne is really Batman?
*********
*********
WEEK TWENTY-TWO
WEEK TWENTY-TWO READING PASSAGES
Lesson 49 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: Betty, Leeds, Romanian, Washington’s, Wendy, arrant, awhile, beetle, berry, blooming, buttercup, cheerily, chirping, chomping, clitter, confess, consent, dawning, fairies, fieldmouse, frail, froggie, gillyflower, giver, headdress, huntsmen, joyous, ladybug, loaves, lullaby, mosses, nibbling, niece, notion, nursie, oak’s, ought, pious, pistol, pleasure, pom, proper, rat’s, scarcely, snored, stacks, sugarcane, tiddely, tinkers, traveler, truth, tumbles, turnips, wonderfully, youth
What Are Heavy?
What are heavy? Sea-sand and sorrow.
What are brief? Today and tomorrow.
What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth.
What are deep? The ocean and truth.
Poem By Christina Rossetti
A Cup Of Tea
I’m going to Lady Washington’s, to get a cup of tea,
And five loaves of gingerbread, so don’t you follow me!
The Fieldmouse
Where the acorn tumbles down, where the ash tree sheds its berry,
With your fur so soft and brown, with your eye so round and merry,
Scarcely moving in long grass, fieldmouse, I can see you pass.
Little thing, in what dark den, lie you all the winter sleeping?
Till warm weather comes again, then once more I see you peeping.
Round about the tall tree roots, nibbling at their fallen fruits.
Fieldmouse, fieldmouse, do not go, where the farmer stacks his treasure,
Find the nut that falls below, eat the acorn at your pleasure.
But you must not steal the grain, he has stacked with so much pain.
Make your hole where mosses spring, underneath the tall oak’s shadow.
Pretty, quiet harmless thing, play about the sunny meadow.
Keep away from corn and house, none will harm you, little mouse.
Poem By Cecil Frances Alexander
The Dawning Day
Hear how the birds on every blooming spray,
With joyous music wake the dawning day.
Poem By Alexander Pope
Froggie Goes a-Courting
Froggie, a-courting he did ride,
Sword and pistol by his side.
He rode up to Miss Mouse’s door,
Where he had never been before.
He took Miss Mouse upon his knee,
Says, “Miss Mouse will you marry me?”
“Without my Uncle Rat’s consent,
I would not marry the President!”
Then Uncle Rat went down to town,
To buy his niece a wedding gown.
Oh, where will the wedding supper be?
A way down yonder in the hollow tree.
Oh, what will the wedding supper be?
Three green beans and a black-eyed pea!
The first came in was a little moth;
He spread out the tablecloth;
The next came in was a bumble-bee,
With his fiddle on his knee.
The next came in was a nimble flea,
To dance a jig with the bumble-bee.
Diddle, Fiddle
Diddle, diddle, on a bass fiddle, Tommy Cat plays all day.
Says Kitty-Bess, “I must confess, how wonderfully well you play!”
The More It Snows
The more it SNOWS-tiddely–pom,
The more it GOES-tiddely-pom,
The more it GOES-tiddely-pom,
On snowing.
And nobody KNOWS-tiddely-pom,
How cold my TOES-tiddely-pom,
How cold my TOES-tiddely-pom,
Are growing.
Poem By A. A. Milne
The Old Woman Of Leeds
There was an old woman of Leeds, who spent all her time in good deeds.
She worked for the poor, till her fingers were sore, this pious old woman of Leeds.
Fairies
Don’t go looking for fairies, they’ll fly away if you do.
You never can see the fairies, till they come looking for you.
Poem By Eleanor Farjeon
The Boy In The Barn
A little boy went into a barn, and lay down on some hay.
An owl came out, and flew about, and the little boy ran away.
Peter And Wendy
My ducks are so funny, I think, they peck at the bugs in the ground,
And always wherever they go, they follow each other around.
They like to play Follow the Leader, just watch them awhile and you’ll find,
There’s one of them always in front, the other one always behind.
Poem By Wymond Garthwaite
My Shadow
I have a little shadow, that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him, is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me, from the heels up to the head,
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him, is the way he likes to grow,
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow.
For he sometimes shoots up taller, like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little, that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion, of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me, in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward, you can see,
I’d think “shame” to stick to nursie, as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew, on every buttercup.
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me, and was fast asleep in bed.
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
Sing, Sing!
Sing, sing! What shall I sing? The Cat’s run away with the Pudding Bag String.
Do, do! What shall I do? The Cat has bitten it quite in two.
Sleep, My Little One
Sleep, sleep, my little one!
The night is all wind and rain.
The meal has been wet by the raindrops,
And bent is the sugarcane.
Oh, Giver, who gives to the people,
In safety my little son keep!
My little son with the headdress,
Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!
Hurt No Living Thing
Hurt no living thing,
Ladybug, nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing,
Nor cricket chirping cheerily,
Nor grasshopper so light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,
Nor harmless worms that creep.
Poem By Christina Rossetti
Betty Blue
Little Betty Blue, lost her holiday shoe.
What shall Little Betty do?
Give her another, to match the other,
And then she’ll walk upon two.
The Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveler in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Poem By Jane Taylor
The Huntsmen
Three jolly gentlemen,
In coats of red,
Rode their horses,
Up to bed.
Three jolly gentlemen,
Snored till morn,
Their horses chomping on,
The golden corn.
Three jolly gentlemen,
At break of day,
Came clitter-clatter down the stairs,
And galloped away.
Poem By Walter De La Mare
If Wishes Were Horses
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches, I would wear one by my side.
And if “ifs” and “ands,” were pots and pans,
There’d be no work for tinkers!
A Romanian Lullaby
Sleep, my baby, sleep an hour, you’re my little gillyflower!
Mother rocks you. Mother’s near! She will wash you baby dear.
Wash you clean in water clear, keep the sunshine from you here!
Sleep, my baby, sleep an hour, grow up like the gillyflower!
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Stories
Lesson 50 – Part One
NEW WORDS: Loxy, Lurkey, agreement, apprehensive, becoming, believing, bumbling, chunk, creaked, currish, decent, disagree, disturbed, ducky, feathered, flapping, foxy, freaking, frenzy, groused, gruff, grumpier, grumpiest, hollered, hungrier, hungriest, indulged, inquired, intelligent, jounced, loosey, louder, noggin, pranced, ridiculous, roared, scurvy, shaken, shrieked, sobbed, tale’s, tizzy, trapping, trembling, tripping, troll
Chicken Little
It was a fine day, and Chicken Little went out to the woods. She walked along, an acorn fell, and it hit her on her head. She was a silly chicken, and she often made crazy mistakes. Guess what she thought? She thought that the acorn was a part of the sky!
This had surprised her quite a bit, and she worked herself into a tizzy. “Oh, dear me!” she cried. “The sky is falling, and I must tell the king!” She was headed to see the king when she ran into Henny Penny.
“Henny Penny! The sky is falling!” cried Chicken Little.
“How do you know?” inquired Henny Penny.
“A piece of it hit my poor head.” She remembered the feeling. She rubbed her poor little noggin.
“Then let’s go! We should tell the king!” said Henny Penny. She was now quite worried, too. So, Henny Penny and Chicken Little ran along. They ran into Goosey Loosey.
“Goosey Loosey! The sky is falling!” sobbed Henny Penny.
“How do you know?” asked Goosey Loosey.
“I felt it on my head,” said Chicken Little.
Goosey Loosey looked at Henny Penny. She nodded in agreement. “Let’s tell the king!” yelled Goosey Loosey. So, the three of them hurried along. They ran into Ducky Lucky.
“Ducky Lucky! The sky is falling!” groused Goosey Loosey.
“How do you know?” asked Ducky Lucky.
“A piece of it hit me here,” said Chicken Little. She pointed to her head. Henny Penny and Goosey Loosey nodded their heads. They were wide-eyed, and they were all freaking out!
Ducky Lucky looked at her three friends. The fear was spreading, and now SHE became worried. That’s because the others were so apprehensive. “To the king’s!” barked Ducky Lucky.
So Ducky, Goosey, Henny, and Chicken ran along fast. And there was Turkey Lurkey. Turkey was surely the biggest of the birds. “Turkey Lurkey, the sky is falling!” cried Ducky Lucky.
“How do you know?” asked Turkey Lurkey.
“My head, my poor head! A chunk of sky fell on my head!” shrieked Chicken Little. Henny, Goosey, and Ducky stood behind Chicken Little. They were all flapping their wings with worry. It was a frenzy!
“The king must know!” shouted Turkey Lurkey. Who was he to disagree with four scared friends? So, the five feathered friends ran along, when they ran into Foxy Loxy.
“Foxy Loxy! The sky is falling!” cried Turkey Lurkey.
“Oh really, is that so?” asked the sly, evil Foxy Loxy. Now, that sneak knew way better, but he pretended to actually believe the five trembling birds. “Hmm, let’s see, what is the intelligent thing to do if the sky is falling? AHA, I know, you’d better keep safe in my den, where you’ll be completely safe, and then I’ll go tell the king for you, myself.”
The bumbling birds fell for his trick, so Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Lucky, and Turkey Lurkey followed Foxy Loxy right into his den. There was dust in the den. Lots of it. It made Chicken Little sneeze. ACHOO!!!
The force of the sneeze was extremely strong, and it made Chicken Little come back to her senses. “Wait!” cried Chicken Little, “birds are supposed to stay away from foxes, aren’t they!?”
That amazed the birds, and Henny Penny, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Lucky, and Turkey Lurkey looked at each other. “Of course, you’re right!” they cried.
One of them yelled, “Run for your lives!!”
And so, the five feathered friends scrambled out of the den. They were spitting and tripping. But they got away. And they never went back there again. From that day on, they thought very carefully before believing that the sky could actually be falling!
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The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Once upon a time, there were three billy goats. They were brothers. They were all named “Gruff.” The three Billy Goats Gruff longed to go up a hillside covered with thick, green grass. They wanted to eat that grass. They knew it would be just delicious.
To get to the hillside, they had to cross a brook. Over the brook was a bridge. And under the bridge lived a troll. They were walking across it. “Trip-trap, trip-trap, trip-trap!” went the bridge.
“WHO’S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?” roared the troll. He had been taking a nap. So, he was feeling quite grumpy from being shaken awake by the trip-trapping of the bridge.
The tiny goat answered him in a wee, small voice. “It is only I, Little Billy Goat Gruff. And I’m going to the hillside to eat the delicious grass.”
“Oh-ho!” yelled the troll, who was feeling both grumpy and hungry. “I am coming to gobble you up.”
“Oh! Please don’t eat me,” said the Little Billy Goat Gruff. “I’m too little. Yes, I am. Wait a bit until my brother comes. He’s much bigger.”
“Well then, be off with you!” said the troll, in a currish voice. He was usually much more polite when his tummy was full, and when he had indulged in a decent nap. He settled back down under the bridge. He was quite determined to fall back asleep.
Soon, the Middle Billy Goat Gruff came to cross the bridge. “Trip-trap, trip-trap, trip-trap!” went the bridge.
“WHO’S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?” bellowed the troll. He jumped up from his bed. And now, the troll was becoming VERY grumpy. How was he to get any sleep with all of this noise moving over his bridge?
The goat answered him, in a not-so-small voice. “It is only I, Middle Billy Goat Gruff. I’m going to the hillside to eat the delicious grass.”
“Oh-ho!” exclaimed the troll. He was feeling even grumpier and hungrier. “I am coming to gobble you up.”
“Oh, no! Don’t eat me. Wait till my brother comes along. He’s much bigger.”
“Very well. Be off with you!” said the troll. He could not believe that he had been disturbed twice in one day. He jumped back down to his home under the bridge. He would try, once more, to take a nice nap. But just then, up came the great BIG Billy Goat Gruff.
“TRIP-TRAP! TRIP-TRAP! TRIP-TRAP!” went the bridge. It was louder than when the first two goats had walked across. The Big Billy Goat Gruff was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.
“WHO’S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?” hollered the troll. This was really getting quite ridiculous!
An answer came, booming in a very loud voice. “IT IS I, BIG BILLY GOAT GRUFF.”
“Oh-ho!” barked the troll, who was thinking now that he was feeling the grumpiest and hungriest he had ever felt. “I am coming to gobble you up!”
“Well, then, come and try it!” responded Big Billy Goat Gruff.
The troll climbed up on the bridge. But he was not prepared for what happened next. The Big Billy Goat Gruff rushed at the troll, without saying a word. He danced and pranced and jounced all over. The bridge shook so much that the pathetic troll rolled off the bridge into the water.
Then the Big Billy Goat Gruff went to the hillside, where he joined his brothers. They had quite a laugh about that scurvy troll in the water. Then they all three ate so much delicious grass that they were scarcely able to walk home again.
Snip, snap, snout. This tale’s told out.
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WEEK TWENTY-TWO PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 55) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-A” SOUND … continued:
Letters “EI” / “EIG” / “EIGH”:
When I got off of the plane in Hawaii, a flight attendant put a colorful lei around my neck.
I’m in the mood for some tasty lo mein noodles for lunch.
I pulled on the rein to slow the horse down.
The camel moved forward along the base of the seif.
In their culture, women usually wear a veil to cover their face.
In an artery, the blood is red; in a vein, the blood is blue.
I’m going to turn eight years old tomorrow!
Let’s paint the walls a neutral beige color.
She would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
I wouldn’t put it past him to feign being sick, in order to stay home from school today.
The halfback made a feint to move to his right, then quickly outwitted the linebacker and went left instead.
The horse let out a loud “neigh!” when it came upon a pack of coyotes.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth the first lasted for forty-five years.
Though I pulled as hard as I could on the reins, the horse keep speeding forward.
The landscape photographer was particularly fond of shooting seifs in the late afternoon.
We took an hour-long boat tour on the Seine River in Paris.
Sherlock Holmes often veils himself with a clever disguise.
The miners found more veins of silver deep down in the mine.
All the jockeys must weigh in at an identical weight before the horse race may commence.
Letters “EY”:
The fantasy author invented all kinds of new fey creatures for his new novel.
Hey man, how are you doing?
In Earth science, we talked about a type of soil called “gley,” where iron compounds have been oxidized.
Joel Grey was a famous and popular Broadway actor.
A grey rug would go the best with our new furniture.
A predator will always be on the hunt for prey.
When Trey caught the touchdown pass, there were only three seconds left on the game clock.
Little Miss Muffet’s curds and whey sounds like a gross concoction to have to eat.
Which shade of these greys would you prefer for your new dress?
Letters “EA”:
Yea, we get to go to the new Star Wars movie this weekend!
The crowd erupted with “yeas,” when the newscasters called the election in their candidate’s favor.
Be careful that you don’t break anything in this gift shop!
Thanks so much; that was a great meal!
Please grill my steak medium-rare.
Letters “AE”:
My friend Gae just got engaged to be married.
Mae West was a famous actress in the 1900s whose career spanned seven decades!
Did you know that Aunt Gae’s cat is a Persian?
I think that my cousin Mae’s a little bit on the wacky side.
Letters “AU”:
The tire gauge says that only one tire needs a little more air.
Letters “OE”:
The climbers felt a foehn coming down the north side of the Alps.
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WEEK TWENTY-THREE
WEEK TWENTY-THREE READING PASSAGES
Stories
Lesson 51 – Part Two
NEW WORDS: Bremen, alas, brayed, dismayed, donkey’s, farmyard, gasping, grabbing, hind, impress, loudest, musical, musicians, neighbor’s, ordinary, remained, signal, slumber, uncle’s, willing, windowsill, woken
The Bremen Town Musicians
Once upon a time there was a donkey. For many years, he had worked for a farmer. The donkey had worked on the same farm day in and day out. He longed to leave the farm and to see the world. The farmer was not happy that the donkey wanted to leave. But he saw how sad the donkey was. He told him that he could go.
The donkey left. He took the road to a town called Bremen. He had once heard a street band play sweet music there. He thought he could be a fine musician, too.
Soon, he came upon an old dog panting for breath. It seemed as if the dog had been running a long way. “What are you panting for, my friend?” asked the donkey.
“Ah,” answered the dog. “Now that I’m old, I’ve decided to leave my home and see the world. There is so much of the world to see! So, I have been running in order to get it all in!”
“Well,” said the donkey, “come with me. I am going to be a street musician in Bremen. I can play the flute. And you can play the drum.” The dog was quite willing, and so they both walked on.
Soon the dog and the donkey saw a cat sitting in the road. He had a face as long as three days of rainy weather. “Now, what’s the matter with you, old kitty?” asked the donkey.
“You would be sad,” said the cat, “if you were in my place. Now I’m getting old. And I haven’t seen any of the world beyond the barn I live in. Alas, I want to go and see the world. But I don’t know where to begin!”
“Then come with us to Bremen,” said the donkey. “I know that you sing well at night. So, you can easily be a street musician in the town. Bremen will be a great place to start your adventures.”
“That is just what I should like to do,” said the cat. So, she joined the donkey and the dog. They all walked on together.
By and by, the three musicians came to a farmyard. On the gate stood a rooster. He was crying “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” with all his might.
“What are you making so much noise for?” asked the donkey.
“Ah,” said the rooster. “I am trying to get the other animals’ attention. I am leaving to see the world. This is how roosters say goodbye.”
“Come with us, old Red Comb,” said the donkey. “We are going to Bremen to be street musicians. You have a fine voice. And the rest of us are all musical, too.”
“I will join you!” said the rooster. And they all four went on together.
They could not reach the town in one day. As evening came on, they began to look for a place to spend the night.
The donkey and the dog lay down under a large tree. The cat climbed up on one of the branches. The rooster flew to the top of the tree. There, he could look all around.
“I see a light from a window,” the rooster called to his friends.
“That means there is a house nearby,” said the donkey. “Let us ask the people for supper.”
