Word Workout. Dear Family Member: WORDS TO KNOW SPELLING WORDS. This Week s Skills. annoyed circular reference outstretched disappointment conducted

Transcription

1 Home-School Connection Word Workout WORDS TO KNOW annoyed circular reference outstretched disappointment conducted The Same As Tell me which of the following matches one of the words above. round discontent dictionary irritated expanded SPELLING WORDS root tale wade dough moose prints we ve weave whose route who s boulder patience doe mousse patients tail prince weighed bolder (fold here) Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Dear Family Member: This week we re reading The Gold Rush Game. It s a science fiction story about Eric and Matt, who travel back in time and meet Eric s great-great-great grandfather. His ancestor went to California during the days of the Gold Rush. Eric is afraid that their visit will affect the future of his family. It will be interesting to read about their adventures and about how they get back home. This Week s Skills Comprehension: cause and effect Vocabulary: suffixes Spelling/Phonics: words spelled differently but pronounced the same 377 Sounds the Same Homophones are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. I ll say a word and you can give me both spellings. Name

2 Time Travel Suppose we could travel back in time. What actions would we take that might change history? Let s read the events below and talk about how our actions will affect the future. On April 15, 1912, one of the most tragic accidents in history occurred when the ship Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Over 1,500 people lost their lives. Some say the ship was traveling too fast and was unable to turn in time to avoid hitting the iceberg. You are a time traveler on the deck of the Titanic. What will you do? How will it change history? Macmillan/McGraw-Hill You are a time traveler who has gone back to the Cretaceous era. Dinosaurs roam the Earth and large reptile-like creatures swim in the sea. Pterodactyls rule the skies. A large asteroid is traveling toward Earth. It will hit the spot where you are in one hundred years. The collision will destroy this area of the world and wipe out the dinosaurs. What will you do? How will it change history? 378

3 Conexión con el hogar Ejercicio de palabras PALABRAS DE VOCABULARIO annoyed circular reference outstretched disappointment conducted Asociaciones Dime qué palabra de abajo corresponde a qué palabra de arriba. round discontent dictionary irritated expanded SPELLING WORDS root tale wade dough moose prints we ve weave whose route who s boulder patience doe mousse patients tail prince weighed bolder (fold here) Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Queridos familiares: Esta semana estamos leyendo The Gold Rush Game. Es un cuento de ciencia ficción que trata de Eric y Matt, quienes viajan al pasado y se encuentran con el tatarabuelo de Eric, que había ido a California en los días de la Fiebre del Oro. Eric tiene miedo de que el encuentro con su antepasado afecte el futuro de su familia. Va a ser fascinante leer sobre las aventuras de Eric y Matt y ver cómo logran regresar a casa. Destrezas de la semana Comprensión: causa y efecto Vocabulario: los sufijos Ortografía/Fonética: palabras que se escriben diferente pero se pronuncian igual 379 Suena igual Homófonos son palabras que suenan igual, pero se escriben diferente y tienen significados diferentes. Te diré una palabra y tú me dirás las dos formas en que se puede escribir. Nombre

4 Viajar en el tiempo Supón que pudiéramos viajar al pasado. Qué podríamos hacer que pudiera cambiar el curso de la historia? Vamos a leer los sucesos de abajo y hablar de cómo nuestras acciones podrían afectar el futuro. On April 15, 1912, one of the most tragic accidents in history occurred when the ship Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Over 1,500 people lost their lives. Some say the ship was traveling too fast and was unable to turn in time to avoid hitting the iceberg. You are a time traveler on the deck of the Titanic. What will you do? How will it change history? Macmillan/McGraw-Hill You are a time traveler who has gone back to the Cretaceous era. Dinosaurs roam the Earth and large reptile-like creatures swim in the sea. Pterodactyls rule the skies. A large asteroid is traveling toward Earth. It will hit the spot where you are in one hundred years. The collision will destroy this area of the world and wipe out the dinosaurs. What will you do? How will it change history? 380

5 Comprehension Check Summarize Fill in the cause-and-effect chart with important events in the story and what caused them. Use the chart to summarize the story. Cause Effect Macmillan/McGraw-Hill by Sunita Apte illustrated by Richard Stergulz Think and Compare 1. Why does Cole need to find the sheriff? (Cause and Effect) 2. What would you have done if you were in Cole s place? (Synthesize) 3. Why might camels have been useful in the Southwest long ago? What about today? (Apply) Camel Ride Table of Contents Overheard! A Plan The Ride Safe! Comprehension Check

6 Cole! Where are you? Overheard! Cole Drummond huddled closer to the cottonwood tree he was hiding behind. He could hear his mother calling him, but his mission was much too important to give up and return to the house. He would go back in a second. She probably wanted him to get water. It was one of his jobs, now that his father was working at the mine that he bought last month. Cole was expected to do a lot more on the ranch. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill His father looked doubtful for a moment, but then gave in. Well, if you re sure you can do it... then okay. Silently, father and son mounted their animals and started up the trail toward the ranch. Bright moonlight still lit up the way. Cole thought that he had never been so happy as he was right now. Behind him, he could feel his father s eyes, watching. Well, I ll tell you, Cole, his father finally said. I don t think I know anyone who can ride a camel as well as you can. You know what I think? I think I might be looking at the new camel hand on the ranch! 2 19

