comprehension - ellis familyellis2020.org/treasures/tg-treasures/unit5_week4_2.pdf · comprehension...

ComprehensionGenreRealistic Fiction is a

made-up story that could

have happened in real life.

Monitor Comprehension Character As you read, fill in your

Character Web.

Read to Find OutHow does James’s summer

in New York actually

turn out?

608

ComprehensionGENRE: REALISTIC FICTION

Have a student read the definition of

Realistic Fiction on Student Book page

608. Students should look for events

that could happen in real life.

STRATEGYMONITOR COMPREHENSION

Remind students to monitor, or check,

their comprehension as they read. They

should stop regularly to ask themselves

if they understand what is happening

in the story.

SKILLCHARACTER

Remind students that authors use

various methods to show what kind of

people the characters in a story are.

As readers of realistic fiction, students

should use clues provided by the

author and their own experiences to

infer why characters act as they do.

Vocabulary Words Review the tested vocabulary words: strutting,

swarms, flicked, collage, barbecue, glorious, and skyscrapers.

Story Words Students may be unfamiliar with these words.

Pronounce the words and give meanings as necessary.

studio (p. 615): the place where an artist works

fire escapes (p. 617): the outside stairways on buildings used as

emergency exits

stoops (p. 617): the sets of steps leading to the entrances of houses

saxophone (p. 618): a musical instrument used by jazz musicians

mango (p. 618): a sweet tropical fruit

MAIN SELECTION• Me and Uncle Romie

• Skill: Character

PAIRED SELECTION• “Making a Collage”

• Text Feature: Directions

SMALL GROUP OPTIONS

• Differentiated Instruction, pp. 631M–631V

608

As you read Me and Uncle Romie, fill in the Character Web.

How does the information you wrote in the Character Web help you to monitor your comprehension of Me and Uncle Romie?

Uncle Romie

On Level Practice Book O, page 172

Approaching Practice Book A, page 172

Beyond Practice Book B, page 172

Main Selection

by CLAIRE HARTFIELD pictures by JEROME LAGARRIGUE

609

Main Selection Student pages 608–609

Preview and PredictAsk students to read the title, preview

the illustrations, and make predictions

about the selection. What kinds of

new things do they think the boy will

discover? Have students write their

predictions and any questions they

may have about the story.

Set PurposesFOCUS QUESTION Discuss the “Read

to Find Out” question on Student

Book page 608. Remind students to

look for the answer as they read.

Point out the Character Web in the

Student Book and on Practice Book

page 172. Explain that students will fill

it in as they read.

Read Me and Uncle Romie

Use the questions and Think Alouds

to support instruction about the

comprehension strategy and skill.

If your students need support

to read the Main Selection,

use the prompts to guide

comprehension and model

how to complete the graphic

organizer. Encourage students

to read aloud.

If your students can read the

Main Selection independently,

have them read and complete

the graphic organizer. Remind

students to set and adjust their

reading rate based on their

purpose for reading.

If your students need alternate selections, choose the

Leveled Readers that match their instructional level.

Story available on Listening Library Audio CD

Me and Uncle Romie 609

It was the summer Mama had the twins that I fi rst met my uncle Romie. The doctor had told Mama she had to stay off her feet till the babies got born. Daddy thought it was a good time for me to visit Uncle Romie and his wife, Aunt Nanette, up north in New York City. But I wasn’t so sure. Mama had told me that Uncle Romie was some kind of artist, and he didn’t have any kids. I’d seen his picture too. He looked scary—a bald-headed, fi erce-eyed giant. No, I wasn’t sure about this visit at all.

The day before I left home was a regular North Carolina summer day. “A good train-watching day,” my friend B.J. said.

We waited quietly in the grass beside the tracks. B.J. heard it fi rst. “It’s a’coming,” he said. Then I heard it too—a low rumbling, building to a roar. WHOOO—OOO!

“The Piedmont!” we shouted as the train blasted past.

610

Main Selection Student page 610

Develop Comprehension

1 CHARACTER

Because Uncle Romie is one of the

characters in the title, we know he will

be a major character. What does the

narrator tell us about him in the first

paragraph? (The narrator knows that

Uncle Romie lives in New York and has

been told that he is an artist. He also

knows that Uncle Romie is married

and has no children. From a picture he

has seen that Uncle Romie is “a bald-

headed, fierce-eyed giant.”) Add this

information to your Character Web.

bald, fierce-eyed

Uncle Romie

12

610

“I’m the greatest train-watcher ever,” B.J. boasted.“Yeah,” I answered, “but tomorrow I’ll be riding a train.

I’m the lucky one.”Lucky, I thought as we headed home. Maybe.That evening I packed my suitcase. Voices drifted up

from the porch below.“Romie’s got that big art show coming up,” Mama said

quietly. “I hope he’s not too busy for James, especially on his birthday.”

“Romie’s a good man,” Daddy replied. “And Nanette’ll be there too.”

Character Who is the narrator of this story? How would you describe this character?

611



2 STRATEGYMONITOR COMPREHENSION

Teacher Think Aloud

As I read, I will

monitor my comprehension. I see

that the first paragraph is printed

differently, in italics. Why does the

author use this text feature? I think

it must mean that the narrator

is writing about something he

remembers from the past. Yes, he is

recalling how he had to take a trip

to New York because his mother

was going to have twins. He seems

a little afraid to meet his Uncle

Romie. I will have to keep reading to

find out why, because I have reread

this paragraph, and I have answered

all the questions I can.

3 CHARACTER

Who is the narrator of this story? How

would you describe this character?

(Suggested answer: The narrator’s

name is James. He has a best friend,

B.J., and both of them love to watch

trains. By the way he describes people

and listens to his parents talking, we

know he pays attention to the world

around him.)

3


The light faded. Mama called me into her bedroom. “Where’s my good-night kiss?” she said.

I curled up next to her. “I’ll miss the way you make my birthday special, Mama. Your lemon cake and the baseball game.”

“Well,” Mama sighed, “it won’t be those things. But Uncle Romie and Aunt Nanette are family, and they love you too. It’ll still be a good birthday, honey.”

Mama pulled me close. Her voice sang soft and low. Later, in my own bed, I listened as crickets began their song and continued into the night.

The next morning I hugged Mama good-bye, and Daddy and I headed for the train. He got me seated, then stood waving at me from the outside. I held tight to the jar of pepper jelly Mama had given me for Uncle Romie.

612



4 MONITOR AND CLARIFY

What self-monitoring strategies can

you use to help you find out what

kind of an upbringing James has had?

(Answers will vary; possible answer: I

can reread and read ahead. James says

that he will miss the way his mother

makes his birthday special. His father

is very careful about getting him onto

the train to New York. On the next

page, I read that his father packed

food for him to eat on the train.

James’s parents seem to be very caring

and concerned about his welfare.)

Mood

Explain The mood, or atmosphere, of a story is the feeling it gives

the reader. Authors create mood by using sensory words to describe

the setting and characters. Events in the plot are also carefully

developed to bring about a particular emotional response.

Discuss Ask students to look for descriptive details on page 612 that help

establish the mood of this part of the story (light faded; curled up next to

her; pulled me close; sang soft and low; crickets began their song; held tight

to the jar). What mood is the author creating? How does it reflect what

is happening in the plot? (Possible answer: The mood is quiet, slightly

fearful, and tense, because James is worried about his upcoming trip.)

Apply As students read, have them continue to scan the text for

descriptive details that signal mood. Ask them to keep a list of the major

plot events in the story and to identify the associated mood for each.

4

612

“ALL A-BOARD!” The conductor’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker.

The train pulled away. Chug-a-chug-a-chug-a-chug. I watched my town move past my window—bright-coloredhouses, chickens strutting across the yards, fl owers everywhere.

After a while I felt hungry. Daddy had packed me a lunch and a dinner to eat one at a time. I ate almost everything at once. Then my belly felt tight and I was kind of sleepy. I closed my eyes and dreamed about Mama and Daddy getting ready for those babies. Would they even miss me?

Later, when I woke up, I ate the last bit of my dinner and thought about my birthday. Would they make my lemon cake and take me to a baseball game in New York?

The sky turned from dark blue to black. I was getting sleepy all over again.

“We’re almost there, son,” the man next to me said.Then I saw it . . . New York City. Buildings stretching up

to the sky. So close together. Not like North Carolina at all.613



5 WRITER’S CRAFT: VOICE/MOOD

How does the author make the narrator

sound like a boy instead of a grownup?

(Suggested answer: The author shows

us how the boy experiences the train

ride. The narrator notes all the sights and

sounds, as would a child who has not

traveled like this before. In the sentence

“My belly felt tight and I was kind of

sleepy,” the author uses simple words that

a child might use.) Why is this important

to James’s role as narrator? (The author

wants us to experience the trip through

James’s eyes, to feel what it is like for

a child to travel for the first time to an

unfamiliar place.) How does this help

establish the mood of the story? (It helps

readers experience James’s feelings more

directly, which builds the mood.)

5


“Penn Station! Watch your step,” the conductor said, helping me down to the platform. I did like Daddy said and found a spot for myself close to the train. Swarms of people rushed by. Soon I heard a silvery voice call my name. This had to be Aunt Nanette. I turned and saw her big smile reaching out to welcome me.

614



6 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Reread the last sentence on page 614.

Does it have a literal or a figurative

meaning? Explain. (This is a figure of

speech, a metaphor. It means that Aunt

Nanette’s smile is so big and warm that

James feels as if it can reach out and

hug him. A smile cannot actually reach

out.)

Find the sentence that contains

the word swarms . What are some

synonyms for swarms? (Sample answers:

crowds, hordes, throngs)

6

Syntactic/Structural Cues

Explain Tell students that good readers sometimes use context

clues, word structure, and grammar to help them understand an

unfamiliar word.

Model Discuss the word silvery on page 614.

Think Aloud I’m not sure what the word silvery means. I see the

base word silver and the suffix -y. Other words I’ve seen that

have the suffix -y are adjectives, such as dirty. In this context,

silvery describes the sound of Aunt Nanette’s voice, so silvery

must be an adjective that means “musical,” like the sound of a

silver bell.

Apply Have students use structural clues to help with other difficult

words. For example, what other suffixes show that a word is an

adjective?

Ways to Confirm Meaning

614

She took my hand and guided me through the rushing crowds onto an underground train called the subway. “This will take us right home,” she explained.

Home was like nothing I’d ever seen before. No regular houses anywhere. Just big buildings and stores of all kinds—in the windows I saw paints, fabrics, radios, and TVs.

We turned into the corner building and climbed the stairs to the apartment—fi ve whole fl ights up. Whew! I tried to catch my breath while Aunt Nanette fl icked on the lights.

“Uncle Romie’s out talking to some people about his big art show that’s coming up. He’ll be home soon,” Aunt Nanette said. She set some milk and a plate of cookies for me on the table. “Your uncle’s working very hard, so we won’t see much of him for a while. His workroom—we call it his studio—is in the front of our apartment. That’s where he keeps all the things he needs to make his art.”

615



7 SETTING

What details in the story tell you

how North Carolina is different from

New York City? (At the beginning of

the story, James talks about grass,

chickens in the yards, and flowers all

over. In New York, he describes seeing

buildings, store windows, and walking

up five flights to his aunt’s apartment.)

8 CHARACTER

What new information does Aunt

Nanette offer James about Uncle

Romie’s character? (She says that

Uncle Romie is preparing an art show

and is working very hard.) Add this

information to your Character Web.

bald, fierce-eyed

hard-working artist

Uncle Romie

7

8


“Doesn’t he just paint?” I asked.“Uncle Romie is a collage artist,” Aunt Nanette

explained. “He uses paints, yes. But also photographs, newspapers, cloth. He cuts and pastes them onto a board to make his paintings.”