“How good a bone would taste!” said the dog.
“Or a nice piece of fish!” said the cat.
“Or some corn!” said the rooster.
So, they set out at once. They soon reached the house. The donkey was the tallest. So, he looked in the window.
“What do you see, old Long Ears?” asked the rooster.
The donkey answered, “I see a table spread with plenty to eat and drink. And a family is sitting before it having their supper.”
“Come down,” said the dog. “We shall think of a way to impress this family. Then, they will share their supper with us.”
The four friends talked over what they could do. They wanted to show the family that they weren’t just ordinary barnyard animals. At last they had an idea!
The donkey stood on his hind legs. He placed his front feet on the windowsill. The dog stood on the donkey’s back. The cat climbed up. He stood on the dog’s back. And the rooster perched on the cat’s head.
Then the donkey gave a signal. They all began to make their loudest music. The donkey brayed. The dog barked. The cat meowed. The rooster crowed. The animals thought for sure that this sweet music would charm the family.
The family had never before heard such a noise. They were frightened! They had no idea what could be making such a terrible sound. They ran as fast as they could. They went through the woods to their neighbor’s house. Our four friends were dismayed. How had their beautiful song frightened the family so much? Still, they were very hungry from their journey. So, they decided to eat what remained of the family’s supper.
The four musicians ate as much as they could. They were now full and ready to sleep. The donkey laid down in the yard. The dog laid behind the door. The cat curled up in front of the fireplace. The rooster flew up to a high shelf. They were all so tired that they soon fell fast asleep.
Later that night, the uncle decided to go back. He just wanted to check on the house. He found everything quiet and still. So, he went inside. But he did not see the cat. He stepped on her tail. The poor kitty was caught by surprise. She jumped up, landing on the uncle’s face by accident. It gave the uncle such a fright that he ran for the door. This scared the dog, who grabbed the uncle’s leg as he went by. In the dark yard, the uncle could not see the donkey. He ran into him by accident. This scared the donkey. And he gave the uncle a great kick with his hind foot. All of this woke the rooster. He then cried out with all his might. “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
The uncle ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He went back to his neighbor’s house. His family was waiting for him there. He was gasping for breath. “I have no idea what is going on in that house. But I am never going back! First, something tried to cover my eyes. Then something tried to stop me from leaving, by grabbing my leg. Then I was out in the yard. Something pushed me from behind. And all the while, I heard an awful noise. It was asking, ‘Who are you? Who are you’?”
The family was filled with fear. They ran away as fast as they could. Meanwhile, the animals had finally settled down after being woken up from their slumber. They decided that it was all just a bad dream. So, they went back to sleep in the cozy little house. They liked the little house a lot. So, they stayed there! They’re waiting for the family to come back. And as far as I know, they are there to this day.
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Stories
Lesson 52 – Part Three
NEW WORDS: Miller, Momotaro, amazement, bleated, bothered, bothering, carrying, coated, excitement, fainted, gazed, goat’s, gowns, harming, identified, instantly, misunderstanding, mmm, newfound, oni, oof, pheasant, prouder, quilts, realized, riches, scrubbing, stolen, swooped, tables, terrified, villagers, wolf’s
The Wolf And The Seven Little Kids
There was once a mother goat. She had seven little kids. She loved them as well as any mother has ever loved her children. One day she gathered her seven kids around her. She said, “Dear children. I must go into the forest to get food for us to eat. While I am away, don’t open the door for anyone. Be especially careful about the wolf. You will always know him by his rough voice. Also look for the dark gray fur on his paws.”
“Don’t worry, mother,” said the kids. “We’ll take good care of ourselves.” So, the mother goat bleated goodbye. She went on her way with a calm mind.
Meanwhile, the wolf was all alone in the forest. He never had anyone to play with. All the other animals were scared of him. This made him quite sad. But he thought maybe if the seven kids just got to know him, they would want to play with him. The wolf decided he would disguise himself. This was to get the kids to give him a chance.
Soon, there came a knock at the door. A voice called out, “Open the door, my dear children. Your mother is back. She has brought you each something.” But oh, what a rough voice! The kids thought it surely must be too soon for their mother to be back. “No, we won’t open the door!” cried the kids. “Our mother has a sweet, gentle voice. Your voice is rough. You must be the wolf!” And so, the kids went on playing. They felt very proud of themselves.
The wolf felt very sad. He could not help that his voice was rough. So, he ran off to a store. He bought a big lump of a special kind of chalk. He ate it to make his voice soft. Then he came back. He knocked at the door. He called out in a gentle voice, “Open the door, my dear children. Your mother is back. She has brought you each something.” The wolf felt for sure that this time the kids would open the door. Now he could prove to them that he was actually a very nice wolf. But the poor wolf had put his paws against the window. The kids could see his dark gray fur.
“No, we won’t open the door!” cried the kids. “Our mother’s feet do not have dark gray fur. You must be the wolf!” Again, the kids went on playing. They felt even prouder that they had identified the wolf by his paws.
Again, the poor wolf felt sad. He could not help that his fur was dark gray. And so, he ran to a bakery. “Baker,” he said, “Please, spread some dough over my paws.” The baker had coated his paws with dough. Then, the wolf went to the miller. “Miller,” he said, “please sprinkle some white flour over my paws.” Now the wolf’s feet looked just like the mother goat’s!
The wolf thought for sure this time the kids would open the door. Now he could show them what a nice and fun wolf he was. For a third time, the wolf went to the door. He knocked. He said in a gentle voice, “Open the door, my dear children. Your mother is back. She has brought you each something.” The wolf was almost smiling. He was so excited about playing with the kids.
“First show us your feet,” said the kids. And the wolf put his white, flour-covered paws against the window. “Yes, this must be our dear mother,” said the kids. So, they opened the door this time.
In pounced the wolf. He was ready to play! The terrified kids tried to hide. They did not know that the wolf was actually nice. The first ran under the table. The second crawled under the bed. The third hid under the rug. The fourth ran into the kitchen. The fifth jumped into the cupboard. The sixth ran under a tub. And the seventh climbed inside a big grandfather clock.
The wolf thought the kids must be playing a great game of hide-and-seek. He thought if he found them all, the kids would finally want to play with him. So, the wolf found them all. All, that is, except the youngest. He was hiding in the grandfather clock. The other kids had never been so scared. So, when the wolf found them, they fainted! They passed out asleep. The wolf was afraid that the other animals would blame him. So, he took the kids into the forest to wait for them to wake up. Then, he was tired from all of the excitement. So, he laid down under a tree. He fell into a deep sleep next to the six sleeping kids.
A short while later, the mother goat came home. Quite a sight met her eyes. The door stood wide open. Tables and chairs were thrown all about. Dishes were broken. Quilts and pillows were torn off the bed. She called out for her children. But they were nowhere to be found. She called each one again by name. No one answered. Finally, she called the name of the youngest kid.
“Here I am, mother,” a little voice cried. “I’m here inside the big grandfather clock.” The mother goat helped her youngest child out of the clock. Now, the youngest kid was quite sensitive. He had realized that the wolf thought the kids were playing a game of hide-and-seek. He told his mother so. They went off into the forest to find the other kids and the wolf. Mother Goat wanted to explain the misunderstanding.
There they saw the wolf. He was still fast asleep under a tree. He was snoring so hard that he shook the branches. Then the mother goat saw the rest of her kids. They were sleeping there, too. They were hidden behind the big wolf. “Dear me!” she thought. “How peaceful they are sleeping!” Then, one-by-one, her little kids, and finally the wolf, woke up.
The kids woke up. They saw their dear mother and youngest brother smiling at them. So, they instantly felt happy. Their mother told them that the poor wolf was actually a kind animal. He had just wanted to play. They all danced around, now. They celebrated their newfound friendship with the wolf.
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Momotaro, Peach Boy
It was once upon a time. We go to a small village. It’s in the country of Japan. There, lived a kind old man and his good, honest wife. It was one fine morning. The old man went to the hills. He was going to cut firewood. His wife went down to the river. She was going to wash clothes. She was scrub, scrub, scrubbing the clothes on a stone. Then, something strange came floating down the river. It was a peach. A very big, round peach! She picked it up. “Oof!” She carried it home with her. She thought that they could eat it.
The old man soon came home. The old woman set the peach before him. The peach began to shake! It wobbled the table. The old man and woman looked on in amazement. Then, the peach split apart. Out came a baby boy!
The old man and woman took care of the baby. They were kind to him. They raised him as their own son. They called him “Momotaro.” That was a fine name. It meant “Peach Boy.”
Momotaro grew up to be strong and brave. This was good for the village. For many years, the villagers had been bothered by the “Oni.” They were greedy monsters. They stole things from the town. Everyone wished that the Oni would stop bothering them.
Momotaro had grown to be a young man. One day, he came to his parents. “I am going to the island of the Oni. I will bring back what they’ve stolen. And I’ll stop them from harming us ever again. Please make some millet cakes for me. I will need them on my journey.”
The parents were worried. But they made the millet cakes. And so Momotaro started on his way. He had not gone far. He met a dog. “Where are you going, Momotaro?” asked the dog.
“I’m going to the island of the Oni. I’ll bring back what they have stolen from my village,” said Momotaro.
“What is in that sack?” asked the dog.
“I’m carrying the best millet cakes in all Japan,” said Momotaro. “Would you like one?”
“Mmm. Yes!” said the dog. “And I’ll come with you to the island of the Oni. I’ll help you.” The dog ate the millet cake. Then he and Momotaro walked on.
They soon met a monkey. “Where are you going, Momotaro?” asked the monkey.
“I’m going to the island of the Oni. I’ll bring back what they have stolen from my village,” said Momotaro.
“I’ll come with you,” said the monkey. And Momotaro thanked him. He gave him a millet cake.
Now the three of them walked along. Soon, they heard a call. “Momotaro! Momotaro! Where are you going?” Momotaro looked around to see who was calling. A big pheasant flew out of a field. It landed at his feet. Momotaro told him that he and his new friends were going to the island of the Oni. “Then I’ll come with you and help,” said the pheasant. Momotaro thanked him. He gave him a millet cake. So, Momotaro went on his way. The dog, the monkey, and the pheasant followed close behind.
They soon came to the island. The Oni lived in a big stone castle. The pheasant flew over the high castle walls. He swooped down. He flew back and forth so fast that it scared the Oni. The Oni shouted and screamed. They ran about in confusion.
Then the dog and the monkey helped. They, with Momotaro, broke through the gate of the castle. Oh, what a scene! The dog and monkey ran about the legs of the Oni. This tripped them up so much they had trouble standing. Momotaro ran left and right, waving his walking stick. Many of the Oni ran away. Soon, it was just Momotaro and the Oni king.
Momotaro ordered the Oni king around. “Collect all the treasure that you have stolen from us!” Momotaro and his friends gazed in amazement. There were so many beautiful gowns and jewels. There was so much gold and silver. All of it had been stolen from the village over the years.
And so Momotaro took all the riches back to the village. The village was never again bothered by the Oni. And what happened to Momotaro and the old man and the old woman? They lived in peace and plenty for the rest of their lives.
*********
WEEK TWENTY-THREE PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 56) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-E” SOUND:
Letters “EE”:
Mom shrieked, “EEK!” when she saw a mouse in the kitchen pantry.
An electric eel is misnamed, not really an eel, but a knifefish.
I can’t stand it if a bee stings me!
My friend Dee has incredibly curly red hair.
If your checking account drops below $500, there’s a monthly fee of $25.
Gee, I thought that I’d know the answer to that.
Robert E. Lee led the Confederate army in the U.S. Civil War.
Mom, I really need to pee!
I can see perfectly with my new glasses.
Let’s tee up this cool idea to the boss.
We read a story about a wee fairy who lived in a flower.
Did you know that people actually cook and eat eels?
Please buy a package of beef hot dogs when you go to the grocery.
When the timer goes “beep,” put the casserole into the hot oven.
If you don’t try at least one beet on your plate, you’re not going to get dessert.
My good deed for the day was helping an elderly lady cross the street.
When writing term papers, professors deem it necessary that you always identify your sources.
Let’s go swim in the deep end of the pool.
Please feed the pets by 6:00 PM.
After a few days of that brutal head cold, I finally feel 100% again!
The lawyer said, “My fees are $200 per hour, plus any expenses like postage.
The shoe salesperson agreed that I have really big feet for my age.
I do have to admit that I am a video game geek.
When my brother coughed, he got spit on me, so I said, “Geez, Ronnie, cover your mouth when you cough!”
Yoda said, “Heed my warning, Luke; if you are not careful, you will be tempted by the Dark Side.”
I’m going to need to replace the heel on my left dress shoe.
Our Jeep rides well on rough terrain.
I’m afraid that I’m going to keel over because of this brutal heat and humidity.
My dog has a very keen sense of smell.
I like to keep the closets in my house neat and organized.
This recipe calls for one chopped leek instead of an onion.
I didn’t realize that Mr. Leet is a mining engineer.
Clark Kent acts meek and mild, but he’s actually Superman!
Let’s meet at 4:00 PM at the store directory at the front entrance to the mall.
I need to take these pills at lunchtime.
Dad, you’re not going to want to hear this, but the dog peed on your favorite chair.
Let’s take a peek under the Christmas tree and see how many presents there are for everyone.
Don’t you find it challenging to peel a mango?
Son, fetch our ball-peen hammer, because it will be perfect for the wood-working that we’ll do this afternoon.
Kids, get to bed, and we don’t want to hear a peep out of any of you!
Thank goodness that our cat always pees in her litter box.
A reed is used in a wind instrument such as a clarinet or an oboe.
It’s beautiful underwater when you snorkel on a coral reef.
Oh, man, check your breath; you reek of garlic!
Son, a fish has been hooked on your line; now reel it in!
To think that this little seed is going to turn into a big plant!
Anyone want to play hide-and-seek?
Things are not always what they seem to be!
This rare butterfly is very rarely seen in North America.
This is a quality-built house, and water cannot seep into the basement.
I wonder what a fly sees when it has up to 4,500 “eye lenses.”
The former champion teed off to officially begin the golf tournament.
In spring, this pond will teem with frogs.
*********
*********
WEEK TWENTY-FOUR
WEEK TWENTY-FOUR READING PASSAGES
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Stories
Lesson 53 – Part Four
NEW WORDS: alarmingly, beauty, bison, compassion, content, continue, discover, eventually, exists, familiar, farther, fearful, following, forlornly, fragrances, generosity, hopeful, intended, lapping, misused, mountainside, onward, perilous, promised, regain, repay, retreated, returned, sadly, soar, swum, thankful, trod, warmth
The Story Of Jumping Mouse
Once there was a small mouse. But he had a big dream. The small mouse had grown up listening to the elders. They told wonderful stories about the far-off land. Now, the small mouse lived in the brush. This was near the sparkling river. On the other side of the sparkling river was the dry desert. The small mouse had been told where the far-off land was. It was on the other side of the dry desert.
Although the mouse was small, he was brave. He intended to go to the far-off land. One day he said goodbye to his family and friends and set off. He came to his first challenge. He had to find a way to cross the beautiful sparkling river. He was staring at the lapping water. Right then, a frog appeared beside him.
“You’ll have to swim,” said the frog.
“I don’t know what you mean,” replied the small mouse. He had never swum before.
“Watch me,” said the frog. The frog jumped into the sparkling river. He began to swim.
The small mouse watched the frog for several seconds. Then he announced, “I am afraid I can’t do that. I’ll have to find another way to cross.”
The frog returned to the edge of the river. “Why are you so determined to cross the sparkling river? Where are you going?” asked the frog.
“I’m going to the far-off land,” replied the small mouse.
“I hope you don’t mind my saying this. But you are a very small mouse. To cross such a big river and travel such a long distance to the far-off land will be hard.” The frog stared at the small mouse for a short time. He that the mouse couldn’t be swayed from following his plan. So, he decided to help the mouse.
“This is your lucky day,” exclaimed the frog. “I’m a magic frog. I will help you. I name you Jumping Mouse. You’ll soon discover something. You can jump higher than you’ve ever jumped before. Follow me, Jumping Mouse. I will take you across the sparkling river.”
With that said, the frog and Jumping Mouse jumped very high. They landed on a leaf in the middle of the sparkling river. They floated on the leaf to the other side.
“Goodbye, my friend,” said the frog. “Be brave and hopeful. You will surely reach the far-off land.”
“Thank you,” replied Jumping Mouse. “I’ll never forget your kindness.”
Jumping Mouse set off across the dry desert. He jumped across stones and twigs. His legs were now strong, as the frog had promised. He could now jump higher than ever before. He traveled by day and by night. He stopped only to eat berries wherever he found them.
Eventually, Jumping Mouse came to a stream. The stream gave life to this part of the dry desert. Beside the stream grew many bushes. Underneath one of the bushes there lived a very fat mouse. The fat mouse came out. “Good day to you,” he said.
“Good day,” said Jumping Mouse.
“Where are you going?” asked the fat mouse.
“To the far-off land,” explained Jumping Mouse. “However, I would like to rest a while. I need to eat some of the juicy berries that grow on the bushes beside the stream.”
“Be my guest,” said the fat mouse. Jumping Mouse stayed with the fat mouse for several days. He ate berries. He drank from the cool stream. Before long, he felt rested. He was ready to continue his journey.
“It’s time for me to continue my journey,” said Jumping Mouse.
“Why would you want to travel to a place like that? You are not sure it even exists. Stay here with me. You can eat berries. You can drink from the stream to your heart’s content! But, if you must go, be very careful. The journey will be perilous indeed for such a small mouse,” warned the fat mouse.
“I will be careful. And I will find a way to pay forward the kindness you and the frog have shown me. Thank you for your generosity,” replied Jumping Mouse. Then, his powerful legs carried him away. He had hope in his heart. Jumping Mouse continued on his way.
