AnyOneCanRead®

      
Module C – Lessons 71 to 82

Lesson 71 – Part Four

   
NEW WORDS: Barry, adequate, aisle, anew, applesauce, apply, beekeeper, bouquet, canning, churning, created, cultivate, decoration, destroying, differs, drought, droughts, easiest, emerge, ensure, evenly, farmer’s, farmhands, fertilize, fertilizer, fertilizers, fortunately, fragile, frequently, irrigate, irrigation, labeled, livestock, locust, locusts, machinery, mangoes, manure, oinked, option, packaged, pesticides, pests, pickup, planting, plowed, processing, quacked, repel, risk, ruin, shred, sorted, spreader, spreaders, sprouted, stalks, summertime, supermarket, swoops, tailgate, thickened, trampling, trucked, usual, vengeance, whipping, wildflowers, yield, zinnias
   
      

Chapter Seven: The Little Red Hen
   
A little red hen worked hard each day. But the other farm animals never helped.

She was scratching around in the barnyard one day. She found some grains of wheat. “We can plant these seeds. Then they will grow,” thought the hen. So she asked, “Who will help me plant these grains of wheat?”

“Not I,” quacked the duck.

“Not I,” meowed the cat.

“Not I,” oinked the pig.

“Then I will do it myself,” clucked the little red hen. And that is just what she did. All by herself!

Each day she checked on her wheat plants. First they sprouted. Then, they were growing nicely. She pulled the weeds up around them. That gave the wheat room to grow. They grew all summer. They had grown into tall stalks of ripe, golden grain.

Now the stalks of wheat were ripe. The grain was ready to be harvested from the field. At this point, the little red hen asked for help. “Who will help me cut the wheat?”

“Not I,” quacked the duck.

“Not I,” meowed the cat.

“Not I,” oinked the pig.

“Then I will do it myself,” clucked the little red hen. And that is just what she did. All by herself!

She had now cut the wheat. She asked, “Who will help me grind this wheat grain into flour?”

“Not I,” quacked the duck.

“Not I,” meowed the cat.

“Not I,” oinked the pig.

“Then I will do it myself,” clucked the little red hen. And that is just what she did. All by herself!

She had now ground the wheat into flour. She asked, “Now, who will help me make this flour into bread dough?”

“Not I,” quacked the duck.

“Not I,” meowed the cat.

“Not I,” oinked the pig.

“Then I will do it myself,” clucked the little red hen. And that is just what she did. All by herself!

Now that she had mixed the dough, She asked, “Who will help me bake the bread?”

“Not I,” quacked the duck.

“Not I,” meowed the cat.

“Not I,” oinked the pig.

“Then I will do it myself,” clucked the little red hen. And that is just what she did. All by herself!

The little red hen had worked hard all summer. She had received no help from anyone else. Now she baked a fine loaf of bread. She said, “Who will help me eat the bread?”

“I will,” quacked the duck.

“I will,” meowed the cat.

“I will,” oinked the pig.

“Aha!” clucked the little red hen. “No, you will not! I planted the wheat all by myself. I cut the wheat all by myself. I ground the wheat grain into flour all by myself. I mixed the dough and baked it all by myself. And now I will eat the bread All by myself!”

And that is just what she did. All by herself! And it was the best tasting loaf of bread she’d ever eaten!

Chapter Eight: The Seasons Of Farming
    
There are four seasons in a year. Spring always follows winter. Summer follows spring. And fall, or autumn, follows summer. After autumn comes winter. Then, the cycle begins anew. A farmer’s work changes from season to season. He or she does certain jobs each season.

Let’s learn about how a farmer’s jobs change. It makes sense to begin with spring. That’s when plants awaken from winter. New buds, leaves, and blossoms appear on trees. Wildflowers bloom in the fields. Springtime also marks the beginning of the crop cycle. Seeds are planted. New crops begin to grow.

A farmer can’t plant if he does not prepare the ground first. Typically, this is done with a plow. This plow has long sharp teeth. They dig into the Earth. They shred the dirt and plants. That makes room for new seeds.

We have a good way to describe how the soil is prepared. The farmer will “cultivate” the soil. He adds a little fertilizer. That adds nutrients to the soil. The right fertilizer differs from plant to plant. Some fertilizers are made from chemicals. Some are made from animal manure, or animal waste.

How will a farmer plant large crops? Most will use tractor-driven seed spreaders like this one. It drops the seeds into the plowed rows that the farmer created. It drops the seeds evenly in the rows. Then, the seed spreader brushes a layer of soil over the seeds.

Then, it’s a waiting game. The farmer watches the weather. And he hopes for rain. The seeds need water. That’s so they can sprout into seedlings. In many places, spring is a rainy season. Few things make a farmer happier than the sight of dark rain clouds overhead.

Eventually, the brown field will turn green. Seedlings emerge from the soil. They have sprouted. These new plants will continue to need water. Spring will turn to summer. These corn plants will then be about knee-high. They will get taller and taller throughout the hot summer.

Sometimes, problems arise. The plants may not grow as expected. Crops fail, or die, sometimes. And that’s no matter how hard a farmer works. And it’s no matter how much he knows about farming. Drought is one of the farmer’s worst enemies. Droughts occur when there is a lack of enough rain. They occur most frequently during summertime. The crop in this picture should be tall and green. But, there’s a drought. So, the crop is brown and wilted.

It helps if he has a good source of water nearby. Then, the farmer can “irrigate” his crops. (That’s a gigantic version of watering your lawn!) But a long drought can cause wells and rivers to dry up. Irrigation can work well. But there still needs to be adequate rainfall.

Unfortunately, rain isn’t the only worry a farmer has. Pests can ruin a crop, as well. That risk is greatest in the summer. This is a locust. It’s a type of grasshopper. Locusts are famous for destroying crops. They eat them up with a vengeance! And there are lots of worms, beetles, flies, and other insects to worry about. They can also eat a farmer’s crops.

Fortunately, farmers have ways to protect their crops. Sometimes, farmers spray “pesticides.” These are chemicals that repel bugs and insects. This can ensure that the crop will survive. Then it should yield plenty of fruits or veggies. How does a farmer apply pesticides? She uses the same equipment that she uses to fertilize her crops.

There’s one other option. This is used with very large crops. There is a ton of land to cover in this case. And some crops are fragile. They could be damaged by tractor wheels. So, the farmer can hire a crop duster. That’s a type of airplane. The pilot swoops down out of the sky. He opens his hatch. He releases the pesticides over the crops. The crop duster can spray a large area. And there’s no trampling of his crops by tractor tires.

On some farms, the harvest is the hardest time. Crops must be harvested at just the right time. If not, they’ll spoil. Harvest time is different from crop to crop. It may run from early summer through the fall season. Some crops must be harvested by hand. That’s so they’re not damaged. Grapes are a good example. During harvest time, farmers need all the help they can get. They often hire part-time helpers or farmhands. These extra folks help bring in the harvest more quickly.

This may surprise you. Not all farmers plant new crops each winter. Think about farmers who own orchards. These are fruit-tree farms, like apples and peaches. They only have to plant each tree one time. That may sound easier. But it also requires a lot of hard work and patience. Apple trees don’t bear fruit right away. The orchard owner must wait several years. It takes time before they’re able to produce big, red, juicy apples. After the trees are fully grown, they’ll follow the usual crop cycle. They’ll produce new leaves and flowers in the spring. Young fruits will arrive in the summer. The apples grow all summer long until fall. Then it’s apple-picking time.

After harvest time, the farmer can finally rest. You might think that winter would be the easiest season for a farmer. And compared to other seasons, it probably is. But there’s still work in winter. It’s the only time the farmer has to fix tools and machinery. Some may have worn out or broken during the rest of the year. It’s also time to plan for the next planting season. The farmer will buy seeds and test the soil. Then he decides how much fertilizer he will need next year. It doesn’t matter what the season is. There’s always work to be done on the farm!

Chapter Nine: From Farm To Market
   
Long ago, where were most people in the U.S? They lived and worked on small farms. They got all the food they needed from their own farm. They grew crops. They had livestock. They ate their own veggies, fruits, and meats. They made their own bread, butter, and cheese. Their own farm gave them what they needed.

What about on my farm? We still make a lot of our own things. Most people buy those at the supermarket or other stores. Here’s an example. We don’t eat everything right when we harvest it. We pack some of our produce in glass jars. This is called canning. We make our own canned beans, beets, and pears. Canned food will not spoil. It remains edible for months and even years. Even fresh fruits and veggies will spoil fairly soon. And that’s even if you keep them in the frig.

Long ago, farmers made butter in a butter churn. We still have a butter churn on our farm. But it’s just for decoration. We don’t use it now. Back then, here’s what you did. You’d pour milk into the churn. You’d swish it up, down, and all around with a stick. It took a while. And it was hard work. But the milk changed with all the churning and whipping. It thickened and turned into butter! Now, we DO still make some of our own ice cream. We use a machine like a butter churn. We use fresh milk from the cows. We churn it in a special ice cream machine. It takes a while to make. But it sure tastes good!

Most farmers don’t grow or make everything they need. I don’t grow coconuts, mangoes, or pineapples. But I like to eat them. Nor do I raise turkeys. But I eat one each Thanksgiving. So, I get things that I don’t grow or make. Where do I get them? I buy them, just like everyone else.

Once or twice a week, I go to the Farmer’s Market. I take my extra produce. I sell it there. That’s where I earn some of my money. Today, I’ll take beans, tomatoes, corn, and eggs. Come along! Let’s see how business is at the market today.

Goodness, there are lots of folks here. I just backed my pickup truck under the tent. I opened up the tailgate. Before I knew it, I had a line of people! They were waiting to buy my fresh produce. I’ve been here two hours. I have sold all my goods. I think I’ll wander around. Let’s see what the other farmers have to offer.

There’s Barry the Beekeeper. He has jars of dark, rich honey. They’re made by his own bees. I bet he’ll trade with me. How about a big jar of honey for two or three dozen eggs. Yum!

