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Module C – Lessons 51 to 60

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.

    
       
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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 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.

    
   
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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 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
     
    
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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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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.

     
     
*********
    
    

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.”

    
       
*********
     
Click on this link to move forward to Module C, Lessons 61 – 70
   

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