It was some time later. Jumping Mouse had arrived at the great grassy plain. There he found a bison. The beast was lying forlornly in the grass.
“Hello, bison,” said Jumping Mouse. “I am Jumping Mouse.”
“Hello, Jumping Mouse. Please tell me how beautiful the sky looks today,” said the bison sadly.
“Have you lost your sight?” Jumping Mouse asked this with compassion.
“Yes! I am blind now,” replied the bison. “I do not know what I will do now that I cannot see.”
“I’m just an ordinary mouse,” replied Jumping Mouse. “But before I reached the great grassy plain, a magic frog gave me a new name. The frog named me Jumping Mouse. The name gave me extra strength in my legs. I will name you ‘Eyes-of-a-Mouse.’ I hope that your eyes will regain their strength.”
No sooner had Jumping Mouse finished speaking, when the bison exclaimed, “I can see!”
But at that very moment, Jumping Mouse realized that HE could no longer see. “And I cannot see!” said Jumping Mouse.
“Dear Jumping Mouse,” said the bison. “You have given me your eyes. I am so thankful! Let me do something for you.”
“I am on my way to the far-off land,” explained Jumping Mouse. “Though, how I will get there now, I do not know.”
“Come, jump beneath my enormous hooves. I will guide you across the grassy plain. I’ll take you to the high mountain,” said the bison gently. And with that, they set off.
They reached the high mountain. The bison bid farewell to Jumping Mouse. Jumping Mouse rested for a while. He then began to climb the mountain. It was difficult. He could not easily tell which way to go. He sniffed the air. He followed the scent of pine.
Jumping Mouse trod along on grass and rocks. But then he trod on something that felt alarmingly like fur. Jumping Mouse sniffed the air again. “Wolf!” he said in a frightened voice.
“Do not fear me,” replied the wolf. “I am a very sad wolf. I have lost my sense of smell. I do not know how I will find food without it.”
“My dear wolf,” said Jumping Mouse. “This may seem strange to you. But I gave the bison my sight. I will call you ‘Nose-of-a-Mouse.’ We shall see what will happen.”
No sooner had Jumping Mouse spoken these words than the wolf sniffed the air. He cried, “I can smell you Jumping Mouse. And other wonderful fragrances, as well. Thank you! I am so grateful. How can I repay you?”
“I am on my way to the far-off land. I am brave. And I still have hope that I will get there. And that’s even though I can no longer see nor smell. Perhaps you can help me.”
“I will help you Jumping Mouse. Walk beneath my body. I will lead you onward,” said the wolf.
Onward they went. At last, the wolf exclaimed, “I can go no farther. We are on the top of the high mountain. I must bid you goodbye, my friend.” And with that, the wolf retreated back down the mountainside.
For the first time, Jumping Mouse felt fear. How would he ever get to the far-off land? He could no longer see nor smell? A tiny tear drop fell to the ground. At that very moment, Jumping Mouse heard a familiar voice.
“Do not be fearful.” It was the Magic Frog! “You could have misused my gift. But you did not. Instead, you showed kindness. You helped others on your journey. Jump high into the sky, my friend.”
Jumping Mouse hesitated for just a second. But then he jumped high into the sky. Immediately, he felt the air lift him up into the clouds. He felt the warmth of the sun on his back. He looked down. He saw the beauty of the land beneath him.
“Jumping Mouse,” said the magic frog. “I am giving you a new name. It is Eagle. Fly away, my friend. Soar on to your new home in the far-off land.” And that is exactly what Jumping Mouse did.
*********
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Stories
Lesson 54 – Part Five
NEW WORDS: bathing, bumpity, claim, comfortable, compared, definitely, foolishness, mightily, quizzically, refreshed, silliest, sometime, sprawled, vine, whoever, whump, yawned
Tug-Of-War
Turtle was small. But he talked big. He loved to boast. He said he was friends with the biggest animals in the jungle. He would say things like this. “I’m just as strong as the biggest animals around here. And that includes Elephant and Hippopotamus. That’s right! Elephant and Hippopotamus and I are friends. That’s because I’m just as strong as they are.”
One day, Elephant and Hippopotamus happened to talk to some of the other animals. They were told what Turtle was going around saying. Elephant and Hippopotamus laughed. “So,” they said. “Turtle thinks he is as strong as we are? That’s the silliest thing we’ve ever heard. He’s so tiny compared to us!”
Those animals told Turtle what Elephant and Hippopotamus said. Then, Turtle became very mad. “So, they do not think that I am as strong as they are? They will see that I am just as strong as they are. And then, we will definitely be friends. Just wait and see!”
Then Turtle set off to find Elephant and Hippopotamus. He found Elephant lying down in the jungle. Elephant was as big as a mountain. His trunk was as long as a river. But Turtle was bold. He walked right up. He said in his loudest voice, “Hey, Elephant, my dear friend!”
Elephant looked all around. Where was that voice coming from? Finally, he looked down, way down, and spotted Turtle. “Oh, it’s you, is it?” said Elephant. “What is this foolishness I hear? You claim to be as strong as I am? How silly! I am much larger than you, and thus much stronger than you! Big animals and little animals cannot be friends.”
“Now, Elephant,” said Turtle, “just listen. You think that because you’re so much bigger than me, that makes you better. Well, let’s have a tug-of-war to find out.”
“A tug-of-war?” said Elephant. He laughed so hard the Earth shook for miles around. “Why,” he said to Turtle, “you haven’t got a chance.”
“Maybe so,” said Turtle. “But if you’re so sure, what have you got to lose?” Then Turtle cut a very long vine. He gave one end to Elephant. “Here,” said Turtle. “Now, if I pull you down, I am stronger. If you pull me down, you are stronger. We won’t stop tugging until one of us pulls the other over, or the vine breaks. And if the vine breaks, we are equal. Then we’ll call each other friend.”
“Now I’ll go pick up my end,” said Turtle. “And when you feel me start tugging, you tug back.” So, Turtle walked off with the other end of the long, long vine. Sometime later, he found Hippopotamus bathing in the river.
“Oh, friend, I’m here!” shouted Turtle. “Come out of the water and say hi!”
Hippopotamus could hardly believe his ears. “How could we be friends? You are so much smaller than me,” he said quizzically.
“Now hold on, friend Hippo,” said Turtle. “You think that because you’re so much bigger than me, that makes you better. Well, let’s have a tug-of-war to find out. Whoever pulls the other down is stronger. We will keep pulling until one of us wins, or the vine breaks. And if the vine breaks, we are equal. Then we will finally be friends.”
“But Turtle, how could you win? You are so much smaller than me. Everyone knows that big animals are stronger than little animals,” said Hippopotamus.
“Well, let’s see,” said Turtle. So, he gave Hippopotamus an end of the long, long vine. “Now I’ll go pick up my end,” said Turtle. “When you feel me start tugging, you tug back.”
Turtle walked into the jungle. He picked up the middle of the vine. He gave it a good hard shake. When Hippopotamus felt this, he started to tug. When Elephant felt the tug, he tugged back.
Elephant and Hippopotamus both tugged mightily. That stretched the vine very tight. Turtle settled into a comfortable spot. He watched for a while as the vine moved just a little bit one way. And then it moved just a little bit the other way. He took out his lunch. He munched on his food very slowly. He enjoyed every bite. Then he yawned and fell asleep.
He woke a couple of hours later. He felt very refreshed from his nap. He looked up to see the vine still stretched tight. A big smile came across his face. Yes, Elephant and Hippopotamus were still pulling with all their might. Neither one could pull the other over. “I suppose it’s about time,” said Turtle. And he cut the vine!
When the vine broke, both Elephant and Hippopotamus tumbled down. “WHUMP– BUMPITY-BUMP-BAM-BOOM!”
Turtle went to see Elephant. He found him sprawled on the ground. He was rubbing his head. “Turtle,” said Elephant, “you are very strong and quite powerful! You were right. We ARE equal. I guess that bigger doesn’t mean better after all. So, big animals and little animals can, indeed, be friends.”
Then Turtle went to see Hippopotamus. He was also sprawled on the ground. And he was rubbing his head. “So, Turtle,” said Hippopotamus, “we ARE equal, after all. You were right, my friend.”
From then on, whenever the animals held a meeting, there at the front sat Elephant, Hippopotamus, and Turtle. And they always called each other friends.
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Lesson 55 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: Dumpty’s, Otto, afterwards, anyway, broomstick, broomstick’s, bumpety, camel, cocoa, corkscrew, corruption, counsel, crackers, croak, deed, funniest, greatly, grieve, grownups, half’s, hamwich, handle, harnessed, haunches, humped, insist, jamwich, kettle, lumpety, maw, mee, mercy, mutton, needn’t, oom, orchestra, pump, raven, screeching, suppers, swan, trotting, unpleasantly, vestige, vowed, waddle, wombat
The Farmer And The Raven
A farmer went trotting upon his gray mare, bumpety, bumpety, bump!
With his daughter behind him, so rosy and fair.
Lumpety, lumpety, lump!
A raven cried “Croak!” and they all tumbled down, bumpety, bumpety, bump!
The mare broke her knees, and the farmer his crown,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump!
The mischievous raven flew laughing away, bumpety, bumpety, bump!
And vowed he would serve them the same the next day,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump!
Three Little Kittens
Three little kittens, lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
“Oh, mother dear,
We very much fear that we have lost our mittens.”
“Lost your mittens! You naughty kittens! Then you shall have no pie!”
“Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.”
“No, you shall have no pie.”
“Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.”
The three little kittens, found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
“Oh, mother dear,
See here, see here! See, we have found our mittens!”
“Put on your mittens, you silly kittens, and you may have some pie.”
“Purr, purr, purr,
Oh, let us have the pie!
Purr, purr, purr.”
The three little kittens, put on their mittens, and soon ate up the pie.
“Oh, mother dear,
We greatly fear,
That we have soiled our mittens!”
“Soiled your mittens! You naughty kittens!” Then they began to sigh,
“Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.”
Then they began to sigh,
“Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.”
The three little kittens, washed their mittens, and hung them out to dry.
“Oh, mother dear,
Do you not hear,
That we have washed our mittens?”
“Washed your mittens? Oh, you’re good kittens! But I smell a rat close by,
Hush, hush. Mee-ow, mee-ow.”
“We smell a rat close by,
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.”
Poem By Eliza Lee Follen
Monkeys
The funniest thing in the world I know, is watching the monkeys in the show!
Jumping and running and racing around, way up the top of the pole, then down!
First they’re here, and then they’re there, and just almost any, and everywhere!
Screeching and scratching wherever they go, they’re the funniest thing in the world, I know!
Poem By James Whitcomb Riley
Jumping Joan
Here I am, little jumping Joan,
When nobody’s with me, I’m always alone.
Bedtime
The Man in the Moon looked out of the moon, looked out of the moon and said,
“‘Tis time for all children, on the Earth, to think about getting to bed!”
Swan
Swan, swan, over the sea,
Swim, swan, swim!
Swan, swan back again,
Well swum, swan!
A Star
Higher than a house, higher than a tree,
Oh! Whatever can that be?
Fog
The fog comes in
On little cat feet.
It sits looking
Over harbor and city
On silent haunches
And then moves on.
Poem By Carl Sandburg
Humpty Dumpty’s Song
In winter, when the fields are white,
I sing this song for your delight.
In Spring, when woods are getting green,
I’ll try and tell you what I mean.
In Summer, when the days are long,
Perhaps you’ll understand the song.
In Autumn, when the leaves are brown,
Take pen and ink, and write it down.
I sent a message to the fish.
I told them “This is what I wish.”
The little fishes of the sea,
They sent an answer back to me.
The little fishes’ answer was,
“We cannot do it, Sir, because.”
I sent to them again to say,
“It will be better to obey.”
The fishes answered, with a grin,
“Why, what a temper you are in!”
I told them once, I told them twice,
They would not listen to advice.
I took a kettle large and new,
Fit for the deed I had to do.
My heart went hop, my heart went thump,
I filled the kettle at the pump.
Then someone came to me and said,
“The little fishes are in bed.”
I said to him, I said it plain,
“Then you must wake them up again.”
I said it very loud and clear.
I went and shouted in his ear.
But he was very stiff and proud.
He said “You needn’t shout so loud!”
And he was very proud and stiff.
He said “I’d go and wake them, if.”
I took a corkscrew from the shelf,
I went to wake them up myself.
And when I found the door was locked,
I pulled and pushed and kicked and knocked.
And when I found the door was shut,
I tried to turn the handle, but.
Poem By Lewis Carroll
Animal Crackers
Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink, that is the finest of suppers, I think.
When I’m grown up and can have what I please, I think I shall always insist upon these.
Poem By Christopher Morley
Toaster Time
Tick, tick, tick, tick. Tick, tick, tick.
Toast up a sandwich, quick, quick, quick.
Hamwich, or jamwich, lick, lick lick!
Tick, tick, tick,
Tick, tick, tick,
STOP! POP!
Poem By Eve Merriam
Otto
Otto would a-riding go, so he harnessed up a crow. Could he drive it? No, no, no!
Otto humped and bumped around, and Otto tumbled on the ground!
For Want Of A Nail
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.
For want of the shoe, the horse was lost.
For want of the horse, the rider was lost.
For want of the rider, the battle was lost.
For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want, of a horseshoe nail.
At The Zoo
First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black;
Then I saw the camel, with a hump upon his back;
Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw;
Then I saw the wombat, waddle in the straw;
Then I saw the elephant, a-waving of his trunk;
Then I saw the monkeys-mercy, how unpleasantly they-smelt!
Poem By William Makepeace Thackery
Little Lisa
Little Lisa comes a-running, who’ll buy my little calf?
How much do you want for him? A penny and a half.
A penny and a half’s too much! A broomstick’s all I’ll pay!
Then take him for a broomstick, I don’t want him anyway.
The Orchestra
Oh, we can play on the big bass drum, and this is the music to it:
Boom, boom, boom, goes the big bass drum, and that’s the way we do it.
Oh, we can play on the violin, and this is the music to it:
Fiddle-dee-dee, goes the violin, and that’s the way we do it.
Oh, we can play on the silver flute, and this is the music to it:
Toot-toot-toot, goes the silver flute, and that’s the way we do it.
Oh, we can play on the big bass horn, and this is the music to it:
Oom-pa-pa, goes the big bass horn, and that’s the way we do it.
Night Fun
I hear eating, I hear drinking, I hear music, I hear laughter.
Fun is something grownups never have before my bedtime.
Only after.
Poem By Judith Viorst
Remember
Remember me when I am gone away, gone far away into the silent land,
When you can no more hold me by the hand, nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day, you tell me of our future that you planned.
Only remember me. You understand, it will be late to counsel then, or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while, and afterwards remember, do not grieve.
For if the darkness and corruption leave a vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better, by far, you should forget and smile, than that you should remember, and be sad.
Poem By Christina Rossetti
*********
WEEK TWENTY-FOUR PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 56) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-E” SOUND … continued:
Letters “EE” … continued:
Grandma said, “When I was a teen, my mom would not allow me to wear make-up.”
I hope that Bob tees up with the boss a possible office Christmas party.
The President and the Veep flew from D.C. today to hit the campaign trail.
Dad’s gone outside to weed the garden.
Next week I fly to Germany to get a tour of our new factory there.
It’s time to ween our toddler from sucking his thumb.
Mom always starts to weep when she goes to a wedding.
My sister Bree wants to be a fashion designer.
If we drive fast enough, maybe we can flee the storm.
If you buy two of these, you get one free.
In the cuisine of India, they use a type of liquid butter that they call “ghee.”
The gymnast shouted with glee when all of the judges rated her performance a 10.
Dad said to us, “Kids, did you know that I got down on my knee when I proposed marriage to your mom?”
I love the flowers that bloom on a tulip tree.
While I was scared to death, my sister yelled, “WHEE!” as the roller coaster sped down the steep ramp.
Our fitness center’s equipment is good for someone who beefs up by lifting weights.
Three beeps from the timer mean that the meat is done.
I never have developed a liking for the taste of beets.
The knight was well-known for his countless deeds of heroism.
Our doctor deems it wise to always get a good night’s sleep.
In the deeps of the ocean, who knows what creatures man has still never encountered?
Mom feeds the dog precisely at 9:00 in the morning and 6:00 in the evening.
That shoe feels very comfortable on my foot.
Those kids may be geeks, but I will say that they’re super-smart.
The geese at the lake are honking loudly.
The kid down the street typically heeds his parents’ good advice.
I’ve got thick callouses on the heels of my feet.
Jeeps are sturdy for driving on dirt roads.
It’s not good when someone keels over from heatstroke.
Dad usually keeps around $100 in cash in his wallet.
This recipe calls for two of my favorite veggies, leeks and shallots.
Our friends the Leets have moved to be close to their grandkids.
I’d like to see a movie where Superman meets Thor.
Our old kitchen needs remodeling.
Don’t you love how a toddler peeks out from behind a curtain?
You can just trash these potato peels.
Mom peeps into our room before she goes to bed to make sure that we’re asleep.
It will really peeve me if you chew with your mouth open!
I think there are some ducks behind those reeds.
It’s estimated that more than a million species of life live around coral reefs.
This room just reeks of cigarette smoke.
This warehouse stores thousands of reels of film of old Hollywood movies.
Mrs. Reeve is a really great art teacher.
Let’s hope that one of these seeds grows into a gigantic pumpkin.
In this story, the hero seeks justice and tracks down a murderer.
It seems like time moves faster the older you get.
With a gentle rain, the moisture seeps into the soil rather than running off.
This warm tropical reef teems with marine life.
Most teens are itching to get their first driver’s license.
Three former Veeps attended the funeral service of the well-loved Senator.