I see Mary the Flower Lady. She brought zinnias, daisies, and sunflowers. I’ll buy a bouquet for Mrs. MacDonald. Then I’ll go to the supermarket. There are other things that I need.

Look at all the food in this store! There are so many choices. I can’t even begin to count them all. There are so many breakfast cereals. There are tons of canned fruits and vegetables. There’s beef, chicken, and pork. There’s milk, eggs, juice, and yogurt. There are noodles, cheese, crackers, and so much more. Here’s what I see each time I come here. Almost everything here got its start on a farm!

All groceries have a canned food aisle. These cans come from canning factories. Farm produce is packed into metal cans or glass jars. It’s labeled so you can tell what’s inside.

This man is loading boxes of canned goods onto a truck. Where was it a few months ago? It was growing on a plant. It was somewhere in a farmer’s field. Now it’s in a can. It’s on its way to a grocery. There’s really no telling where it will end up now. For all you know, it could wind up in your belly!

Here’s another place where farm produce is processed. Have you ever seen so many apples? I work hard just to grow a few dozen of them. I can’t imagine trying to grow so many of them. But some farmers do.

These apples were harvested a few days ago. But the farmer had to wait for a truck driver to come and pick them up. He would drive them to the processing plant. They’d be washed, sorted, processed, and packaged. Then they’d be trucked off to the store. Some of these apples will be in the produce section. You can buy one and munch on it right away. There are other ways that apples are prepared and eaten. Can you think of any? I’ll get you started. How about applesauce?

Here are a few foods made from apples. How many have you tasted? Did you get them at the farm or at the market?

   
     
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Lesson 72 – Inf./Deriv. Builder

   
NEW WORDS: Justin, Justin’s, aired, airhead, airheads, airing, anthills, beelines, befriend, befriended, birdlike, birdwatching, biter, biters, blacker, blower, blowers, blowhard, blowhards, blowouts, bluefish, boxcars, boxfish, boxing, buyer, buyers, buyout, buyouts, buzzes, bygones, bystander, bystanders, callers, catbird’s, catlike, catty, childlike, climbers, colds, coolly, courses, crier, criers, cutters, daddies, daddy’s, darkly, deadly, dens, dogfish, doghouse, doghouses, doglike, fairer, fairest, fairs, fallout, fasting, fasts, feeders, feeler, findings, fishlike, floater, floaters, floats, floods, flyby, flyer, flyers, froggy, girlfriends, golder, goldest, goodly, grayer, grayest, haircuts, hairdos, horsehair, horsehairs, horseplay, housefly, letdown, longhairs, mayday, mayflies, mayfly, outcry, playday, playdays, putdown, runaround, runarounds, sailboats, sailfish, shortcut, shorthairs, shutdown, songbird, tonight’s, turnarounds, whitefish, withstand, withstanding, withstands, withstood
     
     

Her cats are all shorthairs.

He has a birdlike face.

I love black-eyed peas.

What just buzzed by my ear?

Pick up your clothes.

The new child is a biter.

There was a big outcry from what he said.

What were your findings?

Stop giving me the runaround.

She fasted for days.

I don’t like her, she’s catty.

His hair has gotten grayer.

You must let bygones be bygones!

Is there a buyer for your house?

Eat some of these goodies, if you please.

It’s brightly lit here.

Those blowhards think they’re so smart!

Cut out the horseplay!

I found a shortcut home.

There were beelines to get out on all six floors.

Daddy’s home!

Let’s go boating today.

Pull off the road at one of those turnarounds.

There’s a fishlike smell in their house.

That’s the grayest sky in days.

Three is greater than two.

Who’s the fairest of them all?

How many calls did we get?

This is the darkest room in the house.

Can Tom come for a playday?

Jill is Tom’s girlfriend.

We’ve had lots of floods this year.

She made a catlike sound.

Dad, you’re in the doghouse with Mom!

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it!

Is this violin bow made of horsehair?

It’s not nice to call her an airhead.

You are our fifth caller today.

There are ten redbirds at our bird feeders.

How much did they get for the buyout?

I think she has fairer skin than you.

Ask that bystander what he saw.

She’s put out feelers about getting a new job.

He looked me coolly in the eye.

I want to be a hair cutter.

That pretty thing is a deadly frog!

Mayflies stay near the water.

I saw lots of pigs in those boxcars.

I saw lots of anthills when I cut the grass.

I hate how he puts on airs.

He catches too many colds.

Justin has two girlfriends.

Let’s see if this floats.

Are these doghouses too small for our dog?

When did Tom befriend Max?

Are the froggies at the pond singing?

We need to get a snow blower.

They have taken up birdwatching.

I’m sick of all these runarounds they’re giving me.

What’s that buzzing sound?

My ring is golder than yours.

That’s a goodly bit of food!

His cats are all longhairs.

He has a doglike nose.

I will be fasting for three days.

What is the fallout from their big fight?

I can’t withstand this much heat.

I love this story about a kind froggy.

You’re way too old to be so childlike.

There have been three buyouts in our town.

Our buyers think that costs too much.

That’s one of the best haircuts you’ve had.

That shortcut is flooded.

That’s Justin’s daddy.

We’ve had four playdays this year.

All of their children are biters.

Were any bystanders hurt?

He’s a floater on our team.

When it buzzes, call me.

Look at the climbers way up there!

Bring a lot of clothing on the trip.

The feeler I put out didn’t help me.

Mom fasts once a year.

Who’s calling this late in the day?

I love going to State Fairs.

I keep finding more dead bugs.

She withstood a hard day!

How many courses is she taking?

The Town Crier is loud.

They’re all hair cutters.

Aren’t the sailboats pretty to watch?

I boxed them up and put them in the car.

He hid in a boxcar.

I’ve never seen a blacker night.

That’s not one of your best hairdos.

How did horsehairs get in the house?

That show will be airing tonight.

I love Airheads candy.

She’s sitting in the catbird’s seat!

That’s a lovely songbird.

That’s the goldest tooth I’ve seen.

I don’t know how he withstands that.

Hand out these flyers to the girls.

Songbirds like our garden.

He aired his thoughts to the team.

Our car has had three blowouts.

How many snow blowers does our town have?

Is bluefish good to eat?

The dens in the home show all had TVs.

Mayday, our ship needs help!

There’s a mayfly on your head.

Tonight’s show has been light on callers.

The floaters on our team are good.

Min befriended Jin last year.

I am withstanding lots of pain right now.

Get that flyer from the door.

Lots of daddies came to the show.

That room is too darkly lit.

I like to watch boxing.

There is such a thing as a dogfish.

Look at that big starfish!

Whitefish is pretty good to eat.

Dad likes to catch sailfish.

A yellow boxfish has polka-dots.

This plant dies, then comes back in the spring.

All that blowhard does is talk, talk, talk!

It was a letdown that he didn’t get the job.

That was a really mean putdown!

Give me the rundown on what’s going on.

You can’t get in, they’re on shutdown.

We’ll eat at sundown.

All their children have been criers.

The ship made a close flyby around the moon.

There’s a housefly in my milk!

     
       
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Lesson 73 – Coxhead Academic Vocab-Builder

    
NEW WORDS: Principal, Superman, abandon, accompany, accurate, achieve, alternative, appreciate, approach, assist, attach, attitude, author, available, aware, channel, collapse, concentrate, conflict, contradict, contribute, convince, cooperate, crimes, debate, decade, define, deny, draft, erode, error, estimate, final, flexible, furthermore, generation, guarantee, identical, impact, index, individual, initial, inspect, instruct, intelligence, issue, label, lecture, link, maintain, manipulate, medical, military, nuclear, obvious, ongoing, outcome, overall, overseas, parallel, participate, partner, percent, perspective, phase, physical, portion, precise, prime, prior, priority, professional, purchase, quote, remove, research, respond, reverse, schedule, somewhat, strategy, text, trigger, uniform, widespread
     
    

Abandon ship!

Accompany me to the show.

Your answer is accurate.

I’ll achieve lots this year.

At what age do you become an “adult?”

Here’s an alternative idea.

I appreciate your doing that.

Don’t approach that dog.

Please assist me with that.

Attach this to the zip-line.

You have a bad attitude!

Who’s the author of that book?

None are available right now.

Are you aware I heard that?

Take a brief break.

You’re very capable of doing that.

I said it would be a challenge!

Turn the TV channel.

I’m so tired I might collapse!

Will you make a comment about that?

You must communicate better.

Concentrate when you take the test.

What’s this conflict about?

Did they contact you yet?

Don’t contradict what I said!

She’ll really contribute to the team!

Do you think you can convince him?

Cooperate with her!

That’s a happy couple.

Mom found her credit card!

You can’t debate me on that.

I met her a decade ago.

Define this word.

Do you deny you said that?

What’s that device you’ve got?

Have you read the document?

Are you done with your first draft?

That’s enough drama, class!

His dog is enormous!

We must care for our environment.

Land will erode with this kind of rain.

There’s just one error on my test!

Can you estimate how many there are?

He’s an expert at that game.

This is your final chance.

Let’s stay flexible, just in case.

Furthermore, you’d better clean up your room!

He’s from an older generation.

Our class has a new globe.

I got a good grade!

This has a one-year guarantee.

Highlight that phrase on your page.

Can you identify the bad guy?

The two dogs look identical.

There’s an image of it in my head.

How much impact will that have?

Turn to the index in your book.

She’s a kind individual.

What’s your middle initial?

Take care, and don’t injure yourself.

May I inspect your clean-up job?

I will instruct you in the dark arts!

She shows high intelligence.

What’s the issue here?

Add that item to the bag.

Pull the label off that shirt.

Dad gave me a long lecture about that.

Is there a link between the two crimes?

Did you locate your cell phone?

What’s the logic behind your answer?

Try to maintain a cool head.

Don’t you try to manipulate me!

He’s now more mature.

She has lots of medical problems.

My dad’s in the military.

It’s just a minor problem.

It’s time to act normal, please.

Many people are scared of nuclear power.

Isn’t the answer obvious?

It didn’t occur to me that she’d do that.

This seems to be an ongoing problem.

