People from around the world

Get Ready to Read

• What rights do you think everyone should have?
• Is everyone in Canada always treated like they have the same rights?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question. Use the word in bold and write in complete sentences.

1. How do you deal with conflict?
2. Have you ever stood up for someone who was not being treated with respect? What happened?
3. Do you know anyone who has stood up for equal rights? What did he or she do?

 Word Attack Strategy

Here are some words with the prefix uni-.

Use the words above to fill in each blank.

1. Do you think there is life somewhere in the _____________________ besides planet Earth?

2. Our class is starting a _____________________ on human rights.

3. The _____________________ decided to go on strike.

4. Every snowflake has a _____________________ shape.

5. The _____________________ Nations is made of countries that share the goal of world peace.

6. A man once said, “Live your life as though every act were to become a _____________________ law.”

7. Should children have to wear a school _____________________?

Here are some words with the prefix pro-.

Use the words above to fill in each blank.

8. She helped her kids with their science _____________________.

9. What is the _____________________ for passing a law?

10. Libraries _____________________ many programs for families.

11. He is going to _____________________ marriage to his partner tomorrow.

12. My boss might _____________________ me next week.

13. I am not done yet, but I am making _____________________.

14. The mother bear will do anything to _____________________ her cubs.

15. Lots of students came out to _____________________ the new fees.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Our Human Rights in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

The topic of a text is the person or thing that the text is written about. To find the topic, start by looking at the title of the text. The title The Story of Our Human Rights tells us that the topic of this text is human rights.

The main idea is the point the writer is making about the topic. A text is usually written for one main purpose:

We can figure out the main idea by looking for the point of each paragraph.

1. Re-read the first paragraph of The Story of Our Human Rights. Choose the best summary of the paragraph.

a. This paragraph describes the ways human beings are different.

b. This paragraph is about the disadvantages of being a human being.

c. This paragraph compares human beings to other animals.

2. Re-read the second paragraph of The Story of Our Human Rights. Choose the best summary of the paragraph.

a. This paragraph is about the disadvantages of the United Nations.

b. This paragraph compares the United Nations to Canada.

c. This paragraph explains that the United Nations created a list of human rights to help everyone get along, even though we are all different.

3. Re-read the list in the third paragraph. Choose the best summary of the paragraph.

a. This list is about the advantages of voting.

b. This list compares human rights in different countries.

c. This list summarizes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

4. Re-read the fourth paragraph. Choose the best summary of the paragraph.

a. This paragraph explains how to stand up for your rights in Canada.

b. This paragraph explains that Canadians have the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but we didn’t always.

c. This paragraph tells the story of a Canadian who stood up for human rights.

Summarize

The best way to make sure you understand a text is to summarize it. A summary:

• is written in your own words
• does not give your opinion
• begins with a topic sentence that shows what you are summarizing and who wrote it
• includes the main idea of each paragraph
• does not include the details that explain the main ideas

Flags

Here is an example of a summary. Fill in the blanks with words that makes sense.

The Story of Our Human Rights was written by Shantel Ivits. It describes the many ways (1)________________ beings are different. These differences have led to (2)________________, so the United (3)________________ created a list of human rights to help everyone get along. The writer summarizes this list, which is known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, (4) ________________ have the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but we didn’t always.

Read for the Details

Complete the sentences. Write your answer on the lines.

1. Human beings like us have been around for 7,000 years, right?

No, they haven’t. Human beings __________________________.

2. The United Nations was started after World War I, right?

No, it wasn’t. It ______________________________________.

3. The UN wrote something called the Universal Declaration of Freedom, right?

No, it didn’t. It _______________________________________.

4. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that we should have to pay fees for basic education, right?

No, it doesn’t. It says we have the right to _____________________.

5. In this book, you’ll read about the United Nations, right?

No, I won’t. I will read the stories of _________________________.

Grammar

Subjects and Verbs

Read this text about Lester Pearson. Lester Pearson was Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968.

Lester Pearson and the Peacekeepers

Lester Pearson fought in World War I as a pilot. He was deeply upset by what he saw. He wanted to help prevent future wars. So after World War II, he helped create the United Nations. Pearson came up with the idea of a UN peacekeeping force. Peacekeepers go into areas that are in conflict. They keep the peace while the two sides work toward a solution. For his idea, Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957. To this day, thousands of Canadians serve as peacekeepers around the world.

In this sentence, the subject is underlined. The verb is in bold.

• Lester Pearson fought in World War I as a pilot.
• He was deeply affected by what he saw.
• He wanted to help prevent future wars.
• So after World War II, he helped create the United Nations.