It’s weeds like these that bother so many people’s allergies.
In just a few weeks it’ll be Christmas!
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WEEK TWENTY-FIVE
WEEK TWENTY-FIVE READING PASSAGES
Lesson 56 – Stories Misc
Space Hawk: Animals, Animals, Animals
NEW WORDS: Gila, Komodo, amphibians, anaconda, anemones, antelope, badger, boa, breed, caiman, capybara, cheetah, chimps, chipmunk, chuckwalla, constrictor, coral, cougar, coyote, dolphin, ferret, friendlier, gazelle, gecko, gharial, giraffes, gorilla, hippos, howler, hyenas, jellyfish, jungles, leopard, liger, marlin, mink, moray, multi, newts, octopus, okapi, orangutan, planet’s, porpoises, possum, pythons, reefs, rodent, ruthless, salamanders, skink, skunk, smartest, stonefish, toads, weasel, zebra
Animals or nothing! World Q333 could not get enough. They would not talk about another thing! It was so new to them.
Doc kept using HOLLY. “HOLLY. Show more life forms. Show reptiles. Here’s a snake. A lizard and an iguana. A skink and a gecko. A crocodile, an alligator, a caiman, and a gharial. A turtle and a tortoise. A chuckwalla. A Gila monster. A Komodo dragon. And our largest snakes. A boa constrictor and an anaconda! And don’t forget about pythons!”
Then, it was amphibians. “Here are salamanders, newts, frogs, and toads. When born, they start to live in water. Then, they live on land.”
Then Doc moved to forest animals. “HOLLY. Show animals in forests. Here’s a squirrel and a chipmunk. A fox. A wolf. A skunk. A beaver, a weasel, a mink, and a badger. A mole. A possum. A mouse and a rat. A coyote. A deer. A moose. A flying squirrel. A ferret. A raccoon.”
The people of Q333 were amazed. “Show more!” they shouted.
Doc kept going! “HOLLY! Time for BIG animals! Africa, India, jungles, and plains! Here are a lion and a tiger. A panther, a jaguar, a cougar, an ocelot. A cheetah. That’s our fastest animal. A leopard and snow leopard. Giraffes and elephants. Hyenas and wild dogs. Antelope and gazelle. A water buffalo. A zebra (they LOVED the stripes of the zebra!) Chimps and an orangutan. A gorilla. Tapirs. Okapi. Spider and howler monkeys. Our largest rodent, the capybara. And how about hippos and rhinos!?”
They asked about our oceans. Doc said, “Some of our smartest animals are dolphin and porpoises. And here’s our largest, a whale! Here are an octopus and a giant squid. Here are marlin and swordfish. And sharks. These fish can be ruthless! Sting rays are creepy looking. And so are moray eels! And you don’t want to touch a stonefish. And we have pretty places called coral reefs. Look at these anemones! And the multi-colored tiny fish. And jellyfish. They sting, and some of them can kill you!
We talked for hours. At one point, we talked about zoos. They thought that was awful. That we would cage up animals. But in 2166, zoos were “friendlier” places. It was more like being in the wild. And we showed how some animals would be extinct. Zoos protected them. And new kinds of animals could breed. Like a liger. Dad’s a lion. Mom’s a tiger. So a liger looks kind of “half-lion” and “half-tiger.” That couldn’t happen in the wild. Lions are in Africa. Tigers are in Asia. In a zoo, a lion and a tiger can meet up together!
At one point, our talk went sour. Their planet’s so different that “food” is a very different thing. They don’t eat anything that’s “living.” Well, they found out that animals eat animals. And that humans eat meat! They just about kicked us out! But we calmed them down. We showed how this was “just our way” on Earth. They did not like it. But they knew that some things that THEY did might not set well with US, either.
The bottom line is this. When you meet with Aliens, you’d better have an open mind!
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
The Green Fern Zoo
Lesson 57 – Part One
NEW WORDS: Bess, Carl, Norm, Vern, bobcat, bobcat’s, bobcats, creeks, figs, gills, grooming, jet’s, mandrill, mandrills, panthers, puffin, puffin’s, puffins, scales, unlike, yawning
Meet Vern
My name is Vern, and I have the best job! My job is to take you kids in to see the Green Fern Zoo. We will see things with wings, and things with scales, things that bite, and things that sting, things that creep, and things that swim. I have lots of fun facts and tales to share with you. So let’s see the zoo and have some fun!
Things That Swim
I hope you kids like things that swim, because this is the room where we keep all the fish. The fish here are trout. A trout is a fish that swims in cool lakes and creeks. You can see that they have lots of spots and marks. The spots and marks help the trout hide. They make the trout look a lot like the sand on the bed of a creek.
Here’s a big fish that makes all of the wee fish run and hide. This is a reef shark. It has that name because it likes to make its home close to a reef, where there are lots of fish.
You can see that the reef shark has fins and a set of gills on its side. You can not see them from here, but this shark has lots of sharp teeth in its mouth. Would a reef shark bite you? Well, you are not the lunch that this shark would like best. A reef shark likes to feed on squid, crabs, and shrimp. But it would be smart not to get the reef shark mad at you, all the same!
Chimps
Next, let’s see the chimps. We have ten chimps here at the Green Fern Zoo. You can see them all out there if you look hard. The one you see here is Bess. She has a snack in her mouth. Bess and the rest of the chimps like to munch on plants, nuts, and seeds.
Do you see that chimp with the stick? That’s Bart. Bart likes to have ants for lunch. To get the ants, he takes a stick and sticks it in an ant hill. Then he lifts it up and licks off the ants. Yum, yum!
The chimp with the rope in his hand is Max. He’s just a babe. He was born in March. Bess is his mom. Max is a lot of fun. He likes to swing on the rope and splash in the pool.
The two chimps up on the rocks are Carl and Norm. Carl is the one on the left. Carl and Norm are pals. But they were not pals last week. Last week we gave them a branch from a fig tree for lunch. Norm took the branch and ran off with it. He ate all of the figs. Carl was mad at Norm all week. But that was last week. This week, the two of them are pals.
Mandrills
Here you can see two mandrills. Mandrills are a lot like chimps. Do you like the red nose? The mandrill with the red nose is a male. The mandrill on the left is grooming the male with the red nose. She is looking for ticks and bugs. Mandrills like grooming, because it makes them look good and feel good, too.
Look! One of the mandrills is yawning! You can see that he has long, sharp teeth. Those sharp teeth help him chop up his food. Mandrills like a lot of foods. We feed our mandrills ants, grass, nuts, bark, plant shoots, and roots.
Mandrills have sacks inside their cheeks. They can stuff food in the sacks and keep it there until they need a snack. Then they pop the food out and munch on it!
Things with Wings
Next, let’s see some things with wings. This is a puffin. He makes his home up north, not too far from the North Pole. Look at those cute feet! But they are not just cute. The puffin’s feet help him swim. Note, as well, his big bill. The puffin can use his bill to get fish.
Puffins are born from eggs. The puffin mom and dad sit on their egg. The mom sits. Then the dad sits. In the end, the chick pops out of the shell. The mom and dad take care of the chick until it can care for itself. Look! That puffin has fish in her bill! She will feed those fish to her chick.
In this next room, we have a finch. Unlike the puffin, the finch makes a home in woodlands. He can use his bill to snap up grass seeds for food. I’m sad to tell you that the finch is getting to be quite rare. We are proud to have five of them here at the Green Fern Zoo.
Big Cats
Do you like cats? If you do, look there in the grass. Do you see the cat? That is not the sort of cat that you keep in your home and feed cat food. That is a bobcat. Bobcats are good hunters. They hunt rabbits, rats, and sometimes deer and sheep. That bobcat’s name is Robert, or Bob for short. Get it?
If you look up on that rock, you will see a cat that’s bigger than a bobcat. It’s a panther. Panthers can have spots. They can be tan, too. Here at the Green Fern Zoo, we have two black panthers. The name of this one is Jet.
That’s Jet’s sister, Flash, up on the tree branch. Flash has strong legs that help her run fast. She has sharp teeth and sharp claws that help her hunt rabbits and deer. She can use her claws to scamper up a tree if she needs to. You can see that she is not all black like Jet. She has some spots.
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view.)
The Green Fern Zoo
Lesson 58 – Part Two
NEW WORDS: Agnes, Alex, Allen, Fred’s, blend, coiling, cranes, critters, dine, dweller, garter, groundhogs, hissing, hooting, hoss, killer, mound, ostrich, otters, pools, rattler, sandhill, slugs, spoonbill, spoonbills, termite, termites, wades, webbed, webbing
Groundhogs
Here you can see a groundhog. Groundhogs have sharp claws that help them dig holes in the ground. They spend a lot of time down in those dark holes.
Groundhogs like to feed on grass and plants. But when they run out of their holes to get food, they have to be on the lookout. Some critters, like bobcats and snakes, like to dine on groundhogs. This groundhog here is sitting up to see if there is a snake or a bobcat close by.
This groundhog is named Pepper. We feed her grass, tree bark, and insects, but the food that she likes best is corn. We found that out yesterday morning, when she got out from her pen. We found her in the petting zoo. She ate a lot of the corn that was there for the ducks and hens.
The Reptile Room
Who likes snakes? Hands up if you like them! Some kids like snakes best of all, and some kids can’t stand them. If you do not like snakes, you can skip this next room because it is the reptile room.
This is a garter snake. Garter snakes feed on slugs, insects, and frogs. For those critters, the garter snake is a killer. But for us, it is harmless. A garter snake could bite you, but its bite would not make you sick.
This is a rattler. He is a desert dweller that hunts for rats and rabbits. He has a pattern on his scales that helps him blend in and hide in the desert sands. When the rattler is hidden, it is hard for rats and rabbits to see him.
A rattler is not harmless like a garter snake. If you ever see this snake hissing and coiling up, you better stand back and let it be. The rattler has sharp fangs, and a bite from a rattler could kill you. But we are safe here in the reptile room. There is a sheet of glass keeping us safe from the snakes.
Termites
What do you kids like to have for lunch? Hot dogs? Chicken nuggets? What if I gave you a lump of wood, or a big tree stump, for lunch? Would you like that? Well, if you were a termite, you would like it. Termites are insects that like to munch on wood.
See this big spike sticking up from the ground? It looks sort of like a rock, but it is a termite mound. If you could look inside, you would see lots of termites.
If you would like to see what termites look like, take a peek in this box. As you can see, termites look a lot like ants. They have six legs like ants. A termite mound has a queen who makes eggs, just like in an anthill. Here you can see that the termite queen is much bigger than the rest of the termites.
Would a termite munch on your home? It would if your home is made of wood. The termites from a big mound could have your living room for lunch and your bedroom for dinner!
River Otters
Do you like to run and jump? Do you like to chase your pals? Do you like to splash in the pool in the summer? Do you like to slide down hills in the winter?
Well, if you like to do those things, you would make a good otter! You can see three of our river otters up on the rocks: Alex, Allen, and Agnes. That’s Alex up on top of Allen. The last one is Agnes.
Otters have short, strong legs with webbed paws and sharp claws. The webbing helps the otters swim fast and get their food. River otters hunt for fish, frogs, and crabs. When it is time for bed, the river otters scamper to their den. They have nests on land that are lined with grass, moss, and bark.
Cranes and Spoonbills
Here you can see two sandhill cranes. A sandhill crane has long legs, a dark, pointed bill, and a red spot next to its bill. Sandhill cranes are found in wetlands. They like to hunt for frogs, snakes, and insects.
Those are sandhill cranes, too. In fact, that’s a mom and a dad with their chicks. When sandhill cranes mate, they tilt their bills up and make hooting sounds. Then the mom and dad make a nest. The mom sits on the eggs for 4 weeks until the chicks are born.
That’s a spoonbill. He has that name because his bill is shaped like a spoon. The spoonbill wades in pools to get his food. He swings his bill back and forth. If he feels an insect swimming inside his bill, he snaps it shut.
When spoonbills mate, they make a nest. When the chicks are born, they can’t see. The mom and dad have to care for them until they can see.
The Ostrich
This is an ostrich. He is a big one. He tips the scales at close to two hundred pounds. An ostrich has wings that it can flap, but it can’t get off the ground. Still, an ostrich can run fast on land. It can run as fast as a car!
If it gets mad, an ostrich can kick you. My pal Fred, here at the zoo, got kicked by an ostrich. The ostrich broke Fred’s leg in three spots! Ouch!
Deer
Look there! Do you see the two deer in the woods? The one who is looking at us is named Hope. Hope was not born in this zoo. I found her by my home one morning after a storm. A tree fell on her and broke her leg. She could not stand up.
I drove her here and the vet fixed up her leg. We named her Hope and found a spot for her in the zoo. Today her leg is fine, and she is as strong as ever.
The Petting Zoo
Well, kids, the last thing that you all get to see is the petting zoo. You can’t pet the ostrich, the otters, or the spoonbills. And it would not be wise to pet the panther or the bobcat! But in this part of the zoo, you can pet all of the critters.
This rabbit’s name is Hoss. He likes it when you rub his neck. Here are two chickens. They like it when you toss them seed corn. You can pet the chickens, too. But sometimes they get scared. It’s best if you do not run up to them, because running scares them.
There’s Pam, our pet pig. You can pet her, too. Pam likes to be petted.
Well, kids, that’s it for me. I hope you had a good time at the zoo today. I had fun pointing out some of the critters that I like best. I hope some of you can visit with your moms and dads. There is so much to see here at the Green Fern Zoo. You could visit us five times and still see lots of cool things!
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WEEK TWENTY-FIVE PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 56) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-E” SOUND … continued:
Letters “EE” … continued:
Almost every parent weens their toddler from sucking their thumb.
Mom usually weeps when watching tragic romance movies.
This paper cut won’t bleed for long.
Commander, we’re registering an unusual bleep on the ship’s radar.
What breed of dog did you get?
In Sunday school today we learned about the Apostles’ Creed.
Because of the rainstorm, the creek will soon rise and flow over its banks.
I’m going to creep up behind him and yell, “BOO!”
I don’t think that poor dweeb will ever get chosen to be on an athletic team.
In this part of the story, the boy flees his kidnapper.
A quarter of their naval fleet was involved in the war games.
The prisoner was freed when they found out that he had a lock-tight alibi.
The boss has high confidence in us, and he frees us to make our own decisions.
Ebenezer Scrooge led a life ruled by his own greed.
The play that we’re reading in English class is a Greek tragedy.
Her kitchen is cozy, with lots of green plants.
Let’s be ready at the front door to greet Granny.
The boxer defaulted his match, because he kneed his opponent in the stomach.
When you approach the King, make sure that you kneel before him.
Deb got down on her knees and said, “Mom, please let me go to Nancy’s party.”
The Queen will preen herself in her most elegant ceremonial robe.
I found out that I have a terrible aim and am not good at skeet shooting.
The mink that’s in the zoo has a very sleek coat of fur.
I had a great night’s sleep, except for one weird dream.
The sleet on the ground is going to make driving hazardous.
Honey, please make sure that you drive within the speed limit.
The cowboy mounted his trusty steed.
Superman is called the Man of Steel.
That hill is way too steep for me to be able to climb.
My chore for today is to sweep the basement floor.
My sweet tooth really activates when I walk into an ice cream parlor.
That darned dog from up the street has treed our cat again.
The trees swayed wildly in the blustery winds.
The professor showed up wearing a handsome tweed suit.
A “tween” is a ten to twelve year old, too old to be a “child,” and too young to be a teenager.
We heard the new baby bird tweet from its nest.
The front left wheel on my wagon is off-kilter.
Letters “EE” that “roll into” the “ER” sound:
The guy at the end of the bar ordered a beer.
Mom, Dad, there’s a deer in our back yard!
The politician made a nasty jeer at his rival.
The leer on the criminal’s face suggested that he was plotting something big.
The scientist was waiting for a peer review on his latest article.
I had to veer to the right to avoid the blown-out tire on the interstate.
I can’t have even two beers, because I get too giddy.
Farmer Jones is very pleased with his new John Deere tractor.
During his speech, there were lots of angry jeers from the crowd.
My peers at work all get along very well.
In this scene in the movie, the pilot adeptly veers away from a huge flock of birds.
In social studies today, Mrs. Greer talked about when women in the U.S. achieved the right to vote.
The arrogant musician would sneer at any other player who he thought to be an inferior performer.
Mrs. Speer, my piano teacher, has challenged me to play this Mozart piano sonata.
Mr. Steer is going to give me a summer job with his construction company.
The captain ordered his navigator to steer clear of the distant iceberg.
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WEEK TWENTY-SIX
WEEK TWENTY-SIX READING PASSAGES
Lesson 59 – Dale-Chall Vocab Builder
NEW WORDS: Bible, Finnish, Nickelodeon, apiece, arrange, attend, avenue, awaken, banquet, beggar, begged, beginning, bicycle, biology, blackberry, bleachers, bleed, bobwhite, bride, broadcast, brutally, calendar, campfire, carriage, certainly, chatter, citizen, court, cramps, crossing, crowded, daytime, demonstrate, deposit, despise, digestive, dislike, douse, drowsy, drunk, dwarf, eighteen, engineer, errand, everyday, exam, expression, exquisite, fasten, firearm, firecracker, flowery, fountain, freedom, fudge, garage, gaslight, geography, gleam, gooseberry, grandchild, graveyard, groom, hairpin, handwriting, happiness, harp, hatch, hell, helmet, homesick, honeymoon, housework, impossible, intend, interested, jockey, junior, lard, laundered, lightness, limp, locomotive, manager, marriage, mathematical, member, mend, miler, moonlight, muddy, mushroom, nasty, nevermore, ninety, officer, onion, outline, outward, overeat, overnight, painful, painter, pare, paste, pasture, peaches, pension, pill, pitcher, placard, poison, practically, praise, puncture, purchased, quail, radish, rap, recess, rejoice, relieved, repair, review, roadside, sadness, satin, satisfactory, savior’s, scheme, schoolhouse, scorch, seatbelts, select, service, settlement, shave, shears, sherry, slate, sleepover, snuff, spooky, stable, stampede, station, steamer, stepping, stoop, story’s, stranger, suffering, swear, tablet, theorem, thimble, title, toadstool, tomato, towel, trace, transpire, tribulation, unfinished, unfold, unfortunate, unhappy, unpleasant, unsavory, upper, valentine, warn, whipped, windmill, woolen, worst, yolk
Let’s have the banquet elsewhere.