Do we have another option?

What’s the outcome of the study?

Overall, we did a good job.

My dad takes trips overseas.

What is a parallel line?

Will you participate in the game?

My dance partner is sick.

I’m a hundred percent sure of it!

You have a different perspective about this.

He’s just going through a phase.

She’s in great physical shape.

That’s too big a portion to eat.

Pose, and smile for the picture.

You’re positive you saw that?

Be precise when you solve math problems.

Who can tell me what a prime number is?

Our new Principal is nice.

My prior boss was not nice.

Your first priority is to clean your room.

You may now proceed into the room.

She is a sports professional.

I hope to publish this book.

How many did you purchase?

Have you heard this famous quote?

How did she react when you told her?

Remove your shoes.

Are you done with the research for your paper?

Respond to my question.

The ship had to reverse course.

We’re behind schedule.

I feel somewhat sick.

I need a more straightforward answer.

What’s your strategy for getting that done?

I’m under lots of stress.

Text me your phone number.

Are we ready to pull the trigger?

Put on your school uniform.

Superman has X-ray vision.

The flooding is widespread.

    
   
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Lesson 74 – Beatrix Potter

The Tale Of Benjamin Bunny

   
NEW WORDS: Benjamin’s, boldly, clogs, doorsteps, enjoying, forgave, frames, greenhouse, habit, knitted, lavender, lettuce, lolly, managed, marched, mortar, muffatees, nephew, observed, perplexed, planks, poorly, presently, ridiculously, sandiest, scarecrow, shanter, shrunk, spanked, spoils, strung, tam, terrace, topped, trit, widow
   
   

It was a nice morn. A little rabbit sat on a bank. He pricked his ears. He heard a “trit-trot” sound. It was a pony. A coach came up the road. Mr. Gregg was driving it. Mrs. Gregg sat next to him. She had on her best bonnet.

They passed the rabbit. Then he slid down to the road. His name was Ben Bunny. He went down the road. He liked to hop, skip, and jump. He wanted to see his cousins. They lived in the woods. Those were the woods at the back of Mr. Gregg’s garden.

Those woods were full of rabbit holes. He would look for the neatest, sandiest hole. That’s where his cousins lived. They were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow. She was Ben’s Aunt.

Mrs. Rabbit had to earn a living. So, she knitted rabbit-wool mittens. Some did not cover the fingers. Those were called muffatees. I once bought a pair at a fair. She also sold herbs, tea, and rabbit-tobacco. (We call that lavender).

Ben did not want to see his Aunt. He came round the back of the fir-tree. He nearly fell on top of his Cousin Peter. Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly. He was dressed in a red cotton pocket-handkerchief.

“Peter,” whispered little Ben. “Who has your clothes?

Peter said, “The scarecrow in Mr. Gregg’s garden.” He told how he had been chased about the garden. He had dropped his shoes and coat. Little Ben sat down by his cousin. He assured him that Mr. Gregg was on a ride. Mrs. Gregg was with him. He thought they be gone all day. That’s because she was wearing her bonnet.

Peter hoped that it would rain. At this point, old Mrs. Rabbit called out. “Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! Fetch some more tea!”

Peter said he might feel better if he went for a walk. He and Ben went away hand in hand. They got on the flat top of the wall. That was at the bottom of the woods. From here, they looked down into Mr. Gregg’s garden.

Peter’s coat and shoes were easy to see. They were on the scarecrow. They were topped with an old tam-o’-shanter cap of Mr. Gregg’s. Little Ben said, “It spoils people’s clothes to squeeze under a gate. There’s a proper way to get in. That’s to climb down a pear-tree.”

Peter fell down head first. But he was ok. The bed below was newly raked. So, it was quite soft. It was full of lettuces. They left a great many odd little foot-marks all over the bed. Ben’s were easier to see. He was wearing clogs.

Little Ben said that the first thing to be done was to get back Peter’s clothes. That way, they might be able to use the pocket-handkerchief. They took them off the scarecrow. There had been rain during the night. There was water in the shoes, and the coat was somewhat shrunk. Benjamin tried on the tam-o’-shanter. It was too big for him. Then he suggested that they should fill the pocket-handkerchief with onions. They could be a little present for his Aunt.

Peter did not seem to be enjoying himself. He kept hearing noises. Benjamin, on the contrary, was perfectly at home. He ate a lettuce leaf. He said that he was in the habit of coming to the garden with his father. They would get lettuces for their Sunday dinner. (The name of little Benjamin’s papa was old Mr. Benjamin Bunny.) The lettuces certainly were very fine.

Peter did not eat anything. He said he would like to go home. Soon, he dropped half of the onions. Little Benjamin said that it was not possible to get back up the pear-tree. Not with a load of vegetables. He led the way boldly towards the other end of the garden. They went along a little walk on planks. These were under a sunny, redbrick wall.

The mice sat on their doorsteps cracking cherry-stones. They winked at Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin Bunny. Presently, Peter let the pocket-handkerchief go again. They got among the flower-pots, and frames, and tubs. Peter heard noises worse than ever. His eyes were as big as lolly-pops!

He was a step or two in front of his cousin when he suddenly stopped. This is what those little rabbits saw round that corner! Little Benjamin took one look. It was a cat! So, in half a minute, he hid himself, Peter, and the onions underneath a large basket.

The cat got up and stretched herself. She came and sniffed at the basket. Perhaps she liked the smell of onions! Anyway, she sat down upon the top of the basket. She sat there for FIVE HOURS. I cannot draw you a picture of Peter and Benjamin underneath the basket. It was too dark there.

The smell of the onions was fearful. It made Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin cry. The sun was now behind the woods. It was quite late in the afternoon. But still, the cat sat on the basket.

At length, there was a pitter-patter, pitter-patter. Some bits of mortar fell from the wall above. The cat looked up and saw old Mr. Benjamin Bunny. He was prancing along the top of the wall of the upper terrace. He was smoking a pipe of rabbit-tobacco, and he had a little switch in his hand. He was looking for his son.

Old Mr. Bunny wasn’t scared of cats at all. He took a tremendous jump off the top of the wall and landed on top of the cat. He knocked it off the basket, and he kicked it into the greenhouse, scratching off a handful of fur.

The cat was much too surprised to scratch back. When old Mr. Bunny had driven the cat into the greenhouse, he locked the door. Then he came back to the basket and took out his son Benjamin by the ears. Then, he spanked him with the little switch.

Then, he took out his nephew Peter. He finally took out the handkerchief of onions, and he marched out of the garden. When Mr. Gregg returned about a half hour later, he observed several things which perplexed him. It looked as though some person had been walking all over the garden in a pair of clogs. But the foot-marks were too ridiculously little! Also, he couldn’t understand how the cat could have managed to shut herself up INSIDE the greenhouse. After all, the door was locked on the OUTSIDE.

When Peter got home, his mother forgave him. She was just glad to see that he had found his shoes and coat. Cotton-tail and Peter folded up the pocket-handkerchief. Then old Mrs. Rabbit strung up the onions and hung them from the kitchen ceiling, with the bunches of herbs and the rabbit-tobacco.

   
     
*********
   
   

Lesson 75 – 4-Letter Vocab-Builder 

   
NEW WORDS: Czar, Deb’s, Demi, Goldie, Hawaii, Lang’s, Maori, Milo, Milt, Nana, Nazi, PACS, Parr, Paty, Rand, Russian, Senator, Shrek, Tate, Ted’s, Tibetan, Toby, abominable, amulet, antelopes, arrest, blizzard, breakthrough, buffoon, campaigns, campus, cams, cant, canvas, carb, cark, casa, cavy, cays, cede, cite, cukes, curd, curs, curt, cusp, cyan, cyst, dabs, daft, dais, dale, dank, data, daub, dealers, deco, deem, deft, demo, diaper, filter, fives, flatbread, flavored, flunked, fund, gals, gamy, gang, garb, garlic, gars, gawk, gazelles, gear, gels, gems, gene, gent, ghee, gibe, gibs, gigs, gild, gill, gins, gird, gits, glib, glim, glob, gloom, glug, glut, gnus, goas, gobo, goby, gogo, gong, herb, highs, insincere, intermittent, leaky, lemon, liar, loot, lops, lore, lows, luau, lube, madman, margarine, martial, menu, mere, mesa, mesh, meth, mica, mild, naan, nabs, nada, nags, narc, nary, nave, neon, nerd, novel, oafs, oaks, oath, obit, oboe, odes, ogre, oily, okra, oldy, oleo, olive, omen, omit, pact, pads, pall, pant, pars, pave, pawn, peak, peal, pecs, peed, peen, podium, political, quad, quay, quid, quip, quiz, raga, raid, raja, rant, raps, rapt, rash, rave, raze, ream, rear, recital, redo, reds, reek, reel, refs, rein, rely, rend, repo, reps, scored, shack, shields, song’s, studies, suffers, suggest, surgery, tabs, taco, tact, tads, talc, tamp, tans, tapa, tarp, tats, taut, teak, teal, teas, teed, teem, tees, temp, tens, term, tern, thaw, thru, thud, thug, tics, tidy, tier, tiff, tike, tiki, tine, tins, tits, whiskeys, wilt, witchcraft, wizard, yaws, yeti, yews, yoga, yoke, zilch, zits, zonk
     
    

Mom’s at a yoga class.

They have a tarp on their leaky roof.

The gals are at their book club.

The cant in his speech was insincere.

Raid the castle!

I deem that to be a good idea.

You’ll need 20 tabs for your notebook.

He made a pact with the devil.

Those oafs trip on their own feet.

The cams in the machine are worn out.

That’s gamy tasting meat.

Tack this to the corkboard.

We’ve been through highs and lows.

He’s a deft magician.

Mend this torn shirt.

Rams have huge, curly horns.

Let’s eat at Taco Bell.

Let’s have the gang over to eat.

PACS fund political campaigns.

Acorns come from oaks.

Show me your product demo.

I’m on a low-carb diet.

That buffoon has no tact.

Naan is a flatbread in Indian cooking.

Rand Paul was a U.S. Senator.