7 Yes, his father answered. The mine is safe, thanks to you. I m really proud of you, Cole. You conducted yourself very well. You re growing up into a fine young man. Cole tried to hide how pleased he was. He looked through the open cabin door at Sunshine tied to the hitching post. He turned to his father. It s okay, Pa, he said. I can ride Sunshine back home. I m not too tired. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Cole leaned against the tree and strained his ears. He was trying to eavesdrop on a conversation two ranch hands were having. He had been sort of spying on them all week, ever since the two men had shown up at the ranch looking for work. Right away, something about them had struck Cole as suspicious. He thought of what his father had told him before he left for the mine. Remember, Cole, you re the man on the ranch now, his father had said. I need you to use your eyes and ears and instincts to keep the family safe. And mind your ma as well, you hear? 18 3

8 Cole had proudly promised his father that he would be very, very good. And now, here he was, torn between two of his father s instructions. It was true, he wasn t minding his mother. But he was following his instincts. He just knew these ranch hands were up to something. He was determined to figure out what. Cole could barely make out the men s voices. We re all set for the mine takeover, one said. It s practically empty only Drummond and a couple of miners are there. They ll never know what happened. Well, I m ready. Just say the word, the other one responded. Okay, meet me on the trail tonight after the other men bunk down. It s a full moon, so we ll have an easy ride. Cole saw the two men shake hands. He stayed pressed against the tree until both of them walked away. Then he took off for the house, his heart pounding. Those ranch hands were going to take over the mine! That reference to Drummond that was his father. His father was in danger. He had to do something but what? Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Safe! The rest of the night passed in a blur. Cole waited at the sheriff s cabin while the sheriff and his deputy went to confront the ranch hands. He fell asleep on the sheriff s bed, his legs sore from his long camel ride. He awoke to the sound of his father whispering. Cole, it s time to wake up. We re going home now. I ll put you in front of me on my horse and we ll come back for Sunshine tomorrow. Cole looked up at his father, trying to clear his head. Did the sheriff end up arresting those ranch hands? he asked. 4 17

9 Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill What is it, son? the sheriff asked. He could see the concern on the boy s face. It s the mine, Cole gasped. I overheard two of our ranch hands plotting to take it over. My father is down at the mine now. I wasn t sure what to do. Calm down, the sheriff soothed the boy. You did the right thing in coming to me. Jeff! he called to his deputy. We ve got some work to do! 16 5

10 A Plan Cole stopped and thought for a moment. He didn t dare tell his mother. She had enough to worry about already, and he didn t want to worry her more. He would have to take care of this himself. What if he left now and rode over to the sheriff s cabin? He was a fast rider. The sheriff could then ride to the mine and confront the ranch hands when they arrived. What a great idea! Cole s face lit up, only to fall seconds later in disappointment. His plan had a giant fault. There was no horse at the ranch for him to ride. His father had taken the family s horse, Thunder, with him to the mine. Sure, the ranch hands all had horses, but no way would Cole take one of them. That was a rule his father had always stressed to him. Never mess with another person s horse. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill It was dark now. The bright moonlight made the trail easy to see. It was just a few miles more to the sheriff s cabin. Cole concentrated on making sure the camel didn t lose her footing. He needed to find the sheriff before the ranch hands could get to the mine. It seemed like hours before Cole finally saw the light at the sheriff s cabin. He quickly dismounted and tied the camel to the hitching post. Out back he could see the sheriff s and deputy s horses stabled for the night. The sheriff opened the door to Cole s knock. Behind him the deputy was hunched over a plate of food. Cole had interrupted their supper. 6 15

11 Cole began heading down the trail to the sheriff s cabin. The camel s loping walk felt strange. Cole s whole body dipped from side to side as he rode. It was a very different feeling from being on a horse. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill 14 7

12 Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Carefully he approached the camel with outstretched hands, talking to her. When he was close enough, he slipped the bridle over her head. Then, as his father had taught him, he got the camel to go down on her knees. He fastened on the saddle and, before Sunshine could protest, was astride her. Gently, he pulled the reins and the camel slowly rose. He led her out of the pen, reaching behind him to close the gate. 8 13

13 The Ride Cole ran back to the barn and grabbed one of the camel saddles hanging inside. Then he went out to the pen. The camels were all huddled together in one corner. Their golden faces shone in the early evening light. He looked them over until he spotted the one he wanted. Her name was Sunshine, and she was the oldest and gentlest of the bunch. Cole had only ridden her once before, but he thought he knew what to do. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Unless... unless there was another way. Cole abruptly changed course and rushed toward a big circular pen by the barn. Inside the large pen were a few camels. His father had bought them last year when the state had auctioned them off. The Texas government had originally imported the camels to carry loads across the Southwest. Camels didn t need much water and were used to hot, dry deserts. Government officials thought the camels would make better pack animals for Texas than mules or horses. But the camel experiment hadn t worked out. So the government had sold the animals to ranchers. Cole s father had bought five of them. He thought camels might be just the right animals to carry supplies to and from the mine, since they were surefooted and could hold heavy loads. 12 9

14 However, Cole s father hadn t yet managed to convince his miners and ranch hands of that. They thought the camels were mean and difficult to handle. Most of them wanted nothing to do with them. Only a few had learned how to saddle and ride the camels. Cole had watched the lessons eagerly and begged to join. Finally, his father had given in. So Cole had learned how to saddle and ride the camels as well. Now Cole wanted to be the camel hand on the ranch the person who rode and took care of the camels. The problem was, his father didn t think he was ready. He said Cole would have to prove himself to be capable first. Camel Ride Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Cole went back to the house. His mother was waiting for him in the kitchen. She had wanted him to eat supper, not fetch water. Didn t you hear me calling? she asked, but she was smiling, so Cole knew she wasn t really annoyed. He hurriedly gulped down his supper. Then he grabbed his hat and opened the back door. I have to do an errand for Pa, he told his mother. I ll be back soon. His mother nodded. If she thought there was anything odd about him going out in the evening, she didn t mention it