No need to worry.
The dog’s hind leg is broken.
Check out the lightness of this metal.
We can give away our baby carriage.
You should demonstrate more self-control.
Did the sheep hide the shears?
Work was unpleasant today.
My hairpin fell out.
Have you read the whole Bible?
Trace this on the paper.
I love rap music.
We can arrange for that to transpire.
Put the photo in this frame.
She’s got a desire to be famous.
Don’t swear at me!
Douse the campfire.
That was the worst Nickelodeon show ever!
Park in the garage.
Turn the motor off.
That’s a nasty skin puncture!
That horse is a strong miler.
I can’t attend that meeting.
I’d warn him about that.
I forgot to take my pill.
That unfortunate beggar is homeless.
A thief stole her purse.
Her outward expression looks calm.
I love to eat fudge!
There’s a radish in my salad.
Let’s hire a painter.
Their marriage is rocky.
I’ll pare the onion.
Your handkerchief is in the washer.
What a flowery dress!
That biology exam was impossible.
Drop your firearm!
Make the pie crust with lard.
My grade is “satisfactory” in math.
Their family faced much sadness.
I practically begged for more cake.
Meet the new club member.
That’s an exquisite outfit.
They’re ten cents apiece.
I’m suffering from digestive cramps.
That jockey won the Derby.
They danced by moonlight.
Don’t eat that toadstool!
Please mend this woolen sock.
He should wear his bicycle helmet!
I don’t know that stranger.
She purchased two cans of chicken stock.
I hate when my teeth chatter.
Snuff out the candle.
Paste up this placard.
Is that the “bluebird of happiness?”
I’m certainly relieved that tribulation is past us.
Fill this water pitcher.
Take notes on this tablet.
We rejoice the Savior’s birth.
Write an outline for your story.
Pass the gooseberry jam.
Let’s eat at that roadside diner.
You have a gracious home.
What’s the story’s title?
Awaken me when it’s daytime.
She’s a Finnish citizen.
Will he stoop to a new low?
I see the gleam of a gaslight.
I’m grateful for that gift.
I despise a runny egg yolk.
Unfold the clothes that have been laundered.
I’m willing to do that.
Stay on the stepping stones.
How can I ever repay you?
He’s about to hatch an unsavory scheme.
I intend to write a book.
I’m interested in his mathematical theorem.
Satin sheets are soft.
The railway workers have a pension.
She’s brutally unhappy.
Let’s have an overnight sleepover.
You’ll get fat if you overeat.
Let’s hope the herd doesn’t stampede.
Fasten your seatbelts.
He was a locomotive engineer.
A bobwhite is a type of quail.
That’s a Dutch windmill.
The cows are in the pasture.
They have a slate roof.
They went down the river on a steamer.
Will you be my valentine?
That’s just an everyday mutt.
Your shoes are muddy.
It’s loud at a lumber mill.
Do you believe in heaven and hell?
That used to be a one-room schoolhouse.
Gramps turned ninety.
What’ll it cost to service my car?
Their geography doesn’t support much farming.
Let’s listen to the live broadcast.
The U.S. got its freedom from King George.
They went west to start a settlement.
Where’s the water fountain?
Nevermore will I trust that guy.
Take me to the train station.
We sat in the upper bleachers.
Light the candle.
Let’s shop on Fifth Avenue.
Those two are drunk on love.
Drop your weapon!
Let’s have a pillow fight.
Let’s move onward and upward.
I love peaches and cream.
Please run an errand for me.
I need to review my notes.
Yum, blackberry pie!
Repair the leak in the sink.
It’s chilly outside!
The tennis court is wet.
I got homesick at camp.
She’s our first grandchild!
A graveyard can be spooky.
I can’t read his bad handwriting.
He was born in January.
That firecracker was a dud.
He’s able to limp off the field.
The horse is in its stable.
Pour me a thimble-full of sherry.
I love whipped cream.
I dislike beets!
Don’t step on that beehive!
Don’t you love harp music?
We’ll have recess in the gym.
My dad’s a bank manager.
It feels good to receive praise.
Mom’s doing housework.
The bride and groom look so happy.
Kids, don’t get into mischief!
Hand me a paper towel.
Officer Jones gave me a ticket.
Jot this note on the calendar.
I’m beginning to lose weight.
How’re ya’ doing, Junior?
I’m going to shave off my beard.
Which donut will you select?
This bus is crowded.
That mushroom would poison you!
Take a nap if you’re drowsy.
I’ll deposit this check at the bank.
We have an unfinished basement.
You can vote when you’re eighteen.
Take care when you’re crossing the street.
I’ve got a nose-bleed.
I love tomato soup.
Where’d you go on your honeymoon?
That shot was painful.
Which dwarf did Snow White like the most?
This heat wave will scorch our lawn.
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Lesson 60 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: Timothy, Tompkins, ashore, basked, boasted, boating, burrowed, busily, buzzed, charmingly, chatterer, croaked, cuckoo, dessert, dived, estate, flaw, froggies, grumble, hamsters, hastened, heath, hummed, ketchup, lighthouse, lighting, lizards, loveliest, meddle, mossy, muskrat, napkin, noted, prettiest, ratties, ribbons, rook, rooks, sakes, scrubbed, spiders, sweetly, thirsty, toadie, trodden, tuft, waggled
The Cuckoo And The Donkey
The cuckoo and the donkey,
Each boasted one fine day,
That he could sing the sweetest song,
To greet the lovely May.
Said Cuckoo, “I sing sweetly!”
And straight he did begin.
“But I can still sing better!”
The donkey, he joined in!
Their song was sweet and lovely,
And quite without a flaw.
For those two sang together,
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Hee-Haw!”
Thunder And Lightning
I like the rain! I like the rain!
It makes the world so clean!
The thirsty flowers, they drink it up.
I’ve watched them, and I’ve seen!
I like the thunder, too. I do!
It makes so big a noise!
“Rumble! Grumble! Bang!” it goes.
It makes more noise than boys!
And how I like the lightning flash!
Oh my, is that a sight!
To see a flash of lighting, “BING!”
Light all the world by night!
Poem By Olive Beaupre Miller
The Rooks
(Note – A “rook” means this: “A black, European crow. It’s noted for being quite a chatterer!” A “rook” is also a board piece in the game of chess. It can also be called the “castle.”)
The rooks are building on the trees.
They build there every spring.
“Caw, caw,” is all they say,
For none of them can sing.
They’re up before the break of day,
And up till late at night.
For they must labor busily,
As long as it is light.
And many a crooked stick they bring.
And many a slender twig.
And many a tuft of moss, until,
Their nests are round and big.
“Caw, caw.” Oh, what a noise,
They make in rainy weather!
Good children always speak by turns,
But rooks all talk together.
Poem By Jane Euphemia Browne
I’d Like To Be A Lighthouse
I’d like to be a lighthouse,
All scrubbed and painted white.
I’d like to be a lighthouse,
And stay awake all night.
To keep my eye on everything,
That sails my patch of sea.
I’d like to be a lighthouse,
With the ships all watching me.
Poem By Rachel Field
Jenny Wren
As little Jenny Wren,
Was sitting by her shed,
She waggled with her tail,
And nodded with her head.
She waggled with her tail,
And nodded with her head,
As little Jenny Wren,
Was sitting by the shed.
The Little Doll
I once had a sweet little doll, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.
Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears.
And her hair was so charmingly curled.
But I lost my poor little doll, dears,
As I played in the heath one day.
And I cried for her more than a week, dears.
But I never could find where she lay.
I found my poor little doll, dears,
As I played in the heath one day.
Folks say she is terrible changed, dears,
For her paint is all washed away.
And her arm trodden off by the cows, dears.
And her hair not the least bit curled.
Yet for old sakes‘ sake she is still, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.
Poem By Charles Kingsley
Rain
The rain is raining all around.
It falls on field and tree.
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
The Bunch Of Blue Ribbons
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Johnny’s so long at the fair.
He promised he’d buy me a bunch of blue ribbons.
He promised he’d buy me a bunch of blue ribbons.
He promised he’d buy me a bunch of blue ribbons.
To tie up my bonny brown hair.
Over In The Meadow
Over in the meadow,
In the sand, in the sun,
Lived an old mother-toad,
And her little toadie one.
“Wink,” said the mother.
“I wink,” said the one.
So she winked and she blinked,
In the sand, in the sun.
Over in the meadow,
Where the stream runs blue,
Lived an old mother-fish
And her little fishes two.
“Swim,” said the mother.
“We swim,” said the two.
So they swam and they leaped,
Where the stream runs blue.
Over in the meadow,
In a hole in a tree,
Lived an old mother-bluebird,
And her little birdies three.
“Sing,” said the mother.
“We sing,” said the three.
So they sang and were glad,
In the hole in the tree.
Over in the meadow,
In the reeds on the shore,
Lived a mother-muskrat,
And her little ratties four.
“Dive,” said the mother.
“We dive,” said the four.
So they dived and they burrowed,
In the reeds on the shore.
Over in the meadow,
In a snug bee-hive.
Lived a mother honey-bee,
And her little bees five.
“Buzz,” said the mother.
“We buzz,” said the five.
So they buzzed and they hummed,
In the snug bee-hive.
Over in the meadow,
In a nest built of sticks,
Lived a black mother-crow
And her little crows six.
“Caw,” said the mother.
“We caw,” said the six.
So they cawed and they called
In their nest built of sticks.
Over in the meadow,
Where the grass is so even,
Lived a gay mother-cricket
And her little crickets seven.
“Chirp,” said the mother.
“We chirp,” said the seven.
So they chirped cheery notes
In the grass soft and even.
Over in the meadow,
By the old mossy gate,
Lived a brown mother-lizard
And her little lizards eight.
“Bask,” said the mother.
“We bask,” said the eight.
So they basked in the sun
On the old mossy gate.
Over in the meadow,
Where the quiet pools shine,
Lived a green mother-frog
And her little froggies nine.
“Croak,” said the mother,
“We croak,” said the nine.
So they croaked and they splashed
Where the quiet pools shine.
Over in the meadow,
In a sly little den,
Lived a gray mother-spider
And her little spiders ten.
“Spin,” said the mother,
“We spin,” said the ten.
So they spun lace webs
In their sly little den.
Poem By Olive A. Wadsworth
The Meal
Timothy Tompkins had turnips and tea.
The turnips were tiny.
He ate at least three.
And then, for dessert,
He had onions and ice.
He liked that so much,
That he ordered it twice.
He had two cups of ketchup,
A prune, and a pickle.
“Delicious,” said Timothy.
“Well worth a nickel.”
He folded his napkin,
And hastened to add,
“It’s one of the loveliest breakfasts I’ve had.”
Poem By Karla Kuskin
Little Tom Tucker
Little Tom Tucker,
Sings for his supper.
What shall he eat?
White bread and butter.
How will he cut it,
Without even a knife?
How will he be married,
Without even a wife?
Where Go the Boats?
Dark brown is the river.
Golden is the sand.
It flows along forever,
With trees on either hand.
Green leaves a-floating.
Castles of the foam,
Boats of mine a-boating,
Where will all come home?
On goes the river,
And out past the mill.
Away down the valley,
Away down the hill.
Away down the river,
A hundred miles or more,
Other little children,
Shall bring my boats ashore.
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
A Wise Old Owl
A wise old owl sat on an oak.
The more he saw, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard.
Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?
Poem By Edward Hersey Richards
Hamsters
Hamsters are the nicest things,
That anyone could own.
I like them even better than
Some dogs that I have known.
Their fur is soft, their faces nice.
They’re small when they are grown.
And they sit inside your pocket,
When you are all alone.
Poem By Marci Ridlon
Looking Forward
When I am grown to man’s estate,
I shall be very proud and great.
And tell the other girls and boys,
Not to meddle with my toys.
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
Whistle
“Whistle, daughter, whistle.
Whistle, daughter dear.”
“I cannot whistle, mommy.
I cannot whistle clear.”
“Whistle, daughter, whistle.
Whistle for a pound.”
“I cannot whistle, mommy.
I cannot make a sound.”
*********
Lesson 61 – Short / Long (Vowel) Reflex-Builder
NEW WORDS: Abe’s, Aggie, Bates, Cary, Coney, Connie, Danes, Danish, Finn, Hattie, Heidi, Hugo, Janine, Katrina, Maddie, Pate, Patrick, Rhodes, Rog, Rogers, Romans, Rome, Sirius, Whitman, abs, ag, app, arg, atom, atomic, barge, beware, boardwalk, bon, bons, cape, caper, chef, club’s, cod, code, con, despite, dune, fate, file, fink, freaks, granola, kale, knight, locate, mate, meteor, meter, moped, nape, noodles, pane, paninis, pills, poet, ripen, robe, rogue, sergeant’s, shark, sire, smokes, sobe, squad, wage, wary, werewolf, whine
Don’t mope. Get off your moped. Bring that mop!
That’s my pal. He’s holding a big pail. He looks pale.
I met Jane, Jan, and Janine.
Wow! Al ate it all.
Will this train fare get me far?
I hear her over here.
Vic works with the Vice Squad.
He eats cod while working on his computer code.
Tim is never on time.
The Sergeant’s got on a baseball cap and a cape. And he’s starting on a new caper.
Mr. Bates has bats in his attic.
Dad grew up in Dade County.
He can hit the ball to a great height.
I did not write that note.
Skinny Bonny is bony. That’s despite eating lots of bon–bons.
Pip smokes a piping hot pipe.
I’d be a rat-fink to rate that show as “good” to you.
That poet wrote an odd ode.
Maddie! That made me mad.
Kit is there with his kitten. He likes to fly his kite.
Don’t “but” me. Get your butt climbing up that butte!
Connie likes to eat an ice cream cone on the boardwalk on Coney Island. And she looks for con men.
I hope that bunny can still hop.
You’d look cute without that bad hair cut.
Hugo! Give me a huge hug.
She was in pain. So, she threw a pan of paninis through the window pane.
It would wear me out, and make me weary, if I were a werewolf.
Phil! Please fill the file cabinet with these papers.
Whit turned white as a sheet. He saw the ghost of Mrs. Whitman!
Sam looks just the same.
This hotel is too hot.
Rod rode the horse fast down Rhodes Road.
That man on Main Street has hair like many a lion’s mane.
I was taking a nap. My cat licked the nape of my neck.
Abe’s abs look like a six-pack.
Sire! I’m your serious new knight. Sir Sirius.
Cary! I care well for my carrot-colored car.
Ben! How have you been?
I ate at a new place. It’s called the Atomic Atom.
I bade the bad man, “Good-bye!”
Dan’s parents are Danes. And they love their dandy daily coffee and Danish.
Hattie! I hate this hat.
Sit down. I’ll tell you about the new work site.
Aggie entered Ag School at a young age.
It’s your lucky fate to not be fat.
Kate, Kat, and Katrina! I can’t locate my cat.
How many teeth can a baby teethe at once?
A large pirate on a barge yelled, “Arg!”
Don came down from the sand dune. He said, “I’m done with my hike.”
Bea! How would you be if you were a beaver who’d been stung by a bee?
The poor woman takes piles of pills each day.
Rom likes to roam around Rome. It’s because he likes Romans.
An ape can’t develop a computer app!
Heidi hid there once. But she doesn’t know where to hide next, to be well-hidden.
The dog will bite on this bitter bone for a little bit.
Don’t whine. I think this wine will win the ribbon at the show.
Beware! I’m wary that they might declare war on us.
You can have this candy cane.
Dom is amazed at the beauty of this church dome.
Holly yelled from a fox-hole. “Holy smoke!”
I met her at a parking meter. It was at the Meteor Club’s swim meet.
Patrick Pate has a sister named Pat. She freaks out when she hears a patter on the roof.
Rip the skin off of this ripe banana. Soon, it will over-ripen.
Chef Finn! Some shark fin soup is fine to start with.
See that sweet dog by the red wagon? He’d rather wag his tail than wage war with his neighbors.
I saw her sob into her sobe noodles.
We were playing chess on the mat. I said “check-mate” to Matt.
Pete got a new pet.
Stu fixes a great beef stew.
My Gran eats whole grain bread and granola.
Cal got a phone call while eating his kale.
Sid! Whose side are you on?
Wad that up! Do it before you wade over to the boat.
Rog Rogers is a rogue.
Put these cloths next to your clothes.
Sally! Sal found a good sale on sea salt.
Rob ran into a robber. He had gone outside in his bath robe to feed the robin.
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WEEK TWENTY-SIX PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 56) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-E” SOUND … continued:
Letters “EA”:
Kids, we’re going to eat supper at 6:00 PM.
I ate every single pea on my plate.
I love to sail out on the deep blue sea.
Try a cup of this tasty hibiscus tea.
The interviewer did a nice job putting me at ease.
A hurricane is heading toward the east coast of the U.S.
Our dog eats virtually anything that you put in front of him.
There’s a wasps’ nest hanging from the eave just above your head.
I appear to have lost more than one bead from my favorite necklace.
Wow, that bird certainly has a long beak.
A beam of light shone through the clouds.
Mom’s fixing a bean soup with ground lamb in it.
We told our drummer that he needed to speed up the beat on this song.