For each sentence, underline the subject and circle the verb.

1. Pearson came up with the idea of a UN peacekeeping force.

2. Peacekeepers go into areas that are in conflict.

3. They keep the peace while the two sides work toward a non-violent solution.

4. For his idea, Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.

5. To this day, thousands of Canadians serve as peacekeepers around the world.

Homonyms

Homonyms are two words that sound the same but mean different things. The box below has some words from The Story of Our Human Rights, along with their homonym.

Choose the best homonym to complete each sentence.

1. The United Nations works for world _____________________.

2. Do you want a _____________________________ of cake?

3. I chopped some _____________________________ for the fireplace.

4. _____________________________ you pass me the butter?

5. Basic education is a basic _____________________________.

6. He likes to _____________________________ short stories.

7. I’m cold. Can you _____________________________ the window?

8. Some people say, “The _________________________ make the man.”

Writing

At the end of each chapter, you will have one or two writing assignments to complete. Talk to your instructor about setting due dates for each assignment. Keep track of these due dates using the My Writing Assignments sheet or an agenda.

Write a Summary

Write about Long-Term Goals

A long-term goal is something you want to do in the future. It takes a lot of time and planning. It is something that you cannot do this week, this month, or even this year. For example, the long-term goal of the United Nations is world peace.

Let’s make some long-term goals using a medicine wheel. The medicine wheel is found in many First Nations cultures. It teaches us many things. One teaching is that we are all equal within the circle. Another teaching is that we are all spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical beings. Here are some of the needs we have:

Attributions

Different people
Photo Montage by geralt is in the public domain.

Flags
Flags by wbwolfgang is in the public domain.

Different water coolers for people of colour

Get Ready to Read

• What is racism?
• Have you seen or experienced an example of racism?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Answer each question with a complete sentence. Use the word in bold.

1. What are your favourite products from the grocery store?
2. Some people think that the prison system does not help people who are guilty of crimes to act differently in the future. What do you think?
3. Would you want to be a lawyer? Why or why not?

Word Attack Strategy

A syllable is a beat in a word. Each syllable has one vowel sound. For example, cat has one syllable. Catnip has two syllables: cat + nip. Syllables follow different patterns. In this chapter, you will study the consonant –le pattern.

Break these words into syllables.

1. cuddle = _______ + _______

2. giggle = _______ + _______

3. staple = _______ + _______

4. ankle = _______ + _______

5. puddle = _______ + _______

6. candle = _______ + _______

7. handle = _______ + _______

8. sprinkle = _______ + _______

9. paddle = _______ + _______

10. sample = _______ + _______

11. middle = _______ + _______

12. battle = _______ + _______

13. bottle = _______ + _______

14. title = _______ + _______

15. example = _______ + _______ + _______

Join two syllables to make a word.

16.

17.

18.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Viola Desmond in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Sum Up the Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. Viola Desmond

b. Beauty products

c. Movie theatres

2. What is the main idea of this text?

a. This text explains what to do if you get arrested.

b. This text is about the history of movie theatres in Nova Scotia.

c. This text tells the story of how Viola Desmond stood up for the rights of black people in Nova Scotia.

3.  Open and print this Sum It Up sheet. Fill it in with the main idea.

Writers support their main ideas with details. A detail could be a fact or an example. What details support the main idea? In other words, what did Viola do to stand up for the rights of black people in Nova Scotia?

4. Add supporting details to your Sum It Up sheet. You do not need to fill all the boxes.

Understanding Cause and Effect

Read the words in 1, 2, 3, and 4. Choose the best ending to complete each sentence: a, b, c, or d.

1. Viola went to see a movie at the Roseland Theatre _____

2. Viola was taken from the theatre by police _____

3. Viola had to defend herself in court _____

4. The province got rid of its racist laws _____

a. because her car broke down and she was waiting for it to get fixed.

b. because Viola’s case brought people together to fight for equality.

c. because she refused to sit where the black people were supposed to sit.

d. because nobody told her she could call a lawyer.

Grammar

Compound Sentences

We can make our writing more interesting by using a variety of sentence types. So far, you have learned about simple sentences. A simple sentence has one subject and one verb. In this lesson, you will study compound sentences.

A compound sentence joins two simple sentences together with a comma and one of these words:

These words are called conjunctions. Conjunctions are joining words.

Turn each pair of simple sentences into one compound sentence. Remember to add a comma and a conjunction. The first one is done for you as an example.