Gars are fish with sharp teeth.

Hook the yoke to the ox.

There are tads of cat fur on your pants.

Demi Moore did one-armed push-ups!

Where’s the quad at your college campus?

Here’s the kids’ menu.

She doesn’t have a cark in the world!

What garb will you wear to the party?

This talc is good for diaper rash.

I took an oath to my King.

That soldier has the rank of “Major.”

Bring four note-pads.

I hope the cop nabs that purse thief.

We need to tamp down the panic in the room.

Sis has zits on her face.

It’s rude to gawk at her!

They have a casa in Mexico.

He’s a lazy lout.

They have deep sun-tans.

He’ll rant and rave like a madman.

Get your camping gear.

Sail the boat up to the quay.

A pall of gloom fell over them.

I love Taos, New Mexico.

Guinea pigs are from the “cavy” family.

I have no money, zip, zilch, nada!

These gels have nice scents.

Here’s Mr. Lang’s obit in the paper.

This is a tapa restaurant.

It’s just a mere scrape.

Hide if he raps on the window.

Cays were flooded in the storm.

These gems are on sale.

Dr. Tate is a dentist.

A quid is a British pound.

Pam’s not home.

This pill will zonk me out.

She’s rapt in that spy novel.

Their feud turned into tits for tats.

Can Gene come over?

I have to play in an oboe recital.

We had to cede victory to the other team.

My aunt nags my uncle.

Tie the rope taut.

Listen to that dog pant.

He’s a handsome gent.

That’s an eagle gliding over the mesa.

Hail a taxi.

That’s an ugly red rash!

She studies the lore of witchcraft.

I’ll cite four experts to make my case.

I must have ghee for this Indian recipe.

This is pretty teak furniture.

His quip didn’t go over well.

His poems are odes to nature.

Pare off that onion skin.

They’ll raze that old shack soon.

Teal is a shade of blue-green.

His gibe at his mom got him a time-out!

We call our gran “Nana.”

This heat will wilt the lawn.

I love to eat lemon curd.

They sell black, green, and herb teas.

Your story doesn’t mesh with what I heard.

What’s that horrid odor?

These gibs will hold the parts in place.

Ted’s at the game.

A “ream” is 500 sheets of paper.

I flunked the quiz.

Those curs should have put up a fight.

Coach Parr is nice.

A “narc” works to arrest drug dealers.

You really teed me off!

Their band had ten gigs last year.

A raga is a form of East Indian music.

You reap what you sow!

Watch as he lops off that dead branch.

He threw a curt insult at me.

Shrek is a green ogre.

These rich waters teem with fish.

Add some whipping cream to gild the lily.

I scored three pars in my golf round.

These trees are yews.

There’s a dent on the rear of the car.

Can I borrow some golf tees?

We’re on the cusp of a breakthrough.

We could hear nary a sound.

A fish needs a gill to breathe with.

She sells flavored olive oils.

What’s the temp outside?

Meth is a deadly drug.

Paty is from Spain.

Can I redo my book report?

They sell gins and whiskeys.

Can I get change for fives and tens?

Cyan is a shade of blue.

The nets are full of fish

The Abominable Snowman is a yeti.

My skin is dry, not oily.

Gird yourselves for the blizzard.

She’s in her second term as President.

Line the church nave with flowers.

I need surgery to remove a cyst.

The picture has lots of shades of reds.

They should pave that dirt road.

A tern is more slender than a gull.

Those silly gits are foolish.

The robbers took off with their loot.

Mica flakes are quite thin.

Don’t let the ice thaw out.

You called a Russian King a “Czar.”

Over-cooked okra gets slimy.

You reek of garlic!

She’s quite a glib speaker.

How long will it take to get thru the line?

A pawn is one of the pieces in chess.

She’s a sailor in the navy.

Get me if the ship yaws off course.

It landed with a “thud!”

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

Toss a glim of meat to the dog.

Put two dabs of butter on my toast.

Reel in that fish!

They put that thug in jail.

The sun’s behind the mountain peak.

That song’s a goldie–oldy.

I hope that pepper sauce is mild.

He suffers from intermittent face tics.

Put a glob of ice cream on my pie.

Use this ball-peen hammer.

That daft idea would kill us!

The crowd booed at the refs.

The tide goes in and out.

We ate at a luau in Hawaii.

It poured out with a loud “glug!”

I love hearing church bells peal.

I’m a video game nerd.

She’s a tidy maid.

This podium goes up on the dais.

Oleo is a nickname for margarine.

The farms have a glut of cukes.

Rein in that wild horse.

That’s a four-tier wedding cake.

Milo likes martial arts.

This exercise works your pecs.

Nazi Germany lost in World War 2.

Their house has an art deco look.

They made up after their tiff.

Gnus are ox-like antelopes.

We hired nine new sales reps.

They came down from the hills into the dale.

I rely on you for help.

What a cute little tike!

Deb’s in the den.

Goas are Tibetan gazelles.

My car needs an oil, lube, and filter.

A tiki is a Maori amulet.

The cat peed on my bed!

The wizard dreamed of a bad omen.

Our basement is dank.

A gobo shields light from a camera lens.

One tine on my fork broke off.

Milt, pass the peas, please.

The storm will rend the ship to pieces.

The neon light is blinking.

These snuff tins are all empty.

Omit this ingredient from the recipe.

A goby is a small fish.

What does the data suggest?

I can cut you a deal on this repo.

I wish our car window had more tint.

Peel this banana.

There was food and drink a’ gogo at the party.

A raja was a king in India.

Now I’ll daub paint on the canvas.

The Indian built a fire in his tipi.

The drummer banged the gong.

They named their cat Toby.

    
    
*********
    
    

Lesson 76 – Poems And Rhymes 

   
NEW WORDS: Betsy, Elspeth, Flinders, Hector, Mattie, Minnie, Texas, bridle, bronco, chattered, cinders, comical, dollies, everybody’s, frisks, jolt, knickers, lasso, pinky, pretzel, protector, reins, saddles, shakety, sleek, woodchuck
   
   

Little Polly Flinders
   
Little Polly Flinders sat among the cinders,

Warming her pretty little toes.

Her mother came and caught her, scolded her wee daughter,

For spoiling her nice new clothes.

The Snail
   
Snail, snail, shakety shake.

Put out your horns, and I’ll give you some cake!

Woodchuck Chuck
   
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

He would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

A Good Play
    
We built a ship upon the stairs, all made of the back-bedroom chairs,

And filled it full of sofa pillows, to go a-sailing on the billows.

We took a saw and several nails, and water in the nursery pails.

And Tom said, “Let us also take, an apple and a slice of cake,”

Which was enough for Tom and me, to go a-sailing on, till tea.

We sailed along for days and days, and had the very best of plays.

But Tom fell out and hurt his knee, so there was no one left but me.

    
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
     
   

Who Has Seen The Wind?
   
Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you.

But when the leaves hang trembling, the wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I.

But when the leaves bow down their heads, the wind is passing by.

 
Poem By Christina Rossetti
      
   

The Cart
   
The squirrel went out to cut the hay, did you hear how he chattered, and chattered away?

The blackbird raked, the crow pulled the load, and kitty-cat drove the cart, way down the road.

The Balloon
   
“What is the news of the day, good neighbor, I pray?”

“They say the balloon, has gone up to the moon!”

The Shoemaker
   
Joe, the shoemaker, makes my shoes, he pounds them, Rap! Rap! Rap!

He makes them small, he makes them big, and away he pounds, TAP! TAP!

As I Was Going Along
    
As I was going along, along,

A-singing a comical song, song, song,

The lane that I went was so long, long, long,

And the song that I sang was so long, long, long,

And so I went, singing along.

Belly And Tubs Went Out In A Boat
    
Belly and Tubs, went out in a boat.

Tubs wore knickers, and Belly a coat.

They got in a quarrel, and started to shout,

And the boat tipped over, and they tumbled out.

   
Poem By Clyde Watson
     
    

Meadow Land
   
I took a walk one evening, all in a meadow sweet,

And there I chanced that evening, a little girl to meet.

She said, “Good evening” to me, she gave to me her hand.

We sang and played together, in the fresh green meadow land.

Don’t Run Away
   
Don’t run away, my kitty, in the carriage you must sit.

So stay there with my dollies, and ride around a bit!

The little girl begged nicely, but Kitty ran away.

He said, “I’m very hungry, I’ll chase the mice today!”

“I’m going in to dinner,” he jumped off and he ran.

“And after I have eaten, then catch me if you can!”

Ride A Horsey
   
Ride, ride a horsey, everybody’s gone away.

Bring Daddy home a pretzel, when you come home today!

Trot, trot, jolt, the farmer has a colt.

The colt he runs away, the farmer falls, hooray! Bump! goes the farmer!

So ride, so ride the children, when they still are wee,

When they’re older then, of course, they will ride upon a horse,

Ride to lands beyond the seas, where pretty maidens grow on trees!

If I had thought of that before, I’d have brought one to your door!

Little Toys
   
Rosy girls, smiling boys, come and buy my little toys,

Monkeys made of ginger bread, and sugar horses painted red.

Hector Protector
   
Hector Protector was all dressed in green,

Hector Protector was sent to the Queen.

The Queen did not like him, no more did the King,

So, Hector Protector was sent back again.

Texas Cowboy Song
   
Oh, I’m a jolly old cowboy, just off the Texas Plains.

My trade is making saddles, and pulling bridle reins.

I’ve learned to throw the lasso, with the greatest ease,

And mount my bronco pony, and ride him when I please!

Pussy Willows
    
Close your eyes, and do not peek,
And I’ll rub Spring across your cheek.
Smooth as satin, soft and sleek,
Close your eyes, and do not peek.

   
Poem By Aileen Fisher
    
   

Robert, Who Is Often A Stranger To Himself
   
Do you ever look, in the looking-glass, and see a stranger there?

A child you know, and do not know, wearing what you wear?

  
Poem By Gwendolyn Brooks
     
       

Minnie, Mattie, May
   
Minnie and Mattie, and fat little May, out in the country, spending a day.