We got a good deal on some sale items at the clothing store.
My friend Dean has finally finished sending in his college applications.
They’ve just named a new dean for student affairs.
It was quite a feat when she landed a perfect 10.0 score on her dive.
I think that boo-boo will heal pretty quickly.
Young man, you are in a heap of trouble!
Today is a scorcher, and the heat index is going to be over a hundred degrees.
Jean is excited to have a new baby sister.
Allow me to lead you to the area of the department store that you’re looking for.
Wow, it looks like you raked up every single leaf in the front yard!
It’s an emergency if you start to have a leak in your car’s gas tank.
Lean over and see if you can touch your toes.
This new product represents a leap forward in technology.
The pirate said to the innkeeper, “Give me a pint of your best mead.”
We’ve got enough leftovers to make this another meal.
I’m a vegan, so I don’t eat meat.
I’m not exactly sure what you mean.
They set out to fish at the neap tide.
Good job; for once, your room actually looks neat!
The rising sun will hit that mountain peak in about five minutes.
I love to hear the bells peal from the church tower.
We’re having green peas as our vegetable for dinner.
Let’s try peat moss as our mulch for the bushes this spring.
Did you read about the UFO that was seen yesterday?
Relax, kiddo, monsters under the bed are not real.
We need another ream of paper for the copying machine.
Do you know the saying, “You shall reap what you sow?”
Seal this envelope and put it into the mailbox.
I’ll sew these together so that you’ll barely even see the seam.
That old man spent most of his life sailing the high seas.
Please take a seat, and the doctor will be with you shortly.
I think that this teak chest of drawers is gorgeous furniture.
Do you think that this bluish color is closer to teal or turquoise?
Mom, Dad, I made the softball team!
We have a number of flavored teas for you to choose from.
I ordered veal marsala for my entree at the restaurant.
*********
*********
WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN
WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN READING PASSAGES
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Lesson 62 – Mount Rushmore Presidents
NEW WORDS: Abraham, Abraham’s, Italian, Jefferson, Lincoln, Lincolns, Martha, Monticello, Potomac, Roosevelt, Rushmore, Theodore, Thomas, Thomas’s, Vernon, acquired, alley, appointed, approved, battled, borrowed, colonists, cowboy, critical, dauntless, declaration, defeated, document, elect, engrave, escarpment, esteemed, exercised, explored, eyeglasses, farmworker, flags, fragments, handwritten, hatchet, invent, invented, inventor, invested, measures, monarch, nation’s, nearsighted, oval, pennies, ranches, resided, rules, sixteenth, sizable, soldier, splitter, studied, surveyor, titled, tutor
Chapter One: Four Great Presidents
The president is the leader of the United States. Four of our greatest presidents are honored at Mount Rushmore. That’s in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It’s a huge mountainside. Their faces have been carved in stone there. Who are these four men? George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Theodore Roosevelt. Abraham Lincoln.
It took over fourteen years to engrave their faces into the rock. Workers blasted huge fragments of rock off the escarpment. They did that to make four head shapes. The men who carved the stone were dauntless. They had to hang from ropes, high above the ground. They used special tools. They carved the eyes, noses, and mouths. The noses on the faces are taller than a person!
How does one get to be president? In the U.S., the people elect, or choose, the president. In some countries, people don’t get to choose their own leader. You’ve heard about kings and queens. How do you become a “monarch?” Usually, your mom or dad was a king or queen. But it’s not like that in America. The people of the U.S. have the right to vote for you.
What kind of person should the president be? Most people say this. He or she should be honest, smart, fair, and brave. Who can become president? Can a farmer become president? Yes! George Washington was once a farmer. Can an inventor become president? Yes! Thomas Jefferson was an inventor. How about a store clerk? Yes! Abraham Lincoln worked in a store when he was young. And how about a cowboy? Yes! Theodore Roosevelt once worked as a cowboy.
The president of the U.S. works in our nation’s capital. That’s Washington, D.C. He or she lives and works in a sizable building. That’s the White House. You may have seen it on T.V. You may have seen it in magazines or newspapers. It’s very large, with many rooms.
The president helps to run the country. The president works from the “Oval Office.” That room is shaped like an egg. The White House has its own bowling alley. And it has a movie theater. When presidents travel, they can take a helicopter. They take off right from the lawn of the White House!
Chapter Two: George Washington
There’s a story about George Washington as a young boy. We know that the story isn’t true. But it’s a good one to tell, anyway.
It goes like this. George was six years old. He was given a hatchet. George cut down his father’s favorite cherry tree. His father was angry, of course. But George said, “I cannot tell a lie. I cut down the tree.” His father was happy that his son was an honest boy.
George grew up. He became a surveyor. That’s a person who measures big pieces of land. You do that in order to make maps. George loved this job. It’s because he could go off exploring. George explored Virginia. He acquired land there.
George married a lady named Martha. They lived in Virginia. They lived on a large farm named Mount Vernon. That’s on the Potomac River, close to Washington, D.C.
George was appointed to be the leader of the American army. The American army battled the British army.
George was an esteemed leader. The American army defeated the British. Thus, the United States became a free nation.
The United States needed its first president. The people chose George. They knew that he was an honest man, a hard worker, and a good soldier.
Because George Washington was our first president, he has been titled the “Father of Our Country.”
Chapter Three: Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia. That was many years before the U.S. became a country. Thomas had six sisters and three brothers. The family resided on a large farm. Thomas didn’t go to school. A tutor, or teacher, came to his house, and they read together. Many people today visit Thomas’s childhood home.
Thomas was seventeen years old. He went to the College of William and Mary in Virginia. He was a hardworking student. He learned many languages. These included Italian, Spanish, and French. His favorite subject was math. Thomas became a lawyer after his college years.
Thomas planned and built a family home in Virginia named Monticello. The word “Monticello” means “little mountain” in Italian. Thomas lived at Monticello with his wife, Martha, and their children.
Today, many people visit Monticello to learn about Thomas’s life. Thomas liked to invent things. He invented a machine that could make two copies of a handwritten letter.
Remember when lots of colonists were mad at King George III of England? They wanted to be freed from British rule. Thomas wrote the Declaration of Independence. This was a very important document. It was sent to the British king, George III. It explained why Americans were going to fight England for their freedom.
The Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776. That was our very first Independence Day. That’s why we call the Fourth of July holiday our nation’s birthday. American flags, fireworks, and parades all help us to celebrate and honor our country.
Years later, Jefferson became the third president of the U.S.
Chapter Four: Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is the third Mount Rushmore president. He was born in Kentucky in a small house made of logs. This log cabin had only one room, one window, and a dirt floor. Abraham’s father made him a bed from logs and dried corn leaves.
Later, Abraham lived in Indiana. There were very few stores where the Lincolns lived. The family had to grow their own food. They had to make almost everything they needed. They chopped down trees for firewood. They made their tables, chairs, and spoons out of wood.
Abraham was often called Abe. He learned how to read and write. He made a pen from a turkey feather. He used berry juice for ink. Abe had few books of his own. But his family had a Bible. Abe read it over and over. He taught himself many things by reading.
Once, Abe borrowed a book from a neighbor. At home, he stored it between the logs of the cabin near his bed. But water came through the logs. That soaked the book. Abe was sad. He went to his neighbor and told him what had happened. The neighbor asked Abe to do some chores for him. Then he gave the book to Abe. The book was “The Life Of George Washington.”
As a young man, Abe lived in Illinois. He was strong and tall. He worked many different jobs. Abe worked as a log splitter, and as a farmworker. He became a clerk in a store. Once, he walked a long way to give back a few pennies to someone who had paid too much. He became known as “Honest Abe.”
Abe really wanted to be a lawyer. He studied hard to become one. He worked for the Illinois government and helped to write state laws.
Abe did a very good job in the government of Illinois. His friends suggested that he run for president. Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth president. That was during a difficult time in our history. That was when southern states fought northern states in what we call “the Civil War.”
Chapter Five: Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was sick a lot when he was a boy. So, Teddy hardly ever went to school. Instead, teachers came to his home to teach him. That sounds pretty lonely, doesn’t it? However, Teddy said that he was a very happy child.
When Teddy was fourteen years old, he received his first gun. He went hunting with his friends. But he could not see things that were far away. He was nearsighted. Teddy needed eyeglasses. Many years later, he wrote about his eyesight. He’d had no idea how beautiful the world was until after he got his glasses.
Teddy exercised and grew up to become a strong man who loved being outdoors. He started working in the government in New York. A few years later, he invested in two ranches out west. He wore cowboy clothes and rode horses to round up his cattle. He also hunted bison.
Teddy went back to New York City. He became the head of their police force. Then Spain and the U.S. went to war against each other. Teddy Roosevelt joined the army. He was the leader of a group of soldiers called the “Rough Riders.”
Teddy Roosevelt came to see how critical the land is to all living things. Once he took a trip into the mountains. There he saw forests filled with plants and animals. He worried that someday they would all be gone.
Teddy Roosevelt became the twenty-sixth president. He made new rules for forest areas in America. On this special land, people could not harm trees or animals.
*********
Lesson 63 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: Eden, Lawrence, Welshman, ages, approaching, astray, bathe, beauteous, bridges, brink, cleverest, comforter, dismay, dripping, earthen, errors, eternity, expecting, faintly, faithful, flown, frosted, ghosts, green’s, headlong, horsey, hosts, jumpity, knot, laughter, moments, nakedness, nigh, overtops, pepper, plight, plumed, possibly, princes, river’s, ruddy, russet, scanty, seventeenth, shivering, situation, taffy, taffy’s, tartine, thrushes, thum, trudged, twill, virtue, wandered, wintry
Grasshopper Green
Grasshopper green,
Too quick to be seen,
Jump like a Mexican jumpity bean!
Grasshopper high,
Grasshopper low,
Over my basket of berries you go!
Grasshopper low,
Grasshopper high,
Watch it, or you will end up in a pie!
Poem By Nancy Dingman Watson
The Robin
The north wind does blow.
And we shall have snow.
And what will the poor robin do then?
Poor thing!
He’ll sit in a barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing.
Poor thing!
The Rainbow
Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas.
But clouds that sail across the sky,
Are prettier than these.
There are bridges on the rivers,
As pretty as you please.
But the rainbow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from Earth to sky,
Is far prettier than these.
Poem By Christina Rossetti
Hi-Ho Horsey!
Hop, my horsey, leap and spring,
And a little song I’ll sing.
Over stick and stone you go,
Never tired and never slow.
Hop, hop! Hop, hop!
Gallop-a-trot! Hop, hop!
See how green’s the meadow grass.
Flowers are springing as we pass.
Birds are singing, “Oh, Hi-Ho!”
All along the way we go.
Hop, hop! Hop, hop!
Gallop-a-trot! Hop, hop!
There’s our house now through the trees.
Hurry horsey, if you please.
Mother’s waiting, mother dear!
Whoa, my horsey. Now stop here!
Hop, hop! Hop, hop!
Gallop-a-trot! Hop, hop!
Raindrops
How brave a ladybug must be!
Each drop of rain as big as she.
Can you imagine what YOU’D do,
If raindrops fell as big as you?
Poem By Aileen Fisher
A Sneeze
If you sneeze on Monday,
You sneeze for danger.
Sneeze on a Tuesday,
Kiss a stranger.
Sneeze on a Wednesday,
Sneeze for a letter.
Sneeze on a Thursday,
Something better.
Sneeze on a Friday,
Sneeze for sorrow.
Sneeze on a Saturday,
Joy tomorrow.
Two Little Kittens
Two little kittens, one stormy night, Began to quarrel, and then to fight.
One had a mouse, the other had none. And that’s the way the quarrel had begun.
“I’ll have that mouse,” said the biggest cat. “You’ll have that mouse? We’ll see about that!”
“I will have that mouse,” said the eldest son. “You shan’t have the mouse,” said the little one.
I told you before, ’twas a stormy night, When these two little kittens, began to fight.
The old woman seized her sweeping broom, And swept the two kittens right out of the room.
The ground was covered with frost and snow, And the two little kittens had nowhere to go.
So they laid them down on the mat at the door, While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.
Then they crept in, as quiet as mice, All wet with the snow, and cold as ice,
For they found it was better, that stormy night, To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.
The Sheep
“Lazy sheep, pray tell me why,
In the pleasant fields you lie,
Eating grass, and daisies white,
From the morning till the night?
Everything can something do,
But what kind of use are you?”
“Nay, my little master, nay,
Do not judge me so, I pray.
Don’t you see the wool that grows,
On my back, to make you clothes?
Cold, and very cold, you’d be,
If you had not wool from me.
True, it seems a pleasant thing,
To nip the daisies in the spring.
But many chilly nights I pass,
On the cold and dewy grass.
Or pick a scanty dinner, where,
All the field is brown and bare.
Then the farmer comes at last,
When the merry spring is past,
And cuts my woolly coat away,
To warm you in the winter’s day.
Little master, this is why,
In the pleasant fields I lie.”
Poem By Ann and Jane Taylor
Taffy
Taffy was a Welshman.
Taffy was a thief.
Taffy came to my house,
And stole a piece of beef.
I went to Taffy’s house.
Taffy was not home,
Taffy came to my house,
And stole a cooking-bone.
I went to Taffy’s house.
Taffy was not in.
Taffy came to my house,
And stole a silver pin.
I went to Taffy’s house.
Taffy was in bed.
I took the cooking-bone,
And flung it at his head!
Tartine
There was an old dame called Tartine,
Had a house made of butter and cream.
Its walls were of flour, it is said,
And its floors were of gingerbread!
Her bed she did make,
Of white frosted cake.
And her pillow at night,
Was a biscuit so light!
Ladybug, Ladybug
Ladybug, ladybug,
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire,
And your children are gone.
My Teddy Bear
A Teddy bear is a faithful friend.
You can pick him up at either end.
His fur is the color of breakfast toast,
And he’s always there when you need him most.
Poem By Marchette Chute
Bee! I’m Expecting You!
Bee! I’m expecting you!
Was saying yesterday,
To Somebody you know,
That you were due.
The Frogs got Home last Week,
Are settled, and at work.
Birds, mostly back,
The Clover warm and thick.
You’ll get my letter by
The seventeenth. Reply,
Or better, be with me.
Yours, Fly.
Poem By Emily Dickinson
Little Things
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean,
And the beauteous land.
And the little moments,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages,
Of eternity.
So our little errors,
Lead the soul away,
From the paths of virtue,
Into sin to stray.
Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our Earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.
Poem By Julia A. Carney
Auntie
“Auntie, where are you going,
And what do you carry, please?”
“I carry ducks and geese and ducks,
And geese and ducks and geese!”
Jungle Journey
Through the jungle an old woman wandered, Her journey was crooked and far.
So, being afraid of the jungle beasts,
She rolled in a large earthen jar.
Cried Thomas, the Tiger, “Where are you
going?”
Cried Lawrence, the leopard, “Where are you from?”
But all that the bouncing jar would say, was,
“Thump, thump-ah! Thump, thump-ah! Thum!”
The Story of Johnny Head-in-the-Air
(Notes: “nigh” means “very close; approaching.” “Plight” means “in a bad situation, possibly even dangerous.”)
As he trudged along to school,
It was always Johnny’s rule,
To be looking at the sky,
And the clouds that floated by.
But what just before him lay,
In his very way,
Johnny never thought about,
So that everyone cried out,
“Look at little Johnny there,
Little Johnny Head-in-Air!”
Running just in Johnny’s way,
Came a little dog one day.
Johnny’s eyes were still astray,
Up on high,
In the sky.
And he never heard them cry,
“Johnny, mind, the dog is nigh!”
Bump!
Dump!
Down they fell, with such a thump,
Dog and Johnny in a lump!
Once, with head as high as ever,
Johnny walked beside the river.
Johnny watched the swallows trying,
Which was cleverest at flying.
Oh! what fun!
Johnny watched the bright round sun,
Going in and coming out,
This was all he thought about.
So he strode on, only think!
To the river’s very brink,
Where the bank was and so, so steep,
And the water very deep.
And the fishes, in a row,
Stared to see him coming so.
One step more! Oh! Sad to tell!
Headlong in, poor Johnny fell.
And the fishes, in dismay,
Wagged their tails and swam away.
There lay Johnny on his face,
With his nice red writing-case.
But, as they were passing by,
Two strong men had heard him cry,
And, with sticks, these two strong men,
Hooked poor Johnny out again.
Oh! you should have seen him shiver,
When they pulled him from the river.
He was in a sorry plight,
Dripping wet, and such a fright!
Wet all over, everywhere,
Clothes, and arms, and face, and hair.
Johnny, he will never forget,
What it is to be so wet.
And the fishes, one, two, three,
Have come back again, you see.
Up they came the moment after,
To enjoy the fun and laughter.
Each popped out his little head,
And, to tease poor Johnny, said,
“Silly little Johnny, look,
You have lost your writing-book!”
Poem By Heinrick Hoffman
Robin Redbreast
Goodbye, goodbye to Summer!
For Summer’s nearly done.
The garden smiling faintly,
Cool breezes in the sun.
Our Thrushes now are silent,
Our Swallows flown away.
But Robin’s here, in coat of brown,
With ruddy breast-knot gay.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
Oh, Robin dear!
Robin singing sweetly,
In the falling of the year.
Bright yellow, red, and orange,
The leaves come down in hosts.
The trees are Indian Princes,
But soon they’ll turn to Ghosts.
Poem By William Allingham
The leathery pears and apples,
Hang russet on the bough,
It’s Autumn, Autumn, Autumn late,
‘Twill soon be winter now.
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
Oh, Robin dear!
And what will this poor Robin do?
For pinching days are near.
The fireside for the Cricket,
The wheat-sack for the Mouse,
When trembling night-winds whistle,
And moan all ’round the house.