1. Viola had some free time. She decided to go to a movie.

Viola had some free time, so she decided to go to a movie.

2. Viola wanted to sit on the main floor. The staff told her she could not.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. Viola went back to the ticket booth. She asked for a ticket for the main floor.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. She was told that the main floor was for white people. The balcony was for black people.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. Viola could not see from the balcony. She sat on the main floor.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

6. The police said, “You must move now. We will arrest you.”

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

7. Nobody had told her she could call a lawyer. She had to defend herself.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

8. She did not know how courtrooms worked. She was found guilty.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Irregular Verbs

Match each present form verb to its irregular past tense form.

Fill in the blanks. Use the past tense form of the verb in brackets.

Oscar Peterson was one of the most famous jazz musicians in the world. But as an African Canadian, he faced a lot of racism. He (begin) _______________(21) his career as a musician at age 14. People (call) ______________(22) him “boy” even after he grew up. His fame (take) _____________(23) him many places, so he often stayed in hotels. Some hotels (tell) _____________(24) him to leave because of the colour of his skin. There were restaurants where he (play) _____________(25) for white crowds but then had to go eat in his car. White people (do) _____________(26) not eat with black people. He (say) _____________(27) that sometimes he lost his temper over these things. But later on, he just (feel) _____________(28) sorry for racist people. He (keep) _____________(29) on making music. He (write) _____________(30) a song called Hymn to Freedom. The song was inspired by the people who (fight) _____________(31) for equal rights. Hymn to Freedom was played during the ceremony in which Barack Obama (become) ______________(32) America’s first black president.

Oscar Peterson

Writing

Write a Summary

Write a Postcard to Your Future Self

Look back at your Long-Term Goals Medicine Wheel. Choose one long-term goal. Make a list of small steps you could take this week to move toward that goal. These are called short-term goals. For example:

Attributions

Different water coolers for people of colour
“Colored” drinking fountain from mid-20th century with african-american drinking by Ilmari Karonen is in the public domain.

Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson by Tom Marcello is used under a CC BY SA 2.0 license.

Symbol for women

Get Ready to Read

• What is sexism?
• Have you seen or experienced an example of sexism?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question. Write in complete sentences and use the word in bold.

1. Do you watch the debates around election time?
2. Why do you think Ottawa’s hockey team in the NHL is called the Senators?
3. Do you ever read the editorials in the newspaper?

Word Attack Strategy

 Match the word to the correct definition.

Break these words into syllables. Remember that every syllable has a vowel and -ble is a separate syllable.

7. comfortable = __com__ + _______ + __ta___+ _______

8. affordable = _______ + _for___ + _______+ __ble__

9. loveable = _______ + ___a___+ _______

10. noticeable = _______ + __tice__ + _______+ _______

11. reasonable = __rea__ + _______ + _______+ _______

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Nellie McClung in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

2. What is the main idea of this text?

Match the events and the dates. Copy the sentences in the correct order.

Understanding the Difference Between Fact and Opinion

Look at each statement. Which one is a fact? Which one is an opinion?

Grammar

Compound Sentences

Turn each pair of simple sentences into one compound sentence. Remember to add a comma and a conjunction (and, but, or, so).

Capital Letters

Edit these sentences by adding capital letters where needed.

Answer these questions in complete sentences. Use capitals where needed.

Writing

Organize a Paragraph

• A topic sentence that explains the main idea or point you want to make
• Supporting details that back up your point
• A concluding sentence that reminds the reader of your main idea

Decide what order these sentences should go in. 

Attribution

Symbol for women
Female Symbol by geralt is in the public domain.

Hospital

Get Ready to Read

• Is free health care important to you? Why or why not?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write a complete sentence to answer each question. Use the word in bold. 

1. Do you like the premier of your province?
2. Would you ever vote for a socialist party?
3. Would you ever vote for a communist party?

Word Attack Strategy

 Fill in the blanks with the best words from the box.

1. __________________ is the set of ideas that one gender is better than another.

2. __________________ is someone who believes in sexism.

3. __________________ is the set of ideas that rich people are better than poor people.

4. __________________ is someone who believes in classism.

5. __________________ is the set of ideas that some races are better than others.

6. __________________ is someone who believes in racism.

7. __________________ is the set of ideas that young people are better than old people.

8. __________________ is someone who believes in ageism.