“That sounds kinda easy,” I said.Aunt Nanette laughed.“Well, there’s a little more to it than that, James. When

you see the paintings, you’ll understand. Come, let’s get you to bed.”

Lying in the dark, I heard heavy footsteps in the hall. A giant stared at me from the doorway. “Hello there, James.” Uncle Romie’s voice was deep and loud, like thunder. “Thanks for the pepper jelly,” he boomed. “You have a good sleep, now.” Then he disappeared down the hall.

616



9 USE ILLUSTRATIONS

How does the illustration add to

your understanding of Uncle Romie’s

character? What is the illustration’s

theme? (Suggested answer: The

illustration shows Uncle Romie in

shadow, standing in James’s doorway.

He looks a bit mysterious, which

is still how James sees him. The

theme it conveys is of guardedness,

unfamiliarity.)

Students should create mental images

to derive meaning.

9

616

The next morning the door to Uncle Romie’s studio was closed. But Aunt Nanette had plans for both of us. “Today we’re going to a neighborhood called Harlem,” she said. “It’s where Uncle Romie lived as a boy.”

Harlem was full of people walking, working, shopping, eating. Some were watching the goings-on from fi re escapes. Others were sitting out on stoops greeting folks who passed by—just like the people back home calling out hellos from their front porches. Most everybody seemed to know Aunt Nanette. A lot of them asked after Uncle Romie too.

We bought peaches at the market, then stopped to visit awhile. I watched some kids playing stickball. “Go on, get in that game,” Aunt Nanette said, gently pushing me over to join them. When I was all hot and sweaty, we cooled off with double chocolate scoops from the ice cream man. Later we shared some barbecue on a rooftop way up high. I felt like I was on top of the world.

617



10 COMPARE AND CONTRAST

How does Harlem in New York

compare to James’s home in North

Carolina? (Harlem is busier than his

hometown, and there are fire escapes

on tall apartment buildings. People

in Harlem call out, “Hello!” from

their front porches, which is what

people do in James’s North Carolina

neighborhood. The places are more

alike than James at first thought.)

11 CHARACTER

When James says, “I felt like I was

on top of the world,” what do we

learn about him? (Although James is

actually sitting on a rooftop, the fun

he is having in this new place makes

him feel as if there is no place higher.

He has probably rarely had so many

different experiences in one day

before.)

Students should recognize the

difference between formal and

informal language and how dialogue

can make a character more realistic.

STRATEGIES FOR EXTRA SUPPORT

Question 11 CHARACTERFigurative Language Explain the expression I felt like I was on top

of the world. Convey its literal meaning using a sketch of the world

or globe, and then explain its figurative meaning. Ask students

to retell what James did that day. You may need to explain such

words and phrases as fire escapes, stoops, front porches, stickball, and

rooftop. Ask students why they think James felt so happy. Would

they feel on top of the world if they had the same kind of day? Why

or why not? What would make them feel on top of the world? Find the sentence that contains the word

barbecue . In one minute, list as many

words as you can that are associated

with barbecue. (Sample answers: grilled,

hot, smoked, meat, ribs, chicken, sauce)

10

11


As the days went by, Aunt Nanette took me all over the city—we rode a ferry boat to the Statue of Liberty . . . zoomed 102 fl oors up at the Empire State Building . . . window-shopped the fancy stores on Fifth Avenue . . . gobbled hot dogs in Central Park.

But it was Harlem that I liked best. I played stickball with the kids again . . . and on a really hot day a whole bunch of us ran through the icy cold water that sprayed out hard from the fi re hydrant. In the evenings Aunt Nanette and I sat outside listening to the street musicians playing their saxophone songs.

On rainy days I wrote postcards and helped out around the apartment. I told Aunt Nanette about the things I liked to do back home—about baseball games, train-watching, my birthday. She told me about the special Caribbean lemon and mango cake she was going to make.

618



12 MAINTAINSUMMARIZE

Summarize the story so far. (A young

boy named James lives with his

parents in North Carolina. His mother

is about to have twins, so his dad

suggests he spend some time in New

York City, staying with an uncle and

aunt he has not met. Though he is

afraid at first, James takes the train

to New York by himself, tours the city

with his aunt, and is looking forward to

his birthday. He still has not spent any

time with Uncle Romie.)

12

618

My uncle Romie stayed hidden away in his studio. But I wasn’t worried anymore. Aunt Nanette would make my birthday special.

4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . My birthday was almost here!And then Aunt Nanette got a phone call.“An old aunt has died, James. I have to go away for

her funeral. But don’t you worry. Uncle Romie will spend your birthday with you. It’ll be just fi ne.”

That night Aunt Nanette kissed me good-bye. I knew it would not be fi ne at all. Uncle Romie didn’t know about cakes or baseball games or anything except his dumb old paintings. My birthday was ruined.

When the sky turned black, I tucked myself into bed. I missed Mama and Daddy so much. I listened to the birds on the rooftop—their songs continued into the night.

619




Teacher Think Aloud

As I come

to the end of this section, I want

to make sure I understand all the

events. Now that James is in New

York, he is having a great time with

his Aunt Nanette. Even though he

is a little afraid of Uncle Romie, he

hasn’t seen him too much, because

Uncle Romie is working. What just

happened to change this? What is

James worried about as a result?

(Encourage students to apply the strategy

in a Think Aloud.)

Student Think Aloud

James has

just found out that his aunt has to

go to a funeral. Now James will be

home alone with Uncle Romie, and

he doesn’t really know him. When

I read this section again, I see that

James is sure his birthday is ruined,

because his aunt won’t be there to

bake his cake. He says he misses his

parents, so I know this new problem

is making him homesick.

Stop here if you wish to read

the selection in two parts.STOP

Can students use their

comprehension strategies to

analyze the characters? If not,

see the Extra Support on this

page.

13

Character

Help students check their understanding of the characters by

modeling self-monitoring questions such as the following: What

is James like? (He is a reliable young man, and likes to learn about

places.) How do I know? (He got to New York by himself, listened to

his parents’ instructions, and is enjoying his tour of the city.) What

are his Aunt Nanette, mother, and father like? (They are very loving

toward James.) What do I know about Uncle Romie? (He is an artist

and works all day.) What do I think he is like, based on what I know?

(He did thank James for the pepper jelly, so he may not be too fierce.

Also, a nice woman like Aunt Nanette is married to him.)


The next morning everything was quiet. I crept out of bed and into the hall. For the fi rst time the door to Uncle Romie’s studio stood wide open. What a glorious mess! There were paints and scraps all over the fl oor, and around the edges were huge paintings with all sorts of pieces pasted together.

I saw saxophones, birds, fi re escapes, and brown faces. It’s Harlem, I thought. The people, the music, the rooftops, and the stoops. Looking at Uncle Romie’s paintings, I could feel Harlem—its beat and bounce.

Then there was one that was different. Smaller houses, fl owers, and trains. “That’s home!” I shouted.

“Yep,” Uncle Romie said, smiling, from the doorway. “That’s the Carolina I remember.”

“Mama says you visited your grandparents there most every summer when you were a kid,” I said.

620


14 STRATEGYCONTEXT CLUES

When James sees his uncle’s art studio

for the first time, he says, “What a

glorious mess!” How does the narrator’s

description tell you what he means

by glorious? (He describes paints and

scraps all over the floor. The paintings

have pieces pasted together. He says

he can feel the beat and bounce of

Harlem. The art supplies and paintings

make the room seem like a huge mess,

but it’s also exciting to look at.)


14

STYLES OF ART

Explain Uncle Romie enjoyed being a collage artist. His feelings

about people, places, and events in his life were represented in his

work. He was also a pop artist because he used everyday objects.

Discuss Discuss other art styles, such as abstract, impressionism,

and cubism. Have groups use library and online resources to

research two different styles and the artists who used them.

Apply Ask groups to give a brief oral summary about the artists and

styles they chose. Have students display illustrations or photographs

of the artwork. They may download images from art or museum sites

online. Afterward, have the class compare and contrast each style and

work and tell how the historical period and culture may have inspired

the artists. Invite students to choose the style they like best and create

their own artwork in that style. Ask, How does this experience help you

to understand Me and Uncle Romie?

620

“I sure did, James. Mmm. Now that’s the place for pepper jelly. Smeared thick on biscuits. And when Grandma wasn’t looking. . . I’d sneak some on a spoon.”

“Daddy and I do that too!” I told him.We laughed together, then walked to the kitchen for

a breakfast feast—eggs, bacon, grits, and biscuits.“James, you’ve got me remembering the pepper jelly

lady. People used to line up down the block to buy her preserves.”

“Could you put someone like that in one of your paintings?” I asked.

“I guess I could.” Uncle Romie nodded. “Yes, that’s a memory just right for sharing. What a good idea, James. Now let’s get this birthday going!”

621



15 PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

James was worried about the problem

of being alone with Uncle Romie. How

is the problem being solved? (James

realizes that Uncle Romie’s collages

are all about life in Harlem and life

in North Carolina. They begin to talk

about what things Uncle Romie puts

into his paintings, and James suggests

an idea that his uncle likes very much.

It seems as if the two have found a

way to get along with each other.)

15


He brought out two presents from home. I tore into the packages while he got down the pepper jelly and two huge spoons. Mama and Daddy had picked out just what I wanted—a special case for my baseball cards, and a model train for me to build.

“Pretty cool,” said Uncle Romie. “I used to watch the trains down in North Carolina, you know.”

How funny to picture big Uncle Romie lying on his belly!

“B.J. and me, we have contests to see who can hear the trains fi rst.”

“Hey, I did that too. You know, it’s a funny thing, James. People live in all sorts of different places and families. But the things we care about are pretty much the same. Like favorite foods, special songs, games, stories . . . and like birthdays.” Uncle Romie held up two tickets to a baseball game!

It turns out Uncle Romie knows all about baseball—he was even a star pitcher in college. We got our mitts and set off for the game.

622


Cross–Curricular ConnectionCOMMON VALUES

Although James lives in North Carolina and his Uncle Romie

lives in New York City, they have a lot in common. Uncle Romie

tells James that the things people care about are the same, no

matter where they live.

What are some of the things that you care about in your city

or town? Make a list of at least five things that you think are

important. Trade your list with a partner. What things are the

same on both lists? What things are different? Make a list of

the whole class’s Important Things. Are some of the choices

the same? Discuss with your classmates why certain things

are usually important to people. Remind students to use the

Discussion and Conversation Guidelines on page 540I.


16 CHARACTER

What character trait does James see

in Uncle Romie on the morning of his

birthday? (Uncle Romie is very kind and

friendly to James, and he loves his family.

He talks about the things they have in

common. Uncle Romie also shows he is

generous by getting baseball tickets for

James’s birthday.) Add this information

to your Character Web.

bald, fierce-eyed

hard-working artist

friendly and generous

Uncle Romie

16

622

Way up in the bleachers, we shared a bag of peanuts, cracking the shells with our teeth and keeping our mitts ready in case a home run ball came our way. That didn’t happen—but we sure had fun.

Aunt Nanette came home that night. She lit the candles and we all shared my Caribbean birthday cake.

After that, Uncle Romie had to work a lot again. But at the end of each day he let me sit with him in his studio and talk. Daddy was right. Uncle Romie is a good man.

The day of the big art show fi nally came. I watched the people laughing and talking, walking slowly around the room from painting to painting. I walked around myself, listening to their conversations.

“Remember our fi rst train ride from Chicago to New York?” one lady asked her husband.

“That guitar-playing man reminds me of my uncle Joe,” said another.

All these strangers talking to each other about their families and friends and special times, and all because of how my uncle Romie’s paintings reminded them of these things.

623




How has Uncle Romie changed in

James’s eyes?

Student Think Aloud

I reread the

beginning of the story to remind

myself that James was afraid of

his uncle at first, because Uncle

Romie looked fierce in a photo. I

also reread how James didn’t get

to see his uncle much when he first

came to New York. By asking myself

questions, I learned that spending

time with Uncle Romie helped James

see that he is very generous and

really cares about James’s birthday.