The frosty ways like iron,
The branches plumed with snow.
Alas! in Winter, dead, and dark,
Where can poor Robin go?
Robin, Robin Redbreast,
Oh, Robin dear!
And a crumb of bread for Robin,
His little heart to cheer.
Bed In Summer
In winter, I get up at night,
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see,
The birds still hopping on the tree.
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
Winter Time
Late lies the wintry sun in bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head.
Blinks but an hour or two, and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.
Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise.
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.
Close by the jolly fire I sit,
To warm my frozen bones a bit,
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore,
The colder countries ’round the door.
When to go out, my nurse doth wrap,
Me in my comforter and cap,
The cold wind burns my face, and blows,
Its frosty pepper up my nose.
Black are my steps on silver sod,
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad.
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding cake.
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
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Lesson 64 – Stories Misc:
Snake On The Loose
NEW WORDS: Cheshire, Elle, Elle’s, Elvis, Gollum, Roo, Rooby, Sean, Sean’s, Smeagol, Spock, accuse, acolyte, aid, assured, astute, attempt, bandaged, barely, blueberry, boxed, brainer, breathed, brightened, c’mon, celery, charity, chime, chortle, coiled, comment, composed, conceal, confirm, cornered, corralled, courageous, credit, crestfallen, crouched, demanded, demeanor, difficulty, disbelief, display, doughty, drama, drawled, elder, entrap, envisioned, eureka, exhaled, fascinating, finders, fired, flinched, flustered, forked, furious, furrowed, furtive, giggled, gonna, goosepimply, grasp, guilt, guilty, hallway, handling, hissed, huffed, injure, inquiry, keepers, kid’s, lashed, latch, latched, leapfrogged, leapt, logic, losers, lunged, mentor, mired, mulled, mummy, namby, nearing, newborn, nimbly, noisome, nonchalant, nudged, obviously, pamby, peeked, pensive, perused, phone’s, piped, placid, pondered, pouted, previously, privacy, proceed, promising, pronto, provided, pulsating, pyramid, queried, recognized, refocused, rejoined, response, revolting, rockin, routes, rudimentary, rundown, sacrifice, saluted, sarcastic, scaly, scaredy, scariest, scooted, shrouded, siblings, sighting, skirted, skittered, slither, smarts, snakey, stat, stress, stumbled, surveyed, sweating, thoughts, towards, trooper, trusty, unhinged, uptight, utter, utterly, valiant, wager, weepers, weepy, whisked, withdraw, witnessed, witty, wriggled
Chapter One – The Escape
Elle scampered down the hallway. It sounded like a stampede. She was out of breath. She found Sean. He was in front of their upstairs loft TV. She cried out. “Sean! Help!”
He glanced up. “What, Sis?”
She barked, “It’s Pete. I can’t find him!”
Sean scowled. “What do you mean? Your pet snake got out of his cage? No way.”
Elle looked guilty. “Well. I was playing with him. He slid out of my hands. Then he fled the room.”
Sean said, “You’re not to let him out of his cage in the house! You know that! Go catch him! He’s YOUR beast.”
Elle whined. “But I can’t find him. I’ve tried. I’ve tried HARD! I don’t know where else to look.”
Sean huffed, “Good grief. I’ll help. But I won’t touch his slimy, scaly hide.”
Elle laughed. “Thanks. But don’t be a scaredy cat. Pete’s safe to humans.”
Sean said, “Look. I can’t help it. Snakes are revolting. That’s all there is to it!”
Elle sighed. “Sean. Pete’s just a black snake. He couldn’t injure a flea.”
Sean pushed back. “I know. But they’re noisome. We’d best find him fast. You don’t want Mom to get home first. You’d be in massive difficulty.”
Elle said, “Right! Let’s start searching. STAT!”
Sean entered the hall. He bellowed, “There he is!”
Pete was still. He was coiled up. He was smack in the middle of the long hall. He stuck his forked tongue out. Back and forth it went. He had a naughty look on his face. It was like, “I dare you!”
Sean said, “What a creep! I know his thoughts.”
Elle said, “Tell me. What’s he thinking?”
Sean replied, “He’s a rogue. He wants to say this. ‘Bet you can’t catch me, kids’!”
Chapter Two – The Plan
Sean nudged himself forward. But Pete darted away. He moved nimbly. Elle cried, “He’s heading to the guest room. Come on!”
Sean stayed still. “Elle! Stop a sec. We need a plan.”
Elle cocked her head. “A plan?”
Sean said, “Yeah. No one can come to our aid. It’s just you and me. It’s a test for our trusty brains. We have to master how to catch a snake. And we have to do it all on our own.”
Elle sputtered. “You mean, ‘think this through first’?”
Sean nodded. “Of course. Perfect. Not, ‘ready, fire, aim.’ But, ‘ready, aim, fire.’ You can’t just launch into something. It’s like you said. You must think it through, first.”
Elle smiled. “That’s good logic. All right. You’re the big brave elder brother. Show me the way. Be my mentor. TEACH ME! What should we do?”
Sean rolled his eyes. “Okay, my acolyte. We proceed slowly but surely. Let’s do a room-by-room search.”
Elle saluted. “Right! And we do this when we go to each room: we shut all the doors. If he’s there, he can’t get out. Cornered!”
Sean grinned. “Now you’re thinking. Superb job!”
Elle went on. “And we do this when we’re done with a room: we shut the doors when we exit.”
Sean said, “Exactly. That way, the sneak can’t get back in. We’ll have covered our backs. The goal is rudimentary. We block off all escape routes. Then he’s ours. We’ll own him!”
Just then, Elle yelled out. “Look! He’s gone into Mom and Dad’s bedroom.”
Sean moaned. “That’s NOT promising news. That’s the LAST room we want him in. Quick, then. You know what to do. Sprint on in. I’m right on your heels.”
The kids skittered to their parents’ bedroom. Elle slammed the door once they were in.
Sean barked, “Bathroom first! I wager he’ll try for the toilet.”
Elle said, “Sean! Pete couldn’t climb up into the toilet.”
Sean howled with laughter. “Duh! Just a joke.” They crowded into the bathroom. They shut the door behind them.
Elle said, “Maybe Pete’s in the tub, taking a bath.” Now they both started to chortle. The chase had actually become kind of fun.
Sean called out, “Here, snakey, snakey!”
Elle giggled. “We have more smarts than you do. We’re gonna get you!”
Chapter Three – Fifty Bucks
Sean said, “Okay, Elle. We’ve perused every crack and corner. We’ve been quite thorough. No Pete, yet. He’s not in the bathroom.”
Elle said, “Let’s slither on to the bedroom, then.”
“Very witty,” replied Sean. “So funny I forgot to laugh.”
The two kids entered the bedroom. Elle closed the bathroom door. Then she asked, “Where would a snake conceal itself?”
Sean said, “That’s an astute inquiry. I bet he’s behind, or under, something.”
Elle rejoined, “Like a sweater box under the bed. That’s where the best monsters withdraw to. They’re under the kid’s bed. All the time.”
Sean fired back, “Or behind the curtains. Somewhere in the long shadows.”
It was only a week till Halloween. Elle was in the trick-or-treat spirit. She became a bit goofy. She put on her scariest voice. “ROOBY–ROO!” Sean flinched. “They were shrouded by the elongated shadows of the pyramid. The snake hunters could barely see. They didn’t know that the mummy was just behind them. It started to raise its bandaged arms. It crouched down to bound towards them.”
Sean got goosepimply. He pouted, “That makes me uptight, Elle! So, now YOU look under the bed. Not me! But first, let’s take a gander at any area that’s open.” Sean circled the room. He looked under the desk. He peeked beneath each chair. No sign of Pete. “Elle? Can you check under the dresser?”
Elle laid down on the floor. A couple of seconds passed. She said, “Nothing. But wait. There’s something under here.” She stretched her arm back to the wall. “Whoa!”
Sean asked, “What is it?”
Elle stared at her newfound treasure. She piped up. “Cool. It’s a fifty-dollar bill. Hot dog! Finders keepers, losers weepers. I’m rich! I’m wealthy!”
Sean pushed back. “No way! That’s not YOUR money.”
Elle whined, “Not fair. I found it.”
Sean said, “Elle. Look at yourself in the mirror. Don’t you care about being honest? You didn’t earn it. You didn’t work for it. You didn’t get it as a gift. Ya’ know what they do in my friend Tom’s family? They might find money, like in a parking lot. They give it to charity. They know it’s not theirs. So they put it to proper use. Deal with it, Sis. That’s Mom’s and Dad’s money. And you know it!”
Elle hissed at Sean. “I bet they don’t know that it’s lost. They won’t miss it.”
Sean held his ground. “Elle. That’s obviously crazy. It’s theirs. It’s not yours, PERIOD. Now let’s get back to the problem at-hand. Let’s snag a snake!”
Elle gave in. “Oh, all right. Here. Give it to them.” She handed Sean the fifty bucks.
Sean said, “I’ll hold on to it. But we’ll both give it to them. And I mean at the same time. That way, you can’t accuse me of keeping it for myself.”
Elle said, “Okay. But now I’m crestfallen. Let’s get back to the hunt. That way, I can take my mind off of the money. It was almost mine. I was like Gollum, in Lord Of The Rings. ‘MY PRECIOUS! MY PRECIOUS!’ So close! Yet so far!” Sean gave Elle a stern look. Elle refocused on the hunt. “Now, you’re such a coward about the shadows, Mr. Namby–Pamby! So, I’LL check beneath the bed.”
“Just do it, Smeagol!” quipped Sean. They were both big Lord Of The Rings fans.
Elle knelt down. She lifted the bedspread. “I’ll pull out one box at a time. He’s not behind this one. Not behind that one. Oh! There you are, Pete! You furtive sneak!”
Sean asked, “You see him?”
Elle was about to confirm her sighting. But then, without warning, Pete turned away from her. He scooted out the opposite side of the bed. He went between Sean’s legs. Sean screamed, “Ha! You’re boxed in, you creepy-crawly reptile.”
Sean mulled over their scheme. They SHOULD be fine. The closed bedroom door would wall Pete in. But as Sean turned around, Elle heard him yip. “Yikes! Elle! I heard you slam the door when we came in here. But the door didn’t latch. There’s a crack in it. Pete just got back out to the hall. All he needed was a one-inch opening.”
Elle responded, “Well, at least he’s stuck upstairs. And now we have two rooms closed off.”
Sean wasn’t so assured. He demanded, “Explain, ‘he’s stuck upstairs’.”
Elle answered him. “Well, surely, snakes can’t go down, stair-by-stair, can they? CAN THEY, SEAN? Uh-Oh!”
Chapter Four – Snake Food?
Elle screeched! “Move fast, Sean. After him!” She was getting up from the floor. She crawled over her parents’ bed. She leapt onto the floor running. She poked her head around the bedroom door. She immediately witnessed more bad luck.
Pete was nearing the top of the stairs. Sean dove towards him. “Ouch!” he yelled. He hit the wood floor hard. He slid a few inches. His hand reached for Pete. But he just couldn’t grasp him.
Elle leapfrogged over Sean. She went after Pete, now. But it was too late. The two siblings stared at each other. They were in deep trouble. Pete the snake COULD go down the stairs, after all.
They surveyed the stage before them, both furious. They were mired in a state of disbelief. Pete wriggled down to the first floor. How he did it wasn’t pretty. But he DID make it down. They heard, “Clump, clump, clump.” Pete landed at the bottom. He whisked himself around the corner. They couldn’t see him anymore.
Elle breathed in deeply. She then exhaled. “Well, you BOTH looked goofy there. But I’ll give you some credit. ‘Sir Sean, the steadfast and true!’ It was doughty how you lunged after him. That was a valiant attempt. But you weren’t graceful at all. You looked like a newborn deer, trying to walk.”
Then, Elle looked downstairs. There was their empty front hall. She yelled down the stairs. “And Pete?! You looked like a giant ‘Gummy-Snake’. You were bouncing around, all over the place. You sounded like Santa’s reindeer, prancing on the roof.”
Both kids were silent. They calmed down. Sean offered this comment. “Hey? You know what? It’s a shame that Pete’s not a mouse.”
Elle asked, “Why would you think that?”
Sean said, “Well, we’d put cheese out. Mice love cheese. Put some out, and they’re easy to catch in a trap. What foods might Pete like?”
Elle became sarcastic. “Let’s see. A lettuce and onion salad?” She paused. “With some celery and bacon bits? And a glass of orange juice?” She thought some more. “And maybe some blueberry pie? Yeah! With vanilla ice cream.”
Sean groaned, “So humorous of you.”
Elle lashed back. “Well, that was dumb. You can’t entrap a snake with food. C’mon, Sean. Get serious! What’s the new plan?”
Sean said, “Of course. Right. We’ve got to catch Pete, pronto. We’ll have to …” And then they heard a pulsating chime. It was Sean’s cell phone!
Elle freaked. She became unhinged! She screamed, “Who is it? Is it Mom? Is it Dad?”
Sean was sweating. He looked at the phone’s display. He recognized the caller. “Oh, great. Just what we were afraid of. Mom.” Elle gasped. She threw her hands to her head. Sean answered the phone. He tried to level his voice. He tried to be nonchalant. Slowly, he drawled, “Oh, hi Mom. What’s up?”
Her answer couldn’t have been worse! “Hi, Sean. I left work early. I’m about two minutes from the house. I was lazy this morning. The trash bins are still blocking my spot in the garage. Can you move them? Then I won’t have to get out of the car.”
Sean winced. “Oh, sure Mom. No problem. See you in a bit!”
Then Elle saw Pete. He skirted into the kitchen. A light bulb went off in her head. She cried, “EUREKA! Sean! Take care of the trash bins. I’ve got Pete.” Sean couldn’t utter a response. Elle darted past him too quickly. She stumbled into the kitchen. She slammed the door behind her.
Their Mom was in the house a few minutes later. Sean was shocked by Elle’s calm demeanor. She was utterly composed! She was calm, cool, and collected. She looked as guilt-free as the previously–flustered kids at the very end of The Cat In The Hat. It was as if there’d been no stress in the household, at all. Sean tried to talk to her. Elle nodded her head, “NO!” She held her fingers to her lips. Her lips puckered. She meant, “SHH!”
Their Mom went up to change clothes. Elle whispered, “Follow me!” They both went out to the back yard. They needed privacy for their conversation.
Sean queried, “What’s the deal? How can you be so placid? Where’s Pete?”
Elle provided the rundown of what had transpired. “A thought came to me. I realized this. If I could close the hall door to the kitchen, Pete was trapped. So, I shut it. This time, I made sure it latched! Now, I knew I couldn’t catch him. He’s like The Flash. Way too quick for me. I envisioned this: Mom would come in. I’d still be on the chase. NOT GOOD! So, it was sacrifice time. I had to let Pete go.”
Sean asked, “What do you mean?!”
Elle explained. “The back door. It was a no-brainer. I opened the back door! I grabbed a broom. I banged it on the floor. Pete freaked. I herded him toward the door. I corralled him. He saw his exit. Out he went. Pete’s gone. He’s never to be seen again.”
Sean said, “Well, you’re holding up well. I’m amazed there’s no weepy drama here. You don’t look like you’ll even cry. Surely, you’ll miss him. But I won’t!”
Elle smiled. “Look! I’ll find a new black snake. They’re a dime a dozen! Pete’s easily replaced. And I’ll have fond memories.”
Sean responded with surprise. He said, “Wow! You’re a brave trooper! And what you did was brilliant. You’d never have a snake in the house again, if Mom had seen you chasing Pete INside! So, you’ll get a new black snake. No harm! No foul! Great plan. What will you name it?”
Elle became pensive. She pondered things for a moment. Then her eyes brightened. She furrowed her forehead and eyebrows. She looked like Mr. Spock, on Star Trek. “Hmm! Fascinating! How about, ‘Elvis‘?”
Sean grinned like the Cheshire Cat. “Now that’s a rockin‘ good name! Fantastic choice, my courageous snake-handling sister!”
*********
WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN PHONICS READ-ALONGS
FROM AOCR PHONICS ACTIVITY #2, “SCOPE AND SEQUENCE”
ACTIVITY 56) MORE WAYS TO SPELL THE “LONG-E” SOUND … continued:
Letters “EA” … continued:
This flu has made my body too weak to do much but lie in bed.
She was a great Queen, and she cared much for the public weal.
I need to wean myself from always having dessert after dinner.
With great zeal, the runner started off in his quest to win the marathon.
The cat keeps scratching herself, so I bet that she has a flea.
The defense attorney made one final plea for the jury to find the defendant “not-guilty.”
Finally, the rain eased off, and within a couple of hours, the sun peeked through the clouds.
Dad, I just saw two bats hanging under the eaves of our house.
These pretty beads could be made into attractive costume jewelry.
Different types of birds have a wide variety of beaks.
The astronomers wondered if the odd beams of light were actually some attempt at communication from an alien race.
The green beans growing in the garden look very healthy.
The extinct T-Rex was once a mighty beast.
“Three-four time” means that there are three beats to each measure.
Okay class, it’s tie to calm down and cease this silly behavior.
Dad deals playing cards very fast.
All of the deans at our college signed a letter supporting the college president.
Mom prepared the most scrumptious Thanksgiving feast.
Their soldiers performed many feats of heroism and held the invaders at bay.
When this heals, you’ll feel as good as new.
Dad heaps lots of hot fudge onto his vanilla ice cream.
When the meat heats to 160 degrees in the center, then it’s ready to eat.
The ship’s captain called out, “Heave the anchor overboard!”
Your blue jeans are hanging on the clothesline.
The police had some pretty strong leads with which to catch the criminal.
There were lots of leaks in the building’s ceilings.
The famous Tower of Pisa leans at about a four-degree angle!