Note: Not all words ending in –ism and –ist are negative. An artist is someone who makes art. A pianist is someone who plays piano. A scientist is someone who works in the sciences.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Tommy Douglas in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. Health care

b. Saskatchewan

c. Tommy Douglas

2. What is the main point of this text?

a. This text explains why it is wrong that people who fight for their rights are sometimes beaten and killed.

b. This text explains the disadvantages of letting cats be in politics.

c. This text tells the story of how Tommy Douglas stood up for the rights of working class people.

3. Open and print a Sum It Up sheet. Fill in the main idea and supporting details. 

Understanding Sequence

1. Put these events in the correct order.

a. Tommy became a minister to help people.

b. Tommy made lots of changes in Saskatchewan to help working families, such as free health care.

c. Many of Tommy’s ideas were put in place for all of Canada.

d. Some striking miners in Tommy’s town were killed.

e. Tommy Douglas saw some workers on strike get shot by the police.

f. Tommy became premier of Saskatchewan.

g. Tommy joined the CCF.

Understanding the Difference Between Fact and Opinion

A fact is something that can be proven. People can usually agree on the facts. An opinion is a judgment. People can disagree on whether an opinion is right or wrong.

Look at each statement. Which one is a fact? Which one is an opinion?

1. Socialism is evil.

2. Tommy Douglas was a socialist.

3. Tommy Douglas was premier of Saskatchewan.

4. Tommy Douglas was the best premier that Saskatchewan ever had.

5. The police shot two protesting workers in Winnipeg in 1919.

6. Guns should be banned.

7. Tommy made a law that bosses must give workers two weeks of paid vacation.

8. Workers should have at least four weeks of paid vacation.

Grammar

More Capital Letters

Edit these sentences by adding capital letters where needed.

1. tommy was born in falkirk, scotland.

2. he moved to canada in 1910.

3. he studied at brandon college to become a minister.

4. he married a woman named irma in 1930.

5. tommy began working in politics in saskatchewan.

6. tommy told a famous story about a place called mouseland.

Tommy Douglas

Commas in a Series

 Add commas to these sentences.

1. In a boxing match, Tommy broke his nose lost some teeth and hurt his hand.

2. Tommy could speak English Spanish and Portuguese.

3. Tommy lived in Winnipeg Regina Burnaby and Nanaimo.

4. Tommy beat Terry Fox Pierre Trudeau and Frederick Banting to be named Greatest Canadian in 2004.

5. Tommy has three grandchildren named Keifer Thomas and Rachel.

6. As premier of Saskatchewan, Tommy made a bill of rights gave everyone two weeks of paid vacation and made health care free for everyone.

Writing

Attributions

Hospital
Image by Eloisa is in the public domain.

Tommy Douglas
Tommy cropped by Samuell is in the public domain.

A soldier

Get Ready to Read

• Have you or someone you loved lived through a war? Did they survive? How did they get by?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question using the word in bold. Write complete sentences.

1. Do you have an old friend you think of fondly? Who is she or he?
2. If you were going to be in the military, would you rather be a soldier, sailor, or pilot?
3. Have you seen any injustices in the news lately?

Word Attack Strategy

 Complete and incomplete are antonyms, or opposites. Match the word to its antonym.

Fill in the blanks with an im- or in- word from above.

7. Only two of my answers on the test were ________________.

8. It is __________________________ not to say thank you.

9. Some people find beauty in things that are __________________________. These things are more interesting.

10. Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems __________________________ until it is done.”

11. I sat in the waiting room of the doctor’s office, feeling ________________.

12. Ernest Hemingway said, “I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is __________________________ is what you feel bad after.”

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Joy Kogawa in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. Japanese Canadians

b. Joy Kogawa

c. A book called Obasan

2. What is the main idea of this text?

a. This text tells the story of how Joy Kogawa worked for justice for Japanese Canadians who were forced to live in camps during World War II.

b. This text is about the advantages of Joy Kogawa’s house.

c. This text is about why Obasan is a great book.

3. Open and print a Sum It Up sheet. Use the sheet to plan a summary of this text. In the details boxes, list two things that Joy did to stand up for the Japanese Canadians who were put in camps. 

4. Using your answers above, write a short summary of this text. Include the topic, main idea, and one or two supporting details.

Understanding Characters

Characters are the people in a story. Events in the story often cause characters to learn and grow.

Answer these questions with a sentence.

1. At first, Joy thought of herself as a white person. What event caused Joy to accept herself as Japanese Canadian?

_________________________________________________________________

2. At first, the Government of Canada thought Japanese Canadians could be spies. What events helped the Government of Canada realize this was wrong?

______________________________________________________________________

3. At first, most white Canadians stood by while Japanese Canadians were forced into work camps. What helped white Canadians to realize this was wrong?