Pinky white piglet, squeals through his snout, woolly white lambkin, frisks all about.

   
Poem By Christina Rossetti
    
   

Elizabeth
   
Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess, they all went together to seek a bird’s nest.

They found a bird’s nest with five eggs in, they all took one, and left four in?

(What??? All four names come from the root “Elizabeth,” so just one girl, not four.)

Busy Bee
   
How does the little busy bee, improve each shining hour,

And gather honey all the day, from every opening flower!

   
Poem By Isaac Watts
     
    

Rock-A-Bye, Baby
   
Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green,
Father’s a nobleman, Mother’s a queen,
And Betty’s a lady, and wears a gold ring,
And Johnny’s a drummer, and drums for the king.

Pretty Sally
   
Of all the girls who are so smart, there’s none like pretty Sally.

She is the darling of my heart, and she lives right in our alley.

    
Poem By H. Carey
     
       
*********
    
    

Lesson 77 – Pattern-Builder Poems

   
NEW WORDS: Cypriot, Egyptian, Mott, apricot, atypical, bigshot, blob, bobble, bog, boycott, bulldog, bullfrog, calypso, catnip, chilidogs, cig, clobbered, cobbler, cobs, corncobs, cot, dripped, eggnog, foxtrot, fusspot, gig, globs, gobbling, gossip, groundhog, gypped, hieroglyphs, hippogriff, hotdog, hotshot, hypnotists, jackpot, kabobs, kinship, knobs, ladyship, leash, lob, lordship, midship, mobbed, nipper, nips, parsnip, petroglyphs, pigged, piggly, potter, pygmy, respectful, rig, robot, sandlot, sheepdog, shindig, shish, slobber, slot, snob, sunspot, throbs, tulip, typical, unclog, underdog, warthog, watchdog, waterlogged, whip, whirligig, wobble, yips
   
   

Piggly Wiggly
    
Have you ever seen a pig,
NOT love to dig?
NOT grow to be big?
Wear a wig?
Dance a jig?  
Eat a fig?
Smoke a cig?
Zag and zig?
Play a music gig?
Swim to an oil rig?
Chew on a twig?
Go to a shindig?
Play with a whirligig?
But I bet you HAVE seen them,
Wiggle, wriggle, jiggle, squiggle, and giggle!

Too Many Corncobs
   
Hi.
I’m Bob.
I’m not a snob.
Nor do I ever rob.
But my job makes me sob.
I’m mobbed and clobbered,
With gobs of corn cobs.
I have to lob them over piles of door knobs,
Where they land in globs of slobber.
It’s so gross.
At the end of each day,
I feel like such a blob.
Towards home, I bobble and wobble.
My head throbs.
The only thing that makes me happy,
Is gobbling shish–kabobs,
And eating apple cobbler.

No Thanks To The Fog
    
I went for a jog.
There was very thick fog.
I tripped on a log.
I fell into a bog.
I heard laughter from a groundhog.
I yelled for my dog.
Into my mouth jumped a frog!
I think it was a bullfrog.
I had to unclog my throat,
So I spit him out.
Hmm, the taste he’d left in my mouth,
Was something like a hotdog.
I went home, all waterlogged.
I drank some eggnog.
I talked to my bulldog,
Who’s quite a good watchdog,
Who’d just fought off a warthog,
And had chased off a sheepdog,
Even though he was the underdog.
Then we pigged out on chilidogs,
And even shared them with our pet hedgehogs.

Hot As A Sunspot!
   
I saw a Scot at the Doc today.
He left his dog Spot outside.
Spot’s leash was tied in a knot …
To the fence of the next-door sandlot.
Spot was eating an apricot.
It looked like it had rot all over it.
Inside, bigshot, hotshot Scott the Scot was lying in a cot.
He can be such a fusspot!
He looked quite hot.
So, the Doc gave him a shot.
Nurse Dot helped him.
Doc gives a lot of shots.
Even to tots!
He’s almost like a robot, he gives so many.
I’ve got to get a shot soon.
I canNOT STAND that!
But I was there today because I burned my hand on a boiling pot.
I forgot how badly burns can feel.
I had to trot to the Doc fast.
I ran almost as fast as an ocelot!
I was really hurting!
Lucky for me, he had a time slot open.
I felt like I’d hit the jackpot!
But now I can’t go to the dance tonight.
I’ll have to boycott it.
I’ll surely miss doing the foxtrot with Mrs. Mott!

Atypical!

(Note: a “hippogriff” is an imaginary animal from the Harry Potter series.)

My father’s half Cypriot, half Egyptian.

He’s an expert on hieroglyphs and petroglyphs.

His favorite animal is a hippogriff.

My mother’s a gypsy.

She’s an expert on Calypso music and dance.

Her favorite animal is a pygmy hippo.

Oh, and did I say, they’re both hypnotists.

There’s nothing typical about either one of them.

Our parents were nuts about our names.

They named us Chip, Pip, Kip, Flip, Tip, and Skip.

But they’re tough.

We can’t give them any lip about that.

And in our family, there’s never any gossip!

We have quite a respectful kinship.

We call Dad, “his Lordship!”

And Mom, “her Ladyship!”

And lucky for us, we’ve never known hardship.

Our dog is named Nipper.

Nipper yips, yips, and yips.

I hate that.

And when a guest comes over,

He nips at them!

I once saw him rip someone’s pants!

Just as they were taking a sip of tea.

It dripped all over them.

Oh yeah, and our cat is Tulip.

Tulip and Nipper snip at each other.

And they chase each other.

They zip by — and whip by — all the time.

It’s worse when we give Tulip some catnip!

When we go on a trip,

We travel by ship.

At least there’s a pool,

So we can take a cool dip.

Once my Mom did slip,

She was right at midship,

She didn’t have a good grip,

And she broke her hip.

The only bad thing about our family is this:

Every night, we have to eat either a turnip or a parsnip.

I feel like I’ve been gypped!

   
     
*********
   
    

Lesson 78 – Short / Long (Vowel) Reflex-Builder

   
NEW WORDS: Benny, Chloe, Cooper, Cupid, Dottie, Dudley, Earl, Gail, Godfrey, Hoover, Jamaican, Jonas, Lear, Lee’s, Leslie, Luther, Macy’s, Miley, Nate, Nathan, Pope, Ridley, Sony, Terry, Toto, assume, brief, combine, cope, deliver, dote, fad, fade, fashions, gale, gallantly, gape, gauge, goad, grape, hone, lease, legume, lobe, lope, lug, luge, mace, mail, miner, mitt, moaning, mode, mon, mousse, node, poodle, pruning, punny, puny, pupa, sate, shipment, sole, sonar, sonic, sonnet, sonny, submarine, summers, tailor, vale, veil, wanting
     
       

I’ll give you a dime to dim the lights.

Sol is a solar scientist. He has a great recipe for Dover sole. Bless his soul!

Hey Nathan! I saw Nat and Nate. They were chasing a gnat.

Chloe! Close the closet door.

That fir tree caught on fire first.

That’s Vin. He’s there, pruning the grape vine.

I assume this Mr. Summers. You do know the sum of two plus two?

She has a totally cute tote bag. She carries things she needs for her tot. And for her dog, Toto.

Ridley Rider! You must get rid of this cold before you can go on a horseback ride.

Tony weighs a ton. And he has no muscle tone.

He’s a picky eater. So, gauge what you feed him. That’s so that he doesn’t gag.

Dottie has on that polka-dotted dress. She likes to dote on her new baby, Dot.

There’s a vale of tears surrounding Val. She’s the one wearing that red veil.

Terry! Don’t tarry! We need to deliver this shipment of tar.

Hey, mon! I’ll give you some money to stop moaning about the bright moon.

A bare bear named Barry walked into a bar. He asked for a root beer.

Min is a minor miner. He yelled! “That’s mine!”

I saw a crane. It was in a cranberry bog.

It was last Saturday. She sat down to sate herself on a feast.

A pupil in class brought in his poodle pup and a butterfly pupa for show-and-tell.

See that old gal, Gail? She gallantly made it through that stormy gale.

Benny! Combine these. Then throw them in that bin.

I know a mouse that likes chocolate mousse.

Why is there a safety pin stuck in the pine tree?

This brief fad will fade away.

I had to gape. He had a HUGE gap between his two front teeth.

That’s Mr. McCabe. He drives a cab.

Ned! What do you need to knead the bread flour?

Mal is the male who brings us our mail.

The Doc said this. “Nod if it hurts when I touch this node.”

Bree! Stay so quiet that you don’t breathe a breath.

Tap this button to play the tape.

She’s in a mode of wanting to buy very mod fashions.

Sorry man! That was a puny pun. And not punny-funny.

Godfrey! You don’t have to goad me to say, “God is good.”

Hey Dudley! That movie was a dud, dude.

Miley Miller said this. “It’s just another mile to the mill.”

They gave it to us. We can use it as we see fit.

Hey Jonas! Isn’t that Jon Jones?

Sonny is my son on the submarine. He wrote a sonnet while keeping watch on the sonar.

Earl Lear hurt his ear early this morning. Now he can barely hear.

Dame Smith took a trip. She went to Hoover Dam.

Len! Lean over here.

I saw a bear cub with a Rubik’s Cube.

I love Mrs. Macy’s recipe. She adds some mace to her mac and cheese.

Molly yelled to us. “I saw a mole!”

Liv is a nurse. She likes to live by saving lives.

Let me spit out my gum before I eat that legume.

She went into a rage. Then she threw a wet rag at me.

Why is there a metal tube in the bath tub?

Hal looks hale and hearty after making it through the Halloween hail storm.

Mitt! Might you like some dessert?

Do this when you lob the ball. Brush your arm by your ear lobe.

James loves Jamaican jam.

He saw the fly in his soup. Then Ike yelled “ick!”

Cupid needs another cup of tea.

Les signed the lease. Now he can live in Leslie Lee’s house.

I wonder! Does the Pope drink soda pop and eat popcorn.

Hey Harry! The hare laughed, “Hardy, har, har!”