James also sees that his uncle is an

important artist, and he even likes

the art.)

18 CHARACTER

After reading about his art exhibit,

what other character trait of Uncle

Romie’s can you identify? (Suggested

answer: Uncle Romie creates art that

brings people together. Community is

important to Uncle Romie.)

bald, fierce-eyed

hard-working artist

likes to bring people

together

friendly and generous

Uncle Romie

STRATEGIES FOR EXTRA SUPPORT

Question 18 CHARACTERTo help students identify a character trait of Uncle Romie’s, have

them think about what motivates him to create his art. Ask, What

were people talking about as they looked at Uncle Romie’s collages?

(trips they took together, people they knew) Then have students

reread the conversation Uncle Romie and James had on page 622.

Ask, What did they talk about? (friends, fun times) How does Uncle

Romie want people to feel when they look at his art? What does this tell

us about him?

17

18


Later that night Daddy called. I had a brand-new brother and sister. Daddy said they were both bald and made a lot of noise. But he sounded happy and said how they all missed me.

This time Aunt Nanette and Uncle Romie took me to the train station.

“Here’s a late birthday present for you, James,” Uncle Romie said, holding out a package. “Open it on the train, why don’t you. It’ll help pass the time on the long ride home.”

I waved out the window to Uncle Romie and Aunt Nanette until I couldn’t see them anymore. Then I ripped off the wrappings!

And there was my summer in New York. Bright sky in one corner, city lights at night in another. Tall buildings. Baseball ticket stubs. The label from the pepper jelly jar. And trains. One going toward the skyscrapers. Another going away.

Character Were the opinions James had of his uncle and his birthday in New York proven correct? How would this story be different if Uncle Romie were the narrator?

624



19 CHARACTER

Were the opinions James had of his

uncle and his birthday in New York

proven correct? (James was not correct,

because he had formed opinions which

were based on too little information.

Now he sees Uncle Romie in a whole

new light. He had a great birthday.)

How would this story be different

if Uncle Romie were the narrator?

(Answers will vary; possible answer:

Uncle Romie might have talked about

how shy James seemed and how glad

he was to be able to make James’s

birthday memorable.)

20 GENRE: REALISTIC FICTION

What about the story makes it very

realistic? (The settings, both in North

Carolina and in New York City, are real

places. The details used to describe

each seem to be accurate. Also, the

characters have feelings that most

people have for each other. Uncle

Romie’s art seems very real, because

it shows people living and working

together in the real settings.)

19

624

Back home, I lay in the soft North Carolina grass. It was the fi rst of September, almost Uncle Romie’s birthday. I watched the birds streak across the sky.

Rooftop birds, I thought. Back home from their summer in New York, just like me. Watching them, I could still feel the city’s beat inside my head.

A feather drifted down from the sky. In the garden tiger lilies bent in the wind. Uncle Romie’s favorite fl owers. I yanked off a few blossoms. And then I was off on a treasure hunt, collecting things that reminded me of Uncle Romie.

I painted and pasted them together on a big piece of cardboard. Right in the middle I put the train schedule. And at the top I wrote:

625



21 WRITER’S CRAFT: MOOD

What precise words and details in

the text help you identify the mood

at the story’s end? (The author uses

descriptive images, such as soft . . .

grass, birds streak, city’s beat inside my

head, feather drifted, tiger lilies bent in

the wind, and yanked off . . . blossoms,

to reflect James’s contentment and

gratitude, his affection for his uncle,

and his delight in creating the collage.)

RETURN TO PREDICTIONS AND

PURPOSES

Review students’ predictions and

purposes. Were they correct? Did

students predict what James’s summer

would be like? (James got to know and

like his Uncle Romie. He also learned a

lot about New York and people.)

REVIEW READING STRATEGIES

■ In what ways did recording the traits

of a main character help you to

understand this story?

■ What questions do you still have

about the story? What strategies can

you use to answer them?

■ What strategies did you use when

you came to difficult words?

PERSONAL RESPONSE

Ask students to compare events in the

story with a time they had formed an

opinion of someone before they got

to know the person. Did their opinion

change? Why or why not?

During Small Group Instruction

If No Approaching Level Leveled Reader Lesson, p. 631P

If Yes On Level Options, pp. 631Q–631R

Beyond Level Options, pp. 631S–631T

Can students monitor their comprehension while analyzing

character traits?

20

21


Claire HartfieldClaire Hartfield based this story on African American artist Romare Bearden. She likes his collages because they seem to tell stories. Claire wrote her story to show how we can use art to share ideas. She’s been expressing herself through art since she was young. Claire was a shy child, and she found that dance and art helped her share her feelings.

Jerome LagarrigueJerome Lagarrigue comes from a family of artists. He grew up in France, but came to the United States to study art. Jerome illustrates books and magazines. He also teaches art.

VisitVisit the the StudiosStudios of of ClaireClaire and and JeromeJerome

Author’s Purpose Did Claire Hartfield write Me and

Uncle Romie to entertain, explain,

inform, or persuade the reader? How

may the author’s own love of art have

affected her purpose for writing?

Explain. Use details from the story.

Other books by Jerome Lagarrigue

Find out more about Claire

Hartfield and Jerome Lagarrigue

at www.macmillanmh.com

626

Author and Illustrator

VISIT THE STUDIOS OF CLAIRE

AND JEROME

Have students read the biographies of

the author and the illustrator.

DISCUSS

■ Why did Claire Hartfield choose to

write about an artist?

■ How do the details in Jerome

Lagarrigue’s illustrations help give

the story a sense of place?

■ If you had to write an alternative

solution to James’s problem, what

would it be? Have students write

them down and share.

WRITE ABOUT IT

Ask volunteers to describe different

paintings or photographs they have

seen. Next, have students write about

what they notice and enjoy in their

favorite types of artwork. Suggest they

make a web to help focus their ideas.

Respond Student page 626

Students can fi nd more information

about Claire Hartfi eld and Jerome

Lagarrigue at

www.macmillanmh.com

Author’s CraftWord Choice

■ Writers choose just the right word to show readers what they mean

and to set the mood, or atmosphere, of the story.

■ Word choice can make a difference in what readers see and hear in

the story. Example: “the train blasted past.” (p. 610) The word blasted

tells readers that the train was going fast and making a lot of noise.

Another example: “Her voice sang soft and low.” (p. 612) Soft and low

describes a pleasant sound.

■ Ask students which descriptive word choices helped create the

mood. Have students find and discuss examples, such as “Swarms of

people rushed by.” (p. 614) The words remind readers of a swarm of

bees, making the crowd seem frightening, as it might to a young boy

who has just come to the big city.

Author’s PurposeRemind students that authors’ personal

lives can often play a part in their

writing. Have students look for clues to

Claire Hartfield’s purpose for writing on

the author’s biography page and in the

story.

626

http://www.macmillanmh.com


Comprehension Check

Summarize

Summarize Me and Uncle Romie. Tell why

James went to New York City to stay with his

aunt and uncle and what happened there.

Think and Compare

1. How do Uncle Romie’s character traits differ from his

physical traits? Use your Character Web to help you.

Monitor Comprehension: Character

2. Look again at the collage on page 625 that James created

for his uncle. Why do you think James arranged the pieces

of the collage in this way? Analyze

3. Have you ever discovered that you were mistaken about

someone’s character based on the person’s appearance?

Explain your answer. Apply

4. Why is art a good way to express feelings and ideas?

Evaluate

5. Read “Secondhand Art” on pages 606–607. Compare this

story with Me and Uncle Romie. How are the stories alike?

How are they different? Use details from both selections in

your answer. Reading/Writing Across Texts

627

Respond Student page 627

Comprehension Check

SUMMARIZE

Have partners summarize Me and Uncle

Romie in their own words. Remind

students to use their Character Webs to

help them organize their summaries.

THINK AND COMPARE

Sample answers are given.

1. Character: Uncle Romie’s large size

and booming voice make him seem

tough and mean, but he is a caring

and thoughtful person.

2. Analyze: James arranged his

collage to show the many things

he and his uncle have in common.

He used things that remind him

of Uncle Romie, items from both

North Carolina and New York City.

USE AUTHOR AND ME

3. Text to Self: Students may give

examples of family members or

friends whom they didn’t like at

first based on looks, but then

discovered were good people.

4. Text to World: Art can tell a story

about who you are or what you are

thinking. It can also remind you about

something from the past.

FOCUS QUESTION

5. Text to Text: Uncle Romie,

Danny, and Emma are all artists

who make pieces of art by using

materials other than paint. Me and

Uncle Romie is not only a story

about creating pieces of art, it is

about creating new and lasting

relationships. “Secondhand Art”

focuses more on how two friends

made an interesting project. USE

AUTHOR AND ME

Author and Me

Model the Author and Me strategy with questions 2 and 5.

The answer is not directly stated in the selection. You have to think about

what you already know and link it to the text.

Question 2 Think Aloud:

I read that the more James and Uncle

Romie spent time together, the more they realized how much

they had in common. James wanted to express his feelings about

his uncle through art, so he chose items from his uncle’s past and

present homes for the collage.

Question 5 Think Aloud:

I need to review Me and Uncle Romie

and “Secondhand Art.” In Me and Uncle Romie, art brought two

people closer together. In “Secondhand Art,” two friends worked

together to create a piece of art as a project.


Fluency/Comprehension

FluencyRepeated Reading: Tempo

EXPLAIN/MODEL As you model the passage from Transparency 24,

increase the speed the second and third times you read through the

sentences. Echo-read with students through the entire passage again,

increasing your tempo to underscore the brisk pace and bustle of

the city.

Think Aloud

I will read the first sentence. “Swarms of people rushed

by.” I read it slowly, to get the words and my expression right. Now I

am going to read it faster. I read it quickly to match the pace of the

people rushing by.

PRACTICE/APPLY Divide students into two groups. The first group

reads the passage a sentence at a time at a slow tempo. The second

group echo-reads. Then groups switch roles. Have students repeat

twice more while increasing the tempo. Students will practice fluency

using Practice Book page 173 or the Fluency Solutions Audio CD.

Objectives• Read accurately with good

tempo

• Rate: 113–133 WCPM

Materials

• Fluency Transparency 24

• Fluency Solutions

• Leveled Practice Books, p. 173


If No Approaching Level Fluency, p. 631N



Can students read accurately with good tempo?

As I read, I will pay attention to my tempo in order to match the action in the story.

Carly held her breath as the broad-tailed hummingbird

8 fluttered near the cluster of wildflowers. She stared into

17 her camera, waiting. A fly landed on Carly’s arm. She

27 flicked it away with a finger. The bird flew near a flower.

39 The flower wasn’t red enough, though. Carly waited.

47 The bird flew to another flower. This one was too small.

58 Finally, the bird hesitated over the largest, reddest flower.

67 Carly began to snap pictures. She was certain that these

77 would be some of the best pictures she had ever taken.

88 Carly raced home and uploaded the pictures onto her

97 computer. She couldn’t wait to see the results.

105 But when the pictures came up on the screen, she was

116 disappointed. Carly studied them, then opened her photo

124 journal. She wrote: “Hummingbird pictures: The bird’s

131 wings are a blur, not enough detail on flower, bird isn’t

142 close enough to the flower in any shot. Why aren’t these

153 the way I thought they would be?” 160

Comprehension Check

1. What do you learn about Carly in this passage? Character

2. How might the journal help Carly take better pictures in the future? Draw Conclusions

Words Read – Number of Errors = Words

Correct Score

First Read – =

Second Read – =

Carly is patient. She thinks and writes about what she is doing.

The photo journal might help Carly take better pictures because she can learn from her mistakes and not make them again.