______________________________________________________________________

Waiting to be sent to a camp

Grammar

Review Commas in a Series

Add commas to these sentences, as needed. (Not all of these sentences need commas.)

1. The walls were covered with paintings photos and bookcases.

2. The sounds of music storytelling and laughter sailed through the air.

3. Her bedroom had toy boxes filled with cars dolls and games.

4. Joy’s mother father and brother were forced to move to a work camp in Slocan.

5. Joy missed her friends her books and the cherry tree in her yard.

6. When Joy grew up she wrote books poems and letters.

7. She helped Canadians understand the injustice of racism and war.

Plural Nouns

Make these words plural.

Choose a word from the list to complete each sentence. The word might be singular or plural.

14. The Canadian government thought that Japanese Canadians could be ____________________.

15. Joy’s belongings were packed into _____________________ and sold.

16. Joy had to go live in a _______________________.

17. She missed her __________________________.

18. Her family had to work in a beet ______________________.

Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Adjectives make our sentences clear and creative.

Compare the sentences with and without adjectives. Which is better?

1. Viola spent a night in a jail cell.
2. Viola spent a lonely night in a dirty, grey jail cell.

1. Nellie McClung gave speeches.
2. Nellie McClung gave bold, lively speeches.

Rewrite the sentences with adjectives to make them more clear and creative.

1. My sister bought a truck.

2. We could see the cabin up ahead.

3. Our holiday was cut short by a snowstorm.

4. A crowd gathered to watch the fireworks.

5. The children took swimming lessons at a pool.

6. My son showed off his wedding ring to the family.

Writing

Describing Home

1. Re-read the first paragraph of the reading.

The topic of this paragraph is Joy’s childhood home. To bring the description to life, the writer described how it looked, sounded, and smelled.

2. Describe some things you might see in Joy’s childhood home.

_____________________________________________________________

3. Describe something you might smell in Joy’s childhood home.

_____________________________________________________________

4. Describe some things you might hear in Joy’s childhood home.

_____________________________________________________________

Now think about the places you have called home — even if it was only for one night. What place did you like the best? Try to use your senses to describe it.

5. What did it look like?

_____________________________________________________________________

6. How did it smell?

_____________________________________________________________

7. Describe the sounds you often heard there.

_____________________________________________________________

8. Was there any furniture you really liked? What did it feel like?

_____________________________________________________________

Attributions

A soldier
Soldier by babtisteh is in the public domain.

Waiting to be sent to a camp
A young evacuee of Japanese ancestry waits with the family baggage by US National Archives bot is in the public domain.

Rainbow flag

Get Ready to Read

• What is homophobia?
• Have you seen or experienced homophobia?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question using the word in bold. Write in complete sentences.

1. Can you think of any TV or movie characters you like who are queer?
2. Do you know anyone who is involved in activism? Who?

Word Attack Strategy

Sound out the word. Match it to the best picture.

a.	b.	c.
d.	e.	f.
g.	h.	i.
j.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Jim Egan in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. AIDS

b. Queer people

c. Jim Egan

2. What is the main idea of this text?

a. This text tells the story of how Jim Egan stood up for the rights of queer people in Canada.

b. This text describes how the media used to talk about queer people.

c. This text is about how to take the government to court.

3. Fill in a Sum It Up sheet for this text. In the details boxes, write down three ways Jim Egan stood up for the rights of queer people in Canada.

4. Using your answers above, write a short summary of this text. Include the topic, main idea, and your supporting details.

Understanding Characters

A person’s actions can tell us something about their personality.

Think about the characters’ actions below. Match the character with an adjective from the box below. Use a dictionary for any words you do not know.

Grammar

Plural Nouns

In the last chapter, you learned some rules for making words plural. Here are some more rules for making words plural.

Make these words plural.

1. man

2. loaf

3. half

4. scarf

5. radio

6. leaf

7. tooth

8. tomato

9. goose

10. elf

Using an Apostrophe to Show Who Owns What

Look at these phrases:

• Joy’s house in Vancouver was going to be torn down.
• Gay men’s names were printed in newspapers.
• Tommy stood up for workers’ rights.

Why is there an apostrophe (’) in each phrase? The apostrophe shows who owns what.

• The house belongs to Joy.
• The names belong to the men.
• The rights belong to the workers.

Add apostrophes as needed.

1. A large number of First Nations cultures traditionally believed in many genders. Some peoples spirits were seen as a mix of male and female. Today, these people refer to themselves as Two-Spirit.