If you continue to lope, I will lop off your pony tail.

Hey Cooper! How does a cop cope with the stress?

Sonny likes products from SONY. And he likes to eat at Sonic.

Luther! Is your luge too heavy to lug around?

It was at the tail end of lunch. Tal told us a tall tale about a tailor named Talbot.

Listen, Hon! I’ll be honest. You need to hone your skills more on this.

   
        
*********
    
     

Lesson 79 – Stories Misc

Myrtle And Erma’s Gully-Washer

   
NEW WORDS: Erma, Erma’s, Murray’s, buttered, chimed, cleansing, coughed, cramped, degrees, derned, downpour, engulfed, flames, furball, furnace, gagged, galoshes, grating, gully, horrors, icicles, implored, jiffy, marmalade, messing, myrtle, outfits, overflows, prepped, preserves, raincoat, savory, simmer, skirt, sleet, slippers, snarled, superstar, sweeties, terse, tightwad, toasty, treasures, waned, waterworks
   
   

“No! Too early! Not yet! Not now!” I shrieked. “It can’t be time to get up!” Tears were nearly coming to my eyes. The derned alarm had just gone off. My ears were in flames. So much for my placid slumber. No more dreams of sugarplums.

Mom called us. Her voice was grating. “Myrtle! Get up! Erma! Out of bed! Come on, girls! The world’s gonna leave you behind. Rise and shine, my sweeties!”

I squawked, “But we need more hours of sleep!”

Tiger Mom’s response was terse. “Tough luck! You could have gone to bed sooner. The early bird gets the worm. Chop-chop! It’s time to show your grit!” Under my breath, I snarled.

What a bummer. I had learned my lesson. No more late-night T.V. for me. I called out, “Mom! It’s frigid. My fingers are icicles. My toes are ice cubes.” Mom keeps the furnace at 62 degrees overnight. She’s a tightwad. She’s always saving money. “Can you please turn up the furnace?” I implored.

Mom replied, “Simmer down! I’ve got it. You’ll be toasty warm in a jiffy.”

Then I heard a massive clap of thunder. I just about leapt out of my slippers. I wailed to my sister. “Erma, barrels of rain coming today. We might get a gully-washer.”

She inquired, “What the heck is a gully-washer?”

I explained, “That’s when a smaller ditch or stream overflows. It’s because a hard rain comes too fast. The water can’t flow fast enough. So, the gully overflows. Think of it this way. It’s like a flash flood. Remember when the creek out front did that. Wasn’t that two years ago?”

Erma said, “Yep.” We were quiet for a minute. Then she piped up, “I hate rain. It’s worse than snow. I hate going out in it. I hate wearing galoshes. I hate wearing a raincoat. I hate messing with an umbrella! And a windy rain is the worst of all!”

I felt the same way. I said to her, “Yeah. But it’s better than an ice storm.”

Erma quipped, “True. I always slip and fall down a lot. And sleet is just as bad.” We were silent for a bit. Then she called from her room, “So. Who showers first?” We had only one bathroom. Our house was tiny and cramped.

I felt like being nice. I said, “Your turn.”

Erma asked, “Are you sure, Myrtle?”

I said, “Go for it!”

She replied, “Thanks, Sis. I owe you one.”

Erma took a brief shower, for once. She even left hot water for me! I soon finished my own morning cleansing. After a few minutes, I had dried off. I had put on my skirt. I’d gotten my rings off of the dresser. But then, the mirror. Great horrors! I looked at myself and gagged. Major make-up was needed this morning! I was the picture of an ogre.

In a bit, we were both prepped for the day. We scurried down the stairs. I saw something uber-gross on the rug. I cried out, “Mom! Murray’s coughed up a furball.” Then I thought, “Stupid cat.” Once, he had slept by my pillow. He puked on my hair! Our friendship waned quickly after that event!

Mom said, “I’ll worry about that later. It’s time to eat.”

We entered the kitchen. We were welcomed with savory odors! And the table was a sight for sore eyes. I exclaimed, “Look Erma! Our favorites. Buttered toast. Over-easy fried eggs. Cherry preserves. Orange marmalade. Turkey sausage. Fresh orange juice. Mom! You’re a superstar!”

Mom smiled. “Thanks, honey. Anything for my two young treasures.”

We were soon finished with breakfast. We were getting our final ducks in a row. Mom asked, “Are you guys ready for school?”

I thought for a moment. “Mom, I need five dollars for lunch.”

Erma chimed in, “So do I.”

Mom got her purse. “Okay. Here you are, dears. Hang on. Let me straighten your collar, Erma. Your outfits for today look great. Are you ready to wait for the bus out front?”

“Yep,” we both said.

Mom said, “Out you go, then. Have a great day.”

Erma opened the door. Two seconds passed. Then came, “AHH!”

“What is it, Erma?” I queried.

She giggled, “The sewer backed up again. Time to call City Waterworks. NO SCHOOL, MOM!”

This had happened one other time. Erma was looking at a flood. The front yard and driveway were engulfed in water. Our creek had backed up. That earlier thunder clap had meant that a downpour was upon us. We had gotten our gully-washer, all right! Four feet of standing water! There was no way to get to the bus!  We couldn’t walk to the street. Our house was fine, since it was up on a small hill. But the car couldn’t get to the end of the driveway, either.

I cried out, with glee, “Here come those sugarplums!”

      
     
*********
    
    

Lesson 80 – 4-Letter Vocab-Builder

   
NEW WORDS: AWOL, Alma, Bach, Bora, Brit, Celts, Cobb, Coco, Cory, Cris, Faye, Ferd, Fitz, Flor, Fonz, Gael, Gaye, Kyle, Lech, Lief, Liev, Louie, Loyd, Luke, Lyle, Reid, Roan, Robb, Rolf, Ross, Rowe, Rudd, Ruth, Shaq, Skye, Winkler, achy, acne, ahem, ajar, ally, alms, alto, alum, ammo, amok, amps, anti, aqua, aria, arid, asps, auld, avow, awed, bads, bale, balk, balm, bams, bane, banished, bans, bash, beck, bevy, bile, bilk, blah, bleeding, blip, bloc, blot, blur, bode, bogs, bolt, bond, boob, boon, boxy, bozo, bray, bred, brew, brig, brim, brow, brrr, buff, bulk, bums, bunt, buoy, cagy, campaign, capo, carp, cask, cawing, cepe, char, chez, chia, chic, chit, chub, cigs, clad, clan, clef, clod, clog, clot, cloy, coda, coed, coho, coif, coma, cons, coos, coot, cots, coup, cowl, crag, cranberries, craw, crewcut, croc, crud, crux, cued, cues, cuff, cull, cult, desert’s, dice, digest, domino, doves, duct, eons, fang, fats, fess, fibs, flossing, gaming, geek, gist, gory, gourmet, gums, haze, hoax, hoed, hymn, invade, isle, jams, kegs, kist, lightly, lotion, mater, mayor, monk, nun, opera, profits, pros, ranger, rated, retired, reunion, rotted, rube, skillet, snake’s, sonata, speaker’s, syne, teaches, throat’s, treble, tuba, tuna, uglies
     
     

Does your foot ache?

He’s aged five years.

The door is ajar.

The cow’s by that bale of hay.

Bash down the door!

I’ll bide my time here.

Blah, that tastes bad.

Brrr, it’s cold!

The cat’s claw is sharp!

Clean out the chicken coop.

That croc ate a rat.

This cord is too short.

The doc will cure me.

Gramps is now deaf.

Roll the dice!

The air duct is dusty.

Their dog’s named “Duke.”

Shaq rocks!

The Stone Age was eons past.

Slow down, Kyle!

I passed the exam!

That snake’s fang is sharp!

Fats Domino was a blues man.

That’s my Aunt Flor.

He fibs all the time.

There’s no flaw in our plan.

He’s a gaming geek.

I get the gist of it.

That film was gory.

Flossing helps your gums.

A haze hung over the town.

That story was a hoax.

The farmer hoed his field.

Mom hums while she cooks.

We sang a hymn in church.

He’s always getting into jams.

That shock gave me a jolt.

Hawks have keen eyes.

Take back these kegs of beer.

I like Star Kist tuna.

There’s a leak in the sink.

Let’s laze around at home.

My throat’s achy.

My brother has acne.

That happened ages ago.

Ahem, are you awake?

Mom aims to please.

France was our ally in the war.

Ross got a crewcut.

That college is dad’s alma mater.

Henry Winkler played “the Fonz.”

There’s aloe in that lotion.

That singer is an alto.

She’s an alum of Yale.

He’s there amid the crowd.

Load the guns with ammo.

The crowd ran amok.

This speaker’s rated at 50 amps.

Mrs. Skye teaches art.

With spring, flowers bloom anew.

Is Faye home?

She runs an anti-bully campaign.

The bay is an aqua color.

The opera star sang an aria.

The desert’s arid.

Asps are deadly snakes.

We gave alms to the poor.

My watch is atop that chest.

We sang Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s.

I avow to fight their King!

We were awed by the magic.

The soldier went AWOL.

They axed four people at work.

Go to bed, Gabe.

We heard baas from the sheep.

I love the music of Bach!

List the goods, the bads, and the uglies.

Lief is Dutch.

Don’t let that mule balk on you.

Lyle can’t eat nuts.

Put this balm on your cut.

He bams his fists on his food tray.

You’re the bane of my life.

I bet the mayor bans the parade.

This is my son, Ferd.

Let’s bask in the sun.

What’s that beam of light from?

Her beau asked her to the prom.

Sean Penn is an actor.

Get me a Baby Ruth candy bar.

I’ll be at your beck and call.

That bevy of crows is cawing.

Let’s name her Gael.

Bring home some Bibb lettuce.

Bile helps to digest fats.

He’ll try to bilk you out of your cash.

Mr. Rudd retired.

Bind up these packages.

What’s that blip on the radar?

Those countries formed a trade bloc.

Blot up this ink.

All I see is a blur.

It doesn’t bode well for us.

Cranberries grow in bogs.

Fess up that you took it.