Transparency 24

Swarms of people rushed by. Soon I heard a silvery voice call my name. This had to be Aunt Nanette. I turned and saw her big smile reaching out to welcome me.

She took my hand and guided me through the rushing crowd onto an underground train called the subway. “This will take us right home,” she explained.

Home was like nothing I’d ever seen before. No regular houses anywhere. Just big buildings and stores of all kinds—in the windows I saw paints, fabrics, radios, and TVs.

We turned into the corner building and climbed the stairs to the apartment—five whole flights up.

Fluency Transparency 24

from Me and Uncle Romie, pages 614–615

Model Discuss what

James sees and does in

the passage and how he

feels. Read the passage

expressively as you act it

out (“I turned . . . I heard

. . . took my hand . . . big

buildings . . . climbed the

stairs.”) to help convey

meaning. Next, echo-read

the passage with students.

Encourage them to mimic

your expressiveness.

627A

Fluency/Comprehension

Comprehension Research

cites that reading activities

carried out in small group

cooperative arrangements,

in which students work

together on their reading

skills, have been found to

improve students’ reading

comprehension ability.

This was true with second

language learners as well.

Timothy Shanahan

Go to

www. macmillanmh.com

ComprehensionMAINTAIN SKILLSUMMARIZE

EXPLAIN/MODEL

■ Readers can summarize a story by including essential details

about important plot events.

■ A reader can summarize a whole story, part of a story, or even a

character’s background.

Discuss with students how they would summarize “Secondhand Art”

or another selection they have recently read.

PRACTICE/APPLY Have students discuss the following questions

with a partner.

■ What are the most important details in Me and Uncle Romie? How

can they be used to summarize the relationship between James

and his uncle?

■ What details from the story do you need to include in a summary

of James’s trip to New York?

Then invite students to write a brief summary of a relationship that

is special to them or a trip they have taken.

For comprehension practice use Graphic Organizers on Teacher’s

Resource Book pages 40–64.

Objective• Identify how to summarize

important details in a story

Summarize

Introduce 377A–B

Practice /Apply

378–401; Leveled Practice, 104–105

Reteach/ Review

405M–T, 543A–B, 544–557, 561M–T; Leveled Practice, 150–151

Assess Weekly Tests; Unit 3, 5 Tests; Benchmark Tests A, B

Maintain 627B, 651B, 711B, 777B

Me and Uncle Romie 627B


To begin your project, pick a story or theme for

your collage. Do you want to tell about something that

really happened? Or would you rather make up a story?

Is there a theme that would make a fun collage—things

that make you laugh, things you do at bedtime, a list

of wishes, favorite songs? To get ideas, think of people,

places, or memories that mean a lot to you.

Then think about images you can use in your

collage to illustrate what you want to say. What do you

want in the picture? People? Animals? What are they

doing? Where are they? What do they see, hear, smell,

taste,and feel?

ArtGenreHow-to Articles provide

directions on how to do

or make something.

Text FeatureDirections are the steps

you follow in order to do

or make something.

Content Vocabularyimages background

aterials You Will Need A board or thick piece

of paper

Paints, colored

markers, or crayons

Glue or paste

Anything that can

be glued or pasted

on your collage

hoosing a Story or Theme

by Claire Hartfield

628

Informational Text: ArtGENRE: HOW-TO ARTICLE

Have students read the bookmark on

Student Book page 628. Explain that a

how-to article

■ describes how to do or make

something;

■ provides step-by-step instructions.

Text Feature: Directions

EXPLAIN/MODEL Directions are

the steps required to do or make

something.

■ Sometimes directions are numbered.

This helps the reader see what to do

first, second, and last.

■ Other times, directions are written in

paragraph form. Look for sequence

words, such as first, next, then, and

last.

■ A materials list tells the reader what

supplies are needed.

Discuss with students a time when

they provided a friend with directions

on how to do something or go to a

new place.

Students should be able to evaluate

and clarify steps in a written directory

for sequence and competence. They

should also be able to give and follow

concise three- and-four-step oral

directions to complete a task.

PRACTICE/APPLY Have students

brainstorm types of projects for which

they would want to write a how-to

article.

Content VocabularyReview the spelling and meaning of each content vocabulary word

from “Making a Collage” on Student Book pages 628–629.

■ Images are pictures of places or events in a person’s mind. What is

your favorite image of a place you have been to?

■ The surface around or behind a design is called the background.

What would be a good background for a painting of a park?

Paired Selection Student page 628

1

2

628

Art

Connect and Compare 1. When making a collage, what do you do before you paint or

color the background? What do you do after you paint the

background? Reading Directions

2. What would happen if you pasted down your materials before

you painted the background? Synthesize

3. In Me and Uncle Romie, James made a collage. What did he

do that was similar to the directions in this article? What did

he do differently? Reading/Writing Across Texts

Start by deciding whether or not it’s

important to have the images you’ll be using in

any particular order. If it is, you can lay them

out to get an idea of how they will look together.

Next, paint or color the background on your

paper or board. Use colors you want to peek

through in the finished picture.

Then begin to create your story or theme by

cutting and pasting your objects onto the background.

Art Activity

Research artists who make collages. Create your own

piece of art in the style of one of them.

Find out more about collages at www.macmillanmh.com

reating Your Collage

Words such as Start, Next, and Then show the steps to follow.

629

Read “Making a Collage”

Remind students to apply what they

have learned about reading directions.

1 TEXT FEATURE: DIRECTIONS

What key phrase tells that the first step

is to pick a theme? (To begin) What

other sequence words do you see?

(start, next, then)

2 TEXT FEATURE: DIRECTIONS

What should you do once you have

settled on a theme or story? (Think about

images you can use in your collage to

illustrate what you want to say.)

3 EVALUATE

Does the article provide enough

information for you to create a collage?

Explain. (Answers may vary, but most

students will probably say yes. The article

lists materials needed, helps decide what

to include, and gives tips on layout.)

Connect and CompareSUGGESTED ANSWERS

1. Before you paint the background,

decide whether the images need to

be in any order. If so, lay them out to

see how they look. After you paint the

background, cut and paste objects

onto it. READING DIRECTIONS

2. It would be harder to paint the

background. You would have to

carefully paint around the pictures.

SYNTHESIZE

FOCUS QUESTION

3. James used paints and different

objects just as the directions in this

article suggest. He did not figure

out the order first. He seems to

have painted and pasted at the

same time. READING/WRITING ACROSS TEXTS

Paired Selection Student page 629

Art ActivityInvite students to present their collages and hang them

on a bulletin board display for other classmates to enjoy.

3

Internet Research and Inquiry Activity Students can fi nd more facts

about collages at www.macmillanmh.com




Features of a Speech

A speech is meant to be spoken aloud to an audience. A speech

which introduces someone whom the writer admires will present

facts about that person.

■ It has a clear opening statement.

■ It expresses the writer’s opinion.

■ It backs up personal opinions with supporting details and facts.

■ It uses transitional words and phrases

■ It has a logical sequence.

My Sister, the Artist

by Jillian N.

My sister, Blanca, is here today to tell you

about drawing. She is the best artist in her

high school. She has been painting and drawing

since she was only six. Her first picture was

of her dog Champ.

She always takes a drawing pad with

her when she goes out. When she sees an

interesting person, animal, or flower, she

quickly sketches it. Then she chooses her

favorite sketches and turns them into

finished art.

She taught me everything I know about

drawing. She is the most incredible teacher,

and I hope you can learn a lot!

Write a Speech

I admire my older sister, Blanca. I used precise words to introduce her to my class.

I included opinions in my speech to reinforce the mood.

Writer’s CraftMoodWriters often set the mood in a speech by expressing their opinions. They use precise words to reinforce the mood.

630

WritingMood

READ THE STUDENT MODEL

Read the bookmark about mood.

Explain that writers create mood

through the opinions they include.

They use precise words to make these

ideas clear to listeners.

Have students turn to the first

paragraph on page 610. Identify and

discuss the mood, focusing on precise

words that create that mood.

Then have the class read Jillian N.’s

speech and the callouts. Tell students

that they will write a speech that

introduces someone they admire.

They will also learn how to use precise

words to create a mood.

WRITING• Descriptive Writing: Speech

• Writer’s Craft: Mood

WORD STUDY• Words in Context

• Context Clues: Description

• Phonics: Words with Final /ә r/

• Vocabulary Building

SPELLING• Words with Final /ә r/

GRAMMAR• Comparing with more and most

SMALL GROUP OPTIONS

• Differentiated Instruction, pp. 631M–631V

630

Transparency 93

Writing Transparency 93

PREWRITE

Read and discuss the writing prompt

on page 630. Explain that the purpose

of this speech is to inform. Students’

audience will be their teacher and

classmates. Students can work

independently or in pairs to brainstorm

subjects for their speech. Ask them to

choose a person they admire greatly.

Then display Transparency 93 and

discuss how Jillian used a character

web to plan her speech. Have students

use a character web to plan their own

speeches.

DRAFT

Display Transparency 94. Discuss

how Jillian used her character web

to organize and write a draft of her

speech. Talk about how she could

improve the draft. Before students

write, present the lesson on Mood

on page 631A and the minilessons on

Voice and Supporting Details on

page 631B. Have students use their

character webs to write their speeches.

Remind them to use precise words to

create a mood.

REVISE

Display Transparency 87. Discuss the

revisions. Point out that Jillian added

a sentence and some precise words

to share her opinion. She also added

an exclamation point to show her

excitement. Students can revise their

drafts now or work on them later. If

they choose to revise, have partners

use the Writer’s Checklist on page 631.

Then ask students to proofread their

writing. For Publishing Options, see

631A.

For lessons in Grammar and Spelling,

see page 631B and 5 Day Spelling and

Grammar on pages 631G–631J.

Transparency 93: Character

Web

Transparency 94: Draft

Transparency 95: Revision

Amelia Earhart in her

airplane cockpit

Writer’s Checklist Ideas and Content: Did I choose a person others will

also find interesting?

Organization: Did I start with a strong opening

statement? Did I go on to support that statement?

Voice: Did I clearly express my opinion of this person?

Word Choice: Did I choose precise words to describe

this person and reinforce the mood?

Sentence Fluency: Did I use a variety of sentence

types and sentence lengths?

Conventions: Did I use commas to set off people’s

names? Did I check my spelling?

Descriptive WritingYour TurnThink of a person you admire. It could

be someone famous, someone you

have read about, or someone you

know, such as a teacher or relative.

Pretend you are going to give a

speech that introduces this person

to an audience. Include your opinions

about this person. Back up your

opinions with facts. Then use the Writer’s

Checklist to check your writing.

631

Writing Student pages 630–631

Character Web

Blanca, a great artist

Drawing sinceshe was six

Turnssketches intofinished art

Takes adrawing pad

Taught me about drawing



SPEAKING STRATEGIES

■ Practice your presentation

beforehand.

■ Use your voice to show

your feelings about the

person you admire.

■ Make eye contact with the

audience.

LISTENING STRATEGIES

■ Look at the speaker to

show your interest.

■ Listen carefully to identify

the writer’s feelings about

his or her experience.

■ Sit quietly and listen to

the speaker carefully.

■ Try to imagine doing what

the writer learned to do.

Would you like it?

MoodEXPLAIN/MODEL

Good writers create a mood that shows their opinion about an

experience or person. They choose precise words to help readers

understand exactly how they feel. Have students reread Jillian’s

speech on page 630. Point out the strong opinion Jillian includes

at the end of the first paragraph. Discuss how this sentence tells

readers how Jillian feels about Blanca and creates a mood of

enthusiasm. Display Transparency 96.

Think Aloud The first example uses precise words such as talented

professional illustrator to tell me what the writer’s aunt is like and

to show that the writer admires the aunt. The second example is

very general. I cannot picture the writer’s aunt very clearly and I

don’t know anything about how the writer feels about the aunt.


Transparency 96

Mood

Clear Mood: My aunt is a talented professional illustrator.