2. In the past, Two-Spirit people wore a mix of mens clothing and womens clothing.

3. Two-Spirit people also had special roles. If a childs parents were not raising him or her well, a Two-Spirit person was often asked to raise the child. Two-Spirit people were also teachers, artists, and healers.

4. Two-Spirit people challenged Europeans belief in only two genders: male and female. For this, Europeans killed many Two-Spirit people.

5. Canadas laws were written to make First Nations people more like white people. As a result, the tradition of Two-Spirit people was almost lost.

6. In 1990, there was a large gathering of Two-Spirit people in Manitobas capital, the city of Winnipeg. They began a movement to relearn their traditional roles.

7. Two-Spirit people have shown great strength as they work to find acceptance in todays world.

Writing

Attributions

Rainbow flag
Rainbow flag and blue skies by Ludovic Bertron is used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Photo a by OpenClips is in the public domain.

Photo b by Nemo is in the public domain.

Photo c by OpenClips is in the public domain.

Photo d by kerr63 is in the public domain.

Photo e by Nemo is in the public domain.

Photo f by Nemo is in the public domain.

Photo g by OpenClips is in the public domain.

Photo h by Nemo is in the public domain.

Photo i by Nemo is in the public domain.

Photo j by Nemo is in the public domain.

Totem pole

Get Ready to Read

• Do you know whose traditional land you are on?
• What do you know about the history and culture of the First Nations people where you live?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question using the word in bold. Write in complete sentences.

1. Who inspires you to be your best self?
2. Do you know of any Aboriginal people in government?
3. Have you ever been part of a movement?

Word Attack Strategy

Find the synonyms for the words in bold.

1. Raven tried to calculate, or figure out, how much of a tip to leave the server.

The synonym for calculate is ________________________.

2. The music was too loud for Ted to concentrate, or focus, on his homework.

The synonym for concentrate is ________________________.

3. I like TV shows that mock, or make fun of, people in government.

The synonym for mock is ________________________.

4. The Gum Chewing Club had an annual, or yearly, contest to see who could blow the biggest bubble.

The synonym for annual is ________________________.

5. I was furious, or angry, when the Canucks lost their tenth game in a row.

The synonym for furious is ________________________.

Now look at the reading for this lesson. Find the words in bold.

6. The synonym for residential school is ________________________.

7. The synonym for heathen is ________________________.

8. The synonym for MLA is ________________________.

9. The synonym for bill is ________________________.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Elijah Harper in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. Elijah Harper

b. First Nations people

c. The Manitoba government

2. What is the main idea of this text?

a. This text is about the disadvantages of residential schools.

b. This text tells the story of how Elijah Harper stood up for First Nations people’s rights.

c. This text is about how to become an MLA.

3. What did Elijah do to stand up for the rights of First Nations people?

4. Using your answers above, write a short summary of this text. Include the topic, main idea, and one supporting detail.

Making Inferences

Readers make educated guesses, based on what they know and what they have experienced. This is called making inferences.

We make inferences all the time. For example, when you go to a friend’s house and there are no lights on, you might infer that they are not home.

When a classmate comes into the classroom with wet hair and clothes, you might infer that it is raining outside.

Think about the situations below. Make an inference.

Think about these parts of the text. Make an inference.

Grammar

Review Possessive Apostrophes

Idle No More is a movement that started in Saskatchewan. This movement protests many things.

There are six possessive apostrophes missing below. Can you find them?

1. People in government are not protecting the Earths wellbeing.

2. Companies get rich from fishing, logging, and mining on First Nations land. The companies profits are not shared with First Nations people.

3. The reserves schools do not have enough money to provide a good education.

4. Many reserves do not have a nearby doctors office or hospital. People cannot get health care.

5. First Nations peoples daughters, sisters, and mothers go missing in large numbers. The government has not acted to stop violence against Aboriginal women.

Contractions

In the last chapter, you used an apostrophe to show who owns what. You can also use an apostrophe to write a contraction, a short form of a word. Here are some examples from the reading:

Read this paragraph. Change the words in brackets to contractions.