Boll weevils invade cotton fields.

I saw a lightning bolt!

Their friendship has a strong bond.

Rolf is German.

That boor has no manners.

Don’t act like such a boob.

The rain was a boon for the dry fields.

That’s my dog, Fitz.

Bora Bora is an isle in the South Pacific.

She has a boxy figure.

You act like Bozo the Clown.

We heard the bray of a donkey.

They buy well-bred horses.

Let’s brew some tea.

They locked the prisoner in the brig.

Fill my cup to the brim.

I met a Brit from London.

She wrinkled her brow.

You should buff your shoes more.

Gaye is on the phone.

We buy things in bulk at Sam’s.

None of those bums has a job.

Bunt the baseball this time.

It’s shallow where that buoy is.

Don’t cut your hand on that burr.

She’s a cagy chess player.

Put the capo at the 3rd fret of your guitar.

Coach will carp at every little thing you do wrong.

The pirates drank a cask of ale.

My ancestors were Celts.

A cepe is a gourmet mushroom.

Lightly char the steak.

The place we ate at is called Chez Louie.

Chia seeds are good for you.

Her dress is very chic!

Here’s a signed chit, and I’ll pay you later.

You’ll find chub fish in the Great Lakes.

Buy me a pack of cigs.

This skillet is clad with a new metal.

Our clan is having a family reunion.

Learn the notes on the treble clef first.

Pull up that clod of weeds.

That will clog the drain!

Your blood will clot to stop the bleeding.

Your diet of nothing but sweets will soon cloy.

Order me a Cobb Salad.

I met a lady named Coco.

Don’t miss the coda in this sonata.

That high school boy dates a college coed.

This coho salmon is tasty.

The nun put on her coif.

He came out of his coma!

Look at both the pros and cons.

We heard the coos of doves.

That old coot is so grumpy.

Work on your core at the gym.

Mr. Robb got a new job.

Pull the cots out for the extra guests.

Lech is from Poland.

They banished the ruler in a military coup.

The monk put on his cowl.

Cory showed us his dance moves.

Luke wet his pants.

See the mountain goat on that crag?

His insult stuck in my craw.

Cris has gone to bed.

I make more profits from this crop.

Loyd plays the tuba.

I’ve got a bunch of crud in my lungs.

Tell me the crux of the matter.

The Director cued her to faint.

Choose any of these pool cues.

My left pant cuff is torn.

Cull out the rotted fruit in this bowl.

Hi, Mr. Roan.

He got smart and left that dangerous cult.

Liev can act well.

Coach Reid taught us well.

Mrs. Rowe was our nanny.

I love Ranger Rick books.

That rube won’t do well in the big city.

*********
   
   
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 81 – Native Americans

   
NEW WORDS: Chaco, Hilki, Hilki’s, Kokopelli, Kokopelli’s, Mahwa, Una, ancestral, canyons, community, eagle’s, evenings, flickering, gathering, hatchets, headfirst, kivas, ladders, longhouse, mixture, nature’s, northwest, paddles, paddling, potlatch, ravens, southwest, spearfishing, spearheads, specially, starry, storerooms, storytelling, tailed, upriver, wintertime
     
         

Chapter One: Little Rabbit of the Eastern Woodlands
   
The sun was out. It was a clear day. Little Rabbit was chopping wood. He was outside his family’s longhouse. His father, uncle, and brother had gone to hunt. He was not old enough to go with them. He was sad when he was left behind. A longhouse was made of wood. Often, lots of families lived in one longhouse.

Some time passed. Little Rabbit heard the sound of voices. He looked deep into the woods. He saw his brother, father, and uncle. They were done with their hunt. His father and uncle carried a white-tailed deer. His brother held two turkeys.

Native Americans used the meat from the animals they hunted for food. They used furs for blankets. They used skins for clothes and shoes.

Little Rabbit smiled. They walked up to him. His father patted his head. His brother showed him the turkeys. Little Rabbit knew that hunting was important to his family. “Can I go with you next time?” he asked.

“Brother,” said Little Rabbit’s older brother. “Your arrow does not hit its target!”

Little Rabbit’s father touched him. It was a gentle touch. He talked softly. “Soon you’ll be ready to hunt! And then, we’ll have a feast! It will be like when we give thanks for nature’s gifts. We will celebrate you.”

Chapter Two: Little Rabbit Goes Fishing
    
It was early the next day. Little Rabbit went to the river. He was with his mother. He was not allowed to hunt yet. But he knew how to fish. He fished with a line and a hook. The hook was made from deer bone. The river water was cold. His mother began to fill a large basket with water. It was for drinking and cooking.

Native Americans fished a lot with a line and hook. Something tasty for the fish to eat was attached to the hook.

Little Rabbit began to fish. On the river’s edge, there was a canoe. The family used it for going up and down the river. Two paddles lay inside the canoe. Little Rabbit’s father and uncle had made the canoe. He loved paddling with his brother. They would go upriver. They would fish with nets.

Little Rabbit’s mom was ready to leave. She turned to him. She called his name. “Little Rabbit,” she said. “It’s time to go back.”

Right then, he hooked a large trout. He smiled to himself. “I’m coming!” he yelled.

Brook trout live in fresh water in the eastern U.S. They can grow to be close to three feet long.

Little Rabbit walked happily beside his mother. It was a nice walk in the woods. On the way, he picked nuts and berries. He placed them in a basket. His mother had made the basket from leaves and twigs. Little Rabbit couldn’t wait to see his brother. He’d show him the large fish that he’d caught.

Chapter Three: Una and Len of the American Southwest
   
It was long, long ago in a place now called New Mexico. There lived Native American people who were part of a group called the Ancestral Pueblo. The Ancestral Pueblo built homes there that were a little like apartment buildings. There were many different rooms for different families. This included community rooms called “kivas.” Most of the rooms were part of the same building. In one of these buildings, lived a girl named Una. 

For hundreds of years, the Ancestral Pueblo lived in Chaco Canyon, in northern New Mexico. Today, you can visit what was once their home.

Una loved to go from floor to floor visiting her friends. She would climb up and down the wooden ladders as fast as she could.

In the wintertime, Una and her cousin Len would sit and lean against the stone walls that were warmed by the sun. There they would tell each other stories.

On many winter nights, it was very cold. Una and Len would sit near the great fires that were built in their homes. During the day, they spent many hours gathering firewood. The firewood was only used on the coldest nights. 

Finally, winter was over and spring began. Una and Len would race each other across the land that was beginning to turn green. This was a sign that it would soon be time to plant corn. Corn was the most important crop for the Ancestral Pueblo. They ate corn every day. They stored it for the winter months, and for the times when the rain did not come and nothing grew in the dry earth.

Chapter Four: Una and Len Celebrate Spring
   
In early spring, Una had less time to play with Len. She had to work with her mother and sisters. They worked to get the soil ready to plant the corn seeds. Una helped dig up the soil and make long rows for the corn. Near the rows filled with corn seeds, they also planted squash and bean seeds.

After planting, the Ancestral Pueblo celebrated. They thanked Kokopelli, the rain god, for his help. The Ancestral Pueblo believed that Kokopelli played a magic flute. The music was thought to bring rain to the fields.

Len had once told Una a well-known story. When the wind blew through the canyons in springtime, it was really the sound of Kokopelli’s flute. Now, each spring, Una listened for the sound of the flute.

While the crops grew, Una and the other girls watched the fields. They also chased birds and small animals from the fields. Len went off to hunt with the other boys. But in the evenings, Una and Len sat beneath the clear, starry sky. They would tell each other about their day.

The crops were finally ready to be harvested. Everyone would help in the fields. The crops were gathered and stored. Some of the crops were stored in beautiful baskets made from plants, such as yucca, that the women and girls made. The rest were placed in large storerooms. After the harvest, there was a big feast. Then Una and Len ate until their tummies ached.

Corn, squash, and beans were important foods for the Ancestral Pueblo. These crops are sometimes called, “the three sisters.”

Chapter Five: Hilki of the Pacific Northwest
    
Hilki ran to the beach. His father, uncle, and brothers were pushing their new canoe into the ocean water. Hilki waded into the water and grabbed onto the side of the canoe. The men had spent many days working hard with their hatchets. They had turned the tall trunk of a cedar tree into a beautiful canoe. Now it was ready. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest often made canoes from red cedar trees.

Hilki pushed and pulled the canoe as hard as he could. The cold water splashed around his waist. Before long, the water was up to his chest. “Jump into the canoe, Hilki!” said his father loudly. “Or soon you will be under the water!”

Hilki rolled into the canoe headfirst. Moments later, his brothers jumped in beside him. Hilki loved this canoe because his father had carved the head of a raven on the front. Ravens were a sign of good luck. He hoped the raven would help his family catch a lot of fish. Ravens are smart birds. They can copy the sounds humans make.

“Who’s ready to fish?” asked Hilki’s father as he, too, jumped into the canoe. Hilki’s uncle had stayed behind to hunt.

“I am!” replied Hilki loudly. “May I use a spear?” he asked hopefully.

Hilki’s father nodded his reply. Hilki smiled and reached for a spear. This would be his first time spearfishing. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest used different kinds of stone spearheads.

Chapter Six: Hilki Goes Fishing
    
Hilki’s brothers paddled hard. They moved the canoe farther out into the ocean. Then they changed direction. The fishermen headed north.

Sometime later, they stopped to fish. Hilki slowly raised his spear. “Keep still and be patient!” Hilki’s father said. Hilki did as his father asked. He stood up and stared at the calm, blue water. A large king salmon came into view.

Hilki gulped and moved his spear quickly. But the salmon was faster than Hilki. Hilki fell forward toward the water. Just in time, his father saved him.

“It takes time to learn how to spear a fish,” said Hilki’s father. “Be patient.” Hilki nodded his head. But he felt sad.

“Come, Hilki. Let’s use the net!” said Hilki’s father. Hilki helped his father throw the net into the water. Before long, they had caught many large king salmon. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest stored king salmon to eat in the wintertime.