Unclear Mood: My aunt is an artist.

1. My aunt is a great person to learn drawing from!

2. My aunt showed me how to draw.

3. My aunt draws a lot of pictures.

4. My aunt used step-by-step directions to make

drawing incredibly easy for me.

5. My aunt showed me how to draw amazing

pictures of animals.

(1. clear; 2. unclear; 3. unclear; 4. clear; 5. clear)

Writing Transp

arency 96

PRACTICE/APPLY

Work with students to read the sentence choices. Invite volunteers to

tell which sentences include precise words that create a mood and

help readers understand the writer’s feelings. Ask students how they

identified these choices and why the sentences with a clear mood

would create a more interesting speech. Then have students identify

and discuss effective mood in another speech they have read.

Tell students that as they draft their speech, they should try to

choose words that help them create a strong mood and show their

opinions about their subject.

Publishing OptionsStudents can present their speeches orally to the class. See the Speaking and Listening tips below. They can also use their best cursive to write their speeches. (See Teacher’s Resource Book pages 168–173 for cursive models and practice.) Then invite students to illustrate their speeches with drawings, photos, or computer images and display them in a classroom exhibit.

4- and 6-Point Scoring Rubrics

Use the rubrics on pages 661G–661H to score published writing.

Writing Process

For a complete lesson, see Unit Writing on pages 661A–661H.

Writer’s CraftWriting

631A

Technology

Writing

Writer’s Toolbox

Comparing with more and most

Explain/Model Writers should use more or most

instead of the -er or -est form when comparing

with long adjectives. More is used when

comparing two people, places, or things. Most

is used when comparing three or more people,

places, or things.

Practice/Apply Work with students to find an

adjective that compares using most in Jillian’s

speech on page 630. Ask them to identify the

noun that is being described and then to create a

second sentence using more and the same noun

and adjective. Ask students to pay attention to

using more and most when comparing with long

adjectives. For a complete lesson on comparing

with more and most, see pages 631I–631J.

Writing Trait: Voice

Explain/Model Good writers create a voice as

they express their opinions. Readers can “hear”

that voice and tell that the writer really cares about

the topic. Writers create voice through words and

punctuation.

Practice/Apply Have students reread Jillian’s

speech on page 630. Work with them to identify

and discuss lively words and exclamation points

that show Jillian’s admiration for Blanca and her

excitement about learning to draw. As students draft

their speeches, ask them to focus on choosing words

and using punctuation to create a strong voice.

Supporting Details

Explain/Model Explain that a speech often

includes supporting details about the subject. This

means thinking about and sharing feelings about

the person. Good writers choose details for a speech

that support their opinions.

Practice/Apply With students, reread Jillian’s

speech. Discuss how Jillian chooses details that

include reflection, first by insisting that she cannot

draw and then by happily acknowledging that she

had drawn a flower! Both comments help readers

know how Jillian feels about her experience. As

students draft their speeches, ask them to choose

details that share their reflections.

Spelling Words with Final /ә r/

Ask students to find the word sister in the student

model on page 630. Point out that the final /ә r/

sound is spelled er. This sound can also be spelled

or, as in actor, and ar, as in collar. Ask students

to pay attention when they spell words with the

final /ә r/ sound. Remind them that they can use a

print or online dictionary to check spelling in their

drafts. For a complete lesson on spelling words

with final /ә r/ see pages 631G–631H.

Tell students that as they revise and proofread, they can

add clip art by choosing Insert, selecting Picture, and then

pointing to Clip Art.

Me and Uncle Romie 631B

Review

VocabularyWords in Context

EXPLAIN/MODEL

Review the vocabulary words. Display Transparency 47. Model how

to use word meanings and context clues to fill in the first missing

word.

Think Aloud

In the first sentence, I know that I am looking for a

word that describes the morning. I read further and see that the

sun is out. The word that would best describe a sunny morning is

glorious. When I try glorious in the sentence, it makes sense.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Have students use context clues to fill in the missing words as they

write the paragraphs on a separate sheet of paper. Then they can

exchange papers, check their answers, and explain the context clues

they used to figure out the missing words. Students should clearly

identify specific words or wording that causes comprehension

difficulties and seek clarification by using self-monitoring strategies.

Five-Senses Simile Web Write a vocabulary word in the center

with surrounding ovals labeled smells like, tastes like, feels like, looks

like, and sounds like. Have students complete each of the ovals.

Later, students can use the web to write a poem about the

vocabulary word.

Objectives• Apply knowledge of word

meanings and context clues

• Use description clues to

understand the meanings of

unfamiliar words

Materials

• Vocabulary Transparencies

47 and 48


Visualize Write: I saw a

swarm of bees. Discuss

the image. Next, discuss

how people might

swarm around a famous

person or insects might

swarm around food. Have

students choose an image

and draw or write about it.

Do a similar activity with

barbecue.

strutting (p. 613) walking

in such a manner as to

attract attention

swarms (p. 614) large

groups of people or

animals

flicked (p. 615) hit or moved

with a quick, light snap

collage (p. 616) a picture

made by pasting paper,

fabric, or metal on a

surface

barbecue (p. 617) a meal

cooked outdoors over an

open fire

glorious (p. 620) marked

by beauty; splendid

skyscrapers (p. 624) very

tall buildings

Word Study

Word Study

Transparency 47

strutting swarms collage flicked skyscrapers glorious barbecue

James could not believe what a glorious morning it was in New York City! The sun was out, and so were swarms of people filling the sidewalks. He and Aunt Nanette set out for a day of adventure.

As they walked about the city, James could not help but feel small beneath the towering skyscrapers lining the streets. He peered in windows as they passed shops, and watched proud folks strutting down the street. He tried to walk like them, and Aunt Nanette laughed at him.

When they got home, Uncle Romie was finishing a collage of pictures and fabric. Uncle Romie flicked paint on the project and said that it was completed. Then they all enjoyed barbecue for dinner.

Vocabulary Transparency 47

631C

Underline the context clues that describe the meaning of the boldfaced word. Then write the word’s definition.

1. We decided that the theme of our collage would be what we did during our vacation.

Defi nition:

2. The chef felt her masterpiece was not complete until she shredded cheese into tiny strips and sprinkled it on top of the omelette.

Defi nition:

3. The young artist worked with many different mediums— oil and acrylic paints, colored pencils, and chalk.

Defi nition:

4. My neighbor offered me the proposition of getting $20 each time it snows for shoveling his stairs and sidewalk.

Defi nition:

5. My two uncles are starting a business together as joint owners.

Defi nition:

6. After we paid our admission, we could enter the museum and stay as long as we wished.

Defi nition:

Context clues can help readers determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Sometimes writers use description to help readers define unfamiliar words.

Possible responses provided.

a subject or topic

cut into small pieces

materials

a proposal, offer

shared or done together

a fee paid to be allowed into a place




Word Study

Group Discussions

First check that students

understand the words

used as context clues

in the sentences. Have

students work in small

groups to share their

thinking. Monitor their

work and provide

additional help as needed.

STRATEGYCONTEXT CLUES: DESCRIPTION

EXPLAIN/MODEL

Tell students that writers sometimes include descriptions as context

clues. Looking for descriptions in surrounding words can help to

explain the meaning of an unfamiliar word. These descriptions may

be in the sentence with the unfamiliar word, or they may be in

nearby sentences.

Read the first item on Transparency 48. Model how to figure out

the meaning of collage. Then have students use description clues to

define the underlined words in items 2–4.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Help students find the words stoops and subway in the story and look

for context clues that help in understanding the words. Have students

write sentences using the clues to explain the words’ meanings.


If No Approaching Level Vocabulary, pp. 631N–631O



Can students use context clues and description clues to

understand the meanings of unfamiliar words?

Transparency 48

Vocabulary Strategy Transparency 48

Description Clues1. Mary said she learned to make a collage in school. She said

she used photographs, newspaper, charcoal, yarn, and paints to make her picture.

2. The boys played stickball in the park. They used a broom handle for a bat, and a rubber ball instead of a baseball.

3. The conductor’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker. The people on the train strained to hear what he said about their next destination.

4. James walked into the studio. In it were all the things Uncle Romie needed to make his art.

Me and Uncle Romie 631D

The schwa + r or /әr/ sound is what you hear at the end of collar, danger, and victor. Notice that this sound can be spelled in three different ways—ar, er, and or.

Use the words in the box to complete each sentence. Underline the letters that make the /әr/ sound in each word.

1. Every time my clever cuts my hair, he creates a work of art.

2. The Flemish oil paintings in the north tower are the most

exhibit in the museum.

3. My favorite collage is the one I made with the from an old pair of trousers.

4. Aunt Susie fi nished her watercolor painting of the clipper ships in the

.

5. I put a and leash on my dog when we go for a walk in the park.

6. Uncle Tim thinks the old rusty tanker in his front yard is beautiful!

Now look for other examples of the /әr/ sound in the sentences and underline them as well.

barber zipper anchor harbor popular collar

barber

popular

zipperp

harbor

collar

anchor

On Level Practice Book 0, page 176



Word Study

Word Study

PhonicsDecode Words with Final /ә r/

EXPLAIN/MODEL Words that end in an unaccented syllable that is

spelled with a vowel + r are usually pronounced /ә r/, regardless of

the vowel. Write polar.

Think Aloud I see that this word ends with a vowel + r. So I will

try pronouncing it /ә r/. Let’s see, /pō lә r/ polar. I know that word.

PRACTICE/APPLY

Write these words on the board: singer, odor, cheddar, harbor,

grammar, and daughter. Have students underline the last syllable

in each word and read each word aloud. Point out how the last

syllable sounds the same for all of the words.

Decode Multisyllabic Words Write conductor, woodpecker,

screwdriver, professor, popular, and messenger. As a class, sound out

each word. Have volunteers underline the last two letters of each

word and explain how the word fits the /ә r/ rule. For more practice,

have students read the decodable passages on Teacher’s Resource

Book page 28.

Play Five Questions Have partners use this game to reinforce

the ways to spell the /ә r/ sound. Have students make lists of three

spelling words with the /ә r/ sound spelled a different way in each

word. Player A selects a word from his or her list. Player B asks up

to five questions about the word, including questions about how

the /ә r/ sound in the word is spelled. If Player B guesses the word

correctly, he or she gets one point. Player B can earn another point

by spelling the word and using it correctly in a sentence. Then the

players switch roles. The player with the most points after three

turns each wins.

Objectives• Recognize the different

spellings of /ә r/ in final,

unaccented syllables

• Distinguish between

homograph pronunciations

Materials


• Teacher’s Resource Book, p. 28

Provide Extra Practice

The /ә r/ sound is difficult

for many students. Practice

saying the words alone

and in sentences. Write the

words used in the spelling

game on the board and

discuss their meanings.

Help students create

sentences using the words.


If No Approaching Level Phonics, p. 631M



Can students decode words with final /ә r/?

631E

Word Study

Oral Language

Expand Vocabulary Have students

write ARTISTS in the center of a

Concept Web. Using the selection and

other print and electronic resources,

such as dictionaries, newspapers,

thesauruses, and encyclopedias,

they should brainstorm words and

phrases that describe artists.

Vocabulary Building

Homographs Write on the board, “Manuel didn’t

shead a tear at the tear in his old shirt.” Remind

students that homographs are words that are

spelled the same but have very different meanings

and may be pronounced differently. Tell students

to remember that when a word’s definition

doesn’t seem to fit into the context it’s being used

in, the word may be a homograph. Write present,

refuse, and entrance. Ask students to identify the

two pronunciations of each word. Then have

them write sentences for each meaning. Challenge

students to think of other homographs.

Spiral Review

Traveling Game On the board, draw a map of

New York City as James and Nanette traveled

through it. Number the different places in order.

Draw and cut out figures representing James

and Nanette, one set for each team. Write the

vocabulary words for this week and previous

weeks on the different locations that they visited.