The Indian Act is a law that decides who counts as an Aboriginal person. (It has) _____________(1) existed since 1876. At first, the Indian Act said that any Aboriginal woman who married a man who (was not) _____________(2) Aboriginal would lose her Indian status. This meant that she (could not) _____________(3) live on reserve anymore. She (could not) _____________(4) be a member of her band, so she (was not) _____________(5) allowed to vote on reserve. Her kids would also lose these rights. They (were not) _____________(6) allowed to go to school on reserve, either. If an Aboriginal man married a non-Aboriginal woman, he (did not) _____________(7) lose these rights. Many Aboriginal women tried to fix this injustice through the courts. This (did not) _____________(8) work. So they turned to the United Nations. The UN did a study and said Canada was guilty of ignoring many rights of Aboriginal people. The government said (they would) _____________(9) fix the Indian Act, but they (did not) ____________(10). Aboriginal women fought for change by forming groups, giving speeches, and writing letters. In 1985, the government finally changed the Indian Act. The change gave status back to all the women who were born with status and had lost it.

Homonyms

These contractions are homonyms. Remember, homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings.

Use the best word to complete each sentence.

1. Keep both hands on the steering ___________________________.

2. At this time next week, ___________________________ be in Cuba!

3. Is this ___________________________ coat?

4. I think ___________________________ going to be a great dad.

5. Mike is coming, but ___________________________ be late.

6. I hope my burn will ___________________________ quickly.

Writing

Describe your Strengths

A sacred bundle is something carried by some Aboriginal people that holds spiritual items, medicines, and tools for helping themselves and others.

In the image of the bundle below, add words that describe some of your skills, special gifts, or talents. Think about how these help you as a learner. Think about how these allow you to help others.

Attribution

Totem pole
Totem Pole by werner22brigitte is in the public domain.

Helping hands

Get Ready to Read

• What can your community do to help people with addictions?

Vocabulary

Figure out what the bold word means by looking at how it is used in the sentence. Match it to the best meaning.

Write an answer for each question using the word in bold. Write in complete sentences.

1. What are some things that can help people heal from trauma?
2. Describe a time when someone treated you with compassion.

Word Attack Strategy

Read the pair of letters below. Write the sound the letters make.

18. Circle the words that have the /s/ sound of c.

19. Circle the words that have the /j/ sound of g.

Fill in each blank with a word from the box.

20. My schoolwork is ____________________, but I won’t give up!

21. When I drink a cup of tea with my cat in my lap, I feel at ___________.

22. ____________________ is the name of a country in Europe.

23. I don’t think ____________________ should be used to solve a problem, because it will just lead to more problems.

24. I asked the vet to ____________________ a kind of food to feed my dog.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read The Story of Gabor Maté in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

Find the Topic and Main Idea

1. What is the topic of this text?

a. Addiction

b. Insite

c. Gabor Maté

2. What is the main point of this text?

a. This text tells the story of a doctor who says we should treat people with addictions with compassion.

b. This text is about the disadvantages of drug addiction.

c. This text tells the story of Insite, the place where people can safely use drugs.

3. Using your answers above, write a short summary of this text. Include the topic, main idea, and two or three supporting details.

Gabor Maté

Making Inferences

In the last chapter, you learned that readers make educated guesses, based on what they know and what they have experienced. This is called making inferences.

Look at these statements from the text. Make an inference.

Grammar

Review Contractions

Read these famous quotes. Change each underlined word into a contraction.

1. “What is right is not always popular. What is popular is not always right.” — Albert Einstein

2. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind.” ― Bernard M. Baruch

3. “If you do not stand for something you will fall for anything.” ― Gordon A. Eadie

4. “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that will not work.” ― Thomas A. Edison

5. “You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one. I hope someday you will join us. And the world will live as one.” ― John Lennon

6. “What you are supposed to do when you do not like a thing is change it. If you cannot change it, change the way you think about it. Do not complain.” ― Maya Angelou

7. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I am possible’!” ― Audrey Hepburn

Consistent Verb Tense

Look at these sentences. Can you figure out what is wrong?

A man was walking down the street. He heard a car honk. He looks up to see what is happening.

The writer changed from past tense to present tense for no reason.

 Fix these sentences so that they have a consistent verb tense.

1. The air was filled with the smell of popcorn with extra butter. The crowd went quiet as the room went dark. Suddenly, lights splash across the silver screen.

2. The sailboat floats slowly over the still blue sea. It creaks and groans. Seagulls cry from above. Then, a clap of thunder rang out from above.

3. She was now so deep in the cave that she could not see any daylight. She turned on her flashlight. That’s when she sees there is a great big grizzly bear right in front of her. He is fast asleep, but for how long?

4. The bank robber smiled as he walked into the bank safe. Inside, it had a million dollars — at least. He didn’t see the bank teller behind him. The bank teller slammed the door of the safe shut, locks the robber inside, and called the police.

Compound Nouns

A compound noun is a noun that is made up of two or more words. Compound nouns can be written:

Here are some compound nouns from The Story of Gabor Maté. Should they be written as one word, two words, or three words?

Writing

Attributions

Helping hands
Hands by johnhain is in the public domain.

Gabor Maté
Gabor Maté by Gabor Gastonyi is used under a CC BY SA 2.0 license.

Human rights

Get Ready to Read

• Think of a time you stood up for yourself. What happened? How did you feel?

Vocabulary

Write an answer for each question using the word in bold. Write in complete sentences.

1. What is the biggest responsibility you have ever had?
2. What sport do you think is the most challenging?
3. If you had one million dollars to give to one organization, which one would you give it to?

Word Attack Strategy

Fill in the blanks with the double vowels that will make a real word.

1.

2.

 3.

 4.

5. Write the words above in the boxes below. Read the words.

6. Read these words. Do the letters ow make a long /o/ sound or an /ou/ sound? Circle the correct choice.

7. Fill in the blanks to make a sentence using the words below.

a. Do you go to school in the __________________ or at night?

b. I love this __________________ soup!

c. I got this chicken so I could have eggs, but it turns out it is a __________________.

d. Do you have a favourite __________________ character?

e. I wash my hair with __________________ three times a week.

f. There is a __________________ at my desk because it is my birthday.

8. Read the words. Does the oo make a long /u/ sound, or does it make the same sound you hear in book? Circle the correct choice.

9. Read the words below and sort them into the boxes below.

Use Your Reading Skills

Read Standing Up for Your Human Rights in your reader. Return to this page when you are done.

Check Your Understanding

1. What is the main point of this text?

a. To explain how to send an email

b. To describe Martin Luther King Jr.

c. To explain how to stand up for your rights

2. The steps for standing up for your rights are written below. They are in the wrong order. Put them in the right order. Look back at the text to help you.

a. Know who you can turn to for support.

b. Figure out the right person to talk to.

c. Make a back-up plan.

d. Decide what things you can use to make your point.

e. Set a goal.

f. Predict what challenges might get in your way. Come up with ways to deal with them.

g. Write down the problem.

h. Choose how to speak up — in an email, on the phone, in person, or by letter.

3. Think about these human rights problems. Write down a goal that would solve the problem.

4. Name three ways you can speak up for your human rights.

______________________________________________________________________

5. Name one thing you could do if your plan does not work the first time.

______________________________________________________________________

Grammar

1. Are these complete sentences?

a. Women’s rights.

b. She made people laugh.

c. In all of Canada.

d. The first Aboriginal person in government.

e. He told a story about Mouseland.

f. Writing a book about what her family went through.

g. Jim loves Jack.

2. Put the two sentences together to make a compound sentence.

a. There are a lot of homeless people in my town. I wrote a letter to the government to ask them to help.

b. I learned about the people running to be in government. I voted for the person I liked best.

c. It’s always important to stand up for what’s right. It’s not always easy.

3. Add capitals to these sentences.

a. joy kogawa wrote a book called obasan.

b. nellie mcclung used to live on vancouver island.

c. did you know that december 10 is human rights day?

d. did you know that canada was the fourth country in the world to make same gender marriage legal?

e. tommy douglas went to brandon college.

4. Add commas to these sentences.

a. To stand up for your human rights, you can write a letter send an email make a phone call or speak to someone in person.

b. There are lots of people who can help you stand up for your rights, including friends family your MLA your MP or an organization.

c. Let us be loving hopeful and optimistic.

5. Make these words plural.

a. right

b. life

c. man

d. baby

e. dish

6. Rewrite the underlined words as contractions.

a. Dr. Seuss said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It is not.”

b. What does not kill us makes us stronger.

c. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Believe you can and you are half way there.”

d. In three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life: it goes on.

7. Below is a summary of a story you have read. Add an apostrophe or an apostrophe and an s to the words in brackets.

(Viola Desmond) hero was Madam CJ Walker. Madam CJ Walker was (America) first self-made millionaire. Viola started a business like (Madam CJ) beauty business. (Viola) business was doing very well, too. One day, (Viola) car broke down when she was delivering her beauty products. She went to see a movie at the Roseland Theatre while she waited for her car to get fixed. She sat on the main floor of the theatre. The (theatre) main floor was for white people only. Viola was black. The (theatre) manager told her to move to the balcony. (Viola) eyesight was poor and she could not see from the balcony. She did not move. For that, the police took her to prison. Viola stood up for herself in court. She lost, but she helped start the fight for (African Canadians) rights.

Writing

Attribution

Human rights
Fists by Nemo is in the public domain.