Just before sunset, the fishermen returned to their village. Hilki’s mother came to help with the fish. They would prepare a tasty meal of fresh salmon that night. Then they would all sit and talk about their day. The rest of the salmon would be smoked and stored. Hilki hoped his brothers would not tell that he had almost gone swimming with the fish.

Chapter Seven: Hilki and the New Totem Pole
   
Several days later, the sun was rising in the morning sky. Hilki rolled up his sleeping mat and stepped outside. He walked through his village. He passed by many totem poles. Totem poles tell stories about Native American history in the Pacific Northwest.

That day, the village was planning a gathering called a potlatch. This potlatch was being held to show the new totem pole that Hilki’s Uncle Mahwa had made. The women of the village would cook a wonderful feast. Many gifts, such as blankets and food, would be given by the chief to the people who gathered.

Hilki found his uncle looking at the new totem pole. “Is it almost finished?” Hilki asked.

“We need to paint it,” said Mahwa. “Would you like to help me?”

Hilki’s uncle did not wait for a reply. He simply gave Hilki two wooden bowls. Each was filled with a paint mixture of oil, berries, and plants.

Animal shapes had been carved into the totem pole. There were birds, frogs, and a bear. An eagle’s head was at the very top.

For the rest of the day, everyone in the village got ready for the potlatch. Hilki knew there would be lots of food, dancing, gift giving, and storytelling. Some people would wear specially carved face masks as they danced. Hilki was excited.

This is a carved and painted wooden mask of the moon. To some Native Americans, the moon is the protector of Earth.

Finally, the sun began to set. The people of the village gathered around the great fire. Suddenly, the sound of music could be heard in the still evening air.

Hilki sat next to his mother. Together they watched the raising of the totem pole, as the flickering flames burned brightly.

*********
    
    

Lesson 82 – Poems And Rhymes

   
NEW WORDS: Chicago, Daw, Gotham, Margery, Willy, backbone, boggin, brownies, decked, droop, duly, explanation, fountain’s, gaily, hayseed, housie, infant, meek, mellow, mimic, motion, mousie, mowing, palaces, pastry, poppy’s, popsicles, prized, puddings, racehorse, readers, saucer, seeking, skid, skim, spandy, steppes, stilts, trickle, twilight
   
    

Jack-A-Dandy
      
Handy-spandy, Jack-a-dandy,
Loves plum cake and sugar candy.
He bought some at a baker’s shop,
Pleased he was, and ran, HOP! HOP! HOP!

The Crooked Sixpence
    
There was a crooked man, he went on a crooked walk,

He found a crooked sixpence, by a crooked corn stalk.

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,

And they all lived together, in a little crooked house.

Christmas
   
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat,

Please to put a penny, in an old man’s hat.

If you haven’t got a penny, a half-penny will do,

If you haven’t got a half-penny, God bless you.

A Riddle
   
There is one that has a head without an eye,

And there’s one that has an eye without a head.

You may find the answer if you try.

And when all is said, half the answer hangs upon a thread.

   
Poem By Christina Rossetti
    
   

An Explanation Of The Grasshopper
   
The Grasshopper, the Grasshopper, I will explain to you.

He is the Brownies‘ racehorse, the Fairies’ Kangaroo.

   
Poem By Vachel Lindsaycor
     
   

Flowers Of The Steppes
   
Little bells, pretty flowers of the steppes, turning your faces my way.

Why do you droop your heads, on such a bright May day?

As you shake your heads in the grasses, what do you whisper and say?

Buttons
   
Buttons, a dollar a pair, come, who will buy them from me?

They’re round and sound and pretty, and fit for girls of the city.

Come, who will buy them from me? Buttons, a dollar a pair!

The Clucking Hen
   
“Will you take a walk with me, my little wife, today?

There’s barley in the barley field, and hayseed in the hay.”

“Thank you,” said the clucking hen, “I’ve something else to do;

I’m busy sitting on my eggs, I cannot walk with you.”

The clucking hen sat on her nest, she made it on the hay;

And warm and snug beneath her breast, a dozen white eggs lay.

“Crack, crack,” went all the eggs, out dropped the chickens small; 

“Cluck,” said the clucking hen, “Now I have you all.”

“Come along, my little chicks, I’ll take a walk with you.”

“Hello!” said the barn-door cock, “Cock-a-doodle-do!”

   
Poem By Aunt Effie’s Rhymes
     
   

Coral
   
Oh, sailor, come ashore, what have you brought for me?

Red coral, white coral, coral from the sea.

   
Poem By Christina Rossetti
    
   

See Saw, Margery Daw
   
See Saw, Margery Daw, Jenny shall have a new master.

She shall have but a penny a day, because she can’t work any faster.

The Donkey
   
Donkey, donkey, old and gray, open your mouth, and gently bray.

Lift your ears, and blow your horn, to wake the world, this sleepy morn.

World Songs
    
Of speckled eggs the birdie sings, and nests upon the trees.

The sailor sings of ropes and things, in ships upon the seas.

The children sing in far Japan, the children sing in Spain.

The organ with the organ man, is singing in the rain.

   
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
     
   

Good Morning
   
One day I saw a downy duck, with feathers on his back.

I said, “Good morning, downy duck,” and he said, “Quack, quack, quack.”

One day I saw a timid mouse, he was so shy and meek.

I said, “Good morning, timid mouse,” and he said, “Squeak, squeak, squeak.”

One day I saw a curly dog, I met him with a bow.

I said, “Good morning, curly dog,” and he said, “Bow-wow-wow.”

One day I saw a scarlet bird, he woke me from my sleep.

I said, “Good morning, scarlet bird,” and he said, “Cheep, cheep, cheep.”

   
Poem By Muriel Sipe
     
   

Conversation
   
“Mousie, mousie, where is your little wee housie?”

“Here is the door, under the floor,” said mousie, mousie.

“Mousie, mousie, may I come into your housie?”

“You can’t come in. You have to be thin,” said mousie, mousie.

“Mousie, mousie, won’t you come out of your housie?”

“I’m sorry to say, I’m busy all day,” said mousie, mousie.

   
Poem By Rose Fyleman
    
   

Three Wise Men Of Gotham
   
Three wise men of Gotham, went to sea in a bowl.

If the bowl had been stronger, my song had been longer.

Little Girl And Queen
   
“Little girl, little girl, where have you been?”

“Gathering roses, to give to the Queen.”

“Little girl, little girl, what gave she you?”

“She gave me a diamond, as big as my shoe.”

What is Pink?
   
What is pink? A rose is pink, by the fountain’s brink.

What is red? A poppy’s red, in its barley bed.

What is blue? The sky is blue, where the clouds float through.

What is white? A swan is white, sailing in the light.

What is yellow? Pears are yellow, rich and ripe and mellow.

What is green? The grass is green, with small flowers between.

What is violet? Clouds are violet, in the summer twilight.

What is orange? Why, an orange, just an orange!

   
Poem By Christina Rossetti
     
     

Blocks
    
What are you able to build with your blocks? Castles and palaces, temples and docks.

Rain may keep raining, and others go roam, but I can be happy and building at home.

   
Poem By Robert Louis Stevenson
     
   

Little Sally Walker
   
Little Sally Walker, sitting in the saucer,

Rise, Sally, rise, wipe your weepy eyes.

Put your hand on your hips, and make your backbone slip.

Oh, shake it to the east, oh, shake it to the west.

Oh, shake it to the one, that you love best.

Crunch And Luck
   
Popcorn crunches, peanuts do,

The cone part of an ice cream cone, is wonderful for crunching, too.

Things to lick are candy sticks, rainbow-colored popsicles.

Chocolate sauce when it begins, to leak and trickle, down our chins.

   
Poem By Dorothy Aldis
    
   

Crazy-Town
   
Would you like to see goats dance on stilts? Then to Crazy-Town you must go.

The cow wears slippers on her feet, and everyone laughs, Ho-ho!

The ducks laugh, quack, quack, quack; the farm-boy laughs till he cries,

And over there, the dog, the dog; the dog makes Big Round Eyes!

King Boggin
   
Little King Boggin, built a fine hall, pie crust and pastry crust, that was the wall.

The windows were made of black puddings and white, and covered with pancakes, you never saw the like!

The Canary
   
Mary had a little bird, with feathers bright and yellow.

Slender legs, upon my word, he was a pretty fellow!

Sweetest notes he always sung, which much delighted Mary.

Often where his cage was hung, she sat to hear Canary.

Crumbs of bread and dainty seeds, she carried to him daily.

Seeking for the early weeds, she decked his palace gaily.

This, my little readers, learn, and ever practice duly.

Songs and smiles of love return, to friends who love you truly.

   
Poem By Elizabeth Turner
    
   

Engine Number Nine
   
Engine, engine, number nine, running along the Chicago Line,

Engine, engine, number nine, when she’s polished, she will shine.

The King Of France
   
The King of France went up the hill, with twenty-thousand men.

The King of France came down the hill, and never went up again.

Icy
   
I slip and I slide, on the slippery ice.
I skid and I glide, oh, isn’t it nice,
To lie on your tummy, and slither and skim,
On the slick crust of snow, where you skid as you swim?

   
Poem By Rhoda W. Bacmeister
     
    

Willy Boy
    
“Willy Boy, Willy Boy, where are you going?

I will go with you, if that I may.”

“I’m going to the meadow, to see them a-mowing,

I’m going to help them, to rake the hay.”

City Gate
    
Everyone’s glad in our city today.

There’s no one who’s not happy and gay.

When grandpa and grandma and grandchildren eight,

Come riding along through the wide city gate.

The First Tooth
     
Through the house what busy joy, just because the infant boy,

Has a tiny tooth to show! I have got a double row,

All as white, and all as small, yet no one cares for mine, at all.

He can say but half a word, yet that single sound’s preferred,

To all the words that I can say, in the longest summer day.

He cannot walk, yet if he put, with mimic motion out his foot,

As if he thought he were advancing, it’s prized more than my best dancing.

      
Poem By Charles and Mary Lamb
       
       
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Click on this link to move forward to Module D, Lessons 1 – 10
   

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