As each team reaches a location, members must

either define the word, use it in a sentence, or

give an antonym for it. If correct, the team’s figure

goes to the next stop on its trip. When each team

reaches the last location on the map, the game

ends.

Vocabulary PuzzleMaker For additional vocabulary games

and spelling games, go to

www.macmillanmh.com

creative talented

watercolors

paint

ARTISTSphotography

Apply Vocabulary

Write a Letter Tell students

to use the vocabulary words

to write an informal letter

that James would have

written home during his

trip. They should tell what

he saw and experienced in

New York City. Challenge

them to use at least five

vocabulary words as well as

the proper letter format and to

set off less important information in parentheses.

Students can then discuss the content with a

partner to get to know each other better.

Vocabulary Building

Me and Uncle Romie 631F


Word Sorts

Dictation Sentences 1. The grocer stayed open late.

2. I’m looking for a red pepper.

3. The barber cut Sam’s hair.

4. Every fourth grader goes to the bug museum.

5. Polar bears have thick fur.

6. A tug boat pulled an oil tanker.

7. Bret met the band’s singer.

8. We wanted to enter the contest.

9. A horrible odor came from the garbage can.

10. I bought my dog a new collar.

11. The zipper on my jacket is stuck.

12. The light snowfall looked like white powder on the meadow.

13. The icy streets were a danger.

14. Do you have cheddar cheese?

15. Pink is a popular color for hats.

16. I saw boats docked in the harbor.

17. The ship dropped anchor.

18. We took the elevator to the top.

19. Mrs. Garcia has one daughter.

20. The victor was thrilled to win.

Review/Challenge Words 1. We had to cancel our flights.

2. You must behave when on a trip.

3. The spot where he injured his leg is still tender.

4. The train conductor wore red.

5. The waiter brought our food.

Word in bold is from main selection.

Spelling Practice Book, pages 147–148 Spelling Practice Book, page 149

Spelling

5 Day Spelling

Words with Final /ә r/Pretest

ASSESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Using the Dictation Sentences, say

the underlined words. Read the

sentence and repeat the words.

Have students write the words on

Spelling Practice Book page 147.

For a modified list, use the first 12

Spelling Words and the three Review

Words. For a more challenging list,

use Spelling Words 3–20 and the

two Challenge Words. Have students

correct their own tests.

Have students cut apart the Spelling

Word Cards BLM on Teacher’s

Resource Book page 89 and figure

out a way to sort them. Have them

save the cards for use throughout

the week.

Use Spelling Practice Book page 148

for more practice with this week’s

Spelling Words.

For Leveled Word Lists, go to

www.macmillanmh.com

TEACHER AND STUDENT SORTS

■ Review the Spelling Words, pointing

out the /ә r/ endings. Using the cards

on the Spelling Word Cards BLM,

attach the key words barber , odor ,

and cheddar to a bulletin board.

Model how to sort words according

to the /ә r/ spelling.

■ Have students take turns putting

cards on the bulletin board and

explaining how they decided

where to place the word. When

students have finished the sort,

discuss which /ә r/ spelling is most

common among the Spelling

Words. Discuss which are the

most difficult to remember.

■ Then invite students to do an

open sort in which they sort all

the Spelling Words any way they

wish; for example, by parts of

speech. Discuss students’ various

methods of sorting.

grocer enter popular

pepper odor harbor

barber collar anchor

grader zipper elevator

polar powder daughter

tanker danger victor

singer cheddar

Review cancel, behave, tender

Challenge conductor, waiter

631G


Spelling

CATEGORIES

Read each group of words below.

Ask students to copy the words

into their word study notebooks,

completing the similar group by

adding a Spelling Word that fits in

the same category.

1. smell, scent, (odor)

2. winner, champion,

(victor)

3. button, snap, (zipper)

4. port, bay, (harbor)

Challenge partners to see who

can make the most new words

by changing only one letter in a

Spelling Word. For example, singer.

(ringer, finger, linger, ginger)

Have partners write a sentence

for each Spelling Word, leaving

a blank space for the word. They

can exchange papers and fill in

the blanks.

SPIRAL REVIEW

Review words with accented

syllables. Write cancel, behave,

and tender on the board. Have

students identify the breaks

between syllables and which

syllables are accented.

PROOFREAD AND WRITE

Write these sentences on the

board. Have students proofread,

circle incorrect spellings, and write

the words correctly.

1. Does chedder cheese have a

strong odar? (cheddar, odor)

2. The poler bears are the most

populor animals at that zoo.

(polar, popular)

3. The barbor took the elevater to

the basement. (barber, elevator)

4. The wise grocor added peppar

to the meat. (grocer, pepper)

POSTTEST

Use the Dictation Sentences on

page 631G for the Posttest.

If students have difficulty with any

words in the lesson, have students

place them on a list called Spelling

Words I Want to Remember in a

word study notebook.

Challenge student partners to

look for words that have the same

patterns they studied this week.

Word Meanings Assess and Reteach

barber odor cheddar collar harborzipper enter grocer danger polardaughter anchor popular singer victorpowder tanker pepper elevator grader

What’s the Word?

Complete each sentence with a spelling word.

1. I love this painting of boats coming into the .

2. We stepped onto the in the art museum.

3. Her wants to be a famous artist when she grows up.

4. He could smell that the clay had a strange .

5. When the artist was a fourth , he learned how to paint.

6. Make sure that your smock covers your shirt .

7. Open the art supply bag by pulling on the .

8. She was not only an artist, but also a with a band.

9. This drawing of a bear is very good.

10. Everyone wants to go to the art exhibit.

Analogies

An analogy is a statement that compares sets of words that are yalike in some way. Use spelling words to complete the analogies below.

11. Loser is to failure as winner is to r .

12. Fruit is tot banana as cheese is to .

13. Out is to t in as exit is to t .

14. Ketchup is to mustard as salt is to t .

harborelevator

daughterodor

gradercollar

zipperppppsinger

polarpopular

victorcheddar

enterpepper

Spelling Practice Book, page 150

There are six spelling mistakes in this report. Circle themisspelled words. Write the words correctly on the lines below.

A Studio Visit

As I approached the building, I was excited. A very populer painter,

Anne Smith, had agreed to show me around her studio. I had never been

to an artist’s studio before.

A sign above the door said, “Entar here.” I walked in and took the

ellevater to the second fl oor.

As soon as the door opened, I could smell a weird odar. Anne met me

in the hall and explained that the smell was from her oil paints. When

we walked into her studio, I forgot about the smell. There were paintings

everywhere! My favorite was a picture of Anne’s daughtor standing in

front of a huge ship in the harber.

Anne is a great painter. I am so glad that she let me visit her studio.

1. 3. 5.

2. 4. 6.

Writing Activity

Imagine that you are an artist. Describe your latest work of art.Be creative! Use at least four spelling words in your description.

popularp pp pEnter

elevatorodor

daughter

harbor


Look at the words in each set below. One word in each set is spelled correctly. Use a pencil to fill in the circle next to the correctword. Before you begin, look at the sample set of words. Sample A has been done for you. Do Sample B by yourself. When you are sure you know what to do, you may go on with the rest of the page.

Sample A: Sample B:

� sistur � mayer� sister � mayur� sistor � maier� sisster mayor

1. � barbor� barbber� barbur� barber

2. � ziper� zippor� zippir zipper

3. � dottir� daughter� daughtor� dottor

4. � powdor� powder� pouder poudor

5. � odor� oder� oader� odoor

6. � enter� entor� interr intor

7. � ancher� anker� anchor� anckor

8. � tankor� tancker� tanker tankir

9. � chedar� cheddor� chedder� cheddar

10. � groser� grosor� grocer grocor

11. � popular� populer� populor� populir

12. � pepper� peper� peppur peppor

13. � colar� coler� coller� collar

14. � danjer� danger� dainger dangor

15. � singur� singor� singer� singger

16. � elavater� elavator� elevater elevator

17. � harber� harbur� harbor� harbir

18. � poler� polar� polor poaler

19. � vickter� vicktor� victor� victer

20. � gradder� graider� grader grador

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��


Review and Proofread

Me and Uncle Romie 631H

• For long adjectives, use more and most to compare people,tplaces, or things.

• Use more to compare two people, places, or things.• Use most to compare more than two.t

Write more or most to complete each sentence correctly.t

1. Your lemon cake is the delicious dessert of all.

2. Uncle Romie had an even enormous belly than my father.

3. He made the interesting collage I have ever seen.

4. New York City is exciting than my hometown.

5. But for me, North Carolina will always be the comfortable place in the world.

6. Uncle Romie’s studio was the glorious mess I had ever seen!

7. I thought my birthday would be pleasant if AuntNanette were there.

8. This birthday turned out to be the special birthdayever.

9. Uncle Romie was familiar with New York baseballteams than I was.

10. This summer vacation was enjoyable than last year’s vacation.

11. Could this get exciting than yesterday?

12. This is the fun I’ve ever had.

mostmore

mostmore

most

most

more

most

more

more

moremost

Grammar Practice Book, page 147

See Grammar Transparency 116 for modeling and guided practice.



Use Visuals To explain

the concepts of more and

most, draw three items

with price tags. Add prices

illustrating the words

expensive, more expensive,

and the most expensive.

Write sentences comparing

the items. Repeat the

activity with other items

but have students write

the sentences.

Grammar

5 Day Grammar

Comparing with More and MostDaily Language ActivitiesUse these activities to introduce each day’s lesson. Write the day’s activity on the board or use Transparency 24.

DAY 1In school I am studying to be a artist. I like a english painters best. (1: an; 2: the English)

DAY 2Last weekend we had the most best time ever! My parents took me to a art studio. (1: the best; 2: an art studio.)

DAY 3Tim is the unusualest artist I have ever seen. His cat painting is most amusing than the dog painting. It’s also more small. (1: most unusual; 2: more amusing; 3: also smaller.)

DAY 4This artist is the more popular artist in the city. Karen, do you think his painting of the harber is most beautiful than his drawing? (1: most popular; 2: harbor; 3: more beautiful)

DAY 5Yes I think he would be the victer in a art contest. He is the more promising artist in the whole city. (1: Yes,; 2: victor; 3: an; 4: most promising)

INTRODUCE MORE AND MOST

Present the following:

■ For long adjectives, use the word

more to compare two people,

places, or things: I am exhausted.

Gerard is more exhausted than I

am.

■ Use most to compare more than

two people, places, or things:

Jaime is the most exhausted of all

three of us.

REVIEW MORE AND MOST

Discuss with students how to

decide whether to use endings

or to use more and most when

comparing with adjectives.

INTRODUCE WHEN TO USE MORE

AND MOST

Present the following:

■ Use -er or -est with many common

two-syllable adjectives, such as

happier, happiest; healthier, healthiest,

but not all: more polite, most polite;

more playful, most playful.

■ If you are unsure about which to

use, look in a dictionary.

Introduce the Concept Teach the Concept

631I

Grammar

Review and Practice

REVIEW WHEN TO USE MORE

AND MOST

Have students explain the words

more and most and the adjectives

with which they are used.

MECHANICS AND USAGE: USING

MORE AND MOST CORRECTLY

■ Use more when there are two

items being compared.

■ Use most when there are three

or more items being compared.

■ Use more and most when

comparing adjectives that are

three syllables or longer.

■ Use more and most sometimes

when comparing adjectives that

are one and two syllables long.

■ When you use more or most, do

not use -er or -est as well.

REVIEW MORE AND MOST

Ask students to describe when to

use more and most.

PROOFREAD

Have students correct the

incorrect uses of comparisons

and punctuation in the following

sentences.