In this scene, the bad guy leaps out of his car and starts running.
I’m trying to decide whether I should lease or buy a new car.
We think that she is the least likely suspect in the crime.
The bartender let me try three different meads, and they were all very potent to the taste.
We’ll get Happy Meals for all of the kids in the birthday party.
They are fortunate to have the means to send their kids to college.
You can make your own sandwich, choosing from this platter of meats.
It was a momentous day when the two countries signed their peace treaty.
The mountain peaks are covered with snow this morning.
Norman Vincent Peale wrote “The Power Of Positive Thinking.”
The peals from church towers reminded us that it was Christmas morning.
I am so happy that my daughter reads voraciously.
Put those reams of paper by the copier.
That farmer reaps his crops using a combine harvester.
Your willingness to add that clause to the contract seals our deal!
His shoes were frayed at the seams.
For a change, how about reserving our seats in the balcony?
Any of these four teams is strong enough to win this year’s Super Bowl.
If you tease her about her new braces, she’ll get really mad at you.
When one weans their child from sucking their thumb, it’s not always easy.
I have learned how to weave a basket.
Oh yum, Mom is making her world-famous yeast rolls for dinner.
*********
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WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT
WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT READING PASSAGES
Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Exploring And Moving To America
Lesson 65 – Part One
NEW WORDS: Americas, Christopher, Columbus, Columbus’s, Cuba, Europeans, Ferdinand, Genoa, Indies, Isabella, Maria, Nina, Pinta, San, Salvador, Taino, adventurer, believed, cabins, captains, cinnamon, diary, islands, monarchs, pineapples, pirates, rails, refrigerators, risky, robust, rulers, spices, stocked, swords, unload, voyage, voyages
Chapter One: Christopher Columbus: A Young Adventurer
Let’s meet Christopher Columbus when he was a boy. He lived in the city of Genoa, Italy. He loved the sea. He had a younger brother. They spent lots of time at the dock watching ships sail in and out. They watched the sailors hard at work. They would unload huge boxes that were filled with silk cloth and spices. The brothers dreamed of being sailors, too!
Christopher turned fourteen. He got a job on a ship. He carried messages from the captain to the sailors. One year later, he was hired as a ship’s helper. He soon got a bigger job, and he became a sailor! His dream of adventure at sea was coming true. During that time, his brother had learned to make maps. Together, they hoped to sail far away.
Back then, people didn’t know about all the continents and oceans. Some thought that the Earth was flat. They worried about a ship sailing too far across the ocean. They thought the ship would fall off the edge! But others believed that Earth was round. Columbus was one of those people.
Why did people want to go on long voyages then? The main reason was that people wanted to trade. They wanted to buy and sell such things as spices and silk. Those things could not be found in Europe. And trade could also make people rich!
Chapter Two: Christopher Has An Idea
In Columbus’s time, there were no refrigerators. So, it was hard to keep food fresh. Europeans often ate food, especially meat, that was NOT fresh. People used spices to help make that food taste better. Cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg all helped to do this.
Many of these spices could only be found in a faraway part of the world. This region was called “the Indies.” Today, that’s Asia. A voyage to the Indies and back was long and dangerous. You had to sail part of the way across water. Then, some people had to carry goods on camels. This would be across hot deserts, and many times, they were robbed, or they might get lost. They might even run out of water.
Christopher had an idea. What if the Earth was round? Maybe he could sail west around the world! Maybe he could reach the Indies that way. It might be a shorter trip than heading east. The whole trip could be made by ship. They’d sail across the Atlantic Ocean. There’d be no need to go across hot, dry deserts. Plus, many more spices and other goods could be carried on ships than on camels.
Today, we know what happens if you sail west across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe. You reach North and South America. But Christopher didn’t know this. Then, many people thought there was nothing but ocean if you sailed west.
Chapter Three: Christopher Sails West
Christopher needed someone to believe he could sail across the Atlantic Ocean. It is the second largest ocean on Earth. So, for many years, he planned his voyage. He also searched for someone rich, since this risky adventure would cost a lot. Finally, he got his chance. He met King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the rulers of Spain. He told them his idea. Maybe you could reach the Indies faster. Why not sail west across the Atlantic?
The Spanish monarchs listened with interest. They DID want to find an easier way for ships to get to the Indies. They wanted to trade their cloth, glass, and tools. They wanted spices, silk, jewels, and gold, in return. Spain would be rich if the plan worked.
The King and Queen decided to pay for the trip. Now Christopher could start his great adventure! He was given three ships. They were the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Each ship had a captain. Columbus was the captain of the Santa Maria. The three ships were small, but they were robust enough to sail across the stormy waters of the Atlantic.
Chapter Four: The Voyage West
Columbus found sailors who wanted to go with him to the Indies. They loaded the ships. There was enough food and water to last a year. And they stocked up on many things they could trade. They also took firewood, cooking pots, medicines, fishing lines, swords, and guns. They were ready! They set sail across the wide, blue ocean. No one was sure of what they might find. There might be pirates. There might be sea monsters. What if things went wrong? No one could help them.
They kept busy. They cleaned the decks. They fished in the sea. Each day, two or three sailors cooked a meal for everyone on their ship. At night, they slept on the deck. There were no beds. Only the three captains had their own small cabins. On stormy nights, the men tied themselves to the ship’s rails. That way, they wouldn’t fall into the sea.
The ships sailed for weeks, but they did not find any land. The men were afraid. What if the Earth really was flat? Would they soon sail right off the edge? What if they ran out of food and water? The crews asked to return home, but Christopher was sure that his plan would work. He stayed firm.
One day, there was a good sign. Small birds flew by the side of the ship! The sailors knew that small birds often flew near land. Then, a sailor spotted something. “Land! Land!” he shouted. It had been almost two months. The crews were glad to see a sandy beach and beautiful green trees. They had found an island. In his diary, Christopher wrote down the date. It was October 12, 1492.
Chapter Five: Exploring The Americas
The island they found was home to the Taino. These were a people who lived and farmed on the island. Christopher named it “San Salvador.” He placed a flag in the sand. Christopher met some of the Taino. He called them “Indians,” because he thought he had arrived in the Indies.
The sailors spent a few months exploring other islands. That included Cuba. The Taino lived on these islands, too. These new lands had palm trees and white sand. Christopher and his men collected many things to take back to Spain. This included gold, tobacco plants, pineapples, and wild turkeys.
Christopher arrived back in Spain. He was a hero, and the king and queen were quite pleased with him. They said they’d pay for more ships. That way, he could sail back across the ocean. Christopher led four more voyages. They always looked for gold, spices, and jewels.
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Core Knowledge (R) Independent Reading
(Review guidelines for publishing Core Knowledge (R) materials at the bottom of this page-view. This lesson is a “READ-ALOUD” Core Knowledge (R) passage that has been rewritten to be at a lower-grade independent reading level complexity than the original, largely by shortening and simplifying sentence structures while maintaining the richness of the text content.)
Exploring And Moving To America
Lesson 66 – Part Two
NEW WORDS: Elizabeth, George’s, Mayflower, Parliament, Plymouth, Squanto, barrels, concerned, crow’s, enslaved, farms, fences, gardens, hammocks, leaked, machines, necessities, noticed, owners, pilgrims, protested, rights, settlers, signed, slavery, slaves, worship
Chapter Six: The Pilgrims Search For A New Home
Then a hundred years passed. Now, another group of Europeans set off. They were going to what is today the United States of America. Their story is different from that of Columbus. Let’s meet them and find out about their adventures.
Elizabeth stood with her parents. They were ready to board a ship. It was named the Mayflower. They were leaving Plymouth, England. They were to sail to America. Elizabeth, her parents, and friends were known as “Pilgrims.” The Pilgrims were making this trip for an important reason. They wanted to live in a place where they could worship God in their own way.
The Mayflower was loaded with necessities. There were things that the Pilgrims would need for the voyage, and for when they arrived. There were axes and saws for building homes. There were hooks and lines for fishing. There were seeds for gardens. There were warm clothes for the winter. There were also barrels of water, dried meat, vegetables, biscuits, and cheese.
The Mayflower set sail, leaving England behind. Elizabeth explored the ship. She noticed one thing fast. It was crowded. Below-deck was dark and stuffy. In the darkness, she saw that there were hammocks for people to sleep in. Everyone knew the trip would be long and dangerous. But still, Elizabeth was excited!
Chapter Seven: On Board The Mayflower
She spent much of her time exploring the ship. She watched as sailors pulled on ropes. They raised large, cloth sails. The sails would puff out in the wind. Then, the ship would move faster over the waves.
Soon, the weather changed. Strong winds blew. Tall waves crashed against the ship. Rain leaked in below-deck. Everyone’s clothes and beds got soaked. The ship tossed from side to side. The Pilgrims were scared that the ship would sink. Elizabeth was no longer excited to be sailing to their new home!
Long weeks went by, and they all tired of looking at the sea. They tired of living in such a small space. People were getting sick, too. Then, early one morning, a sailor up in the crow’s nest cried out, “Land! I see land!” The Pilgrims rushed up on deck to see. Their voyage was almost over!
Chapter Eight: The Pilgrims Work Hard
After landing, some of the Pilgrims set off first. They were charged with finding a good place to settle. They chose a place they called Plymouth. They named it after the town they had left behind.
Elizabeth couldn’t help but wonder about her new home. Would there be strange creatures in the forests? Would the Wampanoag and other Native Americans welcome them?
The Pilgrims had arrived just as the weather was turning cold. They needed to build homes as quickly as they could. They worked hard cutting down trees. They would use the wood to build their homes. And more than the cold concerned them. They were worried that they might run out of food. To stay warm, the women and children stayed on board the ship.
That first winter was rough, and many of the Pilgrims became sick and died. It was a sad time for them. But springtime came. Many of them could move into their new homes. It would soon be time to plant crops. Then they would have more food to eat.
Then one day, a man came to visit the Pilgrims. His name was Squanto. He was a Native American. Squanto could speak English. Even though the Pilgrims had settled on Native American land, Squanto helped them. They planted crops, such as beans, corn, pumpkins, and other vegetables. Thanks to Squanto, the crops grew well. Soon it was time to harvest them. And it was time to celebrate.
The Pilgrims had a feast of Thanksgiving. They invited their Native American friends. It was quite a feast. They ate deer, turkey, corn, and baked bread. They gave thanks for all of this food that they had. Then they enjoyed an afternoon of fun and games.
Chapter Nine: American Independence
Many years passed. The Pilgrims and other settlers lived happily in their new home. Many of these settlers were from England. So, they were happy to follow some English laws. They also made some of their own rules about how to live in America. But things began to go wrong.
After a time, King George III and his Parliament in England passed new laws. These laws seemed very unfair. The settlers became angry. Some people protested. American leaders decided to hold a meeting. They tried to plan on what to do next.
These leaders wrote a letter to King George III. They explained why they felt that the laws were unfair. The letter was called the “Declaration of Independence.” It explained that the Americans wanted to make many of their own laws. They did not want to follow all of the laws made by the king.
King George III didn’t agree with the Declaration of Independence. So, he sent his army to fight the Americans. The Americans had a great leader named George Washington. He helped America defeat King George’s army. Today, we celebrate America’s birthday on July the Fourth. That’s the date that the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Chapter Ten: Taken To America
There is another story about moving to America. This is the story of people from parts of Africa. They were forced onto ships and were taken to America. There, they became enslaved workers. This is a very sad story. But it is one that we must NEVER forget.
People from Africa were taken to America. They were forced to work on large farms. They were slaves, so they were not free. They did not have rights. Enslaved workers were not even paid for the hard work they did. Americans today are not proud of this awful time of slavery.
Most of the farms where the slaves worked were in the southern part of America. There were no machines to do the hard work. Enslaved workers did it, instead. They worked hard in the fields. They planted and picked crops. They carried water. They fixed fences. They took care of farm animals.
Enslaved children couldn’t go to school. They couldn’t learn how to read and write. Families were often broken up. Farm owners even sold children or parents! Many people in America knew that slavery was very wrong. They knew that America could not be truly free until everyone was free. But it took time, and another war, before enslaved workers would win their freedom.
Today it is very important to remember the many African-Americans who never got the chance to be free.
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Lesson 67 – Poems And Rhymes
NEW WORDS: God’s, afterward, airs, almighty, argued, balanced, beheld, bleat, brightens, brimful, certified, curtsied, dangling, darkest, deceitful, downy, efforts, elephone, elephop, eletelephony, entangled, farmhouse, fasted, foe, foxglove, gladness, glowing, grant, howe’er, incessantly, instructed, lark, maimed, mattered, mentioned, muscular, mused, neighed, ointment, outstretched, pigtail, pigtail’s, promises, seeming, shilling, slack, smoothed, somersault, sorrowed, sound’s, suet, sunned, supple, swiftly, swore, telefunk, telephant, telephee, telephone, telephong, tragic, unbroke, uncommonly, vain, veiled, violent, whim, wiles, wrath, yore
Good Night and Good Morning
A fair little girl sat under a tree,
Sewing as long as her eyes could see.
Then smoothed her work, and folded it right,
And said, “Dear work. Good night! Good night!”
Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying, “Caw! Caw!” on their way to bed.
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
“Little black things. Good night! Good night!”
The horses neighed. And the oxen bellowed.
The sheep’s “Bleat! bleat!” came over the road,
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
“Good little girl. Good night! Good night!”
She did not say to the sun, “Good night!”
Though she saw him there like a ball of light,
For she knew he had God’s time to keep,
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink foxglove bowed his head.
The violets curtsied and went to bed.
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said on her knees her favorite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day.
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
“Good morning! Good morning! Our work is begun!”
Poem By Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton
Answer to a Child’s Question
Do you ask what the birds say? The sparrow, the dove,
The robin and thrush say, “I love. And I love!”
In the winter they’re silent. The wind is so strong.
What it says, I don’t know. But it sings a loud song.
But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing, and loving, all come back together.
But the lark is so brimful of gladness and love.
The green fields below him. The blue sky above.
That he sings, and he sings, and forever sings he,
“I love my Love. And my Love loves me!”
Poem By Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Young and Old
When all the world is young, lad.
And all the trees are green.
And every goose a swan, lad.
And every lass a queen.
Then call for boot and horse, lad.
And round the world away.
Young blood must have its course, lad.
And every dog his day.
When all the world is old, lad.
And all the trees are brown.
When all the sport is stale, lad.
And all the wheels run down.
Creep home, and take your place there.
The spent and maimed among.
God grant you find one face there.
You loved when all was young.
Poem By Charles Kingsley
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near.
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
Poem By Robert Frost
A Tragic Story
There lived a sage in days of yore.
And he a handsome pigtail wore.
But wondered much, and sorrowed more,
Because it hung behind him.
He mused upon this curious case,
And swore he’d change the pigtail’s place.
And have it hanging at his face,
Not dangling there behind him.
Says he, “The mystery I’ve found.”
I’ll turn me ’round!”
He turned him ’round.
But still it hung behind him.
Then ’round, and ’round. And out and in.
All day the puzzled sage did spin.
In vain, it mattered not a pin.
The pigtail hung behind him.
And right and left. And ’round about.
And up and down. And in and out.
He turned. But still the pigtail stout,
Hung steadily behind him.
And though his efforts never slack,
And though he twist, and twirl, and tack.
Alas! Still faithful to his back,
The pigtail hangs behind him.
Poem By William Makepeace Thackery
The Eagle
He clasps the crag with crooked hands,
Close to the sun in lonely lands.
Ringed with the azure world, he stands.
The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls.
He watches from his mountain walls.
And like a thunderbolt, he falls.
Poem By Alfred Lord Tennyson
The Arrow And The Song
I shot an arrow into the air.
It fell to Earth. I knew not where.
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air.
It fell to Earth. I knew not where.
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak,
I found the arrow, still unbroke.
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.
Poem By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Father William
“You are old, Father William,” the young man said. “And your hair has become very white. And yet you incessantly stand on your head. Do you think, at your age, it is right?”
“In my youth,” Father William replied to his son, “I feared it might injure the brain. But now that I’m perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again.”
“You are old,” said the youth, “as I mentioned before, And have grown most uncommonly fat. Yet you turned a back somersault in at the door, Pray, what is the reason of that?”
“In my youth,” said the sage, as he shook his gray locks, I kept my limbs very supple. By the use of this ointment, one shilling the box. Allow me to sell you a couple?”
“You are old,” said the youth. “And your jaws are too weak, For anything other than suet. Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak, Pray, how did you manage to do it?”
“In my youth,” said his father, “I took to the law, And argued each case with my wife. And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw, Has lasted the rest of my life.”
“You are old,” said the youth. “One would hardly suppose, That your eye was as steady as ever. Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose. What made you so awfully clever?”
“I have answered three questions, and that is enough,” Said his father. “Don’t give yourself airs! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? Be off, or I’ll kick you downstairs!”
Poem By Lewis Carroll
Eletelephony
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant.
No! No! I mean an elephone,
Who tried to use the telephone.
(Dear me! I am not certain quite,
That even now I’ve got it right.)
Howe’er it was, he got his trunk,
Entangled in the telefunk.
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee.
(I fear I’d better drop the song,
Of elephop and telephong!)
Poem By Laura Richards
All Things Bright and Beautiful
All things bright and beautiful.
All creatures great and small.
All things wise and wonderful.
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens.
Each little bird that sings.
He made their glowing colors.
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain.
The river running by.
The sunset, and the morning.
That brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter.
The pleasant summer sun.
The ripe fruits in the garden.
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them.
And lips that we might tell.
How great is God Almighty.
Who has made all things well.
Poem By Cecil Frances Alexander
A Poison Tree
I was angry with my friend.
I told my wrath. My wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe.
I told it not. My wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears.
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe