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Cover image: Meagan reading by Christopher Cotrell is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.
BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English - Course Pack 3 by Shantel Ivits is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Course Pack 3 was created by Shantel Ivits. This creation is a part of the B.C. Open Textbook project.
The B.C. Open Textbook project began in 2012 with the goal of making post-secondary education in British Columbia more accessible by reducing student cost through the use of openly licensed textbooks. The B.C. Open Textbook project is administered by BCcampus and funded by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education.
Open textbooks are open educational resources (OER); they are instructional resources created and shared in ways so that more people have access to them. This is a different model than traditionally copyrighted materials. OER are defined as teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others (Hewlett Foundation).
Our open textbooks are openly licensed using a Creative Commons license, and are offered in various e-book formats free of charge, or as printed books that are available at cost.
For more information about this project, please contact opentext@bccampus.ca.
If you are an instructor who is using this book for a course, please let us know.
These books were developed on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Huy tseep q’u! Chen kw’enmántumiyap! Kw’as hoy!
I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on this project alongside a dedicated team of basic education instructors from across British Columbia. This series was shepherded by Leanne Caillier-Smith (College of the Rockies) and benefited enormously from the insight and encouragement of Julia Dodge (University of the Fraser Valley), Chandra McCann (Okanagan College), Jan Weiten (Vancouver Community College), and Melinda Worfolk (College of New Caledonia). The above five mentioned are representatives of the BC Adult Literacy Articulation Committee and were the advisory committee members for this project. It has been a pleasure to scaffold my own learning among such brilliant and passionate educators.
Huge thanks to Lauri Aesoph of BCcampus for introducing me to the exciting open textbook movement and managing all aspects of the publication of these books — from layout and image selection to copyediting and print –so adeptly.
I am incredibly lucky to work with and have the support of the Basic Education Department at Vancouver Community College: Cynthia Bluman, Andrew Candela, Lynn Horvat, Alayna Kruger, Jo Lemay, Edie Mackenzie, Rene Merkel, Tara Mollel, Linda Rider, Mary Thompson-Boyd, Jan Weiten, our Program Assistant, Nadia Kawas, and our Dean, David Wells. I am also deeply grateful to the basic education students at Vancouver Community College for all that you teach me about dreams, resilience, and perseverance.
A special thank you to my partner, Marria, for always lending my words an eager ear, and for keeping the world around me turning even though my head was perpetually stuck in these books.
This course pack is designed to meet the learning outcomes for Adult Literacy Fundamental English Level 3, as outlined in the Adult Basic Education in BC 2014/2015 Articulation Handbook. This is roughly equivalent to grades 3 to 4.5 in the K-12 system.
The units in this course cover three themes:
Each unit begins with a lesson related to “Skills and Strategies for Learning” (as noted in the Adult Basic Education in BC 2014/2015 Articulation Handbook). The lesson is taught using a profile based on a real community college learner in British Columbia.
Every chapter within the units includes a level-appropriate, high-interest reading of between 350 and 500 words. The readings are freely available in a separate reader, BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Reader 3. Convenient links to the readings are embedded in each chapter of this course pack.
Each chapter also teaches:
For more details, please see the Level 3 Scope and Sequence. Note that the learning goals for “Skills and Strategies for Learning” are covered in the unit introductions and are not included in the scope and sequence document.
This course pack makes use of a number of graphic organizers to help students order their thoughts in a visual way. You can download the complete set of graphic organizers. Students can also download them as needed, through the links embedded throughout the course pack.
In the appendix, you will find rubrics tailored to score each of the writing tasks assigned at the end of each chapter.
You may wish to use this program online, or you may wish to print it for your students by downloading it as a PDF. A print-on-demand option is also available, for a nominal fee. This program was designed to suit both options. Font size and line spacing can be adjusted in the online view, and have been enhanced for the print and PDF versions for easier reading. (In addition, both epub and mobi files are offered for students with e-readers and Kindles.) For students using this program in a self-paced format, there are audio clips embedded throughout the course pack. These clips narrate the denser sections of text. This course pack has been reviewed by subject experts from colleges and universities.
I hope you and your students find the contents of these pages to be both enjoyable and rewarding!
-Shantel Ivits
In these pages, you will take a walk into the history of British Columbia. You will read about some of the great mysteries of our province. Along the way, you will learn many new skills that will help you be a stronger reader and writer.
In Unit 1, you will:
A strength is something you are good at. Everyone has something they are good at. Learners who know their strengths and use them are more likely to do well.
Read this story about Mitch. He has lived through some hard times. But he uses his strengths to get by. What are Mitch’s strengths?
My name is Mitch. I am from the Ojibway Nation. When I was a kid, I got a head injury. It made it hard to read and write. So I left school when I was 9. Even though I was just a kid, I went to work. I got jobs cleaning, fixing fences, and digging holes. There was no job I couldn’t do. One day when I was 16, the police said I stole a car. I didn’t. But they put me in jail anyway. I felt so angry. When I got out, it was hard to find work. I have lots of skills. I am good with tools. I can build and fix just about anything. I’m friendly and honest. But it’s hard to find work when you can’t read and write. So these days I live outside. I tried to stay in a shelter once. But it felt too much like jail. At night, I sleep in a tent in the park. In the summer, it’s not so bad. In the winter, the nights are long and cold. One day, I will be a carpenter. I won’t just build houses. I will live in one. In the meantime, I go to school twice a week. I am learning how to read and write. My teacher says I have a positive attitude. My positive attitude is how I get by.
Write the title Know Your Strengths at the top of the page in your notebook. On a new line, answer these questions:
In this unit, you will read about some mysteries in British Columbia’s history. As you go through each chapter, think about ways you can use your strengths to do your best work.
Living outside
Saturday Night Lights by Luke Detwiler is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.
In this unit, you will learn some strategies you can use before you read. These are called pre-reading strategies. One pre-reading strategy is called Connect.
First you ask: What is the subject of the reading? Subject is another way of saying “main topic.”
Then you ask: What does this subject remind me of?
Here is why this strategy works:
The subject of the reading in this chapter is the sasquatch. Another name for the sasquatch is Bigfoot.
When you think of a sasquatch, what are you reminded of? You will make a web to show the different ways your mind connects to the word sasquatch.
1. Ask your instructor for the Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link. For this task, use a marker or pen.
2. Write sasquatch — the subject — in the big shape in the middle.
3. In each of the smaller shapes, write one of these questions:
a. What does it look like?
b. Where does it live?
c. Why do people think it is real?
d. Where have I heard about it?
4. Add your ideas to the lines around each question.
You will return to your web after you read Searching for Sasquatches.
Sometimes we see a word that we do not understand. Knowing lots of word attack strategies helps us make sense of the word. One word attack strategy is to study word patterns. Here are helpful word patterns to know.
The letters –dge like in judge make the /j/ sound. The d is usually silent.
The letters –tch like in sasquatch make the /ch/ sound. The t is usually silent.
These patterns are only found at the end of a word or syllable or after a short vowel.
/j/ = -dge lodge fudge badge wedge | /ch/ = -tch witch hutch fetch match |
You will see these patterns in the reading for this chapter.
Read Searching for Sasquatches in your reader. When you have finished, try the tasks below.
1. After you have read the text, close your eyes and ask: When I think of the word sasquatch, what new things come to mind?
2. Get a different colour of marker or pen. Add your new connections to the web you made at the beginning of this chapter.
Now look at all of your new connections! What do you think about the Connect strategy? Did it help you make sense of what you read? Rate this strategy in your notebook. How many stars would you give it?
One star means it did not help you. Five stars mean it helped you a lot.
1. The sasquatch is two metres tall.
2. The sasquatch can run very fast.
3. The sasquatch uses its hands and feet to walk, like an ape.
4. The sasquatch does not have a good smell.
5. People in British Columbia are allowed to hunt sasquatches.
6. …told a judge he was kidnapped by a sasquatch?
7. …was the reporter who researched sasquatches?
8. …has told stories about sasquatches for thousands of years?
9. …is the Land of the Sasquatch?
10. …do scientists say a beast like a sasquatch once lived?
11. Here are some vocabulary words from the reading. Try writing your own sentence for three of the words.
beast | protected | exist | ape |
proof | carvings | search |
Let’s get ready to do some writing. When you write, it helps to know about subjects and verbs. This will help you know whether the sentences you write are complete sentences.
You know that a sentence begins with a capital and ends with a period, question mark or exclamation mark. Here is another rule about what every sentence needs.
A sentence needs a subject and a verb.
The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about.
The verb tells us what the subject is doing. A verb can be an action verb, like run or yell. A verb can also be a state verb, like be or have.
Study these sentences. The subject of each sentence is underlined. The verb of each sentence is bold.
Ostman told a reporter that he was kidnapped by a family of sasquatches.
The sasquatch family held him at their camp.
The sasquatch is a big and hairy beast that looks like an ape.
And it smells very, very bad.
Stories of the sasquatch are not new.
1. Which statement is true?
a. In each statement, the subject comes before the verb.
b. In each statement, the subject comes after the verb.
2. Which statement is true?
a. The subject is always at the beginning of the sentence.
b. The subject is not always at the beginning of the sentence.
3. Which statement is true?
a. The subject is always just one thing.
b. The subject can be one thing or a group of things.
4. John Green researched stories about the sasquatch.
5. The sasquatch stands three metres tall.
6. Harrison Hot Springs is a place in the Fraser Valley.
7. The government of Harrison Hot Springs started a search party to look for the beast.
8. Scientists know an ape three metres tall did exist 200,000 years ago.
9. Now write two or three sentences of your own. Write about whether you think the sasquatch is real. Give your reasons.
10. Underline the subject in each sentence. Circle the verbs.
In everyday life, we often need to fill out forms. Imagine you are going on a trip to search for a sasquatch.
1. Ask your instructor for the Sasquatch Searchers forms, or open and print them from the link.
2. Fill out these forms to sign up for your trip. Print as neatly as you can.
3. Use a dictionary to look up any words you do not know.
4. When you are done, hand in your forms to your instructor.
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | false |
2 | true |
3 | false |
4 | true |
5 | false |
6 | Albert Ostman |
7 | John Green |
8 | First Nations people |
9 | Harrison Hot Springs |
10 | 200,000 years ago |
11 | Answers will vary. |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
1 | a | |
2 | b | |
3 | b | |
SUBJECT | VERB | |
4 | John Green | researched |
5 | the sasquatch | stands |
6 | Harrison Hot Springs | is |
7 | The government of Harrison Hot Springs | started |
8 | scientists | know |
9 | Answers will vary. | |
10 | Answers will vary. |
In the last chapter, you learned a pre-reading strategy called Connect. You connected what you already knew about a topic to what you were reading.
In this chapter, you will use a pre-reading strategy called Predict. Predict means guess.
1. In your reader, look at the title of the next reading.
2. Look at the pictures that go with the reading.
3. Look at these words from the story:
coal | train | steamboat | mining | strike |
war | government | police officer | mountain | speak out |
4. Ask your instructor for the Predict sheet, or open and print one from the link. Under I predict…, answer each question below.
a. When do you think the story takes place?
b. What job did Ginger Goodwin do?
c. How did Ginger Goodwin die?
d. Who might want Ginger Goodwin dead? Why?
You will look back at your guesses after you read The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin.
One way to learn to read harder words is to study word families. A word family is a group of words with the same ending. In this chapter, you will look at words that end with –ight, –ound, and –ain.
The three letters –igh make one sound. The letters –igh make a long /i/ sound. These letters are usually followed by t.
The word ending –ain has two vowels that make one sound. The vowels –ai can make the long /a/ sound.
The last word family in this chapter is the –ound family. The two vowels –ou can make the same sound you make when you stub your toe: ow!
long /i/ = -igh | long /a/ = -ain | ow = -ound |
fight light might night right sight tight | gain main pain rain brain drain grain train again plain explain | bound found ground hound mound pound round sound |
Watch out! Here are some –ai words that make a different sound. The a is silent in these words:
mountain | fountain | captain |
Read The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin in your reader. When you have finished, return to the tasks below.
Finish filling in your Predict sheet. Under The text says…, write the real answers from the text. Were your guesses right?
Rewrite the complete sentences in your notebook.
Sentence beginnings:
1. Albert Goodwin was called Ginger because…
2. Coal was important because…
3. Coal mining was dangerous because…
4. The coal miners went on strike because…
5. Ginger fled to Alone Mountain because…
6. The police came after Ginger because…
7. All the workers in British Columbia went on strike because…
Sentence endings:
…it was illegal for fit men aged 20 to 35 not to go to war.
…they wanted to be safe at work.
…gas and coal dust made workers sick.
…they were mad that Ginger was killed.
…it was used to fuel trains and steamboats.
…he had red hair.
…he did not believe in war.
A sentence needs a subject and a verb. If a sentence is missing a subject or a verb, it is not a complete sentence.
1. Coal mining was not a safe job.
2. The coal dust made people sick.
3. Sometimes gas made the workers sick, too.
4. Sometimes mines caved in.
5. Ginger Goodwin spoke out for workers’ rights.
Write what is missing — a subject or a verb.
6. Did not believe in war.
7. Had many health problems.
8. Said he was fit for war.
9. People in the nearby town.
10. A police officer named Campbell.
11. Found Ginger’s dead body.
12. All the workers in British Columbia.
Write yes if they are complete and no if they are not complete. Rewrite the incomplete sentences to make them complete.
13. His family called him Ginger.
14. Went on strike.
15. Made a law that all men aged 20 to 35 must fight in the war.
16. The doctor said Ginger was fit to go to war.
17. Escaped to a cabin on Alone Mountain.
18. Miners and friends.
Was Ginger Goodwin a lawbreaker or a hero? You will share what you think in a paragraph.
Before you write, it helps to brainstorm as many ideas as you can. The web you used in the last chapter is a great tool for brainstorming.
1. Ask your instructor for a Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link.
2. Write Ginger Goodwin in the big shape. He will be the subject of your paragraph.
3. In one of the smaller shapes, write lawbreaker. On the lines outside of that shape, brainstorm reasons Ginger was or was not a lawbreaker.
4. In another of the smaller shape, write hero. On the lines outside of that shape, brainstorm reasons Ginger was or was not a hero.
5. Leave the other shapes blank.
6. Think about your web. Decide if you think Ginger was more of a lawbreaker or more of a hero.
Now you are ready to put your thoughts into a paragraph.
Use the ideas from your web. Write a paragraph on this topic:
Was Ginger Goodwin a hero or a lawbreaker?
Make sure your paragraph has:
When you are done:
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | Albert Goodwin was called Ginger because he had red hair. |
2 | Coal was important because it was used to fuel trains and steamboats. |
3 | Coal mining was dangerous because gas and coal dust made workers sick. |
4 | The coal miners went on strike because they wanted to be safe at work. |
5 | Ginger fled to Alone Mountain because he did not believe in war. |
6 | The police came after Ginger because it was illegal for fit men aged 20 to 35 not to go to war. |
7 | All the workers in British Columbia went on strike because they were mad that Ginger was killed. |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | SUBJECT | VERB |
1 | Coal mining | was |
2 | The coal dust | made |
3 | gas | made |
4 | mines | caved or caved in |
5 | Ginger Goodwin | spoke or spoke out |
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
6 | subject | |
7 | subject | |
8 | subject | |
9 | verb | |
10 | verb | |
11 | subject | |
12 | verb | |
QUESTION | ANSWER | REWRITE COMPLETE SENTENCE (Answers may vary.) |
13 | yes | |
14 | no | The miners went on strike. or The workers went on strike. |
15 | no | The government made a law that all men aged 20 to 35 must fight in the war. |
16 | yes | |
17 | no | Ginger Goodwin escaped to a cabin on Alone Mountain. |
18 | no | Miners and friends carried Ginger’s body through the streets. |
In the last chapter, you learned a pre-reading strategy called Predict. You looked at the title, pictures, and words from the story to guess what it was about.
In this chapter, you will use a pre-reading strategy called Question. Asking questions about the topic in the reading helps stir up our interest. When we read with questions in mind, it helps us make sense of what we read.
Here are some question words:
1. Find The Gentleman Bandit in your reader. Look at the title and pictures. Use a dictionary to look up any words in the title that you do not know. What is the subject of the reading?
2. Ask your instructor for the Question sheet, or open and print one from the link.
3. Under I wonder…, make a list of five questions you have about this subject.
Example: What was the bandit’s real name? What did he steal? Did he get caught?
Sometimes when you get stuck on a big word, it helps to look for smaller words inside of the big word.
Sometimes two words describe just one thing.
Then guess what they might mean. Match the word to each picture.
1. newspaper
2. campfire
3. gunfight
a | b | c |
4. train bandit
5. wanted poster
6. passenger car
7. police officer
8. British Columbia
d | e | f | g | h |
Read The Gentleman Bandit in your reader. Look for the answers to your questions as you read.
When you have finished reading, write down the answers in your Question chart, under I learned…
1. His friends dug a hole under the prison fence.
2. He came to British Columbia.
3. He robbed a train near Kamloops.
4. He escaped back to the United States.
5. He robbed a train near Mission.
6. He only made $15.50.
7. The police put him in prison.
8. He got $7,000 in gold.
The simple past tense is used to talk about events that started and ended in the past (yesterday, last night, three days ago).
Most simple past verbs are formed by adding –ed to a verb.
Example: On a September day in 1904, a CPR train stopped outside of Mission.
The verb in this sentence is stop. To make it a simple past verb, we add an –ed ending.
1. In the days before cars, people and goods travelled long ways on horses and trains.
2. Bill needed to escape.
3. He slipped across the border into Canada.
4. He played the fiddle.
5. He showed people how to dance.
Change these sentences to simple past by adding –ed to the end of the verbs.
6. The bandits climb onto the train.
7. They unhook the passenger car.
8. They grab the gold.
9. They wish the train workers a good night.
10. They walk off into the night.
11. They share their money.
Some verbs break this grammar rule. For some verbs, you cannot add –ed to the end. These verbs are called irregular verbs.
Be is one of these verbs. The simple past forms of be are was and were.
12. Horses and trains were easy targets for bandits.
13. Bill Miner was one of the most infamous train bandits.
14. George Edwards was the name he gave people.
15. He was a charming man.
16. The robbery was in all of the newspapers across British Columbia.
Here are some other irregular verbs — verbs that break the simple past grammar rule.
Caught is the simple past form of catch.
Felt is the simple past form of feel.
Found is the simple past form of find.
Gave is the simple past form of give.
Knew is the simple past form of know.
Ran is the simple past form of run.
Took is the simple past form of take.
Told is the simple past form of tell.
Pick three words from the words below. Write one sentence about Bill Miner for each word.
caught | found | knew | took |
felt | ran | gave | told |
How do you think Bill Miner got out of British Columbia without anyone seeing him? Create a paragraph telling the story of how he got away.
Just like last time, plan out your ideas using a web.
1. Ask your instructor for a Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link.
2. In the big shape, write Bill Miner. He is the subject of your story.
3. In each of the smaller shapes, write one of these questions:
a. Who helped him escape?
b. How did he travel across the border?
c. Where did he go?
d. How did he spend the rest of his life?
4. Brainstorm answers for each question. Be creative!
Now you are ready to put your ideas into a paragraph.
Pretend you are Bill. You are writing in your journal. Write a paragraph about your escape from prison. Begin your journal like this:
Tonight, I finally escaped from prison! My friends dug a hole under a fence. I climbed out. Then I…
Write your sentences in past tense.
When you have finished:
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | b |
2 | c |
3 | a |
4 | d |
5 | f |
6 | h |
7 | g |
8 | e |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
2 | He came to British Columbia. |
5 | He robbed a train near Mission. |
8 | He got $7,000 in gold. |
3 | He robbed a train near Kamloops. |
6 | He only made $15.50. |
7 | The police put him in prison. |
1 | His friends dug a hole under the prison fence. |
4 | He escaped back to the United States. |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
1 | travelled | |
2 | needed | |
3 | slipped | |
4 | played | |
5 | showed | |
6 | The bandits climbed onto the train. | |
7 | They unhooked the passenger car. | |
8 | They grabbed the gold. | |
9 | They wished the train workers a good night. | |
10 | They walked off into the night. | |
11 | They shared their money. | |
SUBJECT | VERB | |
12 | Horses and trains | were |
13 | Bill Miner | was |
14 | George Edwards | was |
15 | He | was |
16 | The robbery | was |
Photo a by BrokenSphere is in the public domain.
Photo b by Jon S is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.
Photo c by unknown is in the public domain.
Photo d by unknown is in the public domain.
Photo e by unknown is in the public domain.
Photo f by RadtasticBxtch is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.
Photo g by unknown is in the public domain.
Photo h by amandaelizabeth84 is in the public domain.
In these pages, you will walk alongside some of the people of British Columbia. You will read a bit about arts and culture in our province. Along the way, you will learn many new skills that will help you be a stronger reader and writer.
In Unit 2, you will:
Everyone has dreams. Setting goals is the first step to making our dreams come true.
Read this story about Sara. Sara is an adult learner in British Columbia. What are Sara’s goals?
My name is Sara. I am from Sudan. In Sudan, I had a friend named Ben. Ben was gay. When he walked, he moved his hips like a woman. Some men did not like Ben’s walk. These men did not like gay people. So they killed my friend Ben. I miss him so much. In 1998, I moved to British Columbia. One of the women in my neighbourhood had a gay son. When she found out her son was gay, she felt ashamed. She kicked him out of the house. These days, I invite her son to my house. I cook for him. He eats with my family. Some of my friends say I should not let this boy near my kids. They say he might turn my kids gay. I know that’s not true. The boy will always be welcome at my house. I take basic education classes four days a week. I want to learn to read and write. My goal is to make the world a better place. My goal is to stand up for human rights. This would have made my friend Ben happy.
Write the title Setting Goals in your notebook. On a new line, answer these questions:
In this unit, you will learn about some different faces of culture in British Columbia. As you go through each chapter, think about your goals. Let your goals move you toward doing your best work.
In Unit 1, you learned about pre-reading strategies. Another way you can build your reading skills is to build your vocabulary. In this chapter, you will learn to build your vocabulary. Your vocabulary is the group of words that you know.
You can build your vocabulary by keeping track of words that are new to you. You might see new words in newspapers or hear them on TV. Find out what they mean. Then remember and use your new words.
Learning new words helps you because:
Here are some vocabulary words. Which ones are new for you?
1. Rate each word based on how well you know it. Give it a…
1 – if you do not know it
2 – if you sort of know it
3 – if you know it well
Do not know | Sort of know | Know well | |
tradition | 1 | 2 | 3 |
celebrate | 1 | 2 | 3 |
journey | 1 | 2 | 3 |
kilometre | 1 | 2 | 3 |
mammal | 1 | 2 | 3 |
national | 1 | 2 | 3 |
championship | 1 | 2 | 3 |
ceremony | 1 | 2 | 3 |
festival | 1 | 2 | 3 |
sculpture | 1 | 2 | 3 |
2. Now ask your instructor for a Vocab Builder sheet, or open and print one from the link.
3. Choose three words that you rated a 1. Add each word to the middle of its own Word box.
4. Look up your three words in the dictionary. Sometimes a word has more than one meaning. The most common meaning will be given first. Under Dictionary Definition, write down the most common meaning for your three words.
5. For each word, complete all the other boxes in the Vocab Builder.
Often we can figure out a new word without looking in a dictionary. We can use our word attack skills.
One word attack strategy is to look for a suffix. A suffix is part of a word. It is put at the end of the word to change the meaning. In this chapter, you will learn about these suffixes: –er, –or, –ar, and –est.
When you see the suffix –er, –or, or –ar at the end of a word, it often means “a person who.”
For example:
1. What is a visitor?
A visitor is a person who ____________________.
2. What is a racer?
A racer is a person who ____________________.
3. What is a sculptor?
A sculptor is a person who ____________________.
The suffix –est means “the most.”
For example:
4. What does longest mean?
Longest means the most ______________.
5. What does oldest mean?
Oldest means the most _______________.
6. What does largest mean?
Largest means the most _______________.
The title of the next reading is All Together Now: BC Festivals. Think about any festivals you have been to. What did they celebrate? What kinds of events were there? Guess what festivals will be talked about in this reading. When you are ready, begin reading.
The subject of the reading in this chapter is festivals of British Columbia. The reading is divided into six paragraphs. Each paragraph is about a different, but closely related topic.
1. What is the topic of the second paragraph?
a. Whales
b. Festivals in British Columbia
c. The Pacific Rim Whale Festival
2. What is the topic of the third paragraph?
a. Bathtubs
b. Nanaimo’s World Championship Bathtub Race
c. Vancouver Island
3. What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
a. The Dragon Boat Festival in Vancouver
b. Dragons
c. China
4. What is the topic of the fifth paragraph?
a. The Vernon Winter Carnival
b. Sculptures
c. The Rocky Mountains
cultures | journey | jail | serious |
5. The Pacific Rim Whale Festival celebrates the _____________________ of the grey whale.
6. The World Championship Bathtub Race started as a silly event but is now a _________________________ sport.
7. The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the many different ______________________ of the people in Vancouver.
8. At the Vernon Winter Carnival, people are put in ______________________ to raise money.
If we learn the rules about capital letters, we can help our readers understand what we write. You already know to use a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence. This helps our readers understand that we are starting a new idea. Here are some more rules about capital letters.
Use a capital letter for:
Match each word to the correct capital letter rule using the number from the box above. The first one is done for you.
1. Arctic Answer: 3
2. Mexico
3. Expo 86
4. Rocky Mountains
5. Nanaimo
6. March
7. Vernon Winter Carnival
8. Dragon Boat Festival
9. China
10. February
11. Pacific Rim National Park
Rewrite these sentences and add capital letters where needed.
12. albert ostman said he was kidnapped by a sasquatch.
13. ginger goodwin hid on alone mountain near comox lake.
14. there is a movie about bill miner called the grey fox.
15. are you going to the kamloopa powwow?
16. yes, i am leaving on friday, and i will be back on sunday.
Think of a festival you know about. Create a poster or ad to let people know about the event. If you want to, you can invent your own festival.
Include:
You can make up the details, such as where and when the next one will take place.
When you have finished:
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | visits |
2 | races |
3 | sculpts |
4 | long |
5 | old |
6 | large |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | c |
2 | b |
3 | a |
4 | a |
5 | journey |
6 | serious |
7 | cultures |
8 | jail |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
1 | 3 | answer given |
2 | 3 | |
3 | 5 | |
4 | 3 | |
5 | 3 | |
6 | 4 | |
7 | 5 | |
8 | 5 | |
9 | 3 | |
10 | 4 | |
11 | 3 | |
12 | Albert Ostman said he was kidnapped by a sasquatch. | |
13 | Ginger Goodwin hid on Alone Mountain near Comox Lake. | |
14 | There is a movie about Bill Miner called The Grey Fox. | |
15 | Are you going to the Kamloopa Powwow? | |
16 | Yes, I am leaving on Friday and I will be back on Sunday. |
In the last chapter, you learned how a bigger vocabulary can help you read. One way to build your vocabulary is to study synonyms.
Synonyms are words that have nearly the same meaning. Think about the word strange. This circle shows some synonyms for strange:
Some dictionaries give you a synonym along with the definition. Dictionaries often put SYN before the list of synonyms for a word.
1. Look up wonderful in your dictionary. Does it give a list of synonyms? If not, ask your instructor for a thesaurus to do this task. A thesaurus is a book that gives synonyms for words.
2. Ask your instructor for a SYN Circles sheet, or open and print one from the link.
3. Choose four words from the box below. Put each of your words into a circle.
violent | strict | fearless | smart |
funny | sad | joyful | bold |
4. Find three synonyms for each word that you chose. Choose synonyms that you can sound out. Add them to the correct circle.
5. Write a sentence for each word you picked from the box.
In the last chapter, you learned about the suffixes –ar, –or, –er, and –est. In this chapter, you will learn about the suffixes –less and –ful.
The suffix –less means “without.”
For example:
The suffix –ful means “full of.”
For example:
1. Hopeless means ______________________________.
2. Powerless means ______________________________.
3. Tasteless means ______________________________.
4. Joyful means ______________________________.
5. Restful means ______________________________.
6. Tearful means ______________________________.
7. People who skydive are ______________________________.
8. The ____________________ child raced down the hill on her sled.
9. The sunset is ______________________________.
10. My day off work was very ______________________________.
11. I was being _____________________________ and I broke a glass.
Now it’s time to read Bold and Bright: Sook-Yin Lee. You will come across many of the synonyms and suffixes you looked at in this chapter. Use what you have learned to help you make sense of and enjoy the text.
1. She grew up in North Vancouver.
2. She became a radio show host on CBC.
3. Her sister died.
4. CBC almost fired her for being in a movie called Shortbus.
5. She ran away from home with her sister.
6. She became a VJ on MuchMusic.
7. She kept her job.
8. People spoke out for her right to express herself.
9. She joined a band called Bob’s Your Uncle.
10. What does “Jill of all trades” mean?
11. Why is Sook-Yin Lee called a “Jill of all trades”?
When we talk, we often blend our words together. We do not say, “What is going on?” We say, “What’s going on?” This is called a “contraction.”
A contraction is a word made by putting two words together and leaving some letters out. An apostrophe (’) shows that letters have been left out.
Here are some examples:
I am = I’m | you are = you’re | we are = we’re |
she is = she’s | he is = he’s | it is = it’s |
that is = that’s | they are = they’re | do not = don’t |
did not = didn’t | does not = doesn’t |
Find the contractions. Rewrite the sentences without contractions.
1. She’s a musician, actor, writer, filmmaker, and broadcaster.
2. She says stories are how she makes sense of a world that’s both strange and wonderful.
3. She became the lead singer of a Vancouver-based punk band called Bob’s Your Uncle.
4. What makes Sook-Yin different is that she doesn’t hold back.
5. So CBC didn’t fire her after all.
Choose two of the contractions from the Grammar Rule box above. Write a sentence for each one.
Listen to the first 12 minutes of this podcast of Definitely Not the Opera with Sook-Yin Lee.
Write a paragraph to review the show. Did you like it? Why or why not? Correctly use at least two contractions.
Begin your review like this:
In October 2014, Sook-Yin Lee looked at how art can change your life on her radio show, Definitely Not the Opera. I thought the show was…
When you have finished:
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | without hope |
2 | without power |
3 | without taste |
4 | full of joy |
5 | full of rest |
6 | full of tears |
7 | fearless |
8 | joyful |
9 | beautiful |
10 | restful |
11 | careless |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | She grew up in North Vancouver. |
5 | She ran away from home with her sister. |
3 | Her sister died. |
9 | She joined a band called Bob’s Your Uncle. |
6 | She became a VJ on MuchMusic. |
2 | She became a radio show host on CBC. |
4 | CBC almost fired her for being in a movie called Shortbus. |
8 | People spoke out for her right to express herself. |
7 | She kept her job. |
10 | Jill of all trades describes someone who can do a little bit of everything. |
11 | Sook-Yin Lee is called a “Jill of all trades” because she has done many different jobs in the arts. |
Grammar | ||
QUESTION | ANSWER | |
1 | She is a musician, actor, writer, filmmaker, and broadcaster. | |
2 | She says stories are how she makes sense of a world that is both strange and wonderful. | |
3 | She became the lead singer of a Vancouver-based punk band called Bob is Your Uncle. | |
4 | What makes Sook-Yin different is that she does not hold back. | |
5 | So CBC did not fire her after all. |
In the last chapter, you learned how to build your vocabulary with synonyms. In this chapter, you will learn to build your vocabulary with antonyms.
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. For example, old and young are antonyms. Dead and alive are antonyms.
better | sleeping | destroy | help | right |
awake | harm | wrong | worse | save |
Words can have many antonyms. The antonyms for renew are in the grey parts of the circle.
1. Ask your instructor for an ANT Circles sheet, or open and print one from the link.
2. Create an Antonym Circle for each of the words below. Use a thesaurus to find antonyms. Choose words you can sound out.
die | sick | connect | grow |
When you first began to read, you mostly learned words with three letters, such as hop, pin, and cod.
The first letter is a consonant. The second letter is a vowel. The third letter is a consonant. These words are called consonant-vowel-consonant words. We call them CVC words for short.
Words and syllables with this pattern often have a short vowel sound. Read these words. See if you can hear the short vowel in each list.
rat | hid | not |
gap | dim | rod |
mad | pin | mop |
Now you will study a new word pattern. This pattern is like the CVC pattern, but it has an e on the end. So we call them CVCE words. Here are some examples:
Check that each word above has the consonant-vowel-consonant-e pattern.
The e on the end of these words is sometimes called the bossy e or the magic e. That’s because the e tells the other vowel to make a long sound.
Read the CVCE words again and notice the long vowel sound. A long vowel sound is when the vowel says its own name.
Now read these words. Make sure you read them with a long vowel sound.
rate | hide | note |
gape | dime | rode |
made | pine | mope |
rat | rate |
gap | gape |
mad | made |
hid | hide |
dim | dime |
pin | pine |
mop | mope |
rod | rode |
not | note |
man | home | time | his | |
did | safe | made | wave | |
can | save | like | kid |
1. Make a list of the CVC words.
2. Make a list of the CVCE words.
3. white
4. these
5. place
6. stage
The CVCE rule is also useful for reading words with more than one syllable.
7. rewrite
8. alive
9. taken
Now you are ready to read Spread the Word: First Nations Languages in BC. You will come across many of the antonyms you have looked at. You will also read many CVCE words, which will be in bold. Use what you have learned to understand and enjoy the text.
1. What is the subject of this reading?
a. First Nations people in Canada
b. First Nations languages in British Columbia
c. Skwomesh language
2. What is the main idea of this reading?
a. First Nations languages are at risk, but together we can keep them strong
b. Khelsilem is a good person.
c. Hardwood forests renew themselves.
3. How many First Nations languages are spoken in British Columbia?
a. 10
b. Over 30
c. 102
4. Why are First Nations languages at risk?
a. The government tried to get rid of First Nations languages through laws and schools.
b. Language is not important to First Nations people.
5. Why does Khelsilem want Skwomesh culture and language to be like a hardwood forest?
a. He wants the Skwomesh culture and language to reach a point where it renews itself.
b. He thinks forests are very beautiful.
6. Name two ways Khelsilem is helping to keep the Skwomesh language strong.
7. What are some ways First Nations people can learn their language?
8. What is a settler?
9. How can settlers help First Nations languages stay strong?
Look at this quote from Spread the Word: First Nations Languages in BC. Is it talking about the past, present, or future?
First, the flowers will come back. Then the grasses and weeds will return. Then the shrubs and berry bushes will grow. Next, the softwood trees will come. Finally, the hardwood trees will return. Now the hardwood forest will renew itself. Each stage made way for the next stage. Khelsilem hopes to set up the next wave of Skwomesh people so they will be like that hardwood forest.
This quote is talking about the future.
To talk about the future, use will + the base form of a verb. The base form of a verb does not have an ending on it.
Example: The flowers will come back. Then the grasses and weeds will return.
1. Khelsilem is 24 years old.
2. Khesilem learned his traditional language.
3. Khelsilem will build a school.
4. Khelsilem will help others learn Skwomesh.
5. He is like a shrub.
6. One day, the shrub will become a forest.
Khelsilem hopes to set up the next wave of Skwomesh people so their language will be like a hardwood forest. Their language will not be at risk. It will renew itself. To do this, he lives in a house where Skwomesh is spoken every day. He will also build the Skwomesh Language Academy.
In your life, what will you do to help your community?
Write a paragraph about this topic:
In your life, what will you do to help your community?
Here are some ideas you might write about:
Here is an example paragraph:
There are many things I will do to help my community. I will take the bus, ride a bike, and walk rather than drive a car. This will help keep the air clean. I will vote. Then government will have to think about the needs of my community. I will be a good teacher. This will help my community be creative and solve problems. In these ways, I will help keep my community strong.
When you have finished:
Reading Strategy | |
help/harm, save/destroy, better/worse, sleeping/awake, right/wrong | |
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 CVC words | man, did, can, kid, his |
2 CVCE words | home, time, safe, made, wave, save, like |
3 | white |
4 | these |
5 | place |
6 | stage |
7 | rewrite |
8 | alive |
9 | taken |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | b |
2 | a |
3 | b |
4 | a |
5 | a |
6 | Khelsilem learned his language. He lives in a house where he speaks his language every day. He is building a school to help others learn the language. |
7 | First Nations people can learn their language in a pre-school, at camp, and by spending time with elders. |
8 | A settler is a person who came to British Columbia from somewhere else. |
9 | Settlers can listen to people speak their language, learn about the First Nations land where they live, and support First Nations language learning in their area. |
Grammar | |
The sentences written in future tense are 3, 4, and 6. |
In these pages, you will take a walk along the forests, mountains, and oceans of British Columbia. You will read about some of the animals of our province. Along the way, you will learn many new skills that will help you be a stronger reader and writer.
In Unit 3, you will:
A big part of being a good student is learning how to use your time well.
Read this story about Gus. Gus is very busy. How does he get by?
My name is Gus. I am 22 years old. I am a very busy guy. I work in a kitchen all day. I am a really good cook. One day, I want to go to college to become a chef. So after work, I go to night school where I learn to read and write. I have a learning disability. I went to high school in British Columbia, but I fell through the cracks. Sure, going to work and school at the same time is hard. I won’t give up, though. I just have to plan my time well. I always leave for work and school earlier than I need to. That way, I will always be on time. I make to-do lists to keep track of my homework and chores. I set myself deadlines for each task on my list. Thinking about my dream of being a chef helps me meet my deadlines, even when I don’t feel like it. And I make sure to leave lots of time for sleep, so that I’ll be at my best during the day. Like I said, I’m a busy guy. I’ve got big dreams.
Write the title Talking about Time in your notebook. On a new line, answer these questions:
In this unit, you will read about three different animals that call British Columbia home. As you go through each chapter, think about ways you can use your time well.
People often try to change the way we think. Sometimes they want to sell us things. Sometimes they want us to support a cause. It is important that we can make up our minds for ourselves.
One way people try to change the way we think is by making their opinion sound like a fact. Can you tell the difference between fact and opinion? If you can, you will be better able to make careful decisions.
A fact is something that you know is true. You can prove it. An opinion is something that you think or believe is true. But you cannot prove it, and people might disagree. For example:
In 2006, the BC government made the spirit bear a provincial symbol. | That is a fact. You can check if it is true with research into BC history. |
The spirit bear is a kind of black bear that has white fur. | That is a fact. You can prove it with science. |
The spirit bear is cute. | That is an opinion. You cannot prove it. People disagree on what is cute. |
People should not hunt bears for sport. | That is an opinion. People disagree about what is right and wrong. Also, the word should is a clue that the statement is an opinion. |
Write down fact or opinion for each statement. You do not need to go back to the reader to see if these are true or false. Just look at the statement.
1. The sasquatch is real. | fact or opinion? |
2. Ginger Goodwin died in 1918. | fact or opinion? |
3. Bill Miner was handsome. | fact or opinion? |
4. People should not race in bathtubs. | fact or opinion? |
5. There are over 30 different First Nations languages in British Columbia. | fact or opinion? |
6. Sook-Yin Lee was in a band called Bob’s Your Uncle. | fact or opinion? |
The letter y can make lots of different sounds, depending on where it shows up in a syllable.
A syllable that begins with y usually makes a /y/ sound like in yellow. Read these words:
A one syllable word that ends in y usually makes a long /i/ sound, like in cry. Read these words:
If the word has more than one syllable and ends in a y, the y usually makes a long /e/ sound, like in baby. Read these words:
What three sounds can y make? Look at the words in the above Word Patterns box and say them out loud.
Sounds of Y | ||
/y/ like yellow | long /i/ like cry | long /e/ like baby |
|
1. Sort these words into your chart
many | fry | yet | why | carry |
empty | fifty | yes | sky | jelly |
very | yard | handy | shy | year |
2. Put the syllables together to make a word. Write the word on the line. Then sound it out.
com – pan – y | __________________________ |
most – ly | __________________________ |
Jan – u – ar – y | __________________________ |
Feb – ru – ar – y | __________________________ |
3. A syllable is a beat in a word. Each beat has one vowel sound. Write the number of syllables for each word.
mossy | ______ | only | ______ |
year | ______ | many | ______ |
mostly | ______ | carry | ______ |
by | ______ | yet | ______ |
any | ______ |
Read the chapter called The Rare Spirit Bear. You will read some facts and opinions about this animal. You will see many words with open syllables. Try out your new strategies as you read. Enjoy!
Sometimes people make statements that are false. These “facts” about spirit bears are false. One word is wrong.
Change the wrong word to the correct word.
1. The spirit bear is really a kind of grizzly bear.
2. The Great Bear Rainforest is a place in Alaska.
3. Spirit bears have a harder time catching salmon than black bears do.
4. In winter, spirit bears can go without food for nine months.
5. The First Nations have always hunted the spirit bear.
6. Spirit bears live to be about 50 years old.
7. Enbridge will pay taxes to the government of British Columbia.
8. A pipeline should be built through the Great Bear Rainforest.
9. The government should not allow any more oil tankers off the coast of British Columbia.
10. Oil spills can kill plants and animals.
11. Building pipelines will create jobs.
A compound word is made up of two small words. Sometimes they have a space between them. Sometimes they don’t.
Airplane is a compound word. It’s made up of air + plane.
Backpack is a compound word. It’s made up of back + pack.
Ice cream is a compound word. It’s made up of ice + cream.
Knowing about compound words can help you spell bigger words. If you can spell the small words that make up compound words, you can spell bigger words, too.
1. Here are some compound words from your reading. What small words do you see inside each compound word? Write them down.
a. waterfall
b. rainforest
c. pipeline
2. Match a word from List 1 with a word from List 2 to make a compound word from the reading.
List 1 | List 2 |
spirit | tanker |
water | spill |
rain | bear |
oil | line |
pipe | Nations |
oil | fall |
First | forest |
3. What small words do you see in these compound words?
goodbye | bathtub | hometown | steamboat | afternoon |
something | storytelling | blowhole | birthplace |
Do you think Enbridge should be allowed to build a pipeline through the Great Bear Rainforest?
1. Make a web to brainstorm your ideas. Ask your instructor for a Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link.
2. Look at your past webs to help you make a web for this writing task.
3. You can use ideas from the reading to fill in the web. But do not copy word for word. Find synonyms for some words instead of copying them.
Write a paragraph that answers this question:
Should Enbridge be allowed to build a pipeline through the Great Bear Rainforest? Why or why not?
When you have finished:
Reading Strategies | |||||||||||||||||||||
QUESTION | ANSWER | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | opinion | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | fact | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 | opinion | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 | opinion | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | fact | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | fact | ||||||||||||||||||||
Word Attack Strategy | |||||||||||||||||||||
QUESTION | ANSWER | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
3 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Check Your Understanding | |||||||||||||||||||||
QUESTION | ANSWER | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | The spirit bear is really a kind of black bear. | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | The Great Bear Rainforest is a place in British Columbia. | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Spirit bears have an easier time catching salmon than black bears do. | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 | In winter, spirit bears can go without food for seven months. | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | The First Nations have never hunted the spirit bear. | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Spirit bears live to be about 25 years old. | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 | fact | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | opinion | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | opinion | ||||||||||||||||||||
10 | fact | ||||||||||||||||||||
11 | fact |
Grammar | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1a | water fall |
1b | rain forest |
1c | pipe line |
2 | spirit bear, waterfall, rainforest, oil spill, pipeline, oil tanker, First Nations |
3 | good-bye, bath-tub, home-town, steam-boat, after-noon, some-thing, story-telling, blow-hole, birth-place |
We can’t believe everything we read. In the last chapter, you learned about the difference between fact and opinion. Knowing whether the statements we read are facts or opinions helps us form our own ideas.
1. A fish farm is a place where fish are bred and raised for food. | fact or opinion? |
2. Many salmon are bred in fish farms in British Columbia. | fact or opinion? |
3. Salmon are tasty. | fact or opinion? |
4. Fish farms should not be allowed in British Columbia. | fact or opinion? |
Some are true and some are false. Predict whether each statement is true or false.
5. Salmon act like food for trees. | true or false? |
6. Salmon change colour at the end of their life. | true or false? |
7. It is illegal to fish salmon in British Columbia. | true or false? |
8. Salmon can leap up waterfalls. | true or false? |
9. Salmon return to their birthplace to lay eggs and die. | true or false? |
In the last chapter, you learned about syllables with the letter y. In this chapter, you will learn about r-controlled syllables.
An r-controlled syllable is a syllable that has a vowel followed by the letter r. The r changes the vowel sound. The vowel sound is neither short nor long.
Read these words:
The –er, –ir, and –ur in the middle of these words all make the same sound. That means there are three ways to spell this sound: –er, –ir, and –ur. The –er is the most common.
The letters –ar can make many sounds. For now, think of their sound as the one you hear in car.
The letters –or can also make many sounds. For now, think of their sound as the one you hear in horn.
her serve nerve fern | bird first shirt birth skirt | burst burn nurse surf curl | park farm arm far harm | horn thorn pork storm short corn |
Remember, an r-controlled syllable has the letters –er, –ir, –ur, –ar, or –or.
Examples | |
Ginger: | The second syllable – ger – has the letters –er so it is r-controlled. |
charming: | The first syllable – charm – has the letters –ar so it is r-controlled. |
morning: | The first syllable – morn – has the letters –or so it is r-controlled. |
1. water | 2. forest | 3. over | 4. starting |
5. farming | 6. river | 7. return |
Read The Journey of the Salmon. You’ll see if your predictions are right. You will also come across many words with r-controlled vowels in bold.
Then look back at your predictions. Did anything surprise you?
My guess | The text says | |
1. Salmon act like food for trees. | true or false? | true or false? |
2. Salmon change colour at the end of their life. | true or false? | true or false? |
3. It is illegal to fish salmon in British Columbia. | true or false? | true or false? |
4. Salmon can leap up waterfalls. | true or false? | true or false? |
5. Salmon return to their birthplace to lay eggs and die. | true or false? | true or false? |
People have different opinions about fish farms. Some people support fish farms. Others do not. Ask your instructor for the Seeing Both Sides sheet, or open and print one from the link.
Enter this question in the top box: Should people in British Columbia be allowed to farm salmon?
6. Use the good things about fish farms to fill in the Yes side.
7. Use the bad things about fish farms to fill in the No side.
Make your mind up. Write your answer to the question on the bottom line.
Look at these sentences from The Journey of the Salmon:
These sentences are written using the continuous present tense.
To write a verb in continuous present:
1. Begin with am, is, or are.
2. Add your verb.
3. Add an –ing ending to your verb.
The continuous present tense is used to talk about events that are happening right now.
Below are some more examples from the reading.
1. A few communities are building fish farms on land, rather than in the ocean.
2. They are using closed tanks, rather than nets and cages.
3. Fish farms are spreading sea lice.
4. The drugs that fish farmers give the salmon are harming other sea life.
Here are some sentences from the news clip. They are written in many tenses — simple past, simple present, and continuous present.
5. Lives are beginning — and are ending — on the Adams River in Kamloops.
6. This year is a high point in the sockeye salmon cycle.
7. Once they were just eggs in this river bottom.
8. Now they are returning home.
9. They are dying because they are so old.
10. I saw a dead one on the beach.
11. This is a male and this is a female.
12. Every four years, a large push of fish comes in.
13. Five years ago, it was a different story.
14. Only some fish arrived.
Which of the above sentences use continuous present tense?
Choose one of your favourite places in the world. For example, you might choose a lake or a city or your kitchen. Describe what is happening there right now using continuous present. Think of at least three things.
Example: In Snug Cove, the otters are swimming. The boats are bobbing in the water. The seagulls are resting on the dock.
Write a poem in continuous present tense. Use this sentence frame again and again. Pick a new subject and verb for each line.
Somewhere in British Columbia, a_________ is __________-ing.
Examples:
Somewhere in British Columbia, a cedar tree is touching the stars.
Somewhere in British Columbia, a mountain is being climbed.
Somewhere in British Columbia, we are laughing in the rain.
Would you like to find an interesting synonym for any of your words?
Reading Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | fact |
2 | fact |
3 | opinion |
4 | opinion |
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | water |
2 | forest |
3 | over |
4 | starting |
5 | farming |
6 | river |
7 | return |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | true |
2 | true |
3 | false |
4 | true |
5 | true |
6 Under Yes |
|
7 Under No |
|
Grammar | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | A few communities are building fish farms on land, rather than in the ocean. |
2 | They are using closed tanks, rather than nets and cages. |
3 | Fish farms are spreading sea lice. |
4 | The drugs that fish farmers give the salmon are harming other sea life. |
5 | Lives are beginning – and lives are ending – on the Adams River in Kamloops. |
6 | This year is a high point in the sockeye salmon cycle. |
7 | Once they were just eggs in this river bottom. |
8 | Now they are returning home. |
9 | They are dying because they are so old. |
10 | I saw a dead one on the beach. |
11 | This is a male and this is a female. |
12 | Every four years, a large push of fish comes in. |
13 | Five years ago, it was a different story. |
14 | Only some fish arrived. |
The sentences that use continuous present tense are 5, 8, and 9. |
Sockeye salmon by Epipelagic is in the public domain.
You are getting better and better at telling the difference between fact and opinion. Let’s practice one more time.
1. Orca whales are mammals. | fact or opinion? |
2. We should not build dams on rivers. | fact or opinion? |
3. Orca whales live in family groups called pods. | fact or opinion? |
4. It is a sign of stress when a whale’s fin flops to one side. | fact or opinion? |
5. We should not allow whales to be kept in pools. | fact or opinion? |
6. A male orca whale can live up to 90 years. | true or false? |
7. Orca whales hunt by sending out sound waves and listening as the waves come back. | true or false? |
8. If a whale’s fin flops to one side, it is a sign that the whale is stressed out. | true or false? |
9. Orca whales mate for life. | true or false? |
10. Orca whales can hold their breath underwater for up to one hour. | true or false? |
You will return to your predictions after you read Spy-Hopping with Orca Whales.
When we read, we sometimes come across words we cannot sound out or do not understand. Sometimes writers put a definition of a word in the text so that you don’t have to look it up in a dictionary.
Here are some examples you have seen before:
Here are some examples you will see in the reading for this chapter:
When the writer does not give us the meaning, we can make a guess based on what makes sense. To make a good guess, we have to think about the other words around it. Read this sentence:
What word might make sense in the blank? Once you make a guess, you will likely find it easier to read this sentence:
Look quickly at Spy-Hopping with Orca Whales in your reader. Don’t read it, just find the words fluke, spy-hop, and breach. Read the paragraph that contains these words.
Write definitions for fluke, spy–hop, and breach in your own words.
Word | What it means in my own words |
1. fluke | |
2. spy-hop | |
3. breach |
4. Look at these sentences from the reading. Make a guess about what word goes in the blank. Does your guess sound right? Does it make sense? Write down your words.
a. When a baby is born it comes out tail first. The mother brings it to the _____________ of the water. The baby takes its first breath of air.
b. The biggest _________________ to orca whales is people. People build dams on rivers. The dams kill many salmon. With fewer salmon to eat, orca whales die, too.
c. In British Columbia, orca whales do something we do not understand. They come onto some beaches and rub their bodies on the smooth, round ________________.
d. Their two flippers help them steer. Their fin keeps them ________________ when they go fast.
Now it’s time to read Spy-Hopping with Orca Whales. You will see some bold words. If you do not know the word, look at the guess you wrote for the task above. Does it help you figure out the word?
Look back at the reading to find the answer. Then see if your guesses at the start of the chapter were right.
1. A male orca whale can live up to 90 years.
2. Orca whales hunt by sending out sound waves and listening as the waves come back.
3. If a whale’s fin flops to one side, it is a sign that the whale is stressed out.
4. Orca whales mate for life.
5. Orca whales can hold their breath underwater for up to one hour.
6. What are the three ways? Write a summary paragraph. Then check your spelling and grammar. Follow this format when you write your paragraph:
a. Topic sentence.
b. Details of the three ways people are a threat to orca whales. Use your own words.
c. Concluding sentence.
Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings. For example, male and mail are homonyms. They sound the same. But a male is a man and mail is a letter or package with a stamp on it.
It is important to know which words are homonyms so that you can learn to spell the word that you mean. This way, your reader will understand what you are saying.
Spy-Hopping with Orca Whales has lots of homonyms.
Tale and tail sound the same. But they have different meanings. Look at these sentences:
a. In some tales, orca whales take people from canoes and turn them into whales, too.
b. Orca whales have tails called flukes. Their flukes give them power when swimming.
1. Which word means “story”? Tale or tail?
2. Which word means “the back part of an animal’s body”? Tale or tail?
No and know sound the same. But they have different meanings. Look at these sentences:
a. Did you know that orca whales cannot breathe underwater?
b. In British Columbia, orca whales do something no one understands.
3. Which word means “not any”? No or know?
4. Which word means “to have learned something”? No or know?
There and their sound the same. But they have different meanings. Look at these sentences:
a. Their fin keeps them stable when they go fast.
b. Up north, they tip floating sea ice so that seals, walruses, and sea lions will slide into the mouth of another whale who has been waiting there.
5. Which word means “in that place”? There or their?
6. Which word shows that “something belongs to someone”? There or their?
Two, to, and too sound the same. But they have different meanings. Look at these sentences:
a. Their two flippers help them steer.
b. Often the fins of whales that are kept in pools flop to one side.
c. The dams kill many salmon. With fewer salmon to eat, orca whales die, too.
7. Which word means “as well.”
8. Which word has to do with “the direction something is moving”?
9. Which word means “the number 2”?
Imagine that there was an oil spill off the coast of British Columbia.
You are a newspaper reporter. Write a paragraph about what happened. Include the five W’s – who, what, where, when, why – and how. Predict how the oil spill will affect wildlife in British Columbia.
Make a web before you write. Ask your instructor for a Make a Web sheet, or open and print one from the link.
You can use ideas from the reader, but do not copy word for word.
When you have finished:
Reading Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | fact |
2 | opinion |
3 | fact |
4 | fact |
5 | opinion |
Word Attack Strategy | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | A fluke is a tail. |
2 | Spy-hop is when the whale stays upright in the water. |
3 | Breach is when the whale jumps right out of the water. |
4. | Answers will vary. |
Check Your Understanding | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | false |
2 | true |
3 | true |
4 | true |
5 | false |
6 | Example Paragraph: People are a threat to orca whales in three main ways. First, they build dams. The dams kill the salmon that the whales feed on. Second, they cause oil spills that harm the animals that orca whales eat. Soon after, this harms the whales themselves. Third, they remove orca whales from the wild. The whales usually die within five years. In these ways, people harm the lives of orca whales. |
Grammar | |
QUESTION | ANSWER |
1 | tale |
2 | tail |
3 | no |
4 | know |
5 | there |
6 | their |
7 | too |
8 | to |
9 | two |
Orca whales jumping by skeeze is in the public domain.
Rubric- The Shooting of Ginger Goodwin
Rubric- The Gentleman Bandit
Rubric- All Together Now: BC Festivals
Rubric- Bold and Bright: Sook-Yin Lee
Rubric- Spread the Word: First Nations Languages in BC
Rubric- The Rare Spirit Bear
Rubric- Journey of the Salmon
Rubric- Spy-Hopping with Orca Whales
Print-friendly versions of these same writing rubrics are also provided on the following pages.
For detailed information on the contents of each chapter in this course pack, please refer to the Level 3 Scope and Sequence document. A print-friendly version of each of the three pages of this document are provided on the following pages.
Azar, B. (2003). Fundamentals of English Grammar (3rd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Brant, J. (2006). The Aboriginal literacy curriculum toolbox. Owen Sound, ON: Ningwakwe.
Gear, A. (2006). Reading power: Teaching students to think while they read. Markham, ON: Pembroke.
Gould, L., & Weiten, J. (1997). Ideas, activities and exercises for fundamental level English. Vancouver, BC: Basic Education Dept, Vancouver Community College.
Laidlaw, L. (2005). Reinventing curriculum: A complex perspective on literacy and writing. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Leu, D., & Kinzer, C.K. (2012). Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, and Word Analysis for Teachers. Toronto, ON: Pearson.
MacFarlane, N, et al. (2006). Reflections on Literacy. Toronto: Pearson.
North Vancouver School District. (1999). Reading 44: Primary. North Vancouver, BC: Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.
Reaburn, R. (2000). Roots, prefixes, & suffixes of the English language. Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Community College.
Tuchman Glass, K. (2005). Curriculum design for writing instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Wilson, B. (2014). Wilson reading system instructor manual. Oxford, MA: Wilson Language Training.
Wilson, B. (2014). Wilson reading system rules notebook. Oxford, MA: Wilson Language Training.