1. Yes, this is a beautiful painting,

but that one is the most

beautiful of the two. (more

beautiful)

2. Class here is a painting of the

more dangerous river in the

world. (Class,; most dangerous)

3. Josh, this painting is the

interestinger of my two

favorites. (more interesting)

4. I want to go to the crowdedest

museum in the city. (most

crowded)

ASSESS

Use page 151 of the Grammar

Practice Book for assessment.

RETEACH

Write the corrected sentences

containing more and most from the

Daily Language Activities and the

Proofread activity on index cards.

Leave a blank for the words more

and most. Tell students to form two

teams. One team draws a card and

reads the sentence. The other team

calls out more or most. Teams then

switch roles and play continues in

this way until all cards are used.

Use page 152 of the Grammar

Practice Book for additional

reteaching.



• For long adjectives, use more and most to compare people,tplaces, or things.

• Use more to compare two people, places, or things.• Use most to compare more than two.t

Rewrite each sentence in the introduction speech below. Remember to use more and most correctly with adjectives. Use a comma after an tintroductory word used at the beginning of a sentence. Use a comma when the first word in the sentence addresses someone by name.

Class I would like to introduce my Uncle Romie to you. I met him

last summer when I visited New York. He is the most creativest, most

imaginativest person I know! His work is more unusualer and more

powerfuler than any painting in a museum. Is he a painter? Is he a

photographer? Is he a writer? No he’s all of those at once. He puts paint,

pictures, newspapers, magazines, and other things together to make the most

amazing collages. His collage of Harlem is the more joyfulest picture I’ve

ever seen.Yes I have also started making collages, just like Uncle Romie.

Class, I would like to introduce my Uncle Romie to yyyou. I met him last summer when I visited New York. He is the most creative, most imaginative person I know! His work is more unusual and more powerful know! His work is more unusual and more powerfulknow! His work is more unusual and more powerfulthan any painting in a museum. Is he a painter? Is hethan any painting in a museum Is he a painter? Is hethan any painting in a museum Is he a painter? Is hea photographer? Is he a writer? No, he’s all of those at p g pp g ponce. He puts paint, pictures, newspapers, magazines,and other things together to make the most amazingcollages.collagescollages His collage of Harlem is the most joyfulHis collage of Harlem is the most joyfulHis collage of Harlem is the most joyfulpicture I’ve ever seen. Yes, I have also started makingpicture I ve ever seen Yes I have also started makingpicture I ve ever seen Yes I have also started makingcollages, just like Uncle Romie.g jg j



Grammar Practice Book, pages 151–152


Assess and ReteachReview and Proofread

A. In each sentence, find the adjective that compares. Circle your answer.

1. My sister is more musical than my brother is. a. sister b. more musical c. musical than d. brother is

2. New York City is one of the most popular of all cities to visit. a. New York b. the most c. most popular d. all cities3. My Aunt Nanette is the most generous person I know. a. most generous b. Aunt Nanette c. generous person d. I know

B. Choose the correct adjective to complete each sentence.Circle your answer.

4. My sister was about my trip than my brother was. a. curious b. curiouser c. more curious d. most curious

5. John is the of all three children. a. responsible b. responsiblest c. more responsible d. most responsible

6. That is the idea I ever heard. a. original b. originalest c. more original d. most original

Me and Uncle Romie 631J

ELL Practice and

Assessment, 148–149

Fluency Assessment

En

d-o

f-W

ee

k A

sse

ssm

en

tAdminister the Test

Weekly Reading Assessment, Passage and questions, pages 301–308

ASSESSED SKILLS

• Character

• Vocabulary Words

• Context Clues: Description

• Comparing with more and most

• Words with Final /er/

Administer the Weekly Assessment online or

on CD-ROM.

FluencyAssess fluency for one group of students per week.

Use the Oral Fluency Record Sheet to track the number

of words read correctly. Fluency goal for all students:

113–133 words correct per minute (WCPM).

Approaching Level Weeks 1, 2, 3

On Level Weeks 2, 4

Beyond Level Week 6

Alternative Assessment• ELL Assessment, pages 148–149

Weekly Assessment, 301–308Assessment Tool

631K

En

d-o

f-We

ek

Asse

ssme

nt

VOCABULARY WORDS

VOCABULARY STRATEGY

Context Clues: Description

Items 1, 2, 3, 4

IF...

0–2 items correct . . .

THEN...

Reteach skills using the Additional

Lessons page T9.

Reteach skills: Go to

www.macmillanmh.com

Vocabulary PuzzleMaker

Evaluate for Intervention.

COMPREHENSION

Skill: Character

Items 5, 6, 7, 8

0–2 items correct . . . Reteach skills using the Additional

Lessons page T4.


GRAMMAR

Comparing with more and

most

Items 9, 10, 11

0–1 items correct . . . Reteach skills: Grammar Practice Book

page 152.

SPELLING

Words with Final /ә r/

Items 12, 13, 14

0–1 items correct . . . Reteach skills: Go to

www.macmillanmh.com

FLUENCY 109–112 WCPM

0–108 WCPM

Fluency Solutions


Diagnose Prescribe

To place students

in the Intervention

Program, use

the Diagnostic

Assessment in the

Intervention Teacher’s

Edition.

TriumphsAN INTERVENTION PROGRAM

R E A D I N G

Me and Uncle Romie 631L



Phonics

Approaching Level Options

Objective Decode words with final /әr/

Materials • Student Book “Secondhand Art” • Teacher’s Resource Book, p. 28

WORDS WITH FINAL /әr/

Model/Guided Practice

■ Explain that words that end with an unaccented syllable that is spelled

with a vowel plus r (ar, er, ir, or, or ur) are usually pronounced /әr/.

■ Write enter on the board. Say: This word begins with en, which is

pronounced /en/. The second syllable ends with a vowel + r, so I should

pronounce it /tәr/. When I blend the sounds together, I get /en tәr/, enter.

■ Have students follow your model to pronounce the words anchor, collar,

wider, and polar. Provide constructive feedback.

MULTISYLLABIC WORDS WITH FINAL /әr/

■ Write the word popular on the board. Say: I can sound out the first two

syllables of the word: /pop ū/. The last syllable ends with a vowel + r, so I

should pronounce it /lәr/. When I blend the sounds together, I get /pop ū lәr/,

popular.

■ Have pairs of students work together to practice decoding longer words

with final /әr/. Write the following words on the board and ask student

pairs to copy them onto a sheet of paper. Have them say each word,

draw lines to divide it into syllables, and circle the final syllable with /әr/.

calendar elevator uglier carpenter

together skyscraper circular newspaper

conductor director muscular prettier

■ Check each pair or group for their progress and accuracy.

WORD HUNT: WORDS WITH FINAL /ә r/ IN CONTEXT

■ Review words with final /әr/.

■ Have students search pages 606–607 of “Secondhand Art” to find words

with final /әr/. Ask them to write each word and circle the letters that

stand for the final /әr/.

■ Check to see that students have found the following: enter, together,

skyscrapers, hamburger, newspaper different, pictures, modern.

■ Repeat the activity with the decodable passages on Teacher’s Resource

Book page 28.

For each skill below,

additional lessons are

provided. You can use these

lessons on consecutive days

after teaching the lessons

presented within the week.

• Characters, T4• Context Clues

(Description), T9

• Directions, T12

Additional Resources

To help students build

speed and accuracy with

phonics patterns, use

additional decodable

text on page 28 of the

Teacher’s Resource Book.

Decodable Text

If students say an /ar/

instead of /әr/, such as

/kol ar’/ instead of /kol’ әr/

for collar, write collar on the

board as col-lar and say:

This word is collar.

The first syllable is

accented so you say it

more strongly: /KOL/.

The second syllable is

unaccented, so you say it

more gently and with an

/әr/ sound. Say it with me:

/әr/. Let’s sound out and

say the word together:

/KOL/ /әrrr/, collar.

ConstructiveFeedback

631M

Objective Read with increasing prosody and accuracy at a rate of 113–123 WCPM

Materials • index cards • Approaching Practice Book A, p. 173

WORD AUTOMATICITY

Have students make flashcards for the following words with final /әr/:

grocer, enter, popular, pepper, odor, harbor, barber, collar, anchor, grader,

zipper, elevator, polar, powder, daughter, tanker, danger, victor, singer, cheddar.

Display the cards one at a time and have students say each word. Repeat

twice more, displaying the words more quickly each time.

REPEATED READING

Explain to students that often the mood or emotion of the text will make

us read slower or faster. Model reading aloud the Fluency passage on

Practice Book A page 173. Tell students to pay close attention and listen

to your tempo and how you adjust it to match the mood of the text. Then

read one paragraph at a time and have students echo-read, copying your

tempo.

Students can take turns reading the passage with a partner throughout

the week. Listen and provide constructive feedback.

TIMED READING

At the end of the week, have students do a final timed reading of the

passage on Practice Book A page 173. Students should

■ begin reading the passage aloud when you say “Go”

■ stop reading the passage after one minute when you say “Stop”

Keep track of miscues. Coach students as needed. Help students record

and graph the number of words they read correctly.

Vocabulary

Objective Apply vocabulary word meanings

Materials • Vocabulary Cards • index cards

VOCABULARY WORDS

Display the Vocabulary Cards for this week’s words: barbecue, collage,

flicked, glorious, skyscrapers, strutting, and swarms. Review the definitions

of each word in the Glossary of the Student Book. Have partners write

each vocabulary word on an index card and the word’s definition on

another index card. Have partners mix up all the cards and arrange them

facedown on a desk. Have students take turns flipping over two cards,

looking for a match of a word with its definition.


If students do not adjust

their tempo to reflect

the content of the text,

exaggerate their tempo

as you model back how

they sounded. Then reread

the passage to them at

the correct tempo. Finally

lead the class in a choral

reading so they can follow

your lead in reading at the

appropriate rate.

ConstructiveFeedback

Me and Uncle Romie 631N

Vocabulary

Approaching Level Options

Review last week’s words

(period, vessels, valuable,

documenting, estimated)

and this week’s words

(strutting, swarms, flicked,

barbecue, skyscrapers,

glorious, collage). Have

students find a synonym

(or phrase with the same

meaning) for each word.

Objective Use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words

Materials • Student Book Me and Uncle Romie

CONTEXT CLUES: DESCRIPTIONS

Description context clues can be a restatement of a word or can be

phrases that help the reader draw a mental picture. Find the word collage

on page 616 of Me and Uncle Romie and identify the descriptions that

can help students understand the meaning of the word. Ask students to

work in pairs to define each vocabulary word and then create their own

description that can serve as a context clue for the word.

Comprehension

Objective Analyze character

Materials • Student Book “Secondhand Art” • Transparencies 24a and 24b


Remind students to monitor, or check, their comprehension as they read.

They should regularly stop to ask themselves whether they understand

what is happening in the story.

SKILLCHARACTER

Explain/Model

Remind students of the following points.

■ Character traits are a character’s long-lasting qualities.

■ A character’s emotions can change. These are not long-lasting qualities.

Display Transparencies 24a and 24b. Reread the first page.

Think Aloud Danny and Emma make different kinds of suggestions for

their art project. Emma seems a little more imaginative and dramatic

than Danny, but they listen to each other and work well together.

Practice/Apply

After reading, invite students to describe the characters. Ask:

■ Describe Danny and Emma’s emotions in the story. How does the story

show that these are changeable qualities?

■ What do you learn about Danny and Emma from the way each character

tries to solve the problem?

Student Book, or Transparencies 24a and 24b

by David Walcott

631O

Leveled ReaderLeveled Reader Lesson

Objective Read to apply strategies and skills

Materials • Leveled Reader Girl Arranging Her Hair

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students read the chapter titles and preview the illustrations and

first two chapters. Ask them to think of any questions they may have,

and then make predictions about the story and its characters.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Review the vocabulary words as needed. As you read together, discuss

how each word is used in context.


Remind students that good readers often monitor their comprehension.

As they read, they ask themselves if they understand what is happening

in the story. In addition, they stop when they have a problem and decide

what they need to do to better understand a passage.

SKILLCHARACTER

Tell students to read the first two chapters. Remind them to look for

descriptions of characters and to pay attention to characters’ thoughts,

feelings, words, and actions.

Think Aloud Louise and her sister imagine that the painting will show

Louise as a princess or a Greek goddess. Maybe Louise is someone

who wants to be famous. I will read on to find out and add this to my

Character Web.

READ AND RESPOND

Finish reading Girl Arranging Her Hair with students. Discuss how Louise

changed from the beginning of the story to the end and why.

Work with students to revise their Character Web.

MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS TEXTS

Invite students to compare Me and Uncle Romie and Girl Arranging Her Hair.

Ask students the following questions.

■ Who has the more difficult situation—James or Louise? Tell why you

think this.

■ How do you think Louise and James change their ideas about art in the

stories? Do you think they would agree with each other about art?

Retell Create a list of all

the characters from the

book Girl Arranging Her

Hair. As a group, retell the

story through a character

other than Louise. Then

discuss how changing the

main character affects the

story. Ask students which

story they like better—the

one told from Louise’s

perspective, or the version

they made up as a group.

Ask students what they

liked most about the story

they chose.

Leveled Reader

Me and Uncle Romie 631P

Leveled Reader LessonVocabulary

On Level Options

Student Book

Student Book


As I read, I will pay attention to my tempo in order to match the action in the story.

Carly held her breath as the broad-tailed hummingbird

8 fluttered near the cluster of wildflowers. She stared into

17 her camera, waiting. A fly landed on Carly’s arm. She

27 flicked it away with a finger. The bird flew near a flower.

39 The flower wasn’t red enough, though. Carly waited.

47 The bird flew to another flower. This one was too small.

58 Finally, the bird hesitated over the largest, reddest flower.

67 Carly began to snap pictures. She was certain that these

77 would be some of the best pictures she had ever taken.

88 Carly raced home and uploaded the pictures onto her

97 computer. She couldn’t wait to see the results.

105 But when the pictures came up on the screen, she was

116 disappointed. Carly studied them, then opened her photo

124 journal. She wrote: “Hummingbird pictures: The bird’s

131 wings are a blur, not enough detail on flower, bird isn’t

142 close enough to the flower in any shot. Why aren’t these

153 the way I thought they would be?” 160

Comprehension Check

1. What do you learn about Carly in this passage? Character

2. How might the journal help Carly take better pictures in the future? Draw Conclusions

Words Read – Number of Errors = Words

Correct Score

First Read – =

Second Read – =

Carly is patient. She thinks and writes about what she is doing.

The photo journal might help Carly take better pictures because she can learn from her mistakes and not make them again.

Objective Use vocabulary words and antonyms

Materials • Vocabulary Cards • Student Book Me and Uncle Romie

VOCABULARY WORDS

Have the class play a game of Ten Questions. Display all of the

Vocabulary Cards. Allow one volunteer to be “it.” The volunteer will think

of one of the vocabulary words. Students can ask yes/no questions until

they figure out the word. Questions can relate to the part of speech, the

meaning, or the syllabication. After ten questions, the person who is “it”

tells the word. Students get one point for every word they guess correctly.

CONTEXT CLUES: DESCRIPTIONS

Remind students that context clues can be words, phrases, or sentences

that help readers figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. Sometimes

the context clue is in the same sentence as the unfamiliar word.

Sometimes it is in another sentence. Have students find three vocabulary

words in Me and Uncle Romie and identify helpful context clues.

Text Features

Objective Study the parts of how-to articles

Materials • how-to articles from cooking or craft magazines

DIRECTIONS

Discuss the purpose and importance of directions in a how-to article

such as “Making a Collage.” Have students look at other how-to articles to

identify and explain the importance of the directions, materials lists, steps

to follow, and illustrations. Discuss which article provides the best model for

their own writing.

Objective Read fluently with appropriate prosody at a rate of 113–133 WCPM

Materials • On Level Practice Book O, p. 173

REPEATED READING

Model reading the Fluency passage on page 173 of Practice Book O.

Remind students that often the mood or emotion of the text will cause us

to read it slower or faster. Read one sentence at a time and have students

echo-read the sentences, imitating your tempo. During independent

reading time, have students work with partners. Remind students to wait

until their partners get to the end of a sentence before they correct any

mistakes. Do timed readings at the end of the week.

631Q



Materials • Leveled Reader Beautiful or Not • Student Book Me and Uncle Romie

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students preview Beautiful or Not. Show the cover and read the

title.

■ Ask students to predict what they think this selection will be about.

■ Ask students to write down any questions they have.


Ask students what strategies they can use to check their understanding

as they read. Are strategies sometimes more helpful with nonfiction and

fiction?

SKILLCHARACTER

Review: The characters are the people whom the story is about. You can learn

about characters from their thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. Comparing

and contrasting characters in a selection can help you better understand their

actions and the relationships between them. Explain that students will write

about what they learn in a Character Web.

READ AND RESPOND

Have students read Chapters 1 and 2. Pause to discuss the story’s point

of view and all the different characters. Then fill in the Character Web.

Discuss how the point of view affects the way each character is described.

VOCABULARY WORDS

As they finish reading Beautiful or Not, ask students to point out

vocabulary words as they appear. Ask, What image does the word swarms

bring to mind in the following sentence: During the busy summer season,

swarms of tourists came to fish at the lake.

MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS TEXTS

Invite students to compare the characters in Me and Uncle Romie and

Beautiful or Not.

■ Ask students what they think the narrator’s opinion is of the main

character in each of these stories.

■ Ask them which character seems to change the most.

ELLLeveled Reader

Go to pages

631U–631V.

Leveled Reader

Me and Uncle Romie 631R

Vocabulary


Beyond Level Options

Write Articles Have

students create their

own how-to articles.

Help students brainstorm

ideas on the board. Once

students choose an idea,

guide students in writing

their articles. The how-

to article should include

illustrations and captions

that explain the steps of

the directions. Ask for

volunteers to share their

finished articles.

Objective Generate questions using vocabulary words

EXTEND VOCABULARY

Have students use this week’s vocabulary words to make a vocabulary

collage. Ask them to write the words they remember on a piece of paper

in any order they choose. Then ask them to write context clues for each

word the same way. Invite students to exchange collages with a partner

and have their partner make the correct connection between context

clues and vocabulary words in the collage.

Text Features

Objective Use illustrations to make directions easier to understand

Materials • magazines with how-to articles, such as home design magazines, cooking

magazines, and craft magazines

DIRECTIONS

Remind students that directions tell people how to do or make something.

Sometimes pictures are included to help readers understand what they

should do and how to do it. Ask, How could pictures have been used in

“Making a Collage” to help the reader know what to do next?

Have students select how-to articles from magazines and create pictures

to illustrate the directions. Each picture should be labeled with a caption

that explains that step of the directions.

Objective Read fluently with appropriate prosody at a rate of 123–133 WCPM

Materials • Beyond Practice Book B, p. 173

REPEATED READING

Explain to students that often the mood or emotion of the text will cause

us to read it slower or faster. Read aloud page 173 of Practice Book B,

while students pay attention to the tempo. Point out how nervous Piero

is and how quickly the boys are walking. Talk about how quickly you read

when there is nervous energy or the characters are moving quickly. Then

read one sentence at a time, having students echo-read the sentences,

imitating your pace.

Afterward, have partners practice reading together. Encourage them to

read with the correct tempo and to read dialogue expressively.

631S



Materials • Leveled Reader The Goldsmith’s Apprentice

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Have students preview The Goldsmith’s Apprentice, predict what it is

about, and set a purpose for reading. Remind students to confirm or

revise their predictions and purposes as they read.

SKILLCHARACTER

Ask a volunteer to explain what a character can be in a story. Discuss

how important it is to get to know a character’s traits in order to

understand how he or she will speak or act. Tell students that they will

read The Goldsmith’s Apprentice together, and fill in their Character Webs

to see how the character changes from beginning to end.

READ AND RESPOND

As students read, they should consider the characters’ actions and words,

and complete their Character Webs. Invite students to discuss the traits

they have included in their webs. Have them compare and add more

details if needed.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Have students pay attention to vocabulary words as they come up. Review

definitions as needed. “Swarms of apprentices and young children followed

behind, strutting in imitation of the nobles.” Ask students, What image does

strutting bring to mind?

Self-Selected Reading

Objective Read independently to compare characters

Materials • Leveled Readers or fiction trade books at students’ reading level

READ TO ANALYZE CHARACTER

Invite students to choose a fiction book for independent reading,

using personal criteria, such as a favorite author or a classmate’s

recommendations. As students read, have them write details about the

main character’s traits. Ask students to compare the characters from the

book they chose with those in other selections they have read, specifically

telling how the characters are alike and different. Have them compare

and contrast elements of the text and compare and contrast features of

different genres.

Leveled Reader

Me and Uncle Romie 631T

Academic LanguageThroughout the week, the English language learners will need help in

building their understanding of the academic language used in daily

instruction and assessment instruments. The following strategies will help

to increase their language proficiency and comprehension of content and

instructional words.

Strategies to Reinforce Academic Language

■ Use Context Academic Language (see chart below)

should be explained in the context of the task during

Whole Group. Use gestures, expressions, and visuals to

support meaning.

■ Use Visuals Use charts, transparencies, and graphic

organizers to explain key labels to help students

understand classroom language.

■ Model Demonstrate the task using academic language in

order for students to understand instruction.

Academic Language Used in Whole Group Instruction

Content/Theme Words Skill/Strategy Words Writing/Grammar Words

painting (p. 604)

drawing (p. 604)

sculpting (p. 604)

images (p. 628)

background (p. 628)

descriptions (p. 607)

restatement (p. 607)

mental picture (p. 607)

monitor comprehension (p. 607A)

character (p. 607A)

mood (p. 630)

speech (p. 630)

clear opening statement (p. 630)

writer’s opinion (p. 630)

two-syllable adjectives (p. 631I)

more, most (p. 631I)

comparisons (p. 631I)

English Language Learners

For additional language

support and oral language

development, go to

www.macmillanmh.com

631U


ELL Leveled ReaderELL Leveled Reader Lesson Objective• To apply vocabulary and

comprehension skills

Materials

• ELL Leveled Reader

DAY 1 • Academic Language

• Oral Language and Vocabulary Review








• ELL Leveled Reader Comprehension Check and Literacy Activities

ELL Teacher’s Guide

for students who need

additional instruction

DEVELOP ORAL LANGUAGE

Build Background Show several photographs

and ask students what they see. Now let’s look at

them with the eye of an artist. Model describing in

detail one of the pictures and expressing how it

makes you feel.

Review Vocabulary Write the vocabulary and story support words on the

board and discuss the meanings. Model using them in sentences. It is such

a glorious day! The sun is shining. The sky is perfect. It’s not too hot. Then ask

them to use the words in a sentence.

PREVIEW AND PREDICT

Point to the cover illustration and read the title aloud. Ask, What do you

think this story is about? Have students explain their predictions.

Set a Purpose for Reading Show the Character Web and remind students

they have used it before. Ask them to make a similar web to analyze the

main character of the story. Remind them to look for her traits.

Choose from among the differentiated strategies below to support

students’ reading at all stages of language acquisition.

Beginning

Shared Reading As you

read, model how to identify

traits that describe Carly. Fill

in the Character Web. At the

end, have students use the

web to describe Carly.

Intermediate

Read Together Read the

first chapter. Model how

to identify character traits.

Fill in the web. Take turns

reading with students. Help

them identify character

traits. What did we learn

about Carly?

Advanced

Independent Reading

After reading each day,

ask students to identify

character traits for Carly and

fill in the web. Have them

compare the information

with a partner.

Remind students to use the vocabulary and story words in their whole

group activities.

Me and Uncle Romie 631V

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